Angel peered out into the darkness.  He hated the darkness and what it represented to his soul.  He had sent out a desperate cry of help across the familial bloodlines.  Surprisingly the one to answer him was Spike. There was another slightly interested reply, but it was the bleached blond William the Bloody that responded the strongest.  Angel knew the younger vampire was in Sunnydale.  He had sworn that he caught Spike’s scent when he visited Buffy after Joyce died.  He was comforted to know that it wouldn’t take Spike long to at least get to Los Angeles.

During Willow’s visit after Buffy’s death, the dark-haired vampire got the impression that Spike had feelings for the Slayer.  With her return, Angel was sure that Spike was nearby.  He’d bet his last dollar that at least Spike would answer the call.  No matter what kind of bad blood was between them, the younger vampire still hid the kind Victorian gentleman deep within his heart.  It was something that made Angelus furious, but Angel would be grateful for it.

Angel closed his eyes.  He meditated until he separated his mind from his body.  While in this state, he went over the idea of Spike loving Buffy, and he found himself not upset by the idea.  Both Angel and Buffy had moved one from each other.  As much as he didn’t like Spike, Buffy could make worse choices for a lover.  Besides if Spike really had answered the call, then Angel might – just might – put aside some of their differences for Buffy.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*

“YOU’RE DATING SPIKE?!”

“Well, yeah,” Buffy replied in a calm tone to Giles’ bellow.  “Who the heck else can put up with Bitchy Buffy?  No other guys can take a Slayer beating and come back for more.”  She cringed even as she said it, but she was glad for vampire healing.

“Buffy!”  Giles felt worried now.  His Slayer didn’t randomly beat anyone up, not even Spike.  In fact, he had thought Spike and Buffy were almost friendly before he left Sunnydale.  “What are you talking about?  What did you do?”  Everything was in such a jumble.  Had he made an error in judgment leaving Sunnydale when he did?  Was his exit a catalyst to Buffy slipping further instead of snapping out of her previous behavior?

Spike eavesdropped on Buffy’s conversation with her Watcher.  When she admitted to beating him up, he heard Giles’ terse questions.  He didn’t like the tears that filled the Slayer’s eyes.  Spike rushed to Buffy’s side, and he took the phone away from her.  He spoke into the receiver, “Nothing you need to worry about, Rupes.”

“Spike, what is going on?” 

“Just what the Slayer said,” the vampire answered.  He put his arm around Buffy, and he pulled her to his chest.  “She had a vision about the future, and we need your help.”

“If you’ve hurt her…” Giles growled.  Any sympathy for Spike disappeared the moment he thought his surrogate daughter’s safety might be in jeopardy.

Spike sighed.  “Look, Watcher, I love Buffy with all my heart.  I know that doesn’t thrill you, but there you have it.  You want the girl to grow up?  Then, bloody hell, mate, you need to respect her decisions.  Let her make her own mistakes.”

“So, you’re admitting you’re a mistake?” Giles grunted.

Buffy brushed her tears away, and she took the phone away from Spike before he could give Giles a piece of his mind.  “Look, Giles, we have bigger fish to fry than my dating choices.  Find out what you can on the First, and get Faith out of jail.”

“But, Buffy…”

“Spike’s right.  It sounds amazing but it’s true.  If you want me to be an adult, you need to respect my decisions.”  Buffy leaned into Spike’s side.  Her soft voice was filled with resolve and finality.

“I will concede, Buffy,” Giles agreed with great reluctance.  He realized that both Buffy and Spike had a point.  “I don’t like it though.”

“You don’t have to, Giles.”  Buffy nodded to herself.  She didn’t want to tell her Watcher about something else she’d seen in her vision, yet another betrayal of her at his hands.  It hadn’t happened yet, and Buffy resolved that it wouldn’t happen at all.  “Look, we have a lot to do here.  Can I call you tomorrow night at the same time?”

“I’ll try to have some answers by then.”

“Thanks, Giles.”  Buffy grinned.  “Bye.”  She hung up the phone.  Then, she turned to the remaining members of Angel’s group, and in a tone that booked no argument, she said, “Tell me where Wesley lives.”

“You better tell her,” Dawn replied in a knowing voice.  “She’s mean when she’s grumpy.”

Fred took a good hard look at the resolved faces of the Slayer and her friends before she decided to just give them the address.  “We’ll be spending the night elsewhere,” Fred said when she handed Buffy the information.  “Come on, Charles.”

After Fred and Gunn left the hotel lobby, Spike made an observation about the couple’s grand exit.  In a dry tone of voice he said, “I’ve always wondered how the hell Peaches incites such loyalty.”

“Maybe it’s magic.”  Buffy shrugged.  “Wouldn’t be the first time.”  She blushed under Spike’s perusal.  “You’ve broken whatever hold he had on me, Spike.”  She leaned in to give him a kiss on the lips.

Spike stiffened for a moment unused to her public displays of affection before he hauled the Slayer into his arms.  He molded her body into his, enjoying the glide of their dueling tongues until someone cleared their throat.

“Break it up, you two,” Tara said.  “We don’t need any cramps right now.”

Dawn and Willow stared at Tara with blank faces.  Tara blushed.  She was saved from answering by Spike.

“Private joke from Buffy’s birthday,” Spike answered the stares.  He pulled away from Buffy with a chuckle, “Whatever you say, witchlet.”

“I can’t believe how stupid those two are.”  Willow shuddered at the memories of the evil dark-haired vampire.  “Angelus is no laughing matter.”

“No, he isn’t.  Sometimes people refuse to see the truth until it bites them, literally in this case.”  Buffy agreed.  “Let’s go find Wesley.”

A little while later the Sunnydale natives stood outside Wesley’s apartment poised to knock.  When the girls faltered, Spike took it upon himself to pound on the door.  They needed answers, and the group couldn’t afford to be all namby pamby about disturbing the Brit’s privacy.

“I told you I didn’t want any,” A voice rasped from the other side.  The door jerked open.  “Go away,” Wesley broke off speaking when he saw who was really outside his abode.  “Buffy?”

“Hey, Wesley.”  Buffy gave the ex-Watcher a small wave.

“Buffy,” Wesley breathed out.  He was surprised to see the Slayer on his doorstep.  “I wasn’t expecting you.”

“Yeah, sorry about that, but we need some help.  Can we come in?”  Buffy gave her other ex-Watcher a bright grin.  “I’ll even vouch for Spike here.”

Wesley stared at the only male on his doorstep.  “William the Bloody?”  Buffy was one of the last people he expected to see on his doorstep, but the sight of the notorious vampire made him even more nervous.  Was Spike there to exact familial revenge on him?  Surely Buffy wouldn’t allow that, he thought to himself.

“”ello, mate.”  Spike nodded.  He’d be civil for Buffy’s sake.  “I knew a Wyndam-Pryce once.  Actually the bloke was a cousin on my Father’s side.”

“You had a father?” Dawn asked with a sparkle in her eye.  She loved teasing Spike.

“Cone on, Bit.  I wasn’t born a demon,” Spike grumbled.  He didn’t mind Dawn teasing him, but he had a rep to protect.  He couldn’t be the Big Bad if a teenage girl managed to yank his chain so easily.

Wesley rolled his eyes.  He relaxed a little bit.  Spike wasn’t acting like a vampire bent on revenge.  He was curious why they were there.  “Come in, Spike.  I expect the Slayer will keep you in line.”

“Was that the cousin that married the regurgitating demon?” Buffy asked.  She slipped in between Spike and Wesley to enter the apartment.

“No, pet.  Technically that one wasn’t a cousin at all, just some poor bint Darla turned decades ago.”  Spike shrugged.  “Not sure how she ended up with the regurgitatin’ demon.”

“You guys are weird,” Dawn said.  She grinned at Wesley when she looked him over from head to toe.  “Lookin’ good, Wes.  Better than what I remember from when you were in Sunnydale.  Not that it was real or anything, you know.”

Wesley ushered Willow and Tara into the room, and he shut the door.  Turning to the newcomers, asked, “Why are you here?  Not that I’m not thrilled to see a friendlier face, of course.”

“Wes, this is Tara.  She’s my….” Willow broke off mid-introduction.  She wasn’t sure how Wes would take the news.  Then again, she wasn’t exactly sure what Tara would allow them to be called.

“I’m her girlfriend,” Tara said.  She ducked her head to watch Willow’s reaction from behind her long curtain of hair.

Willow’s face broke out in a bright grin.  “Yeah, she’s my girl.”

Buffy let out a sigh of relief.  She hoped that they would figure it out for themselves just how good things could be again without her interference.  She turned back to Wesley.  “I had a Slayer vision, and Spike says there’s something wrong with Angel.  We could really use your help.”

“I’m sure Angel wouldn’t be happy with my help.”  Wesley’s voice was filled with bitterness.  He couldn’t believe how unforgiving the dark-haired vampire was when all he had done was try to protect Connor.

“Yeah, we heard about the falling out over Angel’s son,” Willow replied.  “We’re right there with you, really.  If we read something that said Angelus was gonna eat a baby we’d run off with it too.  We know just how likely that could be.  You should have come to us, though.”

“Somehow, I don’t think dear old gramps is in much of a position to protest your help, mate,” Spike interjected with a grimace.  “He’s never used the bloodline to call any of us before.  Something big has gone down.”  He had no idea just how literal his interpretation of the situation was.

“Fred and Gunn weren’t much help either,” Willow said.  “They’re pretty biased against you.”

“I bet.”  Wesley sat down in a weary manner.  “I don’t suppose they told you I let him be kidnapped by Holtz…”

“The vampire hunter from before I was turned?” Spike interrupted.  He recognized the name, but he had no idea how Holtz could still be around.

Wesley nodded.  “The very same.  It appears that he made a pact with a demon, and he was in suspended animation for centuries.”

“That sounds a bit hypocritical for someone like that to do,” Willow interrupted.

“Hate and love will make people do strange things.”  Spike smiled at Buffy.  “From what I remember of Darla and Angelus’ braggin’ over the years, Holtz falls into the hate department.”

“Is that possible?” Buffy asked Wesley about Holtz.  If the hunter was from before Spike was turned the guy had to be ancient.

“Apparently so.”  Wesley put his elbows on his knees, and he rested his head in his hands.  “Holtz escaped to a hell dimension with Connor.  A couple of months later, the boy appeared in the Hyperion, fully grown and with a hatred for vamps.  This hatred was for Angel specifically.”

“That sucks,” Buffy observed.  She wasn’t in love with Angel anymore, but not even he deserved for his kid to hate him for no reason.

“I still say you should have come to Sunnydale.  We would have helped since we know how Angelus can be,” Willow replied.  She patted Wesley on the shoulder.

Tara nodded in agreement with her girlfriend.  She saw how upset Wesley’s aura was, and she wanted to comfort the tall, lanky man.  Tara laid her hand on Wesley’s other shoulder.  She sent him healing thoughts.  She was surprised at how open the man was to the influence.  He accepted it naturally and contentedly.

Wesley laid a hand on Tara’s hand.  “Thank you, my dear.  It has been very hard for me.”  He smiled warmly at Tara’s kindness.  He knew that even white magic took a little something from the caster, and he was grateful for the gift she bestowed on him.  “I feel better now.”  He turned to Buffy.  “What’s this about a Slayer vision?”

Buffy nodded.  “It was ‘Gone with the Wind’ style in full 3D and everything.”  She pushed Spike onto the couch, and she perched on one of his knees.  She ignored Wesley’s wide eyed expression at her actions.  “Grab some paper for Tara, Wesley.  We’re in for a long talk.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*

Giles stared at the phone after he hung up the receiver.  “How on earth did Buffy decide to date Spike?”

After a few moments of thought, Giles shook himself out of his stupor.  “No time for that now, Ripper.  The First Evil is more important than Buffy’s dating habits.”  He hoped her dating habits didn’t lead to another apocalypse this time.  He didn’t truly blame her for Angelus’ appearance, but he couldn’t help being concerned.  He picked up the phone, and he dialed a familiar number.

A few rings later a cool professional voice came onto the other end of the receiver, “Quentin Travers’ office.  How may I help you?”

“Jane, it’s Rupert Giles.  It’s imperative that I speak to Quentin as soon as possible.”

“Mr. Travers is in a meeting right now, Rupert.”  Jane’s voice warmed up when she heard who was on the other side of the phone.  She and Giles had been friends for years.  In fact, it had been she who pushed Olivia Johanson to date the Watcher.  It wasn’t Jane’s fault that Olivia was unable to cope with the reality of the supernatural.

“Tell Quentin I have reason to believe that the First Evil is among us again,” Giles said.  “It will attempt to remove the Slayers and Watchers from existence.  We need Faith released to help Buffy.”

Jane gasped.  She had read Giles’ report from three and half years before.  As Quentin Travers’ secretary, she needed to have all information ready at a moment’s notice if the Head Watcher needed it.  Knowing what was in each report helped her do that.  All of the staff within the walls of the Council were bound by their oath of secrecy.  “I will make sure he knows the minute he’s done with his meeting, Rupert.”

“Thank you, Jane.”  Giles tapped his forehead.  He wished it was late enough in the day for a drink.  “Can you connect me with the archive?”

“Certainly, Rupert.  Tell Reggie hello for me.  Hold on while I transfer.”  Jane put Giles on hold while she switched him over.

“Reginald Bey, how may I help you?”

“Hey, Reggie.”  Giles grinned.  It was good to hear his friend’s voice.  “I need a favor.”

“Anything, you know that,” Reggie assured his friend.

“Good.  Bring me everything you can find on the First Evil.  Come to my flat when you have it all.”  Giles decided a cup of tea and some painkillers would be a better option to the stiff drink he really wanted at the moment.  Maybe not as much fun, but certainly better at that point.

“Will do, Rupert.”  Reggie looked around the archive.  “There isn’t much though, you know.”

“I know.  Do your best.”  As an afterthought Giles added, “Reggie, add everything in there about vampires and apocalypses.”

“Good or bad?  You know there are a lot of vampires involved in the wrong side of those,” Reggie answered.

“On our side, Reggie.”  Giles felt a niggling feeling at the back of his thoughts, but he couldn’t remember why it was pertinent.

“Hmmm, fascinating.”  Reggie jotted some notes on the paper in front of him.  “I’ll do a quick index, and then I’ll bring the First Evil files.”

“Thank you, Reggie.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*

BACK IN SUNNYDALE

Warren slammed his glass down on the table.  He swayed back and forth in his chair.  The lightweight, but evil, nerd was unused to consuming so much alcohol.  Then, he turned to his companion, and in a loud voice he said, “Women are good for one thing and one thing only.”

“What’s that?” Xander asked.  He was drunk enough not to think about how insulting Warren’s answer could be.  Harris’ practically had alcohol pumping through their veins, but they’d already been drinking for hours.

“Beneath us as our slaves and doing our bidding, of course.”  Warren waved his hand in the air.  “Waitress… slave… give your master another drink.  One for my friend Harris here too.”

Jack growled under her breath.  She hated it when one of the waitresses called in sick.  Instead of being safe behind the Bronze bar, she was on the floor serving the assholes.  Jack took another set of drinks to the assholes’ table.  She slammed the glasses down on the wooden surface, splashing some of the liquid over the sides.

“What’s wrong with you,” Warren slurred.  “You PMSing?”

“Whatever!”  Jack grumbled while she walked away.  “I wish those two would get to feel what it’s like to be women.”

Jack didn’t notice the pretty young woman that entered the Bronze at that moment.  Neither did she notice the facial change and the whispered words, “Wish granted.”