"Some women fear the fire,
some women become it."

3rd Person's POV

Xander, Willow and Angel walk down a dark quiet alley to a building that had no sign, no lights around, and a huge metal door with no handle as the entrance.

"The only thing I could track down was this address. The Sunset Club. Still didn't find anything incriminating." Willow sighs as they all stand in front of the building.

Angel shakes his head frowning, "He leaves no paper trail, no records, that's incriminating enough."

Xander nods before shivering slightly, "Yeah, as much as I don't want to. I'm gonna have to go with Dead Boy on this one."

Angel scoffs rolling his eyes, "Could you not call me that?"

Xander shrugs as Angel passes him quickly. Angel knocks on the door. The viewport opens and the doorman looks out.

Angel does a slight nod before saying, "We're friends of Ford's."

The doorman nods and opens the door, allowing them to enter. They walk in through the inside door and look around. It's gloomy in the extreme.

Willow who was wearing a colorfully striped shirt looks around with a raised brow, "Boy, we blend right in."

Xander jokes, "In no way do we stick out like sore thumbs."

Rolling his eyes, Angel ignores them, "Let's look around. You guys check out downstairs."

"Sure thing, Bossy the cow!"

Angel disappears within a second, leaving Willow and Xander yo stare at one another.

"Okay, but do they really stick out?"

Xander looks at Willow in confusion, "What?"

"Sore thumbs. Do they stick out? I mean, have you ever seen a thumb and gone, 'Wow! That baby is sore!'"

Xander stares at her in complete awe before shaking his head and looking away, "You have too many thoughts."

Willow is a bit hurt by that but doesn't say anything as she follows him downstairs.

Angel looks down from the balcony he had been scoping out and feels eyes on him. Slyly looking over his shoulder, he sees a girl dressed in black leather pants, a black leather crop top and red heels. He couldn't see her face because she was turning away talking to a guy who was wearing a red cape with his hair slicked back.

Angel frowns as he now openly stares at her. He watches her shift from one leg to the other as she quickly glances over her shoulder.

Bingo.

Willow and Xander are still scoping out downstairs trying to figure out what this place was. They walk by a man standing in a coffin dressed as a movie vampire.

He smiles and waves at them as they pass by, "Hi!"

Xander waves back and looks around more, "Are you probably noticing a theme here?"

Willow nods looking around uncomfortably, "As in 'Vampires! Yay!'?"

"That's the one."

A blonde girl who was dressed to the nines, Chantarelle, gets up and comes up behind them.

"You guys are newbies. I can tell."

Willow stammers as she turns to face her, "O-Oh, no. W-we come here all the time."

Chantarelle smiles, "Don't be ashamed! It's cool that you're open to it. We welcome anyone who's interested in the Lonely Ones."

Angel comes down the stairs behind them, finally making his presence known.

"The Lonely Ones?" Willow questions.

"Vampires." Angel replies bluntly.

Xander makes a 'Ah ha' sound as he holds up his finger, "Oh! We usually call them the nasty, pointy, bitey ones."

Chantarelle shakes her head with a small frown, "So many people have that misconception. But they who walk with the night are not interested in harming anyone. They are creatures above us. Exalted!"

Angel glares at the girl, "You're a fool."

Xander gives him a look as if saying calm down.

Chantarelle frowns, "You don't have to be so confrontational about it. Other viewpoints than yours may be valid, you know."

She quickly goes away making Willow smile sheepishly as she waves at the girls back.

"Nice meeting you."

Willow and Xander both turn to Angel and shake their heads looking at him in disappointment.

"You really are a people person."

Willow pouts, "Now nobody's gonna talk to us."

Angel shrugs looking around, "I've seen enough. I've seen this type before. I mean, they're children making up bedtime stories of friendly vampires to comfort themselves in the dark."

Willow looks at him in confusion. She was lost at how this was so dangerous.

"Is that so bad? I mean, the dark can get pretty dark. Sometimes you need a story."

"These people don't know anything about vampires. What they are, how they live, how they dress..."

A young man dressed exactly like Angel comes down the stairs behind him and looks him up and down before continuing on.

Angel clears his throat as he hears a chuckle come from behind him. The girl from earlier walks down the stairs and attaches herself to Angel's side.

"Aw how cute, you have a twin."

Angel looks down at her glaring playfully, "Are you done?"

Xander and Willow's jaws drop as the girl looks over at them.

"Laney?!"

Laney frowns shrugging, "Yes? That's my name, don't wear it out."

Xander throws his hands up in the air, "Where the hell have you been?"

Laney rolls her eyes before detaching herself from Angel and crossing her arms over her chest, "None of your business."

Willow frowns at the tough hard exterior Laney, "What are you doing here?"

Laney smirks before slowly walking around the two, making them feel slightly uncomfortable.

"I'm two steps ahead of you guys. I mean come on, it's not that hard to see that something weird was going on. Out of nowhere this new guy shows up and he's Buffy's old friend. There's no records of him, no nothing to tell anyone who this ghost of a guy is. Then you look at this place... a graveyard. All these kids want to be vampires and they will do anything and everything to become one. Does anybody see where I'm going with this?"

Willow and Xander stare at her cluelessly as she rolls her eyes.

"You two are useless. Let's go Angel."

Within hesitation, Angel follows behind Laney leaving Willow and Xander's mouths to drop once again.

Shaking their heads out of shock, the two start up the stairs to get out of the club.

Xander frowns, "Is there soemthing going on between them that we don't know about?"

Willow shrugs, "I hope not. Buffy would be heartbroken."

Xander nods, "I guess I kind of understand what Laney was talking about with this place. But I'm still curious why Ford, the bestest friend of the Slayer, is hanging with a bunch of vampire wannabes."

Willow nods in agreement, "Something's up with him, you're right about that."

Diego, a friend of Ford's, overhears them and turns to watch them go.

...

Buffy storms into the library followed by Jenny and Giles.

"Sorry to beep you guys in the middle of... stuff, but it seemed really weird."

Giles waves a hand nonchalantly, "No, you did the right thing. Absolutely."

Jenny stops in her tracks and frowns, "You hated it that much?"

"No! But, but, uh, vampires on campus is, could have implications. Very, very grave..."

Jenny shrugs, "You coulda just said something."

Giles stammers, "Uh, honestly, I, I've always, I've always been interested in, in, uh, monster trucks."

"You took him to monster trucks?"

A voice by the door makes all of them look over. Laney struts in and immediately goes to sit on the table everyone was standing near.

"Brutal."

Jenny pouts, "I thought it would be a change!"

Giles nods, "It was a change."

Jenny sighs, "Look, we could've just left."

"Wha-what, and miss the nitro-burning funny cars? No, couldn't have that."

Buffy groans, "Okay, can we get back on the vampire tip here?"

Laney frowns immediately upset. Buffy always had to turn things back to her problem. Other people had things going on in their life. Issues, bad situations... it would only take a minute, one conversation for it to be over or even just bring some relief to the pain or hurt.

"Aw you don't want to them to figure out the solution to their monstrous date?" Laney giggles to herself, "Get it? Monstrous... Because of the-"

"Monster trucks. We know." Jenny smiles.

"Tough crowd."

Buffy rolls her eyes before snapping her attention to Laney as she crosses her arms over her chest. Whenever she looked at Laney, all she saw was her and Angel. And it hurt.

"Why are you here again?"

Laney raises an eyebrow, "Because you need my help obviously. Tweedle-dee and dum are still trying to figure this out..." She says referring to Willow and Xander, "... meanwhile I already have the solution to your problem. You won't like it though."

Giles looks between the two girls and frowns. Something was going on. He could see the faces they made at one another. He could feel the tension and anger between the two. If they didn't work this out, who knew what would happen.

"I need your help?"

"Looks like it."

Jenny steps between the two as Buffy takes a step closer to Laney who still sat unbothered with a smile on her face.

"Okay you two... enough. Let's try to figure this out so we can all go back to respective lives. You said the guys were there with a purpose, Buffy?"

Giles nods agreeing with Jenny, "Yes, yes, and, uh, we must, uh, ascertain what that purpose is."

"Yeah... where is your little friend, Ford?"

Buffy shrugs, "I sent him home."

Giles sits at the table, "Oh, uh, good. Yes, the less he's involved in all this, the safer he'll be."

"He did bag a vamp his first time out."

Giles takes an open book from on top of another and exposes an old picture of Drusilla.

"Gotta give him credit for that."

Laney scoffs, "We need to be interrogating the guy."

Buffy rolls her eyes, "Why? Give me one reason. You don't even know him. You haven't been aroun..."

Buffy pauses noticing the picture of the girl she had seen Angel with the other night.

Jenny looks over at Buffy and frowns in concern, "Something wrong?"

Buffy picks up the picture, "Who's this?"

Giles clears his throat before reading, "Um, she's called Drusilla, a sometime paramour of Spike's. She was k*ll by an angry mob in Prague."

Buffy shakes her head, "Well, they don't make angry mobs like they used to, 'cause this girl's alive. I saw her with Angel."

Giles is taken aback, "With Angel?"

Laney chuckles, "How scandalous."

Jenny frowns, "Isn't he supposed to be a good guy?"

Buffy sighs before putting the picture back down, "Yeah. He is."

"All your dramatics are driving me crazy. Just talk to him."

"Easy for you to say."

"Excuse me?"

"Girls..." Jenny says looking between the two.

"I'm not even able to talk to him anymore. Or see him. All he has time for is you. And how weird you may ask... that the guy I am interested in is spending all his time with someone I thought was my friend."

Laney raises an eyebrow before bursting out laughing, "Do you hear yourself? Come on Summers, when are you going to stop being such a jealous b-"

"Girls!" Jenny clears her throat, "I think maybe we need to read up on this nice lady. And stop talking to each to each until this is figured out."

Giles sighs getting up then heads for his office, "Well, some of my new volumes may be more helpful. Uh, my own research is-"

A blonde vampire runs into him as she runs from his office. Jenny draws a startled breath as Laney and Buffy run over to Giles' aid. Giles is pushed back and falls into Laney and Buffy who are knocked to the floor, She jumps up onto the table and leaps over the mezzanine railing, making her escape through the stacks.

Jenny hurries over and helps them up, "Are you guys okay?"

Giles shakes his head, "A book! It took one of my books!"

Jenny sighs, "Well, at least someone in this school is reading."

Laney snorts as she holds up a hand, giving Jenny a high five.

Buffy looks towards where the vampire left in awe.

"He said he killed it. That's the vampire Ford said he killed."

"Now will you listen to me?!"

...

At Spike's warehouse, Drusilla is talking to her bird in a cage.

"You sing the sweetest little song. Won't you sing for me, hmm? Don't you love me anymore?"

The bird is lying dead at the bottom of the cage. Spike comes into the room behind Drusilla.

"Darling! I heard a funny thing just now. Lucius tells me that you went out on a hunt the other night."

Drusilla pouts, "My tummy was growly. And you were out." Looking back at the bird she whistles, "Come on. I'll pout if you don't sing."

Spike puts his arms around her, "You, um, meet anyone? Anyone interesting? Like Angel?"

Drusilla smiles, "Angel."

"Yeah. So..." Spike kisses her forehead, "What might you guys have talked about, then? Old times? Childhood pranks? It's a little off, you two so friendly, him being the enemy and all that."

"I'll give you a seed if you sing."

Spike groans in annoyance, "The bird's dead, Dru. You left it in a cage, and you didn't feed it, and now it's all dead, just like the last one."

Drusilla cowers and whines.

Spike frowns taking a deep breath, "Oh, I'm sorry baby. I'm a bad, rude man. I just don't like you goin' out, that's all. You are weak." He takes her hand and kisses the tip of her finger, "Would you like a new bird? One that's not dead?"

"This is so cool!"

Spike looks up to find the unrecognizable voice. He sees a teen boy standing among some crates.

Ford smiles looking around, "I would totally live here."

Spike glares before yelling loudly, "Do I have anyone on watch here? It's called security, people. Are you all asleep?" He walks toward Ford, "Or did we finally find a restaurant that delivers?"

"I know who you are."

Spike rolls his eyes, "Yeah, I know who I am, too. So what?"

"I came looking for you, Spike. You are Spike, right? William the Bloody?"

Spike stares at the boy before glaring, "You've got a real death wish. It's almost interesting."

The blonde vampire from before comes in, walks up to Spike and hands him the book she stole. Spike begins to leaf through it.

"Oh, this is great. This'll be very useful." Looking to Ford, he shrugs, "So, how did you find me?"

Ford shakes his head, "That doesn't matter. I've got something to offer you. I-I'm pretty sure this is the part where you take out a watch and say I've got thirty seconds to convince you not to kill me?" He smiles, "It's traditional."

"Well," Spike slams the book and strides to Ford, "I don't go much for tradition."

He grabs Ford by the ear and lifts him.

Drusilla comes from around the corner, "Wait, love."

Ford is in obvious pain, but doesn't scream. Drusilla puts her hand on Spikes's shoulder, and he lets go.

"Well?"

Ford frowns, "Oh, c'mon! Say it! It's no fun if you don't say it."

Spike raises an eyebrow in question then rolls his eyes and bobs his head, "What? Oh. You've got thirty seconds to convince me not to kill you."

Ford grins, "Yes! See, this is the best! I wanna be like you. A vampire."

Spike frowns, "I've known you for two minutes, and I can't stand you. I don't really feature you livin' forever."

He turns to Drusilla and pouts, "Can I eat him now, love?"

Drusilla shakes her head.

Ford shrugs, "Well, feature this... I'm offering you a trade. You make me a vampire, and I give you the Slayer."

Ford now has their undivided attention.

Spike smiles.

...

In the kitchen at the Summers house, Buffy is nursing a cup of coffee. Angel slowly pushes the door open.

"Buffy. May I come in?"

Buffy looks up and shrugs before looking back down, "Sure. I thought once you were invited you could always just walk in."

Angel nods closing the door behind him, "I can. I was just being polite. We need to talk."

"Do we?" Buffy picks up her coffee and heads into the dining room.

"It's about your friend Ford. He's not what he seems."

Buffy scoffs murmuring while taking a sip of her coffee, "Who is these days?"

Angel not hearing her continues on, "Willow ran him down on the computer."

"Willow?"

"We found this address, we checked it out with Xander, and it turned out..."

Buffy shakes her head disbelieving, "And Xander? Wow. Everybody's in. Oh wait we're missing one... I know you're not going to tell me that she was involved."

Angel frowns, "Who? Laney?"

"Of course!"

Angel looks at Buffy completely confused at why she was getting upset.

"I don't understand. Am I missing something?"

"It's like a great big exciting conspiracy."

"Buffy, what are you talking about?"

Buffy shrugs, "I'm talking about the people I trust. Who's Drusilla?"

Angel lowers his eyes, seeing he's been caught in a lie.

"And don't lie to me. I'm tired of it."

Angel frowns, "Some lies are necessary."

Buffy rolls her eyes, "For what?"

Angel sighs, "Sometimes the truth is worse. You live long enough, you find that out."

Buffy placed her cup down then crosses her arms over her chest, "I can take it. I can take the truth."

"Do you love me?"

"What?" Buffy stares at him utterly confused.

"Do you?"

She takes a moment to consider her answer. She thinks about him sneaking behind her back. She thinks about him and Laney. And she just wasn't sure.

"I love you... I don't know if I trust you."

"Maybe you shouldn't do either." He turns away.

Buffy groans, "Maybe I'm the one who should decide!"

Angel looks off over his should r as if he was lost in a memory.

"I did a lot of unconscionable things when I became a vampire."

He turns back, but doesn't make eye contact, "Drusilla was the worst. She was... an obsession of mine. She was pure and sweet and chaste..."

"And you made her a vampire."

"First I made her insane. Killed everybody she loved. Visited every mental torture on her I could devise."

Buffy looks away from him frowning.

Angel sighs continuing on, "She eventually fled to a convent, and on the day she took her holy orders, I turned her into a demon."

"Well. I asked for the truth."

"Ford's part of some society that reveres vampires. Practically worships them. I don't know what he wants from you, but you can't trust him."

And with that, Angel quickly walks out the room and through the back door. Buffy sits still hearing the door slam closed.

She runs her hands over her face and lets out a loud huff.

"What is going on?"

...

At school the next day, Buffy walks up some stairs to the quad.

Ford meets her there, "Buffy!"

"Ford." Buff smiles.

"I had a great time last night. Well, an interesting time."

Buffy arms cross over her chest, "I'm glad."

Ford puts his hands in his pockets, "Do you wanna go out again tonight?"

Buffy nods, "Not busy."

Ford smirks, "I sort of had an idea. It's a... It's a secret. Kinda wanna surprise you."

Buffy smirks, "I like surprises."

"Can you meet me here?"

Buffy nods, "Sure."

"At nine?"

"At nine." Buffy repeats.

Ford smiles before walking off, "It's gonna be fun!"

Buffy just stands there for a moment before uncrossing her arms and continuing on her way. In the hall nearby, Xander and Willow are sitting on the steps. Buffy comes down behind them.

Willow gets up quickly, "Buffy!"

Buffy doesn't really want to face her, but does.

"Did, uh, Angel..."

Buffy nods looking at the wall, "He told me everything."

Willow frowns, "I'm sorry we kept stuff from you."

"It's okay." Buffy smiles weakly.

It wasn't okay.

"When Angel came to my room he was just really concerned for you, and we didn't wanna say anything in case we were wrong."

Xander nods, "Did you find out what Ford is up to?"

"I will." Buffy says blankly as she walks off.

Willow and Xander sadly watch her go. After a moment something clicks in Xander's head.

Xander looks over at Willow and frowns, "Angel was in your bedroom?"

Willow nods, "Ours is a forbidden love."

...

At the Sunset Club, Chantarelle is sitting and drumming her fingers. Diego paces nervously. Ford makes his way down the stairs heading straight to Chantarelle ignoring Diego.

"Chantarelle. Is everything ready?"

"Of course. It's ready." Diego replies quickly trying to get Ford's attention. "Hi, I took care of it. I always take care of it."

Chantarelle smiles, "Is it time? Tonight?"

"You nervous?" Ford pours goblets of wine.

Chantarelle nods then shakes her head, "Yes. No. I'm ready for the change. Do you really think they'll bless us?"

Ford takes a goblet and hands her the other, "I know they will."

He smiles at Chantarelle. She smiles back.

"Everything's falling into place." Ford takes a sip of wine unbothered.

Diego frowns, "What about your friends? Are they comin'?"

Ford freezes and turns to Diego, "What are you talking about?"

"Your friends. They came. Last night. Two guys and two girls."

Chantarelle frowns, "One was mean."

Ford groans, "Oh, Christ! Why didn't you tell me about this?"

Diego rolls his eyes, "I have to do everything around here. Sorry, Mr. Flawless Plan Guy, it slipped my mind."

"It's gonna be alright, isn't it?"

Ford winces in pain and puts his fingertips to his forehead.

Chantarelle frowns, "They're not gonna let us down?"

Ford sighs as the pain passes, "It's gonna be fine."

"I need them to bless me."

Ford groans in annoyance, "It's gonna be fine!"

"No."

They all look at Buffy who is standing at the top of the stairs.

"It's really not."

Ford turns to Diego, "It's kinda drafty in here."

Buffy starts down the stairs and smiles, "I'm sorry, Ford. I just couldn't wait till tonight! I'm rash and impulsive. It's a flaw."

Ford shrugs, "We all have flaws."

"I'm still a little fuzzy on exactly what yours is. I think it has to do with being a lying scumbag."

"Everybody lies."

Buffy shrugs, "What do you want, Ford? What's this all about?"

"I really don't think you'd understand."

Buffy shakes her head, "I don't need to understand. I just need to know."

"I'm gonna be one of them." Ford replies without hesitation.

Buffy scoffs looking at him as if he were crazy, "You wanna be a vampire?"

"I'm going to."

"You know, vampires are a little picky about who they change ov..." Buffy freezes figuring it all out, "You were gonna offer them a trade!"

Ford stands up, "I don't think I wanna talk anymore."

She grabs him by the throat and shoves him up against a pillar.

"Yeah, well, I still feel awfully chatty! You were gonna give them me! Tonight!"

Ford nods, "Yes."

"You had to know I'd figure it out."

Ford smiles, "Actually, I was counting on it."

Buffy lets go of his throat and backs away. He coughs a bit and then laughs.

"What's supposed to happen tonight?"

Ford snickers shaking his head, "This is so cool! It's just like it played in my head. You know that part where you ask me what's supposed to happen?... It's already happening."

Diego swings the inner door shut with a loud clang. She runs back up the stairs and pounds on the door.

Ford smiles, "Rigged up special. Once it's closed, it can only be opened from the outside. As soon as the sun sets, they'll be comin'."

Buffy groans, "Ford, if these people are still around when they get here..."

Diego interrupts and nods, "We'll be changed. All of us."

Chantarelle smiles, "We're going to ascend to a new level of consciousness! Become like them. Like the Lonely Ones."

"This is the end, Buffy. No one gets outta here alive." Ford grins.

Buffy hurries back down the stairs.

"There's gotta be another way out of here!"

Ford rolls his eyes as Buffy runs around looking for a way out.

"This is a bomb shelter, Buffy. I knew I wasn't gonna be able to overpower you. But this is three feet of solid concrete. Trust me when I say we're in for the long haul."

"At least let the other people go."

Chantarelle frowns, "Why are you fighting this? It's what we want!"

Diego nods adding on, "It's our chance for immortality."

"This is a beautiful day. Can't you see that?"

Buffy stares at the girl in complete awe, "What I see is that, right after the sun goes down, Spike and all of his friends are going to be pigging out at the all-you-can-eat moron bar."

"Okay, that's it. I think we should gag her."

Buffy raises an eyebrow at Diego, "I think you should try."

"She's an unbeliever. She taints us."

"I am trying to save you! You are playing in some serious traffic here! Do you understand that? You're going to die! And the only hope you have of surviving this is to get out of this pit right now, and, my God, could you have a dorkier outfit?"

Diego is offended as Chantarelle smiles.

Ford shrugs, "I gotta back her up, D. You look like a big ninny."

Ford pauses as looks down at his alarm as it goes off on his watch, "6:27. Sunset."

They all walk away from her. She looks around for what to do next.

...

In Spike's warehouse, he comes marching out with his troops.

"When we get there, everybody spread out. Two men on the door, first priority's the Slayer, everything else is fair game, and let's remember to share, people."

Walking up behind Drusilla, Spike rubs her arms, lAre you sure you're up for this?"

Drusilla pouts, "I want a treat. I need a treat."

Spike nods holding up his keys, "And a special one you'll have. Lucius! Bring the car around."

...

At the Sunset Club, Buffy runs back up the stairs to the door as Ford follows her.

"Hey, you never give up, do you?"

"No, I don't."

Ford shrugs, "That's a good quality in a person. Too many people, they just lay back and take it, but us..."

Buffy scoffs looking around, "Us? We have something in common now?"

"More than you think."

"Yeah, well, let me explain something to you. You're what we call the bad guy."

Ford chuckles, "I guess I am!"

Buffy looks down at the people, "These people aren't gonna get changed, are they? The rest of them, they're just fodder."

"Technically, yes. But I'm in. I will become immortal."

"Well, I've got a news flash for you, braintrust. That's not how it works. You die, and a demon sets up shop in your old house, and it walks, and it talks, and it remembers your life, but it's not you."

"It's better than nothing."

Buffy chuckles humorlessly, "And your life is nothing?"

Ford snickers.

Buffy snaps, "Ford, these people don't deserve to die!"

"Well, neither do I!" Ford yells out, "But apparently no one took that into consideration, 'cause I'm still dying."

Buffy begins to realize what he's up to now.

"I look good, don't I? Well, let me tell you something..." He says angrily, "I've got maybe six months left, and by then what they bury won't even look like me. It'll be bald and shriveled and it'll smell bad. No, I'm not going out that way."

Buffy turns away.

"I'm sorry, Summers. Did I screw up your righteous anger riff? Does the nest of tumors liquefying my brain kinda spoil the fun?"

Buffy faces him, "I'm sorry. I had no idea. But what you're doing is still very wrong."

"Okay, well, you try vomiting for twenty-four hours straight because the pain in your head is so intense, and then we'll discuss the concept of right and wrong." Ford points down, "These people are sheep. They wanna be vampires 'cause they're lonely, miserable or bored. I don't have a choice."

"You have a choice. You don't have a good choice, but you have a choice! You're opting for mass murder here, and nothing you say is gonna make that okay!"

"You think I need to justify myself to you?"

"I think this is all part of your little fantasy drama! Isn't this exactly how you imagined it? You tell me how you've suffered and I feel sorry for you. Well, I do feel sorry for you, and if those vampires come in here and start feeding, I'll kill you myself!"

Ford chuckles, "You know what, Summers? I really did miss you."

Buffy can only look at him. Outside a car comes screeching to a halt.

"Ford, help me stop this."

Ford just stands in silence.

"Please!"

Ford remains silent as Buffy runs around to the stairs again.

"People, listen to me!"

Ford comes after her.

"This is not the mothership, people! This is ugly death come to play!"

Ford backhand punches her across the face, and she goes tumbling to the bottom of the steps. He comes down after her and punches her in the back as she tries to get up, sending her to the floor again.

They hear the outside door open and look up. Chantarelle starts up the stairs to meet them. Ford checks to see that Buffy is still out cold on the floor. Chantarelle reaches the top of the steps as the inner door opens. Spike walks up to her in his game face and smiles. He roars at her and she flinches a bit but doesn't back down. He tears the choker off of her neck. She starts to cry in fear.

Spike chuckles, "Take them all. Save the Slayer for me."

The vampires run and jump down the stairs to the people below and begin feeding. Spike grabs Chantarelle by the neck and bites her violently. Buffy slowly wakes and shakes her head as Ford walks towards her with a crowbar.

"Ford I don't want to hurt you."

As Ford tries to hit her with a crowbar, a hand grabs his arm in mid-swing and pulls him around, making him hit his head on a concrete pillar. He falls unconscious to the floor.

"Enough of the sappy shit."

Buffy groans looking up at Laney who smirks.

"Told you, you needed my help."

Laney looks at the mayhem going on around her and spots Drusilla standing by herself on the balcony.

"That's the girl right?"

Buffy nods rolling her shoulders.

"Well then... they want fun... let's have a little fun."

Laney takes a running leap off of a couch up to the balcony railing, quickly climbs over. Buffy stares at her in complete shock. She knew that Laney had been training with Giles ever since finding out about the supernatural, but she didn't know that she was that good.

Laney quickly grabs Drusilla from behind and holds a stake to her chest, "Drusilla right?"

Drusilla nods slowly glancing over at Laney who smirks.

"Perfect."

Laney pushes Drusilla ahead, making her walk closer to the edge of the balcony.

"Hey Spike! I think I have something that belongs to you..."

Spike stops feeding on Chantarelle and looks over at them. Drusilla stares at the stake poised in front of her.

Spike growls, "Everybody STOP!"

They all stop feeding immediately.

Laney winks, "Great idea, Spikey. Now you let everyone out, or your little girlfriend is gonna fit in a cute antique ashtray."

Drusilla stares ahead frightened, "Spike?"

Spike glares at Laney before looking over at Drusilla reassuringly, "It's gonna be alright, baby."

Drusilla lets out a whimper as Laney pokes her chest with the stake.

"Hello... the people."

"Let them go!" Spike orders.

They all let go of their victim, and the people hurry up the stairs and out.

Laney nods towards the stairs, "Down the stairs now. Come on Buffy..."

Spike slowly backs down the stairs. Laney forces Drusilla ahead of her, still holding the stake ready. When Buffy reaches the top of the stairs and Laney hurries behind her, she stares at Spike for a moment.

A tiny spark lit between the two before Spike then realizes that she had his current lover in her arms about to turn her into dust. Spike glares at Laney who smirks at him teasingly.

She then glances at Drusilla and pats her head, "Good girl..."

Chuckling, Laney shoves Drusilla down the stairs at Spike. He catches and steadies her as Laney then turns and rushes out the door. Spike roars angrily and starts to give chase as Buffy swings the door shut behind them. Spike slams up against it before looking for the way to open it.

"Uh, where's the doorknob?"