His Tender Mercies

Author: enigmaticblue

Rating: PG-13

Disclaimer: I don’t own any of the characters below, although I wish I’d thought of them first.

Archive: Anywhere that already has my stuff. Anywhere else, just ask.

Summary: A response to Helga Von Nutwimple’s Vamp-in-the-Box Challenge. Wolfram & Hart make a slight error, and bring Drusilla back instead of Darla at the end of Ats S1. Drusilla heads straight to Sunnydale and Spike, and in the process throws a monkey wrench into Buffy’s thinking. Oh, and Riley left after “Restless.”

A/N: I don’t particularly want to post the rules right now because it will give away too much of the story. Therefore, they will be posted at the end, and you all can decide for yourselves how well I did answering my first challenge.

 

Prologue

 

In the two hundred years of Drusilla’s existence, there were exactly two people who hadn’t underestimated her: Angelus and Spike. Angelus because he’d created her, and Spike because she had created him. So it was that when Wolfram & Hart accidentally brought her back with their spell, rather than Darla as they had intended, it didn’t take her very long to escape.

 

Just because she was crazy didn’t mean she wasn’t cunning.

 

It was, in fact, Drusilla’s very insanity that buffered her against the disorientation of the spell. She was used to things seeming a bit strange, and so suddenly returning as human—after she’d been dusted by her current lover—didn’t phase her a bit. She overheard the lawyers talking about their mistake and how they were going to fix it.

 

They thought they could use her to get to Angel.

 

Drusilla wasn’t sure what she thought about that, but somewhere in the vague recesses of her scattered mind, she knew that she wasn’t ready to see Angelus again. Her soul remembered his cruelties; without the demon present, she had no real appreciation of pain. Not like she’d had before.

 

There was only one person that Drusilla wanted to see. Spike had taken care of her last time she was ill. He had performed the ceremony that brought her back to full strength again.

 

He loved her, even if the Slayer had been floating around his head.

 

Drusilla listened to the stars; their voices were still clear even when the walls closed in around her. She waited until they told her the time to escape was ripe; it helped that no one thought she was capable of thinking for herself.

 

She slipped out of the apartment they had secured for her. The guard had long since stopped worrying about the crazy—though meek—woman they had him watching. He was asleep, soundly so. The stars had told her that as well.

 

Drusilla sang to herself as she waited to find the right person to hitch a ride to Sunnydale with. She was certain the pixies would point out the perfect person. “Run and catch, run and catch, the lamb is caught in the blackberry patch.”

 

She swished the skirt of the pretty dress that lawyer had found for her. He had been kind, had spoken softly, but Drusilla had seen his heart. Black as pitch it was. He couldn’t be trusted—nor could anyone else at the law firm. They had their own plans that Drusilla wanted no part of.

 

She had her own goals in mind.

 

Chapter 1: Old Flame

 

Spike threw the empty bottle against the side of his crypt. Not even the resounding crash and tinkle of glass made him feel better. He half-wished the Slayer had staked him after she found out about his deal with Adam.

 

He was half-ready to stake himself.

 

Looking around to find something else to throw was futile. Spike didn’t have much in his crypt, and the television had been too great a prize to break it.

 

He was bored out of his skull. There were only so many demons a guy could kill before that got dull—and dangerous. It was getting downright dangerous to be him, in fact. The only reason he hadn’t been set upon by an angry mob—especially after his helping the Slayer to get out of the Initiative—was that most of the demons who would have made up said angry mob had been killed.

 

And that just burned, that he owed his continued existence to the Slayer of all people.

 

Spike let out a roar of anger as he realized that there was nothing else he could do any damage to, and he really wanted to do some damage. “Just wait till I get this bloody chip out of my head,” he muttered. “’m goin’ to rip her throat out. I’ll bathe in the Slayer’s blood. I’ll kill all her little friends too.” He stopped, reconsidering. “Maybe I’ll turn Red. She’d be an interestin’ vamp.”

 

A sound at the door caught his attention, and Spike stilled, going into predator mode. He didn’t sense a demon, but there was no point in taking stupid chances. He grabbed his crossbow from the top of the sarcophagus and waited. After a few minutes, when the door was still not opening, Spike growled, stalking over to throw it open.

 

He’d expected one of the Slayer’s little friends, dithering for whatever reason. One or the other of them still came once in a while when they needed his help. He’d told the last one—Red, in fact—not to show up again unless she had a carton of fags in hand.

 

What he got instead was Drusilla. A very human Drusilla. You could have knocked him over with a feather, so to speak. “Spike?”

 

It was the vulnerability in her tone that caught at him. Spike, no matter what his dark princess had accused him of, no matter how much time had passed, no matter how badly she had betrayed him—he still loved her. She was his Sire, his ripe wicked plum, his black goddess.

 

And she was human.

 

By the time Spike managed to pick his jaw up off the floor of the crypt, Drusilla was looking ready to flee. “Dru? Luv? You alright?”

 

Spike was trying to think. She was human, yes, but that could be fixed quite easily, with or without the chip. He could find another vampire to turn her if necessary, or maybe manage to do the job himself. It would take a bit of creativity on his part, but he’d always been a quick study. There was always more than one way to skin a cat. (He knew, as he’d tried most of them.)

 

“Oh, my Spike, look what they’ve made of me.” Dru was suddenly weeping in his arms, and Spike gathered her up helplessly. She’d cried like this before, mostly when one of the visions had badly disturbed her.

 

“Come on inside, Dru,” he murmured, tugging her gently through the door. If he could calm her down, he could turn her tonight.

 

A new thought struck him. In turning Dru, Spike would become her Sire. He would replace Angelus in her affections. Never again would he have to worry about her going after another bloke. She would love him as much as he loved her.

 

He started to ask her about it, to offer the option of being turned again, but something kept him still. After all, she’d just arrived, and she was upset. It could wait until Dru had a bit of sleep and calmed down some. Spike would have to find her something to eat as well. And something else to wear. And some place to sleep.

 

Taking care of a human Drusilla was already getting complicated. What did he know about taking care of humans, anyway?

 

“You’ll help me, won’t you, Spike?” Drusilla asked him once she’d calmed down. “They wanted to use me to get to Angel. Knew you wouldn’t let them hurt me.”

 

Spike blinked, seeing a flicker of sanity in her eyes. No, more than that. Drusilla was actually lucid. Completely lucid. “Who was after Angel, pet?”

 

“The lawyers,” she replied. Spike watched as the madness took over again. “They wanted to bring grandmum back, but got me instead.” She giggled. “Little men were angry at that. So very angry. Thought they would bring darkness back. Ruined it all, they have.”

 

Spike didn’t bother asking her what it was that had been ruined. He knew better by now than to ask direct questions. There was no getting any information out of her when she was like this. “Don’t have anywhere for you to sleep, luv, except for the chair. I’ll see ‘bout getting a proper bed tomorrow, yeah?”

 

“I’m here,” Drusilla murmured, and again Spike could see the flash of sanity in her eyes. “It seems I’ve been such a long time dreaming. Such a lot of blood.” She began to weep again. “There’s blood on my pretty dress, Spike.”

 

There was no blood to be seen anywhere, but Spike had a feeling that wasn’t what she was talking about. She was human now, with a human soul. From what he knew, Drusilla hadn’t been crazy before Angelus got to her. There was a chance she could go back to her old self, that she could be sane again.

 

If he turned her now, there was no chance of that at all. She would be insane for all eternity, and while he’d loved her craziness, there was a part of him that ached to see what Dru could be like whole.

 

She could be a true partner for him then.

 

More than that, if he turned her now, Spike would be no better than Angelus, dooming her to madness forever. A madness that left her vulnerable and childlike much of the time, as cunning and strong as she might be.

 

It would be better if he could heal her, bring her back to her old self, sane and whole. He would turn her then, and she would love him. Love him because he was her Sire and because he had done what no one else could do.

 

Spike would be Drusilla’s everything as she had been his.

 

~~~~~

 

Joyce was feeling just a little lonely. Buffy might have been living at home for the summer, but that didn’t mean that she ever got to see her daughter. Tonight, for example, Buffy was having an all-night movie-fest with her friends. They’d hardly gotten to spend any time together at all.

 

It was rather pathetic when “fun” equalled rearranging the kitchen cabinets.

 

The knock at the front door came as a welcome distraction; the couple at the front door was something else altogether.

 

Now Joyce had listened to all of Buffy’s warnings about Spike. He was dangerous; he couldn’t be trusted; don’t think for a second that he wouldn’t kill her the minute he had the chance.

 

Joyce had listened, and then had calmly disregarded most of what Buffy had told her. Buffy might be the Slayer, but Joyce trusted her instincts. That and the fact that Spike had had a number of chances to kill her and hadn’t.

 

It was the woman at his side that worried her, since she matched the descriptions of Drusilla that Joyce had heard Buffy and the others give. “I need your help, Joyce,” Spike said without preamble.

 

Joyce looked at the woman doubtfully. She was humming something to herself and appeared to be unaware of her surroundings. “Spike, I don’t know—”

 

“She won’t hurt you. Not now,” Spike said cryptically. “Please.”

 

As he very rarely used that word, as Joyce well knew, she considered. Right up until Drusilla waltzed into the house, now singing out loud. “Run and catch, run and catch. The lamb is caught in the blackberry patch.” She looked directly at Joyce, and the light in her eyes was uncanny. “I smell sickness.”

 

Joyce blinked and looked back at Spike, who wore a sheepish expression. “Sorry, ducks. Dru’s been in an’ out of things all day. It’s just—she’s hungry, you see, an’ she’s gonna need some help.”

 

It was then that Joyce realized what it meant that Drusilla had been able to walk through her front door without an invitation. “I’ll fix something. This is Drusilla, isn’t it?”

 

Spike nodded, looking at Drusilla with ill-disguised longing in his eyes. “’m not exactly sure what happened to her. She hasn’t been there enough for me to get the full story, but you were the only one I could think of that might help me with her.” He rubbed a hand over his face. “She hasn’t slept hardly at all. Keeps wakin’ up screamin’ with nightmares.”

 

Joyce’s eyes met his and for a moment they connected—understood each other at a level only hinted at up to that point. They both understood the meaning of sacrificial love: the mother of the Slayer and a vampire who loved with his whole being. Odd perhaps, but that was life.

 

“I’ll do what I can for her, Spike,” Joyce promised.

 

Chapter 2: Love Is Pain

 

Joyce quickly fixed Drusilla a sandwich, and the ex-vampiress devoured it rapidly. The food seemed to bring some lucidity back. “Oh, I’m sorry. That was terribly rude, wasn’t it?”

 

“That’s fine,” Joyce replied kindly. She was rapidly coming to feel pity for this woman. “You must have been very hungry.”

 

“Spike wasn’t sure what I would like,” Drusilla whispered conspiratorially. The vampire in question was on the back porch having a smoke. “And he can’t cook.”

 

Joyce smiled. “Well, I’m glad you liked your meal. Do you have a place to stay tonight?”

 

Alarm came into Drusilla’s eyes, and sanity was replaced by madness. “I’m staying with my Spike,” she said, sounding as though she expected Joyce to object. “He takes care of me.”

 

“I’m sure he does,” Joyce replied soothingly. “Would you like me to get him for you?”

 

Drusilla’s eyes darted around, wild. “Daddy will be coming. He’ll be terribly angry with me. I’ve been a very bad girl.” Tears started to flow down pale cheeks. “Very, very bad.” She held out her hands. “Can’t you see the blood?”

 

“There’s no blood there, Drusilla.” Joyce kept her tone as gentle as possible.

 

Drusilla shook her head. “There is. I’m covered in it. I’ll never be clean.” Her voice kept rising, and Joyce wanted to get Spike, but she didn’t want to risk leaving the other woman alone, even for a moment.

 

And that was the situation that Buffy walked into.

 

~~~~~

 

Movie night had turned out to be a major bust. It might not have been so bad except for the fact that Buffy felt like a fifth wheel. Maybe if Giles had made it things would have been different, but it was Xander and Anya, Willow and Tara. And Buffy.

 

She was the fifth wheel again now that Riley had left. In the long run, it was probably for the best, but it had still hurt. Between the offer to take up his old role in the Army—without the shady tactics—and Buffy, Riley had chosen the Army.

 

The Slayer couldn’t really blame him. If Riley had stayed in Sunnydale, the only thing keeping him there would have been her. He needed a stronger purpose than that, and he was intelligent enough to know it. Buffy hadn’t been terribly surprised. After Xander had revealed how exactly Angel had lost his soul, a great deal of tension had marred their relationship.

 

Riley had a black and white view of the world. Buffy knew better.

 

Besides, she had loved Angel, with the kind of blinding passion that was only possible at sixteen. Possible only because it was then that the whole world revolved around a person. And it was possible to completely disregard reality.

 

So Buffy knew that Riley was wrong about some things at least. Although she and Angel couldn’t be together, she didn’t regret loving him. Not really. Not most days.

 

She sighed. She had excused herself after one movie, since both couples looked ready to get amorous, only holding back because she was there. Maybe her mom would want some company.

 

Buffy heard the voice as soon as she walked through the front door. There was only one person she knew who had that accent—the voice was forever burned on Buffy’s brain, and now Drusilla was in the house with her mom.

 

She dashed into the kitchen, freezing as she took in the sight. Drusilla stood in the middle of the kitchen, wailing, while her mother tried futilely to calm her down. The strange thing was that Buffy’s vamp sense wasn’t even tingling, and Drusilla hadn’t eaten her mother.

 

“Mom! What—”

 

Joyce turned to look at her daughter. “Oh, Buffy, would you get Spike? He’s—”

 

She didn’t have a chance to finish her sentence, since Spike was suddenly there, surrounded by the scent of cigarette smoke, pulling Drusilla into his arms. “’s okay, pet, I’m here. ‘m not goin’ anywhere. You’re fine. ‘s gonna be just fine.”

 

The Slayer was struggling to take in the scene. Spike and Drusilla were standing in her kitchen, no one had been hurt, and Spike was being—sweet.

 

If you could disregard the fact that Drusilla was an insane vampire who had killed a Slayer.

 

“What is Drusilla doing in my kitchen, Spike?” Buffy asked in a deadly tone. She was strongly considering dusting him for that. Tricking her mother into allowing Drusilla into her home was definitely a stakeable offense.

 

“She needed help,” Spike replied defensively. “Knew Joyce would be up for it.”

 

Buffy took a step forward. “Well, you can just take your vamp-ho and get out of here. She’s not welcome in this house, and neither are you, for that matter.”

 

“Too bad you forgot to revoke my invitation, then, isn’t it, pet?”

 

“Don’t call me ‘pet!’”

 

“Buffy, she’s human.” Joyce interrupted the snarking, mostly because she knew they could probably go on all night. “I didn’t invite her into the house, she just walked in.”

 

Buffy frowned, wanting to argue, ask if her mom had felt for a pulse, but the expression on Spike’s face suggested that Joyce was speaking the truth. “What happened?” she asked, her tone flat.

 

“Dunno,” Spike said, and there was the sound of defeat in his tone “She showed up late last night like this. I didn’t know what else to do for her.”

 

He sounded bewildered and at a loss, and for a moment Buffy felt nothing but pity for him. She checked herself in the next moment, remembering who and what Spike was. Even if Drusilla didn’t fit into the category “evil undead” anymore, Spike certainly did.

 

“Well, I suppose we can help,” Buffy said grudgingly. “But you can’t stay, Spike.”

 

“’m not leavin’ her!” he shot back, tightening his grip around Drusilla.

 

The dark-haired woman clung to him. “I won’t leave. You can’t make me.” Drusilla looked at Spike intently. “She’ll tell Daddy I’m here, she will. And he’ll come and hurt me again. He’ll hurt me and hurt me—” Her voice broke off when she buried her face in Spike’s shoulder.

 

“’m not leavin’ her,” he said fiercely, looking like a lioness protecting a cub. “And you won’t be callin’ Peaches. Dru’s scared to death of him right now.”

 

The very fact that Buffy had indeed been contemplating calling Angel freaked her out just a little. Even though the Slayer had known about Drusilla’s mental powers, it was more than a little wiggy to have her mind read like that.

 

“Of course both you and Drusilla are welcome to stay here tonight,” Joyce said, before Buffy could make a reply. “We’ll figure something out tomorrow.”

 

“Mom!” Buffy protested. “Spike is not staying here tonight.” She really didn’t care about Drusilla. If the woman was human, she presented no threat the Slayer couldn’t easily counter.

 

With Spike—well, it was the principle of the thing. She didn’t want Spike under her roof.

 

“If Drusilla needs Spike to stay here, then they can both stay,” Joyce replied reasonably. “I already promised I would help.”

 

Buffy shot her mother an anguished look, and then glanced over at Spike, who had a rather self-satisfied smirk on his face. “Yeah, Slayer. Your mum already promised.”

 

“You. Come with me,” Buffy said, pointing at Spike.

 

She watched as he sat Drusilla back down at the kitchen counter, murmuring to her quietly. Buffy could just catch his softly spoken words. “Don’t you worry, luv. I’ll just be in the next room. Not far at all. Nothin’s gonna hurt you while you’re in the Slayer’s house. I can promise you that.”

 

She nodded, seeming to calm down a bit. “Hurry back, my Spike.”

 

“Back before you know it, luv,” Spike replied patiently, touching her cheek in a tender gesture that touched Buffy in spite of herself.

 

So yeah, Spike was an evil vampire, but at the same time she couldn’t help but be a little jealous. Buffy wished she had a guy who was that devoted.

 

“This isn’t going to work, Spike,” Buffy said without preamble once they’d made it into the living room. “You can’t stay here.”

 

Spike scowled. “I know that!” he snapped. “But I had to do somethin’ with her.” He ran a hand through his hair distractedly, and Buffy noticed with some disbelief that it was curly.

 

Spike had curly hair. No wonder he always gelled it. No one believed in a Big Bad with curly hair.

 

The Slayer sighed. She didn’t like Spike; never had, never would. But that didn’t change the fact that Drusilla was now human, and whatever had done this to her had to be fairly powerful. It might, in fact, pose some threat. “Okay, Spike,” Buffy said, moderating her tone slightly. “What are we going to do?”

 

He stared at her in disbelief, blue eyes wide. “What do you mean?”

 

“What are we going to do?” Buffy repeated. “Look, you and I both know that whatever happened, it was big. They might come after her here. In that case, we need some idea of what’s going on and what we’re going to do about it.”

 

Spike was still blinking stupidly. The Slayer kept saying “we” like they were working together. They never worked together. On the other hand, he needed her help, much like he had after he’d gotten the chip. This time, however, it was Drusilla who would suffer if he didn’t accept Buffy’s help. It galled, of course, but that was nothing new.

 

“She’s been in an’ out of it,” Spike finally said, sitting down on the couch. Buffy suddenly realized how tired he seemed. “Before, she was never lucid for more than maybe a second at a time. Now, ‘s almost like she’s comin’ back to herself. From what ‘ve been able to pick up, whoever did this to her were after Angel. Other than that, all she keeps nattering on about is blood. Blood on her hands, blood on her dress.” He sighed deeply. “Was a time when she’d have liked that,” he muttered.

 

Buffy decided to ignore that last comment as irrelevant. “I need to talk to her, Spike.”

 

“Not unless I’m there with her,” he replied, sounding almost angry. “Not leavin’ her with anybody.”

 

The Slayer sighed. “Fine, Spike. I won’t talk to her without her lawyer present.”

 

Spike’s head shot up and he gave her a sweetly rueful grin. “Sorry, pet, but she’s my girl.”

 

Buffy regarded him silently for a moment. “I can see that, Spike.”

 

~~~~~

 

Buffy stood, arms crossed, watching as Spike tried to calm Drusilla a bit. She had her hand clasped in his and didn’t look as though she would be letting go any time soon. “The Slayer wants to help, luv,” Spike said quietly. “So we need to know what you can tell us ‘bout what happened.”

 

Drusilla looked up at the Slayer with huge eyes, wide with fear. “You’ll help me? Even though I’m all bloody?”

 

“Yeah, Drusilla,” Buffy replied as gently as she was able. “I’ll help.”

 

She also needed to call her Watcher, but Buffy had decided that it would be best to wait until morning. Giles would want to talk to Drusilla himself, and the woman was overwhelmed as it was.

 

“There was a man and a woman,” Drusilla began earnestly. “Black as coal, the both of them. They’ll never get clean.” In spite of her cryptic words, she sounded almost sane. “They wanted to use me to get to Angel, but I wasn’t going to let them.” She smiled slyly. “They didn’t believe I was a clever girl.”

 

“Wankers,” Spike said fondly. “You’re the cleverest.”

 

“So I left to find my Spike, because he would take care of me.”

 

“’course I will, luv,” Spike said gently. “Do you know who the man and woman were?”

 

Drusilla scrunched up her nose. “Smelled of dusty books and tomes. Always tryin’ to find the little holes to wriggle out. Like mice,” she declared, obviously proud of her analogy.

 

Spike frowned thoughtfully, but Buffy was becoming impatient. “That doesn’t tell me anything.”

 

When Drusilla looked as though she was about to cry, Spike glared at the Slayer. “Tells you everythin’ you need to know, Slayer,” he nearly snarled. “Man, woman, enemies of the Great Poof, an’ they’re lawyers. It’s easy enough.”

 

Buffy honestly had no idea how Spike had gotten that information out of Drusilla’s garbled and cryptic explanation. She did have to admit, however, that it was pointless to push for more facts. The other woman wasn’t capable of being pushed right now. “Fine. Lawyers who are after Angel. You know this means I’m going to have to call him, Spike.”

 

Drusilla’s eyes widened. “You can’t! Mustn’t tell him where I am. Daddy will punish me. I’ve been a very naughty girl,” she whispered confidingly.

 

Buffy was inclined to agree with her, but one look at Spike’s face shut down whatever glib comment she had been about to make. “I’ll just call and ask,” she soothed. “Angel doesn’t have to know anything.”

 

“Sure he doesn’t,” Spike muttered. “Mark my words, you call him an’ he’ll be here soon’s he can to see for himself.” That comment started Drusilla off again, and Spike hastened to comfort her. “Won’t let him get to you, pet. He won’t hurt you this time around, I promise.”

 

The Slayer sighed. “Look, Spike, why don’t we let this go until after I can talk to Giles at least? You both look like you could use some sleep.” This last was said in grudging admission that they would both be staying under her roof that night. There was a small, spiteful part of Buffy that wanted to insist on Spike being tied up if he was going to stay, but she knew that it wouldn’t be worth it. Tying Spike up would most likely result in Drusilla getting really wild, and the vampire being unable to do anything about it.

 

Buffy certainly didn’t want to be in charge of the crazy woman.

 

Spike gave her a rueful look, the expression almost causing her to forget that he wasn’t human. “Probably won’t sleep,” he said quietly. “Dru’s been havin’ nightmares every time she closes her eyes.” He shrugged. “Might be best to be in the basement so we’re not wakin’ your mum all night.”

 

She noticed that Spike didn’t say anything at all about waking her all night, but it impressed her that he gave her mother so much consideration. “The basement’s a mess,” she replied reluctantly. “Maybe we’ll get lucky and she won’t have a lot of nightmares.”

 

“Or maybe we try something else,” Joyce suggested from the doorway. She held out a bottle and a glass of water to Spike. “Benadryl,” she explained. “It’s harmless, but it will help her sleep. It’s possible that it might keep her from waking constantly.”

 

Spike hesitated, obviously unwilling to drug Drusilla. Buffy had to admit that she was impressed. If it had been her call, she’d have the woman drugged constantly to maintain her own sanity. “She could get sick if she doesn’t sleep, right?”

 

“That’s right,” Joyce replied. “Trust a mother, Spike. This will help.”

 

He nodded, then looked over at Joyce. “You got a place I can get her cleaned up? She doesn’t have anything to change into, of course, but maybe…” Spike trailed off, placing the back of his hand against Drusilla’s cheek. “She always did like bein’ clean.”

 

“You can use the bathroom upstairs,” Joyce replied gently. “I’ll see if I can find her something to wear.”

 

Buffy watched with envious eyes as Spike swept Drusilla up into his arms, whispering something into her ear that made her laugh. She, in turn, rested her head against his shoulder, and murmured. “My brave knight, my lamb.”

 

Chapter 3: Calling All Angels

 

Spike caught his first glimpse of trouble when Drusilla barred him from entering the bathroom. “’Tisn’t right for you to see me naked. We’re not married.”

 

He raised an eyebrow. “Dru,” he explained patiently, “we were together for over a hundred years. ‘ve seen all there is to see.”

 

She shook her head stubbornly, and he sighed. The vampire had seen her like this before when Dru got some idea into her head—it had been the same with the Judge. No matter how bad an idea he’d thought it, Spike had known she would not be denied. “Fine. I’ll be right outside if you need me.”

 

Spike slumped against the wall outside the bathroom, listening to the sound of Dru’s voice intermixed with water. He wanted to be in there with her, watching her, touching her again. Spike was hungry for the feel of her body against his, even though he knew it wouldn’t be the same now that she was human.

 

He wanted to show her what it could be like, especially if Dru let him turn her.

 

Oh, Spike was going to wait, of course. Wait until her moments of lucidity stretched out into hours if not days. She’d never be quite right, not with her visions, but if he waited long enough it would be better for her.

 

They would have to leave Sunnydale right after. There was no way the Slayer would let them stay around, but it didn’t matter. With Dru at his side, there would be no problem going back on a people-diet. They could hunt together, and as long as she did the killing, Spike would have no problem feeding. They could go down to South America. Or maybe it was time to try Europe again. After all, with Drusilla sane, she might be relied upon not to bring an angry mob down on them.

 

Spike was startled out of his reverie by the sound of the bathroom door opening. “How do I look?”

 

He was taken aback by how shy Drusilla sounded—almost virginal, in fact. That was impossible, as he well knew. Dru had liked sex as much as he had. She had, in fact, been more into kink than he was, and that was saying something.

 

She was wearing one of Joyce’s nightgowns, one of those voluminous styles with lots of material. And not the see-through kind either. “You look right nice, pet,” Spike said, knowing that was always the correct response.

 

“Will you—will you stay with me tonight, Spike?” Drusilla asked, her voice hesitant. “Would it be wrong?”

 

“Wrong, luv?” Spike replied, taking her hand in his and stroking her cheek with his other. “You know I love you. How could it be wrong?”

 

She looked away shyly. “But a man and woman aren’t supposed to stay together before they’re married. I remember that.”

 

This was the Drusilla that his poet’s heart had fallen in love with. Drusilla, for all her deviousness, for all her insanity, had been just as complex as a vampire as was Spike. She had been erotic and shy and assertive all at once.

 

And although he loved this side of her, Spike could feel the Drusilla he’d known rapidly slipping away. He knew the stories, knew what she had been before Angelus had gotten to her. As her sanity returned, so would her innocence.

 

While there had been nothing Spike liked doing quite so much as corrupting the innocent, it was different when it was Dru. Different when you knew and loved the person.

 

Different when you understood that you were damning them to everything they had hated.

 

“I’ll be a perfect gentleman,” he promised, somehow not finding it difficult to say to her, to Drusilla. She had needed him to be a monster, and so he had become her monster. If she needed him to be a gentleman, Spike could do that too.

 

He was a man of many aspects after all.

 

Spike led Drusilla into the guest room Joyce had set aside for them, not noticing that Buffy stood watching them from the doorway of her room.

 

~~~~~

 

“It’s totally wiggy, Giles,” Buffy said, pacing across from where he sat on the couch. “I mean, it’s like Spike is a completely different person when he’s with her.”

 

Giles pulled off his glasses and started polishing them. In between Buffy’s explanation of Drusilla being human again, and the sparse information they had on how it had happened, his Slayer had been constantly talking about Spike. Giles was beginning to wonder if he shouldn’t be worried.

 

“Yes, well, Spike was with Drusilla for over a century,” the Watcher pointed out reasonably. “And we know he took care of her when she was ill.”

 

Buffy shook her head. “I know, but you didn’t see them, Giles. It was—weird.” She shook her head. “Spike was actually being considerate.”

 

Giles sighed. “And Drusilla? How was she acting?”

 

Buffy frowned and sat. “Crazy one minute and sane the next. She was still sleeping when I left this morning, but I think that’s only because Mom convinced Spike to give her some Benadryl. Apparently, Drusilla didn’t sleep at all the night before that. Nightmares or something.”

 

Giles pushed his glasses back on and leaned back against the couch cushions. “I see. It appears she’s feeling the weight of her crimes then.”

 

The Slayer nodded. “That’s what it seems like, Giles. I don’t know. I almost feel sorry for her. I know what she’s done, but—If you saw her…”

 

“I do understand, Buffy,” Giles replied. “For all the damage she caused as a vampire, Drusilla was Angelus’ greatest crime. I believe he told you as much when she first came to town.” At Buffy’s nod, he continued. “She was a victim, first and foremost, and now it seems she is a victim again. Whatever—whomever—brought her back must be a powerful force, Buffy. We must find out if they present any danger to us as soon as possible.”

 

“Drusilla is really freaked about seeing Angel again,” Buffy replied reluctantly. “I pretty much promised I wouldn’t call him.”

 

“I don’t think we have a choice,” Giles returned. “While it’s possible that Angel does not know the identity of this enemy, I think we must find out for sure.”

 

She sighed. “I’ll call him this afternoon, then, when it’s more likely he’s awake. Maybe I can convince him to stay in L.A.” The Slayer made a face. “Not that I think it’s likely.”

 

Giles raised an eyebrow. “What are you going to do about Spike?”

 

“I don’t know,” Buffy huffed. “I mean, I can’t just kick him out, not when he’s taking care of Drusilla. I know I certainly don’t want to get stuck with her, and Mom’s pretty set on helping. So I guess they’re both going to be staying until we can figure something else out.”

 

Giles cleared his throat. “Do you think that’s wise, Buffy? Keeping Drusilla and Spike both in the house with who-knows-what after her? Or at least having brought her back?” He hesitated, and then offered, “Perhaps if Angel does want to take her off your hands, that might be best. Drusilla is, after all, his responsibility.”

 

Buffy considered, and then shook her head. “You didn’t see her when Angel is mentioned, Giles. Maybe if she agreed to go with him willingly, but I honestly don’t think she will.”

 

“Think about it at least,” Giles urged. “If Angel insists upon coming to Sunnydale, perhaps we can work on something then. You know he wouldn’t hurt her.”

 

“Yeah, I do,” Buffy muttered. “But the question is, does she?”

 

~~~~~

 

She had slept, Spike thought with relief when he finally woke sometime around noon. Slept with no nightmares to wake her and him both. With a gentle hand, he brushed her dark hair away from her face.

 

His princess had always been beautiful, but no more so than when she slept. And now, with the faint blush of life bringing roses back to her cheeks, she was gorgeous.

 

And innocent. Innocent as a new bride.

 

Spike sat up and scrubbed his hands over his face. Bloody hell, what was he supposed to do now? He’d take care of her if she let him, would stay by her side until the very stars fell out of the sky, but he feared that she would resist. After all, he was a demon, and very happy as such, thank you very much.

 

Drusilla, on the other hand, was a woman—barely more than a girl—and innocent. If he turned her—could he turn her? He’d be no better than Angelus if he did, and yet—

 

And yet then she would love him again.

 

He needed a smoke, but Spike didn’t kid himself that it would be possible inside the house. Joyce wouldn’t stand for it. It would be hours yet before it was safe enough for him to go outside and have a fag.

 

He needed time to think, time to make a decision, figure out what he was going to do.

 

Just a little time was all Spike needed. Too bad he wasn’t going to get it.

 

~~~~~

 

Buffy braced herself to dial the number Willow had given her for Angel. It seemed odd to her that Willow of all people would stay in touch with Cordelia, but it was a good thing. Otherwise, the Slayer wouldn’t have known that Angel’s headquarters had shifted to Cordelia’s apartment for the time being.

 

She really didn’t want to talk to Angel, but Giles was right. There was only so much they could do for Drusilla, and he deserved to know that someone had changed her into human to get to him. Knowing what she did, it didn’t surprise Buffy when Cordelia answered the phone. “Hey, Cordelia, it’s Buffy.”

 

The voice on the other end did not sound all that happy to hear from her. “Buffy. Hi. What’s up?”

 

“Is Angel around?” the Slayer asked. “I had an interesting visitor yesterday, and I’d like to talk to him about it.”

 

“I guess.” Buffy could just catch her muttering, “Now Angel’s going to be broody for weeks.” Then she heard Cordelia calling loudly for Angel, and another minute passed before her ex-boyfriend’s voice came over the line.

 

“Buffy?”

 

“Hey, Angel,” Buffy said, squashing the faintly guilty feelings she had for telling Angel about Drusilla without letting Spike know. Convincing herself that it didn’t matter and that it was for the best. Trying to forget the look of abject terror on Drusilla’s face when Angel’s name came up.

 

“Is something wrong?” Angel asked. “Are you okay?”

 

“I’m fine,” Buffy was quick to assure him. “It’s just—Drusilla showed up the other day.”

 

There was a long pause. “Is she giving you problems?”

 

“No, but I think she was meant to give you some,” Buffy replied. “Look, Angel, Drusilla’s human now. She says the people who did this to her are human, a man and a woman, and we managed to decipher that they’re lawyers of some kind. Ring a bell?”

 

“Wolfram and Hart,” Angel growled. “Buffy, I’m not sure you can trust her, not until we know for sure what her game is.”

 

Buffy sighed. “I don’t think there is a game, Angel. She seems pretty—I don’t know. Harmless, I guess. Spike’s been taking care of her.”

 

“Spike?” Angel’s tone was sharp. “I don’t think that’s such a good idea, Buffy. He might—” The vampire paused. “I’m coming up.”

 

“That’s not necessary,” Buffy replied half-heartedly. “She got pretty freaked out when your name was mentioned.”

 

“Still, I don’t think Spike can be trusted with her, and she’s my responsibility.” Buffy could very nearly hear the mantle of guilt fall on his shoulders. “I’ll start driving as soon as the sun goes down.”

 

Buffy knew from his tone that Angel would not be dissuaded. “Fine, Angel. I’ll see you tonight then.”

 

“And don’t tell Spike I’m coming,” Angel ordered. “It’s better if he’s not prepared.”

 

Buffy was about to ask him why when she heard the click of the receiver and knew he’d hung up. “Angel’s coming,” she told Giles unnecessarily.

 

“So I hear.” Giles looked at her with worried eyes. “Will you be alright?”

 

Buffy shook her head. “Of course I’ll be fine, Giles. I’m—well, I’m not over him, but I think I’ve finally accepted things.” She pulled a face. “Although it would have been a lot nicer if I could have met him with Riley at my side.”

 

~~~~~

 

“You’ve got to eat, luv,” Spike urged. “Just a bit.”

 

Drusilla shook her head. “He’s coming,” she moaned. “Daddy’s coming, and he’s going to be so angry.”

 

Spike stared at her in consternation. She’d been lucid when she woke up—lucid enough to have a real conversation with him. They had lain on the bed and talked about the last year or so. Dru had known about the chip by whatever means, but Spike had told her about the Initiative and Adam. She’d been coherent enough to tell him how she had been killed—a vampire consort had staked her in a fit of pique.

 

Drusilla had even managed to explain her escape from the lawyers, and she described the older man with whom she’d hitched a ride to Sunnydale. “Just knew I had to get to you, my Spike.”

 

Spike had lain on his side, stroking her face. “You ever wish we could go back to the way things used to be?” he asked. “Just the two of us, cuttin’ a bloody swathe through whatever country we’re in.”

 

Drusilla frowned. “It’s not nice to hurt people, my Spike.”

 

“No, don’t suppose it is,” Spike acknowledged. “Was a time you didn’t care about ‘nice,’ though.”

 

She sighed. “But I do now.” Drusilla stared at him. “I hurt you,” she murmured. “Ripped your heart out and made you bleed.”

 

Spike glanced away, suddenly uncomfortable with her expression. Dru had looked upon him in love, lust, anger, even disdain. But never had she looked as though she cared. As though she pitied him. “’m alright, Dru,” he muttered.

 

“No, you’re not,” she replied softly. Drusilla laid a hand on his chest. “Your heart is still not your own, my poor boy, though you hardly know it yet.”

 

Spike frowned. “My heart’s yours, Dru. ‘ve told you that again and again.”

 

She shook her head. “Not anymore,” she corrected him, her eyes gentle. “But it’s alright. You’re still my brave knight.”

 

“’d do anythin’ for you, luv,” he said fervently. “Anythin’. I can—I could make you like me. We’d be together forever that way.”

 

“You’re not mine anymore, pet,” Drusilla replied. “Wish you were. My own sweet William.”

 

She hadn’t called him that in years, not since he’d begun going by Spike. He frowned, trying to figure out what her sudden change in address meant, but Drusilla had stiffened, her dark eyes going wide in fright. “He’s coming.”

 

“Who’s coming, luv?” Spike immediately asked, trusting in her uncanny knack for knowing things. Just because she wasn’t quite as insane as she had been didn’t mean she didn’t still have visions. “Tell me.”

 

“Daddy’s coming,” she whispered. “Oh, he’s so mad. Be careful, my Spike. He’ll hurt you if he can.”

 

“Angel’s not goin’ to touch either one of us,” Spike replied fiercely.

 

That had been the last bit of sense he’d been able to get out of her. Drusilla had been beside herself for the rest of the morning and the afternoon, growing more and more agitated as the hours passed. Spike was anxiously awaiting the Slayer’s return. She had promised not to call Angel, at least not for a while.

 

Buffy had seen what the mere mention of Angel’s name had done to Dru. Even if she had called the vampire, surely she would have let him know.

 

Spike frowned, remembering that this was the Slayer they were talking about. It wasn’t as though Buffy were considerate of him or his feelings. If she had called Angel, and if he was coming—as Dru insisted—there was no way he’d be able to carry out his plan for turning her. There was no way Angel would even leave him alone with Dru.

 

Spike knew this just as he knew Angel would understand what he was planning. After all, it wasn’t as though Angelus wouldn’t have done the same thing under similar circumstances, except he would probably torture Dru all over again.

 

“Bloody hell,” he muttered, thinking furiously. “Look, Dru, you think you could come with me? We’ll have to be quick an’ quiet, but we can get away before Angel gets here. I promise, I won’t let him hurt you.”

 

Drusilla seemed to consider this for a moment, giving Spike a flash of hope. If he could just calm her down, make her realize that things were going to be fine, she might yet be sane enough to turn tonight. It would have to be done before Angel found them, and Spike would need to get them out of town immediately after.

 

There was transportation to arrange, as well as a secure location to find. His crypt would do for now, but then he’d need to find another place to actually turn Dru. It wouldn’t do to let the Slayer or anyone else find them.

 

Spike glanced out the door, noting that the last light was beginning to fade from the sky. Angel would be setting out soon, if he hadn’t already, and Spike needed to be quick.

 

He had no desire whatsoever to see Peaches again, especially after their last meeting.

 

 

 

Chapter 4: Return to Innocence

 

“I’m just saying, Angel. There’s no place to put Drusilla.”

 

Both Wesley and Cordelia had been trying to make Angel see reason for the last two hours. Now they were approaching Sunnydale, and the big vampire showed no signs of being swayed. “Listen to Wes,” Cordy urged. “He’s speaking sense. For once.”

 

“I beg your pardon!” Wesley said, highly offended. “I always make sense, while you on the other hand—”

 

“Children, please,” Angel said wearily. “Look, I know we’ll have to get creative, but I’m not leaving Dru with Spike. And besides, she’s my responsibility.”

 

Cordelia and Wesley exchanged looks. Angel had been extra-broody since Buffy had called earlier that day, although this time it hadn’t been the Slayer’s fault. Instead, Angel had been working himself up over what he was certain Spike was going to do to Drusilla once he got her alone.

 

Angel seemed to be feeling that it was his responsibility to save her from the same fate he’d previously doomed her to. Neither of his associates were convinced that Drusilla was in need of saving. As Wesley had remarked to Cordelia earlier, “Angel is simply reacting to the guilt he feels over torturing and turning her so many years ago. It’s a perfectly natural reaction.”

 

Natural or not, however, it didn’t create any more room in Cordy’s apartment, which was AI’s current headquarters since the office had been blown up.

 

“Well, she can’t stay with me, Angel,” Cordelia said firmly. “I don’t have any more space, and I don’t have time to look after crazy ex-vampires. It wasn’t in the job contract.”

 

“She’s one of the helpless we’re supposed to be helping,” Angel protested.

 

Cordelia glared at the back of his head. “She’s not a paying client, which is the only kind I would let live in my place. And don’t you think Dennis would completely freak her out?”

 

Angel thought about that for a minute. “Maybe, but if we explained—”

 

“No.” Cordelia’s tone was firm, with no wiggle room. Even Wesley knew better than to argue with her when she was like that.

 

Angel glanced at Wesley, who was sitting in the passenger seat by virtue of his longer legs. “Wes, maybe—”

 

“No,” Wesley replied immediately. “I have a very small flat, Angel, and I am not prepared to look after someone with Drusilla’s needs.”

 

Angel was prepared to beg. He did not want to leave Drusilla in Sunnydale within Spike’s reach. “I could stay too.”

 

Wesley was not ready to give up that much of his privacy. Actually, he wasn’t prepared to give up any of his privacy. He liked living alone. He enjoyed his co-workers, and he spent a great deal of time with them, but he regarded his flat as a retreat. “No, Angel,” Wesley replied. “I have to say I’m with Cordelia. I don’t blame you for wanting to make certain that Drusilla is okay, but we haven’t any place to put her.”

 

Angel frowned, not having expected this kind of resistance from his friends. “Just for a few days,” he said, even more persuasively. “I’ll start looking for a new place as soon as we get back to L.A.”

 

Wesley heaved a deeply put-upon sigh. “If we find it necessary to remove Drusilla from Sunnydale, then she can stay at my apartment. But honestly, Angel, I don’t have room for the two of you either.”

 

There was a small sound in the back seat from Cordy that some might have interpreted as a coughed, “Wuss,” but Wesley decided to ignore it.

 

“Thanks, Wes,” Angel replied sincerely. “I really appreciate it.”

 

Wesley stifled a moan, knowing that whether he liked it or not, he’d just gotten stuck ex-vampire-sitting.

 

~~~~~

 

After talking with Angel, Buffy had plans to go out with Willow, just the two of them because Tara had to work. Once again the Slayer found herself talking about Spike’s strange relationship with Drusilla. Willow was a much more sympathetic listener than Giles had been. “Wow, Buffy. That’s—crazy.”

 

“I know,” Buffy said, having just gotten done explaining the scene she’d witnessed the previous night, unbeknownst to Spike. “It’s just, he’s so attentive, Willow. And he’s nice to Mom too.”

 

Willow frowned thoughtfully. “Well, he was nice to me too, sorta, that night he was going to kill me.” At the Slayer’s raised eyebrow, she quickly explained, “He did try to make me feel better about Oz leaving. In a really weird way.”

 

Buffy sighed. “It’s annoying, because I had this idea of Spike as the annoying bleached menace, and he still is, but—”

 

“Now you see him as sensitive-boyfriend too,” Willow finished.

 

“Pretty much,” Buffy replied glumly. “I liked Spike’s box. It was comfortable…for me.”

 

“Boxes are never comfortable,” Willow said, speaking from past experience. “But you called Angel? And he’s coming?”

 

“Yeah,” Buffy said, looking around. “Do you have a watch on, Will?”

 

Willow looked at her watch. “It’s a little after seven.”

 

Buffy yelped. “Oh, crap. I’d better get back to the house and let Spike know Angel’s on his way.” The Slayer made a face. “He’s going to be pissed.”

 

Willow shrugged. “It’s not like you can control whether or not Angel’s coming.”

 

“I don’t think Spike’s going to see it that way, though,” Buffy replied.

 

~~~~~

 

Spike had stopped at the crypt only briefly to collect a few personal belongings, including some clothing and all his cash. Then, he’d taken Drusilla to the Sunnydale Inn by the highway. It was the cheapest motel in town, and seemed like the best option since they couldn’t very well stay at his place. Not if he was going to turn her. Not if Angel was on his way into town.

 

Once he turned Drusilla, things would be fine, but right now all he could think about was what would happen if he couldn’t do it.

 

If he didn’t turn her. That option had crossed his mind.

 

There were places in South America that would be safe, where he could find a way to rent a cheap villa and hire a girl to look after Dru and do the shopping and such. All that required money, however, and money wasn’t something that was quite as easy to get his hands on now that he had the chip in his head.

 

So he had to turn Dru. There wasn’t any other choice.

 

Spike knew he was trying to convince himself.

 

She was sitting on the single bed, regarding him with a kind of watchfulness he found unsettling. Drusilla, sane, was more formidable than he’d ever dared imagine. “Look, Dru—”

 

“You want me to join you,” she said softly, and there was a sadness in her voice that frightened him, even though the Big Bad wasn’t supposed to be scared of anything or anyone.

 

Spike blinked, and then came to sit next to her on the bed. “You’d be free of the guilt, Dru. We could go off together again, just us. The whole world could be ours, or even one small corner. I’d settle for that with you.”

 

“But that isn’t your destiny, William,” Drusilla replied. “It isn’t me you love anymore.”

 

Spike wanted to pass it off as madness, except that she didn’t sound crazy. In fact, she sounded completely normal, and he found himself near tears. Over the last 48 hours of having her by his side, Spike had allowed himself to dream of what a future with Drusilla might look like. It would be just like the last couple years had never happened. They could rebuild from the ruins of what Angelus had left to them.

 

And as hard as Spike fought against the knowledge, he knew that Drusilla was right. He did still love her, but not as he once had. “I’d stay with you forever, luv,” he whispered. “I could make you mine.”

 

There were tears welling up in Drusilla’s eyes, and Spike suddenly knew that the time for turning her had long passed. Her innocence tore at his undead heart. He loved this woman in all her incarnations—she had saved him from a life of mediocrity.

 

Drusilla had given him a purpose and a mission, had given him life when she’d killed him. How could he repay her by killing her now, when to do so would destroy all she’d regained?

 

“Would you damn me as well, my Spike?” she asked quietly. “I remember—remember their bodies. He killed them all and then he came after me. I loved them.”

 

She had loved them when she was crazy and evil too, Spike remembered. “I know you did, pet.”

 

“I didn’t want this, my Spike,” she said. “I wanted to die, to join Mummy and the rest. I didn’t want to wet my hands with blood.”

 

Spike took her hands in his. “Don’t know much ‘bout that sort of thing, luv. ‘m not a philosopher. Wasn’t even a very good poet, but it wasn’t your fault. Place the blame at Angelus’ door, where it belongs.” He smiled slyly. “Wanker could probably use another load of guilt anyway.”

 

Drusilla matched his smile with one of her own. “He is overwhelmed by the weight of it all,” she agreed. Her fingers traced his cheekbone. “I can see it now,” she murmured. “You’ll save them all, my love. They do not see your vision or your imagination.”

 

“You’re the only one who ever did,” Spike replied, closing his eyes as he relinquished all dreams for the future with Drusilla. He couldn’t turn her; if not because he loved her, then because he refused to be as great of a bastard as his grandsire.

 

Drusilla drew him to her, and she found that her mind was clear as it hadn’t been in centuries. What the obsessive hatred of one vampire had done, the love of another vampire had undone. It had a curious symmetry. With Spike’s head on her breast, she murmured words of love, of hope. She told him his future, what she had seen of it, careful not to give too much away.

 

She called him her brave knight and promised that the future was always brighter than the present. Spike found himself in the arms of his Sire, her embrace and words everything he might have dreamt of, everything he had ever wanted.

 

And Spike knew it was all slipping through his fingers.

 

~~~~~

 

Buffy returned to an empty house. It was apparent that her mom hadn’t gotten back from the gallery yet, and Angel wasn’t due for another couple hours. When she searched the house, the Slayer found Spike and Drusilla gone, the spare room bed made, and no sign they’d been there at all.

 

Buffy pursed her lips, certain that this was not a good thing. Although, since Drusilla was human, Spike couldn’t hurt her. Angel wasn’t going to be happy, however, and Giles was supposed to meet her here very shortly to talk with the ex-vampire. Buffy had no idea how she was supposed to find Spike and his girlfriend while waiting for her Watcher and another vampire.

 

As if on cue, the doorbell rang, and Buffy opened the door to find Giles standing there. “Buffy,” he greeted her, coming in after her silent welcome. “Did you and Willow have a pleasant afternoon?”

 

“It was good,” Buffy replied. “I think we might have a problem, though.”

 

Giles pulled off his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Let me guess. Spike and Drusilla aren’t here.” He sighed. “I’m not sure you should have left them here by themselves.”

 

“I’m thinking that myself right about now,” Buffy snapped back. “But that doesn’t do us a whole lot of good. Besides, how was I to know they’d take off? Spike seemed pretty intent on staying put last night.”

 

Giles decided it wasn’t worth it to argue the point. His Slayer was right in that it didn’t do them any good to argue about it. “You’re right. Where would they have gone?”

 

“How am I supposed to know?” Buffy asked. “Best guess? Probably his crypt. I don’t know where else Spike would go unless he decided to skip town.”

 

From what Buffy had told him, Giles highly doubted that Spike would leave town with Drusilla in tow, no matter how devoted he was. Without help, the vampire would find it most difficult to care for the now-human woman. “The crypt is most likely our best choice,” Giles said. “When do you anticipate Angel arriving?”

 

Buffy thought for a minute, quickly doing the math in her head. “I don’t know. If Angel drives, it’s going to be at least another hour. Of course, if he had someone else to do the driving, they could be here any minute.”

 

Slayer and Watcher regarded one another for a minute in silence before Giles went to sit down on the sofa. “I imagine Spike can take care of himself for a while then,” he stated. “We can try to find the both of them when Angel arrives.”

 

~~~~~

 

They didn’t have to wait long, as Angel had, indeed, asked Wesley to drive the first leg of the journey while the sun was still in the sky. After it was safe, he’d emerged from his blanket and taken the wheel himself.

 

By the time Angel reached the Summers’ front door, he’d worked himself into a state, imagining all the things Spike could have done to Dru in the time since Buffy had called him. He was in such a tizzy that when Buffy opened the door at his knock that he demanded, “Where are they?”

 

“Hello to you too, Angel,” Buffy replied sarcastically. “And it’s so nice to see you.”

 

Angel scowled, thinking that the Slayer really wasn’t taking this seriously. “Where are Spike and Dru, Buffy? It’s important.”

 

The Slayer rolled her eyes. “Of course it’s important, Angel. It always is. They’re not here.” She looked past the vampire to see Cordelia and Wesley standing on her porch. She was so irritated at Angel right now that she was almost happy to see her ex-Watcher and ex-nemesis. “Hey guys.”

 

“Hey, Buffy,” Cordelia replied, brushing past Angel to enter the house. “I’m sorry, but Angel’s been working himself up ever since we left L.A.”

 

“I think I can take care of Spike, Angel,” Buffy said, sounding disgusted. “I mean, it’s not as if I haven’t been dealing with him for years now.”

 

Wesley cleared his throat. “I believe Angel fears that Spike may find a way to turn Drusilla.”

 

“He has a chip,” Giles said. “It won’t allow him to hurt humans.”

 

“There are other ways,” Angel replied impatiently. “I know if I—” He broke that sentence off, knowing that it could easily get him into trouble. “We need to find them.”

 

Buffy rolled her eyes. “They’re probably at Spike’s crypt,” she said. “Come on.”

 

~~~~~

 

They weren’t at Spike’s crypt. There were a few signs of hasty packing, but nothing conclusive. Buffy heard Angel growl deep in his throat. The Slayer had suggested that just she and Angel go, but the others had insisted on tagging along—Giles probably because he wanted to talk with Drusilla when they found her. Buffy had no idea what the others’ motives were, but both Wesley and Cordelia seemed well in-tune with the drill.

 

Buffy had to wonder what the heck had happened to change the two of them so drastically, because she really was liking them a lot more than their boss at this point.

 

“Angel, why would it be such a big deal if Spike did leave town with Drusilla?” Buffy asked, feeling a little twinge. It wasn’t that she would miss Spike if he left town, precisely. It was that he made things more interesting.

 

Who else could she beat up for information, anyway?

 

Angel was pacing restlessly. “Buffy, you don’t know Spike like I do. He’ll turn Dru, and then you’ll have to worry about both of them.”

 

The Slayer was torn as to how much she’d have to worry. On the one hand, Angel was correct. Spike and Dru together were a formidable team. At the same time, however, Spike would still be chipped, and he, at least, could be trusted not to go after her mother and friends. Not like some vampires she could name.

 

“Okay, turning Drusilla, bad,” Buffy agreed. “But what if he just got lost? Angel, just because you’re feeling guilty doesn’t make Drusilla your responsibility.”

 

“That’s what we’ve been telling him all day,” Cordelia broke in. “Look, Angel, I’m sure Buffy has things under control. She’s the Slayer. Can we go home now?”

 

Angel ignored all of them, stepping out of the crypt to sniff at the night air. His eyes narrowed. “They went this way.”

 

Buffy and the others watched him lope off, and both she and Cordelia wrinkled their noses in disgust. “Was it just me, or was that gross?” Cordelia asked.

 

“No, that was gross,” Buffy agreed. The two women exchanged looks of female solidarity. The Slayer sighed. “We’d better follow. If Angel finds Spike, he’ll probably stake first and ask questions later.”

 

Only Wesley heard Giles mutter under his breath as they followed. “And yet I fail to see why that would be a bad thing.”

 

Chapter 5: The Longest Word

 

He was sleeping. Drusilla cradled him as she would a child. Before it all, before Angelus and his games, before the visions, she had dreamed of this. Dreamed of having a husband and children, babies to suckle and nurture and bring up.

 

Drusilla had, above all things, been a good girl.

 

Then had come the visions, frightening glimpses of the future that had marked her as evil. She hadn’t understood, had believed that God was punishing her for some unknown sin, and yet no amount of praying or fasting or confessing had caused them to go away.

 

Looking back, Drusilla could see the past with clear eyes. Her visions had not been evil. No, she had seen true evil, and it wore the face of an angel.

 

Drusilla glanced down at Spike, feeling a pang of true remorse. William had been such an innocent—as pure in his own way as she herself had been. Yet she and Angel had been unable to completely irradicate the sweetness of William. Her boy had always loved with such a passion, as he still did, though he didn’t know it yet.

 

She glanced up at the door, waiting. Angel would be coming soon, and though Drusilla felt the clawing sense of fear at her heart, she sensed that the demon was held tightly in check by the soul.

 

Drusilla wasn’t certain that it would make a difference.

 

She could not stay here. It would not be right, and would only serve as a distraction for Spike. Dru could see his path stretched out before him; he would be a Champion, as he was always meant to be.

 

It would be her penance—to leave him when she would like nothing better than to stay. Spike would try to convince her to come with him, of course. He’d plead and tell her that they could find happiness elsewhere, and that was true enough, but it wouldn’t be right.

 

And Drusilla was intent upon doing what was right. Even if the fear threatened her mind again. She frowned. “Fee fi fo fum, I smell the blood of an Englishman.”

 

Spike stirred in her arms, his eyes blinking open slowly. “Dru?” He muttered. “Bloody hell, you shouldn’t have let me sleep.”

 

“You needed it,” Drusilla replied. “You’ve been busy taking care of me.”

 

“I don’t mind, luv,” he replied, sitting up slowly. “Feel like a pansy, fallin’ asleep on you like that, though.”

 

Dru touched his cheek. “Angel is coming.”

 

Spike shook his head. “Doesn’t matter, pet. He won’t find us here.”

 

“He’s coming,” she repeated. “And he’s not happy with you.”

 

Spike smirked. “Peaches never is.” There was a pause, and Spike saw something in her face that worried him. “Dru? What’s wrong?”

 

“I’m leaving, my Spike,” she said softly. When he opened his mouth to protest, Dru silenced him with gentle fingers. “I must.”

 

Spike shook his head. “We could leave, Dru. I’d take care of you. We’ll go to South America again, or Mexico.” The vampire knew he’d already lost the battle, even through his protests. Dru knew her own mind—even when she’d been crazy—and he could tell that she was set on leaving. It felt as though she was ripping out his heart all over again. “You’re not goin’ with Angel!”

 

Drusilla shook her head quickly. “No, not with Angel. I cannot bear to look at him just now.” Her eyes bore into his, and Spike didn’t think she looked quite sane. “You must stay, Spike. It’s important.”

 

“Nothin’s more important than you are, pet!”

 

“That’s not true,” she replied. “Listen. There are two things you must know.”

 

“Dru—”

 

“We don’t have much time,” she told him. “Now shush.” Spike shut his mouth. “The Slayer’s mum is ill. You must help her see it. She won’t listen to me.”

 

Spike frowned. “Not like she’d listen to me, either,” he muttered.

 

“Try,” Drusilla said, a touch of wry humor in her tone. For a moment the madness receded again, and she was merely a woman speaking to a rather exasperating man. “The second thing is the Slayer’s sister.”

 

“Slayer doesn’t have a sister,” Spike objected.

 

Drusilla shrugged. “Not yet, but she’s the Key to the whole thing. You have to protect her, Spike, just like you protected Mummy.”

 

“Dammit, Dru,” Spike said, grabbing her by the shoulders. “You don’t have to go! Or I’ll go with you. ‘s ‘bout  time I left Sunnyhell anyway.”

 

Drusilla shook her head, in a panic. “No, you mustn’t. You mustn’t leave. I won’t have more blood on my hands, Spike. I won’t!”

 

“I’ll stay,” Spike promised, pulling her close. “If it’s that soddin’ important, I’ll stay. But ‘m doin’ it for you, not the bloody Slayer.”

 

Her head shot up. “They’re here.”

 

And then the door flew open.

 

~~~~~

 

It was chaos for the first few moments. At the first sight of Angel, Drusilla lost much of her hard-won equilibrium. She started doing that squealing thing she did when she got upset, when Spike was the only one who could calm her down.

 

Of course, Spike couldn’t do anything of the sort with Angel doing his best to snap his head off with his bare hands. “Angel!” Buffy called, trying to pull him off Spike. “Stop it! Drusilla is fine—except for the screeching, which I think is your fault.”

 

With the Slayer’s help, Spike managed to kick Angel off him with a well-placed boot. Angel huffed, doubling over in pain. Buffy winced in sympathy, remembering another time when she’d used the same tactic. Of course, remembering Angelus squelched much of her sympathy.

 

“Nice to see you too, Peaches,” Spike growled, pushing past the others to get to Drusilla, whom he pulled into his arms. “Ssh, luv. It’s alright.”

 

Drusilla buried her head in Spike’s chest so she wouldn’t have to look at the vampire. Although she did remember that this was Angel, and not Angelus—and although she understood the difference—the very sight of him tore at her mind. Everything he had done to her came rushing back, and she could suddenly see the bodies of her loved ones laid out before her.

 

“Make him leave, Slayer,” Spike growled. “He’s upsettin’ Dru.”

 

Angel strained forward, recovered from Spike’s kick, fighting against Buffy’s hold. “You’re going to turn her!”

 

“And be like you?” Spike asked incredulously—nevermind that it had been his plan. “She was nearly sane before you came in like the bloody Stormtroopers. Chip might stop me from hurtin’ humans, but it won’t keep me from kickin’ your ass.”

 

Spike made no move towards the bigger vampire, however, having his hands full trying to placate Drusilla. “Angel, outside,” Buffy ordered, before things could get anymore heated than they already were. “You’re obviously upsetting her.”

 

“I’m not!” Angel protested.

 

Drusilla started shouting, “Snake in the grass! Snake in the grass!”

 

Angel froze, remembering that she had said the exact same thing as he and Darla had sex amidst the bodies of dead nuns, right in front of the tormented girl. Right before Angel turned her. “If you hurt her—” he threatened Spike.

 

“What, like you did?” Spike snarked back. “Get lost, Peaches. Dru’s mine now. I think she’s made that clear enough.”

 

When Angel finally left the room, Drusilla calmed down slightly. At least she wasn’t making quite as much noise, and Buffy breathed a sigh of relief. “Oh, boy, that was fun,” she muttered.

 

“I had things under control,” Spike said angrily. “Why’d you have to call the Great Poof in?”

 

“Drusilla was brought back by an evil law firm,” Cordelia said, tyring to reconcile the Spike standing in front of her with the Spike who had tortured Angel with hot pokers. It wasn’t working too well. “Angel thought they might come after her.”

 

“And of course with you lot runnin’ down here that’s not a dead-giveaway as to where she’s at,” Spike said sarcastically. “How you ever managed to save the world is beyond me,” he muttered.

 

Wesley and Giles both issued twin sighs. “I agree that it was not a good idea for Angel to come rushing in here, Spike,” Giles said, not believing he was agreeing with the vampire. “However, I don’t think it’s wise for Drusilla to remain in Sunnydale. Should the lawyers come after her, you will not be able to protect her. They are human.”

 

Spike scowled. “Bloody hell, do you think I don’t know that?” His grip around Drusilla tightened. “She can’t go back with Angel. I won’t let him drive her batty again.” He ran a tender hand through her hair. “She was doin’ so well.”

 

“It wouldn’t be Angel she’d return with, Spike,” Wesley said. “I, uh, already offered Angel the use of my flat. Just for Drusilla,” he added. “Angel has never been there, so he does not have an invitation.”

 

Panic flared in Spike’s eyes. He knew he was fighting a losing battle. Spike knew that Drusilla—once Angel left and she was okay again—would insist that she leave for whatever damnfool reason. It was a done deal.

 

He’d never been one for giving up, though.

 

“Why does she have to go at all?” he demanded. “She could stay here. I can take care of her!”

 

Buffy looked over at Giles, communicating with only her eyes. Her Watcher, knowing her as he did, nodded, pulling Wesley and Cordelia out of the hotel room, and closing the door behind him. “Spike, you know that’s not possible.”

 

Spike stared down at the woman in his arms. “She’s mine!” The protest sounded weak even to his own ears, and the vampire knew that he’d lost. He released Drusilla, sitting her down on the bed and pulling Buffy to one side. The ex-vampire seemed to be completely unaware of her surroundings, having retreated into herself. “Bein’ with Angel will kill her,” he hissed. “You saw her when he came in. Dru was perfectly fine before.”

 

“I know, Spike,” Buffy said, deciding to take his word for it. “But she can’t stay here. You can’t take care of her now. You can’t give her what she needs.”

 

Spike snarled wordlessly. “Who says I can’t?” he finally managed. “I took care of her for a hundred bloody years. After the Great Poof left us!” He started pacing. “Dru wept for weeks, wantin’ to know where ‘Daddy’ was at. Well, if he had such a wonderful soul, why didn’t he stay? Why didn’t he help her?”

 

“I don’t know, Spike,” Buffy replied, her tone almost gentle. She could see how worked up the vampire was and had a funny feeling that it was mostly because he knew he’d have to give Drusilla up. “What if the lawyers do come after her?”

 

“I dunno,” he said helplessly, the fight draining out of him. “I’d protect her.”

 

“How, Spike?” Buffy asked, her tone still gentle. “With your dust?”

 

“If I had to!” he shot back.

 

Buffy took a step closer to him. “She can’t stay here.”

 

“Do you think I don’t know that?” Spike demanded. “Do you really think—” He turned his back on the Slayer, facing Drusilla, murmuring under his breath. “She was goin’ to love me again.”

 

The Slayer did have some idea of how Spike was planning on accomplishing that goal, but she couldn’t find it in her heart to hate him for it. If she put herself in his shoes—and yes, Buffy did know how weird that sounded, even in her own head—she’d probably have done the same thing.

 

Why he didn’t turn her was the big question.

 

“Why didn’t you turn her, Spike?”

 

“She’s an innocent,” Spike said, as though the answer was obvious. “Just look at her, Slayer. How could I hurt her when she’s like this? Dru didn’t want to be a vamp again. Made me promise—” Spike broke off, not wanting to tell the Slayer what Drusilla had made him promise.

 

And, of course, now that he’d promised, Spike would see it through. He always kept his promise to his girl.

 

“Drusilla can stay at our house for a couple days until we can take her to L.A.,” Buffy said. “Wes and the rest of them will take care of her. They know things about this law firm that we don’t.”

 

Spike turned to face her. “Look after her, Buffy.”

 

He was gone in the next moment, although Buffy could hear him threatening Wesley with death and/or dismemberment if anything happened to Drusilla while under his care.

 

Giles came through the door just after Spike left. “Buffy? Is everything okay?”

 

“Drusilla’s going to stay at my house for a couple days,” Buffy said. “Mom and I can look after her until we can get her to L.A.”

 

Giles had a surprised expression on his face. “And Spike?”

 

“He agreed,” Buffy replied evenly. “I don’t think it’s a good idea for Angel to travel with Drusilla, though, and it would be better to give her some time to calm down.”

 

Wesley, who had entered the hotel room behind Giles, sighed, realizing that he was in for a few days—or more—of baby-sitting. “I can come back with Angel’s car,” he offered. “By that time we should have a better idea of how Wolfram & Hart are reacting to her escape anyway.”

 

“I think that’s an excellent idea,” Giles agreed. “Are you certain you can handle her?”

 

Wesley shrugged. “I suppose we shall soon see, won’t we?”

 

~~~~~

 

Angel stayed in his slumped position against the outside wall of the hotel, even after Spike came storming out. The younger vampire had spared a venemous look for his grandsire before disappearing into the shadows.

 

Wesley and Giles had gone inside, and while Angel wanted to follow, he had a feeling that Buffy would only kick him out again. Especially if Drusilla started up her screeching. Angel had forgotten how irritating Dru could be once she got going.

 

“She was scared of me,” he muttered to Cordelia who had stayed loyally by his side.

 

Cordy rolled her eyes, long used to His Broodiness. “Well, duh, Angel. You killed her entire family and then used mind games to torture her until she went insane. You do the math.”

 

“She wanted Spike!” Angel said, sounding very put-out. “Spike’s much more evil than I am.”

 

Cordelia eyed him, wondering if she should say what she was thinking. It wasn’t often that she exercised her tact, but it did exist. Finally deciding that there was no point in holding back, she pointed out, “He might be more evil than Angel, but I don’t think Spike could compete with Angelus.”

 

Angel growled a little in the back of his throat. “But Angelus is gone.”

 

“And you still wear his face, Angel, whether you like it or not,” Cordelia replied, although not without compassion. “Drusilla sees you and she’s seeing her worst nightmare.” She patted his shoulder comfortingly. “Maybe it’ll get better.”

 

“I don’t see how,” Angel muttered. “Not if she starts screaming at the sight of me.”

 

The young woman couldn’t help but agree, but she decided it would be better just to keep her mouth shut on this one. She stifled a sigh. Cordelia had the feeling that they were going to be putting up with an extra-gloomy Angel for the next few days.

 

Or weeks.