Part One
You and me
I can see us dying... are we?
--Don't Speak by No Doubt
He would have done anything for her. Live, die, even walk into hell if she asked.
And she seemed to know that with every fiber of her being. She knew a lot more than
anyone gave her credit for, as a matter of fact, despite the outward appearance of
having the mind of a child. That was what he adored about her the most: her vulnerability
and the way she had come to depend on him.
So why then, Spike mused, did it seem that with every passing day, the love of his life (or rather, unlife) was slowly drifting away from him?
He stood silently on the balcony overlooking the main area of the warehouse, half shrouded in shadows. His hands were wrapped around the wooden railing, his nails digging into it hard enough to leave visible indents. And all due to the inordinate amount of jealousy he felt at watching an intimate conversation between his precious Drusilla and Angelus.
Bits and pieces of their conversation drifted up to Spike, but it was enough to make him realize they were talking over old times. And to top it all off, Drusilla seemed to be enjoying her sire's attention. Before Angelus had rejoined their side, she wouldn't have given him a moment's thought unless necessary. At one point, she would even have taken delight in torturing him.
It took all Spike had not to run down there and start a fight when he saw Drusilla step closer to Angelus, running her hand over his lips. And for a moment, it appeared as if the two were on the verge of a kiss, much to his disbelief.
Spike looked around frantically for something, anything he could use to cause a distraction. And his gaze came to rest on the rusted pail to his left. Casually, he gave it a kick, sending it flying off the balcony. Then, he was away before his two companions could come to see what had caused the ruckus.
They would assume that it was the Slayer, Spike knew, and Angelus would spend a great deal of time scouring the warehouse and surrounding area for her. But as long as it kept him and Drusilla apart for the remainder of the night, it would be worth it.
As he listened to Angelus shouting orders to all the other vampires in the factory, Spike couldn't stop a smile from coming to his face. Revenge was sweet, he mused, but it could only last so long. Soon, he wouldn't be here to stop the inevitable, to ensure that Drusilla was his and his alone.
So, there was in essence only one option.
Angelus had to go...
***
Buffy had awoken shortly after her dream ended, and she couldn't get back to sleep for the rest of the night. That Angel had come to her, that he was telling her there was still hope, seemed to be nothing short than a miracle.
She could hardly wait to get to school, to tell her friends and her personal mentor about her dream. They had all been fond of Angel too, and would be overjoyed as well to hear this. Buffy quickly threw on an outfit that morning, impulsively donning the cross and the leather jacket that her boyfriend had once given her. If anything, it made her feel all the more closer to him.
She didn't even wait for her mom to offer to drive her, merely grabbed her things and took off running for Sunnydale High School. She arrived an ample amount of time before the first bell rang, ducking into the library where she knew at least Giles would be waiting, or so she thought.
The last thing she expected when she entered through the swinging double doors was to catch her two friends, Willow and Oz, in the middle of a kiss. Buffy stopped short, clearing her throat so they would notice her.
Willow blushed, wrapping her arms around herself uneasily. "Buffy," she said quietly. "I didn't see you there."
Buffy smiled slightly, knowing Willow could always be counted on to be modest. She may be breaking out of her shell as of late, but she still had a long way to go. Oz, on the other hand, was... well, Oz. He was pretty unique in his own way: sweet, quirky, and just basically fun to be around.
At one point, Buffy had thought herself and Angel to be the oddest couple in Sunnydale (as vampire and vampire slayer), but Oz and Willow were filling that category quick (as werewolf and human girl). The Slayer remembered once saying that everyone in her small group of friends was destined to never have a "normal" relationship. And that was certainly proving true as of late.
With that thought in mind, Buffy asked, "Is Xander around here also?"
Willow nodded. "Hidden in the library stacks somewhere," she muttered.
Buffy smirked. "And let me guess. A certain stuck-up brunette cheerleader that he hates is with him?" Yet another odd couple, Xander and Cordelia had an intense dislike for each other, but strangely had developed an attraction because of it.
Willow turned away, looking annoyed. At the same time, Oz took a step forward. "He and Cordelia have only been up there for twenty minutes. Don't think they want to be interrupted just yet," he responded. When Buffy gave him a strange look, he added, "I've been keeping tabs, and their make-out sessions tend to last forty at the most."
Buffy nodded slowly, amused. Meanwhile, anxious to change the subject, Willow said, "Well, what are you doing here so early? If it's to see Giles, he just stepped out a while ago. Our esteemed principal wanted to have a talk with him."
Buffy sighed, debating a moment over whether or not to share the dream she had. "Oh, well," she said at last. "I was gonna save this in my mental cabinet of things to tell Giles, but I really can't wait... I had this dream last night..."
Buffy didn't get a chance to finish, as she heard the library doors swing open behind her. She didn't need to look to see who had just entered; she could see it in Willow's eyes. Instinctively, Buffy stiffened, not bothering to hide her dislike for the uninvited guest.
Jenny Calender. Computer science teacher, self-proclaimed technopagan, and a descendant of the Gypsy tribe that had cursed Angel once upon a time. Next to Buffy, she was the most directly responsible for him reverting to his evil ways. Jenny had been ordered by her tribe to keep the vampire and the Slayer apart, but, consequently, she hadn't tried hard enough. Maybe if she had, Buffy mused, this whole mess never would have happened.
Jenny stopped upon seeing that Buffy was here. The two women had been avoiding each other as of late; perhaps it was inevitable that they'd run into one another again. After an awkward moment of silence, Jenny said, "I was hoping to speak with Giles... Is he here?"
"No," Buffy said coldly, without turning. "Even if he was, he'd have nothing to say to you... After you lied to him, to all of us..."
Had Buffy bothered to look, she would have seen Jenny's eyes flood with tears. "Buffy, I can't apologize enough for that," she said sincerely. "If I could go back and relive that night, I would. I would do anything to alter what happened!"
Buffy felt a lump forming in her throat. "I'm sure you would have," she said flatly, refusing to let go of the anger she felt. "But you missed that chance... If you had just been honest with us..."
Jenny hesitated a moment, exchanging glances with Willow and Oz. "I don't expect either you or Giles to ever trust me again," she said softly. "But I hope that you can one day find it in your hearts to forgive me." She moved to leave, then stopped and turned back. "I know what it's like to lose someone you love, Buffy," Jenny said as an afterthought. Then, without waiting for a response, she was gone.
Buffy stood there for a long while, deep in thought. She couldn't say exactly how or why the idea came to her, but it was there. She remembered her dream, how Angel had told her not to distrust the one who would help her. And, right now, she could only think of one person who might fill that role.
Jenny! Buffy thought. It had to be her. So, unaware that Willow was asking if she was alright, that Xander and Cordy had just stumbled into sight at last, Buffy turned and left the library, wanting to be alone with her thoughts at the moment...
***
Buffy didn't know how she made it through the day. Nothing seemed to matter, not her classes, not having lunch with her friends, not even taking the time to ask Giles if he foresaw any new catastrophes for her. All she could think about was Angel, Jenny, and her dream.
Thus the reason she stopped by Ms. Calender's room immediately after school, waiting in the hallway until she was certain everyone but the computer teacher had left. Once that had happened, Buffy quietly stepped in, shutting the door behind her.
"You said once that you couldn't do anything to help Angel," Buffy said aloud, startling Jenny. "Does that still stand? Or has something changed since then?"
For a moment, Jenny was too surprised by the Slayer's appearance to answer. Finally, she stood, leaning forward with both palms flat on her desk. "What makes you think anything has?" she asked softly. "If there was anything I could do, I would have done it already."
Buffy sighed, relating her vision from last night. "And you and I both know my dreams have a tendency to come true," she added. "So, if I'm supposed to look for someone I don't exactly trust, and it's not you, then who is it?"
Jenny shrugged, hating to see Buffy getting so worked up over this. "I don't know," she whispered. "I wish I could tell you. But I'm as much in the dark as you are."
The Gypsy sighed, walking around the desk and meeting Buffy eye to eye. "I sometimes think it would have been better if we'd never gotten close, that I'd never grown to care about you, about Giles... I was supposed to hate Angel for the crimes he committed against my tribe. But when I saw how much he meant to you and vice versa... Especially when he saved my life, I was ready to give up on this act of vengeance! You have to believe that, Buffy."
The Slayer sighed deeply. "So, prove it," she said slowly. "Do what you can to help! I don't care what, but just find something!" With that, Buffy turned to exit the room, her disappointment falling in on her once more...