Disclaimer: The characters from Buffy the Vampire Slayer are owned by Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, and Fox studios. This story is not meant to infringe upon anyone's rights, only to entertain.

**



**
A/N: Thanks to Amarysso for betaing.

CHAPTER 20 – What now?

… Merrick’s House, 2000

It was another uneventful night. Angel and Niko had dropped off Caden at Revello Drive since it was his turn to keep Spike and Buffy company. Buffy seemed to be holding up much better today given the circumstances.

Angel quietly slipped into his room and plopped down on his bed. He was almost asleep when his nose was assaulted with the faint sent of lilies. He quickly jerked into a sitting position as he felt another presence in the room.

“Who’s there?”

From the shadows a figure emerged. “I usually got something more pleasant than that.”

“It can’t be.”

“Why not? Stranger things have been known to happen my love.”

“No, this isn’t real. It has to be a dream. You’re dead.”

The figure moved closer and sat down on the bed beside him. Angel could see the figure’s features more clearly now. He knew that long dark hair and those eyes that always looked up at him with such love. She gave him a small smile. “I’m sure you know better than anybody about that little fact since you did the deed. Since you sank your loving fangs into my neck and drank me into you.”

“That wasn’t me.”

“Oh, I forgot. That was Angelus. But is there really any difference? You know that light cannot exist without the dark. And our love… my love existed because of evil and begot evil.”

Angel looked at the figure with such sorrow and pain.. “I don’t know if there are enough apologies in the world to show you how I truly feel.”

Her hand hovered near his cheek. “You don’t need to apologize. It was my fate. It was my choice. I loved you. I couldn’t let them take you.”

“You used your body to shield me but Angelus used your body as food.”

“Shhh…. This guilt … it weighs heavily on you my love.”

“It keeps me going. It helps me fight each night.”

“But you could be so much better than this love. You could be so much stronger.”

“What are you talking about?”

‘Your soul is just a burden. Don’t you want to just let it rest? Isn’t it time for it to sleep?”

“But … “

“Shhh… Let me take care of everything Angel. Let me make you what you were truly meant to be.”

Angel collapsed on the bed while the figure smiled at her handiwork. Her plan was finally coming into motion. Soon the Slayer will be in her grasp and the Hellmouth will open. She had been waiting patiently for years and soon she will get what she had always wanted.

**

… a week or so later, 1630 Revello Drive …

“Niko … I’m really sorry about this.” Caden said solemnly as he opened the door.

Niko shrugged. “Like I have a choice … “ Niko walked passed him and into the living room where he noted that the Slayer and Merrick were discussing something.

“Yes you have a choice. Tonight is your free night.”

“Tell me about it. … But I guess it can’t be helped. I went back home to get Angel but he was already gone. I thought he would be over here but I didn’t pick up his scent anywhere near here.”

“This is like the fourth time now in over a week that he just disappeared to do his own thing. And we need him today.” Caden said with a frown.

“Why him? You didn’t exactly tell me on the phone what was going on.”

Caden gestured Niko to take a seat as he cleared his throat. “Spike is missing.”

“So? You know how he likes to go off once in a while.”

“It’s different from the others Niko. He’s in trouble. I can feel it.” Buffy spoke up with concern.

“Well Sunnydale isn’t that big of a town, can’t you figure out through the claim where he is?”

“That’s the problem. It feels like he’s purposely not wanting to tell me.”

“Who was the last one that saw him?”

“It was me. He gave me a kiss before I stepped out the door. He didn’t tell me he was going out today and he usually tells me if and when he’s going to step out so that I won’t worry.”

The door bell rang for the third time tonight but unlike the others, whoever was on the other side was frantic since the door bell rang over and over again. Caden being closer to the door answered it.

An obviously frightened red-haired teenager looked up. “Oh, umm… Mr. Stewart. What are you doing here? … Is Buffy home?”

“Is everything alright Willow?”

“Is Buffy home? I really need to talk to her.”

Caden let the teenager in. “Oh… Mr. Merrick and Nikolai? You’re here too?”

Buffy stood up to greet her best friend. “What’s wrong Willow? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

“Not ghosts Buffy. Vampires. They were … umm… vampires. Please believe me. I know it sounds crazy but… well… umm… they had teeth, no fangs… and yellow eyes … and um.. hmm… bumpy foreheads.”

Buffy looked at Caden with concern before replying. “It’s alright Willow. I believe you. Now tell me exactly what happened.”

“I was coming home from the library when this tall guy grabbed me. I tried to get away but there were like five other goons with him. They had umm… like I said, fangs and bumpy foreheads. I thought they were going to eat me. Next thing I knew I was handcuffed and this guy was talking about taking care of the Slayer’s friends one by one until she had none left. I thought he was going to kill me for sure but then he was talking to this other guy. About half an hour later, they let me go. I didn’t stay around to figure out why. I was so scared that I just ran. I came here because I knew you believe in all that supernatural stuff.”

Buffy nodded. “This other guy that was talking to the man that grabbed you, what did he look like?”

“His back was turned to me but he had really blonde hair and a leather duster. He kinda reminds me of Spike. But how would Spike know about vampires? Much less seem chummy with one?”

Buffy let out a worried sigh.

“Well now we know what happened to Spike.” Niko said.

“Wait, I’m all confused.”

“It’s okay Willow. We’ll take care of this.” Buffy replied.

“Wait, shouldn’t we find this Slayer person that they were talking about. The way I heard some of the guys talking, they seemed afraid of her.”

Buffy looked at Merrick wanting to tell her friend who she really was. Merrick conceded knowing that they needed to let Willow in on their secret. “I’m the Slayer, Willow.”

The redhead’s eyes grew bigger. “You?! You’re the vampire slayer that they’re afraid of?” Then she looked around the room. “All of you guys know this.”

“Yes, Willow. We know of this. There is much we need to tell you but there just isn’t time.” Merrick said.



**

“Are you sure that was where you were?” Merrick asked the red-haired teenager.

Willow nodded. “I’m sure. I know the school inside and out, especially the area near the library.“

“Now why would they take her there? We do a sweep of the school at least once a week and there has been no evidence of any vamps nesting there.” Niko replied.

“Willow, Buffy tells me you’re good with computers. Can you pull me up schematics or any type of blue prints on the city and the school?” Caden asked, offering her his laptop computer.

“Umm… Sure.” Willow agreed but she was still a bit shaken up. Everything that Buffy and the others revealed to her didn’t really calm her nerves. Who would have thought that Buffy was this Chosen One and her friends were actually vampires. Good vampires but vampires nonetheless.

Merrick turned to face Caden. “Are you thinking of doing a cross reference between the school and all the demon activity we’ve recorded for the past few months?”

“That and something else. Niko’s right. If I was going to kidnap someone and lure the Slayer, there are other places with a more strategic advantage than the school. They must have chosen the school for a specific purpose and I’m hoping that I’m wrong.”

“Wrong?” Merrick asked.

“Here you go.” Willow said with a small smile.

Caden leaned in to look at the blue prints Willow had pulled up. “Can you zoom that out just a little bit?”

Willow nodded and did as she was told, while Merrick walked over to the two and looked at the screen.

“Let’s see. There’s the church, the old missionary, city hall, the Bronze and old vineyard. Oh my… this isn’t good.”

“Why? What are you talking about?” Buffy asked.

“The school is right in the center of Sunnydale.”

“yeah, so?”

“Not just in the center of Sunnydale, Buffy. It’s in the center of the five pillars that seal the Hellmouth.”

“Huh?”

Caden spoke up. “The church, the old missionary, city hall, the bronze and …. Contain seals inside the buildings that keep the Hellmouth closed. The reason they used those five buildings is because there are strategic points of access to the Hellmouth there too. But right in the middle is the main entrance into the Hellmouth and that is where the school is located.”

“But with the five seals in place we shouldn’t worry right?” Niko asked.

“Technically, but you know as well as I do that there are always ways around things. The question is how do they plan to open the seal?”

“Well if you ask me, if it’s a dimension to the demon world, I’d say blood is in order. More than 80% of demons always have some form of blood in their diet.”

Both Willow and Buffy wrinkled their noses. “Ewww…. Thanks for the visual Niko.” Buffy commented.

“Still, ordinary blood wouldn’t be enough to break the seal.” Merrick replied.

“Maybe that’s why they need Spike … or maybe …” Niko said slowly then he turned to face Buffy.

“That sounds like a logical plan.” Merrick said musing over the facts in his head. “Capture someone close to the Slayer to lure her in.”

“I think we have another problem though.”

Buffy let out a sigh. “What could be worse than Spike being held prisoner and them wanting to kill me to open the Hellmouth?”

“I think I know who’s responsible.”

“Who?”

“I didn’t want to believe it at first but it’s unmistakable.…” Caden took Willow’s arm, much to her surprise, and started sniffing it. “It’s Angel.”

**
Sunnydale High School

“Don’t look so sad, Spike. I’m sure that if your precious Slayer actually cares about you she’ll come. Of course she’ll come riding to your rescue much much sooner if you’d just tell her exactly where we are.”

“Sod off!” Spike said trying to pull on the chains that bound him.

“Tsk tsk… You have so much potential in you. You must forgive me William. I have been a bad Sire to you.” Angelus said planting a kiss on his child’s forehead. “We are meant to take from this world, not be its lowly servants. But that will all change”

“What are you planning?”

“You see dear dear William. We are on the Hellmouth – the gateway from the demon dimension and this dimension. I’m just going to restore the order of things.” Angelus said stepping back to reveal the area his minions had been digging for a few days now. From afar, it looked like an ordinary sewer cover, but Spike knew otherwise. He could feel the power wanting to escape from the small metal disc.

“You’re going to open that?”

Angelus grinned. “The perfect way to put humans in their place. Of course the only way to open it is through a blood sacrifice and I know who is going to willing donate it too.” The elder vampire moved closer to his child to whisper in his ear. “I’ve given you the best seat in the house for the festivities, William.”

Spike let out a growl and tried to lunge for his Sire. “Don’t you bloody dare.”

Angelus let out a devilish laugh. “You’ll watch helplessly as her very life will be drained from her and you get to live the rest of your unlife knowing that she did this to save you.”



**

Spike braced himself for the pain. Angelus had been toying with him for the better part of the hour and he had the blood stains to prove it. Unfortunately for him, earlier that morning Buffy let him take a taste of her blood which made his body heal much faster than usual. His Sire was not pleased with this fact. He wanted to see his child bleed. He wanted to show him that there comes a point beyond pain where the sensation turns into pleasure. He wanted his child to reach that point and then taste him. Aside from that he wanted him to look battered and broken so that when the precious Slayer came to see her paramour she would feel like she had no other choice than to sacrifice herself. Then at that moment when all hope is lost to his child he would re-claim him – re-instill the Sire-Child bond and teach him the ways of the world as he should have properly done in the first place.

Spike, though chained, was fighting back in his own way. He was defiant and kept the pain hidden as much as he could. He didn’t want to give Angelus the satisfaction that he was actually feeling pain.

Angelus knew that he could just skip all this bloody torture and take what was rightfully his. If he bit Spike and claimed him as his child once more, then the blond vampire’s resistance to his persuasions would weaken and he would be able to lure Buffy here much sooner. Then again, he was having too much fun with his errant boy. The Slayer would come of her own accord. Of that he was certain. He had witnessed the disgusting proclamations of love between his child and the Slayer. It would just be a matter of time.

**

… Meanwhile in 1630 Revello Drive …

“ANGEL?!” Buffy exclaimed. “Now how can it be Angel? I thought that he was on our side.”

“The smell is unmistakably him. And before you ask, no. I’m not wrong. I’ve spent more than a century with him. I know what he smells like.” Caden replied.

“But why? How? Everything he does is by the book. What would make him snap?”


“That is indeed strange.” Merrick interjected. “One would think that out of the four of you Vampire Guards, Angel would be the least likely to turn to evil given that he has a soul.”

Niko let out a chuckle. “Anything can be lost.”

“What do you mean by that Niko?” Merrick asked.

“I was just sort of kidding.”

“Actually… that isn’t far from the truth,” Caden said solemnly.

The other four room occupants gave him a look of disbelief and puzzlement.

The vampire let out a slow sigh before clearing his throat. “Angel is a vampire cursed with a soul. I’ve heard stories, some probably true, about how he was one of the most feared vampires that came from the Aurelian line. He had no love for humans and this in itself wasn’t surprising because he was sired by one of the Master’s beloved daughters. The Master was at that time the leader of the Aurelian Clan. Angelus had carved a name for himself in the demon world but all that ended when he was cursed by a gypsy with his soul. Since then he had lived with fear and guilt. Then he fell in love with a woman – a Watcher’s daughter in fact and she was instrumental in giving his unlife some sort of purpose. Unfortunately, the curse wasn’t permanent and in the heat of passion the curse was lifted and Angelus once more emerged.”

“I’ve never heard of that about Angel. There was nothing on his file that mentioned anything about any of what you’ve just revealed.” Merrick said with slight shock.

“Well because of what happened the Council erased all records of this incident.” Caden replied.

“So how do you know about this?”

“I have more sources and the rest, I’ve pieced together from a few heart to heart talks with Angel.”

“So what happened that made the Council do what they did?” Buffy asked.

“Well, the Watcher’s daughter didn’t care though and loved him nonetheless even though Angelus wanted nothing to do with her. There was some sort of standoff between Angelus and the Slayer and a few Watchers that went with her. However, Angelus’ ex-paramour shielded him. As a reward, he drained her dry in front of the Slayer.”

“Why didn’t the Slayer just stake him right then and there?”

“Because the Watcher’s daughter had performed a spell on herself which resulted in his soul returning to him. In my opinion, she was hoping that if she could show to her father and the others that he could be saved without the soul that maybe they would spare him.”

“But I guess even she didn’t really believe he was capable of it if she did the spell on herself.” Niko said matter-of-factly.

Caden nodded. “Perhaps.., but now Angelus is loose and he has Spike imprisoned. I’m worried. Angelus could use his rights as Sire and we might end up having to fight both of them.”

Buffy shook her head. “No. I can still feel Spike as being Spike.”

“But wait, if Angel lost the soul because he was umm … in love with someone, how is that possible now? I don’t recall him mentioning anything about being with anyone lately.” Merrick interjected.

“We’ve been to the Bronze and I don’t see him with anyone nor have I smelled anyone else on him lately.” Niko added.

“Which has me worried even more.” Caden replied. “We might be dealing with someone else in addition to Angelus.”

Buffy hugged her knees on the couch with a worried look on her face. Things were going to get complicated soon and she didn’t know what to do. The one person in this world who she could turn to was the very person she had to save.