Disclaimer: Don't own, etc., etc. Joss Whedon rules supreme and retains pretty much everything. Only written for personal enjoyment and because this plot bunny just wouldn't die, even after some serious staking…

Summary: Occurs after Brother, Unfortunately Mine. Rating 18 for sexual references. The sibling theme is not entirely played out …

HOW TO KILL YOUR (PSYCHO) BOYFRIEND IN ONE HARD LESSON

Chapter 15 – Revelations One, Two and You What?!

"WHAT!!"

Later on in retrospect, Buffy admitted to herself that suddenly letting out a banshee-like shriek while in close proximity to her Scooby Gang and a bunch of Slayers was probably not the most sensible of things to have done. These were people who lived their lives on the edge and as such tended to be constantly twitchy – and armed. Making unexpected, very loud and violent noises right next to them was liable to provoke rather unfortunate auto-reflexes. Fortunately, Buffy was also a Slayer, so she was able to avoid the accidentally loosed crossbow bolt and the thrown knife.

The unexpected return of Willow and Kennedy, Giles and Andrew and finally Xander on the same day was a cause for welcome and cheer, especially as they hadn't been expected back for another couple of days and all were able to report at least some success in their endeavours. Buffy had phoned Dawn's roommate-to-be, the Slayer Ebony Saville, at UC Sunnydale, to pass on the good news and get Dawn and the Slayers back to the mansion for an earlier than planned 'back home bash'. That conversation had been when Buffy discovered that Dawn had completed her admissions paperwork a week ago and had taken a 'quip trip' to LA as she had some problem she wanted 'a friend' to help her with. Cue the unwise furious screaming.

"What could possibly be wrong that Dawn would need Angel's help, instead of ours?" Willow asked Buffy, tactfully substituting 'ours' for 'yours' as they all gathered round the fuming pre-eminent Slayer.

Xander, unaware of how his black piratical eye-patch gave him a rakishly handsome appeal, narrowed his remaining eye, and spoke without even bothering to look around. "Andrew, I can feel the guilt washing over me from here. Spill."

Giles looked at his protégé, his features taking on a hint of 'Ripper'. The youth gulped as he found himself the cynosure of all eyes, a lot of them very unfriendly. "I…er…don't think she's gone to get Angel's help."

"You don't?" Buffy frowned; what on earth else would her sister be doing in LA, a place she had never evinced any interest in before.

"Seliv." Andrew mumbled.

"Andrew," Xander growled, "don't make me hang you by your ankles from the stair-rail again…"

"Spike's alive."

Buffy paled, but then shook her head. "Spike…died. I saw the…fire…coming before he made me get clear."

Faith slung an arm round Andrew's shoulders and smiled at him in a way that made his stomach roil in fear. "Fill in the spaces with words, babe, fast."

Andrew sucked in a deep breath: "Wolfram & Hart legally owned the amulet that they gave to Angel that he brought you in Sunnydale because they thought he would the one to use it turns out that the amulet somehow stores the life-force of whoever wears it so when Spike's physical body was incinerated he himself was in the amulet when it was returned to Wolfram & Hart offices Angel opened the amulet and Spike re-materialised in non-corporeal form –"

"Whoa. Breathe." Xander raised his hands as Andrew gabbled a single sentence without pause. "Spike's a ghost?"

"Not anymore." Andrew gratefully drew in oxygen, and went on in a more measured way, "He was a ghost, and couldn't leave the city. Then somehow he got made corporeal again and could leave LA if he wanted."

"So why didn't he come back with you and Dana?" Willow asked before she thought, casting a quick glance at the still-timid girl who looked like a frightened rabbit at the mention of the blond vampire's name.

"I…think he was going to." Andrew told Buffy, whose face, though shuttered, couldn't quite hide the hurt. "Sometimes I call…Wes…Wesley. You know, for advice on Watcher stuff. Wes wouldn't really talk about it but that girl, Fred, one of Angel's Team…apparently she tried really hard to make Spike solid again, and anyway, later on something bad happened to her – she was injured, real bad, and Spike and Angel couldn't help her…she must have made it 'cause she's still alive though, I'm not really clear on that part…Anyway," Andrew consciously tried to stop his babble, "Spike promised Angel that he would spend the rest of his life fighting at Angel's side for the Powers That Be, because he failed to stop Fred being terribly injured."

"Dawn's gone to Spike." Giles clarified.

"What could Dawn be so afraid of that she wants Spike's protection?" Xander mused to himself.

There was a pregnant pause as the Scooby Gang looked at each other and all went a whiter shade of pale.

"Gear up." Buffy ordered.

Concluded in Chapter 16…