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Author's Chapter Notes:
Grab the tissues, folks. You've been warned.
Drusilla held the little trinket lightly in her hands. If she twisted her wrist just so, she could see the starlight twinkle inside. The way the light played tag in the small sphere, it was difficult to believe that something so big and so important could ever fit inside such a tiny space. Drusilla thought, perhaps, if she smashed the bauble against the cobblestones beneath her feet, she would be able to catch it, like she had caught the firebugs in a jar when she was a child. If she could catch it, then it would be hers to keep, for always and ever.

William was always so good at hunting the things she had lost. If it were to be found, William would help her find it, just as he always had.

Drusilla remembered asking her Daddy once, soon after William came to live with them, where it had gone. He had become cross, and told her that it had flown away, just like her other birds, and wouldn't sing for her anymore.

Hours later, William had come home, wrapped her up lovingly in his arms, and whispered, "Hush now, princess," William said, kissing her brow, "Would a lion be punished for simply being a lion?"

Drusilla sighed and said, "No."

William smiled, "Princess, if a lion is being just that, a lion, if she is being a hunter, and the antelope her prey, and the lioness hunts and kills its prey, so that she, and her cubs, survive, does that make the lioness evil, for having ate the antelope, or the antelope good?"

Drusilla shook her head, "No," she whimpered, the tears coming up again.

"And, if the antelope had done nothing else, in its entire life, except be food for the lioness, where would the antelope be?" he asked, kissing her temple lightly.

"I do not know," Drusilla wailed, "Daddy will not tell me where it has flown to!"

William turned her in his arms so that he could look into her eyes, "Ah, but Drusilla, that is, perhaps, because Daddy does not, indeed, know where it has gone," he bit his lip in thought, then his eyes twinkled like starlight, and he said, "But, I believe that I may know where it has gone!"

"You do," she asked, "Oh, goody," she clapped her hands with delight, "Please tell me, so that I can find it!"

"I shall show you, princess. Tomorrow night, come with me to the cemetery, and I will show you."

And, William did show her. On the grave marker, in the convent cemetery, the next night, was the message: Racing Heavenward. It made Drusilla happy, beyond words, to know that William had known where to find her lost treasure. And, surely, if William needed her help, her Daddy could give back what he had taken from her. Surely, he would let her have her songbird back so that she could sing with the angels.
****************

Buffy took the cell phone from Xander, "What is it," Buffy asked, her voice small, and tight with worry, "and hurry it up, because I really should get back to Spike," she held the phone away from her mouth, "Xander, will you go check on him please?" she asked.

"Sure," he said, heading down the long passageway to the chamber.

As Xander made his way, slowly through the dark and winding maze, he thought of another night, almost like this one, three weeks ago. He'd been embarrassed, having to interrupt two people who were obviously in love with one another, to relay a message about Robin Wood's death. Seeing Buffy and Spike together, like that, made him feel a pang of guilt over Anya.

When Buffy left the chamber to take the call, Spike had asked him to stay, because, he had something he wanted to tell him.

Xander looked, nervously, down at Spike. Spike sounded tired as he said, "Take it easy, Harris, I'm not going to bite you," his eyes moved up to follow the direction in which, Buffy had just left, "But if you tell Buffy any of what I'm about to say to you, I just might make an exception, got it?"

"Got it," Xander said.

"Good. Harris, that kiss just now? It hurt like Hell, but I wouldn't dream of hurting Buffy by telling her that. I also know that, without human blood, this is gonna get bad, Harris. Do you follow me?"

"Yeah."

"So bad, that Buffy might have to make a decision she doesn't want to make," Spike closed his eyes, "If it comes to that, if she can't make that decision, if I'm too far gone before Angelus can track Dru, and bring her here, I want you to do it. Understand?" Spike asked, his eyes pleading.

Xander nodded, grimly, "I understand," he said.

"That's settled then. I think I hear her coming," as Buffy reentered the crypt, Spike smiled up at her, and Xander heard him ask Buffy, as he was leaving to go back on watch, "Hello, Sunshine, how was your day at the office?"

Xander winced a little at the artificial cheerfulness. He didn't think he could handle this kind of responsibility. Well, Xander thought, time to grow up.
*********************

Buffy strode the stone corridors, straining her voice, so as not to disturb Spike in her anger, "Angel, just how long does it take to send condolence flowers to the grieving widow, and get your sorry ass back here," she yelled, listening to his answer, "The funeral was two weeks ago. Are you trying to tell me that Drusilla made an appearance? She didn't? Well, where is she now, because she sure as Hell isn't here," Buffy rolled her eyes in the air at the absurdity of Angel's excuse, "You know, I think Spike was right. I think you are trying to kill him! Hero?! You want to see a hero, get your ass back to Los Angeles, before the only real hero here," Buffy sniffed back her tears. Spike wouldn't want her to cry, not now, "is really gone, and not coming back," Buffy closed the phone, with a loud snap, "Asshole!"
********************

The comment Buffy made about heroics made Angel think about the aftermath of the battle that night. He didn't think he would ever forget the sight of Spike's burned body, lying on the asphalt behind the Hyperian Hotel.

Angel had crawled over to him, his fingers trying to determine if Spike was lying face up or face down, and also trying to decide where the best place to take shelter would be, when he heard, very slow, very deliberate, footsteps coming up the alleyway to meet him. He tried to keep his voice steady as he said, "Hang on, Spike, I've got you."

"Well, we knew you'd be a star, but no one in the Home Office bet on this," the voice was gleeful.

Angel looked up to see a man, in a grey business suit and red tie, "Holland Manners," he hissed, "What do you want here!" Angel blinked away the tears that were blinding him.

"To congratulate you, of course! We didn't think you could do it, but you did. You corrupted something that was, nearly, incorruptible," Holland shook his head in grim fascination, "A soul. And with things as pedestrian as greed and envy. You should be proud of yourself," he nodded toward Spike's charred form, "We couldn't have taken him out without your help. He was a real champion for the other side."

Angel's voice was hoarse with grief. A grief he didn't know he could feel until this very moment, "He's not out yet! And, he's still a champion," Angel ignored Holland and addressed Illyria," Saint Benedict's Church is just a few blocks over. There's an old root cellar that leads to the sepulcher beneath the sanctuary. Take Spike there. I'll follow you."

Angel watched as Illyria picked Spike up in her arms, and sped off toward the church. He turned toward Holland, "No one from the Home Office would dare set foot in a holy place," Angel hissed, "If they do, I'll kill them."

Angel's vision came back to the present, and he said to Riley, "We're going back to Los Angeles."

"But what about Drusilla?" Riley asked.

"Her boy needs her. She'll know it. And, she'll come."
***************

Buffy snuggled close to the still form in the crypt. Spike stopped speaking about ten days ago, but she knew he was still aware because of the little mewls of pain that he gave every now and then. As she snuggled down close, trying to give him her warmth, she said, "Now, I don't know what kind of songs you used to sing, when you were a kid, other than 'Never leave me', which, by the way, you promised. So I'll sing one I liked. And don't make fun of my singing," Buffy said, secretly hoping that he would, just so that she could hear him again, "Ready? Here goes... 'You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. You make me happy, when skies are grey. You'll never know dear, how much I love you..." Buffy whispered the rest into Spike's ear, " 'Please don't take my sunshine away.'"





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