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*******************

Angel knew that it had been a dream. Holland hadn't really been there, but the things he'd said still hurt. And now, with Dru holding Spike's cure over his head, things just went from bad to worse. When he'd made that promise, he would have said anything, up to, and including, pledging his own soul, to Drusilla, just to get the image of Spike, lying on that cold stone, weak and emaciated, because of him, out of his head. And, Dru knew this and used it, to perfection. He smiled at the irony. She was truly Angelus's little girl, learned her lessons well. She was a true work of art, his Drusilla. He should have been proud, and the sick part of this was, his demon was in a corner of his mind laughing. A part of him was proud of her. Drusilla had constructed such an intricate spider web, that every possible move had been planned for, and countered.

Drusilla had the perfect weapon in Buffy's love for Spike. The more Buffy loved him, the more anyone around him cared, the tighter the snare became, until there was no way out. Drusilla was a true woman scorned. A woman with nothing to lose; and, that type of woman was dangerous.

Angel had been unprepared for the feelings the sight of William would evoke in him. Until the moment he'd laid eyes on his immobile, withered frame, Angel couldn't say he'd felt an ounce of kinship with him. The idea of Spike's demise had always been just that, an idea, in the abstract. William, in Angel's mind, had been, and would always be a fighter. He'd always been a nuisance. But, Spike was the kind of nuisance that, in fact, was never a nuisance at all. He was someone you only missed, that much more, when they weren't there.

It wasn't until that moment that he realized that Spike could really die. It was then that Angel realized, maybe for the first time, that he truly loved Spike, and Shanshu or not, Angel didn't want to see him suffer, not for his arrogance and greed.

Drusilla knew this, and she held Spike's existence hostage, in order to get him to help her lay, and trip, her trap for both Spike and Buffy. Without knowing it, Angel had become entangled in Drusilla's web. If he did as Drusilla asked, Spike would live, but Buffy, most likely, would not, and Spike, full of righteous anger and grief, would probably beat him to dust. If he warned them, Drusilla would let Spike slowly starve to death. Because even if Angel fed Spike nightly, until he was dust, nothing would really help, until the serum was cleared from Spike's system, and he was able to take in human blood again. And, that couldn't happen without Drusilla. If Spike died, once and for all, and Buffy found out he had something to do with it, she would stake him. And, surprisingly, he'd welcome it.

This morning, after Buffy had left the hotel to check on Spike's progress, Drusilla had come to him. It was then that Angel realized the scope of her madness.
*************************

Dawn held Spike as he wept. He was weeping out of fear, and hopelessness. She knew this kind of fear. She'd felt it herself, staring into that big chasm, knowing that the last words she'd said, directly to him, had been threats of violence, "Spike, she'll be all right. You know she will," she smiled, as he released his hold on her, to try and dry his tears, "She kicked your butt, up and down Main Street, more than once. What can Drusilla do, that you haven't tried to?"

He nodded, "But I pulled my punches, even from the beginning, because I didn't really want to see her dead," his eyes widened as his mind caught up with what his mouth had let slip, "And, if you tell her I said that, I will bite you, Bit."

She only smiled, and hugged him. Spike was surprised, "What's this then, Bit?" he asked, returning the gesture, as firmly as his weakened body would allow.

When he saw her eyes again, the adoration would have taken his breath away, "There you are," she said, "I knew you were in there somewhere," she said, as she embraced him again.

Spike closed his eyes, and surrendered, taking in the mixture of dime-store perfume, cherry scented lip gloss, and bubble gum, that clung to her skin, and hair. A scent that he'd taken comfort in before, and now, at this moment, thanked the heavens he could again, "I love you, Dawn. Until the end of the world," he whispered in her ear, and felt the warmth of her love's glow.

"Me too, you," she murmured.
***************************

"No, Dru, you can't ask me to do that," he hissed, her insane ramblings still ringing in his ears, "I won't do it."

"But, Daddy, you promised," she said, coldly, " And if you don't, Miss Edith still gets her prize," there was a wicked gleam in her eye, "But it will hurt William so much more," she shook her finger at him, and clicked her tongue, "You and I both don't want that. Neither does Miss Edith."

Angel looked at her, hoping there was a corner of sanity left, somewhere in her, he hoped he hadn't driven her beyond the reason of a mother's love, "But, Dru," he pleaded, "hurting him will taint Miss Edith's prize," Angel gave her a sidelong glance, "He'll leave you, out in the cold, if you do this. He'll hate you, and Miss Edith, forever."

"Only for a little while," she said, "He'll see that it was the right thing, in time," she told him, nodding to herself.

"And, how do you convince Buffy to let you do this," he asked, "She's the Slayer, Dru. She'll fight you."

"I know that. She thinks she loves William. I want to see how much. Does she love him enough to give up that precious mote of dust that keeps her floating here?" she paused, and tilted her head, listening to the air speak, "She's overstayed her welcome, and, that's not polite. It's time for her to say goodnight. Miss Edith just wants what was hers once. She was happy once," Drusilla whimpered, "She only wants to be happy again."

"When William knows the price. When he knows what you have done," Angel shook his head, dizzy from her madness, "He'll stake you, you know that."

"If he does, than I'll be with Miss Edith, like I should have been, a long time ago."

Angel paced the small room, "And, if Spike is strong enough to stop you," he pointed an accusatory finger at her, "What happens then?"

Drusilla's tone was confident, "Then we'll all see who it is that William loves, the best."
**************************

Angel listened to the cadence of her heartbeat, two floors below him, and slowly rising, in the old hotel. He had hoped that she would stay away. The longer she stayed away from Drusilla, and him, the less time Drusilla had to spring her trap. Angel was finally learning from Spike. This time, there really was strength in numbers. As long as Buffy stayed with Spike, and her friends, she was safe. If she were isolated, then Drusilla would make her move.

Buffy should have been with Spike right now, but instead, she was here, coming closer and closer to his door, until she was knocking on it, "Angel, you in there?"

"Yeah," he said, as he opened the door, "Come in."

Buffy walked into the room, then turned to face Angel, "Angel I want to ask you something, about Spike."

"Go ahead," he nodded.

"Angel, ever since the night of the battle, at times, I've been able to hear Spike in my head," she rubbed her temples with her fingertips, as if she were trying to call him up so that he could help her explain things to him, "Yet, I remember, when I had that telepathic ability, from the demon, you said that vampires don't cast a thought reflection," she shrugged, "So, what gives?"

He started pacing the room, "The nearest I can figure is that it's some sort of adrenaline rush," Angel looked at her confused face, "The nearest thing I can think of, in a human, is the rush a mother gets when she knows her baby is trapped under a car, and, who, suddenly has the strength to lift the car off of the child. She has superhuman strength; can do things that would, under normal circumstances, be impossible," he gave Buffy a sad smile, "And, you know, Spike. For him, nothing is out of reach. If any vampire could do what seems impossible, it would be Spike."

Buffy nodded, "I know. Thanks for telling me," she sighed, and turned toward the door, "Now, I'm off to bed, by decree of Spike."

Angel nodded, "You know not to let Dru into your room, right?"

She was incredulous, "Angel, you do know who I am, don't you? Plenty of sunshine to hide in, and she's not crossing my threshold any time soon."

"Good," Angel sighed, as he closed the door.
**********************************

Spike looked at he nauseatingly bright rabbits that adorned his gown, and winced, "Bit," he said, "I realize that this was probably the only thing Harris could pinch, at hospital, but now that I'm a bit more myself, do you think maybe we could go for something a bit more, 'E.R.', and a little less vomit inducing?"

"Sure," Dawn winked, "I'll tell Willow to get you some nice, green scrubs," she shook her head, "Those bunnies were starting to make me sick, no offense."

"None taken," he smiled. "The only thing offensive here, is Harris's fashion sense."
************************

Buffy opened her eyes to darkness. The air smelled of metal, and dust. The heat was oppressive. Her chest stung as her lungs drew in the stale air. She had smelled this smell before, felt this kind of heat. The last time she'd smelled this was when she was inside the old factory that Spike and Drusilla had used as a hideout back in Sunnydale.

As Buffy's eyes adjusted, she saw Angel, crouched on the floor, his face smeared with dust. He looked at her, his tears causing white streaks in the dark ash that clung to his face, and hands, "Buffy, I'm sorry," he sobbed, "I'm so sorry."

Buffy woke with a start, and raced the five blocks to Spike's apartment, with her heart in her throat, hoping it wasn't true. Her brain chanted the mantra, "He can't be dead. He can't be dead," in time with the staccato rhythm of her boots on the pavement.

She burst through the door, surprising both Dawn and Spike when she asked, "Spike, are you all right?" she was looking him over with wild, worried eyes.

Spike tried to soothe the emotions that he felt crashing off of her, with a smile, "Aside from this awful gown, I've got on?" he nodded when he felt her heart calm, "I'm fine, Slayer, no worries."

"Thank God," she sighed, in relief.
***************************

Drusilla smiled to herself, "Soon, Miss Edith," she said, "Soon, we'll make our move. The web is in place, now the thing to do is wait, just a little longer. And, Daddy will be so proud."





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