*Author's Note: Sorry for the lack of updates everyone. I've been kind of sick. Stupid weather, making me all sniffly. Hope you enjoy.

~*~

Spike tapped his hands anxiously against the steering wheel as he waited for Red and the Slayer to get the supplies from their dorm and get back to the car.

“Maybe we should have gone with them,” Xander spoke up from the backseat. “I mean, it couldn’t have hurt anything for us to all go. And…” his voice trailed off, as Buffy and Willow made their way back to the car. Willow hopped into the backseat, sliding what looked to be a sleeping bag onto the floor, while Buffy took the front.

Smiling at everyone, she gestured to the sleeping bag as Spike put the car in gear and pulled out of the dorm parking lot. “We’ve got it. So, let’s go over the plan once more. We’ll pull up at the Bronze and head in like we’re just there to celebrate. Hopefully Riley and the soldiers will think we’re just hanging out for the night. Then Willow will hang at the Bronze and work her magic, while Xander and Spike come with me to rescue Giles. Xand, you take a dagger. Spike, the tranquilizer gun is yours.”

Her brows creased and she leveled Spike with a dangerous look. “I don’t think I need to tell you its shoot first, ask questions later, right?”

Spike nodded, “Right, pet. Time for Watchers to go sleepy.”

“Good. Xand, you find Giles while I take out the rest of the Watchers. We’ll meet back at the sewers underneath the Bronze if we get split up.”

Buffy finished speaking just as they pulled up at the Bronze. Checking the stake at the back of her waist, she motioned for Xander to pass her the gun.

“Right then.” Spike muttered, opening his door and stepping out of the car. “You guys ready to party.”

Walking around the car and opening the passenger door for the Slayer, Spike discreetly slid the gun out of the car and nudged it down a sewer drain. They’d pick it up on their way out.

Willow and Xander were out of the car a second later, and Spike draped an arm over Buffy’s shoulder, eyes taking in everything around him as they made their way into the crowded club. Leaning down close to her ear, he whispered just loudly enough for her to hear over the music. “I don’t smell any of them, luv. But that might not be a good thing, yeah?”

Looking up at him, she frowned. “If only my Slayer senses were good for anything *besides* telling me that there is a vampire standing next to me, we’d be in good shape.”

The group made their way over to a high top table in the middle of the club, each taking a seat. Willow leaned in close to them, pulling something from her pocket, and Spike watched with only some trepidation. Looking at the Slayer next to him, he grimaced.

*Things haven’t gone back to normal since the last time Red did a spell. Don’t know why I expect this time to be any different.*

“Okay,” Willow began. “You all need to stand pretty still for about a minute. I’m going to imprint your images so that even after you leave, it will appear that you’re still here hanging out. It’s an illusory image spell. It shouldn’t be to difficult.”

*It shouldn't be to difficult? Wonder if that’s what she said the last time.*

“And you can control what we do and say?” Xander asked. “That is sooo cool.”

Willow just nodded intent on the herbs in her hands. “Okay, close your eyes guys.” Spike felt her moving about it was killing him to stand so still. Just when he was about to say bugger this and get the hell out of there, she spoke again. “Alright, I think it worked.”

Spike opened one eye tentatively, he didn’t feel any different. But his eyes widened when his gaze rested on Xander. It was almost like he was drunk, and the image of Xander was blurred. “Bloody hell, Red. There’s two of him.”

Willow beamed. “I know. Xander, take a step backwards.”

The boy complied and Spike gasped, “There really is two.” When Xander, the solid Xander, had moved away from the table, he left in his spot, an exact likeness of him sitting at the table with his eyes closed.

“Well,” Buffy started, “it worked. We better get moving before someone else notices.” With that she took off towards the back entrance of the Bronze. Spike followed, a bit reluctantly. As the three of them walked away Spike watched as Willow began a conversation with the holograms.

“I didn’t know she could do that,” he muttered under his breath. “Mojo like that, takes a hell of a lot of power.”

Unfortunately, Spike didn’t have time to dwell on it. Looking around the back alley, he inhaled deeply. When he was sure there was no one around, he motioned to the Slayer who disappeared down into the sewers. Jumping down after her, he landed lightly, slipping into game face so that he could see in the dark.

A loud splash and a muffled curse announced Xander’s arrival, and Spike chuckled in spite of himself. *Wouldn’t fancy being cold and wet, either.*

Taking point, Spike led them around a corner to retrieve the tranquilizer gun. They traveled silently for the most part, the only sounds Xander’s splashing and the girly squeal the Slayer let out when she stepped into something squishy. Soon, enough, they were right under the house which held Ripper.

“This is it, pet,” Spike said, coming to a stop at a small metal ladder which would lead up to the street. Xander had his dagger out, and a crossbow he had procured from somewhere gripped tightly in his other hand. While, Buffy had her ever present stake in her hand.

“Right,” she said. “Giles, here we come.

~*~

“C’mon Ry. They’re obviously not going anywhere. They haven’t left that table all night.”

Riley turned to Forest, a bit impatiently. The two of them were at a table next to the stairwell, where they had a clear view of Buffy and her friends. “No. Something is up with them. They left the dorms looking like they were spending the night somewhere. I’m going to find out where.”

Forest groaned. “Chances are her roommate is going to stay by a friend’s house. Let Buffy and bass face over there celebrate all proper-like.”

Putting a hand on his friend’s arm, Forest waited until he had is full attention. “Face it man. There is no conspiracy. She just has a thing for bad boys.”

He hated to say it, but Riley had it bad. The dude was way out of his league on this one, and the sooner he could get over his school-boy crush, the better he’d be. “Just let it go, Riley. Let. It. Go.”