Just Like Old Times

<Spike opened the door of the downtown Cleveland hotel room that he and Xander would be calling home during their stay in the Midwest Hellmouth. It was the typical middle-class hotel room with two beds, a desk, a chair that he assumed was supposed to be comfortable, although it probably was not, and of course, it had those bloody awful flowered comforters on the beds.

<This type of room was becoming very familiar to Spike, and he often wondered if this was the life he was destined to have from now on --- traveling from city to city, never having a place to call home. Sure, he had traveled around the world when he was with Drusilla, but this was different. He was different. The idea of constantly moving from place to place did not intrigue him as it used to.

<"I'm calling the bed by the window," Xander said as he plopped his bags down on the bed.

<"Fine by me, just don't be opening those drapes in the morning. I really don't fancy being burnt to a crisp," Spike said as he placed his bags down on the other bed. "Again," he added as an afterthought.

<Xander rolled his eyes at the vampire. "I don't think we really have that problem here, Spike. From the looks of it, this Hellmouth is less with the sun and more with the dark and dreary."

<Spike nodded. It did seem that sun was not all that prevalent in this part of Ohio. At least it was not on this particular day. It would be a grand day for an afternoon stroll.

<Hell, I just might have to take one of those, Spike thought to himself.

<"Well, I'm going to call Faith and find out what's going down. Maybe we'll get lucky, and the package from Giles will already be here, so we can get out of this not-so-cheery Hellmouth ASAP," Xander said as he pulled out his cell phone and dialed Faith's number.

<"Not bloody likely," Spike replied with a laugh.

<"Besides, we've still got to help Faith with whatever this big problem is that she told Buffy and Giles about. Buffy said that Faith was really worried because things in Cleveland had gotten right dodgy for the last week or so."

<"You're sticking to that story, huh? I thought you were just using that as an excuse to drive like an insane Mario Andretti all the way here. We'll just see what Faith has to say about it."

<Spike shrugged as he laid down on the bed, listening as Xander recounted to Faith the latest adventures of the traveling trio. Spike couldn't help but smile a little as Xander told her of their experience in Gilroy, especially of his new friend, Tori, who was one of the good vampires residing in the peaceful community. And Spike chuckled out loud at Xander's, "I kid you not! I said good vampires." Soon Xander was talking about the haunted Colorado B&B and then moved on to the tale of Oz and the werewolves-on-command.

<Spike must have been more tired than he thought because he was just about to fall asleep when a knock came at the door. Knowing that Xander was not going to respond to it, Spike got up to open the door.

<"Have you guys looked at the view from your windows yet? It's hidaya!" Mena said as she glided through the doorway, past Spike and straight to the window, pulling back the curtains.

<"I take it by your enthusiastic intonation that hidaya does not mean dark and dreary, as Xander described the city?" Spike said as he walked cautiously towards the Slayer, just in case sunshine had somehow taken over the skies.

<Mena smiled, her eyes still fixed out the window. "No, not at all. It means beautiful. Clouds don't necessarily have to be considered dreary. Sometimes Xander is just too much of a California boy, you know what I mean?"

<"I agree with you, pet. I wager all that sunshine for over 20 years may be responsible for burning out some of his brain cells." They both looked at Xander, who was oblivious to the jibe due to his conversation with Faith.

<Mena turned back to Spike. "I would think you would love this weather. Doesn't it remind you a bit of England? You could even walk outside in the middle of the day here without worrying about bursting into flames."

<Spike smiled at the girl. "Didn't say I wasn't crazy about this weather, love. Just surprised you are is all."

<Mena nodded as she returned her gaze back to the Cleveland skyline. "My nyanya always says that sometimes real beauty is hidden underneath the surface."

<"Your nyanya should write a book," Spike said, ruffling her hair. "However, Thumblemena, I hate to break it to you, but there is nothing but evil under the surface of this city. It's why they call it a Hellmouth."

<Mena nodded. "I know you're right, but I'm sure the city still looks gorgeous at night, once it is all illuminated."

<Spike nodded as he took a seat on Xander's bed. "Vampires' paradise, I reckon."

<At those words, Mena studied him quizzically. "That sort of makes you wonder why there were so many vampires in Sunnydale, when you had a much more viable Hellmouth here in Cleveland. You would think this would be the vampire capital of the world."

<"Well, it's not like there weren't any vampires here. I mean the last I heard, Cleveland had a huge underground system, and up until recently, no Slayer. I bet the vampires here were getting plenty of happy meals on legs before Faith arrived," Spike said with a partially nostalgic sigh.

<Mena nodded. "Well, hopefully she has helped cut down on the evil population around town."

<"Actually, not so much," Xander said as he joined the conversation. "I just got off the phone with Faith, and there is a major Big Bad vamp in town who thinks he owns the place. To hear Faith talk, he very well might. She's going to need our help taking him out. We're meeting her tonight," he said with a sigh.

<"So I take it the care package from the Council has yet to arrive?" Spike asked even though he already knew the answer.

<Xander shook his head. "That would be a no. Faith said that it should be here in another day or two. Now, you need to get up because I want to sit down."

<Spike rolled his eyes but did not argue. He needed to get up and move, anyway. He looked outside and knew that it was too fine of a day to spend sitting around the hotel room.

<"So what are we going to do today? We have some time to kill, and I certainly don't want to waste a bloody awful day like today when I can walk freely in the afternoon."

<Xander and Mena laughed at Spike's comment before engaging in a debate about what the best way in which to spend the afternoon. Mena wanted to visit the zoo. Xander, however, was adamantly against this idea but certainly did not wish to recount his experience with the hyenas in the Sunnydale Zoo by way of explanation. After further debate, the group finally decided on going to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

~~~~~~~~

<Spike loved the fact that he was walking outside in the middle of the afternoon. It was such a rare and glorious occasion for him that he felt as though he could just bask in it forever.

<The walk to the Hall of Fame was a bit longer than they had anticipated, Xander was complaining that perhaps he should have driven them to the Museum. Spike figured his mood probably had more to do with the idea of being back in a Hellmouth than the actual distance he had to walk.

<After what seemed to be forever they finally reached their destination. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame sat on the edge of Lake Erie, and although the building was oddly shaped, Spike thought it was quite brilliant.

<"Have you ever wondered why the Rock in Roll hall of fame is in Cleveland? One would think it would be in a larger city like New York," Mena said as the group stared at the building.

<"What? You think it is owned by demons? Well this is a Hellmouth nothing would surprise me," Xander replied.

<"Demons or not I'm going in. This will be the greatest thing for me since Woodstock," Spike said as he started towards the entrance.

<The group made their way through the various displays around the museum. Xander spent a great deal of time looking at the Madonna section, which included many of her bustiers. Mena had to remind him not to drool, that it really did not look all that attractive.

<Spike loved all the exhibits equally. He loved looking at the pictures of rock and roll legends such as Elvis Presley, The Eagles, The Ramones, there were even some pictures of his buddy Billy Idol on display. However, Spike was completely mesmerized by the section of the museum that was dedicated to Woodstock '69.

<He walked along the walls carefully looking at each picture. "See someone you know?" Xander asked smiling as they looked at the pictures of random hippies.

<Spike nodded, "Those blokes made quite a nice snack for Dru and I," he said pointing to a picture of random hippies.

<Upon seeing Xander's face he added, "I'm joking. I wouldn't remember the random hippies that I ate at Woodstock. "

<Sometimes it amazed Spike how dense the Watcher could be. He continued to look at the pictures, most of them of random hippies that had been camped out for the festival. However, he came to one of the pictures and noticed that the people in it were him and Drusilla. It caused him to take a double take.

<"Well, will you look at that?" Spike said smiling. Xander looked to see what picture the vampire was looking at and saw that it was a picture of him and Dru outside a van. "Wow, that's gotta bring back some memories," Xander said looking at the picture in shock. "That it does…" Spike said as his mind went back to his trip to Woodstock.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~

<Flashback - 1969 - New York

<"Spike!" Drusilla whined. "Miss Edith is tired of riding. Can we stop and find some little children to play with?"

<"Patience, princess. I'm following your vision. We're going to where the ground will be covered with lovely people to play with and music will fill the air."

<Dru settled back into the seat of the van with a huffed breath, but she subsided. Spike moved the van from the paved road onto a dirt track, using his usual supernatural knack at driving to pull them almost into the field where their promised banquet would unfold.

<"We're here, princess. Come on, let's settle down for a long kip and wait for nightfall."

<Spike bundled a sleepy and irritable Drusilla into the back of the van, pulling and securing the thick drapes that served as a back-up to the blacked out windows to block out the sun. He pulled out the piece of paper and read it again.

<Bethel, New York, August 15, 16, and 17, 1969. Woodstock Music and Art Fair.

<Music. Spike loved music. It was like a heartbeat through him. One of the many things humans were good for, aside from serving as tasty meals. And the idea of three days of sweet music and thousands of sweet, rootless hippies all in one place sounded like his idea of heaven.

<He pulled Drusilla close to him on the bed in the van they had stolen from some hippies a few weeks ago. Stolen, of course, after they had eaten the hippies. The counterculture movement was better than war. A whole nation of freedom-loving, sex-loving, somewhat nomadic, nameless young people who would not be missed because no one knew where they were roaming.

<The two vampires cuddled closely together. Spike stroking and soothing Drusilla into sleep, before drifting off himself to dreams of a music-filled, sex-filled weekend, complete with tasty young blood-drinking.

<The sound of sweet guitar throbbing from the giant speakers woke him later. The words drifted to him. Richie Havens.

<A Minstrel came down from Gault with scores of tales to tell some of them were true... some of them were false... some of them we knew yet some we knew too well It was told in fire, And it was told in ice, It was told so many times It may not be told twice A soldier came down from Dien Bien Phu with silence in his eyes... He told of many a mornings, when fire was the sky, He told of many a nights, when the bravest of men would cry.... knowing that through Satan's earth-bound magic, many more would have to die A man came down from Sinai mountain With words of truth for us all How we bowed and knelt down, How we worshipped well But when it came to listening, We listened, but little, if at all.

<Spike smiled. Satan was here, in this little garden of peace, with his bride. Satan in a handsome face. He drifted back to sleep, letting the music carry him.

<When night fell Drusilla and Spike rose, moving out into the crowd. Thousands and thousands. A sea of people. Drusilla clapped her hands, swaying to the music, then twirling around in delight.

<"A garden, just like I saw. A garden of music and blood!"

<They moved out into the crowd. Music and blood. Person after person, falling for sweet flattery from Spike or in thrall to Drusilla. Close to dawn Spike reached out of the van, pulling an unsuspecting young man inside closing the doors behind him. He bit down into him, drinking some of the sweet nectar and then dropping him as the rush of chemicals in the young man's blood hit his brain.

<"Bloody hell, Dru," he croaked. Everything began to swim, and he started watching as his hand moved in brilliant showers of light.

<"The world is coming apart, drowning in showers of fire and lightning," the young man groaned, his blood trickling down his throat from where Spike had bitten him.

<Drusilla smiled. "Ah, you see the fairies, too, don't you, dearie? Let Drusilla take care of you. Be your mummy."

<Spike heard all of this from far away. His hand grew larger and larger and filled the whole world.

<Hours later, he awoke in the van. The young man was there as well, still as death, pulled close to Drusilla. Spike sniffed. He narrowed his eyes at Drusilla.

<"What did you do, princess?"

<"Made me a dolly, Spike. He's ever so pretty, and his blood tasted like candy. And he sees the fairies, like me."

<Spike snorted. "He was tripping, Dru. On drugs. When he wakes up, he won't see the fairies any more than I do."

<Dru pouted. "I wanted a new dolly."

<Spike pulled her close, stroking her hair. "And you'll have one, my princess. He'll wake up soon."

<Later that night, after they had taken the new fledge, Kevin, hunting, he and Spike were standing together, listening to the music. Dru danced and swayed around them, with flowers in her hair and a garland around her neck.

<Creedance Clearwater Revival was on the stage, one more great band among the many at the festival who would forever signify the hippie movement's love for and connection to music.

<I see a bad moon a'risin'
I see trouble on the way
I see varied quakes and lightnin'
I see a bad time today

Don't go around tonight
Well it's bound to take your life
There's a bad moon on the rise

I hear hurricane's a'blowin'
I know the end is comin' soon
I hear rivers over flowin'
I hear the voice of rage and ruin

Don't go around tonight
Well it's bound to take your life
There's a bad moon on the rise

Hope you got your things together
Hope you are quite prepared to die
Looks like we're in for nasty weather
One eye is taken for an eye.

Don't go around tonight
Well it's bound to take your life
There's a bad moon on the rise

<"I'm going to destroy the world, you know that, man?" Kevin said as the song began to wind down. "I can see the bad moon, and I'm it. I'll destroy it all, in quakes and lightning, just like the song says."

<His eyes glittered far too brightly, the acid in his system when he was turned, apparently part of him forever now. Spike raised an eyebrow and questioned his judgment.

<"Now, why would you want to do something stupid like that? This world is a paradise, mate. A huge apple, ripe for the biting. Look around you. Music, sex, drugs, food, lovely young people to eat and to take for your own pleasure. Better to enjoy and own the world than destroy it, by far," Spike snorted contemptuously at Kevin.

<Kevin stood quietly and considered. "I'll think about it. Maybe you're right, man."

<"Dance with me, my Spike. And young Kevvy, too." Drusilla moved between them, grabbed each of them by the hand and raised their arms high. "The music is ever so lovely. How can you not dance? Look around you, everyone is dancing."

<The two male vampires grinned at each other and joined Drusilla in the bacchanalian enjoyment of the night.

<When the festival ended two days later, Spike and Drusilla went on their way, leaving Kevin to his own devices.

~~~~~~~~

<"Earth to Spike, you still with us?" Mena asked laughing.

<Spike smiled as his mind came back to the present day. "Yeah I was just thinking about Woodstock. It's funny Drusilla had a vision that one day we would be in the Rock in Roll Hall of Fame. I thought she was off her rocker but she was right," he said smiling.

<"A vision?" Mena asked her curiosity provoked.

<"Yeah, Drusilla gets visions, I'm not really sure how. I guess she's a psychic of sorts. Anyway she knew that one day we would be in here."

<"Wow, a psychic vampire that quite interesting!" Mena replied with interest.

<"Not nearly as interesting as the news that Faith probably has for us, I say we head over there. It's getting late," Xander said realizing that they had spent most of the afternoon touring the museum.

<"Sounds good let's go, then," Spike replied.

~~~~~~~~

<"I think this is it," Mena said looking up from the directions she'd been reading aloud to Xander.

<Xander pulled the Land Cruiser into a driveway in front of a modern, high-rise apartment complex.

<"Nice place. Guess Faith and Robin are doing pretty good for themselves. What do you think, Spike?"

<"Looks cheery enough."

<Spike sat low in the back seat. He was dreading this reunion. Sure, he and Faith had an odd chemistry, and he'd like to see her, but her honey was another story.

<"Wonder if Wood still wants to kill me?"

<Mena looked back at Spike, eyes wide with shock. "What do you mean?"

<"Long story, love." Spike sighed, not wanting Mena to know the truth about his past with Wood.

<"What do you mean 'long story'?" Xander piped up. "His Mom was a Slayer, you killed her and stole her jacket. Of course, he wanted to kill you."

<Mena turned her attention back to Spike. She looked at him with puppy dog eyes that made Spike wish the Bit was around.

<"But that was before the soul, right?"

<"Of course it was, pet," Spike said reassuringly. He was really starting to like playing the big brother role to Mena. "Look, let's just go in there and find out what's got Faith's panties in a twist."

<The three of them climbed out of the car and started towards the building. They took the elevator to the 7th floor and walked to apartment 30F. Xander knocked on the door while Spike and Mena waited anxiously. Mena was eager to meet the other 'original' Slayer. Spike just wanted to get this over with. It didn't take long for Faith to answer the door.

<"Xander, long time no see. I have to say, you're the best looking Watcher I've ever seen." Faith leaned against the doorframe. "Well, well, well. Look what the Hellmouth coughed up!" Faith gave Spike an appraising look. "You're looking good for someone who should be buried under a pile of rubble."

<"Come on, pet. You know they can't keep a good man down."

<"Or a good vamp. You're still a good vamp. Right, Spike?" Wood asked as he stepped up behind Faith, stern look in place.

<"As long as you play nice, so will I," Spike replied, smirking.

<"Now boys, behave yourselves. I'd hate to have to get rough with the two of you." Faith smiled a wicked grin. She opened the door further, allowing Xander and Mena to enter the apartment.

<Spike watched them cross the threshold and raised an eyebrow at Faith.

<"Come on in, Big Bad," Faith invited.

<After entering the apartment and introducing Mena to Faith and Wood, the group gathered in the living room to discuss their new mission.

<"Right, let's just cut to the chase. What big bad wolf is blowing hot air around here?" Spike decided to get this meeting over with as quickly as possible. He was ready to make with the violence.

<Faith looked very uneasy. This did not go unnoticed by Spike and Xander, who were accustomed to seeing the cocky, self-assured Faith. If something was worrying her about this monster of the week, they could be sure that it wasn't going to be an easy battle.

<"Vamp. Owns a lot of real estate. Nasty character." Faith summed up the situation in short, succinct sentences.

<"Am I the only one who feels like we're still hanging with Oz?" Xander quipped.

<"Well, the thing is," Wood began as if trying to get approval from Faith to elaborate, "this isn't the first encounter Faith's had with this guy."

<The traveling trio looked at Faith with concern. This was not what the Slayer wanted at all.

<"Guys, I'm cool. I'm Five by Five. I'm not worried about meeting up with an old enemy. I'm more worried about what he's been up to since our last little encounter." Faith took a deep breath as she began telling their guests what they were about to face.

<"This vamp goes by the name of Kevin. Don't know much about where he came from. No clue as to who sired him blah, blah, blah. I've never been one who goes for the history lesson. I'm more about the now. And at the moment, he seems to be going for world annihilation."

<Mena gasped. She'd heard Spike and Xander talk about creatures wanting to destroy the world. Apparently it was very common, but to see it firsthand? This was a little more than she could comprehend.

<"See, he's been vamping the hell out of Cleveland," Faith continued. "He's got minions crawling all over the city. But he's also dusting them as fast as he's siring them. He likes to be in charge and doesn't want anyone taking credit for his handiwork."

<"So he sires his victims, makes them do his bidding, and then kills the newbies when it looks like they're taking Kev's glory?" Xander asked wondering if Kevin used the same 'thrall' thing the Master - er - Dracula had used against him.

<"That's what it looks like," Wood commented. "It works for his whole 'destroying the world' plan, too. He's rapidly getting rid of the human population. But it has also been the one thing that led us to him."

<"Talk about your Catch 22's," Xander muttered.

<"Where do we come in?" Spike had to ask. "If this guy is already offing his toadies, it shouldn't be hard to stop him. Good stake through the heart should do it. What makes this guy so special?"

<"Yeah, this should be a piece of cake for you. Why drag us in on the action?" Xander chimed in.

<Faith stood up; a frustrated look on her face. "You don't get it. For every crony Kevin kills, he makes ten more to replace him. We're talking hundreds upon hundreds of vamps here. Look, if I could do this by myself, I would. I've got a score to settle with the bastard."

<Spike raised his eyebrows. He wanted to hear more about this score. Thankfully, Faith was pissed and needed to vent.

<"He got the best of me once, about six years ago when I was first called. Put me in the hospital for a week. He won't be so lucky this time. And to think we assumed he was just some political hot-shot." Faith shook her head in disbelief.

<Xander looked around at Spike and Mena. It appeared they were just as confused, so he asked, "Did we miss something? You guys thought he was a politician?"

<Faith sat back down, and Wood joined her on the couch.

<"Sure." It was Wood's turn to shake his head and share some information. "'Real estate tycoon turned philanthropist' is what the media calls him. He's building nursing homes, daycares, recreation centers. People are begging him to run for office, and it looks like that's his next move."

<Mena glanced at Wood questioningly. "Why is he doing charitable work if he's evil?"

<Spike snorted. "Because it keeps the good guys off of his back and---"

<"It gives him a fresh supply of yummy people to keep him in the vamp-making business," Xander concluded.

<"Good, we're all on the same page. It just took us a while to figure out this so-called community leader was also the Master vampire we were looking for, " Wood checked his watch. "We really need to get a move on and head to the club Kevin is using as his headquarters."

<Faith looked at Mena. This is going to be fun!

~~~~~~~~

<"Come on, chica, let's sex you up," Faith said as she grabbed the younger Slayer by the hand and pulled her into her bedroom.

<"I don't need think I need sex just now, thanks," Mena said, her eyes widening as she noticed the revealing clothes in Faith's closet.

<Faith laughed at the other girl. "Well, sweetie, we need to make you look older and more wicked cool in order to get you inside that club tonight. Right now, the only club you could get into is the Baby Sitters' Club."

<Mena laughed at Faith's words. As much as she wanted to protest, she knew Faith was right, and that this was the best way to get her inside the club. It might even be kind of fun -- an adventure where she dressed up in a costume, like playing a part in a play.

<Mena watched as Faith climbed into her closet and started to go through her clothing, pulling out various shirts from it. Mena was intrigued by Faith and her forwardness and in-your-face sexuality; although, it did tend to make her uneasy. Mena hadn't spent much time with any of the Slayers who had fought in that battle in the Sunnydale Hellmouth. Vi and Rona were the only two who were in London when she went through her training there. Mena now wondered if most of the Hellmouth-closing Slayers were like Faith.

<"So Mena, how're you enjoying the whole Slayer gig?" Faith said as she pulled out a black tank top with the words "Diva" written on it in yellow. "Too young," Faith said as she tossed it aside.

<Mena sighed, not really knowing how to answer that particular question. "Sometimes, I really enjoy being a Slayer. I feel like I have found the definite purpose in my life. I have always excelled at many things, but I never felt like they were a calling for me. I never felt that I had a purpose until I found out I was a Slayer and started fighting evil."

<Faith smiled as she pulled out a blue halter top. "I dig that. I know I never felt like I was worth a damn thing until I was called," she said with a slight smile. "I really hate this shirt on me, but I think it would suit you."

<"I can't wear this. It's far too revealing! Besides, I'm not even sure my breasts are large enough to hold it up."

<Faith laughed at the teenager. "That's why were trying it on, Mena. I'm gonna go and get myself ready. Meet me in the bathroom when you're ready for phase two.

<Mena stared at the revealing shirt, hesitant to put it on. My parents would kill me if I wore this out in pubic, that is, if Xander doesn't beat them to it, she thought anxiously.

~~~~~~~~

<While the girls readied themselves for the club, the three men retreated to the living room. Spike plopped down on the couch, stretching his legs out, allowing himself to sink into a lounging pose. Wood took a seat opposite him in an overstuffed chair and eyed the vampire suspiciously. Xander couldn't sit still, so he paced nervously around the room.

<"Harris, you look like an expectant father. What's your deal?" asked Spike

<"My deal is that Faith just took Mena upstairs to 'Ho' her up! And believe me, Faith knows how to--- " Xander stopped short as he looked at Wood. "Sorry, man."

<"Not a problem. I like the way my lady dresses." Wood shrugged

<Xander breathed a sigh of relief, argument averted. Then he realized that there was a tense scene playing out in front of him. Spike didn't seem to notice - or if he did, it wasn't bothering him - that Wood was boring holes through him. If looks could stake.

<Then it dawned on Xander. Wood didn't seem to be sizing up Spike up, but rather, was trying to decide what to say to the vampire who'd killed his mother, nearly killed him years later, only to save him by closing the Hellmouth.

<"You know I don't like you." Wood stated breaking the silence.

<Xander started looking around for the nearest exit. This could get ugly.

<Spike looked up at the former principal and met his steely gaze with one of his own. He straightened up into a sitting position and leaned forward, never blinking.

<"Good, the feeling's mutual."

<"But, you did sacrifice yourself to save the world."

<"That I did," Spike replied casually.

<"And by extension, you saved me," Wood said grudgingly.

<"Right hero, that I am."

<"Let's not get carried away."

<"No, it's true; I'm a hero. I'm a bloody champion." Spike smirked, knowing he was getting to Wood.

<Xander felt like he was watching a tennis match, the way the two sworn enemies were volleying comments back and forth.

<"Look, Spike, I'm trying to be civil here. You don't have to be an ass."

<Spike feigned shock. "Why, Wood. Are we having a 'moment'?"

<"No, I'm just letting you know that I'm not going to be on your case the way I was in Sunnydale, even though I still don't completely trust you.

<"Probably wise."

<"Spike!" Xander interjected. He knew how hard this had to be for Wood. He wasn't about to let Spike make it even more difficult. Wood looked at the Watcher, seeming to sense his concern, and smiled. He turned his attention back to Spike.

<"I'm willing to put the past behind us and move on. We're on the same team, whether I like it or not, and you've proven to be loyal when it comes to your friends."

<Spike opened his mouth, a smartass remark ready and waiting to fly out. But he stopped himself. He stood up and offered his hand to Wood.

<"Right, then. We'll make with the nice and fight the good fight."

<Wood took Spike's hand and they shook on it.

<"But I still don't have to like you, right?" Wood asked mockingly.

<"I don't see why you should," agreed Xander. "I don't like him, and we've been working with each other just fine." Xander smiled at Wood who laughed.

<Spike scowled but had to chuckle, himself.

<"Well, now that that's settled," Xander began, rubbing his hands together in anticipation, "where can I go to put on my boogie shoes?"

<"Bathroom's third door on the right. Or, if the girls are in there, you can use the bedroom across the hall from it. Spike, did you bring your---"

<"I've never worn boogie shoes," Spike replied sternly.

~~~~~~~~

<Mena finally put the bright blue shirt on. She was quite surprised by how good it looked on her. The neckline accentuated her breasts, making them appear to be quite a bit larger than they actually were. It's a good thing I'm barely a "B" cup, because there is no way I could wear a bra with this shirt.

<Mena made her way to the bathroom to show Faith, who greeted her fellow Slayer with a high five.

<"Damn, Mena, you look great!" Faith said with a smile. "Xander is so going to kick my ass when he sees you," she said with a laugh.

<"Well, if he doesn't, I'm sure Spike will."

<Faith nodded in agreement. "Come here and let me get you all glamoured up," she said, pulling out some eye liner.

<Mena closed her eyes in compliance, but Faith could tell that she was nervous about how she would end up looking. Faith could not help but like spending time with the younger Slayer. She never got to have much quality "girl time" with Buffy when they were Mena's age. Well, just a little older than Mena, actually.

<However, Faith did get to know some of the Potentials leading up to the battle in Sunnydale two years before and enjoyed the time she had spent with them. Thinking about those girls now made her rather sad, knowing that some of them were dead, and their lives taken before they had really lived.

<"Do you ever get lonely? I mean, you have Robin, but do you ever feel alone?" Mena asked in a voice so soft that Faith wondered if she was actually meant to hear it.

<"Sure, I get lonely. I think everyone does. I also think it's really hard being a Slayer sometimes. You have to be prepared to lose people you care about. It's a dangerous job, but somebody's got to do it, right?"

<"Right," agreed Mena. "It's an important job and our duty to protect others who can't protect themselves. I sincerely believe that."

<"Just make sure you keep your training up. Be smart and careful, and always try to have back-up. Those are the major things I learned while I was in Sunnydale, though I sure as hell resisted them when I was starting out. It really sucks to lose someone due to your own carelessness or stubbornness."

<Mena nodded as she listened to Faith's words. Although she did not answer verbally, Faith's words struck a chord with the girl. She had considered herself fortunate to have not lost any loved ones yet, at least not permanently. She sometimes felt that she had lost her family because they were apart so much of the time and longed for her past, when she had spent her days reading and listening to her nyanya.

<"Well, I think I'm done with you. Of course, it's not exactly hard putting makeup on a girl as pretty as you."

<Mena blushed at Faith's words. "I'm not pretty," she said, avoiding eye contact with the mirror.

<Faith rolled her eyes as Mena spoke. "Like hell, you aren't pretty! Didn't they tell you that hotness was a requirement for getting chosen? I could've sworn Giles was going to put that in the new version of the Slayer Handbook," she laughed as she walked out the bathroom door.

<Mena glanced at herself in the mirror and was thankful that she did not look like a prostitute. Then she followed Faith out of the bathroom.

<"Well, I really think we need to have a discussion with Mr. Giles about that requirement because I have read the Slayers' Handbook several times, and there is no mention-"

<A low whistle from Spike cut her off as the two girls arrived in the living room.

<"Well now, don't you look beautiful tonight," Spike said, grinning at the girl.

<"Why, thank you, Spike, but you really shouldn't whistle at girls. It's quite improper," Mena said.

<"Especially girls as young as Mena, unless you want to go to jail, which might not be such a bad idea for you, Spike. Jail worked wonders for Faith here."

<"You're a funny guy, Xander, but Angel was the one who liked his girls young," Spike replied, smirking.

<Faith rolled her eyes, clearly more irritated than amused at the banter. She stepped up into Slayer pre-battle mode.

<"As great fun as it is, listening you guys tease each other about sex, we really need to get going. I need all of you at the top of your game. Our main objective tonight is to release the prisoners and take out the big head honcho. Stay safe and try not get killed. Any questions?" Faith asked as she opened the apartment door.

<Xander raised his hand but did not wait for Faith to acknowledge him before he asked his question. "Is she really going to wear that?" he inquired, pointing to Mena.

<"Yes," Mena answered sharply.

<Xander dropped the complaint, knowing that as much as he hated her wearing the outfit, it was not use fighting with a Slayer who had made up her mind.

<"Let's get this show on the road. Want this bloke dusted before sunrise," Spike said anxious to get to the club.

<"I never thought I'd say this, but I agree with Spike," Robin said with a slight smile.

<Spike nodded at him just as Faith swung the door open, and the very determined group headed for the club.

~~~~~~~~

<The group arrived at the large club that was situated in the Waterfront hot spot for Cleveland night life and vampire activity known as The Flats.

<Spike could smell all of the young people around him. He could almost taste the delicious, warm blood inside of them. It was tempting for him, yet he would never dare drink human blood again.

<The club, Metropolis, was located on the west side of the strip and was apparently quite popular. Spike observed the club-goers who were in line at the door; all appeared to be human. He reckoned most of the vampires must already be inside.

<"I can't believe how easy this club was to get into; you would think He would have at least looked at me when I said I forgot my license at home. I am sure this place is positively loaded with underage drinkers. We really should report this establishment to the state and have their liquor license revoked," Mena said in obvious irritation as the group walked down a long hallway that lead to the entrance of the dance floor.

<"Personally, I am kind of hoping that we shut this place down for good. There are plenty of hot bars in this town where the patrons don't get eaten," Robin said.

<Faith nodded in agreement, "Although, I do have to give this place props. It's cool and happening and really rocks -- except for the vamps. So here is the plan. Robin and I are going to take the dance floor and get our groove on because most of the vamps in this town already know us, and, well, let's just say we're not going to get an invite downstairs anytime soon, not by a vampire anyway."

<"Not bloody likely," Spike agreed.

<"Spike, you and Xander should probably head to the bar and chat up the ladies. There are always vamp-ho'es hanging about. Some of them may have passes to get downstairs, so play along and try to get invited to come with. Hopefully, that will get us in there. If that doesn't work, we will just break down the door. That's the door that I want you to standby, Mena, and watch who is going in and out, but don't make it too obvious that you are spying. "

<"Yes, ma'am," Xander said in mock sarcasm as Faith finished outlining her plan to the group.

<It was strange seeing Faith in such a commanding role; it made Spike think of Buffy. He wondered how she would handle the situation. She probably would just go in and break down the door to Kevin's VIP area to begin with. Buffy always loved making an entrance. He would have imagined Faith to be that kind of Slayer as well. This bloke must really be something, if he's got Faith taking such precautions.

<The group followed Faith through the door to the dance floor. Spike was amazed at how nice a club it was, definitely not the sleazy kind of bar that one might expect vampires to run. It was very crowded, the clientele consisting mostly of college-aged people, dancing provocatively on the floor that was illuminated by colorful lights hanging from the ceiling. The music was so loud that you could feel the vibrations of the sound system throughout your body.

<"See you guys later," Faith yelled loudly to the group, so that they could hear her over the techno music being spun by the DJ. She and Wood headed toward the overcrowded dance floor.

<"I guess Spike and I should go and buy a few of those nice ladies some drinks," Xander said as he pointed to some of the girls at the bar who were dressed in what was probably meant to be vampire attire.

<"Chumu, guys," Mena said as she left to locate the VIP door of the club.

<Spike looked over at Xander with a questioning expression on his face.

<"She said good luck," Xander told him. "My guess is we are going to need all the luck we can get. Those girls don't really look all that approachable," Xander said as he stared at the girls dressed in the vamp clothing at the bar.

<"Those girls remind me of that vampire-loving cult in Sunnydale. You know, the ones I was supposed to turn but was really only going to eat; that is, until Buffy stopped me," Spike mused. "Stupid bints. Someone really should teach those wannabe losers how real vampires dress," he added as he and Xander started to walk over to the bar.

<"Maybe that can be your next career move. You could publish a book called How to Dress like a Vampire," Xander replied with a laugh.

<"Hey, that is a bloody good idea. I should impart my knowledge to the world as a public service," Spike said.

<"So, exactly how do you think we should go about making moves on these girls?" Xander asked Spike, figuring he was far better at the flirting than the latter ever be.

<Spike smirked, "Don't worry, mate, just watch me," Spike said as he walked over to girls dressed in their idea of "vamp-wear", which consisted of long, black dresses with bell-shaped sleeves.

<The girls had dark hair and pale skin that was obviously achieved by makeup. They were probably what some people would consider "Goth", a look that always kind of repelled Spike. Some people might consider Dru a gothic type of vampire, but it was merely her hair color that made her appear that way. She didn't always dress in old-fashioned clothes. Sometimes Dru wore extremely modern, fashionable attire, although it's true that her color scheme was often black, white or red.

<"Hello, ladies. My friend and I were just wondering if you would care for a drink."

<Spike looked at Xander for backup, but he just gave a goofy smile and a nod in the girls' direction, (but) one of them, a plump girl, seemed to be very taken by the Watcher.

<"I would love to have a drink," she said with an enthusiastic smile.

<The other girl was not as taken by Spike; she seemed to be suspicious of him. Or maybe she was just a moody girl. Whatever it was, she was not that impressed with the vampire. Spike tried to get the girl talking, who after ten minutes, she finally revealed her name was Eve.

<"Knew a girl named Eve when I was in L.A. Interesting bint, she was," Spike said with a laugh. "Always kept you guessing."

<Eve did not find his conversation very intriguing at all and just stared blankly at the Sex on the Beach he had ordered for her.

<"Gabby, I'm bored. Maybe we can use that pass to get downstairs now," Eve said, turning to her friend who had engaged in a lively conversation with Xander.

<"Oh," Gabby said, looking sadly at her friend. "But I'm really having fun talking to Xander. Hey, maybe you and your friend could join us."

<"That sounds like a wonderful idea. You game?" Xander asked Spike with a smile.

<Spike was thankful that Xander had achieved much more luck with Gabby than he had with Eve, or else they would be back to Faith's plan of kicking down the door. Of course, that did not seem like such a bad idea at the present time.

<"Oh, yeah. I would love to go downstairs, but we should make sure the others join us as well," Spike said reminding Xander of the Slayers and Wood.

<"Others?" Gabby asked hesitantly.

<"Yeah," Xander added with caution, "we came with three other friends of ours. Two girls and a guy. If we go anywhere, we ought to include them in the fun," Xander said trying to sound as natural as possible, so that the girls did not get suspicious.

<"Oh, I don't think that should be a problem at all," Gabby replied, smiling. "The more, the merrier."

<Eve glared at the other girl, obviously disagreeing about whether or not this was a good idea, but Spike had expected as much. In the end, it did not matter if Eve wanted them there or not. Gabby was their way downstairs.

<Xander asked Gabby and Eve to wait for a moment while he and Spike went to look for Faith and Wood. The dance floor was packed with people, and finding the two of them was proving to be nearly impossible.

<"Don't you have vampire scent that can just zero in on them no matter where they are?" Xander asked in frustration.

<Spike rolled his eyes, "It's not exactly easy to pick up a scent with all of these people around. It makes it bloody hard to trace anyone."

<"I always thought you had some kind of vamp radar that could triangulate on a Slayer in a crowd. You always seemed to be able to find Buffy."

<"Doing my best, mate."

<Spike was just about to give up his search when he got a tap on his shoulder. He turned to see Faith and Wood standing there smiling.

<"Looking for us?" Wood asked.

<Xander and Spike were tempted to punch both Faith and Wood right then and there, but decided it was probably not the best thing to do. They told the couple that Xander had made a friend with a pass to get through the door.

<"Way to go, Xan," Faith said giving him a high five.

<"Thanks. I really didn't do anything; the girl did most of the talking," Xander said blushing.

<"We had better get back to those girls quickly. Eve might convince your admirer to leave us out here," Spike said.

<The group made their way back to the bar. Luckily, they were still where the boys had left them, although the girls were visibly upset. Perhaps they had been arguing. The group made their basic introductions before starting over to the VIP door.

<When they got to the VIP door to the basement, Spike laughed at how silly it seemed. It was a purple door with a yellow star on it. The letters VIP were written on the star. Mena smiled as she saw her group approach from her position along the back wall.

<"There you are," she said, smiling at her friends as they prepared to go into the basement.

<Spike watched as Gabby slid a VIP card into a strip in order to get the door to open. Spike was both nervous and excited about what awaited them behind those doors. He only hoped there were not too many of them down there, and that his team would come out the victors in this fight.

~~~~~~~~

<Like a scene pulled from a cheesy show of the eighties, the door slid slowly open to reveal the darkened mouth of a long stone stairwell, dimly lit by a few torches. Spike shook his head in disappointment at the rather dire attempt at dramatics, catching Faith's unimpressed stare as she walked up to him. They all shared a glance before beginning their descent, following Gabby and Eve while they chattered excitedly ahead of them.

<"This is supposed to be hot, you guys," Gabby was gushing, stealing a glance back at Xander with obvious intent. "Very few people get the pass. Eve and I got it at the entrance! Can you believe it? The bouncer said we had the style to fit in."

<"Oh, you've never gone down here before then?" Mena asked from where she walked next to Xander, stealing a nervous glance around their surroundings. "Is it a private party of sorts?"

<Whatever reply the Goth girls were going to give was forgotten as they reached the bottom of the stairs. Spike hurried forward in the group to take in the scene. A huge room stood before them in a sort of parody to the clubs upstairs. The dimmed lightening did little to hide the vampires that crowded the room, sensuous bodies dancing to a low beat while fangs gleamed clearly from their grinning faces. Most of them were unconcerned by their arrival, busy as they were terrorizing the humans in their grasp. Spike was the first to notice the centerpiece within the surreal ambiance, a dungeon near the back of the room with thick steel bars that separated the victims from their predators.

<The tang of fear coming from the group of humans locked in there hit Spike like a punch, and he took an involuntary step forward even as he felt Faith's hand land heavily on his shoulder.

<"There must be at least thirty vampires in here," she hissed at him, and Spike turned worried eyes to her and the rest of the group. Unsurprising were the shocked faces that greeted him, as Xander and Mena took in the large nest in front of them. Wood's expression hadn't altered, though Spike read the sudden coldness in his eyes and didn't blame him for it. He didn't want to expose the lot of them to these odds, but even as he stood there, he felt his fists balling up in anger. From the cage, the thunderous beat of frightened heartbeats hummed in his ears, and he calculated there were about twenty humans in this room, not counting those who came with him.

<Grim determination marring his features, Spike grabbed Gabby and Eve from where they stood in front of him, observing the scene in confusion, and yanked them back while ignoring their cries of outrage at the rough treatment. "Listen to me," he called to them, making sure the annoyed women were aware of the seriousness of the situation. "You need to get out of here, now. This isn't safe."

<"What are you talking about?" Eve asked irritably. "This is obviously some sort of role-play here, fun and games. Did you check out the costumes? They even have the whole settings. We're not wasting our passes by leaving…"

<Just then a woman screamed, and Spike decided he couldn't afford to waste more time. "Xander, get them out of here!" he ordered. He turned to face the room, only to find a burly vampire holding a middle-aged woman by the scruff of her neck against the wall, laughing as she clawed uselessly against his grip. He started forward, comforted as he saw Faith moving to do the same, while Wood stood close to Mena in the rear.

<Walking straight to the vampire, Spike tapped him on the shoulder, waiting until he turned to face them to strike a hit right into the brute's nose. Crying out, the vampire immediately released his grip on the woman, choosing instead to roar at Spike while attempting to tackle him. Faith used the distraction and led the weeping woman towards the stairs. Spike easily sidestepped the attack, noticing that the fight was drawing the attention of the vampires around them, and that a face-off was becoming inevitable.

<Aware he couldn't dally now, Spike aimed a kick straight for the other vampire's knees before the undead brute could regain his balance, effectively toppling him over. In one quick motion, Spike pulled a stake from his pant leg and slammed it straight into his opponent's back, piercing the heart. As the doomed vamp exploded into ashes, Spike stood assuredly in the sudden silence that fell over the room, smirking at the many gazes that rested on him.

<"Hello, mates," he called cheerily, quickly scanning the room to make sure everyone was standing ready for the upcoming fight. Wood nodded at him curtly, while Faith pulled her stake from her jacket. Spike grinned madly, sweeping his eyes over the rest of the room to seek the vampires that would represent the biggest threat. "Anyone else want a quick tumble then?"

<And that's when all hell broke loose.

<From out of nowhere, Spike found his arms being grabbed from behind with an unyielding grip that threatened to grind muscle and bone into a permanent puddle if he didn't move quickly. Honed reflexes, however, and years of having Angelus trap him in similar grips were enough to make him react almost with no thought; as his attacker drew Spike closer to take a bite, Spike threw his head back in a sudden violent move, assuredly stunning the other vampire enough that he loosened his grip on his trapped arms. Using the advantage, Spike swirled around and smacked the vampire in the chin in two strikes that dazed him enough to make him oblivious to the stake that sealed his fate.

<"One down, a bloody lot to go," he muttered gamely, taking a second to look around by hopping onto an overturned chair, dismayed to find the room in utter chaos. His group thankfully, was managing to stay together, and Faith was easily dispatching the fledglings stupid enough to attack her first. Robin was working to keep the exit clear; Mena was a blur of motion close by. Toward the back of the room, closer to the bar, Xander was fighting a female vamp whose moves indicated more experience than Spike would have expected from a vampire found in this den; before he could go offer assistance, though, a flying barstool hit her squarely in the back, dropping her forward and directly onto Xander's raised stake.

<With a shake of his head, Spike jumped down onto the back of a male vampire heading for Mena, who was holding her own, much to Spike's relief. He used his own momentum to drop them both onto the floor, wrestling savagely for control until he managed a firm grip on the stake. As he raised it, though, a kick to the head sent him flying onto the bar, smashing the shot glasses lined there in a crashing cacophony of breaking glass.

<Struggling to regain his footing and ignoring the minor cuts he suffered, Spike came face to face with a grinning woman whose red lips came from something other than lipstick. "There now," She laughed "You'd wanted a tumble." And with a snarl, she rushed forward, her surprisingly strong grip closing on each side of his face, ready to snap his neck in two. She'd forgotten his hands, though, and wasn't fast enough to stop the stake he'd kept a firm hold on from imbedding itself on her chest. Soon enough, as Spike tried to make his way back to the group, a fledging hurled himself at him, swinging hits that were almost laughable in their lack of technique. Spike grabbed him by the lapels of his expensive jacket, swinging him to the side and straight into the vamp that Wood was fighting with. Grinning faintly at the other man's slightly affronted expression, Spike barely ducked in time to avoid a broken bottle flying at his face.

<Already there was an obvious decrease in the horde of vampires they were facing. With a frown, Spike glanced around, noticing some of their adversaries were moving away from the fight, rushing toward a side door of this bizarre imitation of a human club. With a cry, Spike ran after them, intent of stopping them, but most had already escaped by the time he got there. Looking to make sure his team had the fight well controlled, and satisfied to notice less than six vampires left, he decided to block this exit instead, and he threw two overturned tables into it, stopping further escapes. Turning his attention towards the dungeon, he went to the cell door, frustrated at the trap the steel presented and trying to ignore the humans' pleas for freedom ringing in his ears as he tried to think of what to do.

<Just then, a friendly hand landed lightly on his shoulder, dangling a set of keys. Spike turned to thank his friend, and froze instead when he found himself face to face with a vampire.

<A frighteningly familiar vampire.

<Spike turned around in the gentle grip, the dying fight around them becoming background noise as he stared straight into the vampire's laughing eyes. Kevin.

<The other vampire seemed awfully calm for someone whose club was being smashed to pieces, but that was the faintest of worries in Spike's mind at the moment. The captive humans were shouting for help from the dungeon behind him, making it hard for him to concentrate.

<"Long time since you've come to visit, Spike," Kevin said lightly, his smile never faltering on smooth features. He looked every inch the businessman standing there in what was more than likely a designer suit. Except that when you really looked at him, his eyes, his slightly off expression, he so obviously wasn't. "Somehow I hadn't been expecting you to come along quite like this."

<Spike blinked, grinning cockily even while he was trying to pull himself together. He hadn't been expecting a standoff with Kevin so early on. "Well, I never did get an invite, mate. That's terribly rude of you. Pretty playground you've made here and all."

<"Oh, but we were expecting you, Spike," Kevin informed him simply, suddenly extending his hand with the dangling keys in it. "I assume you want the tasty snacks to walk away and give us a moment alone to catch up, don't you? You're all soul-having now, or so I hear. Must be quite the story."

<"Not much to it," Spike said easily, not once taking his eyes off Kevin. Inwardly he winced, trying to understand how the vamp had found out about the soul so quickly. This would be easier without that tid-bit of shared knowledge. "What's the price for those?" Spike asked, nodding towards the keys.

<"No price for you," Kevin smiled innocently, the expression somehow twisting his features into something darker. His eyes were blank and brighter than normal for anyone who hadn't died full on acid. Kevin looked towards the last vestiges of the fight going on behind them, watching without a reaction as the last of the vampires was dusted. "Let's just get your minions out of the way, shall we? I think I'd rather keep this in the family."

<Spike was unsurprised when the keys were yanked from Kevin's hand before he could respond by the steady hand of the woman that came to stand by him, Faith's wary gaze betraying the offensive move. Staying next to Spike, she seemed to take her time measuring Kevin with cold regard, finally face-to-face with the mind behind most of this city's problems. The stake was gripped firmly in her hand.

<"Kevin, isn't it?" she called flippantly while tossing the keys to Robin's waiting hand. The man quickly unlocked the cell, and the freed humans wasted no time in running to the exit in a thunderous clamor that left the rest behind, standing in tense silence.

<Kevin, still unnaturally calm while surrounded by the enemy, smiled at Spike. That's when Spike realized the side-door was once again unblocked and there were vamps coming from it, trying to block the access to the upper level by closing the heavy doors in front of them. His cry alerted Xander and Mena of the danger behind them, though, and they were quickly followed by Robin in the fight against the vampires. Faith remained at Spike's side, seemingly ready to stake Kevin at the slightest opportunity. Spike knew the chance of success was slim. Spike had already seen the curved dagger gripped in Kevin's left hand, and he was pretty sure the Slayer had seen it also. Kevin, if memory served, had always had a knack with knives.

<"You must be the Slayer," Kevin drawled, moving to lean against the bars of the dungeon. There was a hint of a familiar madness in his eyes, and Spike felt his unease reach new levels. "I'd say it's a pleasure but - you understand."

<"You don't remember me, Kevvy, I'm crushed!" Faith said in a mocking tone.

<"We've met before? Must not have been a very difficult fight." "Well, maybe this time you'll remember me," Faith replied as she kicked the vampire in the face.

<"Spike, Watch out!" Xander called out, and Spike stepped aside in time to make the fledging coming at him stumble. He pounced on him, staking him immediately. Noticing with a tinge of worry that there were more vampires coming from the side door, Spike looked towards Faith to see the same expression on her face.

<Kevin watched them both with a calculating glint, his smile utterly amused. "Spike, I'd much rather if this were between us. There's so much to tell each other, isn't there? And I've so much to show you! I'd bet I could even shock you with some of it."

<"Doubt it, mate," Spike called back at him, circling around a female vamp that held a broken chair leg as a weapon. Fortunately, the tensing of her whole body was warning enough, and Spike was able to disarm her, kicking her in the side and toppling her over in time to be staked without much fuss. "You know, I've seen plenty in my day."

<"Spike, let's get out here!" He heard Faith call to him, but didn't turn around to acknowledge her. Kevin seemed to be waiting for him to run. It infuriated him. "There's too many! Spike!"

<And she was right. Spike looked around to notice the vamps were easily herding them away from the exits, trying to circle them and block all escape. They had no major plan to deal with this, and no hope to bring Kevin down while they were surrounded so. The earlier victory was quickly becoming meaningless.

<Spike met Kevin's eyes squarely, a stand-off of wills and an acknowledgment of a shared past that lasted only until he felt Xander's violent grip in his arm.

<"Let's go. Right now," Xander urged, wary eyes trained on Kevin.

<After grinding his teeth for a seemingly endless moment, Spike finally turned away from Kevin's gaze and let Xander herd him towards the rest of the group, where he noticed for the first time how weary all of them looked. Spike growled, unleashing his helpless rage against anything that tried to block their retreat towards the stairwell, not once turning around to acknowledge Kevin. Faith was the one who pushed him toward the stairs and kept him going when they reached them, her firm grip guiding him forward.

<Just before reaching the top of the steps, Spike heard a hauntingly familiar laugh echoing around them. Freezing for a second, he made to turn around to see, but Faith's grip on his arm only got firmer, pushing him onwards. Robin opened the door that led back to the human's club, while Kevin's mocking voice reached them from beneath.

<"I'll be waiting Spike!"

~~~~~~~~

<The group headed over to a downtown eatery, called The Sanctuary, that was near Kevin's club. It was a large, dimly-lit restaurant, with factory style ceilings and a huge bar. If Spike wasn't sure that he needed his full mental capacities that night, he would've headed over to the bar to get himself completely wasted; but he knew that the group needed him to help come up with a plan on how to deal with Kevin and his minions.

<Spike watched as the rest of the group ordered huge plates of Buffalo wings and hamburgers that were loaded with all the goods, yet he still had no desire to eat. This place even had a blooming onion, but he could not bring himself to order it.

<It just did not seem quite real; it was almost like the whole thing had been a dream. He never would have imagined that the stupid, hippie bloke who Drusilla sired at Woodstock would have escaped being dusted for over 35 years, let alone be a successful bar owner, with a large coterie of minions. And not just minions, but Aurelian minions, if Kevin and his offspring had sired all of them.

<Spike also replayed the laugh that he had heard echoing in the lair as they left. He would know that laugh anywhere. It was her laugh.

<Spike looked around at the rest of the group, who were sitting around the circular table, staring at him but not saying a word. He was pretty sure they didn't know what to say. They all saw that conversation in the dungeon and noticed that he really did not want to leave. Some part of each of them was probably wondering if they should even trust him. The other part was just waiting for him to speak.

<"Kevin was sired by Drusilla when we were at Woodstock," he told them.

<"Boy, she really knows how to pick them, doesn't she?" Xander said with a mocking tone.

<"Hey now, I turned out all right in the end," Spike replied.

<"Who is Drusilla?" Robin asked quietly. He intended for the question to be heard only by Faith, but Spike heard it, of course, and decided to respond.

<Spike took a deep breath and began to speak softly, "Drusilla is my sire. She and I were together for over a hundred years. We broke up only a few years ago, actually, soon after I made my first alliance with Buffy. Dru was never happy about that, so she sent me packing, and that's what led me back to Sunnydale. Guess you could say that, in a way, that's why I'm here today."

<Xander laughed. "You make it sound like a fairy tale. The truth is, you first helped Buffy only because Dru was busy making eyes at Angelus, and you couldn't handle that."

<Mena rolled her eyes in frustration. "Can we just focus on the task at hand instead of digging up your entire life history? Spike, you said that Drusilla sired Kevin. That makes him like a brother to you?" she asked, trying to see if she understood the situation at all.

<Spike nodded. "Well, guess you could say that. It makes us from the same line of vampires. Really didn't know the guy very well. Talked a bit at Woodstock and gave him some advice before we parted ways."

<Robin raised his eyebrows at this, "What kind of advice?"

<"Just, you know, taught him how to feed, where to find blokes to feed off of, how to lure them into your trap and then dispose of the bodies. It's typical for any fledging to be taught that when they are first turned," Spike said, purposefully not mentioning anything that might suggest that he'd encouraged Kevin take over the world.

<"So, you were like his mentor, and now here he is thirty some years later wanting to take over the world. Bet you feel real proud of that, huh?" Xander said with a smirk.

<"Xander!" Mena snapped.

<"No, pet, he's right. Seeing that Kevin today riled me up good. That's why I think it would be best if you lot stay home tomorrow and let me deal with my little brother. He's my responsibility."

<Faith laughed bitterly. "Didn't you get your brain back when you returned from dust? Because that's got to be the lamest excuse to keep us out of the situation that I have ever heard! And, trust me, I've heard some lame ones. Hell, I've even given some weak ones myself, but none of them were that lame."

<Spike stared at her and sighed. He knew that it was not going to be easy to convince them to stay out of the lair, but he really felt it was something that he had to do by himself. Besides, with Drusilla being in town, there was no way he was going to risk anyone getting stake-happy with her. She was far too important to him. If anyone was going to have to kill or be killed by Dru, it was going to be him.

<"It's not just because of Kevin that I feel I should do this on my own. As we were leaving, I heard Drusilla laughing," Spike told the group.

<"Can I say whoa? I mean, are you sure? There were plenty of other vampires there; how do you know it was her laugh?" Xander asked in high-pitched, shocked voice.

<"I was with the lady for over a century, Harris. I believe I know what her laugh sounds like," Spike said, quite irritated at the continued questions.

<"Really shouldn't be surprised, now that I think about it. Family has always been really important to Drusilla. If she can't have me, and with both Angel and Darla gone, it makes sense that she'd look for other family members," Spike said somewhat sadly.

<"Well, that doesn't change anything. We still need to go in there with a full attack. I have tracked this vampire leader far too long," Faith said quickly, "to just sit back and do nothing."

<"You're wrong. It changes everything," Spike snapped. "Listen, I told you guys already, this is my fight. My responsibility. You can think whatever you want about Drusilla, but really, underneath it all, she is not completely responsible for her actions. She did not ask for any of this to happen to her. She is like a child---"

<"A psycho-killer child," Xander interrupted.

<"If she ends up dust tomorrow, it'll be because I staked her," Spike said sternly.

<"Maybe Spike is right," Mena said.

<Spike could not help but smile at the Slayer for her support in this matter. However, the other people at the table did not seem to have the same reaction and were glaring at the girl.

<Mena continued on, tentatively, as she looked around the table. The events of the night's attack had weighed heavily on the girl's mind. She was sure that had they acted in a more cautious manner, the whole situation would have turned out to their advantage.

<"I mean, since Spike is the most familiar with Kevin and Drusilla, then it makes sense that he'd be the best person to go in there and talk them down. It's not going to do any good to try another full-on ambush like we did today. We'll just get ourselves killed, even if takes more precautions tomorrow."

<Xander laughed. "Mena, they aren't going to just give up and surrender on their own. They are vampires, and they know they've got the numbers on their side."

<"No, but they bloody well might get to a point where they trust me again. I'm a smooth talker, Harris, you should know that," Spike responded with a smirk.

<After several more minutes of debating, the group finally decided to allow Spike to go to Kevin's on his own. If he could lull the vampires into a sense of security, then they would not be expecting a surprise attack from the others. They decided that the best time for the attack would be the very next afternoon. Spike would go ahead of the rest of the group, through the underground sewer system. Mena, using her expert hacking skills, would acquire the layout for him. That way, his arrival might manage to surprise Kevin and Drusilla, and he could pretend to have come in peace, without having alerted the Slayers and Watchers to his plans.

<Of course, the rest of the group was going to follow through the main club entrance. They were to wait for the signal, a shout from Spike, before breaking down the door. The whole idea of this plan made Spike very nervous. He didn't much care what happened to Wood, but he didn't want any of the others to die. And truth be told, he couldn't honestly bring himself to hope for Drusilla to meet her dusty death either. He could hardly wait for the next day to be over, and he hoped that the end result would be the best possible scenario.

~~~~~~~~

<The group arrived back at the hotel completely exhausted from the night's battle. However, Mena was still determined to hack into the city's computer records that night so that the group would be highly prepared in the morning when they returned to Kevin's lair. To Mena's surprise, Cleveland's sewer layout was very easy to hack into.

<"I was expecting it to be a bit harder than that. Most cities don't like to divulge their underground sewer system information so readily --- you know, what with the possibility of terrorist activities, let alone demons. However, anyone with even the most minor hacking abilities would be able to pull these up," Mena mused, staring into the laptop.

<"Well, it makes sense if you try to see it from the perspective of Spike's vampire buddy Kevin and his psycho ex-girlfriend Drusilla," Xander said.

<"Hey!" Spike retorted.

<Xander rolled his eyes at Spike's interjection but continued, "Seriously, though, if you think about it, Kevin has lots of connections. He probably also has plenty of friends on the City Council, which means he can get access to pretty much anything on the city's website that he and his sewer dwelling friends want. Also, for an added bonus, it's really easy to hack into, so he doesn't even need to make sure his minions are smart."

<Mena nodded, "I suppose so," she said with a yawn. "It's been a really long day. I'm going to get some sleep. Spike, make sure you study that. From what I can see, there doesn't seem to be a direct route from here to Kevin's club, so you are going to have to create a plan---"

<Mena looked away from her laptop to see the vampire staring off into the Cleveland skyline in the hotel window. "Spike?" she asked tentatively.

<The city lights had immediately drawn Spike's attention, not because of any affinity for city lights, but because he figured he could stare at them and think without anyone knowing what he was doing. As he looked down on Cleveland's buildings and parks and homes, he thought about Drusilla and Kevin. Two vampires tied to his past. Tied to his sins.

<In many ways, Spike felt personally responsible for both of them. If only I hadn't given Kevin advice on taking over the world; if only I had never fallen in love with Buffy; if only I had never gotten a soul. If only… His thoughts raced through his mind.

<Spike could continue all night, reminding himself of his past sins in hopes that somehow that would take away the pent up guilt that had been lingering inside of him for so long. Guilt was not a new theme for Spike, lately, as he had spent countless hours wishing he could change certain past events.

<Fred's apparition in the Colorado caves had recently told him that he harbored too much guilt over his past. She said that if he continued to hang on to this much pain it would only harm him and everyone else. She was right. What good was all this guilt really doing for him or anyone else in the long run? He had to let it go. He certainly didn't want to turn into Mr. Broody Pants, Junior.

<On the other hand, he wasn't completely positive that was actually Fred in the caves. Her soul was supposed to have been destroyed during the resurrection of Illyria. At least, that's what they had been told. So how could she have visited him?

<Of course, it wouldn't have been the first time he had been mislead or outright lied to by someone. That apparition had really seemed like the Fred he knew and cared about. Maybe Fred's soul was rescued at the last second by The Powers That Be? If he ever had another chance to ask her or Angel or any of them about that, he needed to know if her soul was indeed safe. At any rate, the advice the vision quest Fred had given him had been spot on.

<"William the Bloody, scourge of Europe!" Xander yelled loudly, interrupting Spike from his thoughts.

<"What?" Spike said, barely conscious of what was being said around him.

<"Are you okay?" Mena asked, concerned.

<"Yeah, I'm fine. Just tired. So did you find everything all right, love?" he asked Mena, trying to draw attention away from himself.

<Mena nodded, "It was very easy to access, in fact. The sewer system seems a bit complex, but I'm sure that you can read these things much better than I can," she said with a laugh. "Are you sure you're okay? I mean, you zoned out for quite sometime."

<"I'm all right. Don't go worrying about me. Need our girl at the top of her game tomorrow, don't we?"

<Mena nodded, smiling. "I know, but you know me --- I like to worry sometimes. Makes me feel useful," she said with a slight laugh. "Well, I am going to head to my room and try and get some sleep. Twesha!"

<"Twesha," the two men responded in unison as they wished the Slayer a goodnight.

<"That Mena sure is something, isn't she? Hacking into the city records and all," Spike said as he stared at the laptop once Mena had left the room.

<"That she is. Watching her hack reminds me so much of Willow. Just like old times in some ways," Xander mused.

<Spike raised his eyebrows at Xander's words. "Do the world a favor, Harris. Keep that Slayer of yours away from magic. We already have one super smart witch; really don't think we need another one. Can't even imagine how much power a bloody Slayer/witch would have."

<Xander laughed. "I'll try my best, but you know Mena --- she will probably consult her Slayers' Handbook before telling me whether or not I'm right."

<"Come off of it! Mena is fifteen, Harris. She doesn't want to listen to you because that's just the way teenagers are. It's in the bloody Teens' Handbook. Eventually, she'll come around. And we both know that Mena listens a hell of a lot better than Buffy ever did."

<Xander sighed. He hated when comparisons of his best friends and Mena were made, but it was something that he couldn't seem to resist doing. Sometimes he worried that Mena was not nearly as strong as Buffy was at her age.

<"I worry about Mena sometimes. Especially before a battle, and I know there is a part of you that's probably worried, too, about what might happen if Drusilla gets her hands on Mena tomorrow."

<"Yeah, I know," agreed Spike.

<"It could just be that I was very naïve back then, and we were so young, but sometimes I think Buffy was much stronger than Mena. Maybe it was just the people around her. I don't know. But I look at Mena and fear for her. I fear everyday that I'm going to lose her. I have lost so many people in my life, and I don't think I can handle losing another."

<Tears had started to form in Xander's eyes as he finished talking, and he visibly shook himself to try to break out of that mood. His mind scrambled for something else to focus on.

<Spike stared at the man. He had spent a great deal of time with Xander, but this was the first time he could remember that he had ever seen the man cry in front of him. Spike did not know what to do or what to say to make him feel better.

<"Listen, I love the girl, too. You know that, right? I would never let anything happen to her. You know how I am with people I love. She is going to be fine. Mena is strong, much stronger than you give her credit for. And I bet you anything that she'll take it to heart if you make it clear that you're telling her something that you consider to be of dire importance. Talk to her very seriously tomorrow. Tell her everything you know about Drusilla and tell it to her straight. Do your job as a Watcher. That's all you can do. She knows you love her and care about her well-being."

<Xander laughed bitterly. "Yeah, I know how you are with people you love. I know, because I found my best friend on the floor, in pain and crying because of what you had done to her! So, yeah, if that is how you treat people you love, maybe I shouldn't trust you with Mena or anyone else."

<Spike just stared at the other man. He could not believe what he had just heard. He and Xander had always riled each other up, but that was low, even for Harris. He took a deep breath and tried to calm himself down. It was the only way he could keep from attacking the other man, right then and there. He had figured that sooner or later, Harris would make a comment about his past with Buffy, but this seemed to come right out of the blue. And for Harris to say that he might, in fact, harm Mena was more out of line than he would ever have expected.

<"I am not going to apologize for things that happened between Buffy and me. They are a private matter for the two of us to deal with and don't concern you at all. As for that time in my life --- can't change what I did without my soul. Can't change the past at all. But if I could, there are any number of things that I'd change." He was trying to stay calm, but he could feel his temper rising.

<"Your soul, right. Angel had a soul and then he lost it. How can I be sure you're not going to go and do the same? You and Buffy ever test that out?"

<"You're off your rocker if you really think I'm going to tell you about our sex life. And my soul is anchored, you git. I wasn't cursed like Angel; you know that. But I wonder, with the way you have acted sometimes, about the state of your own soul!" Spike said, giving Xander a cold glare.

<"What do you mean by that?" said Xander as he rose from his bed.

<"Not the one who left my gorgeous fiancé at the altar, am I? Didn't even have the balls to stick around and help her deal with the announcement to all the guests! And then you returned, claiming to still be in love," Spike sneered.

<"Don't you dare bring Anya into this!" Xander shouted as he approached the vampire and stood very close to his face.

<"Why not? Hate to be called on your own mistakes? Afraid to admit that it hasn't always been hugs and puppies in your past? You know, Harris, the day you decide to grow up and be a man, let me know. I'll throw a party."

<Spike turned to walk out the door. He couldn't handle being in this room a moment longer. He had more important things to think about than fighting with Alexander Harris. He put his hand on the door and then it hit him. Even if he was fighting with Harris, Mena still needed him, and he still needed Mena. Spike turned to Xander as he spoke.

<"Listen, I'm only telling you this because there is a young girl next door who we both love very much. I think somewhere in that thick skull of yours, you know that. I know that Dru killed a Slayer, but as long as Mena doesn't fall under her spell, I don't think Dru can hurt her. Drusilla is strong, but she's not nearly as strong as a Slayer. She just has thrall. Make sure Mena understands that and never focuses on Dru's eyes. I would tell her, but it's your job and all," Spike said as he turned to leave.

<"Where do you think you're going?" Xander asked.

<"Think we both know that I can't stay here right now. Just make sure Mena and Faith come to the club tomorrow. Really need their back-up."

<With that, Spike left the room and entered the cold, dark city of the Hellmouth.

<Xander stared at the closed door for long minutes, pose rigid with anger and frustration, before the fight went out of his body in a rush. With a sigh, he sank down on his bed, head cradled in shaking hands.

<"Stupid!" He muttered angrily to himself, briefly looking up to the door to Mena's room, then to the back to the spot where Spike had just been standing. "Stupid." He mumbled again, quietly now, before lapsing on to silence.

~~~~~~~~

<Staring sightlessly out of his hotel window, Mike looked over the Cleveland buildings around the area with absolute disinterest. Things had once again gotten complicated. Since his last assignment, the drive to go by his orders and take care of his job as fast as possible had diminished in spades, apparently dying along with his last partner. Damnit, he'd liked Tom. He had been a nice guy, in this because of his family, and because it was the best job opportunity they could possibly have. Working for Wolfram and Hart, no matter the position, had merits everywhere.

<Sighing, Mike closed his eyes briefly, thinking over the last few days. Traveling endlessly, making the arrangement to deliver Tom's body to his superiors, dealing with the fact that the vampire he was supposed to keep an eye on, the one that may or may not be terminated in short notice, had saved his life. The werewolves' incident in Chicago had shaken him up beyond measure, and since then he'd been pondering the wisdom of his current job. But it wasn't a matter or choice any longer. He was up to his neck in this, and there was no way to back down with his life intact.

<The ringing of his telephone startled him out of his musings, the shrill ringing adding a painful stab to his already throbbing temples. Glaring uselessly at it for a few seconds, Mike finally moved to answer it, allowing his tired body to sink into the inviting softness of his bed.

<"Mike here," He said unnecessarily, focusing his eyes onto a small stain in the room's ceiling.

<"I presume you are already on location," Sirk's perpetually irked tones droned over the line.

<"Yes Sir," Mike drawled slowly, aware he was doing himself no favors, but unable to conjure up anything in the way of 'respectful' into his tone of voice. "What does the assignment involve this time around? I haven't been informed of the mission."

<"The mission has taken a slight turn," Sirk answered curtly, but the smug satisfaction of his tone put Mike on edge immediately. "After your latest...disaster, measures have been taken to assure you are an asset to the team, rather than a hindrance."

<"Sir?" Mike answered hesitantly, sitting up on the bed. "What happened in Chicago was hardly controllable...Tom and I did what we..."

<"Yes, Tom, of course." Sirk interrupted swiftly, bored tones still tinged with a dark amusement that Mike was beginning to loathe. "Your last partner. Tell me, Mike, exactly how many of them are you planning on outliving?"

<"Sir..."

<"No need for excuses," Sirk snapped suddenly, anger barely contained into a harsh tone. "Our firm has no place for them. It has been determined that Spike is apparently, far beyond your abilities, therefore, there has been a change of plans. Expect your new partner to meet you there tonight. We will tolerate no more mistakes."

<"Sir, I am perfectly capable..." Mike stumbled over the words, gritting his teeth in bafflement.

<"We have yet to see that." Sirk said simply. "Be sure to measure up to your partner's credentials. You'll find you are being sent the best the Senior Partners have to offer. Directly from Beijing, she holds a flawless career in demon slaying, against your remarkably stained one. If I were you, I'd do my best to put a clean slate on my record."

<And the line went dead. Mike stared at the phone for a good minute, before he was interrupted by a swift knock on his door.

<Dread making a knot in his stomach, Mike stood up slowly, leaden steps carrying him slowly towards the room's door. A new partner? Or the end of his life? He wouldn't put it past the firm to terminate him like this; cleanly and silently. He had failed in their eyes, three times already, and would that merit a new partner in anyone's eyes...? Another knock came when he stood right in front of the wood. Taking a deep breath, Mike put his hand on the handle, sweat making the grip slack as he yanked the door open, only to come face to face with a stunningly beautiful woman dressed in a too-short dress of red silk.

<Asian features regarded him coldly, as glinting dark eyes seemed to evaluate him in one glance, and find him terrible lacking. Her features twisted briefly in slight distaste before her face regained its calm once more, and she met his eyes squarely.

<"Mike Rosales?" She asked calmly, lilting voice interrupting Mike's shocked trance. A perfectly manicured hand reached out with professional detachment, and he numbly reached out to shake the offered limb, thrown off balance by the unusually strong grip that engulfed his. "Lia Hsu. We've been assigned as partners"

~~~~~~~~

<The next morning, Xander knew the time had come when he would have to face Mena. He hated having to exert authority over her; he hated the idea that he had authority at all. But this was too important to avoid a 'Watcher's talk'.

<Xander walked towards Mena's door, knocking on it twice as he thought over what he had to say to her. His mind was a mess of jumbled thoughts the memories and worries stumbling over each other in a seemingly endless battle to give him a headache. One would think that given the planning and thought as they'd put into today's battle, nothing on Earth could go wrong. But if there was one thing that Xander Harris had learned from living on the Hellmouth it's that everything can go wrong and it usually does.

<"Yes?" Mena called, emerging from her room a second later. Now rid of last night's 'clubbing dress', she wore comfortable clothes fit for slaying, the kind of clothes Buffy rarely indulged in. Sneakers replaced the high heels Xander remembered so well from countless patrols back in Sunnydale. Shaking his head free of the past, Xander smiled wanly at Mena, taking a seat on the bed.

<"Mena, we need to have a talk." He started slowly, grinning ruefully when Giles'-like voice echoed the words in his head. ,"Sure," Mena smiled back, sitting down next to him. "Isn't Faith waiting for us, though?"

<"Yeah, she just called. She and Robin will be waiting in the lobby in fifteen minutes, he clarified, glancing at the cell-phone he still clutched. As he stuffed it into his jacket, his fingers briefly grazed the stake he'd stored there, effectively placing his mind back on track. "Mena, I need you to know some very important things about the vamps we're fighting today." Immediately, Mena's face took on the serious expression he'd come to know as 'Listening to Watcher's Wisdom- Pay attention and Correct When Needed'. The thought nearly made him smile. Instead, he bit his lower lip, forcing himself to meet Mena's curious stare. "Exactly how much do you know about Drusilla?"

<Mena frowned as she thought of what to answer, subconsciously tucking a stray curl of her hair behind her ear in yet another move that managed to remind him of Buffy.

<It seemed, the more Xander exposed this girl to dangerous situations, the more parallels he drew to his friend. And every time he did so, he couldn't help but think that he couldn't trust Mena to have the same expertise he'd come to rely on with Buffy. The thought scared him to death.

<"Basically, what Spike told us," Mena told him frankly, waving a hand in a vague gesture towards her room. "The history lessons in the Slayer's handbook need some serious work if they expect us to face these vampire 'legends'." Pausing, she gave Xander a look that screamed disapproval. Xander nodded at her, urging her to continue.

<"Well, I know that Angelus is her Sire and that he drove her insane before deciding to turn her. I know she speaks seemingly nonsensical words, yet she holds the Sight, which constantly haunts her with visions of the future. I'm also aware that she was Spike's Sire, and that she was his lover for a century and more. That's about it."

<Xander nodded, taking a breath in preparation before diving into the past; dredging up the kind of memories he often wished he didn't hold. Never aloud, though. Anya had taught him that much.

<"I'm afraid Drusilla is more dangerous than the books say, Mena." He told his Slayer bluntly, meeting her eyes. "I read some about her, back in Sunnydale. She was described as mindlessly insane by most books; it said that her whims were the drive behind many of Spike's, and even Angelus' most famous atrocities. But she's more. She can fight as well as any of them, and through her visions, she always holds an advantage. Whatever you do, Mena, don't listen to her. Don't let her games distract you. She...thrives on Slayer's blood. It's her elixir. She's going to want yours."

<Mena's startled eyes gave Xander pause. She studied him intently for a few minutes, before her features hardened in real understanding. Xander let her assimilate that information as he struggled to continue his tale.

<"Drusilla came to Sunnydale, once, did I tell you that?" He asked softly, and apparently something in his tone gave away how these memories still haunted him. Mena blinked twice, before reaching over and placing her smaller hand over his in a comforting gesture.

<"No, I don't think you have." She said briefly, looking at him warmly. "I take it it's a difficult memory?"

<He nodded for her benefit, unwilling to tell her just how much. It was one of many memories that haunted him since the first time he saw Mena's sweet face and realized he was responsible for her. From the first time he knew that he had a human life in his hands. Kendra's ghost, it seemed, was determined to make him do the job right.

<"Yes, back when Spike first showed up," Xander summarized quickly, trying to get to the point. "He didn't have the soul yet, and Drusilla was his big love. They had some dumb schemes to take on the Slayer, or something of the sort, when Angelus came back to town. I don't need to tell you how bad that was."

<Mena shook her head once, curiosity obviously peaked. "Reuniting the Scourge of Europe doesn't exactly seem good."

<Xander smiled bitterly. "Exactly. Well, this was all levels of bad. Angelus was...insane. Absolutely mad. Buffy tried to explain the whole issue to me once, but I can't say I could focus on anything other than 'kill the bastard'." He stopped, giving Mena a sheepish look. She just shook her head, obviously not set on reprimanding him for his language at the moment. "And around the same time this happened, we had another shock. At the time when Buffy was THE vampire Slayer, we suddenly had another Slayer showing up, ready for business."

<Mena frowned, leaning back against the headboard while she waited for Xander to continue. "How is that even possible?"

<"Well, it had to do with Buffy," He told her, stealing a glance at the clock as he spoke. They still had some time before meeting Faith downstairs. "Let's just say that once, Buffy almost drowned; in the minutes that it took to bring her back, another Slayer was called." he waited for Mena's nod before continuing. "Her name was Kendra. She was something else. Suddenly this tough girl with admirable determination shows up, and throws us all for a loop." With a smile he winked at Mena "Kind of reminds me of you."

<"How come I haven't heard of her so far?" Mena inquired.

<"Simple," Xander told her sadly. "Drusilla killed her."

<A bout of silence followed, in which Mena digested this information in silence, her expressive face faintly disturbed. Xander hurried on, determined not to allow his Slayer to feel diminished so close to a battle.

<"This is the most important thing you need to know about Drusilla, Mena." Xander told the girl gently, lifting her face to meet her eyes. "Never, and I mean never look at her in the eyes."

<Mena nodded to show she understood, even as a questioning frown marred her features. "Why are Drusilla's eyes so important? How did Kendra die?"

<"Drusilla has a thrall." Xander explained, standing from the bed and walking towards the window. It was still daylight, and Spike must already be inside the club, facing whatever Kevin had in store for them. "She can control anyone's mind, the minute she wants to. All she needs is eye-contact. A wave of her fingers, and bang! She has you. And you won't be able to look away."

<A pause. Then Mena's voice sounded next to his shoulder. "Did you see Kendra die?"

<He shook his head, blinking away the past. "No. No, I was unconscious at the time. But I saw her body. And I need you to promise me, Mena, that if it's at all possible, you'll stay away from Drusilla. She might be insane, but it only makes her more dangerous. If she's there, I need to know you won't be her next target. Promise me you won't go after her on your own."

<"I don't know if I should promise that, Xander." Mena sighed, frown still lingering. "I understand your worries. I know you can't help still seeing me as a child. But I'm a Slayer now. I can promise you to be careful; I will promise you that I won't let myself look in Drusilla's eyes, and that I won't let her distract me. But that's the best I can do."

<Xander leaned his forehead against the glass, worry making his chest constrict. He couldn't let Mena get hurt. But he couldn't keep her from her calling. Her destiny. He closed his eyes for a second, idly sympathetic to how Giles must have felt a million times, before turning to face Mena with a half-smile. "Then, I guess that will have to be enough." He said softly, hand on her shoulder.

<Mena returned his smile easily enough, before nodding towards the door. "Shall we? We have vampires to dust. Faith and Robin are probably waiting."

<Xander smiled. "Sure. Did you remember the garlic shots? I want to be well equipped against the bloodsuckers. "

<Mena laughed. "I have them in my bag, I'm going to make sure that you and Robin have plenty. If there's enough, Faith and I can have some as well, but I really don't think we'll need them. We have our special Gilroy stakes."

<Xander laughed as he walked toward the door. "Have you thought about naming that stake of yours? Buffy always called hers Mr. Pointy." He paused, smiling at Mena "She actually got it from Kendra."

<"Mr. Pointy?" Mena asked quizzically. "I like it. I think I'll come up with my own name for it though. We shall see."

<Xander nodded, grabbing the Land Cruiser's keys and opening the door for Mena. "Slayers first," he quipped, happy to notice as they walked to the lobby that she wasn't nervous about the odds they were about to face. He was nervous enough for the both of them.

~~~~~~~~

<The sewer tunnel opened into back of Kevin's lair. The doorway gate was open, which Spike thought was a bit odd but figured that it was the easiest way for the minions to get in without any problems. Spike stood against the wall trying to keep hidden so that the vampires inside did not have any indication that he was there. He was determined to make this a surprise visit, or as much of a surprise as it could be considering the raid that had just taken place at the club the night before.

<From where he was standing Spike could see the activity that was going on inside the lair. There were a handful of random vampires standing about listening to Kevin as he gave them orders, and then he saw her.

<Drusilla dancing around the minions weaving in and out between them pretending to be in her own world, of course Spike knew better. He knew that was part of her act, pretending to be crazier than she was. Of course, part of it was that she just liked to dance.

< Spike turned so that his back was facing away from Kevin's lair. He had to work up the courage before he could go in to face them. He could really use some whiskey about now.

<"My Spike has come to play," Drusilla said in a sweet hypnotic voice.

<Bloody Hell, he thought to himself. He took a deep breath before turning around to face her.

<"No, princess, I don't want to play today, just want to talk is all," Spike said as he slowly emerged from the sewer doorway and entered the lair.

<"Did you hear that, Kevy? Spike wants to talk," Drusilla said as she slowly walked over to her former lover.

<Once she was right in front of Spike she started to laugh maniacally as she hit him with a force so powerful that it knocked him across the room, towards the place that held the humans the night before.

<The rest of the room laughed at the display, taunting him with various insults. Spike did not care enough to listen to what they were saying. Drusilla knocking him across the room had frazzled him to the core.

<Spike struggled to get up, but it was hard simply because of the shock the attack had been. He should have known to expect it, he should have been more prepared. He leaned on the cage to help himself up.

<"Where do you think you are going?" Kevin asked grabbing him as he signaled for a minion to open the cage door.

<Kick him, dust him, don't get caught in that in cage," Spike tried to tell himself but it was too late he already found himself on the floor of the cage, with the door being locked behind him.

<Spike sat on the floor of the cage watching the other vampires as they mocked him. He took deep breaths as he approached the front of the cage. He would act calm, natural, talk to Drusilla and Kevin like what they were: Family.

<"What I want to know is did you honestly think that we weren't going to be expecting you this time? I mean after your failed attempt at the ambush yesterday. By the way, I thought slayers aren't slayers supposed to be stronger than that? I wasn't too impressed by her at all," Kevin said with a laugh.

<"Not all slayers are created equal, I mean Dru and I have both killed them," Spike replied with a smile.

<Drusilla gave a small little laugh as she stared at Spike with her deep, dark eyes. The thrall never worked on vampires, but it was just her aura that mesmerized him.

<"It's been a long time, pet," Spike told her as he looked straight into her eyes.

<Drusilla walked to the cage and reached inside to touch his face, "You always did have such a pretty face."

<Drusilla was looking at him with a sweet innocence that reminded him of a child. However, that look did not last and her admiration quickly turned into rage as she stared at Spike with disgust.

<"You are filthy. Your soul disgusts me and makes me ill," she said as she bit the air before turning her back to him.

<"Now, now, Drusilla, he got the soul for admirable reasons. I mean to know the love of a woman. That must have been worth it all. Was it not?"

<Spike stared at Kevin as he spoke. He did not know how he was going to play this, should he lie to them? Should he tell them the truth? Spike decided that the truth was always the best idea, especially considering he was a terrible liar.

<"I never regretted my decision to get it if that is what you want to know," he told him simply.

<"You don't seem to be the type who regrets much, do you, Spike? I never have either. I certainly don't regret going to Woodstock," he said with big smile.

<Kevin walked over to Drusilla and touched her face softly. "I certainly don't regret meeting Miss Drusilla here," he said causing the other vampire to laugh. "Hell, I even enjoyed the conversation we had, Spike, changed my life. Do you remember what the conversation was about?"

<Spike stared at him in realization. He told Kevin that he should try to take over the world, not destroy it. "I remember talking you out of killing the lot of us by destroying the bloody world," Spike said trying to remain calm.

<"You told me I should try to take over the world. Turns out domination is one of my strong suits," Kevin gave Spike a smirk.

<"Is it now? Let me guess you thi