RATING: This here's a nice PG-13. Yupyup.
DISCLAIMER: I won't deny Joss and Mutant Enemy and you Kuzui folks own them, and I won't deny how bitca-y Fox (Freedom of speech, neener, neener, neener! Can't touch this, mwa!) is but…I will deny Joss the right to claim this story line as his! 'Cause it's me an' Shasti's. We both wrote it; yes we have lots of time on our hands. We're darned proud of it.
DISTRIBUTION: (Me and lurker Puppiecat's site.) But if you want it on yours, aaaask! Yeah, I copied that offa my 'Eternity' distribution thing. Shush, I'm allowed to. It's only plagarism if it's not yours.
SPOILERS: Still Earshot, kinda hard to allow any eps to come afterwards when Buff's a vampire. Hehe. But it's post-Eternity 'cause yeah, series.
SIDE NOTE: Prologue's done by Puppiecat, and again I say, it's buenisima!

The small boy delighted in the curious smooshing sound that was made as he flattened the damp pile of snow-covered leaves on the forest floor. He made a game of it, peeking from behind darkened tree-trunks, pouncing on imaginary enemies, spinning until the trees spun too. Anything to distract him from the complete Silence of the forest today.

There! A sound so slight he wouldn't have heard it if he hadn't been --

A shape, dark and black, melting across the shadows of the tree-trunks. More. He would turn to look at one directly, and it would disappear to be replaced by another somewhere else. So he began to nervously hum the song his mother had sang that morning and took to walking head forward looking out of the corners of his eyes at the things with their silent paws and long snouts. Not that he was frightened, oh no of course not, he just wanted to see sohe could tell his brothers about the monsters he'd bravely defied. Of course.

That thought made him choke back his scream as one stepped in front of him, this one fleshed out and real, too real. The others slunk from the shadows as if following some silent command and there they stood, great enormous dogs with bony ribs and hungry fangs and eyes that glittered yellow.

There was something he was supposed to remember about eyes that burned yellow...

After they'd stared at him forever, they showed their white teeth and turned to melt into the shadows again, taking with them their soulless eyes.

And then something above him screamed.

He lifted dark eyes to the tree canopy, and there hovered the whitest owl in perfect flight, silhouetted against the darkened leaves. Feathers whiter even than the snow at his feet. Silent wings as sheltering as an angel's.

Then she was gone, screaming along the treetops faster than the eye could follow. Chased by ragged shadows. Ravens now, cutting the air with sharp wings and harsh voices.

The boy was stock-still, wide-eyed, frozen with fear for the gentle screaming owl. When he couldn't see either white flash or ragged feather, the spell was broken and he ran. Faster, harder, get there, help her...

It took an eternity to find them, the birds diving at their downed quarry, the dogs circling restlessly for a chance at her. He couldn't see her, covered with shadows and blackness and the idea filled him with such loving rage that he pulled a damp branch from the ground and jumped, flailing and shouting and kicking into the mess of shadows until they fled, blinking with those eyes.

There she lay crumpled and wheezing on her white snow, the brightest of blood flowing onto her feathers.

Then there was a woman standing, brightening the forest, lighting the wood of the trees silver-toned... Her dress, white as the owl's feathers and her fair golden hair whipped around her in the rising wind...her eyes caught something unseen..."No…"

The boy shook his head and blinked, unseeing, at the forest, dark again, waiting for his sight to adjust after the bright vision. His owl faded into view again and he rushed through snow and sodden leaves to her side, staring at the blood that spilled to the ground...

Eyes the color of summer sky returned to his face and her beauteous features flooded with emotion as she called to him… "Angel--"

He blinked down at the stilling form of the owl, telling himself that it must be warm enough to be raining now, because the drops that fell to cleanse her feathers were certainly not tears.

She reached out both hands, held away by something, an invisible barrier--or was it he who was held from her? Perfect tears clung to her pale skin, and sobs rocked her tiny frame..."Angel, please..."

The blood stopped flowing and the owl drew in her ragged final breath as the boy bowed his head in grief and loss...her light dimmed and she became flat and dull as the snow...

She screamed as the wind howled like dogs and swept her away, no matter how fast he ran, she flew high away... Her shining beauty was replaced by another, also light of hair, but this one had a slow ugly glittering of yellow in her eyes and sharpness in her mouth. Her mouth opened and began to ooze dark, dead blood down her chin, her jaw, the still veins in her neck...and the shadows danced in glee around her...

Sickened with horror, the boy turned away, towards where his owl had been, where now there was only a dark stain marring the snow…he had to look down, something was happening to his hands…

Her blood bit acidly, accusingly, until his hands were wounded and gushed with her blood and he screamed...

…and screamed...

And Angel screamed until he awoke.

Part One

Drusilla drifted down the stairwell to the basement of the old factory. Her fingers were in her mouth, lapping up any leftover blood from the teen she'd just snatched for a midnight snack. A wee little girl was directly behind Drusilla, carefully crawling her way down the stairs.

Buffy looked away from Spike and to Drusilla. "What's this?"

"Food," Drusilla simply said and turned to sweep the little girl into her arms. "For my Spiky."

Spike perked up. "Really? Let's have a look at her."

Drusilla added a jittery bounce to her step while moving towards Spike. She held the poor girl outstretched from her because of vileness of children, she couldn't contaminate herself you see.

Spike gratefully took the child and examined her neck. "She's so tiny," he commented while vamping out.

"Such a shame," Buffy said sullenly and stood up. She was still sulking, intensely disappointed in herself. She had her mother *right* there and she starts to have a conscious. She'd do it now if she had another chance, but by now the gang probably put barriers up in all their houses…it wasn't fair…

"Eh, stop whining already. It's dampening my hunger here," Spike retorted and then viciously tore into the girl's throat.

Drusilla smiled happily at Spike and looked to Buffy, growing as concerned as she'd ever allow herself to be. "Mum?"

"Mum?" Spike repeated while dropping the dead girl's body next to him. He was spitting blood as he yelled. "First daddy and -- oh bloody hell! That's sick!"

Buffy glanced back to Spike, arching a brow. "Chill out, Spike. I'm okay, Dru. Just thinking, I need something to spend my time on. Tormenting Angel only has so many kicks."

"Oh quit moping already, I swear you two…obsessing over each other, it's annoying. He had the same thoughts about you, " Spike mocked Angel's voice -- "Oh I can't kill her, no, no that'd be bloody immoral, it's gotta rhyme!" He shook his head in disgust. "Get over it and slam a damn stake into him and be over with it."

"You really have no appreciation for time well spent, do you?" Buffy scowled at him. "I should slam a damn stake into you right now, Dru you wouldn't mind…would you?"

"Now, now…" Drusilla went over to Spike, kicking the little body on the floor out of her way so she could sit by Spike and hang her arms around him. "You mustn't be so terse, dearest. She only wants to 'ave a time with my Angel…"

"Fine, fine. If she needs something to occupy her time why doesn't she take someone and have a grand ol' time about it? Maybe they'll send Angel for a rescue mission and then she can keep 'im for herself."

Drusilla suddenly brightened with the coming of an idea. "The girl…"

"What girl?" Spike asked. "Come on, tell me."

Drusilla slid her arms away from Spike and slowly -- at an eerie rate -- ascended the stairwell. Buffy watched perplexed at what just happened.

"She's weird."

"Hey!" Spike snapped.

"What? At least I don't say something that's way out there and leave to go do it!"

"She's only doin' this for you," Spike sulked. "Never would do things to cheer me up."

"Because you're a softy," Buffy grinned.

Spike narrowed his eyes at her. "You best keep your mouth shut *Slayer*."

"Don't call me that!" Buffy hissed, adding the effect of pretending to lunge at him.

"You're the embodiment of her, I don't see much of a difference in the personality or face. Maybe you…tweaked your appearance but most do, but you never lose what you were."

"Ooh, Spike gets all philosophical, wanna give me a Rorschach test now? See if I'm feeling myself?"

"Very funny, have you even killed anything?"

"No…that night I took Dru hunting she just killed something for herself." Buffy shrugged and slumped down in a nearby chair. "I lost my appetite."

"You even hungry for blood?"

"At the moment?"

"No, in general."

"Yeah, little bits here and there…what's the point?"

"Jus' curious," Spike shrugged. "I'm out then," he went over to the table and picked up his duster. "Don't wait up."

Buffy rolled her eyes and got up to go sit on the bed. She glanced up, seeing Spike waiting for her to say something and got irritated. "Are you leaving, or what?"

"Yeah, later." He shook his head at her and left.

Buffy stared after him in a daze. "I really am screwed up."

---

"Come here pretty girl…" Drusilla said while entering the library. Willow, Oz, Xander and Giles were there (oh yeah, and Wesley too…but we don't care about him). She naturally drew all their attention.

"Why is she here?" Xander asked worriedly.

"Hello dears," Dru came to a stop by Oz's seat. Oz scooted back, yet retained his placid expression.

"You are?" Oz asked.

Xander's eyes went wide. "Don't talk to her!"

Oz looked at Xander confusedly. "Why?"

"She's evil!" He replied getting, for the most part, panicked.

"Calm down, Xander." Giles said and looked nervously at Drusilla. "You've made a remarkably poor choice in coming here, Drusilla, so why?"

"Her," Dru pointed out Willow. "She needs 'er."

"Who needs me?" Willow questioned with wide eyes. "Nobody needs me, nope…I should stay right here being…unneeded. Giles, can't you kill her or something?"

"Ah, calm down." Wesley confidently said. "I believe she's come here on her own accord and has a proposal to make."

"No way," Oz spoke, his voice dripping with dry sarcasm.

Drusilla growled to Oz and focused on Willow. "Come 'ere," she lifted her hand up and curled a finger back in a "get over here" type gesture, only more subtle. Willow found herself being propelled over to Drusilla, not by choice, but by hypnotism.

"Hey!" Xander shouted, jumping out of his chair.

Now Oz made an expression, an angry bitter one. "What are you doing?"

Drusilla glanced at Oz who was getting up out of his seat. She shoved him back down and looked to where Giles had stood. She found him to be behind her with a cross outstretched, so Drusilla waited for Willow to near her. She grabbed hold of Willow's neck and held her still in place, facing Giles.

"Stay away, she's mine." Drusilla tightened her grip around Willow's throat and forced her forward towards the door. Giles stepped aside though never let his cross waver.

"You're just letting her leave!?" Xander boosted himself over the table and chased after Drusilla. As he reached her by the door, she whipped back around in vampire face and the intimidation sent him tumbling to the floor.

"Settle down, we won't keep 'er long." Drusilla smiled sweetly and departed with an almost unconscious Willow.

Part Two

"Look what Princess found!" Drusilla squealed as she shoved Willow down the stairs. "She didn't want t'come...I 'ad to force 'er..."

Buffy raised her head and locked her gaze on Willow, immediately a smirk warmed to her lips. "How very thoughtful of you."

Willow by now had tears in her eyes from fright -- she looked around her surroundings, panicked as to what was going to happen to her. "What do you want with me?"

"Oh come now," Spike's voice boomed as he started down the stairs. "Dru, you didn't bring this just for her did you? I want a taste."

Drusilla held him back, shaking her head. "All for her."

"Can't I have just a li'l bite?" Spike pouted.

Dru hit his wrist, glowering. "We mustn't tamper with Mum's toys. It's hers alone."

"All right, fine. I don't want some now anyway." He raised his head and settled himself down on the chair Buffy had been on. "Already had an old bugger few minutes ago, he was just sittin' there counting his bills at that cash machine…didn't know what hit him."

"What, he had nothing left in his account?" Buffy said while circling around Willow. "Or was it the sudden fright of seeing you when he turned around?"

Spike faked a laugh. "You'll come around, won't she Dru?" He held his arms out for Drusilla to slip around, which she wasted no time in doing so. Though she did berate him.

"Don't taunt the mistress, she keeps it safe…"

"Keeps what safe, pet?"

"Him," Drusilla replied in a raspy voice as she leaned in to purr in Spike's ear. "Love."

Buffy suppressed a laugh and glided over to Willow who was watching, petrified. "Poor little Willow…" She circled behind Willow, running her fingers through her red hair. "Don't you wish this was just a dream? That you could wake up tomorrow…sure of seeing another regular Hellmouthian day with me abnormal as usual?"

Willow stayed silent as she stared fearfully at Buffy.

"Oh come on, say something. First we're going to talk, and I'd make it long and tedious. Because when I'm tired with talking, I get with the chains and daggers and it's not going to be pretty." She broke into the sweetest smile. "I get to torture you, and throw you back to your boyfriend broken and battered. What a way to end the school year, huh?"

"Why?" Willow finally blurted out.

"Could it be the mere fact I have a demon in me that likes pain?" Buffy canted her head to the side curiously awaiting a response.

"No…" She said shakily. "Why are you doing this to me?"

"Oh that kind of why," Buffy shrugged. "You took the time to be friends with me, I didn't deserve that. Not from you anyway…Now Cordelia, she has to go. I mean god, she was horrible to everyone."

Willow shook her head vigorously. "They'll find me."

"That would be the plan, mate." Spike said while going over to Willow. "Our girl Buffy here seems to be clamoring for Angel so she'll do anything to get him here."

Buffy pouted. "Can't you let my plans actually unfold?"

"No," he replied flatly. "My purpose is to drive you bloody nuts."

"No, dears…" Drusilla slipped up behind Spike and draped her arms over his shoulders and to his chest. "That's my Angel's job…"

"Your Angel?" Spike questioned. "Still stuck on 'im, I can't win…"

"Oh that's so sad," Buffy said sarcastically and turned back to Willow. "So, how is everyone coping? Called any Slayers here yet?"

"I'm not telling you anything," Willow defiantly replied.

Buffy gave a slow nod that made Willow uneasy. "Then there's the other rule of our conversing…Drusilla?"

Drusilla danced away from Spike, seemingly have read Buffy's mind and went to her little treasure chest. From it, she took a small little dagger and tossed it at Buffy who, of course, caught it easily.

Buffy looked over the dagger then to Willow. "The other rule is, don't talk and…" She lashed out with her free hand at Willow's neck and pulled her closer -- bringing the knife to barely scrape her chin. "And you get hurt."

Willow yelped and tried to get away. Drusilla watched gleefully, giving a clap or two to aid Buffy on. Spike rolled his eyes, muttered a few choice words and dropped down on the bed.

Buffy backed up and motioned for Willow to sit down. "Do we have an understanding?"

Willow shakily got the chair and lowered herself upon it. "Y-yes."

Buffy's pleasant smile flew back on her face and she took a seat in front of Willow. "Good. So let's talk."

Go to Part Three