THIS CHAPTER IS RATED M FOR LANGUAGE AND SEXUAL VIOLENCE IN CERTAIN SCENES

I Only Have Eyes For You

Libby hung by her ankles, the chains cutting through her flesh and grinding against the bone. She tried to stretch her fingers, but her body was too heavy, too numb. Not that she could touch the floor anyway. And even if she could, the floor was thickly soaked with blood dripping from her neck, ribs, and thighs. Libby could feel herself becoming crusted and sticky with the blood painting her body, but she didn't have the strength to keep her eyes open to see the wounds.

Stay awake, she told herself. Stay awake and fight.

The Protector knew if she fell unconscious there'd be no waking up. Whether she'd die or rise as a demon, it didn't matter. If she stopped fighting, it was over.

Buffy ran through the cemetery in search for any vampire. Either they would be one of Angel's or she could force them to sense out where he was hiding. After all, demons make it a habit to know where both allies and enemies live. It had been almost a week since she lost Libby in the hospital and since then there had been no slaying any vampire. Angel must have told them to lay low so there was no chance of Buffy finding her Protector. She had run all over the Sunnydale sewer system and checked every abandoned property, or so she thought because clearly she was missing something!

The Slayer screamed and slammed her heel into a tombstone. It cracked in half and crumbled over at the powerful kick. Buffy took a breath and tried to unclench her fists as she said, "She's not dead or a vampire. He would've sent her to me. There's no body or demon wearing Libby's face, so there's still time. She's not dead. She's not dead."

Buffy looked down at her watch and saw it was just past midnight. She had already checked with Giles about any more vacant buildings after saving a guy from shooting his girlfriend, so she raced directly home. Climbing through the window as to not wake her mother, Buffy immediately changed into her pajamas and willed herself to sleep. It had been a couple nights since the last time they spoke and Libby was delirious, weak.

"Libby?" she called out once she reached the glowing space.

It was a crystal white, glints of blue shining behind the faded forms of…wherever they were. Buffy couldn't tell. It wasn't the house or the hospital. She focused her eyes and began to see clearer shapes. A tree, maybe? Flowers? Stone? She stepped closer. Yes, stone. They were outside, somewhere. "Libby?" she called again.

"Buffy…"

Libby was lying flat on the ground, looking up at the white glow. Buffy ran over and bent down in a panic. The Protector was pale, almost gray, with wilted limbs and stained scars. She tried to bring Libby's consciousness back to know that she was there with her, but there was no light left in her eyes. Buffy stopped shouting and leaned her head down to listen. Thump…Thump…Thump… Libby's heart was dangerously weak and kept slowing down while her breathing was frighteningly shallow. The Slayer examined her face and saw dried blood in the cracks of her lips. Buffy's eyes widened. It wasn't her blood; it was too spread out to come from a wound, not that there was one. Angel had gone through with his threat. He fed Libby his blood. He was trying to turn her.

And that's when she saw it. An infinity symbol marked in red beneath the sword hilt of the tattoo. It was darkening in red. Buffy knew that symbol connected them to death, so it getting darker could only mean one thing.

"Libby! Can you hear me?" Buffy yelled as she shook her Protector's shoulders. "Libby, you need to wake up! You need to fight! Libby! Wake up! You're gonna die if you don't wake up! Libby! Wake up! Wake up! Libby!"

And suddenly she was gone, leaving Buffy to fade from the stonewalls into a nightmare.

Libby gasped and filled her lungs with twilight air. She caught a glimpse of the magenta and lilac sky blending into the daylight blue as she erratically pulled herself up. Every fiber of her body seized with new and desperate power from Buffy's telepathic cries as the brunette clawed at the chains binding her feet. Some fingernails broke as she worked the metal links but it quickly came loose. Libby flipped back as gravity brought her to the harsh floor and touched down in a harsh three-point landing. She tossed her hair over her face as the taste of blood touched her tongue. Libby's eyes sparked then glowered.

She made a run for the corridor, ignoring the intense shooting pains throughout her body, but as she turned to head down into the shadows Spike blocked her path. They stared at each other, stunned. Libby tilted her head at seeing him out of his wheelchair. How long had he been able to do something, to make a deal, and instead he sat and watched? She scratched the walls with bloody fingers and snarled. Spike readied himself for an attack as his intrigued blue eyes shown in the darkness.

"Well, well. Look who's risen," he jeered. "How're you feeling, love?"

Libby smiled and replied, "Human."

Spike's eyes widened just in time to get kicked in the face. He crashed down the stairs with Libby following. She jumped over him, but the vampire grabbed her deeply cut ankle. Libby shrieked at the raw pain shooting all the way up her leg as she slammed to the ground. Spike went to bite her, but Libby kicked his fangs with her free heel and sent him howling backwards. Launching to her feet, the Protector tried for the door only to be grabbed by Spike and thrown across the stairs. She rolled back down with Spike's fists on her face. Libby blocked his next strike and muscle memory took over. All the knowledge left by the Black Widow went in to fighting William the Bloody.

She high kicked him in the face and struck him in the ribs, but he punched her cheek and kneed her in the stomach. She head-butted him and tripped him, but he jumped back up and threw her into a wall. As he came over she repeatedly blocked his blows but couldn't get the upper hand. No matter how Libby fought she could not get to the door. She was weaker, pained and Spike knew it. Libby took a breath. New plan. Spike attacked and Libby waited until he grabbed her throat. As his other hand went to lock her arm down, the Protector twisted his wrist to free her neck and pushed the other away. In the one second she had, Libby forced herself up legs first and wrapped herself around Spike's neck and shoulders like a snake. Using her body as leverage, she aimed to flip them backward, sending Spike crashing to the ground underneath her.

"I see you still know that move," Spike wheezed.

Libby tightened her legs and said, "Yeah, I do. And you know what else I remember? Telekinesis." She placed her hand between his shoulder blades and gripped through his leather duster. "Let's see if I can rip out your heart without punching through."

She felt his heart wrench right before he roared in a way she can't even remember hearing on the show. Not when he was electrocuted, nearly staked, or tortured. Libby sneered and telekinetically tugged on the dead strings again. Spike struggled but when his heart tore from its natural, undead place, he shouted, "Wait, wait! Stop!"

"Why?"

"Angel and Drusilla will be here any minute…"

As he coughed at the release of his heart, Libby asked, "And you need to get back in the wheelchair or Angel will suspect your big bad plan to betray him?"

Spike sighed and answered, "Yes, Miss Know-It-All."

The Protector pushed her hand into his back to send his heart to its resting place, only it wasn't gentle. Spike cried out as Libby stood over him. He managed to crawl into a sitting position on the stairs and smirked, "You'll never make it out of here without them catching you. Sun's almost up. The last of the shadows are forcing them back to home sweet home. Angel just can't wait to show it off to Dru tomorrow night. Especially the you hanging upside down part."

Libby glared but knew that if he were right, there wouldn't be a second chance to get out. Angelus would rip her throat out on the stone steps and count it a bonus win if she survived as a vampire. And after spending all her strength on fighting Spike, there was no way she'd even hope to win against Angel. She needed a guaranteed escape and to have that, she needed to regain more of her power, get a message to Buffy, and insider help.

"How badly do you want Drusilla back?"

Spike raised his scarred eyebrow and growled, "You know the answer to that, pet."

"And you know that if I die, Buffy will kill all of you. First Angel, then Drusilla, and finally you." They glared each other down as she continued, "But if you make sure Angel doesn't do anything to me for the next few nights, long enough for Buffy to get me the hell out of here, I promise that you and Drusilla make it out of this war alive."

"What about Angel?"

"Angel dies. End of story."

Spike wildly smiled and replied, "You just made your first deal with a demon, love."

The phone rang in Giles' office early that morning. He had just arrived and immediately put down his briefcase to pick up the phone, saying, "Hello?"

"Mr. Giles?"

"Yes?"

"This is Dr. Martin at Sunnydale Memorial. I'm afraid I have some unfortunate news about Jenny Calendar. Do you have a moment?"

Giles' legs shook as he slumped down in his chair. He tried to find words to answer, but all he could do was remove his glasses and rub his eyes before the fearful tears could surface. "Y-Yes, yes, I-I have a moment."

It wasn't a long phone call. The doctor was professional and thoughtful as he informed the librarian. Giles hung up and was at a loss at what to do. He stood for a moment and then paced about the office before wandering out into the library. He tried to remember what he was going to do that morning, but his mind didn't need to remember. Giles' body did it for him. The bell ringing was what brought him back to the present. Students were leaving the computer lab – Jenny's computer lab – and Willow skipped up to him with a bright smile.

"Giles, I made them laugh. Did you hear? I did the joke thing."

"Yes, yes, so it seems," Giles mumbled as in truth he didn't hear. "I mean – uh – you did, indeed. Good – good show."

Willow frowned in concern and asked, "Giles, are you okay?"

"Hmm? Oh, well, I-I planned on stopping by to see if you needed any assistance, b-but then I got a call from–from the hospital."

"Oh no, what happened?"

Giles sat on the corner of the desk and softly replied, "What Angel did to Jenny, turning off her machines to distract from taking Libby, well…Jenny is slipping away. It's now next to impossible for her to-to wake up. The doctor used several medical terms to explain that her family should be getting her affairs in order."

"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry." Willow searched for something helpful to say, but she couldn't find any words inside her vocabulary brainbox. Then she remembered what she had found in Ms. Calendar's drawer when going through the syllabus and pagan website. "I, uh, I found this in her drawer. She told me it was a rose quartz." Willow handed it out to a choked up Giles. "And it has healing powers. I was going to see her after school and leave it with her to help, but I think she'd want you to have it."

Giles wiped away a stray tear as he accepted it and said, "Thank you, Willow, that's – that's very thoughtful of you." Without another word, he swallowed his pain and left the lab. Willow watched and hoped that the quartz would give him some peace. They could all use some.

Buffy's eyes fluttered in class as her history teacher gave quite a boring lecture. Something about a New Deal in agriculture and finance and child labor. Buffy just couldn't seem to keep her eyes open. Probably because of the dark nightmare she had. No images or actions, just a suffocating darkness where all she could hear was Libby screaming and Angel laughing. Buffy closed her eyes.

"Don't forget your assignments are due on Friday, class," a woman's voice said.

Buffy sprung awake, as her teacher definitely did not have a feminine voice. She was surrounded by students in 1950's clothing and looked up to see two girls talking about a dreamy guy named David. Dreamy? Soon the whole class cleared out and there was only a teacher and a teenaged boy wearing an old style letterman's jacket. Well, only them and Libby.

"Okay, this is new."

"Libby?" Buffy's eyes widened as she reached out her hand and her Protector squeezed it. "Libby!"

"I must've fallen asleep and got pulled in," Libby thought aloud.

"Pulled in where?"

They watched the boy hand the young teacher his assignment. "Thank you, James. How are you enjoying that book I loaned you? The Hemingway."

"Oh, this," Libby whispered.

"What?"

"Watch."

James reached for her hand and caressed it lightly with his fingers. "I like it, very much. It's honest."

"Yes, it's, um, it's based on a true story, actually," the teacher replied as she held his hand. "He fell in love with his –"

Suddenly, the door opened and as the two separated, Buffy woke up and was back in her history class. Without Libby. And with her teacher writing, "DON'T WALK AWAY FROM ME BITCH!" on the chalkboard. As everyone laughed and the teacher went straight to erasing it, Buffy looked for Libby. Of course she wasn't there, but on the bright side: Libby looked stronger.

"I'm telling you, something weird is going on," Buffy told Xander as they walked down the hall.

"Something weird is going on. Isn't that our school motto?"

"Pretty much, but I don't know. This time it bugs me."

They slowed as they reached Xander's locker. He glanced at her and replied, "I don't want to poopoo your Wiggins, especially since it could mean Libby's looking good enough to fight off Angel, but a domestic dispute, a little case of chalkboard Tourette's? Even with the daydream, it all sounds like Hellmouth lite to me."

Xander opened his locker and a decaying arm bolted out, grabbed Xander, and pulled him to the metal doors. Xander screamed and tried to push out of its grasp, but it was too strong. Buffy had to use Slayer Strength to free Xand and immediately slammed the door. They looked at one another, ignoring all the other looks, and cautiously opened the door. Nothing. It was just Xander's locker. Nothing supernatural about it.

They walked into the library and the first thing Willow noticed was his shirt. "Xander, what happened? Did Cordelia win another round in the broom closet?"

"You're just a big bucket of funny, Will. I'll have you know I was just accosted by some kind of, um, locker monster."

"Loch Ness Monster?" Giles asked from a low shelf of books by the stairs.

Xander held out a no-no finger to Giles as Buffy answered, "Locker monster is what he said, but it wasn't really a monster. It was, like, this big arm that came out of the locker, but then we opened it again and it was gone. Nothing."

"This was right after Buffy's history teacher starts doing some freaky channeling thing in class."

"Ooh," Giles said as he joined the group at the table. "Sounds like paranormal phenomena."

"A ghost? Cool." Willow smiled at the new element she would get to research.

"Oh, no, no, no, no cool," Xander corrected his redheaded friend. "This was no wimpy chain rattler. This was, "I'm dead as hell and I'm not gonna take it anymore.""

"Despite the Xander-speak, that's a fairly accurate definition of a poltergeist."

"I defined something? Accurately?" He closed the book in front of him. "Guess I'm done with the book learnin'."

Buffy rolled her eyes to Giles and asked, "So we have some bad boo on our hands?"

"Yes."

"Well, why is it here? Does it just want to scare people?" asked Willow.

"Unfortunately, he doesn't know exactly what he wants," replied Giles. "That's the trouble. See, many times the spirit is plagued by all manner of worldly troubles. And being dead, it has no way to make its peace. So it lashes out. Growing ever more confused, ever more angry."

"So it's a normal teenager, only dead." Buffy said.

Willow agreed and added, "Well, what can we do? Is there any way to stop it?"

"The only tried and true way is to work out what unresolved issues keep it here, and resolve them."

"Fabulous. Now we're Dr. Laura for the deceased."

"Only if we can find out who this spirit is. Or was."

Libby lay on the cold ground in the courtyard, in the dried pool of blood where she had been chained. She and Spike had worked it out that a metal link broke under the weight for so long and the Protector had only enough strength to free her ankles from the cutting grip. Libby caught up on a little sleep, which helped her remember what episode they were in and plan for when Buffy could come get her the hell out of there.

"And this is the garden," Angelus presented as he led Drusilla and Spike through the threshold.

Libby clenched her jaw and forced herself to act as though she was still on the brink of death. It proved more difficult than anticipated as she could feel her telekinesis healing her. She still had selective pains and dizziness from the fight, but at the rate it was going, she would not only feel strong and recuperated, but look it as well.

"Wow!" Dru marveled at the sight. "Look, jasmine."

"Night blooming."

"Like us. Angel, it's fairyland." She twirled and cooed her pleasure, but Spike was less than thrilled.

"It's paradise. Big windows, lovely gardens. It'll be perfect when we want the sunlight to kill us."

"If you don't like it, Spike, hit the stairs and go. Take a stand, man."

Libby's throat burned as she almost laughed at Angel's statement as their fight on the stairs flashed in her mind. It flashed in Spike's mind too as a smirk fell across his lips. "Well, our old place was just fine til you went and had it burned down."

"Things change, Spikey. You gotta roll with the punches. Well, actually, you pretty much got that part down, haven't you?"

"Very funny, mate."

"What can I say?" Angelus taunted as he brought a delicate branch of jasmine up to Drusilla's cheek, sensually caressing her pale skin and making her purr. "I just love to see you smile, buddy."

"Yeah, you're a giver." Spike rolled away, only instead of leaving the courtyard he went over to Libby. If he didn't know any better, he'd believe that she were nearly dead. The Protector knew how to deceive. Something to remember.

"How's our fallen piñata faring?" Angel asked as he nibbled on Dru's neck. "I'm aching for new companionship. Aren't you, Dru?" She giggled at his growl.

Spike leaned his head and caught Libby's warm, wrathful eyes and grinned. "Shouldn't be long now."

Buffy tossed and turned in bed, failing to go to sleep. She needed too but her mind couldn't drift off. There were too many questions for Libby but the only thing was she needed to fall asleep to ask them! Libby wandered about the glowing courtyard as she waited for Buffy. She was beginning to see the jasmine growing on the stonewalls when she had a thought. If we can only dream communicate when one of us is near death…why is it still possible? I'm getting stronger, aren't I?

"Libby," yelled the blonde as she ran over and hugged her Protector. "Are you all right?"

"I was just asking myself that question."

"What do you mean?" Buffy asked, getting very worried.

"It's just – I don't know how, but this morning I woke up stronger. Maybe they left me alone long enough for me to heal just enough so I could fight my way out, I don't know, but I can feel myself healing."

"That's good, right? How is that not of the good?"

Libby paused and explained, "Because if I am getting better then how can we still be using dream telepathy?"

"I don't know, there has to be a reason that doesn't involve death."

"Giles didn't seem to think so."

"I don't care! You're not dying!"

Libby took Buffy's hands and assured her, "No, I'm not. Because I can finally tell you where I am and everything that's going on with the poltergeist."

"Where is he keeping you? I'll get you out tonight."

"First thing's first, I don't know how to get you here so you're gonna have to follow Angel."

"How am I supposed to follow Angel when he's made it his life's mission to avoid me so I can't find you?" Buffy shouted in frustration.

"Come on, Buffy," the brunette smiled. "When have I ever not had a plan? Not counting when I'm spelled, dying, or high on morphine."

It took every ounce of strength Buffy had not to release her rage at school. Finally knowing where Libby was but still not being able to get to her was enough to pound her way through every wall to make an infuriated shortcut. And on top of it, James Stanley killing his teacher, Grace Newman, because he couldn't make him love her? And then taking the easy way out and killing himself in the music room? It was enough to make her scream while throwing Snyder threw the roof and slamming him back down into the basement. Needless to say, when she told the Scooby Gang what she learned from Libby in their dream telepathy state, it was made clearly known that there was no mercy left inside Buffy's body.

In fact, when lunch came around and everyone's food turned into snakes, Buffy actually lost it and started beating on the snakes. She took them by the tail and swung them down on the others like they were battle hammers. She killed the two she held and badly wounded the rest on the table until Xander managed to pull her away. Once they were outside, Xander let Buffy go and brought Cordelia to the ambulance to get her snakebite treated while Willow lead Buffy away from the crowd.

"What's going on, Buffy? You have a plan to save Libby tonight after we exorcise this ghost. Those are good things, so why are you so angry?"

"I've said why."

"Yeah, okay, so James should be rotting in prison for 60 years and Angel shouldn't have taken Libby the second – or first! – time and gotten away with it by hiding for so long, but Buffy…" Willow searched her best friend's face and couldn't find a glimmer of happiness. "We're gonna stop this ghost from hurting anyone else and we're gonna get Libby back tonight. Those are good things."

Buffy tightened her folded arms and couldn't look Willow in the eye. "Libby says she's getting stronger, that she's healing, but we can still communicate in our sleep."

"Yeah, that's how she was able to tell us everything. Why is that so…" Will trailed off at the tears in Buffy's eyes. "You can only do that when one of you is dying."

"Which means something's wrong and I don't know what and I can't stand waiting. I don't care about this ghost's problems! I care about getting Libby out alive!"

"And we will, Buffy. We'll figure it out. We always do."

Drusilla dug her hands in the dirt and mused, "Maybe I'll sleep underground. Dig myself a little burrow."

"What about your pretty dress, sweet?" Spike asked. "It'll get all dirty."

"Then I'll sleep naked. Like the animals do."

"You know, I'm suddenly liking this plan." Angel grinned as he watched Drusilla lower herself to the floor.

"Fortunately, nobody cares what you like, mate."

"Oh yeah?" Angel taunted. "Let's ask, Dru."

She laughed and said, "There's a gate. It's opening."

"Incoming!" Angel laughed with her. "I love when she does this."

"What gate, pet? What do you see?"

"It's black," she bounced up and down as Angel crawled to her. "It wants her."

He leaned in close to her ear and whispered, "Wants who?"

"The Slayer."

Spike huffed as Drusilla got to her feet. Libby twitched, knowing what the gate was, knowing it was the night Buffy would be able to get her out.

"It's time, Angel. She's ready for you now. She's dancing. Dancing with death."

"Big deal. He won't do anything." Drusilla stopped her own dancing as Angel caressed her hips and Spike tried to ignore it as he continued, "Our man Angel here likes to talk but he's not much for action. All hat and no cattle."

Angelus brought Drusilla into his embrace and held her there. "I don't know about that. I think this whole Slayer thing has run its course. I'm ready to focus my energy elsewhere." He lowered himself, grazing his hands along Dru as he went, making Spike cringe.

"Really?"

"Oh yeah," he chuckled and Libby felt a chill scrape her spine. In a swift motion, Angel left Drusilla standing there in torment as he went to Libby. "I'm waiting on my greatest masterpiece to wake up and be mine." He sniffed the curls of her hair and Libby stopped herself from holding her breath. "Anyone can torture, kill, or even turn a Slayer, but a Protector is the ultimate prize. And I will have done it all." Libby shuddered at his growl and the sensation of his teeth on her neck. "I will have shattered every bone, drained every drop of blood, snuffed out every fighting flame, and when she wakes I'll be inside her. The first thing the Protector will know as a vampire will be that she's mine. Any doubt of that will be fucked right out of her and before the big finish," He caressed his hand down her chest to lay Libby on her back and traced his hand down between her thighs. At the touch of his fingers rolling up the coral chiffon dress Drusilla had put her in for the new mansion made her eyes shoot open. Angel instantly met her stare and leered.

"You'll beg for more," he whispered and abruptly drove two fingers inside her.

Libby hissed and arched her back at the sharp, invasive movement. She grabbed his arm to lessen the pressure and remove his hand, but Angelus held her down. He grazed his lips over her chest and up her neck to her ear, growling, "You thought I didn't know you'd heal in those two short days? You thought you could save your strength and leave me when I'm not done with you?" Angelus laughed as his fingers drew circles inside her warm, tight walls. "I'm never gonna be done with you, Libbs. But I guess you didn't know that." Libby's breath shook as tears fell from the corners of her eyes. "Oh, don't worry. You still know more than enough about everything else. And when you wake up, you'll tell me everything." He paused and then snickered, "Well, if your voice isn't too sore from screaming my name." She winced as he pushed his fingers deeper before scraping them out.

Angel then positioned himself fully on top of her and turned her head onto the concrete. Libby struggled but when the dark vampire's teeth ripped into her neck, she screamed so loudly that both Drusilla and Spike almost covered their ears. It was when he had his fill and began drowning her in his own blood that Spike finally said something.

"You know if you kill her now there won't be anything stopping Buffy from killing you."

"I don't need leverage to beat the Slayer in a fight, Roller Boy."

Libby kept trying to free her hands and legs from his capture, but her choking on the thick, metallic liquid was weakening her power to even move. Seeing this, Spike rolled closer and pressed, "Don't you want the Slayer to be alive to see your masterpiece actually being created? Otherwise, what's the bloody point?"

Angel looked up at him and pulled his wrist away, freeing one of her hands to wipe her mouth as she coughed up mouthfuls of blood. He got to his feet and said; "Look at you becoming a thinker since you can't be a doer." Libby forced herself to vomit up more, but it wouldn't be enough. It felt like fire was coming out of her throat and the stabbing in her stomach became overwhelming.

"Dru? Give her another dose?" She nodded at Angelus' request.

"Another dose?" Spike asked.

"Doll's Eye," giggled Dru. "Just enough to make a sleeping beauty a delirious death."

"No more slowly killing my unconscious Protector, Dru. I want her undead by tomorrow night."

Libby looked to Spike and the last thing she saw was him shaking his head.

The Scooby Gang gathered in Buffy's room to hear Willow's plan on how to execute the exorcism. Buffy was growing anxious about the night and just wanted it over. The Slayer only wanted to have her Protector back safe, whether or not the ghost was toast.

"Okay, see here, the balcony?" Willow placed her drawing of the school and pointed to the star in the middle. "That's where the original teacher died back in 1955 and that teacher last night. That's the hot spot where all the bad mojo is coming from. We need to create a mangus-tripod."

"A what?" Cordelia asked.

Willow pointed to the three marks on the page. "One person chants here on the hot spot. And the other three chant in other places around the school forming a triangle. It's supposed to bind the bad spirit and keep it from doing any more harm."

"Well, I'll take the hot spot. If there's trouble that's where it'll be," said Buffy.

"This ghost, this James guy, he's fixating on you, Buffy," Xander added in concern. "The dreams, the yearbook. You sure you can handle it?"

"Oh, I'm hoping he'll show. I truly am."

They entered the school doors with flashlights for the dark hallway. "Okay, we all have our places. We do the chant and light the candle at midnight exactly. Any questions?" Buffy inquired before they split off.

"Yeah, what if this mangled triangle thingy doesn't work?" Cordelia demanded, fear behind her voice.

"Oh, I almost forgot!" Willow said. "I made us all scapulas."

Xander frowned and responded, "Okay, so we can flip the ghost over when it turns a nice golden brown?"

"Scapula, not spatula," corrected Willow as she handed out the protective pouches. "Um, you wear it around your neck for protection."

"You expect me to wear this? It smells like grandpa breath."

"Sorry, I didn't have a lot of time," Willow explained to Cordelia, and the others. "I had to use sulfur. Stinky, but effective."

Buffy took back control of the situation and said, "Okay, let's do this."

They continued walking down the hall, but there a different feeling in the air. A sense of desperation and fury clung to every particle around them, electrified with the paranormal. The poltergeist was everywhere, as though it knew why they had come. Cordy began to feel it seep into her pores when she asked, "No problem. This'll be a piece of cake, right?"

A door slammed down another dark hallway. And then another. And another; until all exists were closed and locked. They were trapped inside, at the mercy of the ghost. However, the four stayed true to the plan and made it to their assigned places. Willow stood ready on the staircase by the library, Xander sat on a table in the cafeteria to avoid the snakes that were left behind, Cordelia examined her snakebite in the bathroom mirror, and Buffy stood over the stone railing of the balcony. She began to worry if Giles would make it on time to help them if things went south, with Jenny's inevitable passing in the hospital at any moment he had to find a chance to say goodbye. Something Buffy understood. He deserved a last, uninterrupted moment with her before entering into something so perilous. After what she saw in the music room, the two dancing and then flashes of their deaths and finally his rotten corpse screaming at her to leave, Buffy almost wished Giles didn't have to come anywhere near this.

Suddenly, Cordelia's snakebite turned into a horrific scar on her face and Willow was sucked into a whirlpool of darkness. The redhead scream and reached for the metal rail in front of her. She held on as tightly as she could, but the grip on her ankles was too strong. "Help! Giles! Giles!" she cried, praying that he was somewhere in the building. The librarian heard her scream from outside. "Willow!" He couldn't open the doors no matter how hard he pulled, so he grabbed a stone and punched his way through the glass. This weakened the spirit's hold on the door just enough for Giles to unlock it and painfully shove his way inside. "Where are you?" he shouted as he bolted down the hall.

"Please, help! Help me!" Willow cried again, and Giles found her. He ran up the steps and grabbed hold of her, pulling his student out of the whirlpool created in the floor. At the release, they both tumbled down the stairs but they were safe. No more whirlpool of death, no more scar on Cordelia's face.

"Are you all right?" Giles asked.

"Yeah, yeah. Thank you. You got here just in time."

Giles absently nodded and collapsed on the stairs. "Y-Yes, good."

Willow looked at the weariness in his shoulders, the weakness in his limbs and wanted to ask what happened, but the clock began its chime to mark the hour of midnight. "Oh, God. Oh." She ran to the top step to light the candle for the exorcism.

All four readied themselves and began to chant, "I shall [totally] confront and expel all evil. Out of marrow and bone, out of house and home, never to come here again." A silence blanketed over the school and a single breeze swept through, blowing out every candle. They all waited to see if it was successful, but in moments they knew that it wasn't. A massive swarm of wasps appeared from around the corner and headed straight for Willow and Giles. They ran as fast as they could, meeting with Buffy, Xander, and Cordelia along the way. The Slayer was able to kick the exit door open, giving all of them enough time to make it to the street and to safety. The swarm remained just outside the school, creating a new wall over every inch to block anyone from entering.

If Buffy did not have Libby's word on how this night must end, she would have truly believed she failed.

Libby understood now; why she was able to regain strength and power just enough to believe there was hope. The Slayer's power connecting with hers to bring some life back into her failing body and whatever rest she could manage helping her telekinesis heal the wounds. And why none of it was enough. It wasn't confidence in the plan keeping her heartbeat slow and therefore causing dizziness. It wasn't just vampire blood that gave her stomach cramps and head blinding aches. And it sure wasn't the fear of being finally turned into a vampire making her throat burn. Libby understood now, she could see it growing in a new patch across the courtyard. Doll's Eye. The white berries stared at her with their single black eyes and they would be her grave marker.

The seventeen-year-old girl did not know much about botany, but she did know about some plants from her old biology class. Doll's Eye, one of the fifteen most poisonous plants in the world. In severe cases can cause cardiac arrest and death. Libby knew this was when she had to fight the most. There could be no falling asleep this time. Buffy was already on her way that very night. She just had to last until then. Libby licked her chapped lips, trying to spill some of the excess saliva from her burning mouth. Not enough. Just moistening the taste of Angel's dried blood on her chin.

"I will not become a vampire," Libby's voice quivered softly as she began to see the shadows move around her. "I will not die like this!"

Everyone waited anxiously and impatiently in the living room. They knew what had to come next, should the exorcism fail, was to be for Buffy alone to face. They tried discussing what kept James' spirit trapped, how he could never let his pain go and move on, but it was pointless. They could do nothing. Just like James. In the end, it was Giles who became unusually quiet after he expressed all theories for the ghost. Willow stared at him for a while, trying to recognize the new pain darkening his eyes. Xander and Cordelia could see it too, but they didn't know how to ask or if they should. But Willow did.

"Giles? Is everything okay? Are you…" she trailed off when he removed his glasses and drifted his eyes to the tea in his hands.

"I-I, erm, I do believe it is a-a time for moving on." Giles' voice was hushed and broken, but he was able to lift his eyes. "Whether know how to or not."

It was so quiet that Buffy could hear his words from the kitchen. She closed her eyes and drew in a shaky breath as she felt a folded piece of paper in her pocket. A part of her wanted to stay, to be there for her Watcher, but she knew more was at stake. The Slayer took out the flyer and read, Class of '55 Sadie Hawkins Dance. It was time. Buffy felt the pull as she walked out of the house and all the way back to the school. It was strange. Being aware of the pull and allowing it to guide her somehow kept her mind her own. The wasps parted like the Red Sea and the closer she got to the haunted hallway, the more she felt her mind slip away into James. But she would let it. She had to face this to move on and save Libby.

"Fun fact about wasps," Angel's voice broke the silence behind Buffy. "They have no taste for the undead. Not that sting would do me any damage; it's just…tonight's special. I wanted to look my best for you."

James was in control now as Buffy whispered, "You're the only one. The only person I can talk to."

"Gosh, Buff…that's really pathetic," Angelus began his torment.

Buffy could see through James' eyes as they turned around to face their demons and cried, "You can't make me disappear just because you say it's over."

"Actually, I can." Angel stepped closer and continued, "In fact…" and so Ms. Newman's spirit entered Angel at the sight of James' tears in Buffy's eyes. "I just want you to be able to have some kind of normal life. We can never have that, don't you see?"

"I don't give a damn about a normal life! I'm going crazy not seeing you. I think about you every minute."

Angel brought his hand to Buffy's face. "I know. But it's over. It has to be."

He tried to leave, but Buffy ran after him and grabbed his arm. "Come back here! We're not finished!" She forced him to look at her as she yelled, "You don't care anymore, is that it?"

"It doesn't matter. It doesn't matter what I feel!"

"Then tell me you don't love me. Say it!"

"Is that what you need to hear? Will that help? I don't. I don't. Now let me go."

Only they wouldn't. They held on tighter. "No. A person doesn't just wake up and stop loving somebody." They pulled a gun out from their back. "Love is forever." They pointed the gun with a shaky hand. "I'm not afraid to use it, I swear." Angel backed up at Ms. Newman's fear. "If I can't be with you…"

"Oh, my God." Ms. Newman tried to run, but James' cry stopped her. "Don't walk away from me, bitch!" Angel moved forward and ran to where Ms. Newman did all those years ago, to the balcony, but James was right behind with Buffy's speed.

"Stop it! Stop it! Don't make me!"

"All right, just…" Angel turned around with Ms. Newman's scared, but calm words, "You know you don't want to do this. Let's both just calm down. Now give me the gun."

"Don't," they cried as they waved the gun in despair. "Don't do that, dammit! Don't talk to me like I'm some stupid k-" they gasped when the gun was fired, the shot echoing throughout the night air. It pierced them as painfully as it pierced their partners.

"James…"

Angel fell over the balcony and Ms. Newman died again in James' eyes. He had Buffy turn around, anguish filling him up like it always did. They made their way to the music room, to play the record he always played, but what he didn't know was that a gunpowder bullet couldn't kill a vampire. Angel was the host Ms. Newman needed to save the one she loved since he couldn't save himself. Buffy looked in the mirror and saw James' reflection as she readied to put the gun to her head. Suddenly, Angel's hand wrapped around it and placed it away so it could do no more harm.

"Grace?"

"Don't do this."

"But I killed you."

"It was an accident. It wasn't you fault."

"Oh, it is my fault. How could I…"

Angel's fingers brushed Buffy's lips as Ms. Newman said, "Hush. I'm the one who should be sorry, James. You thought I stopped loving you. But I never did. I loved you with my last breath." His fingers caressed away the soft cries and he whispered, "No more tears."

The two kissed, for James and Grace, but the love wasn't just theirs. It was Buffy and Angel underneath, what they had, what they lost. That powerful love clung to them as the spirits clung to each other, allowing them to finally move on in a beautiful cosmic light. There was forgiveness, peace. Love dangled on their lips as Buffy and Angel's minds returned to them. For a soft moment, Buffy thought he might have resurrected feeling as she whispered his name, but it wasn't true. He growled and threw her into the music stands, leaving the tears to drip down her face. But she wiped them away. This wasn't how the night was going to end.

Angelus burst into the courtyard in a fury. He had run all the way there, roaring and tearing at everything in his path, just trying to get rid of what lingered inside of him. The dark vampire ripped off his shirt and went to the small spring that flowed down the ivy wall, splashing and rubbing the water all over his body.

"You might want to let up. They say when you've drawn blood, you've exfoliated." Spike said from his wheelchair.

"What do you know about it?" Angel snarled back. "I'm the one who was friggin' violated. You didn't have this thing in you." He violently grabbed his shirt from the stone and threw it across the terrace.

"What was it?" Drusilla asked. "A demon?"

"Love!"

Drusilla licked the water he just washed all over his body from her fingers and hummed, "Poor Angel."

He tried to put a new blood red shirt over his drying shoulders, but when he caught sight of Libby staring at him against the wall, Angelus tore the shirt in half and let it fall. " I need to wipe this crap out of my system," he snarled. Libby forced herself to sit upward when he wouldn't take his hungry, frenzied eyes off her.

"Of course," Dru replied. "We'll find you a nice toddler."

"No," Angel stalked closer to Libby as though she were a wounded coyote and he a wolf during a bad hunting season. "I don't need a vile kill before sunup. I need something else," he lowered himself over the girl and growled, "I need to fuck…and I need you to scream."

Angel clawed at her shoulders, throwing her down into the cold floor as he went for her dress. She screamed and thrashed against him. Whacking her chains against his face and kicking at his legs to propel him off, Libby frantically tried to crawl away. Angelus howled his laughter, but his face never changed. The demon never surfaced. It was just his sinful smile as his powerful hands cast off her dress to reveal her white bra and panties. Libby cried out, her nails scraping against the ground to get away, but it wasn't enough.

He flipped her over on her back and rumbled, "As kinky as it is, I don't want chains." He jerked them off, slicing open old wounds and cracking her bones. Libby wailed, tears spilling from her blazing eyes as he nibbled her jaw with human teeth. She couldn't free her hands. She couldn't kick him away. Angelus brought them to the ground as Drusilla giggled at the sight. He moved to unclasp her bra, but to do it he released one hand from hers. Libby instinctively thrust it into his chest and sent him flying into the opposite wall. She wasted no time in rolling over and crawling her way inside the mansion, but she couldn't get to her feet. The world was spinning and everything hurt.

"That's it, Libbs," he called out. "Let me have a hunt."

Spike removed himself and Drusilla from the scene. He knew the plan and couldn't be caught in the middle of this. They retreated to another level and the soulless vampire leered, not needing but appreciating the privacy with his triumph. Angelus pounced on Libby's back as she reached the middle of the room, grabbing a fistful of her hair and wrapping an arm around her to grasp her breasts. At her scream, he pressed himself against her backside, his hard cock demanding entry.

"You taste so sweet," Angel licked the nape of her neck so the breath of his words would become a part of her. "The warmth of you feeds my passion, my death." He slowly brought Libby to her feet as she writhed in his arms trying to escape his hold. Angelus twisted her to face him and brought a stroking hand to her waist, wrapping the hem of her panties around his fingers. As her tears fell like the spray from the spring, he chuckled and sucked on her trembling mouth. "To me, you are truly perfect."

Libby went frigid and clenched her teeth. She used all her strength to heave him off in one slow, fluid motion but she couldn't. And he howled in mockery. Angelus tore off her panties and Libby shrieked, scratching at his face and flinging her legs. He hurled the young girl into the side of the fireplace and bit into her neck with his human teeth. Their dull edges hurt even more as they ripped open her skin, letting her poisoned blood spill into his yearning mouth. He groaned at the bitter-sweetness and grew harder at the thought of all the juices he would suck from her in the eternity to come. Libby's remaining strength faded as her screams echoed into the empty space. This was the moment he had been waiting for, the moment when no amount of fear or pure adrenaline would give her enough power to ruin his favorite part. Angelus undid his pants and released his demanding cock, thrusting into her with a growl as he deepened his teeth in her neck.

Libby shrilled at the penetration, her head jolting backward at the blistering pain. Hot tears trailed down the sides of her face as no air entered her lungs. She pushed at Angel, her body weak and raw, but he drained her with every thrust. There weren't many before they collapsed on the floor. All she could hear were Angel's groans; sickly satisfied as the love was wiped out. All she could feel was his body ensnaring hers, penetrating a place no one had ever been. Taking everything from her. It felt like hours, but it was barely minutes.

A crash sounded outside. Powerful footstep drew closer. Angelus lifted his head from Libby's neck to see Buffy storm into the courtyard. She stopped dead at the sight before her. Angel was on top of her Protector, holding her down, his mouth soaked in her blood…but it was his face. It was his malicious grin at seeing her horror. The Slayer was only a few minutes behind, to make sure Angel didn't know he was being followed. How could she be late to let this happen?

Angel chuckled as he left Libby shuddering on the floor and zipped up his pants as he strode over to a furious Buffy. "I must say, Buff, I don't appreciate you interrupting this special moment. This was our first time an' all." He threw a quick sneer to Libby as she forced herself to roll over on her stomach. Buffy ran over to her, placing her jacket over Libby's newly bruised and bloody body. Angel continued, "If I knew you were coming I would've waited. Two is better than one after all." He threw the torn dress at Buffy's feet and received the deadliest glare any Slayer had ever given. "Although, it's a shame we didn't get to the good part."

Buffy lunged for the dark vampire and kicked him so hard in the face that he plummeted into a stone figurine and crashed to the ground. "You're disgusting and evil and I hate you!" Buffy screamed as she kicked him in the stomach as hard as she could. "How could you? How dare you!" she cried, her fists pounding his face over and over. "She's my Protector! My sister! She means everything to me and you destroy her like this? If you wanted to hurt me then hurt me!" Buffy kicked him in the jaw and blood sprayed the walls before he hit the ground. "I'll make you pay for this in ways even you can't imagine!" She took out a stake and plunged it into his stomach…and took out another and plunged it into his chest right above his heart. "You will suffer like you've never suffered and when you finally beg me to kill you I will carve off your head!"

Angelus coughed and for a moment the Slayer thought he was laughing, but it wasn't spite it was pain. She drove the stakes deeper into his flesh, but was brought back to why she was there when Libby rasped out, "Buffy… Buffy, help."

She ran to her fallen Protector, now wearing the dress Angel threw at them, and lifted Libby into her arms. "It's gonna be okay," she cried as Libby winced with every step she took. "You're gonna be okay. I promise. I'm getting you out of here," the Slayer led the Protector out to see Giles' car parked down the street. "See? You're safe now. We're gonna get you help. It's over now. You'll be okay."

Buffy stared through the hospital room's window. Libby was hooked up to machines again, lying in white sheets on a white pillow and her skin just as pale. Her curly hair sprawled out on her shoulders like roots refusing to be buried in the snow. She had no idea when she would be allowed to see her Protector. As it was the second time in 12 days that she was admitted, the first time after being kidnapped and the second screaming in a panic after being raped and poisoned, the doctors naturally put her in a locked ICU with a psychiatrist standing by to evaluate her mental state.

Giles had taken over the story of what happened to her. Libby had gone to visit her mother and upon her return to Sunnydale she was jumped by a gang near the cemetery, lead by the man who brought her in the first time. It was the same man who abducted her from the hospital; as it turns out they are part of a cult who needed an innocent young girl for their satanic-like ritual. Giles went on to say that it was probably the same PCP gang who attacked the high school, and other places in Sunnydale, just broadening their horizons. Buffy confirmed this story by being a witness when rescuing Libby. It all made sense to her. Giles was able to blame the vampires without actually saying it was the vampires. The police were eating it up and taking statements to track them down, but since there was no way to actually rid the small California city of vampires it was the perfect way to wrap everything up. The law had the leads, Angel wasn't exposed as a vampire, and Libby would get all the help she needed.

Of course, the doctors were all asking for her family's information, but the Watcher took care of that too. "I am her uncle and guardian as I take care of her when she's not with her mother. She travels a great deal and could not continue to afford sending her to boarding school and wanted her to have stability with family. I will handle all of the paperwork and expenses and keep her mother informed. I'm sure she will see her as soon as she can."

Buffy looked back through the window to see the Protector finally begin to stretch under the sheets. She was all right. She would get better. Xander came up next to the window to look in. He had left with Willow and Cordelia to get the birthday presents they all had gotten for her the day Buffy told them Angel would make them miss it, her birthday being almost a week ago. The plan was to have a very small surprise get together for her after she was rescued, but with everything that happened…it didn't matter anymore. They wanted Libby to know they were always thinking of her, that she was loved. So Xander offered to go collect everything for her birthday even if it was in the hospital. Willow and Cordelia clung to the gifts as they peered in next to the others. The only hope they had at seeing her that night was if she asked. And none of them knew if she would.

The psychiatrist, Dr. Lane, dispersed their blockade on the door and entered, but not before firmly telling them to wait in the hallway lounge. Giles nodded and directed the worried friends away from the door, but Libby didn't see any of this. She kept her eyes shut and the world numb. There was no escape for her, no peace. It had been so long since she had safety and comfort and home that she was afraid she would never truly know it again. That what Angelus did to her would last the rest of her life. Drusilla certainly didn't turn out all right.

"Miss Winters? Libby?" a calm, gentle, but solid voice asked over the beeping of the machines. "My name is Dr. Lane, I'm the psychiatrist here and I would like to ask how you're feeling?"

Libby slowly opened her eyes to see a middle aged man with tan skin wearing a white coat and square glasses sitting down next to her bed. He seemed compassionate enough with the questioning smile that was supposed to get her to trust him and open up. "Libby? Can you tell me what happened to you?"

"I couldn't tell you, why she felt that way. She felt it every day. And I couldn't help her. I just watched her make the same mistakes again…" Libby's voice was low, hushed but sweet, close to the rhythm of the machines. "What's wrong, what's wrong now? Too many, too many problems. Don't know where she belongs. Where she belongs…"

Dr. Lane lowered his own voice and tried, "I'm not here to understand what you went through nor am I here to explain why you had to go through it. I am here to listen to what you have to say, to what you're feeling so I can best help you." Libby stared at him, exhausted and unmoved. "I need to know how to help you so you can help yourself. I want to listen and learn how to ease your pain."

"She wants to go home, but nobody's home. That's where she lies, broken inside. With no place to go, no place to go… to dry her eyes. Broken inside."

"All right, I know how difficult it can be reliving such damaging trials. I will write an evaluation saying you need one more night in the ICU before being transferred to the psychiatric ward. We'll take it from there tomorrow." Dr. Lane bowed his graying head and walked toward the door.

"If I talk to you will I still have to go there?" Her voice was stronger now, but raspy. However, it got his attention.

"I make no promises. It depends on what you share with me."

Libby fluttered her eyes towards the ceiling and whispered, "I think it'll be worse if I talk."

Dr. Lane came back and sat down next to her. "Is that why you sang? Easier to communicate what you're feeling and experiencing?"

"No. I don't know. It's been in my head for days while h-he..."

After a long pause, Dr. Lane asked, "Do you want to see your uncle and friends? They're all impatiently waiting in the hallway for you. I dare say they'll be here all night until you invite them in."

"I want to go home, but they can't bring me there."

"I'm sorry to hear that, but maybe with them home doesn't have to be a place. It can be a feeling." Libby turned and looked him dead in the eye. "Love is the strongest defense against any evil. Home is the second. In my opinion, both are vital emotions to living a healthy life."

"What if someone is destroyed by it? What if they want to destroy it in those that took it from him?"

Dr. Lane gave her a sensitive smile and replied, "Don't let him. Make that choice and move forward."

"How?" Libby's voice broke as tears lingered on her lashes.

"Try talking to me for a while and then," Dr. Lane pointed his pen to the door window, "talk to those impatient friends of yours who only want to love you."

She took a shaky breath, reciting the lyrics in her mind to calm the riptide threatening to drown her from the inside out. Be strong, be strong now. Too many, too many problems. Don't know where she belongs. Where she belongs…Her feelings she hides. Her dreams she can't find. She's losing her mind. She's fallen behind. She can't find her place. She's losing her faith. She's falling from grace. She's all over the place! She wants to go home, but nobody's home. That's where she lies, broken inside… She's lost inside, lost inside…

She looked at Dr. Lane's patient face and then to Buffy and Xander and Willow. As she saw Cordelia in the back and Giles urging them all back to the hallway, Libby almost felt like smiling. At least she wasn't alone. The young girl told the psychiatrist everything she could. Not to keep the truth in check to whatever story he had been told about what 'really' happened to her, but what she was able to vocalize. Libby told him what happened the first time; how Angelus wanted use her for his own gain – to break her irreparably. She told him how Angelus wouldn't let her die because he never wanted it to be over. That's why he let her be healed in the hospital just enough to be taken back into his dark world where pain is laughter. She told him that the second time, Angelus wanted to cleanse her soul of love and hope and strength – to destroy every part of her as his greatest masterpiece. But Libby also told him that she never gave up. That she fought with every breath inside her body. No matter what he did or wanted from her, she refused to give him the satisfaction of truly succeeding. She was petrified and infuriated and miserable, but maybe not irreversibly so. Dr. Lane listened and provided comforting and strengthening words that were meant to lift her spirits, give her hope. He also offered advice for how to deal with the traumatic experiences and explained what to do if it ever became too much to bear.

They spoke for over an hour and at the end, Dr. Lane concluded that she needed a couple more nights in the ICU and three more appointments with him to make sure she was in a safe state of mind to return home with her uncle within the week. He told her he had no doubt that someone who fought so hard to survive would not be in a safe state in that time, but it was necessary for her mental and emotional health. Libby understood and agreed to his mandatory therapy sessions with her twice a week for the next month, and then once a week for the following month. Afterwards, they would see how she was progressing with the trauma to see if she needed more mandatory sessions.

As he left, Dr. Lane asked if she wished to see her uncle and friends. Libby thought for a moment and seeing her emotional exhaustion he said, "It appears they have gifts for you. It might be a nice distraction to help you ease your mind before you rest and go to sleep." Libby closed her eyes and nodded as she heard the doorknob twist open.

Libby carefully watched as her friends quietly came in and set up comfortingly around her. Buffy was on the left side of her head with Giles on the right. Willow went to stand next to Giles as Xander did with Buffy and Cordelia sat on the edge of the bed by Libby's feet. She opened her eyes as Oz came in, giving her the smallest grin as he sat on the right side of her feet next to Cordy. They all had the same relieved but distraught eyes: pity in their pupils and guilt in their tears. However, Giles' were different. His were red and raw as though he had been weeping for hours and the pain was as fresh as the fluids in her IV. She didn't know what to say, to him or any of them, but it was reassuring to have them there with her. If nothing else, Angel hadn't taken that away.

Buffy wanted to say a million things. She wanted to declare that she would never let anything remotely like this ever happen to Libby again, that she would gladly die before her Protector ever had to endure any pain that even reminded her of this again. She wanted to say that Angel would wish for the days that his soul plagued him with decades of guilt when she was done with him. She wanted to say she had never been more sorry for anything in her life and that she would devote the rest of it to making it up to Libby, even – no, especially – if that meant finding a way to send her home. She wanted to say that it was arguably all her fault and that she would stop at nothing to make amends, but then she looked into Libby's dull, dark eyes so full of anguish that she knew it shouldn't be said now. Libby didn't need her power to know that's what Buffy felt – what they all felt – and they would share such things later when Libby was ready to hear them. Right now was about something else: love and celebration of the strongest among them.