Deais looked over at Buffy with a questioning look on her face. “Is there a problem Milady,” she asked.

“Not so much a problem, as an annoyance,” Buffy replied distractedly as she concentrated on the images she was picking up from Spike. Buffy’s mind raced as she contemplated this turn of events. Shaking herself back the issue at hand, she grinned mischievously at Angel. “Now what shall I do with you? Hmmm?”

Angel started to grin back, thinking that this whole thing was her way of catching his attention and flirting with him, when he noticed her pick up her sword. He winced in remembered pain as he recalled the ease with which it slid into his flesh two nights before.

“I had thought of simply ending your existence, ensuring that any threat you might be is removed. “ She snickered as four members of the assemblage started forward, their brows wrinkled in consternation. “However, you might still be of some use in the future, so killing you is out of the question.” She laughed in genuine amusement at the look of relief that passed across Angel’s face. “That doesn’t mean that I can’t have a little fun, and keep that promise I made to you the first night we met. Before I am done, you will know the true meaning of pain.”

Angel swallowed hard, a hint of fear flickering in his eyes before a look of utter boredom and complete arrogance settled over his features. “Well, then. Let’s get this over with, I’m getting bored,” he said giving off a vibe of condescending superiority.

Tannic gave a low laugh and shook a finger admonishingly at Angel. “I can promise you, that you won’t be bored for long.” He snickered in genuine amusement. “The Lady knows how to keep things interesting.” He turned to Buffy with one raised eyebrow, “I know I’ve been an ass about things, especially where this one is concerned, “ he jerked a thumb over his shoulder at Angel, “but after spending even a small amount of time in his presence, even I want to strangle the condescending bastard.”

Buffy gave a low, throaty laugh. “From what I’ve been given to understand, he tends to turn people against him with his attitude. One would think he’d learn from his past mistakes, but it is apparent to me that he requires a firm hand instead of gentle guidance.” Buffy paced the dais, deep in thought, as she debated on what to do with the idiot vampire who had dared to try and hurt her family. Coming up with nothing that seemed appropriate, she reached out, via the bond, to Spike, to see if he had any ideas.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Spike’s eyes popped open, a look of sheer astonishment on his face. “Well I’ll be damned…” he muttered to himself, “it worked.”
Methos cocked his head towards Spike. “You managed to reach her then?”

Spike nodded in a distracted manner. “Yeah… this is neat.” He slouched back in his chair, touching the fragile thread linking his mind to hers.

“So is she okay? When is she coming home? Can you tell me…?” Dawn started bouncing in her seat.

“Oi! Hold up there Nibblet. I ain’t a bleeding cell phone!” Spike stated, with a faint grin on his face for the girl’s antics.

“Sorry Spike, I just miss her, ya know?” Dawn said, a little subdued.

Spike shook his head and laughed, and then a puzzled look drifted across his face. “Hey, she wants to know if we have any ideas as to what we can do with Angel, short of killing him.” He cocked an eyebrow as Xander slapped himself on the forehead. “What’s that for Harris?”

“I guess it was too much to hope for that she’d just put him out of our misery huh?” Xander said with a groan.

Methos thought for a moment, “It is possible that she isn’t being allowed to dispose of him permanently. If that’s the case, I do have a suggestion for her.” He looked over at Spike, “Tell her ‘Kronos’. She’ll understand.”

“Okay, I’ll see if I can get that to her. She seems better at this than I am.” Spike said as he closed his eyes, and then popped them open again. “Oh, and you will be explaining this ‘Kronos’ thing to me.” He closed his eyes again, not seeing the look of resigned acceptance on Methos’ face.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Buffy laughed out loud as the word ‘Kronos’ danced through her mind. “Wonder how the bugger knows about that…” she mused. “Looks like the old man has some explaining to do.” She turned back towards Angel and clapped her hands like an excited little girl. “I have just the thing. It has proved effective on another occasion, with one such as you. So I don’t see why it shouldn’t be as effective on you.”

Deais noticed the wicked smile on Buffy’s face and inquired, “I trust this punishment you have devised will not result in the Cursed One’s demise?”

“No, it won’t kill him, well… not if I make a few adjustments. But he will beg for death before it’s over. That I can promise you.” Buffy stated with an evil-sounding chuckle. “Gods know it had Kronos begging for death.”

Deais tapped her right index finger against her chin, “Kronos… wasn’t he one of your students at one point?”

Buffy nodded. “Yup!” she said with pride. “He was one of mine. A talented, if headstrong, young man. Unfortunately he had some rather unsavory appetites that needed curbing.” She grimaced in remembrance. “I believe the method I used on him, albeit slightly modified, will be sufficient to punish this idiot vampire.” She motioned towards Angel. “It took 6 weeks before Kronos was begging me to finish him off; I expect it won’t take more than 6 days for this piece of garbage to start begging. But his punishment won’t stop until I am satisfied that he has learned his lesson.”

An older gentleman, holding a staff topped with a gleaming star that pulsed in time to his heartbeat, inquired, “What exactly shall be done with him?”

Buffy smiled at the elder male and replied, “It is a little something I came up with a little over 5000 years ago. I guarantee it is something the Cursed One will never forget.”