Impact

Angel scoured the sewers, and it didn’t take him long to find her.

“Hi Daddy.” Dru gave him a wave, but had a frightened smile. “Not going to burn me up again, are you? Baby wouldn’t like that.” Drusilla still gripped the book to her breast.

Bunny was there too, which surprised Angel.

“Give me the book Dru.”

But she just laughed at him, and spun around. “I miss the smell of lavender. Remember our garden, Angel? Spike never liked it much.”

Angel approached Drusilla, intent on rescuing the book, but he underestimated Bunny. As he reached out towards her to grab the book, Bunny morphed into the huge yellow beast again. The Blimey kicked out and Angel went flying across the tunnel. Drusilla laughed wildly.

“Poor Angel.” She reached over and placed her hand on the beast’s arm. “We need to go. Spike is waiting for us. Can’t you hear it in the stars?”

“Don’t do this Dru. I’ll stop you.”

But she ignored him. “I can see our Spikey now. He’ll be big and bad all over again. We’ll be together again. I’m so lonely….but not anymore. Let’s go wakey wakey.” She looked at the Blimey and nodded. It looked back at her with understanding. It’s job was not yet done, but it didn’t need the host anymore. The Blimey faded away, leaving Lilly lying on the ground. The Blimey seemed to turn into mist and float into Drusilla. Angel was mesmerized. Drusilla gave him one last look, with her now yellow eyes before she turned and ran down the tunnel, disappearing from sight before Angel could even stand.

When he did manage to get to his feet, he limped over to where Lilly lay on the wet ground. She was unconscious. He picked her up in his arms and carried her back to the hotel.

Willow was asleep on the office couch when Angel returned, so Wesley quietly met him in the lobby when he heard his arrival. He shot Angel a confused look when he saw the nurse in his arms, and followed the vampire to his bedroom. Angel gently placed Lilly down on his bed.

Wesley didn’t ask any questions. He knew Angel would enlighten him when he was ready. Wesley grabbed a towel out of Angel’s bathroom and ran it under the faucet. He then placed the cool cloth on Lilly’s forehead.

“Lilly was the Blimey’s host. I saw it leave her, and enter Drusilla.”

Wesley checked over Lilly, but she seemed physically fine in all outward appearances.

“She has the book. I couldn’t stop her. That demon kicked me over as if I was lint. I don’t know how we are going to defeat it, or stop Drusilla. She is intent on raising Spike and then turning him. We have to hurry to catch her in time.”

Wesley shook his head. “We’ll leave first thing in the morning. We’ll get a van from Wolfram and Hart so you can travel safely.” They had many secure vehicles at their disposal now thanks to Wolfram and Hart, vehicles fit for a vampire’s safe travel in the heat of the day.

“The sun will be up soon,” Wesley continued, “and Drusilla won’t be able to do anything now until nightfall again. We’ll stop her. We’ll find a way. I’ll keep studying that demon. We’ll find a way to defeat it.”

Angel was worried. Drusilla and Spike in their prime as vampire partners were unfatiguable, and undefeatable. And he had been a part of them at one time. He had created them. He had turned Drusilla crazy, and then sired her, and in turn, she had sired Spike. He couldn’t let it happen again.

His thoughts turned to Buffy then. What would it do to her if Spike was made human again, only to be turned into a vampire instantly? If they did manage to stop Drusilla, Spike would most likely still be born human again, now that they possessed the ritual to do it. His unbeating heart twinged at that thought, knowing that fate was supposed to have been his. What would his destiny be, if Spike was the souled vampire to Shanshu? And would Buffy leave Giles for Spike?

“Do you want me to stay here with you in case she wakes up?” Wesley interrupted his thoughts.

“No, go get a few hours sleep. I’ll talk to her if she wakes up. We’ll have to get her home.”

Wesley nodded his agreement. He turned to leave, but paused to glance at his boss. Angel was lost in his own thoughts again. Wesley wished he could say something to ease the vampire, but he knew better than to make promises that might not be kept. Wesley returned to his room, hoping that for Angel’s sake, they would again be triumphant. After losing Buffy again, this time to Giles, Wesley knew that Angel needed a purpose. For now, that purpose would be to stop Drusilla. He smiled to himself realizing that they would have to save Spike in order to do that. How times change.

He stopped into his office to check on Willow. She was sleeping peacefully on the sofa. He smiled as he peered at her, then carefully grabbed the blanket off the back of the sofa, and gently covered Willow with it. He stretched and yawned. Sleep did sound good, but there was no time for him to rest. He moved back behind the desk and fell into his chair, reaching for his books. He decided to concentrate on finding a way to defeat the Blimey demon for now. It had to have a weakness, and once that was exposed, they could take it out.

A little over an hour later there was a knock at Buffy and Giles’ door. Buffy pulled the sheet up to cover herself, and rolled off of Giles’ chest to lie snuggled beside him. When he saw that she was modest, he called, “Come in.”

“Morning!” It was Willow’s cheerful face. She blushed when she saw her two friends together in the bed. Naked. Obviously. “Uh, oh…sorry..but..”

Buffy smiled at Giles, and his eyes sparkled back at her before turning back to Willow in the doorway. “It’s okay Willow. We’re up.”

“Uh, yea, that’s why I’m here. Wes told me to tell you to get ready to go soon. He already left to go to Wolfram and Hart to get us transportation, a vehicle that Angel can ride in safely, and I already woke up Xander and Dawn, and Angel’s talking and comforting nurse Lilly, but you don’t know about that so we’ll have to explain to you but first you should get dressed and…”

Giles held his hand to try and quiet Willow’s rambling. She always did that when she was nervous or excited. Buffy laughed. “Have you had caffeine without me?”

Willow laughed in return. “Just some tea. There’s some waiting for you both. I’ll leave you now so you can….uh…you know..get dressed and stuff.” Willow backed out of the room and hastily closed the door. y hey heard her retreating footsteps tread quickly down the hall.

“Well, that was bracing.” Giles teased.

“Nice morning greeting, I’ll say. But I have a better one for you.” She rolled back on top of Giles.

“Oh you do?” He placed his hands on her hips, holding her in place. “And what would that be?”

“This.” Then she firmly planted a big wet kiss on his mouth. They both giggled, until the kiss deepened and they both started to heat up again. Buffy pulled away first though, and Giles moaned and tried to drag her head back down into another kiss. She just smiled at him and thumped him playfully on his chest. “No time. And if we get started, I won’t be able to stop.”

“Nor will I.” He agreed.

Buffy hopped off of him and he watched her glorious backside with hungry eyes. She turned and looked over her bare shoulder at him. “I’ve an idea though, Watcher mine.”

“Oh?” He still just sat back, his arms crossed and relaxed on his chest as he drunk her in.

“Well, time is of the essence, so I’m thinking we could save time, and water, by sharing the shower.”

He grinned and hopped out of the bed. “Excellent idea.” She squealed as he lifted her off of her feet and carried her into the bathroom.

TBC