There was only a moment's pause before younger Buffy dropped into a defensive stance. The older Buffy resisted the temptation to do the same; raising her fists would only make her other self more likely to attack.

"Giles," The younger Buffy said, her eyes firmly fixed on her doppelganger's face. "What's going on?"

"I haven't a clue." Giles rose from his seat and approached the two Slayers, ignoring the warning look the younger Buffy shot him that clearly told him to stay back.

"I can explain everything." Buffy said, trying to sound as calm as possible.

"Start talking." Younger Buffy ordered, scepticism clear in her voice.

"I'm… well, I'm you. A few years from now." Buffy groaned inwardly at how stupid that sounded.

"Right," Younger Buffy raised an eyebrow. "I'm supposed to believe that why?"

"How else do you explain it?"

Without lowering her clenched fists, younger Buffy shrugged. "Demon with a facelift? Though I can't say you did a good job. I see a wrinkle or two that I definitely don't have."

"You-"

Giles sprang forwards and placed himself between the two Buffys before they could do each other any damage. "Hold on a second, Buffy. Er..." He hesitated before pointing at the younger Buffy. "This Buffy. She could be telling the truth."

Younger Buffy rolled her eyes. "Unlikely."

"Well we'll see." He turned to Buffy. "Can you tell us anything, give us any proof, that will prove your story?"

"Cruciamentum!" Buffy blurted, seizing on the first thing that popped into her mind that might serve as evidence. The younger Buffy frowned, clearly confused, but Giles's eyes widened.

"How do you…?" He gasped.

"Because I've been through it," She said grimly. "How would I know about it unless I'd survived it?

Still looking unconvinced, younger Buffy said, "Whatever that crucia - thing is, you could have found out about it anywhere."

Buffy turned her eyes to Giles. "It's not exactly advertised, is it?"

Giles nodded silently before addressing the younger Buffy. "I think she may be telling the truth."

"Because of the crucia-thing?"

"It's highly unlikely that she could have found out about it any other way than experiencing it."

"But what is-"

"I think," Buffy interrupted, noticing the panicked look on Giles's face. "That we have more important things to talk about."

"Indeed," Giles agreed, eager to steer the conversation away from the topic of the Cruciamentum before the younger Buffy could demand to know what it was. "But perhaps not now," He cast an anxious look at the library doors and the throngs of students that were milling past outside. "If someone should walk in… Could you come back later? Tonight?"

Buffy nodded. "I can wait until then. It'll be much better for me if it's dark."

"Why?" Younger Buffy asked, finally allowing her fists to drop.

This isn't going to go down well, Buffy thought as she took a deep breath. "Well, I didn't come here alone…"

The door to Angel's apartment swung open and Buffy lurched inside. The coppery tang of blood hit Spike's nostrils immediately. Despite the watery sunlight that streamed in through the open door, he sprang up and hurried over to Buffy. On hearing his footsteps, Buffy kicked the door shut behind her, plunging the room back into its former gloom. He reached her in only a few seconds and slid his fingers underneath her chin, tilting her face up towards his gaze. He winced as his eyes fell on the oozing cut on her lower lip.

"It didn't go well then?"

Buffy smiled weakly and shook her head. "No."

"Didn't they believe you?"

"They did… Well, not at first, but that wasn't much of a problem in the end."

Spike frowned. "Then why the split lip?"

"She – the other me – wasn't too happy when I told her I'm shacking up with her mortal enemy."

"Ah." Spike slipped an arm around her waist and led her over to an armchair. "How did the Watcher take it?" He flopped down into the chair and pulled Buffy onto his lap. She rested her head against his shoulder gratefully and allowed her tired eyes to flicker shut.

"Not brilliantly but better than she did. At least he tried to stop the fight; although he almost got a broken nose for his trouble."

Spike suppressed a chuckle at the image of the librarian jumping into the middle of a fight between two Slayers. "Did you find out anything useful?"

"No," Buffy's voice came muffled as she nuzzled into his neck. "Giles was worried about someone walking in and seeing two of me. We need to go back tonight."

"'We?'"

"Now they're over the shock I think it's safe for you to come. They're going to tell Xander and Will-"

Buffy broke off as a loud groan from the corner caught her attention. She twisted around on Spike's lap to get a better look at Angelus, who was only just waking from the blissful unconsciousness that the agony in his wrist sent him into. Buffy sighed. "I suppose I should go and fix up his arm."

Spike tightened his grip on her and pulled her close. "Do you have to?" He whispered, pressing a line of kisses up her neck. "I missed you this morning. I want you to myself for a while." Buffy began to relent and relax into Spike's hold, but another loud groan disturbed her.

"He won't shut up until I do." She smiled apologetically and brushed a kiss over his lips before hopping off his lap.

Spike sighed and pushed himself out of the chair, following Buffy across the room. "Anything I can do to help?"

"You can find something I can use as a splint," She said as she pulled open a cupboard and began to rummage inside. "Anything rigid."

"Will do." He called over his shoulder, already beginning his search of the apartment. He found little that could be used effectively, and eventually had to settle for ripping off the hard covers of a large, ancient looking tome. He returned to find Buffy sitting cross legged on the floor in front of Angelus, a shredded pile of what used to be a bed sheet next to her.

Angelus, only slowly coming around, looked at her blearily. "It's you." He mumbled.

"Yes," Buffy said impatiently. "It's me." She accepted the covers off Spike with a small smile and gestured for him to sit down next to her. He obeyed and tried to make himself comfortable on the hard floor. "Will you help me?" She asked.

Spike opened his mouth to answer, but was interrupted by Angelus muttering "No."

Buffy looked at him quizzically. "No what?"

"No help."

"I didn't ask you."

"Stale. Dead. No help." Angelus murmured, his head lolling forwards onto his chest.

Buffy and Spike exchanged confused glances. "What was that about?" Buffy whispered.

"Haven't a clue, pet. What do you want help with?"

Buffy shot a final questioning look at Angelus before shrugging. "Could you hold the splints in place while I tie them?"

"Sure."

After Buffy had placed the boards correctly Spike held them still, resisting the strong urge to crush Angelus's wrist beneath his fingers. Buffy began to bind the boards to Angelus's arm with the remnants of the bed sheet, moving quickly but carefully. As Buffy leant closer, Angelus's head snapped up. When he spoke all of the drowsiness and confusion that had been in his voice only moments before was gone.

"Blood." He growled, his eyes glued on Buffy's bottom lip. Spike responded with a warning growl of his own.

"We're almost done here," Buffy reassured him, placing a restraining hand on his arm. "Only a few more seconds." She finished tying the fabric into a strong knot and rose to her feet, pulling Spike up with her. They ignored Angelus's demands to be fed as they headed back to the chair, but when they were out of his range of hearing Buffy murmured, "We do need to get some blood. He's not the only one who needs to eat."

Spike shook his head. "It's not me I'm worried about. Have you eaten since yesterday?"

"No. Angel wasn't really big on food. He used to keep a few snacks in for me, but I've already checked and there's nothing."

"Do you want to go and get something? I don't mind vamp sitting again."

Buffy pulled a face. "I'd rather spend the next few hours sleeping if we're spending the whole night with the gang."

"Sounds like a plan, kitten." Spike said, entwining his fingers with hers and leading her over to the bed.

Several hours later, Buffy and Spike stood in front of Sunnydale High. It felt strange to Buffy, seeing the old school again. It hadn't really registered with her earlier on in the day; she'd been too nervous about talking to Giles on the way in and then too occupied with her split lip on the way out.

"You ready?" Spike asked quietly, giving Buffy's hand a gentle squeeze. Without saying anything, Buffy nodded and then made her way to the entrance.

Spike growled in frustration as he attempted to maneuver his chair down a flight of stairs. The search for his sire wasn't going well at all. He'd scoured the whole of Sunnydale, checking every demon hot spot in town as well as some less obvious places. There were only two places he hadn't checked: the Slayer's house and the hole Angel had lived in when he'd had a soul. He was reluctant to visit Buffy's house because he was hardly in a state to fight her and he had no intention of ending the night as a pile of dust. He didn't want to visit the old apartment because he thought the whole trip would be pointless; Angelus hated anything that reminded him of his days when he was burdened with a soul, including his former residence.

He headed back to the factory, hoping desperately that Drusilla wouldn't send him out again when he came home empty handed.