Grids hurled Mac through the picture window in the front. She stood inside, staring at him, furious, "You're not welcome here. Come near us and I will kill you."

He rose, face finally back to human form and stared at her for a long moment, mouth opening before it snapped shut and he loped away into the night.

She whirled back to the kitchen, dropping to her knees by her mom's side as she picked up the phone, "Mom, Mom, can you hear me?"

Jenny groaned weakly, but was unable to actually respond. Her daughter grabbed the phone and dialed 911, speaking quickly, feeling panic rising, "I-I need an ambulance, sixteen-thirty Revello Drive. My mother . . . cut herself, she's lost a lot of blood . . . please hurry!"

The back door opened and Tugger and Mistoffelees came in. "Hey Buffy, we," Tugger started, and he looked like Mistoffelees had given him a list of things to say but they both froze. "Oh god."

"What happened?" Mistoffelees asked quickly.

"M-Mac..."

o.o.o.o

Cori hurried down the hall of the hospital, coming to a stop just inside Jenny's hospital room.

Grids sat by her mother's bedside, holding her hand, "D-do you remember anything, Mom?"

"Your friend came over," Jenny said, voice still weak. "I was going to make her a snack..."

Tugger and Mistoffelees sat quietly to one side of the bed, Mistoffelees looking up when Cori entered.

Grids glanced at the other three, "My friend..."

"I guess I slipped and cut my neck on... on a barbeque fork only..." she frowned at her daughter. "We don't own a barbeque fork and..." she glanced up at Cori. "Are you another doctor?"

He shook his head, but Grids answered the question, "This is Mr. Coricopat."

"The librarian?" Jenny blinked. "What's he doing here, and this time of night?"

The Watcher spoke that time, "I just came to pay my respects, wish you a speedy recovery."

"Wow," she said, a bit woozy. "The teachers here really do seem to care. It's nice to meet you..."

"And you," Cori replied.

Grids leaned over and kissed her mom on the cheek, "Get some rest now." She slipped out of the room quickly.

The others trailed out after her. She turned to them, "The doctor says she's going to be okay. They gave her some iron, her blood count's a little..."She broke off, swallowing hard.

"A little low, it presents like a mild anemia . . . you're lucky you got to her as soon as you did," Cori murmured.

She shook her head, "Lucky and oh-so-stupid."

"This isn't your fault," Tugger said, with no prompting from Mistoffelees.

"No?" She whirled on him, "I invited him into my home. And even after I knew who he was - what he was - I didn't do anything about it. Because I had feelings, because I cared about him."

"If you care about someone, you care about them," Mistoffelees said quietly, not daring to look at anyone except Grids.

"It doesn't change the fact that I let him into my house and he took a bite out of my mother!"

"You can't just change things by..." Mistoffelees started and bit back whatever he was going to say.

"Killing him? No. But it's a start," Grids replied.

No one could really argue with that. "We'll keep an eye on your mom," Tugger said softly and Mistoffelees looked away.

"Thanks. The Three found me near the Bronze and so did he. He lives nearby." She started to go, but Cori caught her arm.

"Griddlebone, this is no ordinary vampire - if there is such a thing - he knows you, he's faced the Three, I think it's going to take more than simple stake."

She nodded, "I'll go get a bit more." She left, going to find a crossbow from Cori's weapons chest at the school.

Mistoffelees watched her go, arms coming up to hold across his chest. "Should we just...?"

"We'll wait here, watch out for her mother," Coricopat declared.

"Are you sure it's wise to let her go on her own?" the smaller teen asked, voice low.

"I don't know that we could either help or stop her at this point," Cori sighed.

Mistoffelees looked away, before silently filing into the hospital room and sitting next to her bed.

Coricopat sank into a chair outside the room. Tugger paused, and for a long time just stared at the other.

The librarian arched an eyebrow, "Hm?"

"Why do they call it tweed?"

He blinked, "Come again?"

"Tweed, I mean, why is it called tweed?"

"Actually it's named for a river between England and Scotland. It wasn't actually originally called-" He broke off shaking his head, "Why are we even having this conversation?"

"Because I'm not sure either of us could stand talking about anything else, and you live in the stuff?" Tugger offered.

"Well...I suppose that's true."

Moments later, Mistoffelees poked his head out. "Cori, Jenny wants to talk to you."

"Oh, thank God." He rose, slipping into the room and approaching the bed.

Mistoffelees wavered before just returning to his seat. Jenny glanced at the librarian. "She talks about you all the time, you know. It's important to have good teachers that make a good impression... you seem rather young though..."

"I'm not long out of school myself." He shook his head slightly, "Regardless, she makes quite an impression herself."

"I know," Jenny smiled. "But, she's having trouble with history. Is it too difficult for her or is she not applying herself?"

"Well, Griddlebone lives very much in the now. And, of course, history is very much about the 'then,' but there's no reason to worry, I'm sure."

"I mean, she's studying with Mistoffelees, she said Mac from the community college was helping her study-where did they even meet?- and then Darla came over tonight to go over the revolutionary war."

"Darla? I...I don't believe I know her..."

"She came over tonight."

"Darla came to your house tonight. She was the friend you mentioned earlier?"

"Poor thing, I probably frightened her when I fainted. I haven't seen her since... someone should make sure she's alright..." Mistoffelees' eyes drifted up to meet Cori's.

Cori glanced at Mistoffelees and then nodded, "Yes, someone should, right away." He headed for the door, "I'll go see to that."

"I'll come with you," Mistoffelees said, bounding out as Tugger glanced back at both of them.

Coricopat glanced at Tugger, "We have a serious problem."

"What sort of a problem?" Tugger asked.

"A problem of the sort that Grids is going to kill the wrong vampire if she finds Mac." Cori replied

Tugger blinked. "Come again?"

"Her mother just told me that it was not Mac, but Darla who came over tonight."

Tugger blinked and shook his head, swearing under his breath. "Can you stay here with her?" Mistoffelees asked.

"What, while you go find her?"

"Yeah," Mistoffelees replied.

"Yeah, alright, no problem."

Cori nodded slightly, heading for the main doors. Mistoffelees jogged to catch up to him, and Tugger slipped into the hospital room.

o.o.o.o

Grids entered the Bronze through a broken window on the balcony. She moved carefully along, the crossbow at the ready, but didn't see him anywhere. The teen descended the stairs quietly, still listening and watching for him. She sensed him and whirled, aiming the crossbow, but didn't see him. She moved toward the bar, still pacing quietly. "I know you're here."

"Funny," he remarked, in the rafters. "How you figured that out since it's so obvious."

She looked up, stepping back, aiming the crossbow, "I know what you are."

"And what's that? Just another animal?"

"You're not an animal." She scanned the darkness for him, "Animals I like."

"So what am I then?" he demanded.

She took aim at his voice, her finger hovering on the trigger mechanism, "A lying son-of-a-bitch."

"You ever think you jump to conclusions awful fast?"

"You were bent over my mother, and she was bitten. I don't think that's all that fast!" She pulled the trigger.

He jumped out of the way and scampered up a different rafter. "So why'd I wait then?" he asked, voice drifting down. "Why not let the three get you, or bite your mom and leave her while you were at school all day?"

"I-I...you couldn't have gotten out of the house if you'd bit her after I let you in the house the first time. Not before I got home."

He dropped down from the rafters abruptly behind her, grabbing her from behind and pulling her head back with one hand. "So, I'm just twisted enough to help you so I can fuck with you instead? Is that how it works?"

She swallowed, "I-I...you're not exactly making a case against it."

"You've already set me in that role, haven't you?" he stroked her hair slightly. "Shouldn't I live up to your expectations?"

She shuddered, "You came into my home and attacked my mother!"

"Why not?" he asked. "I killed my family. I killed their friends and their friends' children. There was this whole cycle of killing thing. For a hundred years I offered ugly death to everyone I met, and I did it with a song. The ways I invented to hurt people... you couldn't even dream of them."

"A hundred years."

"I made an error in judgment after that. Fed off this beautiful young girl, about your age. Not much going for her other than that, but hey, she was a favorite of her clan."

"H-her clan?" She tried to get loose, but felt it pull her neck taut instead.

"Roma... gypsies. It was just before the century changed, and they cursed me for taking their girl. They restored my soul," he said, and shoved her away hard, stepping back.

She stumbled, turning to face him, "What, they were all out of boils and blinding torment?"

He shook his head, hands dropping to his sides. "When you become a vampire, the demon takes your body. It doesn't get your soul. That's gone. You live free, with no conscience, and no remorse. It's a very easy life. You take what you, when you want, how you want, and nothing matters." He paused. "You have no idea what it's like to have done the things I've done and to care. I told you it was a redemption gig, didn't I? I haven't fed on a living human since that day. It hurts too much."

"A-and what about my mom? How do you explain that?"

"I didn't bite her," he responded, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Then why didn't you say that then?"

"Would you have believed me?" he demanded. "You knew I was a vampire. I can walk like a man, but I'm not. I wanted to drain your mother, and god knows I wanted to kill you tonight too. It's part of who I am, and part of who I am through eternity."

She dropped her gaze, setting the crossbow down finally, "I...It..."

He watched her, in slight confusion. "You?" he prompted.

"I'm... I came here to...oh God..." She paled.

"Come to kill me?" he offered.

She nodded very very slightly.

"But you didn't."

"It…it's not as easy as I-as I thought."

Another feminine voice came from the backstage door as Darla approached them, hands behind her back, "Sure it is."

o.o.o.o

Mistoffelees glanced over at Coricopat as they crossed the railroad tracks near the Bronze. "Alright, we're near the Bronze, now what?"

"Keep looking for her," came the answer.

"Okay, here's a question," Mistoffelees continued. "Say we find her. Say she's fighting Angel or some of his friends. What the hell are we actually going to be able to do about it?"

"We...are going to do what we can to stop her before it's too late."

"You know what? I'm voting cell phones for Christmas. A cell phone exchange. We can each get the other one so everyone has one. It'll be brilliant."

Cori glanced at him, and offered a faint smile, "When we make it to Christmas we'll see about it."

"Sounds good," Mistoffelees nodded and frowned. "I hear sounds from the Bronze..."

o.o.o.o

Darla continued to stroll toward them, "Do you know what the saddest thing in the world is?"

"Bad hair on top of that outfit?" Grids replied, inching toward the crossbow.

"To love someone who used to love you."

"So you guys were . . . involved."

"For several generations."

"Well you're going to pile up a few ex's when you've been around since Columbus. You are older than him, right? One gal to another, you look a little worn around the eyes."

Darla smirked, her fangs showing, " I made him. And I brought him that Gypsy girl . . . there was a time when we shared everything." She looked toward Mac, "Wasn't there, Macavity. You had a chance to come home, to rule with me in the Master's court for a thousand years. You gave all that up because of her, you love someone who hates us."

"Come on darlin'," Mac drawled. "You're growing pretty bitter there in your old age."

Darla's lips drew back in a snarl, "You're sick and you'll always be sick and you'll always remember what it was like to watch her die." She looked at Grids, "You don't think I came alone do you?"

"I know I didn't." Grids flipped the crossbow up into her hands, leveling it at Darla.

The vampire smirked, "Scary." She finally revealed her hands, holding matching Smith and Wesson .357 revolvers. "Scarier." She fired, sending Grids diving for cover.

Mac however, got caught with a stray bullet, hitting the wall hard.

Glancing at Cori, Mistoffelees bolted for the Bronze at the sound of gunfire.

"Mac!" Grids startled toward him.

Darla glanced toward the other vampire, "Don't worry, bullets can't kill vampires. They can hurt like hell, but they can't kill us. You on the other hand..." She fired another shot in Grids' direction.

Cori was close on Misto's heels toward the club. Damn it, if they were too late...

Mistoffelees slipped in through the window upstairs, glancing around.

Darla approached her target, firing again, "So many body parts, so few bullets...let's begin with the kneecaps, no fun dancing without them..." She fired, but reeled back as Buffy lodged a crossbow bolt in her shoulder. The vampire smiled as she pulled the arrow out, tossing it aside, "Close. But no heart."

Cori looked at the tableau before them, "We need to distract her."

"Grids!" Mistoffelees yelled, "It wasn't Mac that attacked your mom, it was Darla!"

Darla whirled and fired in their direction.

Cori glanced at Misto, "Wonderful, I think that'll do it."

"I think that's enough distraction for now," the smaller teen agreed. He paused a beat. "Isn't that the vamp I splashed with holy water?"

Cori's gaze flickered downward and he nodded, "I-I think so."

Grids got to her feet, knocking Darla over with the pool table and sending both skidding across the floor. Darla fired as she went back, the bullets narrowly missing the Slayer as the girl flipped over the bar for cover.

Mistoffelees moved over, working on the light board in an attempt for more distraction. Cori flinched at the strobes that came on, "I don't think that...Disco Fever...is going to help much..."

"No," Mistoffelees agreed. "But it might be something? Ooh, strobe lights."

Darla took a moment to gather herself before advancing toward Grids again, still firing. "Come on, Griddlebone. Take it like a man." She fired again, she had time.

Staggering and finally making his way from the wall, Mac reared up behind her, plunging one of the crossbow's arrows into her heart.

She turned, gasping, "M-Mac..." Darla reached for him, but slipped, disintegrating.

He stared at the pile of ashes for a long moment and Mistoffelees hit the console quickly, turning most of the lights off.

Grids slowly rose, facing him in silence. She swallowed, but couldn't bring herself to say anything.

He looked at her for a long moment, before disappearing into the night.

Cori descended the stairs, moving toward the girl still standing behind the bar. Grids pulled her gaze from where Mac had disappeared to look at him. She moved unsteadily out onto the main floor.

Mistoffelees followed Coricopat. "Are you okay?"

"I-I..."She shuddered, but managed to nod.

He reached out a hand, resting it on her shoulder. "Oh Grids... can we do anything?"

She swallowed, "G-get me to my mom?"

Cori held out a hand to her, which she took. He drew her into a reassuring embrace as he nodded, "Certainly."

Grids stepped back after a moment, taking a deep breath, "Alright then." Mistoffelees watched them, hovering but not part of the embrace, and followed them out.

o.o.o.o

Grids turned, setting a plate of vegetables down in front of her mother, "Here, Mom. The doctor says you've got to eat this-to build up your iron. H-How're you feeling?"

Her mother glanced up from where she was sitting at the table, a smile playing around her mouth. "I'm thinking I should say not so good so you'll continue to wait on me hand and foot, but I cannot tell a lie: I feel fine. Or, rather, a lot better."

The teen sat down at the table, managing a smile in return. "Good. I was so worried about you, I mean it actually made me feel sick. If anything happened to you..." She trailed off, dropping her gaze.

Jenny reached out, holding her hands with hers. "Oh honey. Now you know how I feel all the time?"

Grids paused for a long moment, considering that, "I-I guess I do...and now I am so sorry for about a kazillion things I've put you through."

Jenny smiled softly, patting her hands. "You do fine. It's the natural mother reaction to worry."

"S-still." She shook her head, "I'm still sorry."

Jenny smiled again, reaching forward and drawing her daughter into a hug. "Oh honey. But look, things worked out. As they will."

Grids leaned into the embrace, returning the hug, "Yeah..." She pulled away finally, "Now. Eat your vegetables." She grinned a bit.

"I did!" Jenny protested.

"Mom..."

"Two big bites," Jenny said with a grin, gesturing at the plate.

Grids laughed, "Have another couple."

Jenny rolled her eyes and complied. "Yes, Mother."

"There's a good girl," Grids' smile widened.

o.o.o.o

"Ah," Tugger said, looking around the Bronze. "The post fumigation party."

Grids glanced at him, "What's the difference between this and the pre-fumigation party?"

"Much heartier cockroaches," Mistoffelees replied, sipping a soda.

That garnered a bit of a smile as she looked around. She suppressed a sigh.

"No word from Mac?" Mistoffelees asked softly.

She shook her head in response, "No. I don't think he'll be around. It's weird, though. In a way I feel like he's still watching me."

"Well, in a way he is," Mistoffelees said. "In the way of that he's right over there," he continued, gesturing to a corner where Mac was leaning against the wall, watching them.

Grids turned, her eyes lighting up, "I...if you guys'll excuse me?"

Mistoffelees waved her off and Tugger nodded, though grudgingly. He turned his back on where Mac was standing and Grids was headed. "I don't need to watch, 'cause I'm not threatened. I'm gonna look over here." Mistoffelees arched a brow but didn't comment.

Griddlebone approached Mac, hesitantly, "H-hey."

"I just wanted to make sure you were alright," he said softly. "And your mom."

"We're both...we're both good. She's recovering well. You?"

"Ah, I figure if I can do a little while without getting shot or stabbed I should be all right," he said lightly with a shrug.

She managed a flickering smile at that, "I...I'm glad to see you."

"I am too," he said softly. "But this... this can't work."

"I…" She dropped her gaze, "I know. For-for one thing you're like, what, two hundred and twenty-four years older than I am."

"It's no small age difference," he said softly. "So I just gotta... walk away from this. Whatever this could be."

She swallowed, looking up again, "M-me too. This...wouldn't work."

But neither of them moved.

She bit her lip, "One of us is going to have to go here..."

"I know," he said but leaned down and kissed her instead.

"What's going on?" Tugger asked at their table.

Mistoffelees glanced over to him, still sipping the soda. "Nothing."

"Well, as long as they're not kissing, things are cool," Tugger declared and Mistoffelees smiled faintly.

Grids' arms wrapped around Mac's neck as she leaned up into the kiss, pressing against him. He pressed down hard into the kiss, finally pulling away.

She drew back, the smell of burnt flesh hitting her nose. Her gaze dropped to his chest and her hand came up to cover the cross he'd given her, "Mac...I..."

"You?" he prompted affectionately.

"I'm sorry, I d-didn't think..."

"About?" he asked softly, though he winced slightly as well.

She reached out, stopping just before she touched the cross-shaped brand, "I'm so sorry."

He glanced down and shrugged. "I didn't pull away," he said softly, a hand coming up to cover her's. "Whatever we have, it's going to hurt. Hopefully not quite as physically or blatantly as this but..." he leaned down, gently kissing her this time.

She leaned up into the kiss, one of her hands coming up to turn the necklace around and tuck it into the back of her shirt. Grids finally pulled away, "I don't want to hurt you."

He smoothed a piece of her hair back. "Then be careful. With everything."

She swallowed, nodding, "I-I'll do my best..."

"Good," he said softly. "Take care then, and I'll see you around."

"Take care," she murmured.

He leaned in, kissing her again before slipping away into the darkness. She watched him go before rejoining her friends.

The chapter in which we learn why Tugger and Cori should never be alone together, Mistoffelees fails at distraction, and Grids actually manages to pay attention to other people ((Which is something Buffy never did quite manage through out the series, your authors hope this trend continues on Grid's part)).