I'm sorry that it has been so long between updates. I actually wrote this chapter off and on for the entire month since the last update. This chapter is pivotal to the rest of the story, and I haven't been happy with the flow of it until now. I had ideas, but then I'd junk them or forget them by the time I could get to paper to write em. I hope you enjoy the LONG (nearly 9000 words) chapter. (I could have easily broken this up into a 2-3 chapters, but because of the time in between updates I put it all in one.)

Chapter Summary: This chapter starts a couple of days after the last chapter left off. We have a different kind of career week and the deciphering of the DuLac ritual. Also, Buffy has been reading through Giles' books for all the information she can find on Spike and vampiric rituals. Has Giles really not noticed? It's time for the DuLac ritual to happen, and everything goes to heck at that point. I don't want to say more and give it away. Sorry.

TWO WARNINGS: There is a character death in this chapter. Major or minor depending on what you feel about the character. There is also an attempted rape. Trust me that there is really nothing graphic about it but the intent of one character wanting to try, but he is stopped.

Author's Note: Some dialogue was taken from the episode "What's My Line - Part 1 & 2" and "Passions" (the shop keeper scene). Also some of the dialogue in scenes from the episodes has been rewritten to fit the purpose of this story. For the purpose of this story there is no Kendra. We can assume that she was killed on her way to Sunnydale. I do not know if I will bring another Slayer in later or not, but for right now there is only one Slayer that we know of.

Buffy stared at herself in her bedroom mirror. "Mom, you know how career week is so important to you?" She paused a moment. "I've got some good news and some bad news. The good news is that I already have a really special career that no one else can take from me. That is unless it's because of the bad news, but what I'm trying to say is that ... Mom ... I'm the Vampire Slayer. The bad news is that I will probably die before I'm 18 anyways."

Buffy balled her hands into fists and pounded her temples. "That sucks, Summers. You have to do better than that." She stood up straight and tried again. "Mom, I love you very much, and I want you to be proud of me. I know how worried you are about my grades and the fights, but I've been chosen to fight the creatures of the darkness." She rolled her eyes. "Yeah, like she'll believe that one either."

Buffy slumped onto the edge of her bed. "No matter what I say, she is going to think I'm crazy. I am SO not wanting to go back to that place again." She picked up the piece of paper with her test results from the career fair survey. "Law enforcement?" She snorted in laughter. "At least they got that one right, sort of. I don't think they had Vampire Slayer in mind when they said law enforcement though."

Buffy collapsed onto her pillow. It was still a few hours before sunset, and her mother wasn't scheduled to be back from the gallery for another hour. She had to think of something to say to Joyce Summers before she got home.

The career fair was in full swing at Sunnydale High, and Buffy took Spike's words to heart. Her mother seemed more disappointed in her every day, and she was tired of having one of the people she loved the most think the worst of her. She hadn't asked to be the chosen one. It was forced on her. Somehow she needed to make the best of it, and if the Council didn't like her telling her mother about it, they could go screw themselves.

Joyce Summers wrapped her fingers around the doorknob to her daughter's room. She'd heard every word of Buffy's little practice speeches, and her heart broke at her daughter's last spoken words. She was stunned to have some of her suspicions confirmed, and instead of stepping into Buffy's room she backed down the hall to her own room.

Joyce, who'd returned home from the gallery early, sat down on the edge of her bed. Her hands shook slightly, but she still managed to hold onto the family portrait of Buffy, Hank and her right around Buffy's 15th birthday. The more she thought about Buffy's words, the easier it was to realize that their lives changed right around that time. 'She must have been called then.'

'I never should have listened to Hank about that institution.' Joyce's face crumbled. 'My poor baby.' Every time she'd tried in the past two years to confront Buffy about a particular stain, cut or bruise she backed out before she asked Buffy about it. Every time it became more obvious that her daughter was involved in something heavy and dangerous, she'd tried to tell herself that it was just a phase.

Parent-Teacher night at Sunnydale High that year changed all of that for Joyce Summers. The papers and police could say all they wanted about gangs on PCP, but she refused to believe it. PCP may have affected the drug users perceptions of things, but it would not have affected everyone else's perceptions of the drug user's faces. 'People died that night at the high school, and one less person would have died if that arrogant Snyder would have listened to my daughter.'

Joyce's thoughts drifted to the shop she visited a couple weeks after Parent-Teacher night.

Joyce walked cautiously into the dark shop on Main Street. She spent the last couple weeks searching through the phone book and library for any information to confirm her fears about Sunnydale and her daughter's life. Her only leads for information led her to the doorstep of an occult book and paraphernalia shop in the downtown Sunnydale district.

A balding man, covered in a white tunic, greeted Joyce upon her arrival into the shop. He spoke with a strong Romanian accent, "Welcome. How may I serve you?"

Joyce turned around to face the man. She held her hand to her chest, startled by the voice. She hadn't noticed anyone was in the shop until he came up behind her. "Yes ... um ..."

"Love potion." The man pointed at Joyce as if he was "reading" her mind. "Perhaps a voodoo doll for that unfaithful ..."

"Oh my!" Joyce interrupted him. "Nothing of the sort." She looked around the shop as if she was a frightened and caged rat that needed to escape. "This was a mistake coming here."

The man stepped in front of Joyce when she tried to run for the door. "It's all right." His accent changed to that of an American. "I didn't mean to frighten you, but I get a lot of tourists this time of year. You obviously came here for a reason. How might I help you?"

Joyce took a few moments to catch her breath and calm herself. "This is probably going to sound crazy, but I'm looking for any information on vampires including what can: kill them, hunt them, and if there is anyone that is ultimately supposed to be able to stop them.

The man regarded Joyce with a careful eye. She was too skittish to be joking around with him. "Hmm, someone who is not blind to all of Sunnydale's quirks, I see." He saw the fear in her eyes. "You need a book on vampire slaying."

"That is what we call it when a vampire is killed, especially by the Slayer." The man walked around to a bookshelf on his back wall. He selected two books from the multitude of volumes he kept there.

Joyce watched the man walk back over to her. She extended her hands to accept the books when he offered them.

"These will help to give you the bulk of the generic information there is on vampires and Slayers." The store owner explained. "A Slayer is the one girl chosen in all the world to fight the powers of darkness, but vampires are their specialty."

"Why two books with nearly the same title?" Joyce read the titles on the covers.

The man grew more confident of the woman's lack of knowledge. If she wasn't sure who the Council was, maybe she wouldn't read the books with the same blinders that so many humans did. "The Council is a group of men in England who are in charge of the Slayer. They have their own views on demons and vampires. They don't tell their people everything. The other book is from a more first hand, non-biased perspective. I hope that you will read both of the books before you decide what the truth really is."

"Thank you," Joyce answered. She walked up to the counter. "How much do I owe you?"

"Nothing. The fact that you are willing to have an open mind is more payment than I would ever want." The storekeeper smiled. "I warn you though. Once you read those books, you won't be able to close your eyes to, or wish away, all the things that go bump in the night."

"My daughter is somehow involved in all of this. I have to know why." Joyce clutched the bag of books to her chest. "Thank you for all of your help."

"You're welcome. Good luck." As the man watched the woman leave his shop he wondered who she was and who her daughter was. For a moment his eyes widened in wonder. 'Nah, the Slayer's mother would know about things like that.' He pulled out a feather duster and went about cleaning his shop.

Joyce pulled the books out of her nightstand. The edges of the pages were marked and warped from the abundance of use they'd seen already. She read through several passages that she highlighted about the legend of the Vampire Slayer.

"My poor baby girl. I wish I could help her." Joyce closed the books and replaced them in the nightstand drawer. She looked up at her closed door. So much of the information conflicted from one book to the other. The shopkeeper never told her which book was the Council's and which wasn't. As she read the books though, she could see how one book seemed completely biased and one way. She chose to believe the other one.

Joyce hoped the time would be right soon to talk to Buffy about her calling. Until then she would try to find the best way to support her daughter until Buffy was ready to tell her. Weary from some problems at her gallery, Joyce laid down on her pillow and fell asleep.

Buffy tucked her tote bag under her arm. She headed straight for the library with a particular mission in mind. She'd even arrived on campus at least an hour before Giles' start time to be able to research more freely.

'Sometimes I wonder if they really think all blondes are stupid,' Buffy rolled her eyes over her internal musing. At times, Giles and the other Scoobies' low expectations for her intelligence played in her favor. Being able to play dumb, instead of dealing with a conversation she didn't want to have, got her out of most of those situations.

When Buffy asked her mom for an early ride to school, Joyce questioned Buffy about it. Buffy simply replied that she needed to read some books in the library that pertained to her career at the job fair.

Of course Joyce wondered why Buffy didn't check out the books and bring them home. Buffy quickly replied that the books she needed were special volumes that weren't allowed to be removed from the library.

When Buffy left her room the night before to patrol, she found her mother asleep. It was the perfect excuse not to face her mother yet about her true career. So now, as the library doors swung open and closed, she delved into another day of denial in mom land. Buffy dropped her tote on the table. From the tote she removed a faded book, a pen, and a 6x9 journal with a leather strap to hold it shut. "Time to get to work."

Dalton was tired, but he felt so close to the answers his Master sought. He refused to sleep until he had the whole text deciphered. He knew the last missing pieces were on the fringes of his brain. He needed to force that knowledge into the foreground.

In the beginning Dalton spent several days straight working on the text. It was only after Spike insisted that he would have a clearer mind if he slept, did Dalton rest. Now he was afraid to rest. He feared that he'd lose the train of thought he was on before he completed the translation of the decoding.

Buffy nibbled on the end of her pen. She alternated between chewing on the cap and tapping the end of the pen against her journal while she read. She reread one particular passage from the Council's reference book and snorted. "Well that part is full of trash. Vampires can too claim humans and not turn them into their slaves," She spoke out loud with out expecting anyone to answer her.

"You know that factual information how, Buffy?" Giles walked down the stairs from the library's second level.

'Darn it,' Buffy thought to herself, after she jumped in her seat. 'I forgot to block the back way in.' She turned around in her chair to face her Watcher. "Good morning, Giles." She said in a chipper voice.

"Good morning, Buffy. You are here rather early today." Giles left his leather attaché on top of the check out counter.

"I needed some alone time to study." Buffy tried to slide her journal into her tote, but Giles laid his hand on the book. "It's always quiet in here, except when all of us are in here."

Giles glanced down at Buffy's scribbles on the open page. "I'm proud of you for your un-precipitated interest in research, but I am a bit worried that you didn't come to me first."

"Buffy and research are usually unmixy things." Buffy wanted to brush the interested off as temporary. "I didn't want you all damage bound and serious if I only wanted to read a little bit here and there."

"You have read more than a little bit here and there." Giles narrowed his gaze on Buffy. Did she really think he was that stupid? "You haven't been meticulous enough in your perusal to return each book to its proper place. This has been going on for weeks, even months."

'Crap! Now what do I do?' Buffy sighed. "All right, I didn't want to tell you because I thought you wouldn't approve of my reasons for research."

"Since most of the books were about vampires and vampiric rituals, I'll take a guess on your subject matter."

"The reason I started to look things up probably isn't what you think. I don't know if I can explain it to you either." Buffy tugged her journal out from under Giles' hand. She wasn't ready for him to read all of it.

"Why don't we start with your comment when I came in?" Giles asked. Although he followed the Council's mandates now, he wasn't always so accepting of them. Angel had already shown him that a vampire could be different, but that was because of the soul. Right?

"Not all vampires are exactly like your diaries and Council books say, Giles." Buffy held her head high as she spoke. Her patrol last night had her completely baffled. Not all vampires were evil fiends.

"And I suppose you think that whatever vampire you are protecting is the exception to the rule?" Giles questioned. At first he thought Buffy's research revolved around Angel, but he'd noticed the separation that happened between the ensouled vampire and his Slayer. 'She can't be doing the research for Angel.'

"I don't just think, Giles, I know he is." Buffy tucked her private notes and book away. She wasn't taking a chance on Giles confiscating all of the work she'd done the last few months. "Let me tell you a story about some of those evil vampires."

Dalton paced nervously back and forth at the back door of the Sunnydale Memorial Hospital. He pulled out an old timepiece, attached to a gold link chain, from his vest pocket. 'She's late,' He sighed. 'Of all the times to be late.'

Buffy swung her arms freely at her sides. While out on patrol she ran across two vampires who'd cornered one of her fellow high school classmates. 'When will these people ever learn not to make themselves easy targets?' She wondered briefly.

Even though Buffy was able to dust both vampires, she hadn't been able to save the student from being attacked. The vampires were fairly young, and the bite wasn't a neat one. Instead of a vampire bite, it looked like a dog ravaged the young woman's throat. That was exactly what she told the paramedics when they arrived.

Instead of leaving the girl bleeding and fair game for any hungry vampire, Buffy waited until the EMT's arrived. She gave her statement to the police while the girl was stabilized as much as possible and loaded into the ambulance. Buffy rode in the front of the ambulance as a concerned friend of the patient.

That was how Buffy arrived at the hospital. After she made sure that the girl's family was contacted, Buffy left the ER and headed for home. She walked around to the back of the building. She never expected to run into Spike's loyal minion, Dalton.

Buffy watched the pacing vampire with avid curiosity. 'What is he doing here?' She thought to herself. 'He'd better not be robbing the blood truck like those vamps from a few weeks ago.' She hung back far enough to be able to see Dalton but hopefully not close enough to be sensed by the distracted vampire.

Dalton's posture stiffened. He turned around and searched the shadows as casually as possible. He thought he felt danger for a moment, but then it vanished. After a full 360 degree sweep of his surroundings with his eyes revealed nothing, he faced the door again and continued to wait.

A loud clunk and bang sounded from behind the closed door that signaled the locks were being disengaged. Buffy spied a young orderly or intern open the door wide with her foot.

The woman was saying something, but Buffy was too far away to hear every word. "Sorry ... late ... gathering ... delivery ... packets ... blood."

'Crap!' Buffy frowned. 'I didn't want to have to stake Spike's minion, but I can't allow vampires to steal from the blood bank.' She slowly snuck up closer to Dalton and the woman who still carried on their conversation.

"It's okay, Marie," Dalton spoke with a tired voice. "I've had a long day, or I wouldn't be so growly."

Buffy stopped her advance. The woman actually knew the vampire's name? 'That wasn't how the set up was a couple weeks ago.'

"Yes, well I won't ask you how you get the bags from the waste department without them being missed," Dalton teased Marie a little.

"It's worth the risk to me," Marie stated defiantly. She handed a large cooler over to Dalton. "If there are vampires willing to take our expired blood instead of snacking on the populace, I say we firmly support it. Besides, the hospital would just throw this away. At least you get some use out of it."

"My Master and I thank you very much, Marie." Dalton smiled warmly at the woman that he and Spike saved from a bunch of demons on her way to work one day. "It isn't easy to fight our natural urges, but you know that some of us can."

Marie nodded in agreement. "I still don't know how those demons got the jump on me that night." She shook her head back and forth. "I've lived in Sunnydale all my life, and I'm not stupid enough to have blinders on. I see the wounds that come through the ER, and I'm not naïve enough to pass it off as heinous barbecue fork accidents or dog bites."

"You two had a ready meal, and I wouldn't have been able to stop you." Marie shivered in remembrance of the first time she saw Dalton and Spike in their vampiric faces. "Neither of you even took a sip from me, even though I was bleeding. You just helped me up and escorted me the rest of the way to work."

Dalton blushed. He and Spike found their violence in the hunt of those who encroached on their territory. That meant they had the challenge of various demons to fight instead of the easy prey that humans were. Dalton found that he delighted in fighting alongside Spike.

A tiny band of human friendly demons let them know when a problem arrived. Then, Spike and Dalton took care of the situation. There were a small group of humans who assisted them like Marie was. She provided them with expired human blood from the hospital to satiate their demon's need for blood. Others provided weapons or shelter from the sun if the warriors were caught out around sunrise. It was a nice little system, but Spike made them all swear not to tell anyone about their exploits. He said it needed to be kept a secret amongst them for the time being.

Dalton sighed. "Well, it is late, and I have some texts waiting for me at the factory." He hated to leave his chat with Marie because he enjoyed her company. The break from his work was welcomed, but he needed to get back to it.

"I'm sorry that I wasn't able to get here sooner. We had another "dog" attack in the ER." Marie rolled her eyes. "So, I had to secure that girl before I could pick up the blood."

Marie leaned over and kissed Dalton on the cheek. "And we appreciate all you and your Master do for us." She stepped back shyly. With a departing wave, she closed the back door and relocked it.

Dalton grinned. He wasn't used to attention from the female persuasion. Heck, he wasn't used to any kindly attention from anyone except Spike. He practically trotted away from the hospital with a grin firmly plastered on his face. The grin fell when he realized that he'd missed the arrival of the Slayer. 'Uh oh ... How much did she hear?'

Buffy saw the vampire stiffen and stop mid-stride. She had a lot of information that she needed to process, and she thought it would be better if she let Dalton get back to the factory instead of confronting him. She turned in the opposite direction of Dalton and headed home via a different route than she'd originally planned.

Dalton sensed the Slayer leave the area. He relaxed and slumped against the nearest tree. 'Master Spike is not going to be happy about this,' He thought to himself. Then he reasoned that unless the Slayer brought it up with his Master, he wasn't going to. Spike already had his hands full trying to placate the barely consolable Drusilla who kept screaming for Dalton to hurry up and bring her daddy to her. He hurried off towards the factory. He still had a lot of work to do that night.

Giles, who had fallen into a seat nearby Buffy while she told the story, stared at her in confusion and amazement. "You are positive that Marie was human?"

"Giles, Sp ... the one I'm checking all this out for has helped me with narrowing down vampiric and demon traces in my "spidey sense". I know she was human."

"Extraordinary." Giles set his glasses down on the table. "If anyone else had told me such a story, I would have told them they were full of it. I see no reason why you would lie to me about this."

Buffy breathed a sigh of relief. Giles was not going to like the vampire that she was researching everything for and about, but at least he hadn't yelled at her repeatedly even after her story. "I appreciate you trusting me, Giles. I would have come to you sooner, but I know this goes against all that you've ever told me."

Buffy interrupted Giles, "I never said he was pure, Giles. I don't doubt that he's the Big Bad, but he is also a man. He is a demon who loves the Slayer without the benefit of a cursed soul." She tossed that tidbit of information out into the air.

"Good Lord," Giles picked up his glasses and started to polish them heavily. "I had assumed it was not Angel you spoke of, but hearing you say it means that I can not deny that you have a different vampire in your life as well."

"He's promised me that he is not killing humans Giles, and I believe him." Buffy rubbed the mock turtleneck collar over Spike's marks. "I can tell if he's not telling me the whole truth." It was one of the reasons why Spike's confession behind Ethan's old costume shop bothered her. She knew there was something more to what he wasn't saying. Now, she knew it was a good thing that he was hiding even though her senses had told her that he was hiding something from her.

"Will I have a chance to meet this miracle vampire of yours?" Giles itched to get his Watcher's diary out and record the events of the day. He feared this was one entry that he would have to put in a separate place of record. The Council would not be willing to accept such a theory.

The bell rang, and the library doors whooshed open to announce Xander and Willow's arrival.

"I really wish you would stop calling me that." Giles gathered the books Buffy took from his collection, and he replaced his glasses on his face.

Buffy shoved her notes and journal into her tote. She quickly stood up. "Giles was just helping me with some before school studying." She turned to face Giles. "Thank you for everything, Giles."

Giles nodded. "I hope that you will come back for more studying again soon, Buffy. Never be afraid to talk to me about what you need help with."

The smile wasn't Giles usual stoic façade. The smile felt warm and reassuring. Buffy only hoped that he would still be just as supportive when he found out that she was talking about Spike.

Dalton closed the tome he was reading. He straightened the papers he'd written the translation on, and he carried them down the hall to Spike's chamber. "Master?" He knocked on the door lightly.

"Yes, Dalton?" Spike opened the door. He was tired, but he hoped that Dalton brought good news.

Drusilla sat on the end of the bed. She clapped with glee. "He did it, didn't he?"

Spike read the papers now in his hand. "By George, I think he's got it." He turned to face Drusilla. "It's the key to your cure, ducks, the bloody missing link. It was ..."

"Right," Dru said as she gazed off in the distance. "Right in front of us ... the whole time." She reached out for Spike's hand and placed it on a card in her lap ... the Angel card.

"Well I'll be buggered. The stupid git gets to help after all." Spike laughed. "Guess it's time to have a little chat with daddy," He sneered.

Buffy strolled through the old industrial district on her way to see Spike. She had a few questions for him, and she hoped he could get away from the factory tonight. She was surprised to find him stalking about of the factory and past her hiding place without even a bit of notice for her presence. 'Where is he going that has him so preoccupied?' She followed him far enough behind to hopefully remain unnoticed.

Angel groaned. He wished that whoever was at his door would go away. The sun would rise soon, and he was tired. Every attempt he made lately to get closer to Buffy was rebuffed or rebuked by the girl herself. He was getting tired of being put off, and he was sick of waiting for Spike and Drusilla to leave town.

"Come on pops, I know you are in there." Spike beat on the door of Angel's apartment again.

"Spike?" Angel growled. "What the hell are you doing here?" He shouted at the vampire on his doorstep.

Spike breezed past his Sire and into the apartment. "It seems that I have to take you up on your offer to help." It disgusted him to have to ask anything of Angelus, but Angelus owed it to Drusilla to do anything he could to make her well.

"I'm not a patient man, Spike. So, hurry up with your explanation, and get out of my home." Angel stood in the doorway of his apartment with the door open. He really didn't have neighbors, and he wasn't worried about anyone bothering him.

"Drusilla's cure requires her Sire, specifically your blood," Spike started his explanation.

"I'll do it, but you have to take her away from Sunnydale, if I do this." Angel offered his ultimatum.

"Of course I could knock you out and take it from you. Heck, I'd love to drain you bloody dry, but I'm thinking that the ritual would go more smoothly if you were a willing participant." Spike grinned. "You offered to help." He reminded his Sire.

"What she does once she's cured is none of my business, Angelus." Spike got up in Angel's face. "You owe this to her, and I will collect on her debt whether you like it or not. I'm tired of dealing with the crazy bint!"

Angel growled, vamped and shoved Spike away from the door. Angelus' demon was furious at the insults Spike gave towards his favored Childe. The two of them tousled around Angel's apartment all fists and fangs, kicking and punching at each other until Spike gained the advantage and wrestled Angel down. Angel tried to break free of Spike's hold, but he found himself strangely contained.

Spike buried his head close to Angel's ear and whispered. "You will find that a lot of things have changed, Sire." He used the term as an insult. "I'm not the whelp you used to know."

Spike was pulled off of Angel from behind. He went flying into the wall opposite the door. He looked up from the floor dazed.

"I don't think you'll be doing anything else to hurt Angel, Spike." Buffy stood in the middle of the room with her hands on her hips. "You really should learn to take no for an answer."

Spike wiped his mouth of the blood from his split lip. "Wanker never said no, pet." He evened his gaze on her. 'What is she playing at by protecting Angelus?'

Buffy winked at Spike, but she reached a hand down to help Angel up off the floor. "Are you all right, Angel?" A false concern covered her face.

Spike's demon wanted to rip Angelus away from Buffy. He breathed in and out in an attempt to calm himself down, even if he didn't need to breathe. "He made a promise, Slayer. He is bound to his Childe to keep it."

"Yeah yeah," Buffy rolled her eyes as she spoke. "I heard all of the male ego shit going on from outside the door. Do you two ever listen to yourselves?"

Angel stared at Buffy in confusion. Was she actually joking around with Spike? "Buffy?"

"I want to be there." Without looking back at Spike, Buffy took Angel's hand between both of hers. "I need to be there. Please."

The slight begging in Buffy's voice was Angel's undoing. It was the first time in months that she was seeking out his company and protection. He wasn't going to let that opportunity pass him up. "All right, Buffy. I don't mind."

"I bloody well mind." Spike was seething from the inside out. "This is private, between family."

Spike growled. He wanted to tear Angelus apart for being near the woman he called his. He fought to stay in the same spot against the wall. "Fine, but if this goes to hell, it will be your fault. I'll dump Dru on your lap faster than you can say Jiminy Cricket."

"Tonight, after sundown. The placements will be right, and we'll be at the church down on Main and 20th." Spike's gaze flickered back and forth between Buffy and Angel.

"Fine." Buffy hoped she would be able to talk to Spike before he assumed the worst of her. She could see and feel the anger and pain that radiated off of him.

"Fine. I'll be there Spike, just after sundown," Angel echoed Buffy's earlier answer.

"Make sure that you do," Spike growled. He stood up, huffed, and strode out the door and into the night.

Buffy faked her concern. She needed to wait a couple minutes before she ran out the door to find Spike, or Angel would know something was up. "Are you sure you are okay with this?"

"If it will get those two out of our town, I'd be willing to do just about anything." Angel reached up and tucked some stray strands of Buffy's hair behind her ear. "Don't worry."

"Okay." Buffy smiled. She fought her natural instinct to be sick from Angel's touch. "I need to get home before Mom wakes up." She kissed the back of Angel's hand. "Good night, Angel."

"Good night, Buffy." As the door closed behind Buffy, it suddenly occurred to Angel that he hadn't asked Buffy why she showed up at his apartment. He opened the door to call out to her, but she was already out of sight. "Very strange."

Buffy shrieked when she was pulled into the shadows of an alley three blocks away from Angel's apartment. She turned around in a fighting stance, but she found she was face to face with a very angry yet stunningly handsome vampire.

"What the bloody hell was going on in that apartment," Spike, in full game face, growled out every word. "You were all over him like a fledgling on a bleeding tramp."

Buffy worked one hand out from between them. She didn't say a word, but she trailed her fingertips over Spike's brow ridges. With a look of longing, love, and submission she turned her neck to display Spike's marks to him.

Spike howled and bit into Buffy's neck hard. This wasn't like the other times, gentler times. Spike fought against his demon's desire to punish Buffy for even touching his Sire. His body shook with anger and a release of the fear that he was losing his intended mate. He tasted the acceptance and love in her blood that was always there, and it helped to soothe him.

"Shhhh," Buffy soothed Spike in a low lilting voice. She ran her fingers through Spike's hair and cooed other nonsensical words into his ears. She felt the demon recede and Spike's face change back to that of his human self. "I'm here Spike. All yours, and no one else's."

Spike panted unnecessarily, and he pulled back to look into Buffy's face after he sealed the wound with his tongue. "What was that all about with the poofter, Buffy?"

"I had to make him think I wanted to go to the ritual because of my concern for him, not my concern for you." Buffy chose her words carefully. Although she loved seeing the feral side of Spike, he did scare her when he got that crazy.

"With all that I am, Spike, but I don't trust Angel." Buffy caressed Spike's cheek. She cupped it in the palm of her hand. "I want to be there in case something goes wrong. Please, let me."

"I don't like it. Even if I say no, I know you will show up." Spike wrapped his arms around Buffy's waist. "So, I might as well say yes."

"Thank you Spike." Buffy detached one of Spike's hands from around her, and she pulled it up to her mouth. "You've had a taste. Now it is my turn." Without giving Spike a chance to slit his wrist with a fang, Buffy bit down into Spike's wrist. She sucked hard on the jagged wounds her blunt teeth created until Spike's blood started to fill her mouth.

Spike howled into the night. Buffy's blunt teeth hurt more, but it was also one of the most erotic experiences that he'd ever had. Knowing that she wanted it enough to take it herself had him nearly cumming in his pants. He bent over and re-entered her neck with his fangs, both of them drinking from each other.

The taste of each other's blood on their tongues, and the pulls of their blood into the other, sent both of them into orgasmic bliss. Spike coated the inside of his jeans with his spendings, and Buffy shook from her orgasm as her excitement coated her thighs.

Both of them collapsed against the wall. "Wow," they both said. It was a long time before either of them recovered to make their way back to their respective homes.

Buffy walked into the library and handed the stolen tome over to Giles. About an hour before, she met Spike at the church to help him prepare it. Dalton had handed the book and cross over to her to return to her Watcher. They figured it was safer with Giles now that they'd gotten out of it what they needed.

Buffy unwrapped the cross from it's velvet casing as well. "I'm returning these to you. This is a duplicate of the cross we were looking for from the DuLac tomb as well. You can have the real one after the ritual."

Giles stared at Buffy in amazement. "The DuLac cross?" He reached out for the items gingerly. He thought he'd never see his precious tome again, and the cross was a find of unprecedented rarity. "How?"

"I got them back from some vampires. They don't need them anymore." Buffy tried to keep her answers short and vague. "Well I've got things to do and places to be." She tried to leave the library, but Giles' voice stopped her.

"We never finished our conversation about who your vampire was, Buffy." Giles looked down at the book and the cross. He read through his other books in an attempt to find out why the vampire's wanted the book and the cross. The only thing that made any sense was that one of the rituals from the stolen book was for healing sick or wounded vampires. That narrowed down his list of suspects considerably.

"Do we really need to finish that conversation now?" Buffy turned and questioned her Watcher with pleading eyes. "I really do have somewhere that I need to be. I don't want them to start without me."

Giles inhaled deeply. "It's Spike, isn't it?" The thought of Buffy being involved with a soulless Master Vampire scared him to death. If everything else Buffy told him were true, then maybe a soul wasn't the deciding factor for a vampire's path. Nonetheless, he was still very concerned for her welfare.

Buffy hung her head a moment, and then she looked up into her Watcher's eyes. "Yes, and before you say it ... Yes, I know what I'm doing. No, I'm not crazy."

"Yes, but I don't have time to explain it all to you right now. The ritual to heal Drusilla is going to happen in less than an hour, and I need to be there to protect him."

"Angel was the key to her cure. She needs Sire's blood," Buffy explained. "I don't trust Angel not to go all damage bound on Spike. I think he suspects a few things about Spike and I."

Giles removed his glasses, and he pressed the butt of his palm against his forehead. "Will you promise to come back here after the ritual to talk more?"

"Yes, Giles. I promise." Buffy was antsy. She didn't want to be late for the ritual. Everything was a matter of timing.

"Yes, for now," Giles answered. "Many pieces of the puzzle are falling into place, including the marks on your neck that I'm sure you thought I never saw. They've been there since Halloween."

Buffy reached up to cover her neck. Only tiny pink puckers remained, and she thought she'd hidden them well enough with foundation and concealer.

Buffy nodded. "Spike had Dalton put a copy of his notes in the book. He said it would help you to find out how to decode the text sooner." Before Giles could say another word, Buffy ran out of the library to the church the ritual was taking place at.

Dalton walked around the altar of the church. He held the holy object needed for the ritual with disdain. It made his skin crawl to hold it, but the gloves he wore protected him from burning. "Eligor I name thee." He started the incantation for the ritual. "Bringer of wars, poisoners, pariahs, and grand obscenity."

Angel looked into Drusilla's eyes. The delighted glint in her eyes worried him. Their hands were bound together. He wrapped his arm around Dru's waist to hold them both steady while Dalton continued with the ritual and Spike looked on.

"Eligor, wretched master of decay … Bring your black medicine," Dalton intoned the words in a strong monotone that was not like his normal voice. The power of the ritual seemed to flow through him and guide him.

Buffy slid into the church. She stopped to stand next to Spike. "Sorry I'm late." She whispered. "It took me a little longer with Giles' than I expected."

"Any problems?" Spike queried. Even after the Night of St. Vigeous transferred the power of the Master to him, he still didn't like magic and rituals. 'There are still so many ways this can get bollocksed up.'

"Nope," Buffy popped her p. Since she was whispering near Spike's ear it sent a puff of warm air against his neck that made him shiver. "He wants to see us after the ritual though."

"Come," Dalton called out. His gloved hand lifted the DuLac cross high into the air in front of him. "Restore your most impious and murderous child."

"The poofter won't let Drusilla hurt anyone, not with that bloody soul of his." Spike tried to reassure Buffy that Dru would be taken care of. "You won't have to worry about her. I have a feeling this ritual will bind them even more than before."

Dalton pulled a dagger out from inside the cross. "From the blood of the Sire, she is risen." He tied another band around Angel's and Dru's joined hands. "From the blood of the Sire, she shall rise again." He rammed the dagger hard into the joined hands.

Angel screamed out in pain. An ethereal red glow surrounded them. It started at their joined hands and worked its way over Drusilla's and Angel's bodies. The further down Angel's body it went the more Angel screamed as if something was being wrenched away from within.

Buffy jumped next to Spike. She gulped hard, and she tightened her hand around his so hard that her nails dug into his flesh and her own. Their hands trickled blood. "Was it supposed to do that?"

A burst of energy filled the entire room. Buffy and Spike felt it pulse through them both as it passed them. The two of them collapsed against the pew in front of them, gasping for breath.

Buffy looked into Spike's eyes, and they both saw that the other's eyes were glowing. A few moments after it started, it all stopped, and their eyes returned to their normal colors.

"Oh my God. What happened?" Her chest heaved breathes in and out in an attempt to calm herself.

Angelus started to laugh. His laugh got louder, darker and more sinister the longer he bellowed.

"My Angel?" Dru looked into Angel's eyes. In that moment she knew what had happened, and she squealed in delight. "My Angel!"

"Hello baby!" Angelus ripped the bands from their hands. "I'm back!" He pulled a stake from his pocket and drove it into Dalton's chest. "And I'm not going to let that little ferret send me away again."

"DALTON!" Buffy screamed. "What the hell is wrong with you Angel?" She advanced on the vampire and vampiress.

"That's Angelus." Spike's eyes widened. The part of him that was Angelus' Childe cowered to see his Master's return. The part of him that flowed with the power of THE Master felt defiant and ready for a fight.

"Guessed it in one Willie m'boy!" Angelus jeered. "You really should read your rituals more carefully."

Drusilla bounced up and down on the altar. "Miss Edith told me you would return."

"Only Dru's sire could heal her. Did you really think that sniveling excuse for a vampire was Dru's true Sire?" Angelus laughed darkly. "Not even close, bleach boy. Come over here and beg your Master for his leniency after all your petulant remarks and actions."

Spike snorted in laughter. "Not a chance in Hell, Angelus. I'm my own Master now."

Angelus looked at the way Spike held Buffy's hand. "Now I know why you kept shunning me Buff. You found yourself a new pet vamp."

"Shut up Angel. He's ten times the man you will ever be." Buffy spat out the words in anger. She never lost watch over where Drusilla was. She didn't trust the vampiress.

Spike smiled inwardly at Buffy's defense of him and calling him a man. It warmed him to hear it, and he wasn't going to give Angelus a chance to get in-between them.

"We'll see about that." Angelus soared off the altar and landed in front of Buffy and Spike. He grabbed Buffy by the arms and pulled her away from Spike's grip. "I'll show you just what a real man can do to that fine body, Buff, and you'll never go back to him." His claws tore into Buffy's top for only a moment before Angelus was kicked and then pushed far away from Buffy.

Spike followed through with a kick to the stomach once Angelus landed on the ground. "Mine, you bastard."

Angelus hopped up. The two circled each other. Angelus darted in with a quick punch that connected with Spike's jaw and sent his head back.

Buffy picked herself up off the ground. She headed over to help Spike in the fight, but an angry Drusilla stood right in her way.

"You took my dark prince from me, but I won't let you keep him." Drusilla growled in her vampiric guise. "My prince will return to my feet and my king will rule us all."

"You are one sick ho." Buffy's heel connected with Dru's chest in the middle of it. The spike of her heel missed the vampiress' heart, but Dru was forced back towards the altar wailing.

Buffy lifted her foot to show Dru. "Wooden heels, always good in a pinch. Don't you think?" She advanced on the vampiress again, and the fight started anew. "Maybe I should start dipping them in Holy water for those times I miss the heart?"

"Pet, stop playing with her and do it!" Spike yelled from the other side of the room. He knew how dangerous his crazy companion could be. "And don't look into her eyes." He fell on his butt when one of Angelus' kicks connected with his side.

Buffy jumped on Drusilla. Her stake was out and on a downward thrust into the vampiress' heart, but she was forcibly thrown several feet into the wall instead. She hit the wall, amongst the tingling and tanging of musical chimes, and fell to the floor unconscious. Her head bled from a nasty pressure cut on the back of it.

"Buffy!!!" Spike ran at Angelus with all of his strength. His anger clouded his judgment, and he wasn't able to deflect his approach enough in time to avoid Angelus' outstretched hands. He flew through the air to hit the same wall that Buffy did. His momentum when he hit the wall knocked him senseless for a few moments.

Giles continued to read the tome that was returned to him, along with the duplicate cross that decoded the archaic Latin text. "Fascinating." Buffy told him that Angel was required for the ritual because he was Drusilla's Sire. Although he questioned the appropriateness of returning the vampiress to full health, he figured a non-crazy vampire was better than a crazy one. Besides, if Angel was willing to do the ritual, then what place was it of his to argue. Angel had a soul, and he wouldn't do anything to put the rest of them in danger.

"Dear Lord," Giles gaped at the text before. "He looked at the notes made by Spike's minion, and he confirmed his worst fears. "They didn't read far enough." He slapped the book closed, grabbed an axe and crossbow from the cage, and raced out of the library. "Angelus will return."

Spike looked up in time to see the rafters and pipes from the church organ work their way free from the wall. The force with which Angelus threw Buffy and he against the organ was too much for the old church to withstand. He only had time to cover Buffy's body with his own, and it all came down on top of them both.

The painful screams of his Childe filled Angelus' ears with sadistic delight. He pulled Dru into his arms, and they danced around the church. Angelus pulled two of the torches they'd used to light the ceremony out of the wall. With a gleeful sneer he tossed one of the torches into the draperies and the other onto the wooden pews.

Dru clapped her hands and screamed, "Pretty fire!! Dancing about the room, licking up all that is pure and turning it dark."

"Burn, baby, burn," Angelus sneered. He grabbed Drusilla's hand and pulled her out of the church before they were caught in the blaze.

**Do you seriously think I would let Spike and Buffy die? No way. I hope you like this chapter and don't kill me before I can get the next chapter out.**

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