My sister is amazing! ^ ^ My computer still doesn't work, but she's letting me use hers again. So you have her to thank for the next episode. Here's, "School Hard".

******

In every generation there is a Chosen One. She alone will stand against the vampires, the demons and the forces of darkness. She is the Slayer.

Giles was walking with Jenny Calendar down the halls of Sunnydale high. Ever since they had returned to school for yet another year of teaching, Jenny had grown more and more attached to him, despite his best attempts to show her he wasn't in the least interested. She was like a leech. Or a barnacle glued onto a ship. And she wouldn't let go.

Giles' mind was already only half on the conversation when he spotted Buffy in the student lounge of the school and slowed to a stop. Jenny moved in front of him to continue their conversation, but she hadn't yet noticed the girl, and Giles could still see her over the woman's shoulder.

"I can't believe I'm in trouble again." Buffy was muttering to Willow, who was, along with Xander, helping her paint a banner of some kind. "I mean, I'm the slayer. At least I have an excuse. What's Shelia's? Then she doesn't even show up..."

"Sheila's a no-show?" Willow mused, "She goes to this really rank bar. The Fish Tank? Sometimes they have raids and other stuff that can make you tardy."

"D'you think you can help me cram some French tonight?" Buffy asked, moving onto other topics. "I don't want Mr. DeJean telling my mother I'm an imbecile."

"I thought we were going to the Bronze tonight. 'Cause of how you thought Angel might show?"

Giles' frowned darkly. Angel again. What on earth did Buffy see in that brooding, demonic menace?

"If he does he'll meet some other nice girl." Xander said hurriedly, "Studying comes first."

Giles silently agreed, even though he knew Xander was only saying that because he was almost as jealous of Angel as Giles was.

"We're going to the Bronze." Buffy insisted. "I can study and party and do Parent-Teacher night and make my mother proud as long as I don't have to..."

Giles decided this was the perfect opportunity to intervene. He had needed to tell her about the newest vampire situation anyway, as soon as he told her she would see that she did not have time to go to the Bronze and see Angel.

"Buffy!" He called out, walking past Jenny towards them. Jenny trailed after.

"...fight vampires." Buffy finished morosely.

Jenny was still arguing with him over the vampire situation. It turned out that Jenny, for all her techno pagan knowledge, was more of a bother then an actual help – he spent more time arguing with her and getting information he already knew then learning anything of value.

"There is nothing in the chronicles about a-an extraneous lunar cycle." He muttered.

"The Order never accurately calculated the Mesopotamian Calendar. Rupert, you have got to read something that was published after 1066."

"Very funny."

"What's the up, guys?" Xander asked.

"W-um, Ms. Calendar has been researching, well, uh, surfing on her computer, a-and she's... Well, according to her calculations, this Saturday is the night of St. Vigeous." Of course, he had already known about that for about two weeks, but she needed some credit for something. As long as she felt useful she wouldn't go off slurting the Slayer's secrets to the entire internet community.

"Let me guess: he didn't make balloon animals." Buffy remarked.

"No, he led a crusade, of, of, uh, vampires. They swept through Edessa, Harran, and points east." Giles explained.

Jenny chimed in, "And they didn't leave much behind."

"Well, if I survive Parent-Teacher night tomorrow, I'll see what I can do about Saturday."

Giles frown returned. "You're being a tad flip, don't you think? This is serious."

"And getting kicked out of school is laughs aplenty?"

Yes, because clearly school was all she was worried about. His voice got snappish as he said, "You know what happens when you, you let your life interfere with your slaying."

"Okay, well, if my slaying doesn't get me expelled, then I promise my banner making won't get me killed, okay? Just please let me get through this week."

"This Saturday's going to need a great deal of preparation." Giles argued.

"Well, we'll help." Willow said.

"Yeah, I'll whittle stakes." Xander agreed.

"A-and I can research stuff."

"And while I'm whittling, I plan to whistle a jaunty tune."

Giles sighed and looked at the Slayer sadly. Why could she never understand? He wished that her life could be different, but since neither could do anything about it, she needed to start taking the necessary responsibility. "Yes, your help will be greatly appreciated, but when it comes to battle, Buffy must fight alone. You are, after all, the Slay..." Glancing away from Buffy, he saw Snyder coming towards them. "...slay-ve. Slaves. You're, you're all slaves to the, uh, television."

"Yes." Jenny agreed, probably just for the sake of agreeing with Giles.

"Young people nowadays. Shall we go?"

"Mm, let's."

They walked away.

As soon as Giles got back to his library –alone, thankfully, as Jenny had a class – he pulled out his books about the night of St. Vigeous. This night could be seriously dangerous for all of them, even Buffy, and Giles could not help but feel he would have to be part of the fighting once more. One of these days he was going to have to have a serious talk with that girl. Even though she was not the Slayer of his dreams, she had turned out to be an amazing fighter, with a strong and caring heart and a quick mind. She was his perfect slayer, he just wished she could put more of herself into the job and stop resenting it so much.

In short, Buffy needed to stop blaming herself for all the problems her slaying gig caused in her life. It was not truly her fault. Certainly, her methods were a little unorthodox, but she got the job done, and she could not be faulted for side affects if lives were on the line. She was doing much better then she had in LA, and she and her mother were both making lives for themselves here. Buffy knew by now that it was not her fault that her parents had split. He just didn't understand what further reservations she could have about accepting her duty fully.

Giles started when he realized that he had been so lost in thought that he had been standing absently in the middle of the library holding the stack of books for the past ten minutes. He rolled his eyes and set to work.

*****

A few hours later, Giles blinked in confusion when the words on the page in front of him started to blur and swim. Was he really that tired? Glancing at the clock, he confirmed that it was not nearly late enough to be unable to read. With a sigh he stood to make himself some tea. Maybe the caffeine would help him.

He was already at the sink in the back filling the kettle before the dizziness hit him and his sight began to go completely black. A vision? He had not had one in a while, but he recognized the symptoms. How could Buffy be in danger? Leaning back against the counter he watched as the view of the office faded around him and the image rose in his mind.

"Guys, I'm all alone out there. Somebody has to dance with me."

Xander was walking from the dance floor at the Bronze to were Buffy and Willow were sitting at the table, bent over a textbook. Angel, thankfully, was nowhere in sight.

"Well, we are studying." Willow said disapprovingly.

"C'mon, one dance. You've been studying nearly twelve minutes."

Buffy rolled her eyes and hopped off the chair. "No wonder my brain's fried."

Willow tried to protest, but Buffy and Xander hauled her off towards the dance floor.

"Come on."

Giles noticed – although the three teenagers didn't – when a peroxide blonde man walked up to their table and began to watch them dance. Giles frowned at him suspiciously. The man walked to the edge of the dance floor, and seemed to be staring rather intently at the Slayer. He lurked over to another man standing at the bar and whispered something in his ear. When the second man left the Bronze, the blonde ran back to the dance floor and spoke loudly.

"Where's the phone? I need to call the police. There's some big guy out there trying to bite somebody."

Buffy whirled around instantly, halting mid-dance, and took off from the Bronze. The blonde watched her go with a satisfied smile.

A trap, Giles thought. Whoever this man is, he's no good.

Outside in the alley behind the Bronze, the man from the bar had found a young woman, who was trembling, terrified, as the man leaned in to bite her neck. Before he can drink, Buffy grabbed him from behind and pulled him off.

"Slayer!" The vampire snarled.

"Slayee!" Buffy retorts.

She executed a perfect roundhouse kick to his face. The vampire merely flinched, however, and swung, starling when Buffy ducked. When Buffy tried to hit him again, he grabbed her arm, swung her, and threw her into a metal garage door. Buffy hit the door hard, but was on her feet a second later. He tried to punch her again, and Buffy ducked again, causing him to smash his fist into the metal door.

"Get her out of here!" Buffy called to her friends.

Willow pulled the woman away, and Buffy begins to punch the vampire repeatedly.

"And a stake would be nice!"

Giles watched as Xander runs inside again, and then noticed the blonde again. He was standing a short distance away, watching Buffy fight with an amused and slightly thoughtful expression on his face.

Buffy punched the vampire a final time in the face, and once more in the chest before he got loose and punched her in return. She fell to the ground, stunned, and the vampire leaned over her.

"I don't need to wait for St. Vigeous." He snarled. "You're mine."

Before he could bite her, before Giles could even begin to panic, Buffy kicked the vampire in the face.

"Spike!" The vampire cried, "Give me a hand!"

Buffy looked over and finally spotted the blonde as Xander arrived with the stake.

"Buffy!"

She turned again and caught the stake that the boy threw, instantly plunging it into the vampire. He crumbled to ask and Buffy looked again at Spike, who was walking towards her.

"Nice work, love." The blonde congratulates her.

"Who are you?" Buffy asked.

"You'll find out on Saturday."

"What happens on Saturday?"

Spike smirks. "I kill you."

Buffy can only watch, stunned, as the blonde leaves.

Coming out of the vision, Giles swore darkly, and then passed a trembling hand over his eyes before returning to his work. Once again, he had to find a way to keep Buffy safe.

******

Later in the library, Willow, Xander and Buffy had returned from the Bronze. Willow and Xander were crowded around the books with Jenny.

"Spike." Giles mused from where he was standing with Buffy. "That's what the other vampire called him? That's a little unorthodox, isn't it?"

"Maybe he's reformed." Buffy suggested with a small smile. Giles could tell, however, that she was finally worried about Saturday.

"Perhaps he went by another name in... times past." He amended.

Jenny butted in on their conversation. "Well, whoever he is, we'll need all the help we can get come this Saturday."

"So, this night of St. Vigeous deal." Xander said, "If they're gonna attack in force, aren't we thinkin' vacation?"

"We can't run, that would be wrong…" Willow hesitated, "Could we hide? I mean, if that Spike guy is leading the attack…" She shuddered.

"Well, he can't be any worse than any other creature you've faced."

"He's worse."

Everyone turned to see Angel now standing in the library. Giles scowled when Buffy's face lit up.

"Once he starts something he doesn't stop until everything in his path is dead." Angel continued cheerfully.

"Hmm. So, he's thorough, goal-oriented." Xander surmised.

"We were at the Bronze before." Buffy said, "Thought you said you might show."

"You said you weren't sure if you were going." Angel said.

Even Giles rolled his eyes at that one. The man was so oblivious.

"I was being cool. C'mon, you've been dating for, what, like, two hundred years? You don't know what a girl means when she says maybe she'll show?"

"Wow, two centuries of dating. If you only had two a year, that's still, like, four hundred…" Buffy gave her a look. "dates with

four hundred different..." Willow gulped and commented on the first thing her eyes fell on. "Why do they call it a mace?"

"Uh, we do have slightly more urgent matters to discuss." Giles reminded them, glaring daggers at Angel. Angel looked surprised, then glanced at Buffy and smirked.

"Yeah, like keeping my mom away from Principal Snyder tomorrow night?" Buffy suggested, who hadn't noticed the exchange.

"And not dying Saturday." Jenny commented, stating the obvious.

"Angel, do you know if this Spike fellow goes under any other name?"

They all glanced towards Angel, but he was gone. The only sign that he had been there were the library doors, which were swinging ever so slightly.

"Okay, that's it. I'm puttin' a collar with a little bell on that guy." Xander muttered,

*****

At school the next day, Friday, Willow was checking the crossbow and Jenny was gathering wood for stakes as Cordelia and Xander whittled away. Buffy was holding a very large knife, but was chopping vegetables as opposed to preparing for the fight.

"For three nights the unholy ones scourge themselves into a fury, um, culminating in a savage attack on the night of St. Vigeous." Giles said.

Xander sighed. "Does anybody remember when Saturday night meant date night?"

"You sure don't." Cordelia told him.

"Ooo! Parents start arriving in an hour. Okay, so, um, banners are in place, the lounge is comfy... What am I forgetting?" Buffy asked.

"Punch?"

"Punch. I need, I need punch!"

"My fingers are cramping." Cordelia complained. "How long have I been doing this?"

"Three minutes." Xander calculated.

"So, can I go now? She doesn't need this many stakes. I mean, if this guy Spike is as mean as you all said, it should be over pretty quickly." When Buffy glanced over at her, she said, "We're still all rooting for you on Saturday. I'd be there for you myself if I didn't have a leg wax."

Buffy rolled her eyes. "You guys hold down the fort. I'm punch bound."

The second she left, Xander and Cordelia both reached for veggies. Buffy stuck her head in again.

"No!"

******

Later that evening, when Willow and Buffy were dealing with Buffy's mom and Cordelia had run out to "help" (AKA escape the work), Giles and Jenny were researching as Xander continued to whittle.

"Oh, there you are." Giles said suddenly.

"There who is?" Jenny asked.

"Our new friend Spike. He's known as 'William the Bloody'. Earned his nickname by torturing his victims with railroad spikes. Very pleasant. Well, here's some good news: he's barely two hundred. He's not even as old as Angel is." He frowned. "Oh."

"That's a bad look, right?" Xander guessed.

"I think your suggestion of running away this Saturday might've been a good one. Spike has fought two Slayers in the last century, and... he's killed them both."

Giles slammed the book shut and stood, moving away from Jenny and Xander. How could he have let this happen again? He had been angry with Buffy before for ignoring her calling, now he just needed to get her out of here. There was no way that the Slayer could handle this yet.

*****

The cat was out of the bag. As Joyce and Snyder walked towards Willow and Buffy from the direction of Snyder's office, Buffy gulped and the two friends exchanged worried glances. Their silent fear was confirmed when Joyce reached them and snapped,

"In the car, now."

Slowly, reluctantly, Buffy started to follow her mother out of the building. She turned her head once to look at Snyder, who was turning off lights in the building and closing up the school. Snyder turned out the last light, and suddenly, two vampires came crashing through the window. Buffy and Joyce turned as one as several more vampires and entered and the remaining parents and students began to panic.

The vampires stood together, with Spike in front of them.

"What can I say? I couldn't wait."

*****

Giles, Jenny and Xander came running out of the library when they heard commotion outside. Buffy was leading her mother, Snyder, and a few other parents away from the main lobby of the school.

"What the hell...?!" Giles cried.

"Spike and an army! Look out!"

A vampire appeared behind them, causing Jenny to scream.

"Back!" Giles shouted, pushing the others into the library in front of him. Once inside, they held the doors shut as the vampire slammed into it.

"In here! Now!" Buffy was shouting to the parents, leading them into the science classroom. Buffy entered last and closed the door as Snyder and another parent pushed a large cabinet in front of it.

The lights went out.

*****

In the library, Giles tried the phone only to discover it was dead.

"They've cut the phones…Wait a minute. There's an old boarded up-cellar behind the stacks. You can get out that way." He turned to Xander."Find Angel. He knows about Spike. We need him."

"No, I'm not going anywhere until I know that Buffy and Willow are alright." Xander said stubbornly.

As if Giles needed the boy's help to protect Buffy. "No one will be alright unless we get some help!"

Xander left.

Giles stuffed several stakes into his jacket pockets, grabbed a battle-ax from the table and started towards the door.

Jenny protested. "Hey-hey-hey-hey! What are you doing?"

Giles ignored her and began to move their barricade.

"There are at least three vampires in that hall! God only knows how many others in the building!"

Giles frowned at her. "Listen! I am the Watcher! I am responsible for her, and I have, I have to go!"

"Rupert!"

Scowling darkly, he looked at her again.

"Be careful."

He nodded. "Push these back as soon as I..."

Buffy fell through the ceiling, causing Jenny to fall back with a squeak and Giles to raise the axe before he recognized her.

"Buffy! You're all right!"

Buffy smiled at him and nodded.

"How are the others?" Jenny asked.

"Principal Snyder, my mother and four others are locked in the science room across the hall. Willow and Cordelia ran the other way. I don't know if they're... Where's Xander?"

"He got out through the stacks. He's getting Angel."

Jenny began to help Buffy pack a bag full of stakes and other weapons.

"Good. Okay, I'm gonna take the vamps out in the hall. After that you get my mother and the others out the same way."

"Let me help you." Giles insisted, taking a step towards her. This battle was important, dangerous. There was no way she could ask him to let her face this alone.

Buffy faced him, her face solemn, eyes pleading. "Giles, my mother's in that room. If I don't make it out of here, I know you'll make sure she does."

Giles' expression was agonized. The thought of Buffy not making it out was… unimaginably painful. But he could not ignore the look on his Slayer's face. H nodded. "Bloody right, I will. Fair enough. What's your plan?"

"Well, they split up to hold us here, so I'm gonna take 'em one on one. Set 'em up and knock 'em down."

She grabbed a stool and hauled herself through into the ceiling again.

"Watch your back!" Giles warned her, even as he held back the words he really wanted to say.

Buffy looked down at him one last time, however, before she vanished, and he knew he did not have to say the words.

******

Buffy crawled carefully through the ceiling, even as she heard movement in the hall beneath her. She gasped and fell back, however, when a metal pole smashed through the ceiling, almost stabbing her.

She backed up, retraced her steps, and went the other way, crashing through the ceiling once more, this time outside the science room. She turned instantly and staked the vampire trying to break in.

"Buffy! Are you okay?" Her mom called through the door.

"I'm fine, mom."

"Buffy, look, uh, get out of here, okay? We'll be alright!"

Buffy rolled her eyes. "Look, just hang on for one more minute until I tell you to open the door."

She quietly walked around, stake in hand, to see if any other vampires were near. Another vampire stood with his back to her in an adjacent hallway. Before she could do anything, however, she heard a noise behind her and turned to face none other then Sheila.

"Sheila! Where've you been?"

"Sorry I'm late." The girl apologized insincerely. "There's some really weird guys outside."

"Shh! Yeah, I know. They're trying to kill us."

Sheila smiled and picked up an axe. "This should be fun."

Buffy gave her a weird look and turned back to the hall. She was distracted again by the scene she could see past the vampire in front of her. Spike was poking holes into the ceiling with the metal pole, assuming she was still in there. It would have been comic if the situation was not so serious.

Then Angel entered the school, dragging Xander by the neck. Buffy raised her eyebrows. She trusted Angel, but what was he planning to do with the boy? There was no way he could fool William the Bloody. Not if he was all that Angel had said he was. Then Spike saw them too.

"Angelus!"

"Spike!"

"I'll be damned!" The blonde vampire said, before tossing his pole aside to hug Angel.

"I taught you to always guard your perimeter." Angel chided when they stepped back. "Tsk, tsk, tsk. You should have someone out there."

"I did. I'm surrounded by idiots. What's new with you?"

"Everything."

"Yeah. Come up against this Slayer yet?"

Angel shrugged. "She's cute. Not too bright, though. Gave the puppy dog 'I'm all tortured' act. Keeps her off my back when I feed!"

Buffy stifled the urge to laugh. 'I'm all tortured'. Angel had just described his mopey attitude to a T. At least he recognized that part of his personality. She grinned, amused by the exchange.

Spike laughed too. "People still fall for that Anne Rice routine. What a world!"

"I knew you were lying." Xander muttered darkly.

Angel gave him a squeeze to shut him up, even as Buffy looked at Xander in surprise. Was he actually falling for this? Then again, Xander had never liked Angel.

"Undead liar guy."

Angel grabbed Xander by the hair and offered his neck to Spike.

"Wanna bite before we kill her?"

Buffy, still unconcerned, backtracked towards the first vampire she had seen, getting back to business.

"Stay behind me." She told Sheila.

There was a shout from a nearby room, and Buffy realized they were outside of the library.

"Buffy! Look out!" Giles called to her.

She spun around just in time to stop an axe swing from a vamped-out Sheila. She turned and hit Sheila in the jaw with the handle, then swung the axe at the first vampire, who had finally noticed them.

The vampire ducked, and grinned when he saw the axe was buried in the wall. Then the smile faded as he realized Buffy had gotten him in the chest with a stake. As he burst into ashes, Buffy ran back down the hall as she went to the classroom door.

"Mom, now!"

Joyce opened the door. "Okay, come on, let's go!"

Everyone rushed out of the science room and across the hall to the library.

"C'mon! Hurry!" Joyce urged the others.

"Get them out!" Buffy called to Giles. He met her eyes and nodded steadily, though his eyes were concerned.

"You're coming too!" Joyce commanded.

"In a minute! Go!"

She ignored her mother's shout, and ran back towards the hall to see the exchange between Angel and Spike.

"Yeah. " Spike was saying. "Time was you would've taken her out in a heartbeat. Now look at you. I bet this, uh, tortured thing is an act, right? You're not... housebroken?"

"I saw her kill the Master." Angel snarled. "Hey, you think you can take her alone? Be my guest. I'll just feed and run." He bent over Xander's neck.

Spike held up his hand. "Don't be silly! We're all friends. We'll do it together. Let's drink to it."

They both lean in, but still Buffy just watched dispassionately until Spike punched Angel in the face. Then she rolled her eyes. Figured.

"You think you can fool me?!" Spike demanded, "You were my sire, man! You were my... Yoda!"

"Things change." Angel snarled.

"Not us! Not demons! Man, I can't believe this. You Uncle Tom!" He grabbed his pole. "Come on, people! This isn't a spectator sport!"

The vampires roared as one and chased Angel and Xander from the building. Load of help they were. Buffy thought to herself, before moving forward towards Spike.

"Fe, fi, fo fum. I smell the blood of a nice ripe…" Spike turned to face Buffy. "girl."

Buffy hoisted the axe. "Do we really need weapons for this?"

"I just like them. They make me feel all manly."

He dropped the pole and started towards her. She dropped the axe and watched him.

"The last Slayer I killed... she begged for her life."

Buffy moved closer and they circled each other.

"You don't strike me as the begging kind." Spike mused.

Buffy remained outwardly unconcerned. "You shouldn'ta come here."

"No. I've messed up your doilies and stuff." Spike drawled, waving his hand. "But I just got so bored." He smirked. "I'll tell you what. As a personal favor from me to you I'll make it quick. It won't hurt a bit."

"No, Spike." Buffy disagreed. "It's gonna hurt a lot."

Unseen by the vampire or slayer, as they started to fight, Giles ran into the entrance of the large room. Joyce was safely outside of the school, guarded by Jenny, who was under threat of death not to let the woman return to the school in search of her daughter.

Giles, however, was an entirely different matter. He didn't intervene in the fight yet – after all, Buffy was so far handing everything fine – but watched with deceptively calm hazel eyes.

Spike and Buffy exchanged several blows before Spike grabbed her and threw her into the wall.

On her feet again, Buffy ducked a punch and gave four of her own to Spike before he grabbed her and shoved her into the wall again. She slid down just in time to avoid another punch, and Spike's fist went through the wall. She came up behind him and kicked him in the neck.

"Now, that hurt!" The vampire snarled, before yanking his hand out of the wall, his hand wrapped around a metal bar he had found in the foundation.

He smacked it into Buffy's face, and she flew back and landed on the floor, stunned.

"But not as much as this will."

He stood over her and wielded the piece of metal. But before he could do anything, something heavy hit him in the back of the head, and he crumpled to the floor next to Buffy. The Slayer scrambled away from him, and they both looked up. Giles stood above Spike, wielding the axe, his expression fierce.

"You get the hell away from her!"

Spike snarled as Buffy scrambled to stand beside her rescuer, then turned and left the lounge, diving through the broken window.

Giles breathed out and dropped the axe. "Nobody lays a hand on my Slayer."

She turned and hugged him. Giles looked shocked for a minute and then hesitantly wrapped his arms around her.

"Thank you." She whispered.

Giles only smiled in her hair and held her closer.

*****

Giles and Buffy walked out of the building together, their arms around each other. Their arms dropped quickly, however, when they saw Jenny and Joyce standing together at the edge of the lawn. The two females spotted them and hurried over. As Joyce hugged Buffy, Jenny said,

"Well, another wonderful fun-filled evening."

"Uh, yes. You know, um, I will understand if you decide to start avoiding me." Giles said, his voice hopeful.

Jenny took Giles' arm and dragged him off, and Giles shot Buffy a regretful look over his shoulder. She only smirked, finding his predicament amusing. Giles sighed and tried to pay attention to the happily chattering Jenny.

Buffy turned to her mother. "So, what did you and Principal Snyder talk about anyway?"

"Principal Snyder said you were a troublemaker."

Buffy looked away from her mother.

"And I could care less."

She looked back, eyes wide.

"I have a daughter who can take care of herself. Who's brave and resourceful and thinks of others in a crisis. No matter who you hangout with or what dumb teenage stuff you think you need to do, I'm gonna sleep better knowing all that."

Buffy looked teary for a moment, and then smirked. "About how long till this wears off and you start ragging on me again?"

"Oh, at least a week and a half."

"Very cool!"

****

The sun was coming up around the warehouse where Spike, Drusilla, the anointed and several of the anointed followers were hiding.

"Spike, did she hurt you?" Drusilla crooned.

"It was close, baby, but..."

"Oh, come here."

Drusilla began to stroke his face.

"A Slayer with family and friends." Spike snarled. "That sure as hell wasn't in the brochure."

"You'll kill her, and then we'll have a nice celebration."

"Yeah, a party."

"Yeah. With streamers... and songs."

Spike lifted his head and looked towards Collin. "How's the annoying one?"

"He doesn't wanna play."

"Figures. Well, suppose I better go make nice."

Spike walked over to Collin and forced himself to kneel.

"You failed." Collin said.

"I, uh... I offer penance."

Another vampire gasped, outraged. "Penance?! You should lay down your life! Our numbers are depleted, the feast of St. Vigeous has been ruined by your impatience!"

"I was rash, and if I had to do it all over again..." Spike dropped the act and laughed. "Who am I kidding?" He stood and grabbed Collin. "I would do it exactly the same, only I'd do this..."

"No!" Collin squealed.

"...first!" Spike finished.

He carried Collin over to the cage in the centre of the room, battling off the vampire that tried to stop him.

"From now on, we're gonna have a little less ritual...and a little more fun around here."

He pulled the cage up into the sunlight steaming into the window. As Collin began to scream, Drusilla smiled at him, and they left together, holding hands.

"Let's see what's on TV."

*****

Okay that's the end… there wasn't a lot of Giles in this one, but I hope the scene at the end made up for it ^ ^. This is episode 3 of season 2… we're getting closer and closer to the episode where EVERYTHING CHANGES.