"How the bloody hell do those bints an' their pals get to the Judge before we do?" Spike raged. "It just isn't possible. Anyone'd think they're the ones with the bloody seer." Close, Dru thought. Close, but not close enough. Spike moved over to his 'mad' sire. "C'mon, Dru, baby. If we're gonna get Angelus back, and get our fangs into our girl, we need to know what their up to. Where are their pieces?" Yes, Dru thought. Now.
"Miss Edith said they're hidden where you can see them." She said dizzily. "Where the Slayers meet on the edge of the mouth, that's where you'll find them."
"The school." Spike muttered. "They've hidden them in the most obvious of places. Of course. Why bloody not?" He growled. "I'm gonna teach that girl some bloody tact when I turn her."
"Tonight's the night." Dru whispered. "Everything comes together. Daddy, Buffy, Spike, Dru. One big happy family we'll be."
"Right you are, luv." Spike agreed. "Right you are." Dru grinned. Tonight's the night, indeed. All her visions, all her planning would come to fruition.
"It's time to go to school." She giggled.
"Um, guys." Xander said, coming into the Library. Of the gang only Angel and Giles remained. Buffy had decided to walk home with Faith and Willow, trying to explain what they could expect from the link, while hoping to spend some time with her sister.
"Weren't you going home?" Angel said. It wasn't that he didn't like the boy, it's that the boy didn't like him.
"Yeah, well, now there's an army of vamps between home and me, I think I'll stay here." Xander said off handedly.
"I beg you pardon?" Giles asked.
"Bunch of vamps out front." Xander explained. "Spike's leading them, and he's got some chick in a dress that came right out of one of those old Robin Hood movies."
"Dru." Angel muttered. "She must have cast some spell to shield herself from me. It's the only way she could have got this close."
"I've already let Buffy know." Xander said. "They'll be here soon. We just have to hold them off."
"Keeping them out of the school might be an idea, though." Giles said. "Especially considering…" He looked at the book cage, and the two Judge-pieces looked within.
"Not going to be easy." Xander muttered. "But I guess we don't have a choice. C'mon, Deadboy." Angel walked over, handing him two swords.
"I saw Buffy giving you some lessons." He said as Xander took the blades. "Figured you might be more comfortable with them."
"Thanks." Xander said. "What about you?" Angel hefted a large, double sided axe. "Oh. Well, whatever works. Shall we?" The two warriors headed to the door. "Age before beauty." Xander said, opening the door. Angel shook his head as he walked out. Giles walked over to the weapons, pulling out a crossbow, some stakes, and a crucifix.
"You won't need those." A voice said. Giles turned to see a rather striking woman dressed in a medieval dress. "They won't make it this far. The Slayers and the red head will arrive soon, then… Then you will see why you're Council tried to bury knowledge of their link."
"You're Druscilla." Giles said, bring the cross up in front of him. The vampire grinned, but it wasn't malevolent in any way. It seemed almost…reassuring.
"I'm not going to hurt you." She said soothingly. "You've been helping my darlings. That means your safe from me."
"I don't mean to offend, but aren't you supposed to be…well, barking mad, I suppose?" He asked. The seer shook her head.
"I was never insane." She told him. "It was an act, all of it leading to this. Tonight, I will be united with my Sire, my true love. The Slayers will be ready for their true destiny." Not totally insane, Giles thought. Just close to.
"You'll excuse me if I'm a bit, um…hesitant to believe you." Giles said. Dru nodded.
"Of course." She said. "I understand. The things I've 'done'."
"I get the sneaking suspicion there's more to your history, and you, then people tell." The Watcher said.
"Those stories will have to wait." Dru said. A hum could be heard outside. "It's begun."
Xander let out a sigh of relief as a purple blade tore through a vampire. "What took you guys so long?" Buffy grinned.
"Traffic was a killer." She said, offing another vampire. "Speaking of, I think it's getting a bit crowded. Faith?" Her sister appeared beside her, facing in the opposite directions. The two teens held their hands out and released the Force, sending the vampires flying back. "Much better." Her face hardened as Spike stepped forward. "William." She said coldly.
"I prefer Spike." He said. "That's somethin' else I'll have to teach you."
"I'd say I'll try to remember that, but in about five seconds, that's not going to matter." Buffy stared at the vamp that had been the cause of so much trouble.
"Funny thing about that." Spike said. "You don't have the strength you used to. I know all about that test the Council's puttin' you and your sister through."
"Didn't seem to matter when Wills and me kicked your ass earlier." Faith said, going to move in front of her sister.
"Not this time, Faith." Buffy said. "It's time to end this." She put her lightsaber away. "Here and now."
"Buffy, I don't think he's just going to let you straight to him." Willow said.
"Red's got a point." Spike said. "Get 'em."
"Switch to silent." Buffy said.
"Got it." Faith confirmed.
"Silent running. Cool." Xander quipped.
"R-ready." Willow stuttered.
"Concentrate on getting to Spike. We take him out, we finish this." Buffy sent.
"Alright, B. Just be careful." Faith looked around. "I'm not seeing any insane bitches around here."
"Shit." Buffy turned to Angel before the vampires hit. "Get inside and find that Child of yours." I just hope she views Giles as favourably as she seems to me, she thought in that shielded part of her mind. "Here we go. Remember…"
"Nail Spike. We get it, sis."
"I was going to say leave Spike to me."
"No way." Xander interjected. "I don't care what you say, Buff. This guy's dangerous. We take him together."
"Argue later. Dust now." Willow said as the vamps reached them. The red head found herself amazed at the amount of strength she had gained. Already she had dusted two vamps and was going for her third.
"Looks like Red's getting the hang of this." Faith sent.
"Spike looks like he's about to have kittens." Xander noticed.
"So, Spike, still think we're easy?" Buffy asked cheerfully, dusting another vamp.
"Right. That's it." The vampire said. "Time to settle this."
"Amen." Buffy agreed, making her way towards him. She dusted a couple of vamps on the way before coming face to face.
"Hope you don't get too mad if I win." Spike said. Buffy stared at him.
"You aren't walking away this time, Spike." She said. "This time, your vacuum fodder."
"I don't think so." Spike said, throwing a vicious right hook. Buffy dodged it easily, remembering her mothers training.
"Act, don't think. Trust your instincts. Let them guide you. And always trust in the Force."
Spike growled as Buffy dodged and weaved, anticipating his every move like she knew what he was going to do before he did. But he had been right in one thing. Without her Slayer gifts, she couldn't keep this up. He wasn't the only one that realised this.
Xander looked over at the two combatants, having sent the other vamps running. Buffy was tiring, even with her Jedi training, she couldn't keep this up for long. He had to do something.
"I have to stop this." He muttered, starting forward.
"We can't help her." Faith said, grabbing him by the arm.
"There has to be something we can do." He muttered, watching as Spike landed his first blow. Faith clenched her fists. She wanted to help, but this was Buffy's fight. One that, by the looks of things, she was going to loose. C'mon sis, the Slayer thought. You can do this.
"It's all over pet." Spike said.
"I'm not giving up." Buffy panted. "I'll never be one of you." Xander grinned.
"Come on, Buff." He sent. "You can't let this looser off you. What kind of message would you send your fans?" Buffy grinned at her Protectors voice. "You can do this, Buffy. I know you can. I believe it, we all do."
"What are you smiling at?" Spike demanded.
"You." Buffy said. "You think you know me, you know everything I can do? Try this on for size." Spike found himself flying backwards, hitting the wall behind him hard. The force of his impact as only matched by the impact of Buffy's fist hitting his jaw.
"Bloody hell!" He roared. Buffy tried not to act too surprised, but it wasn't easy. That had been near Slayer strength. But how did…? Then it came to her. It was obvious, even before she looked over at him. Xander.
The Protector grinned at her gaze. "You think I was letting you go that easily, girl? I had to do something. Of course, don't ask me how I did it."
"Just keep doing it, handsome." Buffy sent as she charged Spike. For the Master vampire, it was like someone had turned on the sun. The light that stretched between the two was impossible to look at.
"What the hell is this?" He demanded.
"Us kickin' your butt." The two said in complete synch.
"O-kay." Faith muttered. "This is freaky. I can barely tell the difference any more. And what is with that light?"
"This is…" Willow looked at the two. "They're acting like…their minds are joined somehow."
"Yeah, Wills, we knew that."
"No, I mean, completely joined." Willow explained. "As in, they're one and the same." Faith watched on as Buffy delivered a vicious jab to the vampire's gut.
"You think we're your property?" Buffy and Xander said at the same time. "Think you can defeat us so easily? You never stood a chance. You lost the day we met. Now, it is time for you to pay for the pain and misery you caused." Buffy bent down ad scooped up a discarded stake. "It's time to end you."
"It'll take more than some glow to stop me." Spike said. Buffy and Xander grinned.
"You think this glow's all we got?" The two said together. "Guess again, Blondie." Buffy raced forward, stake out. Spike managed to duck around her strike, running straight into her fist. He tried to strike back, but only hit air.
"This is unbelievable." Willow said. "It's like, their using the combination of both of their powers. All of it."
"But what about the crucify-thingy drug." Faith asked. "Shouldn't this be Xander's strength only?"
"They're by-passing it somehow, it's the only explanation." The two girls watched as Buffy drove her knee into Spike's groin, causing him to double over. "There's no way this is just Xander's strength, anymore than it could be just Buffi's, even if her Slayer powers were active."
Buffy stood over Spike, stake ready. "Goodbye, Spike." She said. "It's been real." She rammed the wood through his heart, watching him turn to ash. Then, she fainted.
Xander's was first to her side, with Faith a close second.
"She's exhausted." Xander's said. "We need to get her inside."
"What about you?" Faith asked as he picked Buffy up.
"She shielded me from her exhaustion." Xander's explained, cradling her gently. "Stubborn ass."
"Watch it, bub." Buffy muttered. "I'm still awake. Barely."
"Well, you shouldn't be." Xander's scolded. "Rest."
"Can't." She mumbled. "It isn't over yet."
"We'll take care of it." Faith said, Willow close behind her. "Just take it easy." She muttered something before slipping into unconsciousness. "Maybe we should take her home."
"No." Xander's said suddenly. "I can't explain it, but she wants to be inside in case we find Dru in there."
"Wouldn't Angel have taken care of her?" Willow asked.
"I don't think it'd be necessary." Xander's said. Faith nodded.
"You been getting' those too?" She asked.
"Huh?" Willow.
"Random thoughts, just barely audible." Xander's explained. "Something about Dru, but I can't be sure. What ever it is, she needs to be there." He turned to the school. "So in we go."
Guess what? You've almost caught up to me. I'd better get to work.
Stay tuned.
Doc.