Chapter Text
"You're the who, now?" Buffy demanded, sure she had to have misunderstood due to her unusual accent that she couldn't quite place. Maybe a mix of Jamaican and British?
The girl, Kendra, stared her down. "I am the Slayer."
Buffy shook her head in disbelief. So, it wasn't the accent. She actually was trying to pass herself off as the Slayer. To the Slayer. "Word of advice? Don't try that line with the actual Slayer."
"You can't stop me. Even if you kill me another Slayer will be sent to take me place."
Definitely some kind of Jamaican accent. Wait, why was she focusing so much on the damn accent? There were more important matters at hand. "Just give up on the Slayer thing, I'm the damn Slayer."
"Nonsense. There is but one, and I am she."
"Okay... scenario? We back off and you promise not to get all wiggy until we go to my Watcher and figure out what the hell is going on."
"Wiggy?"
"You know, no kick-o, no fight-o?"
"A truce?" she asked, before pausing for a moment. Then she lowered her arms. "Very well, I accept your scenario."
Buffy lowered her arms as well, though she still didn't fully trust her yet. Definitely not enough to let her have a weapon. She walked over to the axe and, with a hard yank, pulled it out of the floor. Then she glanced over to a clock on the wall. She'd slept longer than she'd thought, it was almost morning. "Come on. He'll be at the school library." she said, leading the way out.
"Your English is very odd, you know." Kendra said, following after her.
"Like you have room to talk." Buffy muttered under her breath. Then, louder so Kendra could hear her, "So you were sent here?"
"Yes. By me Watcher."
"To do what, exactly?"
"Me duty."
"Giles!" Buffy called out loudly, stretching out his name, as she and Kendra entered the library. A few seconds later Giles emerged from his office, gazing towards the library doors and looking confused. The confusion only increased when he saw the girl trailing behind Buffy.
"Buffy?" he asked. "What's happened, who is-is...?"
"Good question." Buffy replied. "She barged in and attacked me. Says she's the Slayer." she explained as she plopped down into a chair at the table, dropping the axe on top of the books.
"The-the Slayer?" Giles repeated, confusion growing.
"Yes, sir." Kendra said. "Me Watcher is Mr. Zabuto."
"Z-Zabuto, you say? Sam Zabuto?"
"Yes, sir."
"We've never met but, uh, he is very well respected."
"So, what, this guy's real?" Buffy asked, raising her eyebrows skeptically.
Giles glanced her way, then turned back to Kendra. "And, uh, what do they call you?"
"I am the vampire Slayer."
Buffy rolled her eyes. "He means your name."
"Oh. I am called Kendra, sir. I have no last name."
"Stuck in the 80's, much?" Buffy asked.
Giles sighed. "Buffy, please. There has ob-obviously been some kind of misunderstanding here."
The library doors creaked as they swung open and Willow walked in. Buffy started to smile at the sight of her, until the bruise on her face registered. It looked even worse now than it had last night. Red, and swollen, and angry. And taking up most of one side of her face.
"Hey-" Willow started.
"Identify yourself." Kendra demanded, walking towards her.
"Hey, back off!" Buffy yelled, getting to her feet. Willow had taken a step back, a quick flash of fear crossing her features, as Kendra had started toward her, and that put Buffy immediately on edge. She rushed past Kendra and stopped in front of Willow, reaching up and gently brushing a couple fingers across her injured cheek, her concern and guilt evident in her expression. "How are you feeling?" she asked, softly.
"It's not so bad, this morning." Willow said, shrugging. "I took some pills when I got up, and they're helping. Now it only hurts when I smile, or talk, or there's a breeze."
"Willow, I'm so-"
"Babe, if you apologize, I'm gonna hafta smack you." Willow warned. "I knew what I was doing. Granted, doughnuts may not have been the best choice of projectiles, but I'll do whatever it takes to protect you."
"I'm the Slayer, I'm supposed to be protecting you."
"I'm your girlfriend, we're supposed to be protecting each other." Willow retorted, before leaning in and giving her a quick kiss. "And good morning to you, too, by the way."
"Oh, right. Good morning." Buffy said sheepishly.
"So, uh, who's the new girl?" Willow asked, looking past Buffy at Kendra.
"Jury's still out on that." Buffy said as she turned to look as well. When she did she spotted Kendra staring at them, looking utterly confused and dumbfounded. "What? There a problem?"
"She's your girlfriend? As in, dating?"
Buffy crossed her arms. "That going to be a problem?"
"Dating is forbidden. The Slayer works alone and in secret, for security." Kendra said, before turning to Giles. "You allow this, sir?"
"Allow?" Buffy interrupted, before Giles had a chance to speak. "No one 'allows' me anything. It's my life."
"Hmm, yes, well...." Giles said, trying to get a handle on the situation still. "With Buffy some, er, flexibility is required...."
"Why?"
"Well, you see, she wasn't found until, uh, after she'd been called." Giles explained. "She wasn't raised to be the Slayer, like many potentials are. She grew up a, well, a civilian. Becoming the Slayer was quite the change for her and, uh, certain, certain accommodations needed to be made, to... to make her effective."
"Ok, so, what's going on?" asked Willow, thoroughly lost.
"There's been a big mix up." Buffy said.
Giles took off his glasses and rubbed eyes. "Yes. It seems that, somehow, another Slayer has been sent to Sunnydale."
Willow blinked. "Is that even possible? Two Slayers at the same time?"
"Not, not that I know of." Giles said, replacing his glasses. "There's no record of such a thing ever happening before. For, for a new Slayer to be called the previous Slayer has to die...." He paused for a second and slowly turned to look at Buffy, realization dawning on him. "Good lord, Buffy. You, you were dead."
Buffy frowned. "Only for a minute or two."
"Well, apparently it doesn't matter how long." Giles said. "You were physically dead, causing the activation of the next Slayer. This is... is unprecedented."
"She died?" asked Kendra.
"I got better."
"She, she drowned." Giles explained. "But one of her friends found her, managed to revive her."
"So, there's really two of them?" asked Willow.
"It, it would... appear so." Giles answered. "I must say, I'm quite flummoxed."
"What's the flum? I'm not dead, she's a mistake, she goes back home." She turned to Kendra. "No offense. It's just, Slayer position? Already filled. And it's more than a little creepy having you here."
"I cannot just leave. Me Watcher sent me here for a reason. Mr. Zabuto said a very dark power was about to rise in Sunnydale."
Giles nodded. "He may be quite right." he said. "I, I'll need to call him, to confer. See what, what he knows about what's happening."
"So, what was your plan on stopping this dark power?" Buffy asked her. "Just attack everyone you met until you got the right person?"
"Of course not."
"Then why'd you jump me?"
"I thought you were a vampire."
"Excuse me? Wow, strike one for the rookie."
"I had good reason. Did I not see you fighting alongside, walking, and chatting with a vampire?"
Buffy stared at her blankly for a moment, before she realized what she must have seen. "Oh. Angel. Wait, fighting? Did you see the fight last night?"
"Just the end of it. The vampire snapping the man's neck, and then you leaving together." she replied.
"Angel's an ally." Buffy said. "He saved me from that assassin. Took me to his apartment where I could be safe from more of them."
"Angel? Do you mean Angelus? I've read about him. He's a monster."
"No, no. Angel's good, now." Giles said.
Willow nodded. "Yep. He has a gypsy curse."
"A... what?"
"They gave him back his soul." Buffy explained. "He's one of the good guys, now. Helps protect the town."
"I don't believe you, he seemed like any other vampire when I-"
"When you what?" Buffy interrupted, concerned, and walking up to her. "What did you do?"
"He was attacking a human, a-"
"What. Did. You. Do?"
"You really have a lot to learn." Buffy said, as she and Kendra hurried down the steps into Willy's.
"He was a vampire, and he was attacking a human."
"Willy barely qualifies." Buffy retorted. "He was probably trying to get information from him about who ordered the hit on me."
"The Order of Taraka, you said?"
"Yeah. The guy you saw Angel kill was one of theirs. He jumped me last night. I thought you were another one when you barged into his apartment this morning." They'd made their way through the empty bar to the back storage room, where Kendra had fought Angel. But, looking around, Buffy saw no sign of him. "Where is he?"
"This is where I left him." Kendra said, approaching the cage she'd locked him in. It was now full of sunlight from the window. "Then I went back to deal with you." She stepped inside and knelt to check the floor. "Some dust, but no ashes."
"So... he got out? Got away?"
"Seems like it." Kendra agreed, standing up. "Why do you care so much about this vampire?"
Buffy shook her head. "It-it's complicated. He's a... a friend. Helped save my life against the Master."
"When you died?"
Buffy nodded. "He lead another friend of mine, Xander, down to where I was. And Xander gave me CPR. Brought me back. Without Angel we wouldn't be having this conversation, I would be six feet under right now."
"A Slayer, friends with, and saved by, a vampire." Kendra said, shaking her head.
"Yeah, well, one thing I've learned in the last year and half of doing this? Things are rarely as black and white as they seem. Anyway, he's not here. Maybe he's made it home by now. Come on, we should head back to the school."
Buffy turned and lead Kendra back out into the bar. As they were heading for the door there was a whistle from behind them, and they turned.
"Good morning, ladies." Willy said. "Oh, Slayer. I didn't recognize you."
"Willy, did you see Angel?" she asked, crossing her arms.
"Yeah. I got him out." Willy said. "Got him into the sewers. He was in bad shape by the time I found him, too much sunlight. Said he was going to hide out underground for the day."
Something about the way he was acting was bothering her. "Are you telling the truth?"
"Scouts honor, I swear!" Willy replied, holding his hands up placatingly.
"For your sake, you'd better be. Cause if I find out you're lying, I'm coming back. When someone hurts my friends, I take it personally." She turned to Kendra. "Come on, let's go."
Buffy and Kendra had returned to the school library about ten minutes ago, and were currently seated at the table. Many of the books from earlier that morning had been cleared away, but many more still covered the table, and Willow had still been there, researching. Only she said she was looking up information on the Order of Taraka, not the stolen book. Which, to Buffy, suggested Giles had found that info. She didn't know for sure yet, however, as Giles had been on the phone the whole time so they hadn't had a chance to talk to him.
She'd asked Willow, but she said she didn't know exactly what Giles had found. If anything. He'd just told her to look up info on the assassins while he made a phone call. Not in the mood to dig through the books, and wanting spend a little personal time with Willow, Buffy offered to try and cover up her bruise with makeup.
She'd gone back out and gotten her bag from her locker, then spent the last six minutes carefully applying color corrector, concealer, and foundation to mask the bruise. It was a large bruise, so it was a slow process, but Buffy had experience hiding bruises. She didn't get them often, Slayer durability being what it was, but even she could only get knocked face first into a tombstone so many times before it left a mark. And she was finding it was definitely a lot easier to do this on someone else's face than her own.
"There we go." she said at last, finishing up. She held up the mirror in her compact so Willow could see.
"Oh, wow, Buffy!" Willow said, surprised. "It's completely gone!"
"Mhm. It'll last most of the day. I'll redo it for you tomorrow, and every morning until it's gone."
"Thanks."
"This is still too weird to me." Kendra said, watching them. "I was taught that attachments are a distraction for a Slayer."
"No way. My attachments make it worth it, keep me going." Buffy said. "My mom, my friends, Willow... without them there's no way I could do what I do. They give me strength."
"Maybe it is different for you, not growing up knowing your destiny. You formed attachments to the world before you knew you were a Slayer. Me parents gave me to me Watcher as a young child. I have always known that, one day, I might be called."
"As a young child?" asked Willow, surprised. "How young?"
"I'm not entirely sure." Kendra replied with a shrug. "I've seen pictures but I don't actually remember them. But, that's how seriously the calling is taken among me people. Me parents gave me to me Watcher because they believed they were doing the right thing. For me, and for the world."
"Oh." Willow said, looking shocked.
"I don't feel sorry for meself, why should you?"
"You can't miss what you never had." Buffy said, a touch of sadness in her voice. "I can kinda get that. Why they do it, I mean. Being the Slayer is hard, it totally interferes with a normal life. But... if you never had, wanted, or expected normal it's probably a lot easier to adjust to. Still, it sounds so... lonely. I can't imagine lasting long doing this without a reason to keep going."
"Emotions are a weakness. They only get in the way of the mission."
"My emotions are a total asset. They give me power."
"Maybe for you, but I prefer to keep an even mind."
Buffy shrugged. "I guess that explains it."
"Explains what?"
"When we were fighting? Your technique is incredible, better than mine-"
"I know."
Buffy gave her a half smirk as she continued. "-but I would have kicked your butt in the end. There was no imagination, no... no desire. Just knowledge."
"You think so?" Kendra asked, and Buffy could hear the edge that had slipped into her voice.
Smirking a little more, she pressed on, "Absolutely. Power and knowledge alone aren't enough. A great fighter needs... needs to know how to improvise, to go with the flow. Just repeating moves you learned by rote isn't going to get the job done. Don't get me wrong, you have potential-"
"Potential?" Kendra repeated, practically glaring at her. "I could wipe the floor with you right now."
"Could you, now?" Buffy asked, smirking fully. "That would be anger you're feeling, by the way."
"What?" Kendra asked, shocked.
"You feel it, right? How the anger gives you fire? How it takes you from being able to win, to wanting to win? A Slayer needs that. Sometimes, it's the only thing that can save you."
Kendra settled back into her chair, seemingly thinking about what Buffy said. A moment later Giles finally came out of his office and walked over to where they were sitting. "Kendra, I've spoken with Sam, uh, Mr. Zabuto. He and I are in agreement that you should stay here until our current situation is resolved."
"Well, that'll be a blast." Buffy murmured. "So, what's the word?" she asked, turning her attention fully to Giles. "We know what the book is about? What this current situation even is?"
"Uh, yes, I believe so. It, uh, contains a ritual for restoring a sick vampire back to full health." Giles said.
Buffy frowned for a moment, thinking, and then her mind drifted back to a few weeks ago. The weird vampire lady Spike had brought along with him to Ford's trap. What had he called her? "Drusilla." she said, as the name came to her. "The vampire Spike protected."
"I believe so, yes." Giles agreed. "It was reported she was killed in Prague, but clearly she survived. And, and from your reports, she seems greatly weakened by what happened. Spike is most likely behind the thefts, to try and cure Drusilla. And behind the assassins, to keep you out of his way."
"So, you believe she is the dark power I was sent to stop?" Kendra asked.
"Yes. Drusilla is not only evil but quite... well, quite mad. If she were to be restored... it wouldn't go well for Sunnydale, I don't expect."
"Then we must stop this Spike."
"Yes, charge!" Buffy said, half mockingly. "Let's go attack the first people we see!"
"Buffy." Giles said, reprovingly.
Buffy sighed at the tone he used. "Fine. But stopping them isn't that simple."
Giles watched her for a moment, before turning his attention to Kendra. "Buffy is right. Spike has enlisted the Order of Taraka to keep her away. And we still don't know where the ritual will take place, or, or what it requires. Sam believes there may be a translation of the tome in the council archives and is looking for it. He'll call back as soon as he has something. In the meantime, Buffy, principal Snyder was here earlier, looking for you."
"Career fair!" Buffy cried in horrified realization. She'd missed most of it yesterday, traipsing around the cemetery with Giles. If she did that again today their toad of a principal was likely to expel her, and then her mom was likely to kill her.
"Mm, quite." Giles said, also clearly understanding the situation. "You'd better put in an appearance. Kendra can help me research the Order." he told her, and Buffy nodded as she got up from the table.
"I'll come, too." Willow said. "Keep you company."
"Thanks." Buffy said with a smile, taking Willow's hand as they left.
"So, how are you dealing?" Willow asked once they were beyond the doors.
"Hm? With what, exactly?"
"The new Slayer thing." Willow said. "It's gotta be weird for you, yeah?"
"A little." she admitted. "It's... hard to explain. I mean... I've been told I'm it, the one and only, for like a year and half. And now, suddenly, I'm not. There's another one. I don't... don't always like being the Slayer, but it was something that was... just me. Sometimes that was scary, but sometimes it was... I dunno...."
"Made you feel special?"
Buffy shrugged. "I guess. I dunno. Plus, I know how new Slayers happen. I know why she's a Slayer. So... every time I look at her...."
"Bad Master memories?"
"Yeah."
"Well, he's dust and you're still kicking."
"And she's supposed to be my replacement."
"Buffy, no one can replace you. You'll always be Giles favorite. You're his Slayer. The real Slayer."
"But... would it be so bad? Letting her take over?"
"You mean, as the Slayer?"
"Yeah. Wouldn't it be wild if, after this thing with Spike and the assassins is over, I can just hand Kendra my stake and go 'Here, your turn. I'm going to Disneyland.'"
"But not forever, right? Cause I'd miss you."
"As if. You'd totally be coming along." Buffy said, giving her shoulder a playful nudge. "But... I suppose even Disneyland would get boring after a few months. Still... I could do other stuff. Any stuff. Career day stuff. I mean... maybe I could even just... have a normal life."
"Or at least split the work." agreed Willow. "Take nights off now and then."
"More date nights definitely sounds of the good." Buffy agreed. Then she sighed as they reached the area of the fair booths. "Anyway, my tests said I should be looking at law enforcement, ugh, and environmental design."
"Oh, that's landscaping. You probably got that because of the shrubs. But that was only yesterday, you missed it."
"Guess it's the law booth for me, then." she said, letting go of Willow's hand and heading over to the booth. There were a few others gathered there for... whatever they were going to be doing, and she joined them.
"Alright, roll call." the officer announced a moment later. "Listen for your name and say 'here' when it's called. Buffy Summers!"
"Here." she responded, automatically. She didn't realize anything was wrong until she noticed the gun barrel suddenly aimed at her head. "Crap! Get down!" she yelled, diving to the side just as the gun went off. The other kids scattered as she ducked behind cover and crawled through the crowd, trying to reach the cop who she now rather doubted was actually a cop.
As she peeked around a corner she saw the assassin scanning the crowd, gun at the ready. Realizing she'd lost her in the crowd Buffy waited until she turned more away from her current position, then stood and charged her, tackling her to the ground. The gun flew from her hand as she hit the ground, and Buffy aimed a punch for her face in the hope of knocking her out.
But the assassin reacted quickly, and flung her off. Hitting the ground and rolling, Buffy turned to face her, ready to spring at her again, but froze. She'd pulled a second gun out and it was aimed right at her head, inches from her face. She only just had the time to process what she saw, to realize this was probably it, when a foot suddenly kicked the gun out of the woman's hand.
Looking up, Buffy saw Kendra standing over them, and felt a sense of relief. But she didn't let it distract her. Standing, she lashed out and kicked the assassin in the stomach, knocking her back and giving them a little more room. Then she stood next to Kendra, ready for the assassin's next move. The fake cop took a moment to glance between them both, then suddenly grabbed one of the other students who hadn't run. She pulled a blade out of her hair and held it to his neck as she backed away.
"Let him go." Buffy said firmly, as she slowly followed them, looking for an opening to rescue him. Suddenly, the assassin shoved him into her, and by the time she'd untangled herself from him, the fake cop was gone. And so was Kendra. She figured the other Slayer must have given chase, but wasn't sure where they'd gone to follow. So she turned her focus to Willow, who she saw kneeling next to another student.
"Will, hon, you ok?" Buffy asked, running up to her and crouching beside her.
"Y-yeah. Yeah, I'm fine." Willow said. "But Oz was shot! He-he pushed me out of the way."
"You ok?" she asked him.
"I-I've been shot! It's very... odd. And painful." he said, holding his arm.
"Oz, right?" Buffy said. "Thanks for helping Willow."
"Yeah. Sure. We were talking and...." he shrugged. "Seemed the thing to do."
"She's gone." Kendra said as she walked back up to them. "I lost her in the parking lot, she had a motorcycle."
"That's ok. At least now I know what she looks like. I can keep an eye out for her." She looked around the room, then. "Isn't there a medical booth around here somewhere? They can probably check on Oz."
"I'll go find them." Willow volunteered, before taking off.
"It's Buffy, right?" Oz asked, and Buffy nodded, surprised he knew her name. "So, I didn't get the chance to ask Willow before...." he made a motion toward his injury. "I've heard the rumors and wanted to know if there was any truth to them."
"Why?" Buffy asked him, a touch apprehensively.
"Well, I was thinking of asking her out." he answered. "And I don't just believe everything I hear, but I also don't want to step on any toes."
Buffy relaxed and gave him a warm smile. "Ah. Sorry. Yeah, the rumors are true. My toes would definitely be in the way."
"Understood. I won't step that way, then."
"My toes thank you for the lack of steppage."
"She was definitely one of the Taraka guys." Buffy said. She, Kendra, and Willow had returned to the library to fill Giles in on what happened. "She was very trigger happy. We're lucky Oz was the only one injured."
"And-and this Oz, he's going to be alright?" asked Giles.
"Yeah." Willow said. "Paramedic said it was only a minor wound. Just got nicked. Thank goodness. He got hurt saving me."
Buffy rested a hand on her shoulder and gave her a comforting squeeze. "I gotta thank him properly for that, some time. Don't know how, but...." she shrugged. She was about to say more when the library doors swung open with a bang and Xander and Cordy, who looked like she'd fallen into a lake, came barging in. Kendra immediately turned toward them and tensed.
"Whoa, easy there. They're good." Buffy said, and Kendra relaxed at that information.
"Did a tornado come through the school?" Xander asked. "It's chaos out there."
"Got attacked by an assassin." Buffy explained.
"Here too?" Xander asked, a little surprised. "Cordelia gave me a lift to your place to get you a change of clothes," he tossed her a duffle bag he'd been carrying, "and we found the king freak assassin laying in wait-" he cut off as he finally noticed Kendra standing just behind and to the side of Buffy.
"Oh, yes." Giles started, noticing why Xander had stopped. "Xander, Cordelia, this is Kendra. It's complicated, but she is also a Slayer.
"Nice to meet you." Cordelia said.
Meanwhile, Xander turned his attention to Buffy. "Another Slayer? Really? So, all this 'only one in all the world' stuff was, what, a ploy to look all special so you could attract all the ladies?"
Buffy rolled her eyes, but smiled. "Just say hello, Xander."
"Of course. Hi. Welcome. You're a Slayer, huh? I like that in a woman."
"Um, yes. H-hello... thank you. I, I mean I... hope to be of... service." she stammered in response, while Buffy gave her an appraising look. Then she noticed Xander looking at her and shrugged at his unspoken question. She hadn't seen her act like this before, didn't know what was up.
"Yes, well, Xander?" Giles started. "You met another Tarakan assassin? What were they like?"
Cordelia suddenly shrieked as she brushed a dead worm out of her hair and onto the floor. "I'm going to the gym to take a shower." she muttered, before leaving.
"Like that." Xander said.
"You and bug people, Xander. What's up with that?" Buffy asked.
"No, this was totally different than Ms. French. He wasn't a bug, he was made of bugs."
Giles took his glasses off to clean them. "It's quite clear we are under a very dire attack."
"These assassin guys are definitely bad news." Buffy agreed. "If Kendra hadn't been here... I wouldn't be, either, anymore."
"And I'm afraid it gets worse." Giles informed them, replacing his glasses. "While you were gone Sam called me back. He found the translation of the ritual Spike is looking to perform. It must take place in a church, on the night of the new moon."
"Tonight is a new moon." Kendra said.
"Yes. They'll likely be attempting it tonight. Assuming they can." Giles said. "The ritual also requires the sire of the vampire, in this case Drusilla, who is to be cured."
"Sire?" asked Willow.
"The, uh, vampire who created her."
"Do we know who that is?" asked Buffy.
"I'm not entirely sure." Giles said. "The Watcher diaries I've been indexing cover the right time period. I'm going to have to dig through them, hope there's a, a record."
"I believe there is." Kendra said, slowly, thoughtfully. "I remember reading about Angelus and his group, terrorizing Europe. Him, Darla, Drusilla, and Spike. I believe... it was in the diaries of Randal Winston?"
"Oh, Winston, truly? Thank you, Kendra. I'll check those right away." Giles said, heading off for his office.
"If Angel traveled with them, maybe he knows?" suggested Willow.
Buffy shook her head. "Angel's gone to ground. Too much sun. Willy said he's hiding out in the sewers somewhere, getting his strength back. It would take too long to find him. What we need to do is figure out a way to find Spike and Drusilla, so we can stop the ritual."
"Oh! Ms. Calendar!" Willow cried.
"What are you thinking, hon?"
"She's a witch. Or, technopagan, anyway. But she knows magic. She might have some way for us to find them. I'll run to her class real quick and ask."
Buffy nodded and watched her go, then sighed as she thought. She felt like she was still missing something. If the ritual was tonight, Spike would probably call the assassins back to him as guards. If they were able to find him, they'd need to deal with the fake cop and bug man.
"Kendra, do you know anything about the bug guy Xander and Cordy met?" she asked. "Weaknesses?"
"I do not." she replied with a shake of the head. "But... I believe volume six of the writings of Dramius is all information on the Order. That might tell us what we need to know."
"You heard her, Xander. Let's start digging." Buffy said, heading over to the table and its pile of books. The three of them started digging through the pile, looking for the book Kendra and mentioned. After a few moments Xander let out a cry of success, then a grunt of frustration when he realized he'd found volume 9, not 6.
"Here." Kendra said a moment later, passing over a book to Xander. "This is the volume." He grabbed the book from her and started flipping through the pages, looking for anything about bug man. He was still flipping pages when Giles came back into the room, holding an open book in his hands.
"I'm afraid things have managed to get even worse yet again." he said, getting their attention.
"What's up, Giles?" Buffy asked.
"Kendra was correct. Winston, he, he documented Angelus's trail through Europe. Including Drusilla being sired."
"Giles?" Buffy asked, starting to worry. "Who was it?"
"Angel." he answered. "He created Drusilla. He's her sire."
Buffy froze for a second. That was, potentially, really bad. They didn't know where Angel was right now. And he was weak. If Spike found him.... "Giles, this ritual? What happens to the sire?"
"It will kill him."
Buffy clenched her jaw. "We need to find the church where this ritual is going to take place."
"Agreed, and we need to work quickly. There's only a few more hours until sundown."
"We'll save Angel, Buff." Xander said, resting an arm on her shoulder.
"Angel?" Kendra asked. "Our priority should be to stop Drusilla."
"Angel's our friend." Xander said. "And he helped me save Buffy. And saving him also stops Drusilla."
Kendra was about to say something else, but the library doors swung open again and Willow came back in, with Ms. Calendar in tow, carrying papers and a bag. She spared a quick glance at Giles, but then turned her focus toward Buffy. Though, it was Willow who spoke.
"Ms. Calendar says she knows a locator spell that might help."
"Yes." Ms. Calendar said. "But I will need... something of the person I'm trying to find."
"Something like what?" asked Xander.
"Hair, or some... personal object."
"Hair or a personal object? Of Spike's?" Xander asked, incredulous.
Buffy's hand went up to her neck, her fingers tracing over the cross of her necklace. "Not Spike's." she said after a moment. Then she pulled the necklace off and held it out toward Ms. Calendar. "Angel gave me this when we first met. Will this work?"
"Angel?" she asked.
"He's Drusilla's sire. If they don't have him yet, they're look for him. They need him for the ritual."
Ms. Calendar nodded in understanding. "The necklace should work." she said, taking it. She cleared off a space on the table and started setting up for her spell.
"Oh, oh, found him!" Xander said, tapping his book. "Bug man." He leaned in closer as he read the entry. "He can only be killed... in his disassembled state. Other than that, doesn't seem to need anything specific."
"Good. Then we know how to deal with him." Buffy said. "I'm pretty sure the fake cop was just human. That's easy enough to deal with, too. Now all we need is a location."
"I should have that for you in a few more moments." Ms. Calendar said. She'd laid out a map of Sunnydale and placed a crystal on each corner. There was a lit candle between each crystal, and some kind of silvery powder spread across the map. Then she dangled the necklace over it, and chanted an incantation.
The crystals began to glow, and the necklace to swing around above the map. The powder shook, then began to gather into one area on the map, encircling a location. The crystals stopped glowing and the necklace stilled.
"I've got him." she announced.
Willow looked at the circled location, then moved over to the computer to look it up on line. "That's... Our Lady of Hope church." she told them.
"That's it. That's where they're doing the ritual." Buffy said. "And they've already got Angel."
"Then there is no time to lose." Giles said, setting his book down and heading for the cage where the weapons were kept. "It's time to gear up."
"Eligor, I name thee. Bringer of war, poisoners, pariahs, grand obscenity!" chanted Spike. In one hand he carried a book he was reading from, and in the other a smoking censer. Nearby hung Drusilla and Angel, bound together with leather straps. "Eligor, wretched master of decay, bring your black medicine. Come restore your most impious, murderous child."
Spike sat the censer down and picked up another relic, drawing from it a hidden blade. He moved over to the bound vampires, each with an arm above their heads, their palms pressed together. "From the blood of the sire she is risen! From the blood of the sire shall she rise again!" he declared, and then he stabbed the knife through their hands.
Angel cried out in pain as a blinding light flared from the point of the wound, and continued to glow like a star fallen to Earth. As he stepped away Spike clapped his hands together and smiled. "Right then. Now we just let them simmer, and-"
A loud bang cut him off as the front doors of the church were knocked open, ripped off their hinges. The body that had burst through exploded into a cloud of dust, behind which he saw Buffy walking into the room, along with her friends, and one girl he didn't recognize.
"Is this a private party, or is everyone invited?" Buffy asked, making her way towards him. Then she spotted Angel behind him and her eyes narrowed. "Let him go, Spike."
"Oh, I think I like him right where he is." Spike said with a grin. "Don't worry about him too much, though. He's got something you don't."
"And what's that?"
"Five more minutes to live. Patrice!"
The fake cop immediately brought her gun up, aiming for Buffy, but before she could pull the trigger Kendra hurled a dagger at her, impaling her. The blade embedding itself in her shoulder made her drop her gun. In the same instant Kendra and Buffy both charged toward Spike.
"It's your lucky day, Spike." Buffy announced as she reached him and punched him in the face. Kendra followed that with a kick to stomach as Buffy continued speaking. "Two Slayers for the price of one."
Around them the room devolved into chaos as the other vampires attacked Buffy's friends. But neither Buffy or Kendra could spare the time to look at them and see how they were doing. Patrice had pulled the dagger out of her shoulder and charged in to attack Buffy with it. While she fought the fake cop, Kendra found herself fighting against Spike.
Buffy quickly found herself on the ropes. The fake cop, Patrice, was extremely skilled at close combat. Even with her injured shoulder she was hard to keep up with. The knife compensated for her injury pretty well, and Buffy made a mental note to talk to Kendra about giving the enemy weapons. Glancing behind her she saw Kendra fighting Spike, and struggling just as much as she was.
"Kendra, switch!" she called out. Kendra glanced her way, then nodded and the two of them switched opponents.
"Rather be fighting you, anyway." Spike said with a sneer.
"Mutual." Buffy agreed, before punching him in the face. He growled as he recovered, face shifting and fangs growing. He charged her, swinging furiously. Buffy dodged, blocked, and countered what she could. He still managed to land several blows, but so did she.
A hard kick hit her in the stomach and knocked her back, stumbling into and over one of the pews. She just barely scrambled out of the way before Spike pounced on where she'd landed, his foot shattering the bench. Before he could recover she moved in and slammed her elbow into his face, then punched him in the stomach before upper cutting him in the jaw. While he stumbled back she bent down and picked up a piece of the shattered pew that looked like it had a pointy enough end.
She was about to advance on Spike, to stake him, when there was a flash from where Angel and Drusilla where, and Angel cried out in pain. It distracted her for a second, giving time for Spike to recover and come at her again. It also reminded her that she was on a time limit. She didn't have time to deal with Spike. She grabbed the punch he aimed at her head, twisted at her waist, yanked him in, and then kicked out slamming her foot into his chest. The blow knocked him flying back and slammed him into the far wall. Then she turned and ran for Angel, hoping she'd bought herself enough time.
Reaching him and Drusilla she dropped the bit of broken pew as she reached up and grabbed the dagger. The instant her hand touched it she cried out in pain. There was a... charge flowing through it, and it flowed into her as soon as she grabbed it. It seared her skin and seized her muscles, but she ignored it as she pulled on the handle. With a grunt she finally pulled it free, the light that had been coming from the point of impalement vanished in a flash and crack.
The pain in her hand persisted, however. She continued to ignore it as she used the dagger to cut through the leather straps biding the two vampires together. Once freed, both slumped to the ground. Angel now safe she turned her focus to Drusilla. As long as she was still around Spike would keep trying this every month until it worked. But if she killed Drusilla....
Jaw clenched in determination, she bent down and grabbed the discarded bit of pew. She was just raising it, about to bring it down into the vampire's heart, when Spike's voice sounded from across the room.
"Slayer!"
She paused, turned to look, and her eyes widened as her heart stopped.
Patrice lay unconscious on the floor near Kendra.
Buffy tightened her grip so much on the chunk of wood she held that it cut her palm, causing her hand to start bleeding.
Giles and Xander were standing frozen near the front door.
Her blood dripped from her hand onto the floor.
All of them were staring at Spike.
And Spike had Willow.
Spike had Willow.
He was standing behind her, one arm wrapped around her waist pinning her arms down. His other hand was around her throat. Her eyes were wide in fear and panic, though not as wide as Buffy's own. But... she thought she saw defiance in them, too.
"Well, doesn't this seem familiar." Spike said, the anger in his expression giving way to smug superiority. "Though tables have turned since last time, wouldn't you say, Slayer?"
Last time... the first time she'd seen Drusilla. When Ford had tried to trade her life, and that of many others, to Spike for immortality. She'd held Drusilla at stake point so he'd let everyone go. And now... now he was holding Willow hostage, likely so she'd let Drusilla go.
"What do you want, Spike?" she called. "A trade?"
"Mine for yours." he agreed. "And no funny business, or I'll rip her throat out."
"Drusilla is in no condition to walk." Buffy said.
"That's alright. I'll come to you." Spike said as he started walking forward, shoving Willow along with him. "Just keep your idiot squad clear."
"You heard him, stay back." Buffy told them. She doubted Xander or Giles needed the warning, but even with it Kendra looked like she wanted to attack him. She didn't, though. She stayed back and allowed him to approach the front of the church. He finally stopped only a few feet away from where Buffy stood over the unconscious Drusilla.
"Now what?" she asked him, trying to reassure Willow with her eyes. She doubted she could see her, however, through the tears streaming down her cheeks. But Buffy could see she'd been right. Despite the obvious fear and panic in them, Willow's eyes were also defiant. Strong.
"Back up. Back away from Dru."
Buffy clenched her empty hand into a fist, not sure what to do. If she backed away so Drusilla wasn't in danger anymore, he could just kill Willow anyway, without risk to Drusilla. She had no reason to trust he wouldn't. No reason not to believe her standing over Drusilla was the only reason Willow was still alive.
"Back. Away." he repeated, and Willow let out a squeal of pain and fear as his grip tightened on her throat. But the defiance still burned in her eyes, and seeing that strength gave Buffy strength, too.
"No." Buffy said, managing more steel in her voice than she thought she'd be able to. "You give me Willow, first."
Spike snorted. "And I'm just supposed to trust you not to stake Dru soon as I let Red go?"
"I give you my word. None of us will attack Drusilla."
"Your word?" he scoffed.
"Which of us is the soulless monster?" Buffy asked him. "Which of us is more likely to keep their promise? I let her go last time, didn't I?"
He stared at her for a moment, lips pursed in thought. Then there was a pop as he made his decision and opened his mouth. "Alright. Your word. Neither you, or your friends, will attack Dru, will even so much as move from your spots, until we're out."
"It's a deal." she said to him, then looked at the others. "Right?"
He glanced over and looked as well, watched each of them nod their agreement. Turning back to Buffy he gave her a curt nod, then roughly shoved Willow at her. Buffy caught and pulled her into a one armed hug while he scooped Drusilla up off the floor. "Been fun, Slayer. Catch you later." he said, standing and running for the exit.
Holding Willow to her with one arm she could feel her girlfriend's entire body shaking as she cried against her shoulder. Watching Spike's retreating back, feeling Willow against, hearing her sobs, the image of his hand around her throat wouldn't leave her mind. After a couple seconds of indecision she raised the arm holding the broken chunk of wood and, with a grunt of effort, pitched it forward like a javelin.
It sailed through the air, across the expanse of the room, and pierced through Spike's back. The force of the impact hurled him forward, slamming him into the pipe organ just before he exploded into dust. Drusilla fell as the organ collapsed around her, knocking over several candle stands and setting the church on fire. After a moment of stunned shock the others all quickly rushed over to where Buffy stood, to check on her, Willow, and Angel.
"What happened to letting him go?" Kendra asked, looking at her somewhat surprised.
Buffy shrugged. "I promised we wouldn't attack Drusilla. Never said I wouldn't attack him." she said. "Nobody threatens my girlfriend."
"Remind me to never piss you off." Xander said, smiling. "How is she?"
Buffy reached a hand up and gently stroked the back of Willow's head. "She'll be ok." she said, trying to convince herself as much as the others. The strength and defiance she'd seen in her eyes helped her to believe it.
"We should clear out." said Giles. "Go ahead and get Willow out, we'll see to Angel."
"Are you sure you have to go already?" Buffy asked. After escaping the church Giles had driven them all to Buffy's house - her mom was in L.A. all week so there were no worries about awkward questions - before leaving to take Angel home. Buffy had taken Willow up to her room and gotten her settled in her bed, while Kendra had called her Watcher, and then a cab. It had just arrived to take her to the airport, and the two of them were standing next to it, saying their goodbyes.
"I do. Mr. Zabuto says that if the job here is done then I am needed elsewhere." Kendra replied. "Besides, Sunnydale is in good hands."
"Well, thank you for helping us save Angel."
"I am not telling me Watcher about that. A Slayer, friends with a vampire? It is too weird."
"Hey, it could be weirder. I used to date him."
"You definitely do things your own way, don't you?" Kendra asked with a smile.
Buffy shrugged. "Until they fire me."
"You keep doing that."
"Doing what?"
"Talk about slaying like it's your job. It's not. It's who you are."
"You get that from the Watcher diaries?"
Kendra shook her head. "No. From you."
"Guess I can't hide it. I'm a freak."
"Not the only one."
Buffy smiled. "Not anymore. So, don't be a stranger, alright? You've got my number, and Giles's. Check in now and again, so I know you're still out there."
"I will. Promise." Kendra said as she slid into the backseat of the cab.
Buffy watched until the cab turned the corner and disappeared out of sight, then turned around walked back to the house. Xander was standing by the front door, waiting for her. "What's up?" she asked.
"Just wanted to say goodnight before I took off." he said.
"What? No, you're not walking home in the dark." Buffy said, shaking her head. "You have to stay. You can crash on the couch."
"Your couch is quite comfy, but I don't want to be in the way. Will's... she's really shaken up. She needs her girlfriend tonight."
"And she can get her, even with you down here on the couch." Buffy said, pushing him back inside, before closing the door behind them.
"Buff-"
"Xander, this is me reminding you to never piss me off."
"Willow would be very cross if you staked me."
"Only until she found out you were giving me lip. Then she'd understand. Couch. Now."
"Ok, ok. I'll stay." Xander relented, putting his hands up in surrender, and walking over to the couch. He looked like he was about to say something, but he stopped and his expression shifted. Became more somber. "She's in a bad way, Buff. I've never seen her so freaked."
Buffy nodded. "I know." she said softly. Willow had tried to hide it, to put on a brave face, but she'd still been shaking like a leaf in a hurricane. "Spike's dust, so that should help her with the dealing."
"You got pancake mix in the kitchen?"
"Yeah, why?" she asked, confused by the sudden shift in topic.
"Good. I'll make her some Mickey Mouse pancakes in the morning. Those have always helped her feel better." he answered.
Buffy felt her eyes start to sting and quickly blinked away the tears as she pulled him into a hug, surprising him. "I love you, Xander." she said. After a second for the surprise to fade he returned the hug, patting her on the back a couple of times, before they pulled apart again.
"Go." Xander said, jerking his chin toward the stairs.
"Goodnight." Buffy told him, as she left him in the living room and made her way upstairs. She found Willow laying in her bed where she'd left her, but now curled up in the fetal position. She looked so small, so fragile. The pain she felt was matched by an anger that made her wish she could bring Spike back, just so she could stake him again, and again, and again.
Buffy walked over, climbed onto the bed, and sat beside her, gently stroking her hair. "I'm so sorry, Will." she said quietly, after a few moments.
"What for?" Willow asked softly, sounding legitimately confused. "Saving me?"
"Putting you in danger. Again."
"What?" Willow asked, voice louder, stronger, as she uncurled and sat up, staring at Buffy. "I made a choice. I helped because I wanted to help. You, Angel. I knew it was dangerous. I chose to do it anyway, and I'd do it again."
"Willow...." Buffy whispered, a little surprised by strength in her girlfriend's voice, and her gaze, despite the fact she was still shaking. "I... I don't want you getting hurt, because of me."
"Not because of." Willow said. "For."
"For?"
Willow nodded. "To help you. Protect you. Just like you would do for me, yeah?"
"Of course I would. Not even a question."
Willow reached over and took Buffy's hands. Buffy was again surprised at the strength in her gaze, and voice. Even if there was a faint tremble as she spoke. "I won't lie... I-I was terrified after he grabbed me. I'm-I'm still shaking. But I don't regret going. Just like I don't regret distracting that guy last night, either. I love you, Buffy. I'll do anything for you. Face anything. You give me the strength to do it. Same as you said I gave you the strength to face the Master. You make me strong, and want to be stronger."
"Willow...." Buffy whispered, blinking away more tears. She couldn't tell which emotion was more responsible for them. Her thoughts and fears of Willow being hurt, or the love she was feeling from her words. "I don't want to see you hurt...."
"And I don't want to see you hurt, either." she said. "You may be the Slayer, but... we're girlfriends. Partners. We're in this together. That's why I'll do whatever I can to protect you, no matter what the cost. Just as I know you would do for me. And together, we'll be invincible."
Buffy took a deep breath as she caressed Willow's non-bruised cheek. "You're incredible, you know that?"
"Only because of you." Willow replied.
And then Willow leaned in and their lips met again, and all other thoughts fled from Buffy's mind. As they kissed Buffy felt Willow's trembling slow, and then stop. Felt a hand rest gently on her leg, then slide up to her stomach, slipping under her shirt and caressing her bare skin. The contact made Buffy pull back from the kiss, they'd never gone under clothes before.
"Willow?"
Willow smiled at her. "Tonight... I knew you'd do whatever you could to save me, but I still thought... what would I regret, if you couldn't? And... there was just-just one thing I could think of. Never being with you. Never sharing... all of me with you. I, I'm ready."
Buffy smiled, but shook her head. "Hon... don't, don't take this the wrong way, but... I'm not. Don't get me wrong, the suggestion has started a really, really, fun movie playing in the back of my mind. And... I'm really looking forward to it, one day. Just...."
"Not today."
"Are you disappointed?"
Willow shook her head. "Never. Little, little surprised I got there first, but I don't mind waiting. I'll wait as long as you need. I want it to be perfect, for both of us."
"This is pretty perfect right here." Buffy said with a smile as they both lay down and cuddled up together. When they shared a bed it was always Willow who held Buffy. Buffy was the Slayer, always bearing the burden of protecting the world, and it felt good for her to be able to let go. To be the one being held, being protected. And Willow liked holding her, being able to give her that peace while she rested.
They'd never thought about it, never talked about it. They just did it. Knew it, instinctively. Just as, tonight, they instinctively knew to switch. That, despite the strength and resolve she'd presented, tonight Willow needed to be the one being held. To have that feeling of being surrounded, protected. And so they settled in with Buffy nuzzled against Willow's shoulder, and her arms wrapped around her, without a word said about it.
