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Now that they were alone Buffy turned to Giles, "What's the possibility that he leaves and this just goes away?"

"Slim to none I'm afraid. We need to prepare for the worst."

Buffy nodded and cleared her throat trying to ignore the heartache that was eating her alive. She felt the new piece inside her suffering, her mate was suffering and it was her fault. He was drowning in overwhelming grief and sorrow and it was all because of her. The fact still remained though, he was the son of Lucifer and that fact alone was enough to need to kill him. "Then I need to know how to kill him."

Giles pulled off his glasses and rubbed them with his handkerchief, "There's never been evidence that the antichrist even exists, let alone anything on how to kill it."

It. Is that what Angel was? An it? Not a person but a thing, a thing that had to be exterminated like a bug? The thought made her nauseas. He had never acted like he was truly evil and even when she had told him to leave he had still acted scared and remorseful. Why keep up the charade? Unless it wasn't one and he really wasn't the horrible thing that everyone had acted like he was. A soft groan escaped her, she was so confused.

"I'm going home. We'll meet tomorrow," she said sadly to everyone else in the library.

"You're not going anywhere," an angry voice ground out from by the swinging doors. Spike had appeared in the library with a pissed expression. "What is wrong with you?" he spat at Buffy.

She frowned, "How do you even know what just happened?"

He approached her and glared down at her. "I sensed a disturbance in the force," he mocked. "I know when he's upset and imagine my shock when he tells me what just went down. Now I'll ask again, what is wrong with you?"

"He's the devils child Spike, did you know that?" she said in a dead voice.

He groaned and clenched his hands in frustration, "Of course I bloody knew that! There's more to it than that and you didn't even give him a chance to explain! You're his bloody mate you git, he'd never lie to you!"

Giles stood furiously, "Do not come in here defending that… that… thing."

Spike pointed a furious finger at the watcher, "You watch your tongue! He's not a thing or an it, he's an angel and a very important one at that. No he's not human but that doesn't mean him or I are beneath you. What makes you all so special huh?"

Giles opened his mouth to fire off a retort but found he couldn't speak.

"You lot are going to sit here and let me tell you what's really going on. You can't speak or move so relax and let me finish this," Spike said in a deadly voice. He met their eyes challengingly before launching into the tale of Angel.

"Yes Liam is the son of Lucifer, the antichrist. Lucifer had many children but Angelus was the strongest. Anyways blah, blah, blah he's supposed to defeat heaven and earth before ruling the underworld at Lucifer's right hand, but it didn't happen like that. Just like Mary's conception Lucifer had to give Angelus to a woman to be born. He was born and Lucifer let him grow up before he was supposed to claim him, only thing was he died before he could get him. Knowing what was happening Dad collected him before Luci could. He trained him and loved him and tried to lead him on a different path, which worked for a while but no matter what the fires of hell burn in Angelus. Dad made him an angel hoping that his grace would overpower the hell in him but it didn't. His wings came in black as did his eyes and because he's part demon his anger manifests physically. The first time his fangs showed and his eyes turned red everyone was petrified but Dad was always there to babysit."

He took a breath and began to pace while he continued the story. "Dad tried to watch him, tried to keep him in line but that's like trying to catch lightening in a bottle. He's the false messiah, he's more powerful than anything you could ever imagine, or at least he will be one day. He's still young now. One day if he wanted to he could end the world with a flick of his wrist."

He trailed off before looking at Buffy, "He never lied to you once. You really are his mate and he loves you more than you realize. He never asked to be Lucifer's son and you can't change who you are. I can tell you this though; I've never seen him so happy, relaxed and stable than when he's around you. You think he's out of control now? You have no idea what he's capable of and what he's done."

With a snap of his fingers everyone could once again move and speak. While Buffy gathered her thoughts Giles narrowed his eyes, "If he's so powerful why is he still living? Why hasn't someone stopped him? Why hasn't God stopped him?"

Spike looked sad, "Because it's not his fault. He doesn't mean for things to happen, they just do. Ever heard of Mt. Pelee?"

"Of course. May 8, 1902 Mt. Pelee sent an immense cloud of ash, rock and superheated gas hurtling toward St. Pierre at a speed of about 100 m.p.h. The blast, powerful enough to capsize ships anchored offshore, leveled the city in just a few minutes, killing some 30,000 people."

Spike just nodded until Giles sputtered, "That was him?"

"He didn't mean to. He got upset, it had been a brutal day on the battlefield and when he went off so did Mt. Pelee. You need to understand something. You see a warrior that's over two thousand years old when in reality he's just a child. He has absolutely no control over his emotions or what happens when they get too intense and to punish him would be the equivalent of punching a toddler because they're not potty trained."

"Why do you care so much about him? You speak about him with obvious adoration."

Spike shrugged, "He's the only friend I've ever had. Unlike the other pricks he knows what it's like to struggle sometimes. We take care of each other because no one else will. The other angels are all about brotherly love but not with us. Angelus and I are babies in the grand scheme and all the other angels weren't very happy when Dad put us in charge instead of them."

Giles' eyes narrowed further, "You make him out to be a victim."

"In a sense he is," Spike answered, "but make no mistake he feeds off what's in him by choice. He's more brutal, crafty, and to be honest psychotic than anyone I've ever seen in heaven or on earth. He knows what's in him and he won't hesitate to use it if the situation arises. There's been more than one occasion even I've questioned his sanity."

Everyone let that sink in until Xander spoke again, "So is he evil or not? We keep getting different stories."

Spike looked thoughtful for a moment before answering in a slow careful tone, "Is Angelus evil? Yes, it's ingrained in his very essence. But just because you are something doesn't mean it's what you are."

Xander looked confused but Buffy just smiled and stepped forward, "Where is he?"

Spike shook his head, "Nowhere you can go love, I think he's somewhere in Egypt right now but he'll be back. You're his mate; he won't leave you even if you hate him. He'll crawl back even if you stick a knife through him."

He looked like he wanted to say something else. "Lucifer's gunning for him and without you I see no reason why he wouldn't go with him. He needs you now more than ever, you made the choice now you have to stand by it." His face darkened as his eyes narrowed, "For future reference I don't like seeing him upset. It doesn't usually bode well for everyone involved."

Buffy opened her mouth but he was already gone. With heavy feet she walked over to a chair and collapsed into it, her head in her hands. This had been a nightmare and now Spike had just informed them how royally they had all screwed up. She was supposed to love Angel and trust him and she hadn't even given him the benefit of the doubt. Instead of being a good mate that stood by her partner she had judged him and shunned him.

"What was he talking about Buffy? What did he mean you were Angel's mate?" Giles asked after a while.

Buffy opened and closed her mouth a few times before deciding to just get it out in the open. "I'm Angel's mate. I guess every angel has a mate and Angel's mine." Seeing that her watcher was getting angry she cut him off before he could speak. "It's done and not only can I not undo it I don't want to. I love him Giles and he loves me."

Xander was furious, "You're mated to the antichrist? Like some sort of animal?"

Buffy's eyes flashed angrily, "I am not an animal and neither is he. We were literally made for each other. He didn't pressure me or force me into it, I chose it." As an after thought she added, "Don't call him the antichrist."

Giles who had been rubbing his forehead from the headache he had coming on sat up straighter, "While I don't fully agree with Xander's statement Angel is a different species and he does carry traits of certain animals. At times I think he's actually more animalistic than human. Did he mark you in any way?"

Buffy crossed her arms, "Yes he did and it's no one's business where or how."

Willow stepped forward timidly and grabbed Buffy into a hug. Unlike the two men in the room she could easily see how much her best friend loved the angel and was happy that someone who could take care of Buffy was with her. "I'm happy for you Buffy."

"Thanks Will."

Willow pulled back and glared at Xander and Giles who both looked down. Xander finally looked back up, "I'm not happy about this, at all. But it's done and there's nothing I can do about it so I guess if you're happy so am I Buff. If he breaks your heart though I'll find some way to do some harm to him, like a mean paper cut or splinter or something."

Buffy hugged him tightly before all three turned their attention to Giles who threw his hands in the air. "Oh bloody hell. I can't say how I feel about this yet. I'd like to know more when we have time to discuss it but no matter what I respect your decisions. You are by no means stupid or easily manipulated though I do believe you think more with your heart than what is wise."

She nodded, "Thanks Giles. I have to go look for Angel."

Buffy searched for hours upon hours but could not find him anywhere. She prayed and pleaded and screamed for him but he never came. Feeling defeated she returned to her house broken and alone.