Disclaimers: Mutant Enemy and Joss Whedon own it all. I'm just doing this for fun, and hopefully entertainment

Reviews: Welcomed and appreciated

Buffy felt herself being lowered into a chair, her blindfold still in place. Her first thoughts were of Giles. He had been next to her on the ride here, wherever here was, but she hadn't heard or sensed him since. Darla must've separated us, she thought, and that worried her even more.

Her blindfold was roughly pulled off her eyes, causing her momentary blindness. Once her eyes adjusted she looked around and saw Darla staring at her from across the room, a look of hatred in her eyes.

"Look who we have here. A slayer. The slayer, and from all the stories I've heard one of the most capable in written history. So, what happened?" She gave a very malevolent laugh. She came to stand over to Buffy. "This is the face of the little girl who stole my Angelus' heart. He is quite smitten with you. But what man doesn't like a virgin? I wasn't worried, once the novelty had worn off, he would've been back."

Buffy gave a short, harsh laugh. "I don't know Darla. He may have eventually left me, but he would've never come back to you. A bit long in the tooth was how he described you. But who knows? Spike might've given it a try. He just may have decided to give the older woman thing a try. Then again, he seemed a little smitten himself, with Willow. And she's very young and fresh."

"After my little tête-à-tête with her earlier this evening, he may decide to be with Willow for, oh I don't know, a century or so. She makes the cutest vampire, you'd love her. That is if you were going to live to ever see her again."

"I so do not believe you. She's not here, if she were a vampire, she would be here." Buffy felt her breathe coming in short gasps at the possibility.

"Calm down sweet girl. The likelihood of you spending a very long time with her yourself is a possibility." She shrugged and left that thought with the young slayer. "I need to go check on Drusilla's progress with your soon to be dead watcher. Ta!"

Buffy felt at the ropes around her wrists. They were tight, but she could loosen them with a little time. She just needed time and time was something she didn't have. Gods, she prayed, please let Angel get here very soon. Please.

Giles was lying on the floor when Darla walked in, Dru standing back waiting for him to regain consciousness. He began to stir a bit.

"So, anything?" Darla was impatient and Dru was enjoying the torture a little too much.

"He's very strong for a mortal, and very handsome. Can I keep him after?"

"You can have fun later Dru, I need information now!" Darla walked over to him. "Hello watcher. Weren't sure you were going to wake up. I was worried." She toed him with her manicured foot.

"Where's Buffy? What do you want?" He straighten up in his chair, blood caked on his face and chest.

"Oh please, don't insult me." She looked over at Dru, "You did ask him, didn't you?" Dru shrugged her shoulders. "Yes, well I'll deal with you later."

She turned her attention back to Giles. "Don't be obtuse. You know what I want, what I need." She walked over to Acathla, the sword protruding from its chest. She saw him staring at the demon. "He's a hard gut to wake up. I mean, I performed the rituals, said all the right phrases…blood on my hands, very messy. And I got nothing, a big zero for my troubles. So, I figure you know the ritual. You could probably tell me what I'm doing wrong." Darla walked over to Giles. "I know Dru really wants to torture you some more, but darling, I just don't have the time." She motioned to Dru.

Jenny looked at the two girls with her. Both very brave in their own way. Then she looked at the table, the Orb was surrounded by candles within the sacred circle. Cordelia stood to her right, a book in Latin opened before her. Kendra to her left, a bowl of herbs and incense before her.

Willow pace in her cage, knowing they were about to try to put her soul back. "You are so going to fail and when you do I will not allow you to die quickly. I will make the torture last for years. Are you prepared for that? Angel and Darla will have nothing on me, I promise you that."

Cordelia rolled her eyes. "You aren't exactly in a position to be making threats. If this doesn't work, you are dust. No regrets, no hesitation. So just sit and shut up before I shoot you with my holy water squirt gun"

Jenny gave her a slight smile. "Are we ready then?"

"Stinky herbs are a go." Kendra gave her bowl a swish for good measure.

"Um Ms. Calendar, did I mention I never took Latin?"

"You don't have to understand it dear. You just have to say it. I hope."

"Right." Cordelia looked worriedly over at Kendra.

"It's all gonna work, I'm sure of it." Kendra gave Cordelia a nod.

Drusilla knelled behind Giles and patted the sweat from his forehead. "Is that better? Hmmm? Poor thing. Let's see what's inside, shall we?"

She ran her hand up the back of Giles' head and over the top, closing her eyes, concentrating. She gasped and removed her hand. Drusilla brought her mouth close to his ear, "Of course."

Drusilla stood in front of him, holding up two fingers, "Look at me."

Giles tried to look away, tried to resist, but he was too weak. His last thoughts were of Buffy and then of Jenny. I'm so glad I was able to keep her out of this mess, he thought.

She continued to wave her fingers in front of him, then she pulled them towards her own eyes. Swaying, she began to chant, "Mm-mm-mm-mm…be…in me." She looked into his eyes and smiled. "Hmm…see with your heart." She covered his eyes with her hand, waiting. Then she stepped back.

Giles looked up. "Oh my god Jenny! What are you doing here? You were supposed to stay out of this. You have to get out of here! Now!"

Drusilla smiled, she was very good, she thought to herself. "Shh, we'll leave together. Now, did you tell Darla about the ritual?"

"No." His breath was coming in short gasps. "We have to free Buffy, we have to get Darla away from Acathla."

"Why? Is she close to figuring it out?"

He nodding, anxious to get his hands untied. "Later, help me get out of these."

"It's alright, just tell me what to do, how does she awaken Acathla? I have to know to stop her, I'll tell Buffy."

He looked at her in confusion. "We have to keep Darla away from Acathla." He repeated, desperate now.

"Darla herself? She's the key?"

Giles was so weak. "Her…her blood…she mustn't…"

Dru bent over and kissed him. "Shhh…mmm…"

Darla stood back and smiled, very please. "Of course. The blood on my hands must be my own. I'm the key that opens the door. My blood. My life." She paused a moment looking at Dru with Giles. "Okay. Kill him."

Dru looked up. "But what if he's lying?"

"Good point. Alright, don't kill him."

Drusilla smiled and returned to kissing Giles.

"Dru…Drusilla! We're finished here!"

"Sorry." She looked up sheepishly. "I was in the moment."

Giles looked up and realized what just happened. This would've never happened to my father, he thought. I just ended the world.

Drusilla looked back to him. "Don't worry love, I'll take care of you when things change. Promise."

Outside the factory Angel, Spike and Xander finally arrived. "Spike, I'll never let you drive again." Angel was furious, they didn't have time for fuck-ups.

"You would've taken that wrong turn too, if you'd been at the wheel." Spike was upset as well, minutes were ticking.

"Enough already, you guys are wasting time. Let's just get in there and end this."

Angel looked at Xander. "Boy, you are not here to fight. You get Giles and you run like hell. We can't protect you, we have to find Buffy and take care Darla and Dru. Are we clear?

"Crystal." He looked at the sword Angel was carrying. "Will it end it all?"

"Better hope so boy."

Darla entered the room where Buffy was being held with several of her boys following her. She motioned to them. "Get her up off the chair, but don't untie her."

"Afraid of what I'm gonna do to you?" Buffy pulled at her ropes.

"Oh sweet girl. I am not stupid. I haven't lived this long taking chances. You on the other hand, you won't live long enough to buy alcohol legally. Or to fuck my Angelus ever again. It'll take awhile to get your scent off of him, but I will work so hard at it." She laughed. "Bring her."

Buffy looked over and saw Giles sitting at the edge of the room, his head hanging. "Is he dead?"

Darla followed the direction of the slayers eyes. "No, not yet. Drusilla isn't done playing. Although she did make him sing like a little birdie, so cute." Her eyes zeroed in on the Buffy. "But before I start, I really need to pay you back for causing me such pain and anguish and making my Angelus desert me. I've never quite hated anyone as much as I hate you." She shrugged. "Oh well. At first I thought I would turn you, but if you were a vampire he'd still want you, that boy can be so obsessive. So, it seems death it is. Haven't ever had slayer blood, this is going to be a rare treat." She smiled, then to her boys, "Hold her." Darla vamped out and ripped into her throat.

Giles raised his head at the sound of his slayers' voice. He couldn't hear what they were saying to each other, but when he saw Darla change and attack Buffy, he couldn't stop his scream. "NOOOO!" She was killing his slayer, his daughter. He struggled at his ropes to no avail.

"Don't fret watcher. Better she die now than become some demons' bitch in hell. Don't you think?" Drusilla nuzzled at his ear.

Darla laughed. "I feel fan-fucking-tastic! Just leave her there. I need to start the ritual before the Angelus shows up."