Shadow of a Dream
By D.M. Evans
Email: ripewickedplum2@yahoo.com 
Rating - R
Spoilers - None, this is season three and completely AU
Pairing - plenty of them
Distribution - if you want it let me know
Summary - Anya manages to make a wish that greatly effects Sunnydale, Buffy and her friends
Disclaimer- Not mine. Joss et al owns all rights. I don't make any money from this. I just have fun. Concetta, Swanne and other invented characters are mine.

Chapter One - If Wishes Were Horses

Anya breathed out deeply. Success tickled her. She had been living for this moment ever since that awful Watcher had destroyed her amulet. She and the redheaded witch had failed the first time they tried to restore her to her demon hood, but this time Anya's pain must have been deeper or her magick better. Either way she had managed to call for D'Hoffryn. She gazed at the ugly demon with something close to worship.

"Anyanka, I never thought I'd see you again." Amusement trickled through his voice.

Anya swallowed hard. She knew well he could just as easily destroy her as restore her. "I want vengeance."

He seemed pleased. "Yes, I can feel your pain but after what happened last time why should I help you?"

Anya's pretty features twisted into something uglier than should have been possible. "I was a good demon for centuries. I wrecked vengeance like none had ever seen. You always told me I was your favorite. I never thought that I could be defeated." She paused, looking up at him cautiously. "It made me overconfident. I know better now. I can't live like this. I want to be a demon again."

He was silent so long Anya began to fear he'd just leave without responding. "And if I grant this wish?"

"I'll be better than before," she assured him vehemently.

D'Hoffryn sighed. "Your replacement managed to get herself killed, silly creature. One of the girls she aided wanted everyone in town to die for making fun of her."

"And the fool forgot to get out of town before granting the wish," Anya finished for him.

He shrugged. "Not all vengeance demons are as smart as they could be. Very well, Anyanka. I'll bring you back into the fold on a contingency basis. If you disappoint me, I can strip away the gift as quickly as I gave it." He took an amulet from the dark folds of his robes.

Power flooded Anya like water through a broken dam. With trembling fingers, Anya took the green, glowing amulet from D'Hoffryn. It felt good against her skin as she put it on. "My first wish if for myself. That damn meddling Watcher needs to pay. If he never became a Watcher, I'd never have gotten into this mess."

"Done," D'Hoffryn said.

Anya's lips quivered. "Wait. That wasn't my wish. I had something much better than that in mind," she argued, her eyes gleaming with anger.

He held up a hand to ward her off. "Too late. Besides, you never know how much more interesting this can be. Sometimes life is worse than a quick death." D'Hoffryn's lips twitched into an unaccustomed smile.

Anya thought about that. It was true. For all she knew, Giles was now a homeless man roaming London. Or something equally pathetic. First, she'd visit Sunnydale and then she'd hunt him down just to see what happened to him. Restored and feeling content, Anya returned to Sunnydale's reality, however altered it might be. She honed in on something that thrummed with power and intrigue, hoping for excitement.

* * *

Ethan filled his lungs with fresh air, resting his lean buttocks on the cherry red fender of his '70 Cuda. He stared at the "Welcome to Sunnydale" sign. "Can you smell it? That's power, my friends. And it's just waiting for us to use it."

A man sat astride his Harley Dyna Super Glide, smoking. He sent his cigarette arcing away in a glittering shower of light in the gathering dusk. It hit the sign, exploding into orange sparkles. "Let's do it, then."

Ethan waved at the brunette with hair like a Brillo-Pad. "You heard, Ripper, love. Get in the car. We're home."

She snorted at him and folded her tall body back into the car. Ripper let them go before him. Their car, his bike, were designed for power and speed. They liked it that way, needed it on occasion. He didn't doubt they'd need it here on the mouth of hell. Ripper's lip curled thinking on how his entire life had been leading to this point. He, Ethan and Concetta had been living in the States for several years, cutting a magical swath across it, getting rich in the process. He missed England, but the Watchers had made it uncomfortable for them there. It had been his father's dying wish that the Council make sure Ripper and Ethan couldn't hurt anyone else, the old fool.

And to think he had almost become one of them. It embarrassed Ripper to remember the time after Eyghon had killed one of their band. The group had fallen apart. He had almost went running back to his father, licking his wounds and begging to become a Watcher to make up for what he had done. Luckily, Ethan had talked sense into him and the elder Giles' ire and complete lack of sympathy had sealed his son's fate. They delved more deeply into the dark arts, growing in strength and becoming more and more in demand for those who could use their special talents.

They had hooked up with Concetta in Pittsburgh in the early 90's. She was a witch with big appetites for power and sex. She was mostly Ethan's lover but occasionally she felt the need to discipline Ripper. He didn't mind. He could be as kinky as the next guy. They made a good team. Three was always better than two. It was a mystical number, after all. And here on the Hellmouth he knew there was no limit to what they could do.

* * *

Buffy waved Willow past the library door. They had no choice but to pass it on their way to computer class. She just hoped they could sneak by without her Watcher catching her. The less she had to do with Wyndam-Pryce the better. She thought she had made it when the door flew open and his twiggy figure made a failed attempt to fill the void.

"Miss Summers, a moment of your time." Wesley stared at Willow. "Your presence is not required, Miss Rosenberg."

Willow gave Buffy an embarrassed shrug and hurried down the hall. Buffy brushed past Wesley and tossed herself onto the library table. Faith sprawled in one of the chairs. It didn't surprise Buffy but it didn't make her any happier to see her.

Wesley stalked over to her. "You know I require daily updates on your patrols, Miss Summers. Why do you have such a problem with that? Why can't you be more like Faith?"

'And put my knees alongside my ears for you?' she thought but held her tongue. She almost didn't blame Faith for using sex to get an easier ride. It hadn't taken long for Buffy to realize something was broken inside her fellow Slayer, something that Faith used sex to try and fix. It obviously wasn't working. "I patrolled, killed three vamps and a Fryal demon, end of story. Now, I have to get to class. Unlike Faith, I haven't dropped out of school." She winced. That came out snottier than she intended. She gained nothing by antagonizing Wesley.

"With as poorly as you're doing, I don't see why not," Wesley shot back and Faith smirked at her, her fingers drumming on the table.

"I have to go. Ms. Calendar won't like it if I'm late," Buffy said, more meekly.

"I don't like you talking to that woman," Wesley bristled.

"Well, she is my computer teacher," Buffy said softly, trying not to push it. She knew how much Wesley resented Ms. Calendar because she was the one Buffy turned to these last few months.

"And have you been meeting with that...filthy vampire again? If I catch you at it, I will send you to England for the Watcher's Council to rehabilitate you," Wesley said, his thin fingers digging into Buffy's shoulder. "And if Faith or I find Angel that will be the end of him."

"No, I haven't seen him. I've learned my lesson," Buffy said, not taking her eyes off Faith. The dark haired Slayer was mouthing 'the Bronze.' Buffy knew Faith had seen her with Angel. She didn't trust Faith not to rat her out but obviously she wasn't going to do it quite yet. She probably wanted something. Buffy's head jerked up when the bell rang. "That's it, I'm late." She ripped free of Wesley's grip and raced out of the library before he could stop her.

She ran down the hall, tears stinging her eyes. It wasn't supposed to be like this. She hadn't gotten to know Merrick well but at least he was kinder than Wesley. She couldn't believe she could hate anyone as much as she did her Watcher. The animosity had started with his coldness to her when she learned that the Master was going to kill her and she had wanted to quit. He couldn't understand that she was just a kid and wasn't ready to die. And if not for Xander, she would have. But her hatred really took flight when Wesley ordered her outright to kill Oz after they learned he was a werewolf. When he found out she had spared Oz, he had sent Faith after him. Oz managed to escape but to where they didn't know. It broke Willow's heart. Buffy had never forgiven Wesley for that. She wouldn't even think about what happened with Angel and Angelus and that whole mess.

Jenny gave her a sharp look as she snuck into class and took a seat beside Willow and Xander. Listening to Jenny talking about some code or another, Buffy's mind rolled over her pain, like kicking over stones looking for the bugs and snakes underneath. She looked around class. There were faces missing. Cordelia and Harmony were the most noticeable absences. After Cordelia had been injured running away from Xander who had been cheating on her - Buffy still couldn't believe that one - she had been slow to recover. She and Harmony had been picked off one night. Now they were vampires themselves.

Unable to get into the class, Buffy let her mind wander to Willow and Xander. They needed to be together even if they couldn't really see it. Buffy distracted herself from her pain by trying to devise ways to make her friends happy.


Chapter Two - Fools in Love

"Are you going to be meeting...you know," Willow said, shooting Xander a nervous look.

The dark-haired young man frowned over his vanilla coke at her, letting her know the rotten band stinking up The Bronze hadn't drowned out her words. Xander hated Angel and understandably so. Angelus had turned Cordelia. Buffy didn't know how to make it better. She loved Angel. She couldn't stop loving him. She tried when he was Angelus but failed. Xander wasn't able to understand that. She didn't either but there it was eating into their friendship like a cancer. He seemed to have decided the best way of dealing with it was to not address it at all. That worked for her, too. She only had Willow and Xander in her life. She didn't want to lose another friend. Angel for his part understood and kept his distance from the younger man.

"No, I'm taking a patrol break. Let Faith do it," Buffy said, thinking again these two were the only people in her life that meant anything to her outside of Angel and her mom, of course. But Joyce was burying herself in work and pretending she had a normal daughter. She knew Buffy was the Slayer, but it hadn't really sunk in despite a summer of trying to heal deep wounds. Buffy hadn't helped by being horribly mopey because of Cordelia's and Kendra's deaths, the widening rift between her and Wesley and most painful of all, Angel fleeing Sunnydale after he had been restored. He said he was going away with the statue of Acathla taking it somewhere where it couldn't be used again but Buffy knew he was avoiding her, ashamed of having become Angelus again.

"Did you hear what Faith said to Ms. Calendar?" Willow asked, her eyes so large they swallowed her face.

Buffy shook her head, not really wanting to know. She knew it would only embarrass her next time she saw Jenny. "What now?"

Willow hedged for a moment then said, "Told her to stop helping you because she's not your Watcher."

"Only not so nicely," Xander said bitterly, wagging his head. Sorrow gleamed in his deep brown eyes. He had had a one-night stand with Faith, which led to Cordelia leaving him. He resented Faith ever since because she purposely told Cordy about it just for kicks.

Buffy's lips pulled into a grim line. She was rapidly growing to like and respect Jenny. She trusted her. As far as Buffy was concerned Jenny had far more practical knowledge than her Watcher could dream of. And Jenny wasn't afraid to get down and dirty. She proved that more than once when all Wesley did was issue commands and nearly faint a time or two.

Buffy had been dubious when Willow had stumbled across Jenny's website while researching what had happened to Angel to cost him his soul. Willow and Jenny started corresponding and they learned that Jenny had been sent to America because her Romany tribe's wise woman has seen the curse weakening. But Jenny had arrived too late to stop Angel from losing his soul. The Romany had thought Angel still resided in Los Angeles. They hadn't known he'd followed Buffy to Sunnydale. Jenny had been in the big city looking for him when he reverted to Angelus. She had managed to remain hidden from him up in L.A and together with Willow, she had restored him. Jenny moved to Sunnydale, mostly to tutor Willow whom she felt was on her way to becoming a powerful witch and secondarily to keep an eye on Angel for her people.

"What are you going to do about her?" Xander asked, nearly ending up face down on the table as the throng dancing to the beat surged too close to the table.

Buffy shrugged. "I don't know. I wish I did. I guess I'll have to be sneakier. Use you two more as go-betweens. I..." She hesitated, wondering if she should even voice her thoughts. "She could be my Watcher. I wish it were that simple. I wish I could call the Watchers' Council and ask for another Watcher."

"Based on what though? I mean, isn't Wesley doing what a Watcher's supposed to do. Just because he's mean and stiff doesn't make him evil," Willow said. Her eyes welled up thinking on some of what Wesley had done, half convincing herself he was evil instead of just a petty jerk. "And I can't believe I'm defending him after what he did to my Oz."

Buffy patted her hand. "I know. He really hasn't...I don't know, done anything terrible from a Watcher's point of view. But from a human one, he's not even qualified for that term. If he did, he wouldn't have forced me after the Master like that, or try to have Faith kill Oz or try to prevent me from saving Angel. He would have done more about Acathla. Angel had to destroy it after you saved him, Will. A Watcher's supposed to do more than just tell me about stuff. He's supposed to guide me and train me and Wesley can't do either." Buffy bitterly thought back on Merrick again. If only he hadn't died.

"He may have a point about the Angel thing," Xander said, his voice quiet and his dark eyes accusatory.

"Xander!" Willow snapped, kicking him under the table.

Buffy shook her head tiredly. "Leave it be, Will. I just wish I knew what to do." She ran her hands over her face. Xander had a right to be angry but it still hurt that he wouldn't let her up. She couldn't take the constant grinding into the ground he was subjecting her to. "Wesley keeps talking about me being sent to England for rehabilitation as if I've done something horribly wrong."

"Can he do that? I mean, won't your mother have something to say about that?" Willow asked, her eyes wide and horrified.

"He'll make it look like I ran away." Buffy's agate eyes hazed with tears. She took a deep breath. "After all I've done lately it's possible I could run off. At least as far as Mom's concerned."

"I have an idea. Could you maybe suggest two Slayers are too many for Wesley to watch and could they send you another one since he works best with Faith?" Xander asked, trying to ease back on his anger. He knew Buffy was in a tough spot. He wanted to be able to help her. But Angel has cost him a girl he had come to care about and he had never trusted the vampire in the first place. The nagging feeling, if everyone had just listened to him then Cordelia and Harmony would still be alive, crept over Xander. Angelus wouldn't have tortured Wesley and the Watcher wouldn't be treating Buffy like garbage.

"You know, that's a great idea," Buffy said, her whole demeanor brightening.

"It is?" Xander asked, shocked. "Hey, yeah it is."

"But how do I call the Watchers?" Buffy slurped at the last of her soda nosily, frowned at the empty glass and stabbed at the ice with her straw trying to find more liquid. "I can't exactly ask Wesley for their phone number."

"I'll see what I can find on the net," Willow said, cheerily. "Xander, could you maybe get Buffy and I another drink?"

"I'm yours to command," Xander said, sliding off his chair and made an elaborate bow before wading through the crowd.

Buffy leaned closer to Willow. "How's it going with Xander?"

Willow's pale face took on a sad cast. "Not so good. He's blaming himself for Cordy still. It's hard on him."

"I know. I wish...there's nothing Angel and I can do to fix that. It can't be undone, no matter how much Angel wishes it could be. And do I never see Angel again to make Xander feel better? I'm not sure I'd survive that." Buffy couldn't keep her misery inside. "And I'm not sure it would make him feel better."

"He just needs time...I hope." Willow moped even more. "We've been friends for so long, Buffy, and I've never seen him like this. I was just getting ready to tell him how I feel about him then Cordelia died. I never thought I could feel like this again after Oz but I've always..." She glanced through the crowd, trying to find Xander. "I think I've always sort of loved Xander and then this happened."

Buffy took a deep breath, still feeling like crying. "Time."

"Yeah. So, are you going to try to see Angel?" Willow asked again since Xander was out of earshot.

"Not tonight. He's doing recon on Spike and his harem." Buffy frowned at the thought. She had yet to locate Spike's new lair. Wesley insisted she wasn't trying hard enough. Maybe it was true. Buffy felt like still owed Spike for helping her stop Angel from raising Acathla. Thank God Jenny's spell had worked before Angelus figured out how to raise the demon. But Spike hadn't kept his promise to leave with Dru. He had settled in somewhere with Dru and took in Cordelia and Harmony. Still, he was so busy with his girls that he hadn't been causing her any trouble. His continued presence just infuriated Wesley. She glanced back up at Willow, looking for comfort. "Angel shouldn't be doing my job."

"He's a vampire, Buffy. He can handle himself. Besides he made Dru and trained Spike. He knows them and how they think," Willow said then frowned at that thought. It made both girls unhappy.

Buffy didn't reply, seeing Xander returning with their drinks. "Thanks."

"You should get out there and dance, Buffy," Xander said and they knew he meant 'find someone and forget Angel.'

"I think I'll pass. I should just finish this coke and go. Mom has probably forgotten she has a daughter," Buffy said, forcing brightness into her voice. "Why don't you and Will dance?"

Xander hesitated, ready to say no then glanced at Willow's hopeful face. A smile touched his lips for the first time in weeks. "Sure."

Buffy watched them head off, wishing for a simple dance to lead to something more. She thought they were cute together. More importantly they were friends first. She'd willingly admit that her dating instincts were lousy. Case in point, Pike, Ford and Angel. A simple dance wasn't going to fix everything but it was a start. Now if only her problems with Wesley could be so easily corrected.

* * *

"Not bad," Concetta said, roaming around the magic shop.

"We're setting up shop?" Ethan asked, looking at a display of silver jewelry for New Age posers.

"Why not? The owner of this place got killed. Mayor Wilkins' men said the shop does a decent legit business and it makes a thumping good cover for us while we help him consolidate his power base," Giles replied, looking at a collection of wands that looked good but were useless except one, a battered piece of carved ebony. Power hummed in it.

"This is bullocks." Ethan jerked a thumb at the jewelry.

"Probably the bread and butter," Concetta said, taking out a tablet. She started an inventory of the herbs in the jars behind the counter.

"Exactly. The shite keeps this place afloat according to the books Wilkins sent me. The Wiccan jewelry, the bullocks magic books, the New Age bumper stickers, tarot decks, gemstones and candles all pay the rent. But there are real books of magic here, real spell components and real mages who come here to shop," Giles said, moving on to examine the rack of relaxation and Native American cds in one corner.

"Sounds like an excellent cover to me," Ethan said. "I'll run over to the mayor's office. You guys get settled in here."

"Will do," Concetta said, not looking up from her stocktaking.

Giles watched him go. "Not sure I like this thing with Wilkins," he said, voicing his concerns about this not for the first time.

"You've never been afraid of a little double-cross before. We buddy up to Wilkins and steal whatever power he's amassing," Concetta said, setting aside her tablet.

Giles frowned. "I just wish we knew more about the power the mayor is gathering before we try to steal it. I don't think Ethan has accounted for everything."

Concetta grinned. "Don't trust him not to double-cross you?"

Giles was more inclined to believe she was likely to be a double-crosser rather than Ethan. His friend could be a total bastard though. "It's not that. It's just we are on a Hellmouth. You can never have too much information about that. Such as the Slayer being in town."

"Which means there's a Watcher who could cause you problems," Concetta said, walking over to him, digging in her purse.

"The Watchers haven't stopped looking for me and Ethan." Bitterness tinged his voice. All he had ever wanted was to have his father's approval and to chose his own path. He ended up with his father's hatred, the Watchers' wrath and the certainty he was going to hell in style.

"You need to relax, Ripper. I have just the thing." The witch waved a studded leather belt that she had fished out of her purse.

Giles looked at the door Ethan had just left by.

"Come on, Ripper. He won't be back for hours." Concetta licked his neck then put the belt around it. This wasn't the first time they had privately cuckolded Ethan and most likely wouldn't be the last. Ethan really wouldn't care much. They practiced sex magic as a threesome, after all. "There's a back room, a lot more clandestine."

Giles let her lead him back there. She tugged on the belt like a leash, letting him know she was in charge. Her mouth met his roughly. As she unbuttoned his shirt, her mouth worked the gold earring he wore. They quickly shucked their clothing.

"Please me," she whispered as they went to the floor.

His calloused fingers caressed her shaved pubic area. He caught her labia gently between those fingers, squeezing rhythmically, rubbing up and down them. He planted a kiss on the golden olive skin of her navel as he lightly pressed his palm over her mound, making slow circular motions.

Concetta moaned and caught his fingers before they penetrated her. She shook her head. She was in charge, not him and she needed to remind him of that. She pushed him down flat then crouched over his face. He pulled her hips closer to him as he tenderly nibbled her labia. She arched into him as he changed to long leisurely licks over her vulva. Concetta ground against his talented mouth as he flickered his flexible tongue into her, tasting her. Feeling her tense, knowing she was close, he opened his mouth fully to suck her sensitive flesh. She bucked against him, crying out as she orgasmed. As she relaxed, she moved off him.

Concetta straddled his stomach, reaching behind her to gently rub his foreskin over his glans. Her lips toyed with his nipples, each in turn. He tried to move her back, needing to be in her. She grabbed his hands and pinioned him. Growling, she kissed him forcefully.

"I need you," he mumbled around her lips.

"I know what you need," Concetta said, slithering off of him. She grabbed his ankles and pushed his knees to his chest. With his feet against her shoulders, she straddled him, slipping him into her just a little. Just enough to tell him she was in total control and he was in a position of complete submission.

"Please," Giles begged. "Deeper."

"Hush." She pulled the belt a little tighter.

She did rock down further on him. Her tempo was maddeningly slow, leaving him groaning and helpless. Concetta picked up the pace, taking him more deeply into her but not too much. She wouldn't let him hurry. She pulled the belt around his neck tighter in slow measures.

The more difficult it was to breathe, the more euphoric Giles felt. He was so hard it hurt. He wanted release but Concetta continued to hold back. The belt constricted more and he feared he might have to use their safe word before he could find release. She bit the tender flesh of his instep as the belt pulled even more. His climax felt more like an unending explosion. It left him shaking and breathing hard as the belt suddenly loosened completely. Concetta eased his feet back down then stretched out alongside him. She ruffled his sweaty hair, kissing him.

"More relaxed, Ripper?" she asked.

He laughed hoarsely. "Much."

"Good. I need to go email someone." Concetta picked herself up off the floor and dressed.

"That technopagan you've been corresponding with? She's a local, right?" He stretched as he got up.

"European but she's recently moved to Sunnydale. I think Jenny Calendar would like a coupon for our grand opening." Concetta smirked. "You can't have too many contacts in a town like this."

"Not to mention mages sympathetic to your cause." Giles didn't bother to dress. He fished his fags out of his discarded pants, lit up and watched Concetta from the doorway. Maybe they'd have time for another round before Ethan returned.




Chapter Three - Magic in Sunnydale

"What's up, B?" Faith asked, catching up with Buffy outside of Wesley's apartment. Her face looked open and friendly but Buffy knew better than to fully trust that.

Buffy shrugged, telling herself it was okay to be nice to Faith. It would make it easier in the long run and it felt good to have another Slayer around to talk to. Poor Kendra never had a personality. Faith had too much but at least she understood things in a way that sweet, kind-hearted Willow never could do as hard as she tried. "Just coming to see the boss man. Killed some kind of weird demon last night. Thought he ought to know."

Faith's dark eyes glimmered with excitement as she took the steps to Wesley's abode two at a time. "Where at?"

"Walking Xander and Willow home from the Bronze of all things. It was in the park eating raccoons." Buffy shuddered. "Totally gross."

"Well, I'm sure Wes will be interested," Faith said, knocking on the door.

Wesley opened it, his eyes lingering on Faith's strong form, taking in her skin-tight jeans and halter-top. His blue eyes flicked past Faith and turned stormy, seeing Buffy. "So you actually got around to patrolling last night?" He ushered them in.

Buffy chose to ignore the bite in his voice and upended her book bag on the couch. Two pearlescent lavender horns spilled out. "Any thoughts as to what they used to belong to? It turned to goo and soaked into the ground when I killed it. All except those horns."

Wesley and Faith both handled the Ibex-like horns; Wesley with intense curiosity and Faith with appreciation for the wicked deadly look of the things.

"If it helps, the demon was alone, had poofy purple hair like really big 80's hair, you know?" Buffy's hands fluttered above her head trying to illustrate her point. "Really nasty claws on it, too. It didn't seem to talk."

"And it likes to eat raccoons," Faith reminded her, jabbing the air with the horn.

Wesley peered at his Slayers. "Raccoons? Yes, well, I'm not sure what sort of demon this is but I'll see what I can find out about it. Just because you found it alone doesn't mean there aren't more of them around." Wesley stroked the spiraling horn. He glanced over at Buffy without malice for the first time since things went bad with Angel. "Good job, Buffy."

"Yeah, B. All I found were three vamps," Faith said, dropping the horn back onto the couch. Her fingers brushed Wesley's thigh, lingering there.

Buffy managed a smile. Maybe things were turning a corner. Maybe Wesley was finally forgiving her for the torture Angel had inflicted on him. Maybe the sky would turn yellow, too. "All in a night's work. It's Saturday. I was hoping, if you didn't have any training programs planned for the day, I could have a little free time. Maybe catch up on some homework." Buffy wondered if she should have added that last bit, given how grim a picture Wesley had of her academic abilities.

But Wesley didn't even appear to be listening. His eyes were on Faith. Judging from the way the lines of his perfectly ironed slacks were deforming as Faith toyed him, Buffy suspected there probably wasn't enough blood left in his head to make listening a viable option.

"Wesley?" Buffy said sharply.

He flinched and pushed his glasses back up. "Oh, yes, feel free to take the weekend for yourself, Buffy. No training. Just report in if something out of the ordinary happens. I'll bleep you if I learn anything about that demon."

"See you on patrol, B," Faith said, not even waiting for Buffy to leave before swinging onto Wesley's lap.

Buffy fled, trying not to think of what Wesley looked like nude. With those long lean limbs, he reminded her of a spider. She was amazed that Faith stuck with him. She tended to use her other bed buddies once and toss aside like toys whose novelty had worn off. She wondered if Wesley knew Faith had other lovers or if he cared.

Buffy hid herself just out of sight and watched the staircase just in case it was a dodge and Faith was planning on following her to make sure she wasn't meeting Angel. After fifteen minutes and no Faith, Buffy felt it safe to leave. She could double-check but she had no desire to see them going at it. She headed for Jenny's apartment to meet her and Willow.

* * *

Jenny listened with half an ear to Willow and Buffy's prattle. She thought Buffy wasn't going to get away from Wesley in time to meet her and Willow, not that she expected Buffy to enjoy the outing much. She wasn't a mage and had no interest in a magic shop beyond supporting Willow.

Jenny knew Buffy worried constantly about Willow and the risks the girl took on her behalf. She gave Buffy a lot of credit for her concern. She couldn't see Faith caring one whit about civilians. Jenny just wished that she, herself, was a better witch. She didn't have much spell casting ability. She was great with signs, portents and bone casting but spells were tantalizingly out of reach except one or two key ones. It was Willow who had the promise of power.

They went inside the magic shop. Willow and Buffy were still chattering about Xander, early college acceptance and Homecoming next weekend. It felt good to hear them being mundane, she thought as she opened the shop door. The shop had a pleasant spicy scent, patchouli, Jenny decided. There were a few other shoppers at the grand opening. She recognized one of the witches, a rather dangerous woman named Rebecca Hayes, dangerous in that she was totally inept with the little power she had. In one corner was a gaggle of young people who thought wearing black with silver jewelry and reading something from Llwellyn Press made them witches.

"Got your list, Willow?" Jenny asked.

"Wolfsbane, Witch's grass, ground ivy and...I don't know these three, Galangal, Eryngo and Sanguis Draconis?" Willow's nose wrinkled. "What the heck are they?"

Jenny felt her face pink up. "That's my list." She fished out the list she had written out for Willow. "Here's yours."

Willow nodded. "Myrtle, dulse and angelica. So what are, Eryngo, Galangal and Sanguis Draconis? I mean, that means Dragon's Blood." Willow leaned in close and whispered, "There's no such thing as real dragons, right?"

"It's for ... well, for something you're not ready for," Jenny said, not comfortable with telling them they were three major lust spell components.

"Why?" Buffy asked, poking through a bin of amethyst bits.

"It's too advanced for Willow," Jenny said, quickly. She looked at the leggy brunette behind the counter and went over to her. "Hi, maybe you could help me."

"I can try."

"I've been corresponding with one of the new shop owners via email and she asked me to meet her here."

"Ah, would you be Jenny then?" The brunette's hazel eyes lit up. "I'm Concetta."

Jenny smiled and stuck out her hand. "Glad to finally meet you, Concetta."

"Same here. We'll have to find a time when I'm not working to meet. I hope you like the shop. Is there anything I can help you find?" Concetta smiled warmly but her eyes were on Jenny's two young companions.

"No thanks, I'd rather just poke around and see all you have. Just email me when you'd be free. My nights and weekends are open," Jenny said.

"Great. Who are your two young friends here? Part of your coven?" Concetta asked, still studying the girls.

Jenny frowned slightly. "I don't have a coven per se. I'm mostly just a technopagan. Willow and Buffy are actually two of my computer science students who came with to research the Wiccan subculture for their sociology class."

Willow and Buffy exchanged glances. Buffy nodded. "That's us, homework-on-weekend girls."

Concetta grinned again. "If you have any questions, feel free to ask. Me and my two partners are full-fledged mages. Ethan isn't here today but Giles is floating around somewhere. Excuse me," she said, seeing a paying customer at the register.

Jenny hustled the girls away from the counter. Buffy gave her a grateful look.

"Thanks for covering for us, Jenny, even if Willow is a beginning witch," Buffy said.

"That's something you might want to keep quiet, like being a Slayer." Jenny held up a cautionary finger. "Not everyone is very open minded about it. Going into a shop is one thing, coming out is another. Half the people they get in here will be nothing but the curious. Do you need help with your list, Willow?"

She shook her head then brushed her red hair back. "Nope. Buffy and I can manage."

"Great. I'll be around. What say we head to the Espresso Pump afterwards, my treat?" Jenny suggested brightly.

Buffy frowned.

"Is something wrong?" Willow asked, shoulder-bumping her.

"I was just thinking about what Faith said to you, Jenny. Maybe we shouldn't be seen out together too much." Apology shone in Buffy's eyes.

Jenny sighed. "If you want, we can skip the coffee. You said Wesley and Faith were preoccupied. You'll have to decide for yourself, Buffy, if you're going to let him choose your friends for you. But I do understand. He thinks I'm a rival for his authority over you and I'm not likely to convince him otherwise." She left off, 'and I saved Angel.' That was one of the things Wesley couldn't handle about her. Jenny could see he was insecure in his authority and didn't like any competition.

Buffy shrugged. "I guess coffee's okay. I doubt those two will be leaving his apartment any time soon."

Willow grimaced doing a whole body shudder at the implication. Jenny nodded and left the girls on their own. She easily found some of the herbs she was looking for but the three lust spell ingredients seemed to be elusive. She paused to look at the spell books, the kind you couldn't find at Barnes and Nobles, though they did have a nice supply of those as well. There were some serious books on those shelves. She was impressed.

"Are you being served?"

Jenny spun around, hearing the very cultured British accent that went along with those words. She found herself staring at a handsome, somewhat older man. There was a hint of a smile touching his perfectly bowed lips. Jenny knew his eyes were studying her. They were a pretty shade of blue, heightened by the deep slate-blue silk shirt he had on. Along with the charcoal grey slacks and silk tie, that shirt said he knew how to dress and conduct himself. Only a small gold hoop in one ear hinted at the rebel beneath the proper façade. His ash brown hair was receding some and he had laugh lines and crows feet but Jenny decided she didn't care. He was cute.

"I was just looking, thank you. Actually there was some ingredients..." Jenny trailed off, feeling her face go hot again. She didn't want to ask this attractive man for the lust spell components. She knew she was being silly. She was, after all, a grown woman and what did she care if this stranger knew she could make lust spells? But she felt embarrassed, like the time one of the technopagans on her web ring took her to a sex shop when she was living in L.A. They were both adult women who couldn't help but giggle, point and otherwise be silly with the assortment of dildos, flavored lotions and toys. She felt like that right now. "I could probably find it on my own."

"Are you sure I can't be of service?" he asked.

Jenny looked at him. When the bones she had been tossing had suggested she needed lust spells and to ready her body for her tantric sex magic rituals, she thought she had been reading them wrong. That sort of tantric spell needed two players and she had been solo for over two years. She had been agonizing over who might be playing opposite her and had come up empty. She didn't know many men in Sunnydale of a legal age, at any rate. There was Angel but that was absurd. Wesley, who was equally unlikely. Principal Snyder and there was no way she ever wanted to see him naked. That went for most of the teaching staff at Sunnydale. So she had assumed she had read the bones wrong; the portents were off but she was going to buy the items in question just in case. Looking at this man and considering the low-down tickle he gave her, maybe the portents were right. She knew her face had probably gone redder but she managed to say what she needed.

He smiled more broadly, showing nice white teeth, which surprised her. She was expecting something along the lines that The Simpson's had termed as coming from the "Big Book of British Smiles." "Follow me."

Jenny did that gladly. His backside looked good in those grey slacks. He led her to the back of the store and took a string of reddish beads off the shelf. His smile became slightly more predatory as he handed it to her.

"Will this do for the Dragon's Blood?"

She nodded. He smelled so good. She knew the scent. An old boyfriend of hers, an Oxford scholar, used to wear it, Marquis. Scent was a powerful memory trigger, she knew that. It was so true. The smell of him took her back to her days in London studying with Clive. On this man the scent was warm, all green citrus spiced with lavender and clary sage. Hints of amber and moss tickled her nose. It reminded her of being home with the more old-fashioned members of her tribe who still roamed Europe in wagons pulled by the big, beautiful, black and white Vanners. It was the smell of leather and green forest, primeval and compelling. This man smelled like he had drops of autumn caught in his hair. "Thank you," she managed to say.

"Let's find you those other herbs," he said, his eyes still studying her. She wanted them to.

She turned to scan the room. Willow and Buffy were by a jewelry case but unfortunately Willow was trying to make Buffy look Jenny's way. Both girls looked from her to the sales clerk and grinned dopily. She flushed. "I think I see them here, too."

"Ah, Ripper, I see you've met Jenny, the technopagan I've been telling you about. Jenny, this is Ripper Giles, one of my fellow owners," Concetta said, sweeping up. Behind her was a bone-thin woman in all black who was covetously eyeing the cloaks in the corner. Concetta didn't slow down to talk, ushering the woman along to the big-ticket items.

"Ripper?" Jenny asked, raising an eyebrow. What kind of name was that for a grown man?

He had the good grace to look a bit shy. "It's less stuffy than Rupert. Concetta has been telling me quite a bit about you, Jenny."

"Unfortunately, she hasn't mentioned you or her other partner beyond saying she had two of you," Jenny said.

His smiled faded slightly. "I'll have to rectify that." He pulled the blackest-brown bit of Eryngo off the shelf, his blue eyes contemplative. He gazed at her for a warm moment then added, "maybe over dinner."

"Maybe," Jenny said, feeling suddenly shy and a lot like prey. "I have to collect my friends. We have someplace else we need to be, I'm sorry to say."

"Well, let me ring you out and I hope we get a chance to get better acquainted soon," Giles said, heading to the counter.

"So do I," she said and meant it. After grabbing the Galangal off the shelves, she went over to collect Buffy and Willow. She saw Buffy was looking at the poison rings that bore crosses on them. They were right next to the ones with the pentacles. She was probably thinking on the extra damage rings like that could give her punch. "Are you two ready?"

"Yep. They had everything," Willow said brightly.

They checked out and headed for the Espresso Pump. Jenny found that hints of Giles' cologne stayed with her. It was pleasant. But the strong smells of coffee and herbed tea drove the lingering remnants of him away. Two frappucinos and one chai latte later, the three women were ensconced in a corner table.

"What was all this stuff you bought for?" Buffy asked, wondering if she was going to get something weapon-like out of the deal.

"Mine's for spells for peace and Jenny's for divination, or at least some of it is. I don't know what the dragon's blood is for," Willow said. "But I know you don't want to talk shop, Buffy."

Buffy's agate eyes glinted. "Not really. I'd much rather hear about that man who was totally checking you out, Jenny."

Jenny concentrated her gaze on her chai. She couldn't keep the blush off her face. "He was doing no such thing."

"Yes, he was," Willow said, bobbing in her seat excitedly. "He's sort of cute."

"Eeeww, Willow." Buffy batted at her. "He's old."

Jenny snorted. "Buffy, you think anyone over the age of twenty-one is old."

"Aren't they?" Buffy shrugged. "He's like Mom-old."

"Well, I still think he's sort of cute, in an old way. I think he liked you, Jenny," Willow said, licking whipped cream off her lips.

"I'm sure he was just being friendly. He's one of the owners, a friend of the woman I've been corresponding with," she said.

"Are you going to ask him out?" Buffy asked with a sly smile.

"No, I'm not." Jenny gave the girls a stern look then added. "He did ask me out, though."

"Did you say yes? Ooo, you're a chaperone at Homecoming. You could bring him," Willow said excitedly, grabbing Jenny's hand.

Jenny laughed. "Willow, I didn't say yes to Mr. Giles."

"Well, maybe you should," Buffy said, thinking about how lonely her mother was sometimes. Lonely was a terrible thing and Buffy wouldn't wish it on anyone.

"And maybe you two have better things to talk about than my love life," Jenny scolded.

Buffy frowned. "Plenty of better things than thinking about old people smootchies."

"Like passing computer class, which isn't going to happen if you keep calling the teacher old," Willow warned.

Buffy shot Jenny an apologetic smile as Willow launched into her plans for getting Xander to dance with her at the Bronze tonight. Jenny only listened with half an ear. Her mind was back at the magic shop, drinking in the scent of Marquis.



Chapter Four - My Boyfriend's Back.

Buffy squatted in the sewers listening. She had been doing so for the last ten minutes. If Faith had somehow stumbled onto her, she was either very cleverly waiting it out where Buffy couldn't hear or she'd gotten lost. But Buffy was pretty sure Faith was still with Wesley. The sun wasn't down yet so Faith would probably still be in bed or on the floor or the kitchen table. Buffy shivered thinking on it as she sucked on a mint. She had coffee breath. She should have thought about that before agreeing to go the Espresso Pump with Jenny and Willow.

Figuring Faith was nowhere around and Wesley wouldn't be caught dead in a sewer, though the idea appealed to her, Buffy used the hidden entrance into Angel's new home. She knew she couldn't be too careful though, not where Angel was concerned. Faith had seen Angel around and hadn't made an effort to kill him but she just might if it suited her. Buffy couldn't trust her fellow Slayer's moods nor predict them.

Angel had only been back in town two weeks. It felt odd having him back. It felt odder not having him at his old apartment or at the mansion but after Acthala, Angel, as well as Spike and Dru, had abandoned the mansion. Buffy wasn't sure where they were living but Angel had found a rather rundown bungalow on the unassuming side of town. It was a place that just didn't cry out as being obvious or ostentatious like the mansion. It was in a neighborhood Wesley wouldn't even think of venturing into and it was far enough away from where Faith liked to slum that it should be safe.

"Honey, I'm home," she called out softly, almost nervously. The house was still and silent. She found Angel asleep on an overstuffed couch, a book half covering his face from where it slipped from his fingers after he had nodded off. She looked at the cover. "Frankenstein." She remembered Angel telling her about Darla harassing Mary Shelley and her husband. She wondered if it was true and decided it was. Angel wouldn't lie about that. He didn't lie about much, even if it the truth was ugly. He usually preferred to just leave it buried. "Angel," she said a little louder.

He startled awake, the book sliding to the floor. He sat up, looking at her groggily. His dark eyes were heavy with sleep but she thought they were still sexy. "Buffy?"

"Some apex predator you are," she said, echoing something Wesley had said about vampires. She wasn't sure what an apex predator was exactly, but it sounded good.

He smiled wryly. "It is still my bedtime."

"Sorry." She leaned over the couch and kissed him.

His strong arm went around her, pulling her greedily toward him. Buffy pretended to lose her balance and topple over the back of the couch to land on him. Angel didn't seem to mind. They lost themselves in hot kisses and soft touches. Finally Buffy broke away, swinging off of him reluctantly.

Their eyes met and she suddenly felt like crying. This was brutal. She wanted to be with him so badly and she couldn't. She didn't know why they tortured themselves like this.

Angel sat up, finger combing his hair. She wonderer how he managed to get it so neatly arranged without a mirror. "Did you have a good time at the Bronze last night?" he asked, sensing she wanted to move on to something safer than making out with him.

She nodded, slinging her pale hair back. "I guess. Willow still hasn't managed to convince Xander to ask her to the Homecoming dance next Saturday."

Angel glanced away guiltily. "He needs time to heal, Buffy. After what I did..." He looked back over at her. "Maybe my coming back here was a mistake."

Buffy slumped onto the couch beside him but carefully not touching him. "Sometimes I think so, too. I don't want to but...it's so complicated." She let her head fall back against the couch cushions. "I'm only seventeen, Angel. Things aren't supposed to be this complicated."

"I'm sorry," he said softly. His eyes squeezed shut, trying to picture life without her. He had survived centuries without Buffy but none seemed quite as bright until he met her. Still maybe he should go. She would hurt but she would recover eventually. It might be better all the way around.

She rubbed her face. "It's not all your fault. Xander will never believe that and maybe he shouldn't after what happened to Cordelia but you aren't Angelus even if you have to carry his burden. But all three of us are doing okay. Mostly we just don't talk about it. I just wish Xander would go out with Willow, even as just friends. I think it'll help him." She touched his hand, her claddagh ring pressing against his cold flesh. "I wish you could come to the Homecoming dance with me."

He brushed her hair back and chastely kissed her cheek. "You know I can't. Even if Xander wasn't there, I couldn't take you to the dance."

Buffy nodded, slumping against him. "I know. Wesley is a chaperone. If he saw us together, he'd send Faith to kill you and try to find a way to take me to England in chains." She shrugged. "He'd probably like me in chains."

"Watch out for him, Buffy." Angel's eyes went soulful even as his face set grimly. "The Watchers have their ways of doing things. They are stronger than you might give them credit for. It's my understanding that there are branches of their sect that are...well, they're not much above common thugs...thugs with magical abilities. I don't want anything to happen to you." He ticked her chin.

She smiled at him. "Thanks. Speaking of magic, me, Willow and Jenny went to a magic shop's grand opening today. Kinda boring but Willow liked it."

"Has Jenny made any headway with making my curse permanent?" Angel asked, a hopeful glint in his dark eyes.

Buffy wanted to tell him yes. She wanted desperately for it to be true. Jenny had been researching to find a way to remove the happiness clause from Angel's curse. Buffy knew Jenny didn't really want her with Angel. She wasn't doing it so Buffy and Angel could be together. She was trying to remove that clause because she felt it was dangerous and stupid. Jenny had raged on rather mightily a few times in Buffy's hearing about the foolishness of the Kalderash tribe in regards to the curse. After all, what sense did it make to have Angel revert back to his soulless state if he experienced a moment of true happiness? What if something else could truly make him happy beyond sleeping with her? What if just being with her made him happy enough? What if he read a book or found a movie that made him all happy and glowy inside? What if he had a really good day? Would that be enough to strip away his soul and re-release Angelus? Jenny didn't trust that Angel would never be happy and content again and wanted to make sure the curse wasn't reversible. She didn't want her people to be responsible for turning a monster loose in the world just because some gypsy tribe hadn't thought their curses through correctly.

"I'm guessing she hasn't," Angel said when Buffy didn't answer him.

"I'm sorry. She didn't get any spell ingredients for making the curse permanent." Buffy frowned. "Or at least I don't think so. Willow didn't know what some of the stuff was and Jenny wouldn't say. She just said it was too advanced for Willow. Maybe that was for you. Maybe she just didn't want to get my hopes up." Buffy leaned against his shoulder. "She met a man at the shop. I think he kind of liked her. He's British."

"You say that with such enthusiasm." His lips pulled into a subtle smile.

"After Wesley, I'm not exactly 'Yay, England.' Jenny said it's nothing but I think she might go out with him. Willow is certain of it." Buffy seemed just as excited by the idea to Angel's way of seeing things. "She wanted Jenny to bring him to the dance as a chaperone but that's probably not most guys' idea of a fun first date."

"No, not really." His smile broadened then flipped upside down. It would be harder to break with her if it came to it when she made him so happy. He stretched a bit, feeling night coming on. His body ached to go out. "The sun is starting to set. Maybe you should go," he said.

Buffy snuggled in closer. "Trying to get rid of me?"

Angel caressed her cheek. "Trying to keep you out of trouble with your Watcher. Right now, you need to be making a better impression."

"Hey, I killed him a purple furry demon with horns last night. Wonder if he's figured out what it is yet or if he's still busy doing the nasty with Faith." Buffy shuddered.

Angel scowled hearing that. It was wrong for a Watcher and Slayer to be together. He knew it had happened before but it was dangerous for all involved. And he didn't trust Faith regardless of what she was doing. "I know I don't have to tell you to be careful around Faith."

"No, you don't." Buffy sighed. "I want to stay." She wrapped her arms around him.

"I wish you could."

Reluctantly, Buffy got up. "But I'd better put in an appearance at home before Mom freaks. She's been like Hitler ever since this summer. And I need to talk to Willow about campaign strategies."

Angel's brow wrinkled. "What?"

"You know, a hundred ways to win votes, yadda, yadda. I am going to be Homecoming queen," Buffy said with grim determination. She tried to ignore the little voice in her head that said, 'especially since Cordelia is dead and out of the running.'

"Oh. It's that important to you?" He wanted to be supportive but he didn't understand why this was a big deal.

Buffy slumped against a wall. She wanted to be happy about this but it just didn't come easily. "I just want to do something normal. Mom's pretty jazzed about it, which is cool. My big competition is Swanne Pettyjohn."

"Who?" he asked politely.

"New girl. She's from Hemry of all places. We used to be on the cheerleading squad together. She's big time competition. She models professionally so I'm thinking she shouldn't even be allowed to compete for Homecoming queen. Being new is working against her. Being beautiful...well, you know. And it doesn't hurt that daddy is rich. He's in the entertainment business. He bought up a lot of clubs here in town including the Bronze. Swanne says he wants to turn Sunnydale into the backdrop for a new movie he's producing. He moved Swanne here because he thought it would be safer than L.A." Buffy laughed humorlessly. "Shows what he knows."

"Well, good luck Buffy. I wish..." Angel trailed off, getting to his feet. "I wish I could be there to see you win."

Buffy choked back a sob. She fell into his arms, just crushing herself to him. They clung to each other for several long moments before Buffy regretfully peeled herself away and disappeared back into the sewers.

Chapter Five - Family Get Together

"I don't like just being summoned," Ripper said, looking at City Hall. It was bigger than he expected.

"You'd better get used to it," Ethan said impatiently. "The mayor is a bit quirky, to say the least. Or would you prefer we had left you at the magic shop?"

"He might have at that." Concetta laughed. "He spent the afternoon making good time with my contact here in town."

"I was getting her the items she wanted," Giles said, indignantly.

"For a lust spell," Concetta shot back, then flipped him off when he gave her a sour look.

"As if she couldn't find someone better to cast a lust spell on," Ethan said, smirking

"Is it too much to ask that you two grow up?" Giles snapped, a sulk deepening the lines around his eyes.

"Oh look, Ripper's getting stroppy. That's a shock, that is." Ethan rolled his eyes.

"Shut your cake hole, you tosser."

Concetta expertly ignored the men.

"The woman came into the shop looking for those spell components. She didn't even know I existed. Whoever she's planning that spell for, it surely isn't me," Giles grumbled, climbing the City Hall's stairs.

"Didn't stop you from asking her out," Concetta observed, quickly tiring of his attitude. He obviously needed another adjustment, maybe of the liquid kind this time. She'd send him out for a pint once they were done here.

"Nothing ventured. For all I know, she makes the lust spells on commission. And you wanted her trusting you. Why not have her trusting the both of us?" Giles asked, lighting up for a quick smoke.

Concetta bobbed her hand. "She could be key. That little blonde with her is the Slayer if your contact within the Watcher's Council has her name right."

"One of two Slayers. I wish I could have seen the looks on the Council members faces when that came to pass." Giles chortled, smoke trickling past his lips.

"I'm sorry I missed meeting this young lady," Ethan said. He stopped abruptly, his hands out to his companions to halt their progress. "Oh, word of warning, Wilkins doesn't like to shake hands. He has this big thing about germs so he tries not to touch people."

"Great an obsessive-compulsive with burgeoning mystical powers," Giles grumbled, tossing his cigarette away.

They went inside City Hall. Ethan led them down the corridor and knocked on a door.

Giles wasn't sure what he was expecting but the very average man standing before him wasn't it. From the look on Ethan's face this had to be the mayor. There was something about the man's cheery expression that was very off putting somehow. It put him in mind of one who was just a little bit on the insane side of the mirror.

"Mayor Wilkins, these are my compatriots, Ripper Giles and Concetta Cavallopinti," Ethan said, waving a soft hand at them.

"Come in. Sit down. We have plenty to talk about," Wilkins said as he sat down in his big leather chair. "We'll get started as soon as some of my employees get here." A disappointed look cast a pall over Wilkins' face. He looked at his appointment book for next weekend. Send tuxedo to dry cleaners, lunch with producer, Marcell Pettyjohn re: making a movie in Sunnydale, make speech at the Homecoming football game, celebrate the news of the Slayers' deaths at Homecoming. "That's the problem with working with vampires. They aren't always punctual. It's a nasty habit."

"Vampires?" Giles said, glancing harshly at Ethan for not mentioning it. Ethan just gave him an impatient look followed by a smirk.

Wilkins shivered a bit. "Disgusting creatures, being dead and all, but they are quite useful."

A knock sounded and the door opened a fraction later. A short, thin man with platinum blond hair sauntered in with an equally petite female vampire on his arm. Giles took one look at her distant blue eyes and realized in an instant she wasn't all there.

"Spike, Drusilla, come in, sit down and meet the rest of our little family." Wilkins' face glowed with pride as he made a grand gesture toward the three magi.

Spike assessed them with a smirk. "Yeah, great. This is what you called me and Dru here for." He flung himself into a chair and dug out his cigarettes. "I don't like you expanding the circle."

"No smoking, Spike. How many times do I have to tell you," Wilkins said, his cheery expression unflagging but there was a veiled threat to his tone. "It's such a filthy habit. And these three have abilities you and your minions do not. They bring balance to our little family."
At the word 'family' Spike was forced to smother a snort.

"They have magic. It sings to me, all bright and cheery like music on Christmas day," Dru said, meandering over to the threesome. She ran a hand over Giles face. "All sorts of knowledge burning like brands inside his head. Ought to crack it open and take it all for myself." She smiled at him. His blue eyes met hers, unwavering.

"Um, Dru, I don't think that's a good idea," Spike said, getting up to peel her away from Giles who calmly stared at the mad vampire.

Dru slithered out of Spike's grasp and circled her arms around Giles' neck, resting her cheek on his head. "I want to keep him."

At her cold touch, Giles jerked away, shoving her back some. Spike rushed forward with a growl, his face metamorphosing.

"Spike!" Wilkins snapped, and the vampire pulled up short. "Be a good boy. We need Ripper alive, unless you've suddenly learned magic."

With a surly look, Spike took Dru's hand and led her away. "Come along, pet. You can play with him later."

"She's a very interesting..." Giles trailed off, thinking better of the insult he had been planning. His heart was racing. He wondered if they could hear it. He tried not to show how nervous she made him. He thought he had succeeded in looking calm up until he had pushed Drusilla. He hadn't come prepared for vampires and he respected how dangerous they could be.

"Yes, she is," Wilkins said. "She's our little seer. You three may find her very helpful. The scales are even now, Spike and his vampires as muscle and you and your magic."

"I don't take orders from them," Spike grumbled, falling into a deep sulk. He was disappointed these three weren't terrified of him. Being the Big Bad should command more fear.

"Spike, my boy, relax. Everyone is taking their cues from me. You won't even be working together all that much," Wilkins said, placatingly.

"No, we will be. We'll be like the cards, Magician, High Priestess, the Fool," Dru said then giggled, resting her head on Spike's shoulder.

"Well, that's encouraging, Drusilla. I want my family to get along. Spike, you have your assignment," Wilkins said, cocking his eyebrows at the vampire.

"We're on it. We have some specialized help for your..." Spike paused glancing at the mages. "problem. It should be taken care of by next week."

Giles noted a flicker of doubt on the vampire's gaunt face. He wondered if the mayor did as well. The very bad feeling he had about working with the mayor redoubled. He should know better by now than to trust Ethan's "sure things." They had been working together for thirty years, after all. His father always said he was slow to learn the important things in life. Giles has always disagreed. Maybe his father might just have had a point.

"Excellent, Spike. I'm putting my trust in you. You said you could do better work for me than Mr. Trick and since you turned him to dust, I have to believe that," Wilkins said, shuffling the papers in his briefcase looking for something." Ethan, you already have your contribution in production I trust."

Ethan nodded. "The candy factory has been selected. All it needs is a little spell casting from me and Ripper and we'll be ready."

"As soon as it's time for Lurconis' awakening, the adults in town won't be in your way," Giles added.

"Excellent. Well, that's all for tonight then. Spike, Drusilla, if you'd stay behind so you can bring me up to date on your plans for Homecoming," Wilkins said dismissively.

Giles waited until they were outside the City Hall before rounding on Ethan. "Why didn't you say anything about vampires working for the mayor?"

"Don't get shirty with me, Ripper." Ethan pushed past Giles. "You know as well as I that this is going to be a messy operation. I didn't mention Spike and his crew because it has very little to do with us. The only real interaction I can foresee is his vampires rounding up Lurconis' sacrifice once we handle our end of that bargain."

Giles' bowed lips pulled into a thin line. He didn't like this thing with Lurconis. He didn't want to hurt babies. If he wasn't already damned, he knew this would certainly seal it but he had lost the ability to care about that some time in the seventies right along with his father's love and respect, his virginity and all of his innocence. He wasn't sure why he even cared now, probably just some remnant of a conscious that he should have divested himself of long ago. "You still should have told us."

"Well, we know now. I'm meeting with Jenny for coffee tomorrow after work. Want me to put the good word in for you?" Concetta asked with a grin.

Giles took out his cigarettes and lit up. He almost wished he hadn't. It highlighted the fact his hands were shaking; fall out from vampire-induced adrenaline flow. "As a matter of fact, yes."

"Why not? Girlfriends tell their lovers things they won't tell anyone else," Concetta said.

He nodded, his mind not really on scoring a new girlfriend. He wanted to see what else he could find out about the mayor before he got in too deep. A niggling voice in the back of his head said it was already too late for that.

 

Chapter Five - Family Get Together

"I don't like just being summoned," Ripper said, looking at City Hall. It was bigger than he expected.

"You'd better get used to it," Ethan said impatiently. "The mayor is a bit quirky, to say the least. Or would you prefer we had left you at the magic shop?"

"He might have at that." Concetta laughed. "He spent the afternoon making good time with my contact here in town."

"I was getting her the items she wanted," Giles said, indignantly.

"For a lust spell," Concetta shot back, then flipped him off when he gave her a sour look.

"As if she couldn't find someone better to cast a lust spell on," Ethan said, smirking

"Is it too much to ask that you two grow up?" Giles snapped, a sulk deepening the lines around his eyes.

"Oh look, Ripper's getting stroppy. That's a shock, that is." Ethan rolled his eyes.

"Shut your cake hole, you tosser."

Concetta expertly ignored the men.

"The woman came into the shop looking for those spell components. She didn't even know I existed. Whoever she's planning that spell for, it surely isn't me," Giles grumbled, climbing the City Hall's stairs.

"Didn't stop you from asking her out," Concetta observed, quickly tiring of his attitude. He obviously needed another adjustment, maybe of the liquid kind this time. She'd send him out for a pint once they were done here.

"Nothing ventured. For all I know, she makes the lust spells on commission. And you wanted her trusting you. Why not have her trusting the both of us?" Giles asked, lighting up for a quick smoke.

Concetta bobbed her hand. "She could be key. That little blonde with her is the Slayer if your contact within the Watcher's Council has her name right."

"One of two Slayers. I wish I could have seen the looks on the Council members faces when that came to pass." Giles chortled, smoke trickling past his lips.

"I'm sorry I missed meeting this young lady," Ethan said. He stopped abruptly, his hands out to his companions to halt their progress. "Oh, word of warning, Wilkins doesn't like to shake hands. He has this big thing about germs so he tries not to touch people."

"Great an obsessive-compulsive with burgeoning mystical powers," Giles grumbled, tossing his cigarette away.

They went inside City Hall. Ethan led them down the corridor and knocked on a door.

Giles wasn't sure what he was expecting but the very average man standing before him wasn't it. From the look on Ethan's face this had to be the mayor. There was something about the man's cheery expression that was very off putting somehow. It put him in mind of one who was just a little bit on the insane side of the mirror.

"Mayor Wilkins, these are my compatriots, Ripper Giles and Concetta Cavallopinti," Ethan said, waving a soft hand at them.

"Come in. Sit down. We have plenty to talk about," Wilkins said as he sat down in his big leather chair. "We'll get started as soon as some of my employees get here." A disappointed look cast a pall over Wilkins' face. He looked at his appointment book for next weekend. Send tuxedo to dry cleaners, lunch with producer, Marcell Pettyjohn re: making a movie in Sunnydale, make speech at the Homecoming football game, celebrate the news of the Slayers' deaths at Homecoming. "That's the problem with working with vampires. They aren't always punctual. It's a nasty habit."

"Vampires?" Giles said, glancing harshly at Ethan for not mentioning it. Ethan just gave him an impatient look followed by a smirk.

Wilkins shivered a bit. "Disgusting creatures, being dead and all, but they are quite useful."

A knock sounded and the door opened a fraction later. A short, thin man with platinum blond hair sauntered in with an equally petite female vampire on his arm. Giles took one look at her distant blue eyes and realized in an instant she wasn't all there.

"Spike, Drusilla, come in, sit down and meet the rest of our little family." Wilkins' face glowed with pride as he made a grand gesture toward the three magi.

Spike assessed them with a smirk. "Yeah, great. This is what you called me and Dru here for." He flung himself into a chair and dug out his cigarettes. "I don't like you expanding the circle."

"No smoking, Spike. How many times do I have to tell you," Wilkins said, his cheery expression unflagging but there was a veiled threat to his tone. "It's such a filthy habit. And these three have abilities you and your minions do not. They bring balance to our little family."
At the word 'family' Spike was forced to smother a snort.

"They have magic. It sings to me, all bright and cheery like music on Christmas day," Dru said, meandering over to the threesome. She ran a hand over Giles face. "All sorts of knowledge burning like brands inside his head. Ought to crack it open and take it all for myself." She smiled at him. His blue eyes met hers, unwavering.

"Um, Dru, I don't think that's a good idea," Spike said, getting up to peel her away from Giles who calmly stared at the mad vampire.

Dru slithered out of Spike's grasp and circled her arms around Giles' neck, resting her cheek on his head. "I want to keep him."

At her cold touch, Giles jerked away, shoving her back some. Spike rushed forward with a growl, his face metamorphosing.

"Spike!" Wilkins snapped, and the vampire pulled up short. "Be a good boy. We need Ripper alive, unless you've suddenly learned magic."

With a surly look, Spike took Dru's hand and led her away. "Come along, pet. You can play with him later."

"She's a very interesting..." Giles trailed off, thinking better of the insult he had been planning. His heart was racing. He wondered if they could hear it. He tried not to show how nervous she made him. He thought he had succeeded in looking calm up until he had pushed Drusilla. He hadn't come prepared for vampires and he respected how dangerous they could be.

"Yes, she is," Wilkins said. "She's our little seer. You three may find her very helpful. The scales are even now, Spike and his vampires as muscle and you and your magic."

"I don't take orders from them," Spike grumbled, falling into a deep sulk. He was disappointed these three weren't terrified of him. Being the Big Bad should command more fear.

"Spike, my boy, relax. Everyone is taking their cues from me. You won't even be working together all that much," Wilkins said, placatingly.

"No, we will be. We'll be like the cards, Magician, High Priestess, the Fool," Dru said then giggled, resting her head on Spike's shoulder.

"Well, that's encouraging, Drusilla. I want my family to get along. Spike, you have your assignment," Wilkins said, cocking his eyebrows at the vampire.

"We're on it. We have some specialized help for your..." Spike paused glancing at the mages. "problem. It should be taken care of by next week."

Giles noted a flicker of doubt on the vampire's gaunt face. He wondered if the mayor did as well. The very bad feeling he had about working with the mayor redoubled. He should know better by now than to trust Ethan's "sure things." They had been working together for thirty years, after all. His father always said he was slow to learn the important things in life. Giles has always disagreed. Maybe his father might just have had a point.

"Excellent, Spike. I'm putting my trust in you. You said you could do better work for me than Mr. Trick and since you turned him to dust, I have to believe that," Wilkins said, shuffling the papers in his briefcase looking for something." Ethan, you already have your contribution in production I trust."

Ethan nodded. "The candy factory has been selected. All it needs is a little spell casting from me and Ripper and we'll be ready."

"As soon as it's time for Lurconis' awakening, the adults in town won't be in your way," Giles added.

"Excellent. Well, that's all for tonight then. Spike, Drusilla, if you'd stay behind so you can bring me up to date on your plans for Homecoming," Wilkins said dismissively.

Giles waited until they were outside the City Hall before rounding on Ethan. "Why didn't you say anything about vampires working for the mayor?"

"Don't get shirty with me, Ripper." Ethan pushed past Giles. "You know as well as I that this is going to be a messy operation. I didn't mention Spike and his crew because it has very little to do with us. The only real interaction I can foresee is his vampires rounding up Lurconis' sacrifice once we handle our end of that bargain."

Giles' bowed lips pulled into a thin line. He didn't like this thing with Lurconis. He didn't want to hurt babies. If he wasn't already damned, he knew this would certainly seal it but he had lost the ability to care about that some time in the seventies right along with his father's love and respect, his virginity and all of his innocence. He wasn't sure why he even cared now, probably just some remnant of a conscious that he should have divested himself of long ago. "You still should have told us."

"Well, we know now. I'm meeting with Jenny for coffee tomorrow after work. Want me to put the good word in for you?" Concetta asked with a grin.

Giles took out his cigarettes and lit up. He almost wished he hadn't. It highlighted the fact his hands were shaking; fall out from vampire-induced adrenaline flow. "As a matter of fact, yes."

"Why not? Girlfriends tell their lovers things they won't tell anyone else," Concetta said.

He nodded, his mind not really on scoring a new girlfriend. He wanted to see what else he could find out about the mayor before he got in too deep. A niggling voice in the back of his head said it was already too late for that.



Chapter Six -Best Served Cold

Anya wandered the halls of Sunnydale High feeling oddly relieved to be back there. She had half-expected her wish would have obliterated Sunnydale off the map. She remembered how exciting Cordelia's wish had been, savoring the sweetness of the evil it had spawned. There didn't seem to be that same fragile air of panic coating the place but there were subtle differences. Anya had put herself where something big was happening. She could feel it rippling along the pond of time. She was surprised that she was in Sunnydale only a few weeks before she had been summoned originally. A little time folding was nothing in comparison to the ability she had to rewrite the entire universe.

Only subtle magics were needed to make the administration think she was a transfer student from New York. She decided to be an east coaster and make herself that much more exotic to the sun-drenched teens around her. Pretending to be a student for a while would give her easy access to Buffy. She wanted to see what effect changing Watchers would have on the Slayer. After all, as a demon she had a vested interest in weakening a Slayer. Then, she'd go find what had become of the loathsome man who had summoned her and astonishingly managed to destroy her power. Thinking that the some things might not have changed, Anya headed for the library in search of Buffy.

* * *

Buffy steeled herself for the early Monday meeting with Wesley. She had passed a good weekend, all things considered. The magic shop had been, well not fun, but at least restful. She had spent a little quality time with Angel. Best of all, she and her mom had had a good Sunday, laughing like they hadn't done since before Buffy had become the Slayer. She wasn't in the mood to kick off the week with Wesley but there was no avoiding it. She went into the library. It appeared deserted.

Buffy went over to Wesley's office and knocked. She knew Faith wouldn't be inside. Wesley was smart enough not to that indiscreet. He came out, book in hand. She smiled, hoping to set the tone for the conversation.

"Hi. It was a pretty quiet weekend," she said. "Didn't see anything out of the ordinary other than a vampire bar fight at Willie's and I settled that."

Wesley nodded. "Faith told me. Good. It sounds like both of you are on the top of your game but I still want you here for a training session after school."

Buffy tried not to show her relief. This wasn't so bad and training was okay. She got to hit Wesley after all and that felt satisfying on a strange gut level. "Can do. Mom won't be home until late tonight anyhow besides we spent some quality time together this weekend."

Wesley smiled faintly. "Well, I am glad of that, Buffy. It's not often a Slayer still has any family to be worried about. I know how hard it must be for you to understand your mother cannot be your main concern."

Buffy forced the frown off of her face. "Wouldn't you be wigging if it were your parents?"

Something like pain darkened his long pale face. It took Buffy by surprise. It was an uncomfortable reminder that there might be a human being with feelings beneath that stuffy blue suit. She knew the signs. She had seen enough broken families in her day. Somewhere in his past, Wesley had a lot of mean, meaty bones where his parents were concerned. Were they disinterested in him? Cruel? Dead? Those were the questions she had asked herself about Faith, too, until the girl had dropped ugly hints about an alcoholic mother and an abusive father she was better off without. Some things were better buried.

Wesley silently went back into his office and came back with a flyer Willow had done up on her computer for Buffy's Homecoming queen campaign. "We need to talk about this."

"What's to say? It's just a silly contest that'll be over next week," Buffy said quickly, sensing where this was going.

Wesley crumpled the flyer. "If it's silly then you won't mind dropping out right now."

Buffy stamped her foot, feeling childish even as she did it. "Why? It's not interfering with my slaying. It's my senior Homecoming, Wesley. I'm going to it whether or not I'm running for Homecoming queen."

"You are telling me you plan on going to some foolish brutal game and a dance where young people have nothing better to do than rub up against one another to that noise you call music? You have a sacred duty, Buffy." He looked honestly hurt that she didn't seem to understand that. "Why do I always have to remind you of it?"

Buffy threw herself into a chair, staring up at him hostile. "Wesley, it's only one night. Let Faith patrol."

He shoved his glasses up. "Is that your solution to everything, Buffy? Let Faith do it. You would do well to follow her lead."

Buffy wanted to scream, 'and do what? Whore around sleazy bars? That's why Faith was Johnny on the spot at Willie's.' But she didn't dare rat Faith out since Faith was keeping mum about Angel so far. She took a ragged breath. "It's not my solution to everything. I patrol. I do it every night. I'm asking for one night, just to pretend I'm normal. I want something to look back on and say, 'I was a cool kid. I went to high school and hey, I was even a Homecoming Queen contender.' It might be silly but it means a lot to me. One night, Wesley, that's all I'm asking for." She could hear the tears in her voice but from his expression Wesley didn't.

"It's out of the question."

Her eyes turned to flint. "Why? You're going to be chaperoning the dance. Why shouldn't I be there?"

"Buffy, this trying to prove you are a normal girl is pointless. You aren't. Slayers do not do a lot of looking back. You've been the Slayer for two years. That's a longer run than many ever get," Wesley said coldly.

Her face drained of color as she got to her feet stiffly. "You say that as if you wished Xander hadn't managed to revive me. You'd be happier if you only had Faith to watch over." Her tone dropped the temperature in the room to something a polar bear would enjoy.

Wesley sagged a bit, realizing he had gone too far. He dropped his gaze, snatching off his glass, unable to meet her eyes. He cleaned his lenses with jittery hands. "That is not what I meant and you know it, young lady. I am merely pointing out that whether or not you make Homecoming Queen, you are not going to be normal."

"Well, if it doesn't matter, then why not do it? I'm not giving in on this, Wesley. Are you really going to call the Councils' watchdogs down on me because I want to go to a dance? Do you think that's really grounds for yanking me off the playing field for rehabilitation?" she snapped back, praying she wasn't overplaying her hand. The livid look on his face told her she had managed to call his bluff.

"Don't you have classes to get to, Buffy? If you put as much effort into them as you are into getting elected queen, you'd be on the honor's list," Wesley said then looked puzzled at Buffy who was jerking her head toward the library door. He half turned and saw a young lady standing there. Her honey gold hair swept the shoulders of her blue sundress. "May I help you?"

She smiled tentatively and took a few steps closer. "I'm Anya, the new girl. They said I could get my text books here."

"I'm afraid they didn't mention anything to me about a new girl," Wesley said, looking at her suspiciously.

"Sorry. Here's the class list they gave me, if that helps," Anya said, handing Wesley a slip of paper.

He peered near-sightedly at it. "Yes, thank you. I'll get what you need."

"Hi Anya, I'm Buffy. Where'd you transfer in from?" Buffy asked, holding out her hand as Wesley disappeared into his office.

Anya shook hands, noticing Buffy had trouble dialing back on her strength. "Fishkill, New York."

Buffy wrinkled up her nose. "What kind of weird name is that? Sounds kind of mean."

Anya smiled. "It's Dutch. 'Kill' means river, not as bad as it sounds. Have you lived in Sunnydale long?"

Buffy puffed at a wisp of hair that was hanging in her face. "It feels like forever some days but I'm just starting my third year here. I used to live in L.A."

"Sunnydale's that bad?" Anya asked, pretending to read Buffy's expression. She knew how delightful Sunnydale was.

Buffy plastered a fake smile on her face. After all, she couldn't just tell Anya the truth about the Hellmouth. "It's not so bad, just sort of small. Definitely a one coffeehouse sort of place. The sidewalks roll up at sun down." That came out as cautionary. "If you want, I can introduce you around."

Anya nodded. "I'd like that."

"As soon as Wesley returns with your books, I'll show you were your first class is," Buffy said, finding it oddly relaxing to be able to do something to help without having to kill to do it.

"Thanks."

* * *

Jenny usually preferred a relaxing chai tea but today had been a nightmare at school so she went for a four shot cappuccino in a mug big enough to float a small boat. She'd need it to get through the homework that her seniors had turned in. It wasn't so bad catching the new girl, Anya, up on the class work but it had been stressful trying to sort out the mess Swanne Pettyjohn had made of the system. Willow had used the school email system to bounce a 'Vote for Buffy' letter to the student body. Swanne, not to be outdone, had tried to do the same thing and managed to crash the system. Principal Snyder had laid the blame squarely on Jenny's doorstep.

To make matters worse, Jenny had gotten another letter from the leader of her tribe telling her it was time to come home and become Janna again. The problem was, even if Angel wasn't back in the picture, Jenny didn't want to go home. She was poorly suited to being a gypsy. She loved the modern world too much. She enjoyed teaching. She knew there was still good she could do in Sunnydale. So far she had been putting off her tribe by reminding them that Angel still needed watching. The Kalderash people couldn't seem to decide what they wanted more, Angel alive and suffering or Angel turned to dust. They had pushed her to assist Wesley and Faith in doing the latter but appeared content enough when she and Willow managed to restore his soul so his suffering would continue. They had no idea that she planned on making that curse permanent. Jenny feared what they might say about it if they knew. They should be happy she'd learned a way to make sure his torment was eternal. Of course, that was barring the wise woman seeing Buffy still in Angel's life.

But then again the wise woman didn't know everything. She had mistakenly thought Angel had still been in L.A. When Jenny hadn't found him there, her tribe had sent out other scouts, shocked that Angel had slipped away. The truth was they hadn't been paying attention like they should have to him. While Jenny searched, L.A., her uncle Enyos and her cousin, Rawna, had gone to the Hellmouth to look for him. Warned by Drusilla's vision, Angelus had tried to prevent the restoration of his soul and slaughtered her family members, mistakenly thinking they were the ones who knew how to cure him.

Their deaths were a raw, bleeding spot in Jenny's soul. The part of her that was Janna screamed for vengeance. But the more logical part of her said work to find a way to make sure Angel could never lose his soul again. Put Angelus in his cage forever. Jenny took a deep breath, her belly expanding a bit and slowly let it out whispering, 'rain' as she did. Rain was calming to her. She loved it. She used it for her mantra word. She let it wash away thoughts of Angel and magic from her mind and turned her thoughts to grading homework assignments. She was almost afraid to see what her students had come up with this time.

"May I join you? There doesn't appear to be any empty tables."

Jenny glanced up, recognizing that soft, cultured voice. The co-owner of the magic shop was standing there holding a steaming cup. She smiled and gestured to the empty chair. "Sure. Let me get the papers out of your way." Jenny gathered up the homework assignments and stuffed them into her valise.

"Thank you, Jenny, right?" He favored her with a half smile.

"Yes." She stared at him, taking in his natty dress. He still smelled enticingly of autumn. It was her favorite season.

She almost addressed him by name then stopped. To her chagrin, Jenny it had to show on her face. She couldn't help it. His nickname was just so darn silly as far as she was concerned."Do you want me to call you Ripper?"

He smiled, the crow's feet around his pretty blue eyes deepening. "You can call me Rupert if you'd like."

"I'd like. Fancy meeting you here."

He took a look around the coffeehouse. "I'm always on the look out for a enjoyable cuppa. Their Earl Grey is good nick."

"Most of it's tasty here, overpriced but good."

"You looked like you were deep in thought. I hope I'm not intruding," Giles said.

"Just grading some papers. I have all night for that," she said, wanting him to stay though she wasn't sure why. He was attractive enough but something in her said he was going to be bad for her. She knew she should heed that little voice but every time she had in the past she ended up bored and thinking 'what if?' "How are you liking Sunnydale?"

Giles hesitated, as if unsure what to say. "It's...quaint."

Jenny smiled. "That's a word for it."

"I've heard that it has a rather sinister reputation, not that I put much stock in that sort of thing. Basically we bought the business because its books showed it turned a decent profit and we had grown very weary of Chicago winters." His lips quirked up.

Jenny knew he was holding back and couldn't imagine why. It was possible, she decided that he was shy or he was sussing her out. Was he thinking 'is she a technopagan that was just in it because paganism was the new cool thing to do or was she a true believer in that old time religion?' Would that matter to him? She thought it would. There were layers to this man and she wanted to peel him like an onion. "I can understand that. I'm fairly new to southern California myself."

"Yes, Concetta did mention you were from Europe. Do you mind me asking where?" His voice was so silky Jenny thought she'd tell him anything.

"I don't mind, though the answer, as trite as it may seem, is I'm from all around Europe. My family...moved a lot," she said with a cautious smile of her own. "And you're obviously from England."

"Bath, though I've lived in the States for quite some time. I haven't managed to lose my accent." The small half-smile tugged at his lips again.

"Good." She almost added, 'I really like it,' or something equally inane and clichéd. She sipped her cappuccino, pondering her next words carefully. "I don't want you to think I'm an alarmist, Rupert, but the sinister reputation of this town is something to be taken very seriously. It's all real."

His blue eyes regarded her very guardedly. "Then it really is here? The mouth of Hell?" he whispered and she nodded. "Where?"

The lie was out of her mouth before she even realized it. "I don't know." Jenny studied him, seeing if he bought it but he was inscrutable. She wanted to say it opened in the library and unfortunately didn't suck Wyndham-Pryce to his early death. Still, it didn't sit well to tell an almost complete stranger, a professed mage, where to find the Hellmouth. What did she really know about this man other than he smelled good and she liked the way his smiles touched his eyes. "But I know it exists."

"Well, that is most disturbing," he said then stared at his tea.

An awkward silence settled over them. Jenny suspected neither of them had wanted the conversation to take this turn. She had been hoping for something lighter, more flirtatious. She sensed maybe he did, too. She decided to roll the dice and take a risk.

"Confess, Rupert."

He cocked an eyebrow at her. "To what?"

"You didn't just happen to run into me did you? Did Concetta tell you about meeting me here yesterday and you decided to take a chance on my favorite hang out?" Jenny asked gently.

He smiled with another bashful look at his teacup. "Guilty. I was hoping to find you here. I didn't want you to get the wrong end of the stick by finding you in the phone book and look like a stalker. However, I did want the chance to get to talk to you outside of work." His blue eyes came up to meet hers. "I hope I haven't overstepped my bounds."

She grinned. "Not at all. It's rather flattering."

He shifted in his seat, relaxing some. "Good." He kept his eyes on her for a few moments then dropped them. "I would have thought that by now, this would get easier."

"What would?"

"This." He waved a hand at her. She tried to catch a better look at the pinkie ring he wore. It looked like some form of protection device. She took that to mean he was into serious magics and needed shielding. "First date talk. Well, this is more like accidental meeting than date but you know what I mean."

"I know," she said ruefully. "Let's see if we can make this easier. You already know I teach computers at Sunnydale High and that I'm a technopagan and that I cast...um some interesting spells." She felt the blush percolating up her cheeks.

He laughed. "That's one way of putting it."

"Yes, that's already ranking up there as most embarrassing moments." She took another nervous sip of coffee.

He pulled out his lighter, twirling it around his fingers. It was shaped like a coffin. It gave her pause, wondering if he had a warped sense of humor or if it was something darker. "If that's ranking up there high, count yourself lucky."

"You've got better ones." She hoped to learn something about this man before she got to the bottom of her cappuccino mug and he was remaining slippery.

He smiled the first full, happy smile she had seen. He had amazing teeth. He had the kind of smile that made him look like he had twice as much teeth as the normal person and all of them perfect. "I've got plenty better but you won't be hearing those stories...at least not yet." He wrinkled his nose. "Probably should tell you before Ethan does."

"Ethan?"

He seemed shocked she didn't know the name. "Concetta didn't mention him? He's our third partner."

"Oh, yes that's right." Jenny nodded. "I haven't met him yet."

"He's an old mate of mine. So, I know a little about what you do but what about the things you like?" Giles prompted.

Jenny rested her chin on her hand for a moment. "I like tea and coffee but you already can see that. I like poetry and they do have some good readings here at the Espresso Pump. I'm better at portents and foretelling than I am at spells. I have a weakness for computer games and football. I love to go dancing and my favorite color is blue. How about you?"

"Football?" He gave her another incredulous look.

"A girl's allowed to like football," she shot back.

"I haven't followed much American football. I do like the sport though, but I'm more partial to soccer and rugby. I rather like Manchester United."

"Tough team," Jenny said, while thinking, 'and with a brutal reputation,' but she knew when someone came out for one team in particular you didn't question it. "Do you like to dance?"

He pulled gently on his earlobe, rolling his fingers over the earring. "I'm not the best dancer but I do love music, anything with a great guitar riff, Hendrix, Clapton, Blue Oyster Cult."

Jenny smiled. "Sax. I love a good tenor sax." She took a long calming breath and dived into the deep end. "I know you're probably not all that into local sports but maybe you'd like to come to the Homecoming game with me."

"I'd enjoy that," he said without hesitation.

She brightened. "Great."

"And maybe dinner afterwards," he suggested.

"I think I should have time enough for that. I'd have to make it an early night, I warn you now. I'm one of the chaperones at the Homecoming dance and I know that's definitely not something to cap off a first date," Jenny said.

He laughed. "Not to mention the school board would probably frown on the chaperones being distracted by their own dates."

Jenny rolled her eyes. "Yes, I'd prefer not to be fired before I finish out one semester. But, if you still think you'd like to go to the game and dinner, I'd like that or would you prefer to wait until the weekend after next when I don't have that big commitment."

"I'd very much like to go to the game with you," he said.

Jenny felt a little fluttery inside. It had been too long since she last had a date, plain and simple. "Great. I'll meet you at the football field. And I really hate to do this, but I have to run. I've got hours of grading papers to get to."

"Of course. I have some place I need to be myself. It was nice talking to you, Jenny. I'll be looking forward to this weekend," he said, getting up.

She rose to her feet as well, their hands intertwining. For a moment, she thought he was going to kiss her. She wanted him to even though she knew she shouldn't want it so much. Instead he gave her hand a gentle caress and was off. Feeling like a schoolgirl, Jenny picked up her valise and headed for her car. As she got into the VW Beetle, she realized that he had managed to get her to give up a lot of information about herself and all she learned was he liked Manchester United and 70's music. She was suddenly glad she hadn't told him where she lived. Quit being paranoid. Easier said than done. Even off the Hellmouth, women were prey. It was hard to feel safe as a single woman sometimes. Putting the negativity out of mind, Jenny drove home thinking about those warm blue eyes and quirky smile.


Chapter Seven - The Best Laid Vampire Plans

"I hate hanging out in funeral homes," Harmony said, staring at a compact, trying to put on lipstick.

Cordelia sighed. "Harm, you can stare at that mirror all you want but you aren't going to start reflecting in it. And it's your fault we're here waiting." Cordy had begun to wish she hadn't come. She knew what would happen. It was just that Harmony was her...well friend wasn't the right word. Sycophant was more like it. Anyhow, old habits were hard to break. Still, she could feel herself growing away from the ditzy blonde in leaps and bounds.

Harmony pouted and knocked on the polished wood of the coffin. "Hurry and wake up."

"I don't know why you bother. Spike's never going to let you keep him," Cordelia said, examining her perfect nails. She had to rely on Harmony to put on her make up and do her hair but her nails were still under her control. She wondered who did Dru's make up. She assumed Spike and if that was the case the man knew how to accentuate.

"If he doesn't know he can't stop me," Harmony said. "Besides it's sort of creepy with just Spike around. I keep telling him I don't do group stuff with other women."

Cordelia rolled her eyes. She knew Drusilla was planning on taking Harmony out. The only reason she hadn't was that Harmony was distracting Spike from whatever Dru was doing. Cordy didn't know what the elder vampiress was planning but whatever it was Dru didn't want Spike knowing about it. Or at least Cordy didn't think so. It was so hard to understand Dru and it didn't involve Cordy so she wasn't really paying much attention to it. Personally she thought Harmony was an idiot for just falling into Spike's bed.

Spike had tried to seduce her, too, but Cordelia wasn't having any of it. She knew Spike wanted sex merely to keep control over her and no one got control of Queen C. She didn't know how Dru tolerated it. It did seem, that despite their dalliances, Spike and Dru really were in love. However, Dru had seemed to want Angelus as much as she did Spike. Cordy could understand that. Both men had their charms. Things had been different when Angelus was with them. Cordelia had been afraid of and totally infatuated with him. She had been hot for him back when he was Angel, when she was alive and constantly trying to steal him from Buffy.

Angelus was her sire. Cordelia didn't know why he hadn't just killed her or why Spike had bothered turning Harmony. It really made no sense to her but it was a good thing, remaining forever young, except for the no mirrors, no more sunbathing thing. It had taken some getting used to that. It took more getting used to Angelus in bed. He was violent but arousing. She had freaked some when Angelus and Spike wanted group action with the girls - but not each other, they were very forceful about that point. She knew both men found Harmony boring. She got a laugh out of it.

Cordy missed Angelus. She wanted him back. She suspected that was what Dru was working on; a way to get Angelus back or at the very least make Willow and that teacher bitch pay for returning his soul to him. Cordelia also suspected Spike didn't have a clue as to Dru's thoughts on the matter. He didn't understand women very well from what she could tell.

Hearing a creaking noise, Cordelia looked over at the coffin. Larry was sitting up, looking confused. Harmony started babbling at him so quickly even Cordy couldn't make heads or tails of it.

"Harm, try taking a breath and slow down so you aren't spouting gibberish at him."

Harmony scowled at the criticism then turned back to Larry with doe eyes. "You're a vampire now, Larry, just like me and Cordy. It's really cool." Her nose wrinkled. "Well, except for no sunlight and no mirrors but we'll stay young and cute forever," she added, perkily.

Larry appeared to be ignoring her. He usually did, Cordelia mused, only Harmony was too foolish to know it. "Why am I so hungry?" He looked to Cordy when he asked that.

"All part of the condition. Don't worry. We'll teach you how to kill," Cordy said, a wicked smile sliding across her face. Once the remnants of her humanity got past the gruesomeness of the feed, Cordelia learned to love the kill. Angelus was a good teacher for that.

"Kill?" Larry's thick brows furrowed.

"Just follow our lead." Cordelia waved for him to follow, wondering how long Larry would escape notice by the Slayers or Spike.

Larry lumbered out of the funeral home behind her. Harmony took up the rear, her eyes glued to Larry's backside. They didn't make it past the perfect hedges flanking the home when something grabbed Larry and yanked him away from the girls. Larry erupted into a cloud of dust. Someone stepped from the shadows and with a stylish whirl, dropped the stake into a leather coat pocket.

"Spike!" Harmony stamped a foot at him. "Why do you keep doing that? Every time I make a childe, you kill him," she whined petulantly.

Spike lit up. "Because you're too stupid to be a sire. Get in the car, Harmony. We need to get back to base. We have to coordinate this Homecoming thing."

"But I don't want to go," she bleated. "You're so mean to me."

Spike grinned around the butt of his cigarette. "You haven't seen mean. Get in the car." He pointed at the Desoto three blocks down.

"No." Harmony jammed her fists into her hips.

"Fine. Walk from here," he said.

With a cry, Harmony ran the other direction. Spike shrugged and waved Cordelia toward the car. She followed him.

"What if I was the one who brought Larry over?" she asked, flipping her hair back.

"You're too smart for that. You know you don't know enough yet and you'd probably select something smarter than that lump was bound to be," Spike said, sliding behind the wheel of the old car.

Cordy shrugged. It was hard to argue that. "Are you going to wait for Harmony to get over her fit?"

In response Spike started the car and drove off. "How sure are you about this Homecoming thing?"

"Sure enough. Buffy will be at that dance. I broke into the school. Her Homecoming Queen campaign posters all over, as if she had a chance. Have you ever noticed she has a funny dent at the end of her nose?" Cordy asked, with a disgusted look.

Spike laughed. "Can't say I've looked at her that closely. I'm more interested in her fighting moves."

"This is why you and Angelus turned me and Harm, isn't it?" Cordy asked, the light finally coming on in her head. "Because we know Buffy."

Spike nodded. "We wanted to get Willow and Xander, too, but they're so close to Buffy, they're practically all wearing the same skin. Harmony was a mistake." Spike ran a finger along her cheek. "You're not. We have a lot riding on this dance. The Mayor wants Buffy gone."

"Don't we all?" Cordy rolled her eyes. "She'll be there. Trust me."

Spike gazed over at her grimly. "I am. Don't disappoint me."

For some reason, Cordelia was actually afraid of those simple words. Maybe not as scared as she would have been had Angelus uttered them but scared none-the-less. "I promise, she'll be there. It'll be up to those assassins you've arranged for. You can't hold me responsible for what they do."

Spike considered this. "Fair enough. Do me a favor, Cordelia."

She pursed her lips, dreading this. "What?"

"Dru's been wanting new dresses. You have great taste. Take her to where you used to shop and steal yourselves something nice."

Cordelia beamed. "Done."

 

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