Disclaimer: I do not own Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Any Original characters however are mine

"You're going to the fraternity party?" Willow asked. "What made you change your mind?"

"Angel," Buffy said, Aisling didn't roll her eyes, but it was a very near thing.

"He's going with you?" Willow said excitedly as she picked up some textbooks. "She's got a date with Angel," Willow said turning to Xander who was sitting on the couch.

"I'm elated," Xander said monotonously as he flipped through a comic book before standing up to join them.

As much as Aisling hated agreeing with a very obviously jealous boy, She was also not a big fan of Angel. Call it ego, or bias or whatever, but she liked to think her reasons were a bit more understandable than just straight-out jealousy "It's not Angel" Aisling sighed. She leaned over and looked down to get a better look at the comic issue he was reading. "Nice. X-men. New issue?"

Xander looked down at the comic in his hands. "Yeah."

"Awesome," Aisling said. "Haven't been to a comic shop in forever." Aisling sighed. "Can I?" She asked gesturing to the comic.

Xander stared at the comic and back at her. "Sorry." He said shaking his head. "If I break this comic, it's my own fault. If you break it-"

Aisling waved her hand away. "Yeah, yeah. I get it. I'm the same way with my box of mementos at home."

"Mementos?"

Aisling waved her hands. "Little important things from when I was little," Aisling said. Only Buffy eyed her curiously while Willow and Xander turned back to Buffy.

"So, if you're not going with Angel, who are you going with?"

"Cordelia," Buffy said before hurrying off.

Aisling had to stifle a laugh at the shocked look on Willow's face. "Cordelia!" She said. She attempted to calm herself down. "Did I sound a little jealous just then, 'cause I'm not real… Cordelia?"

"Cordelia asked her to go," Aisling said stepping in. "Or at least passed on the message from the guys who wanted Buffy there. Some college so and so."

Xander's eyes nearly bugged out of his skull. "College boys?" HE asked.

"Yeah," Aisling said with a shrug. "I don't get it, but like… whatever."

"What's wrong with nice high school boys?" Xander asked looking mildly offended.

Aisling looked at Xander unimpressed. "Don't act like you'd be any more understanding if she was interested in someone from Dingoes ate my Baby," Aisling said rolling her eyes. Then her eyes widened. "Speaking of. I have to go. Devon said I could borrow his notes from Choir."

"Notes for Choir?" Willow asked confused. "Is that just singing? Why would you need notes for-"

"Still need to learn a bit of music theory in Choir," Aisling said. "And… I lost my copy of the Edelweiss." Aisling said blushing.

"Edel-what?"

"Edelweiss," Willow said. "It's a song from the Sound of Music movie."

"Yeah." Aisling said, "What Willow said."

"Odd word."

"It's the name of a flower," Aisling said bluntly. "Blossom of snow, may you bloom and grow.

Bloom and grow forever?" She said. At Xander's blank expression, Aisling sighed. "Never mind." She said. "Anyway. We're learning that song, and I need to practice it." She said before she turned to leave.

"Devon, hey," Aisling said as the lead singer of Dingoes showed up with Oz in tow, to her surprise. "Hey, Oz." She said with a wave.

"Hey, Aisling," Devon said with a charming smile. The repertoire of The Sound of Music was in his hand. "Here you go, sweetheart."

Aisling laughed and pushed him away. "Knock it off. You already have a girlfriend."

"Yeah, I don't know about that," Devon said. "She seemed really taken with that College guy."

Aisling winced and petted his shoulder sympathetically. "Ouch. Hasn't even dumped you yet?"

"No," Devon said before he grinned and wrapped an arm around Aisling. "Just leaves me more time for a pretty girl like you."

Aisling laughed and moved his arm. "Not right now." She said, moving his arm away.

"But maybe later?" Devon said with a grin. "That's cool I can be patient. I'll wear you done one way or another."

Aisling laughed and turned to Oz. "You. How're you doing?"

Oz shrugged, "Still trying and failing to speak to the Inuit-dressed girl I saw at the spring formal but…" Oz shrugged. "If it's meant to be it'll be."

"Willow's a good person," Aisling said. "Shy, but fiercely loyal. At least she seems to be,"

"Still unwilling to do a meet and greet?" Oz said.

Aisling grinned. "She was in the lounge last I saw. If you hurry, you might be able to say hi." She said. "Can't do much in the way of an introduction for you though – I have class in…" Aisling winced. "two minutes." She turned to Devon. "Thanks for the repertoire, I'll hand it back as soon as I'm able to Xerox copies for myself."

"Take your time," Devon said. "I can sing that with my eyes closed."

Aisling laughed before she ran off. "Thanks again" as she disappeared.

"Well, say it," Buffy said.

"I'm not gonna say it," Xander replied.

"You lied to Giles," Willow exclaimed looking disappointed.

"'cause she will," Xander said gesturing to Willow with his head.

Buffy tried to defend herself, "Look, I wasn't lying. I was just... protecting him from information that he wouldn't be able to... digest properly."

"Like a corn dog."

"Like you don't have a sick mother, but you'd rather go to a frat party where there's gonna be drinking and older guys and probably an orgy?" Willow said.

"Whoa! Whoa-ho-ho, rewind. Since when do they have orgies, and why aren't I on the mailing list?"

"There's no orgies!"

"I heard a lot of wild things go on at frat parties."

"Yeah, like summoning demons by accident and accidental drug overdoses." Aisling cut in.

Everyone turned to stare at her.

"I lived in Los Vegas where a lot of college kids go because suddenly, they have their parent's money and very few people to tell them 'no.' Some of them get stupid very stupid. Dad had to go in and deal with the demons that some idiot decided was a good idea to summon."

Buffy looked at her strangely before she shook her head and turned her attention back to the matter at hand, "Okay, you know what? Look, seven days a week I am busy saving the world. Once in a great while, I wanna have some fun. And that's what I'm gonna have tonight. Fun!"

"You deserve that fun". Aisling said, "Though if Da' found out I was having fun at a frat house, he'd probably ground me well into the new year".

Aisling was greeted with the really entertaining sight of Xander stuck between agreeing with a vampire or agreeing with Buffy. "Just because your dad is right once in a while, doesn't mean I think vampires make good parents." Xander finally said.

Aisling grinned. "Agreed. But thanks for acknowledging him as my father." She giggled. "A good parent sacrifice everything for their little one. Who looks at their little one and does everything in their power to be better." She said. "And my father, for better or worse did that." She sighed. "Honestly Xander, I can understand Buffy's difficulty agreeing, but why do you have such an issue with it?" Aisling said. "My father's done nothing to you."

"It just feels wrong," Xander said as they walked into the lounge together. "A vampire? A father?" He shook his head. "It's wrong, and goes against God and Man."

Aisling sighed. "Miracles happen Xander." She said shaking her head. "Why is it so hard to believe that my father might be one of them?" She said as she watched Xander and Willow grab snacks from the vending machine.

Xander looked conflicted for a minute before he shook his head, "We're getting off topic."

Aisling bit her cheek as they turned to watch Buffy and Cordelia speaking, Xander and Willow walked up to them.

"So, Cor, are you printing up business cards with your pager number and hours of operation or are you just going with a halter top tonight?"

"Xander-" Aisling started.

"Oh, are we feeling a little envious? You could belong to a fraternity of rich and powerful men. In the Bizarro world."

Xander floundered for a moment to find something to say.

Seriously? Aisling thought You called her a hooker and you didn't expect to be smacked down? Dude.

"Do you guys wanna join us?" Buffy stepped in.

"Nah, I gotta… digest and all." He said.

Xander and Willow turned and headed back up to the couches and sat down while Aisling sighed. "Are you sure about this Buffy?" Aisling said.

"Excuse you," Cordelia said looking quite defensive. "She already agreed."

"It's not like she signed a contract or anything, changing her mind is an option."

"I'll be fine Ash," Buffy said. "Go do the talking thing with Willow and Xander."

Aisling rolled her eyes and stalked off.

"That's not askew, that's cockeyed." She heard Xander say as she made her way up the stairs to the couches.

"They mean the same thing." Aisling cut in as she watched the two.

"Yeah," Willow said looking slightly put out at being outdone.

"Oh," Xander said grabbing Willow's coke and taking a sip. Willow in retaliation grabbed his bar and broke off a piece.

"There's nothing we can do about it. We'll help Giles." Willow looked at Aisling, "Won't you?"

Aisling bit her lip. "I don't know…" She sighed. "Dad doesn't want me out at night without protection."

"I mean… Angel will probably be there." Willow said. "He's protective."

Aisling looked at Willow stone-faced. "No."

"What do you have against him anyway," Willow said. "He has a soul now."

Aisling sighed she really hated how that seemed to make everything good and right. "People with souls do horrible things all the time." She said.

"Angel thinks you're being biased."

Aisling snorted. "He would, wouldn't he? Ask him about 'his masterpiece' next time you see him. And see how he responds. And then tell me that my bias isn't warranted." Aisling sighed.

Xander wasn't really paying attention, instead focusing on Cordelia and Buffy conversing. "I'm going to the party." He said.

"What?" Aisling and Willow said, turning back to Xander.

Xander didn't take his eyes off Buffy. "I got to keep an eye on Buffy. Those frat guys creep me out."

Aisling and Willow shared a look before turning back to Xander. "You want to protect her?" Willow asked.

Xander nodded. "Mm-hmm."

"And prove that you can be just as interestin' as those rich, older guys?" Aisling said with a half grin.

"Mm-hmm."

"And catch an orgy?" Willow said with a half grin at Aisling.

Xander shrugged. "If it's on early."

Aisling bit back a laugh as she rolled her eyes. Willow nodded her head while popping a piece of the power bar she snagged earlier into her mouth. Xander took another swig of coke.

"What about you?"

Aisling sat on the couch beside Aisling. "Dad finds out I'm getting protected by Angel he'll be hurt."

"Definitely should do as he wants," Xander said.

Aisling sighed. "Spike… he's always had an inferior complex where Angel is concerned. I don't want to worsen it." Especially since she'd already turned down the opportunity a week ago. "Besides… still don't like him. Or trust him. He stalked me for the first few weeks before he found out who my dad was. Might even still be stalking me.

"So, then you should be there. Because at least the stalking is happening right in front of you…" Willow paused and shook her head. "OK ignore that thought. It sounded so much better in my head."

"I can't see how." Aisling sighed and tilted my head back "Let me check on my dad. And speak to Giles. Buffy thought that having Spike actually standing over Hellmouth might help him more. Maybe I can bring him along." She hesitated. "No, but if Angel's there…"

"Angel wouldn't attack Spike for no reason," Willow said.

"I'm not… look the relationship between Angel and Spike is complicated at best and a nightmare at worse and I don't want the two of them nearby of each other until Spike is at the very least capable of defending himself.

"You want to bring your vampiric father here?" Giles said.

"He's a vampire with a soul," Aisling said crossing her arms. "What's the big deal? You let Angel come and go as he pleases. Why is my father different?"

Giles looked caught. "We know Angel, we trust him and quite frankly my dear…"

"What did you find out?" Aisling said. "What exactly did Angel say? Or did you find out who he was in some of your watcher diaries and panic?"

Giles stared down at me his eyes narrowed. "I don't think your father should be near my slayer."

Aisling rolled her eyes. "You found out about Nikki and Xin Rong, didn't you?" She accused.

"I don't think a vampire who christens himself 'slayer of slayers.' Is a good role model for my slayer."

"He's sick," Aisling said. "What threat does he pose?"

"It's not about the threat," Giles said. "But about what he represents. My Slayer doesn't need to be around the constant reminder of the consequences of her life."

"Bull," Aisling said. "She's around the consequences every damn night. Every night she's out fighting she's around those consequences. My father is not a threat. My father is not dangerous. And besides, Buffy isn't even going to be here tonight because she'll be at home caring for her sick mom."

"And what of Angel?" Giles said, crossing his arms. "He'll likely come by at some point. He trusts Spike less than I do."

Aisling rolled her eyes. "Trusting Angel about everything vampire-related is like asking a single human to discuss what it's like being a human. Your data's going to be skewed. Yes. Vampires are, in general, quite selfish. Yes. Vampires have a thirst for blood and don't really care how they get it. But no. vampires are not all the same. They have different thoughts and feelings and desires. Because yes contrary to public opinion vampires do have personalities." Aisling said. "Bein' evil doesn't make you devoid of them."

"Don't you think your bias is…"

"Makin' me blind to the truth?" Aisling said crossing her arms in front of her looking very unamused. "Just like your bias is?"

"Any 'personality' the soulless vampire has is a trick, a theft from the human they used to be. Designed to lull you into a false sense of security so it can eat you later."

"Say that is true," Aisling said to the librarian. "Say my father lost everything when he became a vampire, and the vampire was only emulating his actions for whatever reason. Why would that matter now? My father got his soul back. Fought for it. Bled for it. What does his soulless self-have to do with it."

"Your story is a little too fantastical to believe," Giles said. "A vampire who chooses a soul. For a humanno less. It makes no sense."

"To you," Aisling said. "But you weren't there in that abandoned warehouse."

"And you think if I did…"

Aisling shrugged. "I think and feel nothin'. Can I bring my father here to the library after dark or not?"

Giles stared down at her before removing his glasses and cleaning them. "And if he and Angel get into a fight?"

"If Angel likes not bein' a big pile o' dust. He won't." Aisling said. "When my Da' is weak Angel can keep his hands to himself if they want to spar when my Da' is all healed up. Have at it." Aisling said. "Will he be here tonight?"

"It's a possibility." Giles said, "Given Buffy is at home with her sick mother. We'll need all the help we can get."

Aisling had to fight to not roll her eyes. "Of course," Aisling said honestly truly trying for a sincere tone.

Given the look on Giles's face, she just barely managed to convince him. "If your father agrees… but no trouble from him."

"Awesome," Aisling said again trying not to roll her eyes. "I have to go home."

"Hey Da'"

"Yeah."

"If I wanted to go to a Frat party…"

"You better be old enough to be in college before you even start considering it."

Aisling paused and nodded with a grin. "That is exactly what I thought you'd say."

Spike nodded and eyed her suspiciously. "Why?"

Aisling shook her head, "Rumors of a frat party happening at the nearby college. Some stupid teens were thinkin' of crashin'."

Spike raised an eyebrow and tilted his head. "Are you one of those stupid teens?"

Aisling gasped in mock offence. "I am wounded that you would think that I would ever go behind your back for some stupid party," Aisling said. "Even if I went for the sole purpose of scoring a date."

"No."

"Yeah exactly, they'd all probably be too old for me. Unless I found a freshman who graduated early or something."

"Which is rare and not worth you bein' preyed upon."

"Exactly, if I wanted to be prey to some gross dude, I'd go to Willy's and have vamp chat me up. At least when I kill them, they don't leave a body."

Spike chuckled. "Good girl."

"Still…" Aisling said. "How would you like to come to the library tonight?"

"Why?"

"Cause the library sits right on top of the Hellmouth and sitting right on top of that energy… might help you feel better…"

Spike looked as though he wasn't buying.

"Buffy came up with the idea." Aisling sighed. "And… look I can handle whoever would try and hurt you. Can't promise Giles won't treat this as an opportunity to learn about… you."

"Because I've killed two slayers, or because I'm the only vampire he knows of that chose his soul."

"Maybe First? Maybe Second? Maybe both? Very likely both. Also, there's a chance that Angel will show up."

Spike rolled his eyes. "Wanker. The great forehead trying to get in good with the Slayer?"

Aisling shrugged deciding against touching that can of worms. "I don't know. Wasn't he doing good on the ship in World War II?"

Spike snorted, "Yeah, I still have no idea what he was doing there. By the time I left half the crew was dead, and he'd turn into the one guy who knew how to fix the sub. Should probably contact Sam. See how he's doing after being turned by the great forehead."

"Still surprised you've left him alive."

"Sam's an interestin' case," Spike said. "Boy was turned to do a job, turned by Angel when he had a soul…"

"You think Angel having a soul messed with the siring?"

"Do you remember what I said about how humans become vampires?"

Aisling nodded. "Yeah."

Spike nodded and crossed his arms, "Go on." He prompted as though he was testing his adopted daughter on a subject in school.

Aisling rolled her eyes. "Vampire suck's the blood out of their victim to near death, and then feeds their victim their own blood in turn. In drinking the vampire's blood, the victim also takes in the vampire's essence." Aisling blinked. "Oh. You think Angel's vampire's essence was… tainted, for lack of a better, term by Angel's soul?"

"Explains his inability to abandon human blood but also his… discomfort for feedin'. A tiny bit of Angel's soul was muckin' up the fledges ability to survive."

"When did you realize this?" Aisling asked.

"Been a thought that's comin' and goin' since you told me that the Great Forehead went and got cursed with a soul around 100 years ago," Spike said. "Tell the slayer that her precious souled vampire was still drinkin' human blood even after he was turned?"

"Murderers," Aisling said. "I mean… you could argue that killing those was just defence."

Spike rolled his eyes, "Ash-"

Aisling sighed and sat down next to him. "I did a lot of unconscionable things when you went missing. So… maybe I just-"

"Exactly," Spike said. "Following in Angel's footsteps doesn't work. It nearly- "

"They were torturin' you," Aisling said. "It's because of them that you can't even stand for long periods. I…"

"I'm glad you didn't kill them," Spike said cutting it off. "I know how much torturin' them for information cut at your psyche. I can only imagine how much it would have hurt you if you'd murdered someone."

"I would have," Aisling said. "To save you. I would have."

And the scary thing is that Spike knew she was telling the truth. "and it would have broken you." Spike said. Perhaps not forever. But for a while, she'd be even more hurt than she was now. "Trust me, the guilt from taking lives… it can eat at you."

Aisling remembered what Spike was like when he first got his soul. When he'd left her behind in the company of a witch he'd only known for a few months. With the promise that death would be slow and merciless if he came back to his little girl with more scars than when he left.

When Spike came back. Aisling was fine, it was Spike who looked scared, in more ways than one.

Kat had stayed when he came back. She had been the one to make the meals, do all the chores, help Aisling off to school and buy the groceries.

Yet, for all that Kat had done, it had been Aisling who had pulled Spike out of it. Had sat with him as she finished her homework. While Kat sat by unsure of how to help. (Now she had a better idea. Now she understood. But back then? A vampire choosing his soul?) How do you help a vampire with 100+ years' worth of guilt?

"We know better now," Aisling said. "We have ways of helping each other through guilt. Mainly therapy. Lots and lots of therapy."

"Yes. But it's best if we don't have to worry about that." Spike sighed. "Ok. Let's go sneak into the school."

Aisling blinked. "What? But what if…"

Spike shrugged "I have to yell at Angel anyway." He said before he stood up and grabbed his favourite leather coat.

"Giles doesn't want a fight in his library," Aisling said. "And I don't want you hurt."

"Angel supposedly has a soul now," Spike said. "He won't hurt a defenseless vampire. Even if the defenseless vampire is yelling at him."

Aisling rolled her eyes. "It wasn't that big of a deal."

"He stalked you," Spike said. "You don't do that to my baby girl. And honestly, I should have done that weeks ago, when he called you before the dance."

Aisling rolled her eyes. "I had it handled."

"Yes. But you're my kid and when it comes to Angel – or grown-ups in general – you shouldn't have had to be the one to tell him off. That should be mine. Let's go."

Aisling sighed and shook her head, her expression vaguely amused and touched. "I do love you." She said wrapping an arm around Spike's torso. "And I learned how to handle myself from you, you know. You don't have to save me all the time."

Spike hugged her back. One of the few decent things about his new weakness was that for the first time since he'd known her, he could hug her as tightly as he wanted – as he needed – without hurting her. He didn't have to be as careful as he usually did. In this new weakness, he could feel her true strength. The strength he was incapable of noticing when he had a vampire's strength.

It was an odd feeling. Suddenly Aisling feel the need to hold back. He had loved her tight squeezes. Loved how she never needed to walk on eggshells around him. She could give him as much or as little as she needed, and he didn't need to tell her to be gentle.

Spike's strength had been helpful when she was young and freshly traumatized. Her moods had often switched from morose to angry at the drop of a hat. Her rage was extremely physical and nothing but being held as tightly as possible as she struggled in his firm but gentle grip, was the only thing that could calm her down.

(That and his singing. Him singing songs she loved. Songs she had taught him.)

"Come on," Spike said. "Let's go."

Aisling grinned. "Ok Da'" She said.

"Bent?"

"Sent?"

"Rent."

"Umm, Lent. Dent?"

"What's going on?" Aisling said as she led her father into the Library.

Giles turned to see Aisling and Spike as the teen escorted her vampire father to the table and sat him down.

"Buffy found a bracelet," Giles said with a half glance at the bracelet. He dangled it in front of her and Aisling grabbed the bracelet.

"Went. Kent." Willow's eyes widened with excitement while Aisling stared at the half-written word on the broken bracelet. "Kent! That's it!"

Giles turned back. "Her boyfriend's name was Kent?"

Willow shook her head, "No! Kent Preparatory School. Just outside of town. That's where I've seen those bracelets.

Spike took the bracelet and sniffed it. "Blood." He said, for a moment his eyes turned amber as he fought down the desire that blood presented him.

Aisling sighed. Her father's injury had left his control something to be desired. She reached into her backpack and pulled out a thermos. "Drink Da'" She said softly.

"I'm pulling up their school newsletter for the past few months," Willow explained to Giles. It took Aisling a moment to realize that the librarian must have asked what was going on. "See if there's anything about…" Willow trailed off.

"A missing girl," Giles said.

Satisfied that her father was drinking and not at risk of keeling over she walked over to the computer and looked over Willow's shoulder. She'd brought up the most recent newsletter of Kent's preparatory school. The title of the front-page article read "Callie Our Hearts & Prayers Are with you." A picture of a girl with dark hair was beneath the title.

Aisling cursed "Damn I guess we have a lead now."

Normally Spike would have called her out on her cursing but in this case, he just looked over curiously. "What happened?"

"There is a missin' girl," Aisling said.

Giles wasted no time in having the newsletter printed Aisling looked over his shoulder.

"Callie Megan Anderson," Giles said reading the newsletter. "Missing for over a week. No one's seen her. No one knows what happened to her." Aisling grabbed the newsletter curiously before walking back to Spike to hand it back to him.

"Are there any similar disappearances?" Spike asked, raking his eyes over the newsletter. "Or is this just one unfortunate girl who's gone missing?"

Giles looked at Spike. "What does that matter?"

"It could give us an idea as to who or what is behind this," Spike said. "One disappearance could mean a vampire or killer who knows how to dispose of evidence. Multiple people over the case of a few days could mean a horde." He sighed.

"And a few girls, taken regularly over a long period…" Aisling started.

"Suggest ritual." Spike finished.

"Given this is Sunnydale we can definitely rule out it being anything normal," Willow muttered. "I take you two have dealt with this multiple times?"

Spike and Aisling turned to look at each other. "Repeatedly."

Giles nodded. "I'm calling Buffy."

Aisling and Willow moved. "No." They said together. Spike stared at Aisling suspiciously.

"Why not?" Giles and Spike asked curiously.

"Because Buffy and her mother are sick" Aisling sighed. "Remember?"

Giles nodded, "No you're right. There's no point in disturbing them until we know more."

Aisling relaxed while Willow turned back to the Computer her expression became worried. "You mean, like, if there're others? Brittany Oswald, a junior at St. Michael's disappeared a year ago. So did Kelly Percell from Grant."

"A year?" Aisling asked.

"Almost to the day."

"An anniversary or perhaps some other event significant to the killer."

"Or it's ritualistic," Spike said. "Something that has to be redone every year."

"Which would fall under "Anniversary or some other significant event," Aisling said with a grin.

"Killer? Now there's a killer? We don't know there's a…"

"Hellmouth," Spike said. "It tends to bring out dark impulses in a lot of beings. It very well could be a killer. A cult or warlock thinking that messing with the forces of darkness is a good way to get what they need."

Willow looked at the two of them, "Don't you know a witch?"

Aisling shook her head. "Nanna Kat doesn't do that kind of magic," Aisling said.

Giles brought the conversation back on topic. "We need to know where Buffy found that bracelet, and then we can begin our search there." He reached for the phone.

Willow gave a half glance to Aisling and then to Spike before she looked back at Giles. "Good Idea. Call Angel."

Giles looked at Willow confused, while Aisling and Spike shared a look.

"He was there when Buffy found it. We're going to need all the help we can get."

"What do you want to do?" Aisling said to Spike.

Spike took another sip from his thermos. "I'm not going to run from that Nancy Boy." He huffed. "Let him come. I've been owing him a conversation for a while now."

Aisling rolled her eyes "Da'"

"No one stalks my baby girl and gets away with it," Spike said while Giles spoke on the line. "He needs to be reminded that when someone says, 'leave me alone' it means leave them alone."