"Well, she sounds very unreasonable," Joyce was saying to Spike as they sat at her kitchen table.
"She is. She's out of her mind! That's what I miss most about her," Spike said. "But enough about me. Have the police told you anything about Buffy?"
"After calling me in this morning for a DNA swab, they telephoned this evening to say that they think Buffy was there—in the school that night—but they won't say whether my DNA helped determine that or anything else. They claim they haven't found her, but they seem to know something. 'It's an on-going investigation, ma'am', they keep saying."
"Soddin' coppers," muttered Spike. Then, "Excuse my language."
"Don't worry about it. Frankly, I couldn't be more furious. Mr. Giles said he would go talk to someone he knows who might be able to find out more about it."
"I hope he finds something. It must be terrible to have Buffy go missing."
"Well, it helps that you may have seen her. I have to wonder why, if she's out there, she doesn't just come home. Do you think it could have been something I said?"
"I'm sure it couldn't be. She wouldn't do anything to cause you worry, if she could help it. Oh, I heard about last summer, but I'm sure she's learned her lesson. One thing I've found out about Buffy is she cares about her mum more than anyone."
"Spike!" Angel hollered angrily from the back porch by the kitchen door, which Spike had left open when Joyce let him in.
"Well, almost anyone," Spike allowed calmly.
"Spike, you get away from her! I'm warning you!"
"Why are you here?" said Joyce alarmed by Angel's ire. "Buffy doesn't want you here."
"Is Buffy here?" asked Angel, confused. "I thought she was missing." He was distracted from this line of inquiry when Spike stood behind Joyce and raised his fingers over her as if they were claws. Spike put on his game face.
"Right," added Spike. "You aren't welcome." He mimed diving his fanged mouth into Joyce's neck.
"Spike, I'm warning you!" said Angel. Without thinking, he put on his own game face.
"What is going on?" asked Joyce, shaken. She turned and saw Spike's game face and jumped aside. "What are you two doing?"
"I'm protectin' you," said Spike, losing his bumpy face and straightening up. "Angel is evil, don't you know that?"
"I might have believed that this morning," Joyce said. "But Willow says Angel helped her look for Buffy yesterday."
"But he didn't find her, did he?" Spike noted, raising an eyebrow significantly.
"Well, he did as well as you," said Joyce.
Angel lost his game face, too. "'As well as you'? What does that mean, Spike?"
At that moment, Giles entered the kitchen. "Spike! What are you doing here? Get away from Joyce."
"Why does everyone think I have it in for Joyce—except Joyce?" whined Spike.
"I'm beginning to wonder myself," she said.
"Would somebody just invite me in?" shouted Angel.
Giles hesitated before he said, "Joyce, would you mind asking him in? Only someone who lives here can invite him."
"Is that so?" said Joyce. She walked up to the doorway and stared into Angel's face, not eager to give up the one bit of control she had over the situation.
"Please, let me in," said Angel contritely.
"Come in," said Joyce sighing. She walked over to the sink and leaned against it, facing the room. Giles went to her and placed his hand on her arm. He seemed about to tell her something.
"What's this about you seeing Buffy?" Angel demanded.
"Oh, that," said Spike.
"You saw Buffy?" asked Giles turning away from Joyce. "Where?"
"At the old mansion where Angel lives."
"But—you told me it was in the woods," started Joyce. "Oh, those are the woods near the mansion."
"You've been snooping around my place?" demanded Angel.
"Oh don't get your knickers in a bunch, Cinderella," said Spike offhandedly. "It isn't like there's anything to see. All you do is prance about like some ballerina without a bleedin' tutu. I've seen dryin' paint that was more excitin'."
"You practice ballet?" asked Joyce.
"In the buff?" asked Xander, who had just come into the kitchen and was still trying to size up the situation.
"It's tai chi, not ballet," said Angel. "And I don't practice in the buff or else Spike would be more excited about it."
"Ooh, snappy comeback," said Spike appreciatively.
"So, you two actually saw Buffy at the same time," said Giles trying to get the conversation back on track.
"Except I'm not sure it was Buffy. How about you, Spike. Did you get a better look?"
"I did follow her into the woods," said Spike, "but I lost her. I didn't get much more of a look, but it means something that we both thought it was her, isn't it?"
"Yes," said Giles. "As inclined as I am to doubt each of you individually, for some incomprehensible reason, I'm more inclined to trust both of you together." Giles then said to Angel, "I went to the old mansion, but you weren't there."
"Sorry," said Angel. "I should get a phone so you can call ahead next time."
"Hmm," said Giles doubtfully. "I suppose the specific questions I had for you have been answered, but I would still like to speak with you about coordinating our search for Buffy. First, however, I need to have a word with Mrs. Summers in private."
"Don't you worry, Joyce," said Spike too loudly, "We'll find Buffy soon enough."
Giles glanced at Angel and shifted his eyes quickly in Spike's direction. Taking the hint, Angel said, "Spike, I think you and I have some minor differences to iron out. Right now. Outside."
"Don't see as that's necessary, mate."
"Oh, it is necessary. Let's go," said Angel, guiding Spike by the arm. The blond vampire shrugged off Angel's grip but nevertheless accompanied him out the back door. "We'll be standing by in case you need us," called Angel over his shoulder.
"Don't mind me," said Xander. "I'll just take the Pizza Palace's number off the fridge and go in another room to order us three pies with a tasty variety of toppings. Ah, somebody does have money to pay for pizza, right?" He looked from Giles to Joyce and back again.
Giles scowled but reached into his pocket and withdrew several ten dollar bills which he shoved into Xander's open hands. The two adults watched Xander pad out of the kitchen.
"The police have found Buffy's blood in the high school," said Giles wearily when they were alone. "It was on a landing and some steps."
"They matched it to the DNA sample I gave," Joyce stated with certainty. She sighed.
"Yes, the blood was from your daughter, and since you have only one daughter…"
"It has to be Buffy's," Joyce stated flatly.
"I'm afraid so."
"But if she's been dead since at least Sunday, how could Angel and Spike have seen her on Monday?"
"That's what I am wondering, too," said Giles.
"Could they both be lying?"
"I am thinking they are not."
Joyce eyed him suspiciously. "Are you sure you aren't biased in favor of Angel? You are more used to trusting monsters than I am. You live in their world so much of the time, I suspect you almost prefer them to people."
"That's not fair," said Giles. He removed his spectacles and cleaned them with his handkerchief. "I…," he began. Joyce watched, fascinated by his meticulous actions in spite of herself. "Last year, when Angel turned evil, he kidnapped and tortured me. That was after he murdered Jenny."
"My God!" exclaimed Joyce.
"He…." Giles put on his glasses.
"I am very sorry," said Joyce. "I should have remembered about Ms. Calendar. I didn't know about the other thing, but I should have remembered that he killed someone you were close to."
"Yes." Giles removed his glasses again and pressed his lips together. Joyce suddenly embraced him, but they both pulled away just as suddenly, like obedient boxers retiring to separate corners once the bell has ended their round. "I'm sorry," he said. "I didn't mean to take advantage. I know that you are vulnerable right now."
"Oh, don't talk nonsense," said Joyce.
"I beg your pardon?"
"And stop apologizing," she added. "I hugged you."
"Oh, so you did."
"There is a lot more to it, you know," she said. "It's more than just the fling we had in the fall."
"That didn't really count," said Giles. "We were under a spell at the time, as you may recall."
"Was that all there was to it?" she asked. "I feel so guilty about it sometimes. I'd be mortified if Buffy ever found out."
"Yes, I'm very sorr-…oh, uh, never mind… but you can't blame yourself for what you did under a spell."
"Maybe not, but I blame myself for sometimes wishing it hadn't been so easy to chalk it up to the supernatural."
"What are you saying?"
"Just that I don't know why I'm having these feelings at a time like this; maybe I am vulnerable, but I feel as if I'm seeing you for the first time. I suddenly realize that even while I've been blaming you for Buffy's life, I've known all along that you care about her. Maybe—I sometimes think—as much as I do. I don't know why you care about her so much, but I appreciate it more than you can know."
"I must confess that I wish I actually could protect her, but I can't—obviously. I feel rather powerless." They drifted toward each other and met in the middle of the kitchen.
"You're wrong," said Joyce. "I understand now that there are many more monsters that would be out to get Buffy—and would have gotten her long ago—if you hadn't been there to help her." They were now only a few inches apart, a distance that rapidly closed as each touched the other's body; their lips came near. They were about to kiss when shouts came from the backyard; there were too many voices to be accounted for by Angel and Spike.
Behind the Summers' house, Trick and his few remaining flunkies were squaring off with Spike.
"Mayor wants me to bring him your ashes," said Trick to Spike. "Now, Angel, you can step aside and no one else needs to get hurt."
"Not sure I can do that," said Angel. "I mean, thanks for the tempting offer to watch you dust Spike, but in good conscience I don't think I can let you do it."
"That's right," said Trick. "Vampire with a conscience—and a soul to go with it. Might just be your downfall, don't you think?"
"So far, so good," replied Angel as he and Spike stood back to back. The vampires closed in around them, but Angel produced a stake in each hand and instantly dusted the vampires nearest him. Seeing this, the others each backed up a step. It was all the advantage that Spike and Angel needed. They each led a small group of vampires off to battle separately. Trick's initial advantage of a massive force against Spike alone was now divided into a mere three of his minions surrounding each enemy. Since the mission was to eliminate Spike, it was not difficult for Trick to decide which trio of his people to join, and he added a fourth to Spike's adversaries.
Giles came out of the house at that moment, bringing crosses, stakes and holy water. Xander appeared, too, with a crossbow, letting loose on a vampire about to deliver a flying kick at Spike. Finding its mark, the arrow turned the vampire to dust almost at once. Giles splashed holy water on the first vampire to break off engagement with Angel and go after Xander. Crying in pain, the vampire backed directly into one of Angel's waiting stakes. Another vampire, seeing the futility of further combat, turned and ran. Angel approached to help Spike, when Trick, too, saw the hopelessness of their position and ordered a retreat.
"This ain't over," Trick said to Spike over his shoulder.
"He always says that," complained Angel.
"What I don't get," said Spike loudly in the direction of his retreating assailants, "is why the Mayor wants me dusted! What'd I ever do to him?"
"I think I can guess," said Giles. "Aside from the usual trouble you cause when you're in town, I'll wager the Mayor thinks that you're behind this latest murder spree. He probably thinks that you massacred the cheerleaders."
"Oh, please, come on!" said Spike. "I just got into town late Sunday night. No, really it was after midnight, so it was early Monday morning."
"And who else knows that?" asked Giles.
"Well, nobody aside from your lot."
Joyce had now joined them. She had wrapped a wool sweater around herself against the cool evening air. "What does it mean, Rupert?"
"Well, for one thing, it means that the Mayor doesn't know who is doing these killings anymore than we do."
"But what does he have against killing, if he's evil?"
"Nothing in principle," said Giles, "so long as he retains control over who kills whom."
"And how often," added Angel. "So what'll it be, Spike? Are you going to help us find Buffy?"
"Sure," said Spike. "Why not? Got nothin' better to do other'n mope over Dru. And I'm feelin' too good after the bundle we just had to go back to pinin'."