Disclaimers: Mutant Enemy and Joss Whedon own it all. I'm just doing this for fun, and hopefully entertainment
Reviews: Welcomed and appreciated
Spike sipped his vanilla latte and looked up at his sire. "So, this weasely little demon couldn't tell you anything useful?"
"Just the ominous warnings their kind hand out. Useless pieces of shit, the whole lot." Angelus was more than a little worried and he didn't like the fact that the troll stated he still had a soul. A realization he was slowly, if begrudgingly,coming to himself.
"You shouldn't be shaking your fist at the Powers, Angelus."
"Since when did you take up a fear of them?"
"Since I got pulled into this whole little war of yours. Who knows who decides fate? Could be a roll of the dice. Could be them. Whatever. Take no chances, that's my motto these days."
They were waiting for Spike's bran muffin
"Bran muffin Spike? I mean, an all blood diet, you should not be having problems here." Angel was impatient to get to the library and find out what Giles had discovered.
"Hey, even a vampire should watch the prostrate. You never know. Besides, they go great with lattes."
As they continued to wait and argue, a young girl approached the two men. Spike wasn't too surprised. Angel hadn't noticed, but Spike knew the picture the two of them painted and he also noticed all the glances and stares from both the females and males they crossed paths with. Face it, they were hot. He smiled to himself as he stole a side-long glance at Angelus, yeah, hot.
She stopped in front of Angel. What's the little fledgling want, Angel thought as he looked at her, waiting.
"Tonight…sundown…at the graveyard. She'll be waiting for you." She removed the shawl she wore over her head. "You will come or more will die. The redhead will die." She stepped off the curb and into direct sunlight. She pointed at Angel, "Tonight!" With that, she burst into flame.
Angelus took an unnecessary breath and looked at Spike. "They have Willow."
"Fucking bitch. If Darla does anything to her I will personally pull her heart out and feed it to her." Spike threw his cup on the ground.
Angel looked at the determination on Spike's face and knew he could count on him, he finally felt the return of their bond. "Let's go."
"How did they get to Willow? It was in the middle of the day?" Buffy nervously paced, twirling the ring on her finger.
"No worries slayer, we'll get to her. We'll get her back." Spike looked to Angelus for direction. "So, what's the plan?"
"I'll meet Darla, you find Willow and kill anyone who gets in the way. Simple." He looked at the assembled group, they looked at him for guidance and he wasn't sure he was up for this sort of responsibility. When it came to protecting Buffy, he'd cross the gods, but for this assembled group… he turned to the watcher. "Giles, you know what it will take to wake Acathla?"
"Yes, it will take Darla's blood. Her own blood sacrifice."
"The stupid bit, she killed the boy and used his blood instead. Makes sense though. Selfish whore hates to mess herself, such a prissy thing for being a master vampire and all." Spike had a look of hatred on his face as he spoke, frightening Cordelia and Xander just a little.
"Keep the hate going boy. You'll need it, you may have to deal with Dru. Can you do it?"
"Surprisingly, yeah." As if coming to a revelation, he realized it was true. The guilt he had felt for so long was finally gone and he knew he no longer needed Dru for penance.
"Okay then, you go and find Willow and bring her back. I'm going to Darla. As long as I can keep her busy she can't do the ritual and once she's dead..." He took Buffy in his arms and hugged her. "Take care of Giles, don't let anyone out of here. But mostly, take care of yourself." He gave her a quick kiss.
"What are you talking about? I'm going with you. I'm the slayer Angel and to quote you, this is my gig." She grabbed her stake.
Kendra stood up, "I'm goin' as well."
Angel shook his head. "No Buffy, you need to be here. Giles needs to be protected. Kendra can go with Spike, but I need to face Darla alone. For a lot of reasons. But I need to know you're safe. You have to be safe." He looked over at Xander and Cordelia and squinted. So, he thought, finally as he gave them a knowing half smile. "Don't do anything foolish, any of you. Giles, you agree?"
"Yes. Go, take care of Darla." He couldn't believe it, but he totally trusted the master vampire. The watchers council would be outraged. And he had a feeling that once they found out, and they would, his life as a watcher would be over.
Xander stood up, Cordelia holding his hand, attempting to keep him from volunteering for anything foolish. "What can I do?"
"Take care of your girl. We'll be back soon."
"So, I don't get a say in this at all?" Buffy was starting to get really pist. "This is so typically male. I'm the slayer!"
"Yes Buffy, we all know. You're the slayer, blah, blah, blah. So sit down and take care of us, it's your job. Right?" Cordelia was a little tired of the repetition.
She looked from Cordelia to Angel to Giles and sat down in a huff. "I should be the one to go after Willow. She's my best friend." Buffy knew she sounded petulant, but she was not used to being told what to do. Even Giles bent to her will most of the time.
"Baby, you have to be ready. If we all fail it's gonna fall to you." With that last statement, he turned to leave.
Buffy blinked a few times then ran after him. "Angel, please be careful. I can't…I wouldn't…" She looked into his eyes, hoping he understood what she couldn't articulate.
"Me either, Buff. I'll see you soon."
Spike motioned to Kendra. "Come on love." Then to Angel. "We're out of here mate." He crushed his cigarette under his heel. "If she's done anything to Red…"
"I know, heart down her throat. Just get to her, they'll wait before they do anything major, for effect. That's how our girls work."
Buffy watched all three leave. Her sister slayer, working with an almost psycho-vampire and her other half. She almost wished for the days of the master, him she could handle.