by Mace

Buffy grabbed her bags and other stuff, and they left the cheap motel room together.

"How are we gonna get back?" Buffy asked.

Drusilla pointed to a black BMW convertible. Buffy looked hesitant. Dru held up the keys and laughed.

"It's mine. I paid for it. Though we don't really need it, vampires tend to collect a rather large fortune," Drusilla admitted.

"Then why did you bring that trunk with you?" Buffy asked, smiling.

"I intended to give you something, but since you convinced me to come with you, I'll give it to you later. Put your stuff in the backseat," Drusilla said as she picked up the trunk with ease.

In a matter of minutes, Buffy the vampire Slayer and Drusilla the vampire with a BMW were on their way back to Sunnydale. Buffy leaned back into the plush velour seat and sighed. She fought her tears with all her might, but eventually they slipped out. Dru put her hand on Buffy's arm and frowned. She pulled her hand back to brush away one of her own tears.

Giles and the Slayerettes had spent weeks looking for the missing Slayer. It seemed that since she was missing, the Watchers' Council had sent all sorts of scouts out to find her. Everyone on the Council felt sorry for the Slayer who had apparently had to kill her only love. No one was sure where she went or if she was ever coming back. People all over the world were looking for spells to bring back the Slayer's Angel. Even Whistler, one of Giles's . . . friends . . . had joined in on the search.

"What if we never find her?" Willow asked suddenly.

"I don't know Willow. Another Slayer can't be called because she obviously isn't dead. And although Kendra was killed, since there was another Slayer living, Buffy is currently the only Slayer," Giles answered.

"That's nice to hear," the all-to-familiar voice of the blonde Slayer rang from the library doors. Drusilla stood behind her slightly to her left.

"Buffy?!?" the Slayerettes and Watcher called.

Buffy was crushed in a big group-hug before anyone had time to recognize Drusilla.

"Uh, Buff, why is Drusilla behind you and you're not killing her?" Xander asked, backing away. "Are you a- grr?" he asked, quoting Willow.

"Oh, no!" Buffy said. "Dru convinced me to come back. She's got her soul and isn't insane anymore."

"She killed Kendra!" Cordelia said.

Drusilla started to shake slightly.

"I- I should go, Buffy. She's right, you know," Drusilla said, wiping the tears away from her face that managed to escape. She looked down at the floor and her shoulders started to shake almost violently.

"If not for Dru, I wouldn't even be here," Buffy declared.

"Buffy, Drusilla is not Angel. Just because she has a soul . . . you can't just expect us to accept that Drusilla is willing to . . . well . . ." Giles tried to stutter out.

"You don't really have a good reason for her to leave! Dru never did anything wrong! It was all the demon. She's not insane anymore. She hasn't got anyone. We're friends," Buffy said, daring anyone to defy her wishes.

"Buffy," Dru said, "I'm not your friend. I'm just a vampire. I just . . ."

"We *are* friends, Dru. You and I both know it. You made me come here. I'm making you stay. I *don't* like losing my friends, and we'll always need all the help we can get. Right Giles?" Buffy asked.

"Well, yes, but . . ."

"Exactly," Buffy said. "So, what's happening on the Hellmouth?"

"Nothing actually. We've been searching for you and . . . a spell to bring back Angel, but it's been nonprogressive to put it mildly. . . ."

About that moment, Snyder and Whistler walked through the door. Buffy jumped ten feet straight in the air and looked at Snyder. Whistler just grinned.

"Good to see you've joined us, Slayer," Whistler said.

"Uh- well-" Buffy said, keeping her eyes on Snyder.

"Oh, Snyder, tell her," Whistler said.

"You aren't expelled anymore. I didn't know you were the Slayer. I'm a demon like Whistler. I'm- sorry I hassled you so much. I'll be much more lenient about your absences this year, and you'll be allowed to take and/or retake all your exams," Snyder said.

"You're sorry!?! Do you realize where I've been?!? I've been in some sleazy motel for a month!!! You freaking expelled me from school!!! And you sound like *letting* me take my exams!!! Do you have any d*** idea how hard my life was without *you* hassling me? I ought to feed you to a vampire!!!" Buffy screamed.

Drusilla laughed despite herself. She looked up at everyone who had suddenly stopped talking when they realized her presence.

"Sorry," she said. "It's just that that's probably the first time Buffy's showed any real emotion. She must really despise you," she said to Snyder.

"Who are you?" he asked.

"Drusilla," she said, extending her hand which he did not take.

"Drusilla? The Drusilla? The crazy vampire that killed the other Slayer Drusilla?" Snyder asked.

"Uh- Slayer," Whistler said.

"She's the one who convinced me to come back. She's not crazy, and she has a soul like Angel did. And I know that I seem really happy, but it's only a passing phase. As soon as the thrill of being home is over, I know I'll just as depressed as I've been for the past month," Buffy said. "But right now, I wanna go home and see my mom."

Joyce was sitting alone in the Buffy's bedroom with the light off, clutching Mr. Gordo. She didn't hear the car pull up in the driveway or the front door open. It was only when the light blonde color of her daughter's hair caught the moonlight that she was startled out of her reverie.

"Buffy?" she whispered.

"I'm home," Buffy said as she ran to her mother and held her tightly.

"Honey, I can't breathe," she said when she couldn't hold her breath any longer.

"Sorry," Buffy said sheepishly. "I missed you so much. Are you okay?" Buffy asked.

"I'm so much better since you came home! I missed you . . ." she started crying "I didn't mean it, Buffy. I didn't want you to go. I was just scared, and I didn't know what was happening. I didn't really think that you kill her. I'm so sorry, baby," Joyce said.

"I'm sorry I didn't explain. I'm sorry I didn't tell you about being the Slayer . . ."

"I know. You were just trying to protect me. Thank you. You are gonna stay?" Joyce asked hopefully.

"Yeah, I'm here to stay. Everyone else is downstairs. I wanna explain to everyone what happened," Buffy said, leading her mother by the hand.

Buffy never saw the intense look of proudness her mother shot her. <>

Do you want to read part three? Go here.

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