A/N: Thank you again to Spikeslovebite for the beta and to all of you who have reviewed thus far.



Chapter Four - Preparation


Dusk crept across Los Angeles like a thief wanting to steal the last vestiges of sunlight. Buffy watched the interplay of the sunset across the city from atop Sanctuary. She ached to get going, but knew she had to time it just right for everything to come out okay. Like Tara had reminded her – ‘everything has a time and a place, the key is to know how to recognize it.’

Tara, I’m trying. I think I get it now. Thank you.

No one knew she was in the city but a group of demons. She snickered to herself over the fact that the once-and-still general of the Slayer army now commanded a contingent of demons – and some of their human friends. Buffy found it funny how the years had eroded her holier than thou mantra regarding all demons. Deep down, she knew she owed it all to Spike…and well, to Anya.

Thank you Anya…Anyanka.

Buffy felt a jolt when she could have sworn she heard Anya whisper in her ear, “You’re welcome. Good luck.” Then she grinned because if anyone could cheat death or at least win in a bargain with it, it would undoubtedly by Anyanka. She just wondered if she’d see that bubbling, capitalism-loving, wise friend again.

“Everyone’s ready, Buffy,” Clem said as he approached her.

Buffy could tell that Clem hadn’t wanted to startle her, but really, he’d no fear of that. Her Slayer senses were as sharp as ever. Thank you, Senaya. “Thanks Clem, I really appreciate all you’ve done today and really those times before now.”

If Clem could blush, Buffy supposed he was doing it now. It was kind of cute actually, which just made her heart love Clem more. If someone had told her years ago that she’d be a good friend with a demon, she would have probably staked whoever said it. But that was then, and lots of water had gone under that bridge and all that.

“I can’t believe Spike’s back,” Clem said yet again. He’d been repeating that every so often since she’d first told him.

“Yeah, and believe me, Clem, he has a lot to answer for. I mean…I get when he was all ghost-like he couldn’t physically pick up a phone, but hello, someone else could have dialed and told me. And now, he’s got his body back and does he call or come visit? No.”

“Buffy, perhaps…” Clem began but then shut his mouth.

“What?” she asked.

“Perhaps he was scared of what you’d say?” Clem offered.

Exhaling a slow breath, Buffy turned to Clem and smiled. “I know he probably was. I’m not really that mad at him. I get it. I’m just happy he’s back.”

Clem became all giddy and said, “Well, let’s go get him.”

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Buffy watched as a strange man who radiated bad vibes exited the building where Spike lived. She didn’t like it. Couldn’t put her finger on why, but she knew that guy in the cowboy boots was bad news. She ducked down in the backseat of Clem’s car as she spotted Spike strolling out the door.

Mentally she memorized the man and decided she’d have Clem find out who he was. She might need to take care of more than just Spike, Dana, and the rest of it. Trouble. And that starts with T and…Why did that song just pop into her brain?

Her heart clenched in her chest. Spike exited the building, his duster billowing about him as if some unseen wind knew to blow at just the right time. Spike was just as she remembered him, except a touch of sadness surrounded him. Had he always had that? Never again would she not know the answer to that, and Buffy vowed right then and there in the backseat of Clem’s VW Jetta that Spike would never be sad again – if she could possibly have a say in the matter.

Buffy knew where he was headed. Buffy wanted to follow him, but she had some other place to be first. Besides he’d be okay for the time being, and she’d already been there, handled that. She wondered what exactly he’d been told, and also what had been reported to Wolfram & Hart.

“Okay, let’s go to the warehouse and get ready for the party,” she told Zachary, one of Clem’s friends.

**************
(An hour before)

Entering any hospital - especially a psychiatric one - gave Buffy the willies. Taking stock of her fears and shelving them until half-past never, Buffy pushed open the doors to the facility in her newly acquired doctors attire. At first, the fact that everything looked just as it had in her dream rocked her, but that lasted all of five seconds. Equilibrium again achieved, Buffy kept her head ducked and her hair in her face as she continued toward the service elevators.

Flashing her pass at the half-awake guard, she entered the elevator and pressed the floor’s number. She breathed in a few times, going over in her head how she would approach her sister Slayer. She hoped that in some way, Dana would recognize her or know her. She didn’t think it likely, but she’d hope for the best and expect the worst. Of course, the worse would never happen now. Dana’s escape from this place wouldn’t be like she’d envisioned. No one had to die. No blood would be on Dana’s hands.

Halfway between floors, Buffy pulled the Emergency Stop button. She fished out the device Zachary had given her in the car. He’d gone over everything with her until she could have probably done what she needed to do in her sleep. Once she’d found what she needed, she retrieved a stylus she’d tucked behind her ear. Using it, she pressed a certain sequence on the keypad. Now, no pesky cameras. Take that Angel.

Exiting the elevator, Buffy once again was amazed by the complete lack of awareness by the guards and this time a nurse. No one even bothered to glance in her direction. She wore the right gear apparently, so she wasn’t worth their consideration.

She privately thanked whomever Clem had bribed to get copies of the keys to all the gates. It really made things so much easier. Gate after gate, Buffy eased down the hallways of the ward. She kept on her mind on the singular purpose of getting Dana safely out of the hospital in order to keep those nagging fears about this place under wraps.

Buffy found herself outside Dana’s door. Using a key, she opened it cautiously, and then stepped back. Dana leapt from her hiding place and was in the processing of attacking Buffy when she paused.

Buffy smiled calmly and made a shushing gesture with her fingers and mouth as she quietly entered Dana’s room. “Hi Dana.”

Dana looked at her for a few uncomfortable moments and then uttered one word, “Sister?”

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