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Buffy watched as the black sedan pulled into the mini-mart’s empty parking lot. She stepped forward when the driver’s door opened and a tall, dark-haired man slid out of the car.

“You’re late,” she complained, looking pointedly at her watch.

“And you’re as impatient as ever,” Angel Brennan, Buffy’s ex-fiancé, responded teasingly.

Buffy eyed his dark trench coat and the black suit underneath. “God, could you be any more stereotypical?”

Angel glanced down at his attire and shrugged his broad shoulders. “It’s what I wear every day.”

“Did you sleep through the lesson on blending in with other people? That look just screams ‘spy’ or ‘government agent,’” she mocked, grinning. She’d met Angel when she was a new recruit in Quantico. She had been instantly attracted to the handsome weapons instructor. They’d enjoyed a brief, tumultuous, not to mention forbidden, affair. Shortly after she transferred to Baltimore, he’d quit the FBI and joined the CIA’s Clandestine Service. Their relationship fizzled as they focused on different careers and different priorities.

“I’ll bring it up at the next meeting,” Angel’s voice dripped with sarcasm. “Do you want the information, or are you just here to give me fashion critique?”

“What did you find out?” Buffy’s smile faded as she was brought back to the purpose of this meeting.

Angel reached inside the car and brought out a thick manila folder. “This isn’t really my jurisdiction, you know. I had to pull some strings and call in a few favors, but I managed to get all the information you need.”

Buffy gratefully accepted the folder and quickly flipped through the typed pages. She paused and scowled when she came to a color picture of Drusilla Moore. “I know you’ve already gone through this, so why don’t you just give me a quick rundown?” she proposed, closing the file and tucking it under her arm.

Angel sighed and leaned against the car. ‘Same old impetuous Buffy.’ He should have known she wouldn’t just take the folder and read the reports herself. “She’s in town, not too far from Spike’s place. She’s been laying low, but she’s been seen with a couple of her old friends.”

“What are the chances she could have done this?” Buffy got straight to the point. If Dru were back to picking up guys and killing them, she’d deal with that later. Right now her focus was on stopping the killer before he or she got to Dawn.

“I don’t see what her motivation would be, Buff. Sure she hates you, but so do half the people you’ve dealt with. Besides, I don’t think she has any beef against Spike or the FBI. She’s a free woman, why would she want to draw attention to herself now? I don’t think this was her,” Angel stated cautiously, waiting for Buffy to blow up. Although he’d been out of the country at the time, he’d learned all about the Moore investigation and it’s fallout.

He was surprised when she nodded slowly. “You’re right,” she agreed with a sigh. ”It couldn’t have been her. I was just hoping that it was and this would all be over.”

Angel moved away from the car and pulled her in his arms. “If there’s anything I can do to help, let me know. I’ve got a few weeks vacation saved up, I can take you away until the investigation is over,” he offered.

Buffy sniffed and offered a watery smile. “I know. Thank you. But I have to be here for this… I need to be here for this.”

Angel hugged her tightly and reluctantly let go. “The offer’s always open. Is there anything else you need?” It hurt him to see her in so much pain. They may have drifted apart and it had been his decision to end their relationship, but she still held a piece of his heart and she always would.

“No, you’re already too involved. This is something I have to do myself. Even if Dru didn’t kill my family, I have to get her out of the way. When she’s around Spike doesn’t think clearly,” Buffy responded wearily.

“What exactly are you planning on doing?” Angel asked cautiously. The Buffy he knew had never been one for cold-blooded murder, but tragedy had a frightening effect on some people. If she felt that Dru was a threat to Dawn’s safety, he knew she would do just about anything to get rid of the raven-haired criminal.

Buffy shook her head slowly, exhaling loudly. “Whatever it takes to protect Dawn.”

“Are you sure you’re ready to take this step?” Angel peered into his ex-fiance’s eyes, searching for any hint of her intentions. At Buffy’s hesitant nod, he sighed heavily. An unpredictable Buffy was a dangerous thing. “Be careful and call me if anything else comes up. You know I’ll be your alibi.”

Buffy kissed him on the cheek and gave him a quick hug. “Thanks, Angel. I owe you.” After another hug, she headed for her Jeep, the folder still in her hands. Angel waited until she was safely on the street before getting in his car. He waited a few minutes and then followed Buffy’s red Jeep.

Buffy had almost reached Spike’s house when she made a decision. Before she could trust Spike again, she needed to deal with the person still firmly wedged between them. For those first few days he’d been her rock, her anchor to reality. As soon as Dru was mentioned, all the old pain and mistrust came rushing back. After the previous afternoon, Spike had kept to the office in an attempt to avoid Buffy and any further confrontations.

Resolved to banish the specter of Drusilla Moore from their relationship once and for all, Buffy pulled to the side of the road, flipping through the folder in search of the felon's last known address. Fortunately, numerous trips to Spike’s house had made her familiar with that section of Baltimore. Twenty minutes and one missed turn later, she switched off the headlights and parked her Jeep on the street outside an older townhouse. A quick look at the numbers on the mailbox confirmed that this was the right location.

Buffy left the car unlocked and pocketed the keys. She took the Glock from the waistband of her jeans and turned the safety off. Sucking in a deep, calming breath, she prepared to confront her nemesis.

After two knocks, the door cracked open. Dru stood in the doorway, a faint smile gracing her pale face. “Hello Special Agent Summers,” she greeted lightly, her voice ethereal as ever. She stepped aside to let the blonde enter.

Buffy brushed past Dru and quickly glanced around the dimly lit room. She relaxed slightly when her instincts and training told her no one else was in the house. “Hello Drusilla,” she responded uneasily.

Dru perched delicately on the arm of a ratty crimson loveseat. “Three little pieces of metal. So small, so perfect, so devastating. Three little bullets made three little holes. Blood pours from the holes, life slipping away,” her voice was soft, almost as if she was speaking to herself.

Buffy moved forward, her hand reaching back to rest on her gun. Curiosity kept her from whipping the weapon out and pulling the trigger. “How did you know about that?” she demanded. At her insistence, Jack had kept her family’s name out of the papers. There was only one way anyone else could have known about what had happened.

“The stars, they’re screaming about the blood. Mummy and Daddy Summers and the little one -- so much pain. Screaming, she’s screaming. Sister, sister, why couldn’t you save me?” Dru wrung her slender hands nervously, almost as if she were reliving the events in her mind.

Buffy stood in front of the other woman, her face a mask of fury. “You did this, didn’t you? You killed my family!” She grabbed the taller woman by the arms and lifted her off the seat; her body shaking with barely suppressed rage.

Dru threw back her head and laughed mockingly. “So much hatred, so much anger pointed in the wrong direction.” When her arm wasn’t released, she stopped laughing and sobered. “No, lovey, I didn’t.”

Buffy searched her eyes for a moment and then let go of her arm. “I know. I know. I just hoped…” her voice broke slightly. It would have been so much easier if the Dru had been the killer. With the investigation over and the murderer in jail, the healing process could begin. Her shoulders slumped in defeat. She was back to square one with no leads and no suspects.

Drusilla eyed the petite blonde standing before her. Last time she’d seen Agent Summers, the other woman had been full of self-righteousness and hatred. Now she could almost see the waves of pain and confusion coming from her. She wrapped an arm around her former archenemy and guided her onto the loveseat.

The two women sat in silence, the ticking of a clock the only sound in the room. “Does Spike know you’re here?” Buffy asked quietly, not sure she wanted to know the answer.

“William bought the house for me. Tried to set me up right and proper, he did,” Dru answered. She removed her arm from Buffy’s shoulders and plucked at the loose material on the loveseat.

“After you… after you got free, why didn’t you marry him? He loves you,” Buffy choked out. This conversation was more difficult than she had expected. Did she really want to hear the details of Spike’s relationship with the murderess?

Dru’s eyes took on a glazed look. “Foolish boy, trying to change that which does not want to be changed. The stars are laughing, laughing at my white knight. Such a good pet, so easy to play with,” she reminisced, giggling at a private joke.

“You never loved him.” The realization hit Buffy like a blow, confirming her suspicions. Drusilla had just been using Spike but he’d been too blind to see that.

“Love? Miss Edith and I were enchanted by my angel, yes, but we did not love him. He tried to make us behave but we like to be naughty. Had to let my pet go,” Dru pouted, as if she regretted the decision.

Buffy had one last question for her unlikely companion. “Did you ever encourage him?” If Spike had been lured in by something the captivating murderess had said or done, then she could make herself justify what he’d done and they could move on.

Dru smiled evilly, a light shining in her eyes. “The fairies spoke to him. They told him I was not naughty, that I was being framed. I asked them to find me someone to help and they brought my William. I promised him eternity. But eternity was not meant to be.”

“Did he tell you what he did with the evidence?” Buffy pressed. Although she could justify Spike’s behavior during the investigation, evidence tampering was unforgivable.

Dru shook her head slowly, dark hair forming a curtain around her pale face. “My angel tried to find the naughty killer, but he was looking in the wrong place. He wouldn’t help the fairies get rid of that dirty knife, so they found someone who would. No more knife, no more case, no more jail,” Dru sing-songed.

Knowing that Drusilla’s moment of lucidity had ceased, Buffy stood and moved toward the door. She had her answers. Spike, with his weakness for female vulnerability, would have believed her and done everything in his power to help Dru during the investigation. It was a relief to finally know that he hadn’t been involved with the disappearance of the evidence.

“I asked him to come with me, to run away,” Dru’s lilting voice stopped Buffy from leaving the house. The blonde paused, but did not turn around. “He refused. He wanted me to play nice with others. My William asked me to fight for the good. He wanted me to be you,” she said.

Buffy opened the door and walked out, not sure what to make of the woman’s last statement. Spike had wanted Dru to be more like her? What did that mean? She pondered the question as she walked back to her car. Lost in thought, she tripped on a piece of cracked pavement and crashed into a warm chest.

“Did you skip the class on walking?” Angel teased as he set Buffy on her feet.

“Ha ha, very funny. What are you doing here?” she walked around the jeep and opened the driver’s side door.

“Wanted to make sure you got home all right. I didn’t hear any gunshots so I assume that Drusilla’s still alive,” Angel observed calmly. When Buffy had first gone into Dru’s house, he restrained himself from dashing in after her. Drusilla Moore, even at her most vulnerable, was still a force to be reckoned with.

“Yeah, she’s still alive. Unfortunately,” Buffy grumbled. “Do me a favor?”

Angel was silent for a moment as he considered the possibilities. Although he would do anything for Buffy, at the moment he couldn’t afford to have any suspicion surrounding his name. “What do you need?”

“Get her out of here. Don’t hurt her,” Buffy paused for a second and smiled indulgently. “On second thought, hurt her just a little. She’s a distraction we don’t need.”

“I can do that,” Angel agreed, relieved that she hadn’t asked for more. He shuddered involuntarily when a thought hit him. He wouldn’t want to be in Buffy’s shoes when Spike found out what she’d done.

“Thanks. Again,” Buffy slid into the jeep and turned the key in the ignition. “I still owe you.”

“One of these days I’m going to collect,” Angel reminded seriously. Buffy nodded and quietly pulled away from the curb. Once her taillights disappeared, Angel stuffed his hands in his pocket and trudged up the sidewalk to Dru’s front door. The brunette’s reaction was not going to be pleasant.

Buffy mentally reviewed the evening’s events during the short drive to Spike’s house. She cut the engine and coasted into the driveway. Using her spare key, Buffy let herself in. Careful not to wake the others, she slipped off her shoes and padded to the kitchen. Flipping on the lights, she nearly shrieked when she saw Spike seated at the table, a glass of water in his hands.

“You scared me,” she accused, moving to the cabinets and taking out a glass for herself. She filled it with water and turned around, leaning against the counter.

“Where are the groceries?” Spike asked, eyebrow raised inquiringly.

“The wh-,” she began. She winced as she remembered her earlier lie. Going out for groceries...right. “I didn’t go to the grocery store,” she confessed.

Spike eased himself out of the chair and joined Buffy by the counter. While putting his glass in the sink, he caught a whiff of her scent. “You smell like Dru,” he observed.

“Let me just say, ew,” Buffy shuddered. She had hoped to avoid having this discussion with Spike. If he was angry with her for going to see his former flame, he would be livid if he found out what she’d discussed with Angel.

Spike crossed his arms and glared at his ex-partner. “Did you find what you were looking for?” he asked. He wondered how Buffy had gotten Dru’s address. He’d gone to great lengths to ensure that she never found out where his dark princess was staying.

Buffy was quiet for a moment as she searched for a way to phrase her answer. She wasn’t ready to let Spike in on all the details of her conversation with the raven-haired criminal. “I’m having Willow take her off the list,” she said finally.

“I had Red remove her a couple of hours ago,” Spike’s voice was cool. “She has an alibi.”

“How do you...you went and saw her today? That’s how she knew about what happened,” Buffy thought aloud, putting the pieces together. “Why did you go see her?”

Spike sighed and closed his eyes. “I had to be sure it wasn’t her. You and the Bit are the most important thing in the world to me,” he admitted softly.

Buffy’s head jerked up, startled by the admission. She opened her mouth to speak, but Spike cut her off.

“This is going to come out wrong, but I need to say it. I’m sorry. My behavior the other day… and before… I was an ass. Dru was the worst bloody mistake of my life. I was a fool to believe in her, to believe that she loved me. You were right, she was just using me.” His eyes opened, pain evident in the blue depths.

Buffy reached out and cupped his cheek lightly. “She is a convincing actress, I’ll admit. Why do you keep helping her?”

“Because she was the first girl to give me the time of day. She was the first chit to see through the leather and the tough talk and find the real William,” Spike’s voice was husky. It was hard for him to admit these things to Buffy of all people. For years she’d been his best friend, but he’d never completely let his guard down around her. With Buffy he was always the Big Bad.

“I’m sorry for believing that you were the one to get rid of the evidence against Dru. I should have known that you’d never do anything like that,” Buffy apologized sincerely. She felt her heart melt at the smile that graced Spike’s tired face. “Thank you, William, for taking care of Dawn and me,” she said, pulling her hand away and letting her arm fall limply by her side. “Thank you for… the other thing. It means a lot that you did that.” The meaning behind Spike’s action was not lost on her. By admitting that he was wrong about Dru, he had taken a very large step toward rebuilding their friendship and regaining her trust. She flashed a weary smile and headed up to her room.

Spike stared longingly after Buffy. Where did this leave them? Without the animosity lingering between them, could they rebuild their friendship? The past couple of years without her had left him with an empty void that only the blonde could fill. One question still nagged him, though. How had she gotten a hold of Dru’s address?





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