Disclaimer:All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Many thanks to my beta Leon Stryfe who stepped up when I was stuck and helped write more than a few chapters with me. For all your help you have earned the title of Co-Author for this story and my sincere gratitude. Thanks to my wonderful friend Sweetprincipale who listens to me and encourages me. And the wonderful ending was all her idea!

I have played with the time-line a bit in this story. The Angel episode “The Trial” actually aired a week after the Buffy episode “Shadow”. For the purposes of this story “The Trial” happened first. I have taken quite a bit of dialog from a few episodes of season 5. Shadow written by David Fury, The Trial written by David Greenwalt, No Place Like Home by Doug Petrie, Checkpoint by Jane Espenson and Doug Petrie, Blood Ties by Steven DeKnight, Spiral by Steven DeKnight and Intervention by Jane Espenson.
                                                                                                                                                                                                               
I hope you enjoy the story. This is the longest piece I have ever done and hopefully I did it justice.

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The group entered and the Host quickly came over to greet them.
 
“Well look at you, stud-muffin,” he said to Spike with a gleam in his red eyes. “A vamp bringing a slayer to my club? What’s the occasion, crumb-cake? Come right in, let’s just find you a table out of the way, okay?” Lorne lead the group to a quiet table in the back, weaving in and out of conversations with other patrons without missing a beat. “So what does everyone want to drink?” After taking their orders, the Host disappeared just long enough to fill their glasses before returning to the Scoobies' table and pulling up a chair.
 
“Well we were told…” Giles began to speak.
 
“Oi, mate, clock is ticking. We don’t have time for one of your long winded speeches.”  Spike turned away from Giles' rebuttal before he could make it and focused on the Host. “Here’s the deal. I need to go on a little quest; got a lady that needs fixin’. So just point us in the right direction and we’ll be outta your hair in a tick.”
 
“Ah, well then you know the drill, beef-cake. Get up there and sing and I’ll see what I can do. Why don’t you take this little jelly donut with you.” Lorne pointed to Dawn. 
 
Dawn and Spike looked at each other and shrugged. They made their way to the stage before they started arguing about what song to sing. After a few minutes of heated debate, they settled on 'I Wanna Be Sedated.' When they had finished amidst the crowds' applause, Dawn tried to get Spike to sing another song. When he refused she practically ran back to the table. Grabbing Anya, the teen dragged her on stage and the two started singing while the rest of the group settled in to hear what the Host had to say.                                             
 
“That was wonderful!” A noise near the door caught Lorne’s attention before he could offer up any more praise or pass along his readings.
 
Spike turned to see what had distracted Lorne, and swore loudly. Angel and his group had just entered the club. Angel spotted Spike and made a beeline for him. Angel, still angry from the last time Spike had been in LA and the torture he had endured during Spike’s attempt to retrieve the Gem of Amara, took a swing at Spike despite the protestations of Buffy and her group of friends. Spike simply grinned at Angel before the enraged vampire was stricken to the floor. Angel's hatred of Spike caused him to forget about the sanctuary spell and the repercussions of violence in the club. Xander began laughing uncontrollably and even Giles could not quite contain his mirth. During the commotion, Lorne pulled Spike aside.
 
“Listen, when you go, take all three Summers women. Offer up your life and your soul for the women you love and good things will happen if you complete the trial.” Lorne gave Spike a piece of paper with an address on it. “You have to have faith to get to the trials. I can’t tell you any more than that.”
 
Angel stood up off the floor and stalked over to Spike.
 
“What are you doing here?!”
 
Ignoring him, Spike walked back to the table.
 
“Lets go ladies and gents.” Spike, noticing Joyce rubbing her forehead, helped her up and began to lead her out the door. Angel grabbed Spike’s arm, causing Joyce to stumble. Finally moved to anger, Spike whirled on his former mentor.
 
“Listen here, you ponce. You and me, we can finish this another time. Right now, I’ve got more important things to do than beat you bloody in front of your new and former friends, or your ex-honey .”
 
As Spike turned to help Joyce once more, Buffy walked up to Angel, drawing his attention.
 
“Angel, we’ll stop by after, okay? Listen, my mom is sick. I can’t do this right now; whatever is going on between you and Spike will have to wait.” She then herded the rest of the group out the door.
 
Cordelia and Wes eventually convinced Angel to go back to the hotel when he tried to follow Spike.
 
“Angel just let them go. Buffy said she would come to the hotel when she was done. Let’s just talk to Lorne about Darla and find out why the trials didn’t work for her.” The brunette pleaded to her boss.
 
“Angel, I don’t think you should interfere,” the former watcher offered. “Buffy said her mother was ill, this isn't the time for vendettas. We should go back to the hotel and wait for her there.” Wes was trying his best to stop Angel from following the Sunnydale group.
 
~*~
 
When Spike and the Scoobies arrived at the address Lorne gave them, Xander was the first one to speak.
 
“I told you! That guy is an evil demon. He told us to come to an empty pool in a run down playground! Look there's garbage all over the place.” Xander threw his hands up in the air. “This was a big waste of time!”
 
“Shut it, Whelp! Looks like the Big Bad has to take a leap of faith, folks. See ya’ on the flip side.” Spike then leaped, feet first, into the empty pool. Before he hit the bottom, a blue light flashed, blinding everyone.  Once everyone's eyesight had returned, Spike was nowhere to be seen.  However, the group quickly noticed that all three of the Summers’ women had disappeared as well.
 
“Where did they go?” Willow began to look around for the missing women. 
 
“Spike is fighting for Joyce’s life so of course she had to go with him,” Anya offered with a shrug. “I’m not sure why Dawn and Buffy went, though; maybe because they’re her family?” Her sage advice offered, Anya walked over to sit on a swing that was in the small playground next to the pool, deliberately ignoring Xander.
 
Spike landed on a hard stone floor, barely managing to keep his feet. As he looked around, he saw that Joyce, Buffy and Dawn were standing a few feet away.  A well dressed man also stood off to the side.
 
“Everyone alright?” Once they had nodded, he turned his attention to the man. “So, you're the guy that's gonna put me through my paces, huh? I got a lady to save so let’s get a move on.”  The man, who Spike had already dubbed 'Jeeves' in his mind, regarded Spike coolly before speaking.
 
“First, we need to be clear as to why you are here, vampire. What is it that you wish for, should you complete the trials?”
 
“Fair trade, Jeeves. My life and soul for the Summers’ women.” Spike's response left the all three of the Summers' initially speechless, however Buffy was the first to come to her wits.
 
“Spike, you don’t have a soul to offer. Tell me I didn’t make a mistake trusting you.”
 
“Ah, ah, miss,” the well dressed man interrupted, “I am afraid that you are mistaken. He can, and has, offered his life and his soul for you and your family.” Turning to Spike, the man spoke again.
 
“Acceptable. Please remove your coat, shirt and shoes.” Spike handed over the clothing, relinquishing his prized jacket last, before bouncing from foot to foot energetically, ready to get the trial over with.
 
“Oi, Jeeves. Buffy gets the coat if I don’t make it.”  The man nodded his understanding solemnly, before turning to the still shocked Summers' family.
 
“Once I open that door nothing living will be safe. Ladies, if you will come with me.”
 
As soon as they disappeared Spike heard a loud roar. Cracking his neck, he stepped forward to see the ugliest demon he had ever laid eyes on.  It stood over 7 feet tall, with a head that looked like it belonged on a sea creature. The demon had no weapons on him but Spike saw a pair of swords mounted on one wall. Unfortunately, his opponent was between him and the weapons. Taking a deep, but wholly unnecessary breathe, Spike jumped into the fight.