Chapter 2

Xander stomped his way down the street, all the while muttering under his breath. Who the hell did Buffy think she was anyway? Didn’t she learn her lesson with Deadboy? It had been a couple hours since he had left Buffy’s house, and he was still so angry he could spit nails.

In his fit of anger, Xander wasn’t watching where he was going, and he ran smack dab into another person. When he went to help the person up, he realized it was Warren Meers. He grabbed the shorter man by the shoulders, and he shook him like a rag doll.

“What the fuck did you do, asshole?” Xander screamed. “You magicked them up so they’d want that undead thing, didn’t you?”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about!” Warren struggled against Harris’ grip, but he didn’t have years of working by the Slayer’s side or doing construction work to toughen up his muscles. “I didn’t do anything to anyone. It’s a big fat lie thought up by those idiots Wells and Levinson.”

“Whatever!” Xander dragged Meers off towards the closest bar. If he was going to get drunk again, he wasn’t going to do it alone.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The drive to Los Angeles was a good two hours long. The gang made small talk until about half way there when Buffy got extremely quiet for a few minutes. Spike looked at her for a few seconds, and he could tell she was struggling with her emotions. “Are you okay, pet?” He reached out to take Buffy’s hand.

Buffy shook her head while she turned her hand over to link her fingers with his. “I want to tell you all how sorry I am for everything. How I’ve treated you all since my return has been terrible. I’ve been a terrible friend, sister, and girlfriend. I have ignored all of you and hurt all of you for months. Some of you I’ve hurt more than others.” She glanced at Spike through her lashes.

“It’s been hard on all of us,” Tara said softly. “I can’t imagine what it’s been like for you, Buffy.”

“I can’t sleep because of the nightmares.” Buffy shook her head. “I’m never hungry any more, no matter how much I force myself to eat. I feel weird all the time. Like I’m supposed to know something, but I just can’t figure it out.”

“You slept just fine with me,” Spike replied. He figured the Scooby females in the back seat knew enough about his relationship with the Slayer not to be surprised by anything he said.

“Yeah, that’s the only time I didn’t have nightmares,” Buffy huffed.

“Does this have anything to do with why you feel you came back wrong?” Tara asked. “You didn’t mention nightmares and lack of appetite before.”

The Slayer let out a huff of air. “I was trying to convince everyone that I was just fine.”

“Everyone except Spike,” Dawn added. She was a bit disappointed that her sister hadn’t felt confident enough to confide in her.

“He was the only one who didn’t expect me to be fine.” Buffy tightened her grip on the vamp’s hand. “He let me be whatever I wanted to be. I needed that.”

Each of the other three girls in the car felt guilty over how they had unthinkingly treated Buffy because they had expected her to be fine with everything. Even after they found out she had been in heaven, they each thought she would snap out of it in just a few short weeks. Dawn felt bad that she had only added extra stress to her already burden laden sister while Tara was glad she hadn’t said anything nasty to Buffy about her relationship with Spike. Willow was feeling the guiltiest of all. After all, it had been her idea and her power that had pulled Buffy out of heaven.

“I’m so sorry, Buffy.” Willow looked sad, and her lower lip quivered. “I don’t think I can make enough cookies to make up for all of this.”

“It’s okay, Will.” Buffy assured her friend. “I’m over it mostly, but we’re going to be dealing with the consequences of your actions really soon.”

Willow gave an owl-eyed stare at Spike. She remembered his rant about the consequences of magic when Buffy returned from the dead. She thought the demon that had traveled with Buffy back to their dimension had been the only result of her spell.

Buffy fell silent for a moment. She was reluctant to tell the others about what would have happened between Spike and herself in the bathroom earlier that evening if the vision hadn’t interfered. She had changed that course of events already by accepting Spike. However, she wanted to tell everyone present about other things. Without Spike’s attack none of them would understand the desire for a soul.

Buffy took a deep cleansing breath. Spike was there for her actions, and she was sure Tara had an inkling of what had happened between her and the vampire. Buffy started to speak, “I’ve been sending Spike mixed signals since we started our relationship. I’d tell him no, and then give in. I broke up with him, and yet when I saw him moving on I was so jealous.”

“Wasn’t movin’ on, pet. Not in the way you think.” Spike stared out at the road, but he didn’t pull his hand away from Buffy’s grip. “I went there for a spell to dull the pain. Anyanka and I didn’t plan it. We were just hurtin’.”

Buffy nodded. The vision had helped her deal with how she had treated her vampire, and how much she really loved him. “I saw that things got bad enough between us that Spike decided to get me what I deserved.” She shuddered as she remembered seeing the trials that he would go through just to prove his worth.

Dawn, Willow, and Tara looked at Buffy with wide eyes. What on earth would the soulless vampire in love with a Slayer think she deserved?

Dawn finally asked the question that was on everyone’s mind, “What did he think you deserved?”

“A soul,” Buffy whispered. “Specifically, his soul without a happy clause.”

“No way,” Dawn gasped. “That’s so cool.”

Spike stayed silent as the girls talked about him getting a soul. He had no idea what could have transpired to cause him to do such an action. Frankly, he didn’t think he wanted to know.

“Warren shot me and Tara,” Buffy blurted out. “Tara died, and you went all witchy ballistic, Will. Like that vampWillow back during senior year. Black hair and eyes with these nasty veins all through your skin is so not your look.”

Willow covered her mouth with both hands. She stared at Buffy’s bent head with fear. She thought she was recovering from her addiction to using magic to solve every little problem.

“You couldn’t save Tara, but you were able to save me. Then, you go on a rampage. You suck all the spells out of the books at the Magic Box, kill Rack…”

“No big loss there,” Dawn muttered.

“Skin Warren alive, try to kill us all, and end the world. Xander actually saves the world. It’s different now though.” Buffy stared at the interlocking fingers in her lap. “We didn’t go to Los Angeles last time. I don’t know why Angel’s calling Spike either. He never said anything about it in the vision.”

“Too busy from the sounds of it,” Spike said softly.

The other occupants of the car took a few minutes to process what Buffy had told them what their futures could have been like if she hadn’t had her vision. Dawn and Tara both hugged the distraught Willow.

“Tell us the rest, Slayer,” Spike replied in a steely voice. He knew it couldn’t be good by any stretch of the imagination. He wondered what kind of apocalypse could possibly be worse than Glory. “What are we dealin’ with?”

“Lesson the first, oddly appropriated actually,” Buffy started her answer. “Shortly after you kidnapped Xander and Willow here for that stupid love spell, Angel tried to meet the sunrise.”

Spike raised an eyebrow. What would make the poofter actually contemplate suicide?

“The First Evil is back?” Willow practically shouted. She hadn’t actually met up with the Bringers during that chaotic time, but she remembered Buffy’s stories and Giles’ research.

Buffy nodded. “It’ll start killing the Potentials and their Watchers very soon. Maybe already, I don’t know. I need to call Giles to warn him. Maybe we can save some of them this time.”

“We’ll do that as soon as we get to Los Angeles,” Spike assured Buffy. He could care less about the Potentials and their Watchers. They were just pulsers to him, but he could tell that Buffy cared.

“There are a few small things to deal with, but the main one is to get rid of the First without Spike and his soul sinking our hometown into the ground.” Buffy rolled her eyes. “Without a soul, my boyfriend won’t be vampire flambé saving the world. Angel can wear the Liz Taylor bauble this time.”

“We need to write everything down before you forget,” Tara said. She was stunned by Buffy’s revelations. She was sure the others were too. Even Buffy herself seemed stunned. Spike still hadn’t said anything about getting a soul. Tara thought that he’d be quite vocal on the subject.

“The vision showed me that I love Spike.” Buffy wiped her face where tears suddenly streamed down her cheeks. “I want to be happy for a change. Spike makes me happy.”

“Finally!” Dawn punched the air with one fist. “Took you long enough, Buff.”

“Are you sure about this, Buffy?” Willow asked.

“Yes, I am,” Buffy answer with firm resolve. “When we’re in Los Angeles we’re going to find a way to take the chip out.”

“What?” Spike yelled. He turned to stare at the Slayer. “Are you daft?” Then, he turned his eyes back to the road. The street that Angel’s hotel was on was just up ahead.

“No, I’m not.” Buffy shook her head, and she didn’t take offense to the vampire’s words. She figured he thought she’d stake him once he was chipless. “We only have a few months before it goes on the fritz. I’d rather the Initiative not know about its removal.”

Spike shook his head in disbelief. Sure, he could hurt the Slayer – boy, had he been surprised when she climbed onto his cock instead of staking him when she found that little nugget of truth – but he had never thought she would willingly allow the chip to be removed.

Any further conversation was put on hold when Spike pulled the Jeep up in front of the Hyperion hotel. Spike searched his senses before he said, “He’s not here.”

The women knew that the vamp meant Angel.

“Do you think something bad happened to him?” Buffy asked. She tried to get Spike to discern what the feelings could mean. She turned worried eyes to Spike. “He’s not dust, is he?”

“No, not dust, but what he’s feelin’ isn’t normal for him,” Spike replied. Despite her worry, he could tell that Buffy’s only concern was for a friend, not a lover. He wasn’t sure how he could tell considering just a few months before she had told him she only got hot for one vampire.

“Hopefully Cordy or Wes will know more.” Buffy opened the door, and she slid out of the car. She waited for the others to join her on the sidewalk. Together they entered the gate that led to Angel’s abode.

“New place, isn’t it?” Spike looked around the courtyard.

“Last time I was here he still had that hole in the wall office,” Buffy murmured as she stared at the huge building.

“It’s been awhile, huh?” Spike took Buffy’s hand.

“Yeah, last time I was here he said L.A. was his town, and I wasn’t welcome anymore.” Buffy grimaced at the memory.

“And this is the great love of your life?” Spike almost sneered, but he caught himself at the last second. It wouldn’t do to brass off the Slayer.

“He did come to Sunnydale to apologize, remember. Besides, no, he’s not the great love of my life.” Buffy shook her head. “That title falls to a different, more annoying vampire.”

Spike was stunned at first. Then, he beamed at the Slayer’s admission that it was him, not the grand poofter that was the one who Buffy wanted in her life and her heart.

Dawn, Willow, and Tara giggled at Spike’s ever changing expressions. Like the bleached blond vamp, they had no idea that Buffy’s feeling had changed so drastically against Angel. They knew the meeting after her resurrection hadn’t been the most pleasant, but the Slayer hadn’t been too forthcoming as to why. Each one had their own speculations about the change, but they kept their ideas to themselves.

The Scoobies stepped into the lobby of the Hyperion. There was no one is sight, but the lights were on.

“Wes? Cordelia?” Willow called out. “Anyone home? We’ve come to check on Angel.”

“Willow!” A voice with a twang rang out.

The Scoobies turned to see a tall, skinny woman come down the stairs. Behind her was a bald black guy. For a moment, Buffy thought it was Robin Wood from her vision, but as the couple got closer she realized this was a different guy. Both bald men were tall and sexy, but that was all they had in common.

“Fred. Gunn.” Willow grinned. “Where are the others?”

“We can’t find Angel or Cordy. There’s no sign of them, and they’re not picking up their cell phones.” Fred looked worried. “Lorne moved out, and Connor’s gone too.”

“Who’s Connor?” Buffy glanced at the other Scoobies. She had heard about Fred, Lorne, and Gunn from both Willow and Angel, but Connor was a new one on her.

“Oh goodness, didn’t Angel call and tell you?” Fred’s hands fluttered in the air.

“No, none of us have talked to Angel in months,” Willow replied.

“Well, um… you see… uh, did you know that Darla was back?” Fred had no idea how to tell Angel’s ex – who he had left because they couldn’t be together sexually – that he’d had a son with a different ex.

“Yeah, Dru mentioned it during her visit to Sunnyhell,” Spike answered with a nod. “We had our own problems at the time. The old whore wasn’t much of a priority.”

“Who are you?” Gunn glared at the bleached blond male. Anyone who knew either vampiress was not good in his book.

“Goddess, I forgot to do the introductions.” Willow was embarrassed by her lack of manners. “Guys, this is Fred Burkle and Charles Gunn. Fred, Gunn, this is Tara MacClay, Dawn Summers, Buffy Summers, and Spike.”

“Doesn’t he have a last name?” Fred asked innocently.

“It’s ‘the Bloody!” Buffy giggled.

“Oh, har bloody har, Slayer,” Spike growled. However the Slayer’s giggle was infectious, and he found himself grinning at her.

“Spike’s a vamp,” Dawn said proudly.

Fred and Gunn both stepped back.

Buffy rolled her eyes. “He won’t hurt you. He knows what side his bread is buttered on. Anyway, back to this Connor guy? What’s he got to do with that mother attacking ho?”

“He’s Darla and Angel’s son,” Gunn took up the narrative. “She dusted herself to give birth to him. A few months later Connor was kidnapped, and he ended up in another dimension. After we thought he was lost forever, he showed back up fully grown.”

Spike let out a snort. “How’d Gramps manage to sprog up the old whore?”

“Prophecy,” Gunn and Fred said together.

“Oh my favorite word… Not!” Buff looked around. “Where’s Wes?”

Gunn’s face turned cold. “We don’t talk about that traitor. How can he possible think that Angel would eat Connor? Conner was Angel’s own son.”

“Obviously you haven’t met Angelus. Not like some of us have,” Dawn replied. “He ate his whole family when he was turned.”

Spike nodded. “Ate the whole bloody village. If Angelus appeared a babe would be the tastiest treat to the soddin’ wanker.”

“Angel’s in trouble.” Buffy tapped her lip with one finger. “I think we need Wes, regardless of what you all think of him.”

“No, we don’t!” Gunn pointed at Buffy. “I said we don’t want anything to do with him. We can handle this on our own.”

“There’s more going on here than you understand, mister,” Buffy replied. “Are you ready to deal with an incorporeal evil by yourselves?”

“What the hell are you talking about?” Gunn advanced on Buffy, but a deep growl from Spike stopped his movements.

Buffy put a hand on Spike’s arm to stop his menacing posturing. Normally it would have bothered her, but this time she decided it was pretty darned sexy. “I don’t know what Angel’s told you about his time in Sunnydale, but the First Evil is back. We need all the help we can get to defeat this thing.” Buffy let the Slayer bleed through her words. “We need Wes’ help. So, buck up and deal with it.”

“There is no way we’re going to work with him,” Gunn’s voice was filled with contempt.

“Fine. Whatever.” Buffy held up a hand. “We need Faith out of prison. Why don’t you two work on that? Let me call Giles.” She crossed the lobby to the phone.

“Is she always this scary?” Fred whispered. Everything she had been told about the Slayer had never said the woman was that frightening.

“Pretty much,” Dawn replied. “Despite her deaths, she’s a damned good Slayer.”

“Language, Bit,” Spike admonished the young girl. He turned to the remaining members of Angel’s team. “She’s the best I’ve ever seen. I should know because I’ve killed two in combat.” His eyes brightened considerably when his eyes fell on Buffy’s turned back.

“Hi, Giles,” Buffy said as brightly as she could. The news was bad, and she felt the need to make the announcement lighthearted. “I had a Slayer dream or a vision or something like that. The First Evil is back, and we need Faith out of jail.”

“Good Lord, are you sure, Buffy?” Giles response was immediate.

Buffy could practically hear the Watcher cleaning his glasses through the phone. “Yes, I’m sure. Another thing, Spike says something’s going on with Angel. We’re here in Los Angeles, and they can’t find him. The two people here are mad at Wesley right now, and they won’t work with him.”

“This doesn’t bode well as Angel was the First’s target last time. Have you written this all down?”

“Not yet. Tara and I will as soon as we talk to Wesley,” Buffy assured her Watcher. “The First had a different target in my vision, but that’s not going to happen. I’ve already changed it. By coming to Los Angeles, Warren Meers won’t have a chance to kill Tara, Willow won’t try to end the world in her rage, and I have two of Angel’s crew here to help you with Faith.”

“I’ll start another search on the First Evil here at the Council archives.” Giles started to write down his game plan. “Hopefully there will be more information somewhere in the records. I’ll get my friend Reggie Bey to help me. I’ll be talking to Travers as soon as possible.”

“Tell him if he doesn’t co-operate, I’m coming to England for a nice long visit.” Buffy wasn’t above threatening the pompous Council Head.

Giles chuckled at the thought. That would be one confrontation that he’d love to see again. “Anything else?”

“I need a salary. Working at the Doublemeat Palace sucks.” Buffy grimaced. “Oh, and the First is going to try to take out the Slayer line. It starts by killing the Potentials and their Watchers. The Council’s not safe either. Big boom results in dead Watchers.”

“Bloody hell.” The words slipped from the stunned Giles’ lips. What kind of dream had his Slayer had? “You deal with Angel, Buffy. I’ll start on my end. Will Wesley help you? I understand he’s turned into an efficient researcher since Sunnydale.”

“I don’t know,” Buffy answered. “Apparently, some events here in L.A. turned wiggy, and Wes is person au gratin now.”

“You’re reverting to your teenaged self,” Giles chuckled at Buffy’s misuse of words. “It’s person non gratis.”

“Oh right. Well, last time I was this happy I was a teenager.” Buffy turned to grin at Spike. “I have a boyfriend.”

“Do I know this boy?”

“Of course you do!” Buffy suppressed a laugh. He’s your son after all.”

“YOU’RE DATING SPIKE?!”