"You can't blame a girl Spike. You're all covered with her. I look at you...All I see is the Slayer."

-Drusilla

Chapter 11-

The last six months had been Hell.

Internet demons, talking puppets, invisible girls, Cordelia and nightmares made real. The first few had been easy enough, her memories giving her an advantage she used to ensure more lives were saved. After being hunted by an invisible vengeance-seeking teenager Cordelia had joined the gang. Like before she was a thorn in their collective sides but she was a welcome one. She was more...understanding in this life, less of a bitch. The nightmares had been the worst, since the night the memories had come rushing into her she had only ever feared one thing: Spike's death and, to a lesser extent, failing in saving her friends from their awful future. She'd managed to wake Billy up much earlier this time and, thus, managed to avoid those fears come to life but she had been jumping at shadows the whole time.

She was worried about him. She missed him, wanted to see him. When school ended she had toyed with the idea to go off to find him but had decided against it in the end. He'd come to her, sooner or later, she didn't doubt that. She'd also refrained from going back to L.A. for the summer.

She had spent her days with her friends and her family. The gang had trained, diligently. Even Cordelia had gotten into it, once Buffy had made it into a competition between them. The brunette had rose to the challenge and had rapidly proved her worth, even if she was still an obnoxious snob most days. Jenny had taken her mother under her wing. Joyce was learning right along with the Scooby gang. Angel had even backed off a bit, being a perfect gentleman and friend. She still found herself being careful around him, holding back. She didn't trust this, didn't trust him.

She had, however, managed one huge accomplishment that summer. It had taken time and effort and endless patience but in the end she had done the impossible. In her other life she had been vaguely aware of the demon network in her town. This time she was intent on using it. She knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that not all demons were evil. Many just wanted to live their lives in peace which is why they tended to avoid Slayers. She couldn't blame them, the council had ensured that Slayers would be incapable of seeing any demon as anything other than a monster for as long as they could remember. She had had to go down into the ick and the dark to find the Patnja demons that lived in the sewers. They were childlike in size, with mottled green/gray skin and eyes like snakes. They had a nifty little ability to blend into their surroundings and a knack for sniffing out information. They were scavengers and relished in the taste of the dead but abhorred the taste of the living.

Once she had gained their trust she had offered them a deal, they could have all her kills and her protection in return for information on all activity within the town. They'd accepted and had provided her with a network of information that had far exceeded her expectations. It was a resource she was glad to have. Information could be hard to come by in Sunnydale. Willy the Snitch was notoriously unreliable you couldn't be sure that what he was telling was the truth or not. Even if you did pop him in the nose first.

School began with the nasty revelation that Principle Flootie had resigned his position, no doubt because of the bouts of weirdness that had plagued the school all last year. Mr. Snyder had replaced him, of course, but this time he had no reason to single her out. Her grades were top notch, model student, and if there were a few strange rumors about her here or there he didn't seem to pay them any mind. The biggest change in these last months was a tie between Willow and Giles. Giles was still stuffy, still all Watcher-y but there was a distinct Ripper quality in him now. A sort of lazy predatory grace that outlined his every movement. Giles had become something of a bad boy while still managing to stay the same quirky librarian he'd always been.

Willow had bloomed. She walked with a confidence now that commanded attention, she had grown into her powers and where once she had been shy and unsure she was now capable and uncaring of people's opinion of her. She was as sweet as could be unless someone endangered her friends. Her new 'pissed off' face made a mockery of her 'determined' one. It had surprised even Buffy when Willow walked straight to where Oz stood at his locker at school one morning. She had watched, shocked, as Willow had sweetly and hopefully asked him to play her favorite song at the Bronze that night. Oz had fallen for her hard and fast. He, too, was now part of the gang and undergoing his own training. Buffy hadn't bothered to try to stop that particular relationship. Her gut told her that no matter what some things would have to happen, good or bad, and she should just enjoy the time she had with them all.

So here she was, three months into school, and waiting for the other shoe to drop. The Master was gone, the Annoying one had never been created and Sunnydale had not just a Slayer to protect it, it had a growing army of people fighting at the Slayers side. Which meant, of course, that they were due a new Big Bad.

"Ashes." Drusilla pulled away from him, spitting in disgust. Spike stood stock still, wary. Since his return his princess had flitted between stifling closeness and maniacal rage. He had enjoyed it, at first, it had banished all thoughts of the Slayer from his mind. He'd been too busy trying to survive Dru to think about soft, warm curves or her body pulled against his so tightly he'd been able to feel the pebbling of her nipples through his clothes. He couldn't find time to remember her thighs against his, her core pressing against his cock as she promised to show him things he had never dreamed of before.

That had changed one night. Drusilla had been pawing at him, pulling at his clothes with strange desperation. He had taken her hard against a wall, her quivering diner pulling at his chains as Spike ripped Dru's clothes off and slammed into her right next to the struggling man. She had been moaning and scratching and he was desperate to feel something, anything, when he saw the Slayer in his minds eyes. He flipped Dru around without thinking, or caring, as his mind's eye changed Dru's pale skin to a honeyed tone. One hand traveled to her hip, crushing her back against him punishingly. His eyes closed as his other hand tangled into blond hair. He forced her head to the side, found her lips without looking and silenced the moans with a bruising kiss. He'd bent her over at some point, opened his eyes to watch his cock slide in and out of her sheath, bent her further and further down. Unable to stop himself, unable to accept that he was fucking Dru and not the Slayer.

The realization hadn't stopped him and when he felt his body tightening, he bellowed out the Slayers name as his hips jerked wildly until he was spent. Dru hadn't said a word after it was over, she had simply walked over to the struggling man in chains and drained him dry. He wanted to laugh, how sick was he? Vampire lusting after the Slayer. Here he was, King of his domain with his beautiful Dru at his side and what had he just done? He'd imagined he was fucking the slayer. Twisted is what it was. He tried desperately to put it out of his mind.

Except he couldn't. He kept dreaming about her. Kept thinking about how she had protected him from Angelus, how she had pulled him against him as if he was something precious. He heard her voice, whispering to him. He dreamed of things that had never happened, things he knew would never happen. He dreamed he was engaged to the Slayer, that he saved the world for her. That he died for her.

Dru kissed him every chance she got and every time she had pulled away just as she had done this time. Always saying he tasted like ashes. She mocked him the first time he had hesitated in a kill. He'd done it, in the end the hunger overpowering the sudden onslaught of pain that the death had caused him.

That Dru had gotten worse was his only explanation for what was happening to him. Reasoning that the pain and guilt he was feeling came from the fact that he was eating when it was Dru who needed the food and energy. Spike watched her now, edging away from him in obvious disgust, and knew he'd run out of options. She never ate after kissing him, wasting away to nothing claiming that after kissing him everything tasted like ashes. She would run and talk to Ms. Edith all day and all night, spouting prophecy through insanity and desperately trying to understand stars that "Kept moving".

She needed help and he couldn't help her. He hadn't wanted to go back, even to kill Angelus, but his girl needed him. So back to Sunnydale they would go and, once they were there, Spike would let Dru drain Angelus dry if it meant she'd be ok again. It helped that the Slayer would be there. He'd face her and this time he wouldn't hold back, he'd end her and his obsession with her in one fell swoop.

"Giles." Angel watched the older man freeze in place before turning, stiffly, to him. The look in the man's eyes did not comfort him but Angel knew he had to try. Things had been taking too long and Buffy was slipping further and further from his reach. If she found out Spike was back, with Drusilla in tow, she was liable to do something stupid. So he'd made his way here, slipping in through one of the windows when the group inside hadn't been looking and waited for a chance to get the Watcher alone.

"Ah Angel, yes? Is there something I can help you with?"

Angel almost sighed with relief, "I need to talk to you, all of you."

Giles nodded stiffly, one hand coming up to push his glasses up against the bridge of his nose, "Yes, well, Buffy isn't here right now. She should be arriving within the hour if you'd like to return then?" Angel shook his head vehemently.

"No, she can't know about this." His voice was firm and Giles blinked uncomfortably but held a hand out for him to move out from behind the shelves and towards the group. Angel watched silently as Giles got the groups attention. Once everyone was settled the Watcher turned to him expectantly. Angel pushed himself forward into the space Giles had occupied not a second before. He considered them all for a moment before beginning, "A vampire named Spike is in town. You've never faced one like him before. He's vicious, ravenous and he never stops until everything in his way is burnt to the ground."

The boy, Xander, raised a hand up indulgently, " Sorry but shouldn't Buffy be here for this?" Angel frowned at the sarcasm that tinged the boy's voice but, once again, shook his head, "No. Spikes already killed two Slayers. If she goes to him he'll kill her too." That had had the desired effect. The room had gone silent and everyone was looking at each other with varying degrees of worry. Giles coughed softly, drawing Angel's attention back to him.

"If you don't mind, how is it that you know this Spike?"

Angel frowned, his eyes downcast, "Let's just say we've had a few encounters in the past. He's a sneaky bastard and if he can't kill Buffy he'll try to worm his way into her good graces until she drops her guard and then he'll bag his third Slayer." Angel ignored the twinge that his soul gave him for blatantly lying to the group. It's for her own good! Spike was an upfront killer he didn't operate that way. Angelus on the other hand had used his charm and good looks to lure unsuspecting victims to him. Playing with them for months pretending to care about them just to see the look of betrayal on their faces when he went for the kill.

"Why are you telling us this Angel? And not Buffy?" Willow asked, suspicion coating her voice. Angel could feel his patience thinning, "Because she's just a kid!" he ground out, wasn't that obvious? Apparently not because, one by one, he watched their eyes harden. He could feel Giles tense behind him. One of the girls stood up, her chair pushed backwards and then clattering against the floor.

"What did you just say?" The angry girl hissed at him. Her eyes flashed dangerously as she took a step towards him, "Buffy is many things but she's no kid." Willow jumped from her seat, placing a comforting hand against Amy's shoulder. She turned hard eyes on him and Angel felt control slipping.

"You have no right to say that Angel." Willows normally sweet voice was as hard as her eyes, acting as if he was some villain in a play. Didn't they understand? Spike was dangerous and Buffy was just a kid. She proved it every time that bastards name passed her lips in her sleep. He didn't blame her, he understood but he was older than any of them. He knew what she needed to be safe and happy. Why didn't they care about that?

"I don't normally agree with the witchy twins but they do have a point. Calling her a kid means you're calling us kids which we aren't." Cordelia offered blithely from her position atop the corner most table in the room, neatly filing her nails. Xander slammed a hand down against said table as he rose up, angrily walking around the table until his back was pressed between Cordelia's jean clad legs, arms crossed, hands clenching. Cordelia absently pressed a hand against his shoulder still filing away but it seemed to take the edge off his anger. He glared at Angel from across the room.

"She's no kid. She's a Hero. She's our Slayer and you don't get to decide shit for her understand me?"

"But-" Angel began, his voice pleading. Jesse cut him off, his voice ringing with authority and so unlike his usual carefree 'dumb' skater boy mask.

"Slayer makes the decisions Angel. She tells us when, where and why. You don't get to come here and try to treat her like a child, you don't get to ask us to do anything without asking her first. We're hers not yours."

"Not cool man." Oz agreed, head shaking in disgust.

"You useless humans!" Angel felt his control shatter, the words rushing out of him in a tremendous bellow. He felt hands on his shoulders and turned in the blink of an eye. Neither Giles nor Jenny seem fazed, though both had dropped their hands to their sides. Jenny was holding a stake loosely in one hand and Giles had a predatory grin on his face.

"I believe, Angelus, that you have overstayed your welcome." Jenny offered coolly.

"Angel." He corrected automatically.

"No, I think not old boy." Giles disagreed, staring straight into his eyes, "I think, perhaps, that Angelus never truly left."

"I'm not him." Angel hissed in disgust, eyes hooded with guilt.

"Spike?" Xander's voice broke out. Angel turned just in time to get a fist in the face. How the boy had crossed the room so quickly was less worrisome than the pain he'd inflicted. When did humans start hitting so hard? Xander slammed a knee into his stomach and Angel felt his knees give out beneath him.

"What?" Angel found himself asking stupidly. Xander grabbed the sides of his coat, pulling the vamp up on unsteady legs.

"You bastard! You're talking about the Spike Buffy told me about. Look I'm not agreeing with her choice on this one, blood-thirsty slayer-slaying vampire, but hey love is blind right? But you knew that didn't you." Angel blinked guiltily, not because of what he was trying to do. Killing Spike was still the best thing to do for everyone but he knew Buffy had a crush on the peroxide blond and he knew it would hurt her when he died but it was for the best.

Xander nodded his head grimly and pushed Angel away from him. Angel looked around the room, trying to find even one of them that understood. Just one that could see how much he loved her and was trying to protect her.

"You should go." The tallest boy spoke, his voice steady even as his body shook in effort to control his anger.

Fine. Angel straightened his shirt before striding to the exit, they don't want to help? That's just fine. They'll never understand, kids playing at war is all they really are. Doesn't matter. I can keep her safe, even from herself.

Synchronicity7745- I think we all hated Angel or, at least, hated some of the things he did. I pity him and I understand him but it doesn't change the fact that he's a prick. He hasn't tried to kill Spike, yet, but I hope this will suffice.

Seapea- Hehe Thank you ^_^ I wanted it to seem realistic to the show but at the same time I wanted to use all the resources that they always spoke about but never used.

KittenOfDoomage - You know I almost think he can't help himself. Not that I mind using that against him. The boy has to learn, too bad he's stubborn.

Redglade- It was weird they never made mention of it ever again. Even when Xander was being an ass to Spike when Xander had tried to hurt Buffy long before Spike ever came into the picture.

Ginar, once again, Thank you for your awesomeness. I'm sorry work was boring but Myself, and the fans i'm sure, are ecstatic at how quick you got it to me.

Allright everyone that's it for this chapter. Heads up for another one come next week ^_^