Chapter Forty: Angelic Assassin
"Joy, you can't ignore me forever!" Buffy followed the young slayer out the door the next morning as the girls prepared to leave for school. Joy had remained silent all through the morning and now she was trying to escape the house without talking to Buffy at all. "We live together and we patrol together and we're going to have to talk eventually!"
"Not about my boyfriend!" Joy insisted bluntly.
"Well, yea actually, that's something we're going to have to talk about. Come on Joy! You're boyfriend! It's Spike! He's a vampire!" Buffy exclaimed.
"That never seemed to stop you!" Joy retorted.
Dawn was standing on the porch witnessing the interaction between her sister and her best friend and at this comment she had to turn away so Buffy wouldn't see her laughing.
"We're not talking about me right now Joy…"
"Oh that's right, I forgot. We never talk about Buffy's life. She's a 'non-topic' but we can talk about me as much as you like! Because my life is open to any sort of scrutinizing that you want!" Joy shook her head. "Yea, sorry it doesn't work like that. For once I'm going to keep my life private. Have a good day Buff."
Buffy gasped at Joy's firmness and stared after the girls as they hurried out to Joy's car and drove away.
Fine. If she won't talk to me then I'll find someone who will. Buffy slammed the door and headed immediately to the cemetery.
"Spike!" She pounded on the door to his crypt for a moment before kicking it open and barging in on the vampire who had to scramble away from the sunlight that streamed through the open door.
"Bloody hell slayer!" Spike barked at her as he cowered in one of the darker corners of his crypt. "What do you want?"
"I need to talk to you." Buffy closed the door politely and stood in front of Spike with her hands on her hips, trying her best to appear tall even though he was still a couple of inches above her.
"Look Slayer, you don't have a say in my life anymore. Actually, you never did. So I really don't think we have anything to talk about…"
"Spike! Think about what you're doing! Think about what you're going to put her through. Hasn't she been through enough in her life without your broody seduction thrown into the fray?"
"Broody seduction?" Spike almost grinned. "I think I like that…"
"Spike! She's only sixteen!" Buffy spat out.
"Well you were only sixteen when you lost your virginity to Angel, weren't you?"
"That's so none of your business!" Buffy glared. "You know what I'm talking about. She's young and she's had a hard enough life without having to worry about the complications of having a relationship with a vampire, particularly you!"
"Hey!" Spike frowned. "What makes me so much worse then any other vampire? Like Angel…"
"Angel has a soul!"
"If I hear one more word about that bastard's bloody soul…" Spike shook his head and turned his back on Buffy moving over to the trap door that led down to his living quarters.
"Don't walk away from me Spike!" Buffy grabbed his arm. "I need to know what the hell you were thinking when you began this absurd relationship!"
"Why are you blaming me? A relationship is not one-sided you know!"
"In this case, I wouldn't doubt it…"
"Buffy stop!" Spike turned on her with barred teeth. "I realize that I am not the ideal boyfriend that you might imagine for your miniature slayer, but what we decide to do with our lives is between me and her! Not you! I have feelings for her that you can only pretend to share with your soldier boy!"
"I just have trouble believing your intent Spike…"
"Why should you? I have done nothing to hurt her and I never would!" Spike insisted in a low voice. "Despite what you believe about me Buffy I care a great deal about her…"
"Well a while ago you were telling me the same thing…" Buffy murmured.
"Buffy, we're not getting into that. We both know what our relationship was…"
"Oh really? What a fling?"
"Sex Buffy. And don't act like you don't know it! All we had was a sexual relationship. You used me just like I used you!" Spike reminded her.
She sighed and nodded slowly. "Fine. So how do I know you aren't going to have the same thing with her and then just cast her aside? She's not in the same place that I was Spike! I wanted to use you! It helped me deal with my problems. She wants a real relationship…"
"I know what she wants. It's exactly what I want!" Spike hadn't meant to be so honest with Buffy but once it was out he couldn't take it back. "Don't look at me like that Buffy…I care a lot about her. It's been quite a while since I can remember having these sort of feelings about anyone!"
Buffy didn't answer for a moment. She didn't know what to say. A part of her hated him for what he was but at the same time she didn't feel that he was making up his feelings for Joy. She sighed. "Don't hurt her Spike. She doesn't need another idiot coming in and screwing up her life right now!"
"I know Buffy." Spike replied softly. "I need you to trust me on this one. I don't want to hurt her…"
Buffy nodded. "I don't think you do. But the problem is, I don't think you can always control your actions. She's a delicate girl, and you are still a vicious vampire…"
"I know what I am, and so does she." Spike hung his head. "We don't need you to make it harder for us then it already is."
"Fine. But if you hurt her…"
"I won't!"
"But if you do…"
"You have my permission to do whatever you feel fit."
Buffy almost smiled. "Is that a promise?"
"Absolutely."
"Alright." Buffy finally gave up; at least for the moment. She realized that she wouldn't be able to talk Spike into ending the relationship with Joy, the same as she realized that she wouldn't be able to talk Joy into ending the relationship with Spike. And so for the time being she would have to settle and just watch them both carefully and make sure that Spike treated the young slayer as she should be treated.
"Dawn I'm worried…"
"Why? I thought you decided that you didn't what Buffy thought!" Dawn deposited her school bag into the backseat of Joy's car before climbing into the passenger seat.
"I don't care what Buffy thinks…but it's Angel…" Joy settled into the driver's seat and started the car. "I wanted to tell him earlier, but after all his warnings I was afraid of his reaction! But I never wanted him to find out at the same time as Buffy! He deserved better then that from me, especially after all he's done for me!"
"I'm sure he understands why you didn't tell him earlier, Joy!" Dawn shrugged. "Angel has always been very understanding in difficult situations!"
"I know…he's amazing like that…but I just feel bad. I don't want him to think that I didn't want to tell him or something…" Joy sighed. "I trust him with my life Dawn! I just want to be sure that he knows that!"
"Well, maybe you should go talk to him." Dawn suggested. "I can wait in the car if you want to go now."
"Maybe that'd be best…" Joy directed the car towards Angel's apartment. "I won't be very long. I just want to see him and make sure that he doesn't hate me…"
"I'm sure he doesn't hate you…"
"I hope you're right."
Only a few minutes later Joy parked the car outside of Angel's place and left Dawn with the radio on while she ran up the stairs and knocked nervously on the door. He didn't answer immediately so she knocked again.
"Angel! It's me! Can I talk to you for a minute?" She called through the door, assuming that he was sleeping like usual for that time of day. "Angel?" She knocked harder but he still didn't answer. It wasn't normal for him to be gone in the middle of the day. He wouldn't be able to go outside without bursting into flames…so unless he had stayed somewhere else overnight…she knocked once more before glancing over her shoulder and giving the doorknob a firm jostle and forcing the door open. "Angel?" The apartment was dark and completely silent. "Are you here?" She flipped on the light switch and instantly moved into the bedroom to check the bed. It was empty. It appeared as though nobody had slept in it the previous night either.
Where would he spend the night? It's not like he has some secret girlfriend…or does he? Joy frowned at the thought. Well, I suppose it's possible! I mean, I sort of had a secret boyfriend…
"Angel!" She called again as she quickly searched the rest of the house just to make sure that he was not home. When she was satisfied with the search she returned to the car to debate the situation with Dawn.
"Do you think he's with Spike?" Dawn suggested.
"I doubt it. From what Spike said last night, Angel wasn't exactly thrilled with him!" Joy decided.
"You saw Spike last night? After you and Buffy left the Bronze?" Dawn questioned.
"Oh, yea, he came to my window." Joy smiled. "He just wanted to make sure that I was okay after talking to Buffy. It was very sweet…"
"I'm sure it was." Dawn rolled her eyes. "Maybe Buffy knows where he is."
"Yea, she might." Joy agreed, quickly heading towards their house, suddenly very eager to talk to Buffy. It wasn't normal for Angel to be missing in the middle of the afternoon. Then again, she hadn't stopped to visit him in the afternoon since she had become involved with Spike. She just hadn't really found the time. Maybe he is mad at me! Joy panicked and increased her speed.
"Don't forget that Buffy's at the Magic Box today…" Dawn mentioned quietly. Joy had to turn the car around and she pulled a dangerously speedy U-turn.
The second they had pulled up in front of the store Joy was out of the car and sprinting into the store, calling out for Buffy.
"What's the matter Joy?" Willow was searching through the books at the front of the store with the young slayer came flying into the shop. Dawn was close behind her.
"Where's Buffy?" Joy demanded.
"In the back, training, of course!" Willow smiled. "Is there anything I can help you with?"
"I need to talk to her about something…" Joy hurried to the back room but stopped just outside the door when she heard loud voices coming from inside.
"I just wish she had talked to me about this earlier!" Buffy was saying.
"Buffy, have you ever considered that Joy is not always comfortable discussing her entire life with you?" Giles replied.
"But Giles, she's living with me and we're working together against all the evil…I thought that would sort of give us some kind of bond you know? I at least thought she might open up to me a little…" Buffy complained.
"Buffy, you have never been bothered by her wishes for privacy before…" Giles continued. "Perhaps this sudden irritation is simply because of her dating choice?"
"Giles! You can't seriously be approving Joy's decision to date Spike? You hate Spike!" Buffy exclaimed.
"Of course I believe that Joy could have chosen herself a better match for a serious relationship, but it is her decision to make and we must respect that. I am sure that her adjustment to life with us had not been easy and if she has found a hint of happiness with…whoever…then I think she deserves it." Giles decided firmly.
"Okay, since when are you so calm about a slayer dating a vampire?"
"Well, I learned my lesson trying to break up you and Angel." Giles explained.
"Oh sure, now you've learned!" Buffy seemed like she was finally giving up on the conversation and Joy prepared to enter the room. "Just don't expect me to ever give them my blessing!"
Joy rolled her eyes and pushed open the door. "Buffy, where's Angel?"
"Good afternoon Joy, have you been here long?" Giles asked with a slight hint of concern in his voice.
"No, I just got here." Joy lied quickly. "Buffy have you seen Angel since we left the Bronze yesterday?"
Buffy shook her head. "No, I left him there and haven't seen him at all today. I'm sure he'll come around the cemetery tonight during patrol. Do you need something?"
Joy shrugged. "I'm just sort of worried…I feel like I should have told him earlier about me and Spike and I'm afraid he might be mad at me…"
"There's a good possibility…" Buffy muttered.
"I went to his apartment after school but he's not there!" Joy explained quickly. "I don't know where else he would be! He never goes out during the day because of the sunlight, obviously, and I don't know where else he would have stayed last night!"
"I'm sure he's fine, Joy!" Giles assured the worried young slayer. "He's quite capable of taking care of himself."
"I know he is, but I would just feel better if I knew where he was…" Joy explained. "I guess I'll see him tonight…" She shook her head. "I'm going to take Dawn home and then I think I'll go over and see my boyfriend…I don't need your blessing, Buff!" Joy smirked and left the room.
"She was spying on us?" Buffy accused the second that she and Giles were alone again. Joy listened briefly and then left with a satisfied grin and Dawn in toe.
"Please stop talking to me!" Joy complained again as she coated her lips with a gloss. "I'm so tired of your lectures!"
Buffy stood behind Joy glaring into the mirror that Joy was using. "Joy, we have to talk about this sooner or later. I don't get it. Why are you so eager to make up with Angel but you'll barely even look me in the eyes?"
"Because Angel will understand, and he trusts me enough to let me make my own decisions." Joy explained.
"How do you know? He didn't seem very excited about your decision last night!" Buffy reminded her.
"I know, and that's why I need to talk to him. He was just confused, and probably a little hurt that I didn't tell him earlier…"
"Yea, I get that."
"Buffy, I'm sorry that I didn't tell you, but I knew that you wouldn't react well and I wasn't ready for that sort of complications! Our relationship has been going so well…"
"How long exactly have you two been together now?" Buffy asked suddenly.
Joy hesitated. "Umm…three weeks."
"You've been dating for three weeks? How did I not know about this?" Buffy exclaimed.
"We're really careful, and really good at hiding it!" Joy shrugged. "Are we going to patrol or not?"
"Buffy, Joy…" Dawn called from downstairs. "I think you need to come down here!" The slayers exchanged concerned frowns and raced down the stairs to the living room where Dawn was standing with Spike and Giles. Joy smiled at Spike and was briefly tempted to kiss him in front of everyone, mostly for the purpose of making them all uncomfortable, but the mood felt serious so she restrained herself.
"What's up guys?" Buffy asked.
"There's a rumor floating around tonight about a new big bad in town." Spike stated quickly. "I was out at one of the bars where demons like to hang during the sunlight hours and they were laughing about how 'screwed' the slayers are."
"Did you get any more information? Like a name…" Buffy inquired.
"No." Spike shook his head. "I'm not entirely sure that they knew what was moving in on Sunnydale, all they can tell is that the vibe is a bunch of big evil."
"Great. Just what we need." Buffy sighed. "Well I guess we should get out in town…"
"Buffy!" The front door burst open and Xander rushed into the room followed closely by Anya. "We have a serious problem!"
"What?" Joy and Buffy asked together.
"Umm…we just ran into Angel outside the magic box…" Xander started. He motioned to his girlfriend and Anya folded down the collar on her jacket. Blood was drying over two small incisions on her neck.
"What happened Anya?" Joy asked quickly.
"Umm…Angel attacked her." Xander stated.
"What?" Giles demanded.
Anya shrugged. "I don't understand it. I stopped to say hi to him while Xander locked up the store and he attacked me with full fang face!"
"I don't understand…are you sure it was him?" Joy frowned.
"Joy, I've known Angel for a lot longer then you have…I think I recognize him by now. Especially Angelus…"
"Angelus? But…" Buffy shook her head. "He can't be…there's no way he could have lost his soul…"
"Well, there's always a way…" Xander pointed out.
"Yea, but doesn't that involve him needing to achieve perfect happiness?" Joy reminded the group. They all nodded slowly. "Are you suggesting that last night Angel…did something to achieve perfect happiness and lose his soul?" She shook her head scrunched up her nose. "I kind of don't want to think about that…gross."
"Okay…well I don't care about how he lost his soul but he's not himself or else he wouldn't have attacked us, would he have?" Xander shrugged. "I've had enough experience with Angelus to know when he's back."
"Spike…" Buffy turned to him grudgingly. "Can you do some scouting for us? You'll know who to talk to…"
"Right, of course." Spike nodded and headed to the door.
"Wait, I'm coming with you!" Joy insisted, hurrying past the group.
"Joy!" Buffy rolled her eyes. "No matter how tough you are, whatever Spike's got to do is going to be easier if you are not there…"
"Buffy, stop bossing me around. I want to go with him. This is important to me, Angel is important to me…" Joy argued. "I can help…"
"Gidget baby, don't argue this okay?" Spike begged gently. Xander and Anya looked confused about Spike's tone.
"Spike, I want to come with you!" Joy insisted.
"No! What I've got to do is not your type of business." Spike argued.
"I don't care! I want to help find Angel!" Joy's voice was rising and everyone in the room was staring at her. "Spike, you can't make me stay here!"
"Joy, listen to me." Spike's voice took a very firm tone, which people rarely heard. "You are staying here and I am going to get information about Angel on my own. When I am done I will come back here directly."
"But Spike…"
"No. I mean it Joy. I know you don't like taking people's orders but this is one time where I don't bloody care what you like. Stay here."
Joy frowned but didn't have time to say anything else before he hurried out of the house and disappeared down the street. Joy watched from the doorway until he had vanished in shadows before turning back to the others.
"What the hell are you all looking at?" She demanded.
"Umm…what's going on between you two?" Xander asked carefully. Buffy made a noise sort of like an angry pig.
"Why does he think he can boss me around?" Joy asked of nobody in particular.
"Better question, why do you listen to him?" Dawn laughed. "I've never heard you take orders from anyone except for him!"
"She has a point Joy…" Willow spoke up from the doorway where she had been standing with Tara, listening in on the whole conversation. "Xander, Joy and Spike have been dating for a few weeks. Nobody knew except for Dawn, but Buffy and Angel found out last night and now we all know. Okay?"
Xander stood with his mouth open. Anya looked at Joy. "Congratulations on your new relationship. Good luck with him and I promise that I will try not to get drunk and have sex with him."
Joy frowned, bewildered by Anya's statement. "Thanks…I think." She turned to Buffy. "Now what are we supposed to do?"
"Wait." Buffy shrugged.
"Fine." Joy sunk down onto the couch and tucked her heals up beneath her body. Everyone looked at each other awkwardly, no one quite knowing how to address the situation especially since they now all knew about Joy's relationship with Spike. Dawn sat down next to Joy.
"Should we watch something on TV?" Dawn suggested.
"Maybe we could eat something…" Giles suggested.
"Or we could patrol?" Joy mentioned hopefully.
"No. I believe it would be best if we wait for Spike to return with whatever information he manages to recover." Giles decided.
Joy rolled her eyes. "Fine, I'll be in the basement working out." She stood and quickly left the others, seeking privacy and stress-relief down in the training room.
She had barely been alone for more then a half hour before she was joined by Willow who came down the stairs slowly, carefully balancing a tray loaded with a bowel of macaroni and cheese and a glass of lemonade.
"Xander cooked." She explained simply. "Everyone was getting hungry and nobody was in the mood to make anything so it was left to Xander." She shrugged and set the tray down on a chair. "I figured you might be hungry too."
"Not really." Joy shook her head and resumed her weight lifting.
"Joy you should eat something. I could make you a sandwich or something if you don't like this." Willow offered.
"I can make my own dinner Will." Joy said.
"I know." Willow smiled. "I've realized that you are very self-reliant, but sometimes it's nice to let other people help you out."
"Do you all feel that way about me?" Joy asked suddenly.
"What do you mean?"
"That all I care about is myself and I don't want to let anybody else in my life…"
"Well honey, you don't exactly seem to want any of us in your life…" Willow sighed. "We want to help you any way we can but we're all sort of afraid to come to close to you…we don't want you to resent us."
"I don't resent you guys Willow. You're the only people that have ever shown a concern about my wellbeing." Joy shrugged. "I don't mean to come off as such a bitch Will. I'm just not used to having people around who care about me…" She smiled slightly. "You guys mean a lot to me, all of you, including Angel, well especially Angel. And that's why I'm so frustrated about being locked in here unable to do anything to help him! I have to do something Willow. He is the reason that I have gotten as far as I have in life. If he hadn't come along after I lost my parents…I'm not sure if I could have made it this long." She cleared her throat and masked her face. "I need to be able to help him."
"I know how you feel sweetheart." Willow smiled. "Don't worry. You'll be able to help him. When Spike gets back we'll find out what's wrong and then you can go and play hero, okay?"
Joy smiled. "Then I guess I'll just have to be patient." She started eating the food that Willow had brought down. "Willow I feel like I should be thanking you…"
"For what?"
"You're the only person who hasn't seemed to judge me and Spike for our relationship…"
"Oh that…" Willow shrugged. "Well, I'm not sure I entirely approve of the match up, but who am I to judge who you go out with? Don't worry, the others will come around." Willow smiled. "I don't think they really knew how to react when I first told them I was gay either. Just give it time honey."
"Thanks." Joy hesitated and then leaned forward and gave the witch a brief hug.
"Wow, a hug! That's a big step for you Joy!" Willow grinned and hugged her back. "Have a good workout." Willow started back up the stairs but Joy stopped her.
"Umm…you were around last time that umm, Angel became Angelus, weren't you?" She asked nervously.
"Yea…" Willow wasn't sure what questions to expect.
"What's it like? I mean, what's he like when he's evil?"
"You don't want to know."
"Yea I do. I think I deserve to know."
"He wasn't known as the worst vampire of his day for nothing, Joy." Willow shrugged. "He's as purely evil as a creature can get. But when he's good, when he's Angel, he's almost as opposite from evil as possible, as I'm sure you've realized."
"Yea, I have." Joy nodded. She didn't want to imagine the possibility of Angel being evil. She had finally let herself trust him and now…she shook the thought out of her head. "But it's probably just a rumor right? I mean…he's probably fine…"
"Yea Joy, I'm sure Angel's fine." Willow tried to smile for the young slayer's sake.
Joy nodded and let Willow leave before placing her headphones over her ears, turning up the volume on her choice rock CD, and returning to her workout. She used the basement more often then Buffy. It was the way that she relieved stress during the daytime when she couldn't go out and find an evil creature to fight.
It was over an hour later when she was disturbed again. She had become so absorbed in her music and exercise that she hadn't even heard the ruckus upstairs of Spike returning but he came downstairs immediately so that she could be the first one to hear what he had discovered; of course everyone else had followed him though so everyone was in the basement when he touched her arm and caused her to jump in surprise.
"You're back!" She noticed everyone else and held back from showing affection. "What did you find out?" She could tell by his expression that it wasn't good news. "Spike, tell me what's going on with Angel."
"He hasn't lost his soul." Spike stated. "But something's happened to him. I found a lower-level demon who opened up quite a bit after some persuasion…there's a demon in town who's got a bit of a magical side to him, and he had concocted some sort of voodoo that has temporarily returned Angelus to the world."
There was a unified gasp from the group as they all listened to what Spike was saying. Joy was the only one who seemed hopeful.
"But you said that it was magic. So it's just a spell, right? And spells can be reversed, right? Willow, you can reverse it, can't you?" Joy rambled.
"I don't know Joy, magic that powerful…well it would have to be intense to be able to return Angelus…"
"But you're a hell of a witch Willow! Everyone here knows it! If you know what spell was used you can figure out a way to reverse it, can't you?"
"I can try…" Willow nodded. "Spike, do you know what kind of spell it was?"
Spike nodded and motioned for Willow to follow him upstairs where all the books were kept. Joy followed them with Buffy and the others right behind. With Giles and Spike helping Willow peruse through the books they had discovered a spell that should return Angel to himself, but it wouldn't be simple.
"I know it'll be difficult, but can you do it Willow?" Joy asked fearfully.
"I can try." Willow sighed. "But I will need him to be entirely unaware of what is going on or he may be able to fight it and then it won't be effective."
"Fine, we'll get him when he's feeding. Aren't vampires usually completely focused on their prey when they're feeding?" Joy asked Spike.
He was always uncomfortable when she inquired about vampire mannerisms but he answered her obligingly. "Actually no. Vampires are very distracted when they are feeding, just like anyone else, but their defenses are not entirely down."
"Then how do we get his defenses down?" Joy asked harshly.
Spike shrugged. "Well, even though he's a vampire, Angel is still like any other man…there's only one particular activity that distracts anyone, especially men, completely I think…"
"What is it…" Dawn gasped when she realized what he was referring to and silenced herself.
"Are you suggesting that someone has sex with him?" Anya asked bluntly.
Spike shook his head. "I don't think sex is necessary…" He almost seemed to be embarrassed as he spoke. "But a partially sexual or seducing act might definitely help in this situation…"
"Right, fine, so someone will seduce him and then Willow will reverse the spell." Xander shrugged. "What're we waiting for?"
The others weren't quite as confident as Xander seemed to be. Joy glanced at Spike who was staring at her quite firmly, yet she couldn't quite interpret his expression. Buffy finally spoke up.
"Fine, let's go. We'll track him and then I'll seduce him or whatever and it'll be over. Okay?" She went to the weapons chest and secured a stake in her belt and a vile of holy water in her pocket.
Spike shook his head slowly. "I don't think so Buffy…"
"What do you mean? You are so not going to tell me what to do here!" Buffy retorted bitterly. "I am the most experienced with Angelus and…"
"Exactly." Spike said gently. He was afraid of offending the slayer with his choice of words. "You've had the most physical experience with Angel, and that sort of exchange…well even when he is Angelus, he'll remember the experiences he's had with you and he won't probably fall for it…"
Buffy blushed but nodded. "Right, of course, that makes sense…"
"Umm…" Xander frowned.
"I'll do it." Joy decided quickly.
"No! Absolutely not!" Buffy insisted.
"Excuse me?" Joy glared at Buffy. "This isn't your call Buffy. You can't do it because you've had sex with him before, and who else is strong enough to take care of herself around Angelus? Dawn?" She glanced at her best friend. "No offense…"
"None taken." Dawn shrugged.
"I don't like it Joy. You've never been around Angelus. You don't know what he can be like…" Buffy argued.
"We don't really have another choice." Joy took a deep breath. "You have to realize that I am willing to do whatever it takes to bring him back. It's the least I can do for him."
Spike didn't look any more comfortable with the idea then Buffy did but he slowly nodded. "She's right Buffy. She's the only one who could pull it off."
"Fine." Buffy finally gave in. "But if you feel that he is getting too out of control you have to be willing to hurt him Joy."
"I know. I'll be ready in five minutes." Joy headed up the stairs. "Spike…" she paused and called back to him. "Will you please come up here with me for a minute…"
Spike hesitated and glanced around the room full of condescending stares and then hurried up the stairs after his girlfriend. "What do you need?"
"You're okay with this right?" Joy knew that he wasn't but she hoped he would at least understand why she felt so firmly about it. "Angel would do it for me in a second."
"I know that Gidget. And that's why I'm accepting it." He forced a smile and kissed her quickly. "Just promise me you won't do anything stupid, okay? Be as safe as possible…"
"Of course I will." Joy bit her lip. "I'm not really sure what I'm going to have to do…when you said sexual…"
"I meant it. I know it's crude but he is a man. There are very few things that can fully distract a man, but physical pleasure is one of the main things. Any young girl can make a vampire want to feed, but you have to make him want to do more with you then simply use you for nutrition." He shrugged. "It really shouldn't be that hard. Angelus always did like having his share of whores."
Joy raised her eyebrows. "Oh…okay…so you want me to be a whore?"
Spike seemed taken aback momentarily but then shrugged. "If that's what it takes…" He paused. "But for a first appearance, Angelus was fond of the innocent girls. The angelic ones like Drusilla."
"Fine. I'll be downstairs in a minute. Make sure Willow's got that spell figured out perfectly. This can't fail." Joy hurried into her room and left Spike to return downstairs to help the others prepare for the complicated spell.
"Oh my god…" Dawn gasped as Joy descended the stairs almost fifteen minutes later.
"Joy, what the hell…" Buffy frowned.
"I'm doing whatever it takes Buff." Joy shrugged and self-consciously smoothed down her long straight hair. She had taken extra care to dress herself in an 'angelic' manner such as Spike had suggested, and the outcome was rather contrary to Joy's normal attire. "I borrowed some of your clothes Dawn, I hope that's alright…" Joy had chosen a white silky skirt that came just above her knees and she had borrowed a pale pink button-up cardigan sweater from Dawn.
Dawn was trying not to laugh. "You're adorable Joy!"
"Shut up." Joy rolled her eyes and readjusted the straps on the white stiletto heels she was wearing. "Are we ready to go? It is a school night."
"Yea, let's go." Buffy nodded. "We are going to the cemetery which is the most reasonable place for him to be, and you will wait for him to find you and then…well…do whatever you have to do until he has become completely absorbed with you…"
"He'll bite you." Spike stated suddenly.
"What?"
"That's how you'll know. If he really does fall for you and becomes so consumed with you physically he'll bite you. He'll be thinking about changing you…" Spike dropped his eyes to the ground.
"Oh…right…okay…" Joy was a little nervous at the idea of being fed upon by a vampire, especially Angel. She'd never been bitten before.
"Well, okay…when that happens Willow will start the spell." Buffy finished. "If anything goes wrong or if you panic for a second, just attack him and that'll be the sign for us to step in. You can't be afraid to attack him if you need to Joy."
"I know." Joy sighed. "Let's go."
"Anya, will you please stay here with Dawn?" Buffy asked as she headed out the door.
"What? I want to come with!" Dawn pouted instantly.
"Absolutely not. Angelus is not safe for you to be around Dawn. Stay here with Anya and do your homework. We'll be back as soon as possible." Buffy ordered. Anya shrugged and gently held Dawn's arm.
Joy climbed into the back of Xander's car with Spike and Buffy, while Tara and Willow rode with Giles. She sat silently with her hands nervously clutched in her lap the entire drive to the cemetery. When they had parked on the side of the road and Willow and Tara had hurried ahead to scope out somewhere where they could hide and perform the spell within site of the rows of gravestones, Joy slowly exited the car and reached her hand back to Spike.
"Are you going to be okay with this Joy?" Spike asked considerately. He took her hand and squeezed it reassuringly.
She nodded. "I'll be fine. I'm just a little nervous."
"Of course you are." Xander shrugged. "You're going to be screwing around with Angelus…" He wrinkled his forehead. "I meant that in the best way…"
"Thanks for the vote of encouragement." Joy rolled her eyes. "Well, I guess I should get to it. I hope this works." She followed Buffy and Xander to where Giles and the witches were hiding behind thick bushes.
"We'll be right here and we can see everything that will go on in the cemetery. Don't worry. The second something goes wrong we'll be there to help you." Buffy tried to smile reassuringly but Joy still didn't feel very confident about what she was about to do.
"Right, thanks…" She nodded and turned towards the cemetery away from the protection of the others. "Spike…" She stopped suddenly. He was on her heels. "Don't judge me for whatever I might do…"
"I never would." In an instant Spike had pulled Joy into his arms and captured her lips in a deep kiss. The others tried to ignore it but mostly they just stared in slightly disgusted surprise.
"Okay, and off I go." Joy sighed and turned away, heading towards the cemetery. She walked into the clearing and started strolling along the rows of gravestones. She didn't know exactly what she was supposed to be doing but she hoped that Angel, or Angelus, would turn up soon. She started whistling and in a few minutes she heard footsteps and spun around to find herself face to face with Angel. "Oh! You frightened me Sir…" She pretended not to recognize him, hoping that under his spell he wouldn't recognize her either.
He stared at her with interest. "What's a pretty young thing like you doing out here all alone?"
"Waiting." Joy shrugged.
"Waiting for who?" His tone was calm but playful.
"Well, there's this boy that I like at school…" She pretended to blush and gazed at him with her bright eyes "But I don't think he likes me much because we were supposed to have a date tonight…" She sighed. "So now I'm just bored and alone…"
"Well, you wouldn't be alone or bored with me…"
"But I don't even know you!"
"My name's Angelus."
"That's a strange name…" She giggled. "But you seem nice enough. And you're very handsome…"
"Yea? Well I think you're very pretty…" Angelus flattered.
"Thank you." She smiled and then decided to take it a step further. "Nobody has ever told me that before."
"I'm shocked. You're a very beautiful girl."
"Stop, you're making me embarrassed." She didn't know how to make him want to change her but flirting seemed to be the best tactic.
"Am I?" Angelus took a step closer to her. "Well then I'd probably really make you embarrassed if I told that I really wanted to kiss you right now, huh?"
Joy didn't have to fake the blush that spread into her cheeks. "Umm…I don't know what to say…"
"I'm sorry, that was probably too forward of me. It's just, you're so beautiful, and I hate to think of a girl like you being stood up for a date…and well you did say you were bored…"
Hidden behind the bushes, watching dutifully, the Scoobies and Spike were having a difficult time containing their rising anger with Angelus.
"He always was smooth with women." Spike growled.
"Quiet! I don't want him to hear you!" Buffy whispered harshly.
"He won't be able to hear me. He's already falling for her. She's a good actress. I knew Angelus would never be able to resist an innocent girl." Spike glared as he watched Angel move closer to Joy and slowly reach his hand out towards her.
"I don't even know you…" Joy was saying. "It wouldn't be right…"
"But it could be fun! I only want to help you enjoy your night beautiful!" Angelus crooned. "Come on…"
Joy pretended to be shy and pulled back slightly. "How can I trust a stranger?"
"Don't think of a me a stranger! Let's pretend that we've known each other forever and tonight we had planned to meet…"
"I don't know…" Joy let him take her hand and pull her towards him.
"You just look so sweet…all I want to do is eat you up!" Angelus grinned but Joy felt herself tense under his grip.
"What do you want from me exactly?" Joy asked breathily.
"Whatever you will give me precious!"
"I don't know Angelus…you seem nice and I have to admit that I'm very interested…" She sighed. "But I'm a little nervous. I've never been with a man before…"
Angel's eyes grew wide and a salacious grin crept onto his face. "I promise to be gentle."
"And he's sold…" Spike murmured. "She's amazing."
"God she's a good actress!" Buffy agreed with Spike.
"You promise?" Joy finally gave into him, finally getting tired of playing games and wanting to have Angel back as soon as possible.
"I give you my word as a gentleman cupcake." Angel took both of her hands and pulled them up to his mouth and kissed them gently. Joy was amazed at how gentle he was being for such a dreaded vampire. "All I'm asking for is a kiss…"
Joy decided to throw caution to the wind and let Angel pull her into his arms and kiss her softly. She felt strange kissing Angel, the man who had for so long been like her brother, but she kept telling herself that it was to help him and tried not to think about her actions. He held her tightly and she let her hands slide up to his face. She unconsciously opened her mouth and felt Angel's tongue slip in. She gasped in surprise and pulled back quickly.
"Did I hurt you?" He asked, though clearly not concerned.
She shook her head. "I'm just a little nervous…"
"Don't be nervous. You know you want to be with me…" Angel told her passionately as he forced another kiss and she obliged by relaxing and letting him lead their actions. Within minutes she had almost forgotten what she was doing and was matching his passion with her own. "Are you sure this is your first time with a man?"
Joy smiled at him flirtatiously. "Maybe not…but if you want it to be it can be…"
"What do you mean…" Angel pulled back a little.
"I can be anything you want me to be. I can give you anything you want and fulfill your deepest fantasies!" Joy hoped she was making the right choice. "You know you want me, right?" She slipped her hands beneath his shirt and let her fingernails tickle up his chest. "Don't you?"
A pleased gleam shone in Angel's eyes and he nodded. "Oh you have no idea how much I want you!" He dropped his act of gentlemanly manners and placed his hands on her hips and lifted her up. She wrapped her legs around his waist and locked her arms around his neck; they kissed deeply.
"You're amazing…" Angel murmured into her hair as she started kissing her way around his neck and down to his collarbone.
"Thank you…" She couldn't help feeling flattered by his praise and felt even more encouraged in what she was doing. "You're not bad yourself…" She unconsciously moaned as his hand massaged its way up her back beneath her cardigan.
"How long is this going to take?" Spike grumbled and adjusted his crouched position as he watched Angel making out with his girlfriend.
"It was your idea…" Buffy reminded him. "Keep quiet."
Angel now had Joy with her back pressed up against a tree trunk and she was slowly sliding down to the ground until she was lying flat on her back with Angel straddling her.
"I like to be on top…" Joy grinned maliciously and Angel obliged by rolling over onto his back so she was balancing herself on top of him. She continued kissing his neck determined to distract him enough without him having to bite her. What she didn't realize was that while she was working on distracting him he had unconsciously managed to distract her and so she barely even noticed when he started unbuttoning her cardigan and kissing her bare stomach. She giggled from his tickling kisses and pulled his mouth back to hers. His fingers pressed hard into her hips and he rolled her over again and he slid his tongue down her neck, all the way down to her chest and then he released his fangs. Joy gasped as his teeth sunk into her chest.
"She's done it." Spike exclaimed. "Now Willow!"
Willow and Tara and Giles instantly started the spell while Buffy and Spike hurried out to stand by if something went wrong with the spell and they needed to pull Angelus off of Joy. Meanwhile he fed on her briefly and then returned to kissing momentarily before biting her again. She almost fainted from the shock of the pain but just in time the spell succeeded and Angel passed out as the evilness of Angelus started to leave him.
"Joy!" Spike hurried over and pushed Angel off of her.
"Don't touch me…please…no…no more…" She took a deep breath and fainted in his arms as he picked her up off the ground.
"Spike take her home. I'm going to stay here with Willow and Tara and make sure it worked right." Buffy ordered. Spike nodded and called for Xander to drive him back to the house. Dawn was waiting anxiously at the door with Anya.
"She seems to get hurt a lot, doesn't she?" Anya asked calmly as Spike brought the young slayer into the house.
"Anya, you're not helping." Xander told her gently.
"Spike, put her on the couch." Dawn instructed.
Spike carefully placed Joy on the couch and knelt beside her, pressing his hand to her cheek and waiting for her to wake up. She slowly stirred but when she saw him she gasped and pushed him away from her.
"Joy, what's wrong?" Spike frowned.
"Please don't touch me…" Her fingers flew to her neck and she felt the bite marks on her neck and at her chest.
"Joy, please baby…you're okay…it worked, I think…Angelus is gone…it was him who hurt you…not me…" Spike reached for her hand but she pulled away.
"Spike…I want to trust you so much…" She trembled and shook her head. "But I just don't know if can right now…"
Spike stood suddenly and moved away from her. "Dawn…come here Dawn." He called for her and she came quickly, nervous because of his serious tone. "Take care of her. You need to stop the bleeding, okay?"
Dawn nodded and Spike left the house immediately.
"What's wrong Joy? Why didn't Spike stay?" Dawn asked as she leaned over Joy with a glass of water.
Joy didn't answer but sat up and quickly buttoned up her cardigan. "I have a headache Dawn, I think I'd like to go take a bath…"
"Is everything all right?" Anya followed Joy and Dawn nervously up the stairs to Joy's private bathroom. "What happened tonight? Did something go wrong? Is Angel okay?"
"Anya, please!" Joy shook her head, completely exasperated. "Dawn, Anya, I appreciate your guys' concern but I am really just worn out." She lied expertly and shut her bathroom door before either of them could protest. She could hear them whispering in bewilderment outside the door though and she sighed. "Please! I swear I'll be fine. Just leave me alone!" Joy called through the door. The girls made angry noises but Joy could hear them leave eventually.
After locking the bathroom door, Joy slowly started the painful process of removing her clothing until she was standing before the floor-length mirror naked. Her eyes watered instinctively as she surveyed the forming bruises from where Angel had gripped her too hard, mainly on her hips, arms, and she noticed there were even a couple light marks along her upper thighs. As she inspected the bite wounds on her neck and chest, her mouth seemed strangely dry and she tried to swallow but she couldn't force herself to even draw a real breath. The incisions were deep. The dark crimson blood was beginning to clot as it dried, though small trickles of blood still dripped down her chest, running all the way down her flat, bare stomach.
Spike headed directly for the cemetery when he left the house. He didn't understand why Joy wasn't letting him near her but he had a pretty good idea whose fault it was. When he reached the cemetery he found Buffy and Giles talking at a short distance while Tara and Willow stood closer to Angel who was standing now and seemed back to his good side. Before the others could even realize he had joined them, Spike had attacked Angel. The two vampires were on the ground, Spike was holding Angel down and his teeth were visible.
"Spike!" Angel gasped as Spike punched him viciously in the jaw. His knuckles were bloody from beating against Angel's teeth but he continued to attack him.
"Spike!" Buffy rushed over and kicked hard at Spike's stomach. He flinched and she managed to pull him off of Angel. Giles and Willow helped Angel to his feet while Buffy held Spike back. "What the hell are you doing?"
"Spike, he's Angel again…Angelus is gone!" Willow told him quickly.
"I know!" Spike growled, glaring hard at Angel who seemed completely confused. "She won't let me near her! You ruined her!" He accused angrily.
Angel frowned. "What are you talking about?"
Buffy was still holding on to Spike's arm but he knocked her down quickly and lunged at Angel again. He managed to knee him hard in the stomach and knock him to the ground before Giles and Buffy pulled him back again.
"Don't piss me off Angel! You know what I'm talking about! I can't get near her! She won't let me…"
Giles spoke up. "He doesn't remember, Spike."
"What?" Spike frowned.
Giles sighed. "He doesn't remember being Angelus. The spell to bring him back erased the memory of that time. He doesn't know what you are talking about."
Angel looked nervous. "What did I do?"
Spike couldn't answer. He was too upset to think about it.
Willow slowly explained. "The only way for the spell to work was for you to be completely distracted…we decided the best way was for you to be with a girl…" Angel's eyes widened.
"You were ready to change her!" Spike stated simply.
"Shit…" Angel mumbled, understanding Spike's meaning. "Who was it?"
Spike stared firmly at Angel. "Joy."
A second later the others were still trying to figure out what had happened when Angel had started sprinting away from the cemetery towards the Summers' house.
"She won't let me near her…" He stated sadly and turned towards the direction of his crypt.
Angel reached the house only a few minutes later, he had been running the whole way. He didn't wait to knock on the door but burst in. Dawn and Anya were standing on the stairs.
"Where is she?" He demanded. They pointed upstairs blankly, staring at his bleeding nose and lip with curiosity.
She had just finished carefully wrapping her body in a towel, keeping it low enough on her chest so it didn't irritate the bite marks, when he pounded on her bedroom door.
"I told you guys I wanted to be left alone!" She sighed in exasperation.
"Joy…" Angel spoke softly, not quite sure what to say to her. "Please…I need to see you…I…I don't know what I did! I don't remember anything…"
Joy hesitated for a minute before opening the door and letting him into the room. "What happened to your face?" She asked suddenly. "I didn't do that…"
He shook his head. "Spike did…he's pretty upset and I don't even know…" He spotted the wounds on her chest and stopped. "Oh god! Joy I…"
Joy shook her head. "You weren't yourself." She shrugged. "I wanted to do it…can you turn around for a minute?" She asked as she pulled a tank top out of her dresser drawers. He obliged and she quickly pulled it over her head and then stepped into a pair of sweatpants. "Okay…"
"How can I make this up to you?" He asked quickly.
She shook her head. "There's not reason for you to…"
"I need to!" He insisted. "I know that it's effected you more then your telling me! I don't see how it couldn't really…"
"I'm fine." She lied.
"Spike says you won't let him touch you…"
Joy sighed. "Yea…"
"He's not going to hurt you! He's not evil."
"Yes he is though. You have a soul! In any normal circumstance you never would have hurt me! But Spike doesn't have anything except for a stupid chip in his head. What happens if that malfunctions and he can bite again? Why wouldn't he come after me?"
Angel shrugged. He really couldn't answer that. "He cares about you Joy."
"I know. But he's still an animal…"
"Why are you saying this all of a sudden? You used to trust him!" Angel argued.
She finally submitted to his questions. "I had a vision!" She explained, dropping onto her bed. He sat down next to her. "I had a vision when you bit me…"
He looked a little awkward. "What was it?"
"It was a little confusing, I couldn't really tell what was going on all the time, but Spike was feeding on me…"
Angel frowned. "Are you sure?"
"Yea, I'm pretty positive." She shook her head. "I had always thought I could trust him, even though everyone told me to be careful…I just let him in and now…"
"When's it going to happen?"
"I don't know." She shrugged. "It was very unclear. But I guess it didn't feel too urgent…"
"Have you told him?"
She shook her head. "He would be mad at me for not trusting him!"
"I think he deserves to know why you won't let him near you." Angel told her. "He thinks it's because of what I did to you."
Joy sighed. "You're right. I need to tell him. But it's not going to be easy getting him to understand…do you think you could tell him?" She asked suddenly.
"Do you think that's the best idea?"
"Probably not."
"You know Joy, even though he has a chip in his head, Spike still has the same emotions and urges as any normal vampire. The chip doesn't make him care about people. That's all him." Angle told her carefully.
Joy nodded. "I know that…"
"If you really care about him then you need to talk to him about this vision."
"You're right." She rested her head against his shoulder. "Thanks Angel."
"No, thank you Joy. You did a lot for me! I'm so sorry I hurt you!"
"I'll heal." She grinned. "You should probably go get some rest or something."
He agreed and left the room. Joy quickly pulled a white hoodie on over her tank top and headed down stairs. She stopped at the door to the living room where everyone was gathered together, talking. She wanted to slip past them to avoid questioning but they waved her in and she had to oblige. She noticed that Angel had been pulled in too. He was sitting on the couch with Dawn and Willow. Joy leaned against the wall, waiting.
"We were just talking about why this happened." Buffy explained to Joy.
"And?" Joy questioned.
"At this time we really have no way of knowing why someone would have wanted to turn Angel back to Angelus, but we must assume that it was for a dark purpose. So until we have more information, you and Buffy need to be extra careful on patrol, and always keep your ears open for whatever information you can find!" Giles informed the group.
"Sounds good." Joy started to back out of the room.
"Wait…" Buffy stopped her. "Where are you going?"
"I just umm, well I need a walk!" Joy answered.
"Are you sure that's safe?" Buffy frowned.
Joy nodded. "I'll be fine."
"Did you take care of your…umm wounds?" Giles asked carefully, glancing towards Angel.
She nodded. "Yea, I'm fine." And she quickly left the room before anyone could ask her any more questions.