"Learning - Everyone Wants to Rule the World"

Author: Vatrixsta Cruden
Contact: trixieangelsomething@hotmail.com
Disclaimer: Tears for Fears brings us the accompaniment to this week's installment.
Dedication: Again, to the < insert adoring adjective > Esmerelda for taking precious time in looking these over.

It's my own design
It's my own remorse
Help me to decide
Help me make the most
Of freedom and of pleasure
Nothing ever lasts forever
Everybody wants to rule the world
There's a room where the light won't find you
Holding hands while the walls come tumbling down
When they do I'll be right behind you
So glad we've almost made it
So sad they had to fade it
Everybody wants to rule the world

"Excuse me, Mr. McDonald, there's an unauthorized vampire on the premises."

Lindsey's gaze tracked Darla as she moved around his office, flipping off the intercom link with his secretary. "Is Drusilla joining us?"

"Hardly," Darla said with a disdainful toss of her head. "Dru found being pursued by Angel more than she could handle. After she returned from that ill-advised holiday to Sunnydale we parted company. I imagine she's halfway to Buenos Aries."

"Perhaps Angel's decided to play the marauding knight, come to rescue the fair lady from our dastardly clutches," Lindsey mused, not particularly caring one way or another.

"Wrong, but thanks for playing, and we hope you'll enjoy the home game." The occupants of the room turned their attention to the newcomer. "You were admirable contestants, especially you, given the handicap and all." Her gaze darted quickly to Lindsey's prosthetic hand before once again returning to his face.

"Slayer," Darla hissed.

"Woah," Buffy said, holding up a hand. "So no need to start insulting me."

"You smell different," Darla pronounced, carefully moving toward Buffy. "You smell..."

"Dead?" Buffy offered helpfully.

Darla's eyes widened. "You're..."

"A vampire," Buffy enunciated slowly. "Very good. It's nice to know you aren't a total blonde."

"You're Angel's slayer," Lindsey said, finally speaking.

Buffy turned to regard him. "I don't belong to anyone but myself."

"That's not the way your file tells it," Lindsey informed her.

"Does my file say how many different ways I can kill you?" she snapped.

"No need to snap at Lindsey, sweetie," Darla interrupted, stepping between them. "Forgive him for being rude. He's in the middle of a power struggle."

Lindsey sent a glare Darla's way, and on cue, Lilah entered their impromptu gathering.

"Speak of the devil," Darla murmured.

"Isn't that normally how people speak of you?" Lilah shot back.

"No need to be rude to a valuable ally, Lilah," Lindsey chastised.

"This 'valuable ally' is the reason Angel nearly killed one of the senior partners. I think you've got a massive blind spot where she's concerned, and trusting her is a serious error in judgment."

"That sounded suspiciously like a threat, Lilah," Lindsey drawled.

"Call it what you want. I'm here with the authority of the senior partners. We've been ordered to cease all contact with Darla and Drusilla." Lilah paused, turning toward Buffy with a sneer. "Who the hell are you?"

"Rude, much?" Buffy rolled her eyes. "I can't believe you're the people giving Angel such a headache. He really must be slipping."

"You haven't been doing your homework, Lilah," Lindsey chided. "We have here in our presence the illustrious slayer who brought Angelus to his knees."

"Buffy Summers," Lilah murmured.

"Formerly," Buffy agreed cheerfully. "I haven't decided whether or not to keep the Summers. I've noticed most of the 'big' vampires don't have last names. I mean, Angelus, Spike, Darla, Drusilla, Dracula -- jeez, there are a lot of D's, aren't there? -- no, I'm thinking Summers is gonna have to go."

"Normally, the sire assists the childe in finding a new identity," Darla said, smiling serenely.

"Bummer," Buffy declared, not sounding too bummed out at all.

Darla looked at her disdainfully. "Something wrong, dear?"

"I staked my sire," she explained without preamble. "So I guess I'm gonna have to stick with Buffy, at least for now."

"Can we help you?" Lilah asked, sounding annoyed.

"You know, you, I just don't like," Buffy said, reaching out to snap Lilah's neck before the other woman could react. Darla and Lindsey watched, barely phased.

"Well, Lindsey, "Darla began with a raised eyebrow, "you can cheer up a little. That power struggle seems to have come to an end."

"She was rude," Buffy declared. She turned her attention to Lindsey. "Are you rude?"

"No, ma'am," Lindsey answered carefully, a hint of respect in his gaze. "I am curious what you want with us, though."

"You, I need something from," Buffy murmured silkily, running a hand down the side of Lindsey's face. "I need you to give me something."

"What?"

"I need Wolfram and Hart's file on Angel."

"Right," Darla scoffed. "Like he's going to give =you=--"

"I can only give you the data I've gathered myself," Lindsey warned her. "Everything else is under too tight security."

The office door suddenly broke open, and five security guards burst in. "Mr. McDonald--" one of them began.

"It's fine," Lindsey assured them. He gestured to Lilah's body. "Get this out of here."

Once Lilah had been disposed of, and the guards departed, the three principals in the little drama re-focused on one another.

"Angel has a file you don't know about?" Buffy asked curiously.

"I know bits and pieces, whispers that have floated around like office gossip. I know there are scrolls and prophecies to do with the End of Days, Angel's role, whether he'll be playing for the home team or not."

"And will he?" Buffy asked, extremely curious now.

"That's to be determined," Lindsey explained softly, caught up in this woman's eyes. He'd never seen such power restrained inside such a small package before, and he'd spent his fair share of time with incredibly powerful things.

"I hate to interrupt this little meeting of the minds," Darla cut in, annoyed, "but Lindsey and I were in the middle of something when you broke in."

"I'm sorry," Buffy said sweetly, "were you begging him to sleep with you? Cause I know that's how you got your men a few years ago."

"I don't beg, little girl, and I also managed to 'get' Angel a few =weeks= ago." Darla stared at Buffy smugly.

Buffy frowned, and Lindsey thought she actually managed to look adorably frustrated.

"Does Angel's file include everything she's," Buffy glared extra hard at Darla, "done to him since she's been back?"

"Of course," Lindsey confirmed.

"Then I don't need you," Buffy told Darla happily.

She punched Darla in the face, and the other woman reared back, her game face evident. Darla reacted, ducking Buffy's next blow, her leg kicking out to send the former slayer sprawling on the floor. Buffy, however, laughed at this, seeming amused by the fight.

Darla leapt at Buffy, straddling her waist, pinning both of the other vampire's arms above her head. They struggled for a moment, but Buffy never stopped smiling, and her face never changed from its human guise.

"You're pretty strong," Buffy commented. "You're what, four hundred and change?"

"You know how old I am," Darla snapped.

"Yeah, but I also know you're kind of a new model, too. I'm just curious -- are you stronger now than you were before, or weaker?"

"Stronger," Darla assured her, a touch of arrogance creeping into her voice. "Becoming again has given me twice the strength I had before."

"And yet," Buffy said, easily slipping from Darla's grasp. She pulled Mr. Pointy from the waistband of her red leather pants and imbedded it in to Darla's back before the other woman knew what hit her. "I'm twice as strong as you," she concluded, feigned awe evident in her tone. Darla turned to dust.

Buffy brushed her front off as she stood, glancing up at Lindsey. "I can't believe she actually managed to be useful. I've been wondering how I measured up to other vamps that don't happen to hail from the loser side of town. Angel really isn't much of a measuring stick since he's always been a little stronger than the average vamp. Not to mention all that strength he got after he fed off me." As Lindsey continued to stare at her, Buffy raised both her eyebrows at him. "Um, I'm kind of in a hurry, so if you could run along and fetch that file now..."

"Gladly," Lindsey said, his gaze quickly darting to where Darla once was. Yes, this girl was powerful. She'd just demonstrated to him and herself just how powerful.

"Oh," Buffy called after him. "You wouldn't happen to know where Drusilla is, would you?"

Lindsey started to shake his head, then stopped. "I could probably locate her for you."

The smile Buffy gave him was brilliant. "That's gonna keep you alive for at least a week, Lin," she said like she was proud of him.

Lindsey left his office quickly. He'd get her the file, then, hopefully, she'd leave. Lindsey was ambivalent about his own death, but he definitely didn't want it to be at Buffy's hands. He had no doubt that she'd make it hurt, and make it last. Lindsey slowed his step. Then he grinned.

The man who'd taken Lindsey's hand was about to get what was coming to him.

Welcome to your life
There's no turning back
Even while we sleep
We will find you acting on your best behavior
Turn your back on Mother Nature
Everybody wants to rule the world

The End

<< back