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Buffy paused, looking back at the silent apartment building she’d left in the distance. The clocks had struck midnight a few minutes ago; it was prime time for vampire activity. After they’d come home from the Bronze last night, nobody had missed Cecily. It was mutually decided that she’d left for home in a strop, and was now ignoring them.

Of course, they couldn’t be further from the truth. Angelus had made it clear to her last night just what would happen if she were to reveal the girl’s true location. So, as she’d been told, she’d left Wood’s home alone, though she’d packed a stake and a few bottles of holy water as a precaution.

Somewhere in the darkest part of herself, Buffy knew there was no way she could pull this off. She couldn’t rescue Cecily and save herself as well, but everyone had to make sacrifices for the ones they lo- cared about. Spike obviously wanted the idiot, he was her boyfriend, and so she needed to be saved.

Gripping the stake more firmly, she slid a small hand into her pocket and wrapped her fingers around the glass bottle there. Looking up at the mansion towering over her, she gulped down a wave of nausea. Silent, she shifted into game face and scanned the doors for any sign of life, or unlife as the case was.

A single guard slouched in the shadows under the overhang; a little shudder of fear darted down her spine. Her family were planning something. She just hoped she could free Cecily before they brought her down. No She could do this. She would do this.

Stealthily creeping up behind the lazing guard, she plunged the stake with brutal accuracy into his back. He crumbled to dust without a sound, and she pushed the door open warily. Partially opening the ties that bonded her to her vampiric family, she was surprised to find that they hadn’t noticed her presence, until she realised just what they were doing to occupy themselves.

Quivering with revulsion, she slammed the bonds shut. Her nostrils flared as she inhaled the musty, damp scent of the old house. She almost gagged on the scent of fear combined with Cecily’s dry, bitter perfume. Following her nose, she prowled the hallways of the mansion, pushing down the sense of dread that was threatening to swallow her whole.

Finding the door marked strongly with the girl’s scent, she reached out a trembling hand and pushed lightly. The foreboding terror increased when it swung open, hinges creaking like some cheesy horror movie. Stepping inside, she relaxed when she saw Cecily, only to tense again. She was so still, and her heartbeat sounded so weak.

Rushing across the room, she wrenched the old chains away with her bare hands, deftly catching the teenager as she collapsed away from the wall. Buffy felt sick when she saw the twin puncture wounds in her neck, the stink of Drusilla’s bite making her shudder. Lowering the unconscious girl to the floor, she tapped her gently on the face.

Slowly Cecily’s eyes opened, drifting in and out of focus. Just as she was about to speak, Buffy’s head snapped up. Her ears strained, catching the faint sound of maniacal giggles approaching, as well as the deep murmur of a familiar male voice. Hoisting the weak girl to her feet, the vampiress did the only thing she could.

The crack of her palm on Cecily’s cheek echoed in the small room. The ringleted head swivelled, the eyes snapping with awareness as she squealed with fury. Buffy heard the footsteps suddenly pause before breaking into a sprint. Shutting her eyes against the dark wave of panic, she pushed the angry girl out the door and shoved the stake into her hand with a snarled ‘Run!’

As Cecily fled, sensing something was wrong and too afraid to stay and ask about it, Buffy darted towards the door. She raced through the hallways, hearing those footsteps behind her like the tolling of a bell. They seemed to say ‘Doomed… doomed!’ Biting back a sob of anguish, she spun to face her followers.

Angelus smiled at her silkily, stroked the long whip he held in one meaty fist. “Hello, Buff. Long time no see.” His voice was a cruel purr, husky with the anticipation of her pain.

“Not long enough.” Her reply was acid-sharp.

“But you’re part of the family, Buffy. We miss you. Don’t you want to come home?”

Buffy’s hand slid into her pocket, grasping the bottle of holy water. As her sire’s arm flew back to strike, she jumped sideways and threw the container, smiling coldly when it connected with his cheek. The acrid stench of burning flesh reached her as he howled in fury. Not waiting for him to recover, she spun and ran straight into a waiting Drusilla.

“Naughty girl, mustn’t run. Daddy wants to play with you.”

Buffy jumped back, cursing herself. She’d been so focussed on Angelus, she hadn’t noticed Dru approaching her. Her ‘sister’ clapped and hummed deliriously as he stepped menacingly towards her, his burned cheek turning his handsome face into the picture venom.

“Shouldn’t have done that, Buff.”

That was the last thing she heard before Drusilla’s elbow connected with the base of her skull, driving her to her knees. The whip lashed out, catching her cheek with a stinging blow before wrapping around her neck. She fought in vain as she was dragged towards the face that haunted her nightmares, smiling coldly down at her. Then another blow struck her temple and she fell into merciful darkness.

****

Cecily had started running as soon as she’d been pushed roughly out the door. Luckily for her, she encountered nobody on her way out of the mansion. She paused once, thinking she’d heard a faint laugh that sent chills cascading down her spine, but she put a finger on the red handprint on her cheek before her eyes narrowed and she carried on running.

Seething, she fled into the street and started for Wood’s house. That bitch, who does she think she is? She can’t slap me and get away with it. I’ll show her. Slowing to a leisurely walk, she took a moment to muss her curls and fiddle with the scabs on her neck until they began oozing blood again.

Then she staggered to the Watcher’s door, falling in a heap on the doorstep as she knocked feebly against the wood. The door opened almost immediately, a worried Spike peering out before catching sight of her. Gasping, he dragged her inside and slammed the door shut. She hugged him fiercely, smirking in triumph when he asked her who’d done it.

“It was Buffy, Spikey. Buffy tried to kill me.”





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