“Do me a favour, Dru. Take a look at this.” Contrary to popular belief, Angelus did, in fact – on occasion – ask for favours. He didn’t always demand. Especially when it came to Drusilla. She would always get into a right tizzy when he did that, and right now, he wanted her at least partially sane. Not completely because he didn’t do all that work for nothing after all. As for right now, though, he was passing her a spell book. He was looking for more ways to make his ex-lover, the sunshine slayer, miserable, and he figured that turning the world into his own private hell dimension could just about do the trick. He needed Dru to look over the spell first though. She was the spell caster in his small little family. He and Spike - he chuckled - the Spike with legs, could plan and fight for all they were worth, but they couldn’t cast spells.

She smiled at him indulgently, putting down that creepy china doll that she insisted on calling Miss Edith as she took the open spell book and looked down at the page, reading calmly, eyes seeming to dance across the page. He sat there patiently, waiting, knowing it would do no good to rush her, as she would likely throw the book across the room and refuse to help him with it at all. Eventually, a slow smile crept up onto her lips, and she looked up at him through the tendrils of hair that Spike hadn’t pulled up behind her head that morning, laughter flickering in her eyes, even as she said solemnly,

“There is work to be done, Daddy.”

***

Buffy walked through the graveyard, stake arm swinging by her side as she hummed to herself. She had been thinking a lot lately. About Angel, and how he’d gone bad. She’d realised that there had been no reason for him to be good in the first place. Humans could be evil, even with souls, so soul or no soul… she shouldn’t have been with him. The risk was far too high. She knew now that the next time she met him, she wouldn’t hesitate. Sure, there may be some way to re-soul him, like Miss Calendar had said, but it had been lost, and so it was a pretty farfetched idea. That, and there was no way to know whether this would ever happen again or not. Not by her hands, that was for sure, but some other girl, some day. Vampires could live forever, after all.

No. She’d kill him. Possibly imaginatively to make herself feel better. Fish on a string, indeed! He should never have messed with Willow. Her best friends were her best friends, and he should have known she was nothing like Drusilla. She wasn’t some virginal, naïve nun. She was a vampire slayer. She’d died and come back to life for Christ sake. He would not break this girl.

She turned as she heard something in the bushes. She shrugged before twisting around and carrying on, crossing past the next 200 metres of tombstones to reach the exit. She hadn’t seen anything, and she wasn’t going to waste precious sleeping time chasing after a black cat. She had school in the morning, which meant her mom would be getting her up early. Sometimes she hated the fact that her mom couldn’t know that she was the Slayer. One day, she’d turn up dead, and her mother would have no idea why. She wished she could tell her sometimes, but it’d just make her worry. And there was no reason for that.

With a sigh, Buffy reached her front yard, and walked to the tree, hoisting herself up onto the lowest branch and swinging her legs, vaulting herself up onto the porch roof and through her open bedroom window. She closed it and latched it behind her, before pulling off her sneakers and the rest of her clothes, changing into her comfy Yummy Sushi pyjamas –she frowned as it reminded her of Willow’s poor pets yet again - and clambering into bed. She smiled even she snuggled down. It was going to be a good day tomorrow.

***

Buffy climbed out of the car the next morning, saying goodbye to her mom as she closed the door. She smoothed out her knee-length sun yellow cotton skirt and white halter neck before moving towards the school, pulling her books in close to her body as she head towards her locker and the redhead there. She grinned at Willow.

“Hey Chick, how was your weekend?”

Willow shrugged, “No more dead pets. How was yours?", tucking her hair behind her ear with one hand, holding onto the strap of her rucksack with the other.

Buffy winced, turning to her locker and twisting in her combination, before opening the door and shoving all her books but science into her locker.

“Same old. Did I say how sorry I am about your fish?” She closed her locker, leaning against it as she pulled at her straight blonde hair so it fell down her back, looking earnestly at her best friend. Willow simply smiled apologetically and nodded.

“Only about a thousand times. I didn’t mean to bring it up. It just kinda… came out of my mouth. Honestly, I’m really, really glad that I don’t have a puppy. I don’t think I could have handled that.” Buffy nodded, standing up straight from where she’d been leaning, starting to head down the corridor towards the science labs, Willow turning with her to walk towards their first class.

“So am I. I really wish this hadn’t happened. All I can say is, I’ve learnt my lesson. Things aren’t just black and white. People aren’t just good or bad.” Buffy looked down at the floor as she walked. “Giles makes out that all demons are bad, and all humans are good, but is Hitler good? No one on this earth – in their right mind, so that doesn’t include the Nazis – would ever say yes to that question, but he’s a human. So maybe there are some good demons. I don’t know, and I’m not about to go around asking them if they actually want to fight when they attack me in the cemetery, because, duh, but I’m not going to go looking just because Giles says there’s a nest somewhere. For all I know it’s a family of little peaceful demons. I don’t wanna bust in there and kill a little four-year-old baby whatjamacallit just because Giles says so.” Willow bit her lip and nodded.

“If you put it like that, it does seem a bit mean.” Buffy nodded.

“I never should have trusted Angel. So he had a soul. Big fat deal. He was never good in the first place, and the soul was just a string leech holding back a bulldog. It was never going to work. Something was just waiting to snap. And it did.” The girls finally reached the science lab, ready to get on with the projects they’d been given partners for on the Friday. They’d worked on what they were going to do in the double lesson then, ready to actually get on and do the chemistry today. Usually, Buffy would have gone with Willow, but the teacher had decided to air everyone up this time, and she’d been paired with Jonathon, and Willow with some guy named Andrew. Apparently he was Tuckers brother. That put him in some context but otherwise…no idea.

Trouble was, it seemed that Jonathon wasn’t there. Buffy frowned. He was never not there. It was one thing you could say about Jonathon. He never missed a day off school and he was never ever late. This was very bizarre. The two girls looked at each other and frowned, before making their way to their seats. Buffy would work without him for now, but she was worried, and her face showed it. She’d see what she could find out tonight. Maybe go see when his parents had last seen him.

***

After school, Buffy did just that, Willow alongside. She knocked on the door, and waited. There was a rush of noise from inside, and the door opened, greeting the two with Jonathon’s mother, who looked frantic. However, when she saw them, she visibly tensed and smiled tightly.

“Hello girls. If you’re here for Jonathon, he’s out at the moment.” Buffy and Willow looked at each other again.

“Actually, Mrs Levinson, we were here to ask about him. He wasn’t at school today, and he’s never taken a day off. We realised that the only reason could be because he was sick, and we were worried.” The woman visibly deflated and shook her head, looking as if she were about to cry.

“He’s not sick. At least, he could be, but I don’t know. He could be dead for all I know. We haven’t seen him since Saturday afternoon when he went out to see some new movies. I’m so worried. I thought you might be the police come to bring some news.” Willow nodded, looking worried. Buffy simply looked determined. Any other kid, they would have found their body by now. No. Jonathon had been kidnapped, and the likely suspect was Angelus.

“I really hope they find him. We’ll go now and leave you in peace, ok? Tell us if we can do any for you, will you?” Mrs Levinson nodded and forced a smile for them.

“I will do, bye now, girls. I want to get back to the phone, make some more calls.” They nodded and turned around as she closed the door, heading down the porch steps, standing at the bottom.

“They would have found him by now if he’s dead. No, he’s alive somewhere, and I’ll bet you anything Angelus knows where.” Buffy looked at Willow from where she’d been looking at the tree in the front yard, not really seeing anything. “And I’m going to find him.”

“I hope so Buffy. I’ve known Jonathon since kindergarten, and I don’t know what I’d do if he died. He’s like this odd constant. White noise. You don’t really realise it’s there until it’s gone. Just like now. I never really talk to Jonathon, but I know he’s there. I wave to him when I see him at school, if I’m next to him in the cafeteria queue, I’ll chat to him about the latest computer software.” Buffy reached out and wrapped her arms around Willow, giving her a little squeeze.

“It’ll be ok. I’ll find Angelus and make him tell me where he’s keeping Jonathon. Hopefully, he’ll be stupid enough to keep him at the factory, but I very much doubt it. If he won’t tell me, I’ll sneak in when he and Dru are out and beat on Spike. He’ll tell me, I’ve no doubt.” Willow frowned as she pulled away.

“Don’t be too harsh on him, Buffy. He is in a wheelchair after all, and that’s got to be pretty awful, especially as you put him there in the first place. As you said, demons can be people too, and Spike multiplies his feelings a lot. Anybody would go crazy being stuck in those chairs all day.” Buffy wrinkled her nose.

“Alright, I’ll try. But if it turns out that he’s been exercising those legs and can get up, don’t you be thinking that I won’t defend myself, because I so totally will.” Buffy shook her finger at the redhead, who just giggled, turning to walk up the street towards her house.

“I don’t expect you to let him kill you just because you disabled him for a while. Just don’t be too mean to him if he’s still in the chair. That’s just overkill.” Buffy nodded.

“Yeh, I know. I never hated Spike anyways. He was always my favourite mortal enemy. Could quip back and was a brilliant match in a fight. It was always a good bit of fun. It’s actually kinda sad to think about him not being able to bounce around on his feet like he always seemed to be.” Willow nodded, turning up towards her own house, which was just down the road from Jonathon’s.

“I hope you find him, Buffy. I hope you find him alive.” Buffy smiled at her best friend and nodded.

“Don’t worry, Willow, I’ll find him.” Willow nodded, going inside. Buffy turned and walked home for dinner.

***

Joyce set the potatoes down on the table next to the peas that Buffy had just brought in, sitting down at the head of the table, Dawn on her left, Buffy on her right. Chicken for dinner. Buffy was a happy girl. She loved her family, she loved her friends, and she loved her food. If only Angelus would go away, life could be perfect.

“How is your science project with Jonathon going, Buffy?” Joyce spooned some peas onto her plate before tucking in, Dawn seeming to ignore the pair of them.

“He wasn’t at school today. I went by his place this afternoon, because as far as I know he’s never taken a day off sick. His mom says that he’s been missing since Saturday afternoon. I’m really worried.” Dawn looked up, a frown on her young face and Joyce made a sound that sounded a little bit like an ‘oh no’.

“His poor parents. I can’t imagine how I’d be if one of you two went missing. I think I’d be frantic.” Buffy bit her lip, looking down at her meal, feeling extremely guilty. She knew she could go missing any day, but yet, she still couldn’t tell. She hated it. Dawn spoke up quietly.

“I hope he’s ok.” Buffy looked up and smiled at her little sister.

“Me too, Dawnie, me too.”

Joyce had stayed up late the night before, finishing a project for the gallery, so Buffy had been unable to sneak out to go look for Angelus to gather information. She was anxious, and had been unable to get to sleep until the time that she usually would have got home after patrol. It was then she decided that fretting was futile now, as she’d have been home anyway, and finally managed to fall into a dreamful sleep.

She woke up the next morning to Dawn sitting on the edge of the bed, a thoughtful and worried look on her face.

“Buffy? Do you think you’ll find him?”

Buffy sat up, already wishing that her younger sister knew nothing about the second life she led. It was harsh for Dawn that she had to keep it a secret as well. Their mother was a worry-wart who fussed over them whenever they got sick, and Dawn knew that she would want to know. However, ever since they had sent her to that institution, Dawn had kept her mouth shut about the truth, and Buffy would never be able to show the depth of the gratitude she had for that.

“I don’t know, Dawnie. I really hope so. I was going to try to find him last night, but Mom stayed awake to long. I’m worried, because he’s a pretty good friend of my, but I’m going to see what I can do. I’ll go take a look around the cinema after school and see what I can find, because that’s where he told his Mom he was heading out to Saturday afternoon, which as when he went missing, then I’ll go see if I can find Angelus.”

“’Kay.” Dawn looked fidgety before she leant over and gave Buffy a hug. “Be careful?”

“I always am.” Buffy forced a smile as she pulled back, before using her chin to indicate the door, which Dawn took to mean ‘now get out before we get too soppy’, smiling back and leaving Buffy alone to get dressed.

***

“Giles, I think Angelus has done something to Jonathon. Nobody’s seen him since Saturday, and he would have turned up by now if he’s just dead.”

The librarian looked up at Buffy, taking his glasses from his face as he looked away from the book she’d been reading. He frowned and nodded.

“If he’s completely disappeared, then it’s probably Angelus who has taken him, yes. There are no other large players in town that may require the kidnapping of human boys, although for what purpose anyone would take Jonathon, I don’t know.”

“His Mom said that he was headed down to the cinema Saturday Afternoon, which was when she last saw him, so I’m gonna head down there, see what I can scrounge up. Sound like a plan?”

“Yes, it does. See if the clerk remembers whether he turned up or not. If not, you’ll have to check all along his route to the cinema, which could take a rather long time.”

“Yeh, I really hope he did turn up. It’ll make finding him a lot easier.” Buffy gave a nod. “Ok, I’ll be off then.” At that, she turned and left, heading out towards the cinema.

***

Buffy waited, leaning against the wall of the cinema, watching as the line queuing up to get into the next show dwindled down to nothing. She finally got up and head over to the booth, hands grasping the sill as she leant forwards, smiling at the clerk.

“Hey, I’m looking for a guy named Jonathon. He went missing Saturday afternoon, and his Mom said this was where he was headed. Were you working and if you were, he’s really short, 16 years old, brown hair and eyes, bit of a geek so would have been wearing jeans, maybe a baggy t-shirt?”

The clerk, whose name was Mark according to his nametag, nodded, frowning. “Yeh, I know Jonathon, he comes here a lot. He usually gets here a bit early so we can have a chat on my afternoon break. I was off work after his film finished last week though, so I don’t know if he came out though. You’re welcome to go in and ask though. Everyone knows him. They can tell you if they saw him leave.” The poor guy did look worried, contemplated Buffy. Maybe these were Jonathon’s friends, why he had never worried about being considered a geeky freak at school. Because he had people who liked him anyways. She nodded, smiling at him, tapping the sill before turning slightly and heading inside.

Yet again, she had to wait until the queue disappeared, so she walked towards the toilets, looking around to make sure no one was looking before she darted into the guy’s restrooms. It was entirely possible that he’d been taken while in the toilets, so there could be something in there.

It was clean in there. Cleaner than Buffy had been lead to believe men’s restrooms were. People always made out that they were really grotty, but it seemed just as nice as the one for women, even if the sight of the urinals made her wrinkle her nose. Turning away, as there was nothing over there that caught her eye, she made her way towards the stalls, opening the first one and looking inside. Nothing. She pushed open the second, that was empty as well. Pushing open the third and final door she frowned, spotting a wallet on the top of the cistern. Stepping into the cubicle, she picked it up and flicked it open. Jonathon. This was definitely where he went missing. She turned to leave the cubicle when she heard the door open. She quickly made sure the door was shut, which it as, then hopped up onto the toilet seat, hiding her feet.

“Bloody bint. Tasted like crap. Shoulda known she would. No one who looks that much like the slayer would taste anything like her. And she just had to go and bleed all over me. Bloody typical.”

Buffy’s eye’s widened. She knew that voice. And he was definitely walking. She stayed silent. She wasn’t prepped for this. Her Mom expected her to be home by dark tonight, so she hadn’t bothered to bring a stake, and she didn’t want to be fighting close quarters with Spike. Hopefully, he’d be distracted enough by whoever’s blood was covering him.

The sounds of a tap being turned on, and Spike grabbing paper towels from the dispenser to clean himself with filtered through to her ears. Sounded like he was covered in the stuff from the amount of towels he was tugging out. She bit her lip, using the meditation techniques Giles had shown her to try to slow her heartbeat down, slowing her breathing while she was at it.

“I may be a bloody vampire, but that doesn’t mean I want my duster covered in blood. Bugger. I don’t have time for another meal. Gotta get back before the poof realises I’m gone. Stupid bloody bint!” Buffy had to hold back a giggle as she heard him slam his fist into the concrete wall, swearing. Sounded like he was frustrated about being in that chair, and that he was pretending that he couldn’t walk, for what reason, she didn’t know. However, this meant that Spike wouldn’t be going out tonight, so if she did want to go see him at the factory, she’d be prepared for a walking Spike. She frowned, something occurring to her. How was he here? It was still light outside.

She came back to herself as she heard the door close on him as he left and got down from the toilet top, following after him, watching him from behind the door as he crossed to what looked like basement access with a no entry sign, which Spike ignored. Tunnel access. She smiled. Trust Spike to ignore the time of day and go out anyway. Shaking her head, she snuck out of the restroom and over to the concessions stand which now had no queue in sight.

“Can I help you?” Buffy looked up from where she’d been debating whether to buy some peanut-butter cups, to look at the brunette girl across the counter.

“Yeh, I’m asking for information about Jonathon? According to the guy out front, he comes on a Saturday and you guys all know him?”

“Yeh, we know Jonathon. What about him?”

“He went missing Saturday afternoon. Mark said that he wasn’t here when the film finished because he got off early, though he didn’t say why. I was wondering if you saw Jonathon leaving.”

The girl, Jessica, frowned, turning her head to look at a red head guy down the way.

“Hey, Thom, did you see Jon leaving on Saturday? I don’t remember.”

“No. I didn’t.” He shook his head as he walked over, looking worried. “I don’t know why. We usually say goodbye, but I don’t recall seeing him.”

“That’s not good. Which screen was he in?” Thom pointed over at the third screen.

“Over there. You think you’ll find anything?” Buffy looked over, eyes flickering from the door to the screen, to the basement door, which was feet away. This wasn’t looking promising.

“I don’t know, but I can look.”

“You don’t look like you’re a cop, you know.” Buffy turned her head to look at Thom to find him studying her closely. She smiled and shrugged, turning to walk towards the screen, calling back over her shoulder,

“I never said I was.”

***

Buffy entered the screen. It wasn’t in use at the moment, and an elderly gentleman seemed to be sweeping up popcorn down near the front. He looked up at her for a little while, before seeming to mentally shrug before looking back down at the floor. She smiled to herself, and began walking between the seats, looking for any clues.

She was part way down the second row from the back when something caught her eye. The seats were already red, so she might have easily missed it, but there was definately blood. Not a lot of it, but it was on the back of the seat, as though someone was bleeding from their head. Maybe Jonathon. Head wound to knock him out maybe?

She made her way back out to the front lobby, back to the concessions stand.

“Hey guys, how many people were in there on Saturday?”

“Not many. It was the last night it was showing, so pretty much everyone who wanted to see it already had.” Jess shrugged. “He always waits for that kind of crowd before he sees a film. He likes the quiet.”

“Where does he usually sit?” Buffy looked at Thom when he replied.

“At the back, second row, near to the aisle so he can get up to use the toilet. He usually needs to go.” Buffy nodded. That linked. He’d probably gotten up to use the restroom, forgotten his wallet, gone back, and gotten himself smacked over the head.

They now had reason to worry.

“Why? Did you find something?” Jess looked worried.

“Nothing to bother you with.” Buffy looked down at the counter, through the glass, then back up, looking a little sheepish. “Can I get some p-b cups?”

Buffy had gone home for dinner, just as she had before. However, unlike the night before, Joyce did not stay up until the early hours. She had decided that she would go to bed early to catch up on her precious sleep, and so Buffy had no problems sneaking out of her bedroom window that night, as her mother was sound asleep by half past nine.

Now, she was walking through Restfield cemetery, looking for both something to kill, and Angelus, for information on Jonathon. She was severely worried about the boy now. A head wound was dangerous, especially one that was bad enough to bleed, and no one who was crazy enough to take him would be taking him anywhere near a hospital. No. She had to find him, and soon, before he got even more hurt.

A fledgling came out from the bushes next to her, growling in game face in what would be a scary way if she was just a normal girl, who was stupid enough to be walking in graveyards – in Sunnydale no less – at night. As it was, she sighed and turned, as though greatly burdened. Truth was, any fight was a good fight at the moment, although she had been looking for something a bit more challenging. Clearing her mind of all worry for Jonathon, she stepped forwards, holding up her stake.

“You know, I never get tired of you guys. You think I would, the number of idiotic newbies who ignore their senses, telling them I’m a slayer, not just some little girl,” she grinned at the dark-haired vampire who looked satisfyingly like Angelus to whet her appetite, even as his eyes opened wide and he took a step back, “and yet, I can’t help be excited every time I see one, because I know that soon, an irritation will turn into a great kill. It’s really satisfying seeing you guys go… poof.” On poof, she brought her other hand up, flicking her fingers out and startling the terrified vampire, who tripped backwards before turning and running for his unlife. Buffy sighed again; before her grin came back and she sprint after him.

It didn’t take long for her to catch him, grabbing him by the collar of his shirt and tugging him backwards to the ground. She straddled him quickly, pressing the stake against his breastbone.

“You know, you are absolutely no fun at all. I wanted to fight, but you just ran away.” Buffy pouted down at him. “You really suck.” A voice startled Buffy into looking up.

“It’s not nice to play with your food. Mummy used to tell me so.” Drusilla was standing 20 feet away, looking at her with that curious head tilt she had.

“I don’t eat dust.” As she spoke, she staked the vampire, reducing him to almost nothing, leaving her kneeling on the floor. “It’s less than appetizing.” She stood, facing Drusilla warily, stake gripped tightly in my hand. “Hello, Drusilla.”

“Hello, sunshine. Daddy’s been thinking of you. He has such delicious plans.” She giggled and swayed, stepping closer towards Buffy, who stepped backwards, keeping the distance the same.

“What plans, Dru? What has he said to you?”

“Red as blood, clear as day and blue as ice that’s scraped away, with brown as muck to ease the pain.” Drusilla sang as she twirled her dress with her hands. She really did look insane as she looked back at Buffy, from where her head had tilted back to look at the stars. “Daddy says to hush up and Miss Edith says I shouldn’t tell, but papa’s going to end the world.” She whispered the last bit, as though telling a secret, which Buffy supposed she was.

“What do you mean? What do your riddles mean Dru?” Buffy frowned as she looked at the insane vampire. Papa. Angelus, obviously, but end the world? And what did Jonathon have to do with this plan?

“Red as blood, clear as day and blue as ice that’s scraped away, with brown as muck to ease the pain.” Drusilla just sang her crazy little rhyme again, and Buffy grew even more confused. She never had been good at riddles, and this one had no clues in it at all. However, Drusilla changed the second half of her rhyme this time. “But white as snow with black as night will turn the tide of all this might to the side who fight the fight.” Again, she whispered this half, a secret she shouldn’t be telling. And now, she repeated her rhyme, over and over again. Buffy stood their, perplexed and a little creeped out. She started backing away, turning and running towards Giles at the library.

***

“What so you think it means Giles? She seemed pretty adamant that it meant something.” Buffy bit her lip as she stood with her hands on her hips by the table that Giles was working at. She’d repeated the rhyme that Drusilla had been chanting to Giles, and he looked just as perplexed as she.

“I honestly cannot say, Buffy. It is far too vague for me to be able to tell you anything at all. To be quite honest Buffy, I’m not entirely sure Drusilla is a reliable source of information Buffy.” He took his glasses off to clean them before sticking them back on his face.

“She may be crazy, Giles, but that just means she says her sentences all funny. I’ve never heard her lie before. Once I work out what on earth she’s going on about anyway.” Buffy smiled a little. She had to admit that if she were going to be fond of any of her mortal enemies, it’d be Drusilla.

“I would have to admit to that Buffy, but there is honestly nothing in that verse that I can gather anything from. The colours are obviously metaphors for something or another, but I have no idea what so I honestly couldn’t tell you.” The poor man looked a little grim. “However, although the first part seems to foretell apocalypse, the second seems to tell us that it all get solved so perhaps we don’t even have to worry.”

“If we didn’t need to worry, then she never would have said anything. Maybe we do have to do something, but she’s just letting us know that we’ll win.”

“That could very well be the case, but until then, all we can do is look in books and hope something reveals itself.”

***

The rest of the week was a complete bust. None of the books in Giles’ library seemed to give any clues, or hold any information, and if they did, the gang hadn’t realized it. They had been stuck in the library for hours, Buffy patrolling while the gang scoured the books, looking for something, anything. Patrol had been uneventful, except for the few usual fledglings, and a demon that seemed more interested in eating his chicken wings than hurting anybody. Although Buffy thought that he should probably be cutting down, because he looked a bit like his race took the saying ‘You are what you eat’ just a tad too seriously. That guy had had way too much skin.

Buffy hadn’t found anything more on Jonathon either, and the gang were getting pretty tense, worrying about him, so the blonde had suggested dancing down at the Bronze for a couple of hours to unwind a little. So there they were, on a Friday night, each with a soda back at the table waiting for them as they danced to Since You Been Gone or whatever it was called. Buffy didn’t much care right now. She just wanted to work up a bit of a sweat, then go kick some vampire butt.

They danced for a half hour before heading back to the table, all of them gulping down their colas.

“More, guys?” Xander and Willow both nodded, so Buffy grabbed her purse and head for the bar, waiting her turn. Eventually, the bartender turned to her and she ordered, grabbing the cups and turning to head back. However, she crashed as she turned, looking up from the spilt cups to look up into the pissed off eyes of a certain dark haired vampire.

“Be a little more careful, lover. This is a silk shirt.” Angelus was scowling down at her, and Buffy tried to take a step back, but she bumped into the bar.

However, she realized what she was doing and stopped trying to move away, and instead, hardening her features as she looked at him.

“We’re not lovers, Angelus. We were never lovers, and never will be lovers. To be lovers, you need love. What we had was sex. Bad sex at that. God, if I was a lousy lay, what the hell were you? And as for your silk shirt…” Buffy looked him up and down, before smirking at him. “It really doesn’t suit you. The colour is so very wrong for your complexion.”

Angelus snarled and stepped closer looking down at her.

“Don’t mess with me little girl.”

“Oh, use less hair gel. Your hair sticks up funny.” She pushed past him, balancing the still fairly full cups of drinks. However, what he said next made her freeze.

“Oh, Buffy. I’m wondering if you’ve checked up on your family tonight. I gotta say, that sister of yours is a delicious little piece.”

Buffy turned around and fixed a glare on the vampire.

“You stay the hell away from my family. You go near them, and I will kill you.” She frowned and then shrugged. “Ok, I’m gonna kill you anyway, but I’m kill you in a much more painful way.”

“Then you better kill me.” Angelus sent her a taunting grin and turned, disappearing into the crowd. Buffy frowned, heading back to the table.

“Guys, I think Angelus has… done something. I don’t know. I have to go and check on Mom and Dawn.”

“Why? Buffy? Was he here?” Willow looked worried. So much for dancing away the tension. It had all just come rushing back ten-fold. Worrying about Jonathon was nothing compared to worrying about a threat to her family.

“Yeh. I’ve got to go.” Buffy grabbed her jacket and looked over as Xander and Willow stood, both saying, “We’re coming,” in unison. Buffy simply looked at them for a second before nodding.

“Ok. Come on.”

***

Buffy opened the door and entered the room, witnessing Joyce come out form the living room, worry on her face.

“Buffy, have you seen Dawn?” She had bags under her eyes from the lack of sleep over the past few days, and they made her look awful. “She hasn’t come home, and I called all her friends. Janice’s mother said she dropped her off at the corner of the street, but there’s no trace of her. No books, no bag, not the jacket she took with her today. She’s just… gone, Buffy.”

Buffy’s face dropped as she looked at her Mom, Willow and Xander mimicking her from where they stood behind her. And then, she suddenly burst into tears.

No matter how often she told herself that her relationship with Angel had been wrong and misguided, she had still loved him, and to a point, she still did. She wasn’t in love with him like she had been, but she still loved him, just like she loved Xander and Willow. To think that anything or anyone that inhabited his body could do something to her like kidnap her sister for malicious purposes was just about past the point of what her heart could handle. She started crying in earnest, and Joyce simply looked very confused. She had expected worry, not great, wracking sobs that shook her oldest daughter’s entire body. Rushing forwards, she wrapped her in a hug.

“Sweety, what’s the matter? We’ll find her I know we will.” Joyce rubbed her hands over Buffy’s lower back, rocking slightly like she had done for years when the blonde had been a child.

“I know, it’s just, she must be... so scared, wherever... she is, and it’s all... my... fault!” Buffy just carried right on crying, sniffing and sobbing periodically.

“No! Buffy, no! Why would you think that?” Joyce looked at Willow and Xander from where she had her chin on Buffy’s shoulder, a questioning look on their face. They simply smiled sheepishly and shifted from one foot to the other.

“It... it is. It’s Angelus, mommy. When we were at the bronze, he said that... he said that I should check on you guys if I hadn’t. He’d said something about Dawnie that set me on edge, and so we came right back home. And now she’s gone. He’s got her, I just know it, and it’s all my fault!” Buffy pulled back wrapping her arms around herself miserably as she looked at the floor.

“Buffy, Angel is psychotic. You’ve told me this. You couldn’t have known what he’d turn into.” Joyce looked at her, before her face changed and set differently. “You’re not telling me something, are you? What, did you know something about him that should have warned you? That he’d been in prison before or something?”

“No mama, it’s... it’s so much more complicated than you could ever imagine.” She looked up, red-rimmed eyes set hard and determined. “And I’m going to explain it to you.”

“What? Buffy, you know Giles said...” Willow was interrupted abruptly.

“Giles can go to hell.”

“Buffy!” Joyce admonished.

“No, mom. I’ve been keeping this a secret far too long. I mean, I told you once before, but you sent me away because of it. However, it’s not just me this time.” Buffy looked at her mother, unsurprised to see her looking shocked.

“No, Buffy. Don’t start all this nonsense about vampires and demons all over again. You know full well they’re not real. So does everybody else in the world. I can’t believe you’d drag Willow and Xander into your fantasies, not to mention Mr Giles.” Joyce shook her head, ready to open her mouth and carry on, but Buffy stepped in first.

“I can assure you, mother, I am in no way delusional. Willow, Xander, Giles, Oz, Cordelia. Alot of the kids at school. They could all tell you exactly what happens at Sunnydale High, which is, by the way, right over a hell mouth. Worst choice of town ever, mom.” Buffy smiled then, softening her gaze. “Mommy, I’m not lying. There’s been giant bugs, and centuries old vampires, mummy girls – you knew her, that was Impata.” Buffy almost giggled as Joyce reeled back in shock.

“Honestly, Buffy, that’s just ridiculous.” Joyce looked at Xander as he moved forward, hand up.

“Actually, Mrs Summers, she was a zombie. She kinda... almost sucked the life out of me.” He smiled sheepishly. “That’s what I get for making out with cute girls, huh?”

Willow giggled at that, and Buffy grinned, but Joyce had had quite enough.

“No. I’ve had quite enough. If all this is true, that means that my daughters been taken by some kind of monster, and I will not have it! What, is Angel a werewolf or something in your silly little fantasy?” Joyce looked just about ready to explode.
Buffy looked back to her mother from where she’d been smiling affectionately at Xander.

“No. He’s a vampire. A very dangerous, master vampire, who also has Jonathon. And we don’t know who else he’s going to take either.” Buffy watched as her mother almost literally exploded.

“No, Buffy, he’s not! He’s an extremely sick man! A sick man that needs help from a professional. And if you carry on, you’ll be going back their yourself!” Buffy visibly blanched and flinched away from her mother stepping back.

“Going where?” Willow and Xander both looked very confused.

“The institution. When I was first called, I told her and daddy. They sent me away. For months they had me in a cold, white, empty place full of screaming crazy people, just because they thought I was delusional.” Buffy was leaning against the wall, a little bit of fear in her eyes. It seemed that this little girl could face down the armies of hell, but when confronted with a white room with a bed and restraints, she could barely move.

Willow and Xander both turned on Joyce, anger in their faces. She raised a hand, shaking both it and her head.

“O no. Don’t look at me like that. You have no right. God, she was going on about some man named... Merrick, I think it was, and how he was her watcher, because suddenly she was the one slayer in all the world to fight the vampires, the demons and the forces of darkness. I remember it word for word, because she repeated it so many times. What did you expect me to think? The two of you are standing here supporting her, and I still don’t believe it!”

“I can show you something that might help you believe us.” Willow spoke up timidly. “Do you have a pencil?”

“Of course I do, but what could you do with it that could prove anything? Float it and make it fly around the room?” Sighing, Joyce through up her hands and turned around, heading into the sitting room to grab a pencil off of her desk. Coming back, she handed it to Willow, who had a slight smile on her face.

“Thanks.” Using her left hand, she set it out on her right hand which she held flat. Seconds later, the pencil was spinning in the air, perfectly controlled. And Joyce had a positively stunned look on her face, looking between Willow, the pencil, Buffy and back again.

“But... what?”

***

It was dark when Dawn woke up. For a moment, she thought she was blind, but then her vision began to return and she groaned, sitting up while holding her head. The last thing she could remember was slipping her key into the door of the house, when someone, or something had hit her over the back of the head. She remembered clearly that her last thought, before she had blacked out, had been ‘Oh God. I’m going to die.’

Her instant migraine slowly faded away, and she finally opened her eyes. To see Jonathon staring right at her. She jumped back slightly, hand over her chest before she sighed, a slight smile coming upon her face, despite the situation.

“Jonathon! You’re alive. I mean, we all thought you were because, no body. And there’s always a body if you’re dead. So we figured you’d been kidnapped, which was good, because it meant that we’d be able to find you, and I must be really freaking you out with my babbling? Huh?” Dawn smiled a little sheepishly at Jonathon.

“Only a little. It’s ok. Lets me know you’re not hurt or anything. You aren’t are you? Because that’d be kinda bad.” Jonathon smiled back at the teen, setting her a little bit more at ease.

“No. I think I’m ok. Hit my head, which hurts a little. How about you? You’ve been missing for days. Everyone’s really worried.”

“I’m ok. I got a hit round the back of the head at the cinema, but it’s ok now. Doesn’t hurt any more, now that its been a while. How long has it been?” Jonathon frowned. Evidently, time had no meaning in this place. Which wasn’t good.

“A week. It’s Friday now.” Jonathon nodded, so Dawn carried on. “Is it just us? What is this place? And do you know who took us? Was it Angelus? Because if it was, Buffy’s gonna kick his butt.” Dawn frowned as Jonathon looked over her shoulder. Apparently, there was more room behind her. Looking over her shoulder, she gasped.

They weren’t the only two.