The sun fell that evening, and the moon rose. Stars came out as they always did and Willow Rosenberg stepped out of the building holding her lovers hand. She glanced up at the moon and it was red, she'd never seen anything like it, she fell to her knees.

"WILLOW? Are you okay?"

"Oz... it's... it's so powerful, it hurts me..."

"What?"

"The blood on the moon."

"What are you talking about?"

"Look at it... don't you see it, the moon blanketed in red."

"Willow, the moon isn't even out, it's covered by clouds." She looked up and the moon was bright red. The stars were glowing red as well.

He didn't know what was happening. There was no moon out tonight, it was too cloudy, but Willow obviously thought she saw something.

"Willow? There is no moon out tonight."

"Oz, it's all so red up there, it hurts me, it gives me the chills."

All of a sudden she was swept away with emotions, hatred, jealously, pain, she completely fell onto the ground and she watched the images danced in her head. She saw Faith, vamped out.

"Oz... it's Faith."

"What Will, you're scaring me, tell me what's happening." She looked up at him from the ground and the sky was black, no stars were visible.

"Oz, I think... I don't know, it must be Tara's way of telling me something. I saw Faith, I had a vision, kinda like what Cordy has I guess, and I saw the sky, covered in red, Oz, I did see that, it wasn't my imagination."

"I believe you. Are you okay?"

"Yes, it doesn't hurt anymore, we have to get to the Bronze, we have to tell Buffy." She stood up and regained her balance and they headed toward the Bronze.

"Soon love, soon." Max had tied two people up above the graves he had dug for the master's new arrivals. The two were gagged and sat in fear, not knowing what to expect. Spike listened intently to their hearts, inhaled the fear in the air around them. He sat on the ground, Dru in his lap, both watching the ground for the first movement, the sign they were waiting for.

"Maybe I didn't do it right Spike, what if it's all wrong?"

"Shhh, you did it right love, it just takes time is all, just time and some blood waiting for them."

They sat for what seemed like hours, waiting, watching, holding each other, Dru raking her nails on his thighs and he, grasping her supple breasts, waiting.

"Spike?"

"Yes pet?"

"I want a new dollie. Can I have one?"

"Of course love, what will she look like."

"The Slayer."

"Perfect."

They sat more in silence, touching each other, on the ground. He closed his eyes and listened to the beating hearts of the victims. Dru jumped out of his lap and his eyes popped open. She crawled over the ground and he saw her finger graze the tip of another. He smiled. The moon did too.

"Buffy, I know what I saw and what I felt. It's true. I think it's already happened."

"Okay, we have to find Faith and try to get her to stay with us so we can protect her."

"Um, Buffy, it's Faith, psycho-killer-switch-your-body-steal-your-boyfriend-slayer-gone-bad Faith. Lest we not forget that."

"Xander, I get the concern thing, but she did show me how to get rid of the Mayor, to stop the Ascension and I..."

"Enough with the forgiveness thing Buff, I'm so sick of it... let's forgive Angel for killing Ms. Calendar, let's forgive Spike for trying to end the world, let's forgive Faith, what's next, wanna forgive the Mayor for ruining graduation, wanna apologize to the master for killing him and invite the judge for tea?"

"Xander, over react much? Xander, no matter what Faith has done, she is a Slayer, and she doesn't deserve to die... not yet."

"Buffy, remember that whole going-to-the-hospital-because-your-boyfriend-slurped-you-up?" Angel went pale. "Remember who was behind that? Think about who imposed that decision?"

"Xander, first off, that's really rude to drudge up old stuff, and another thing, Faith did that because the Mayor told her that. She never got a chance at a real life, her mom was mean, and she deserves the benefit of the doubt, another chance, that's all I'm saying, we don't know why she's here in town, maybe she changed her mind."

"Yeah, Buffy, just like she changed her mind about being friends when she switched your bodies, Buffy what kind of drugs are you on?" He stood up and left, Anya followed him.

"Buffy, you shouldn't let that get to you, I'm all up for the not letting a Slayer become a vampire, I mean aren't there rules for that?"

"I don't know Willow, but Xander's been really touchy lately."

"Maybe he sees that he's not the supreme guy in our lives now. I mean for a while, he was everything, helping us get over Angel and Oz, and now they're back and they aren't hurting us anymore, so now he's jealous. We don't depend on him anymore, you know, plus he's probably nervous about the baby."

"I guess you're right Will, but I am right about Faith, aren't I? I mean, I tried to kill her, and I felt really bad about it afterwards, I mean, maybe not REALLY bad about it, cause I was sort of in a coma, but I mean, she was the first human I'd hurt..."

"Buffy, I think you're right about Faith and Xander has a point. If we can forgive me for all the things I did, she deserves another chance too, who knows maybe she really did find a way to atone for what she did." Buffy smiled at Angel and the two couples sat in silence, watching the crowd dance. She heard a song play, "Dance with me Angel."

"Okay."

//I wanna stand with you on a mountain
I wanna bathe with your in the sea
I want to lay like this forever
Until the sky falls down on me
And when the stars are shining brightly in the velvet sky
I'll make a wish and it to heaven and make you want to cry
the tears of joy for all the pleasure and the certainty//

She rested her head on his chest and his arms engulfed her. They swayed with the music and all of reality she knew was his steady breath on her hair, and his arms holding her, pulling her into him. She never imagined anything like this would ever happen. And now she was pregnant, with Angel's baby, a miracle in itself. He must have been thinking the same thing because he moved one of his hands from around her to her stomach. It covered her tiny belly completely, protectively. She smiled and kissed him tenderly.

She remembered the night he had come back, her and Willow had been sitting talking and Spike had showed up. Buffy had known he was there, she could feel him whenever he was around. He was part of her, she didn't love him, it was more than that. It was so intense, complete, without him, she wasn't whole. She shuttered to think of a time when this wasn't possible, when this couldn't be possible. It brought a tear to her cheek as the song ended. She looked up at him and his hands took her head and his thumb wiped away the tear.

"Buffy, what's wrong?"

"Nothing, I was just thinking about how much I love you." He smiled and gathered her up in his arms again. Their lips met, and he lifted her body off the ground a couple inches. She was floating, flying and she never wanted to come down.

"Well, I know, if I were a vampire, I mean, again, when I was... I would have killed a Slayer, but who would make one into a vampire? It seems too ironic, I guess it makes sense, but what's the guarantee that she wouldn't retain the slayerness, I don't know. It seems crazy."

"Crazy? Who do we know who's crazy enough to try it?"

The four looked at each other and nodded, and in unison said, "Drusilla."

"Drusilla will do just fine mate, call her Drusilla."

He walked over to the girl who was tied to the post. He could hear it, the blood, the heart, thump thump, thump thump. He looked back at her. "You know what to do." He looked at her, and tried on his new face, his new identity and turned back to the girl. She tried to scream but it was to no avail, the gag was too tight. He took hold of her head and bent it toward her shoulder and bit down fiercely. She tried to scream and fight, but she couldn't and she eventually went limp. He stood up, and wiped his mouth off, the taste lingered in his mouth, salty and rich.

"Perfect." She smiled and walked to him. "You're perfect, you're part of our family now, we'll feed and play, what's your name again? I forgot."

"Riley." He looked into her eyes and grabbed her forcefully and dove into her mouth with his tongue. Sooner than he could think, he was thrown back by hostile 17.

"We'll have not of that... you keep your hands off my Dru, or I'll stake you myself mate. Got it?"

Riley nodded and stood up. "Spike? That's not really necessary, he's cute, I like him."

Spike looked at Riley and he smiled. Spike growled at him and turned to Dru, "Now Princess, we've been through this before, I don't ask for much, but I do ask you not shag anyone else, I don't think that's too much to ask." She gave him a small smile and her eyes grew wide.

"Spike! She rises."

"So what's the plan Buffy?" Willow asked as the four were walking toward the mansion.

"Plan? Why do I always have to have a plan? I'm sick of being the plan girl."

"Well, Buffy, you are the Chosen One, and you should come up with the plans, you're good at it, your plans work, you've come up with some good ones."

"Yeah, Willow, but it was Xander who came up with the really good ones, like the gun thingy with the Judge, and well... hmmm... I can't think of anymore off the top of my head, but he helped, a lot... and I don't want to come up with the plans, you do it."

"But, Buffy, I'm Willow, I'm no..." she fell off to the ground and looked around her, red, all over, red, blood, hate, the moon was gone but the stars spelled secrets to her, words she could not focus on, she couldn't make them out. She lay on the ground waiting for the intense spasms of her muscles to stop and give her relief.

"WILLOW!" Buffy and Oz went after her, trying to stop her fall, but it was too late. She hadn't hit her head though. "Buffy, this is what happened before when she saw the moon and the vision."

"Oz, how long did it last before?"

"Couple minutes."

She looked up and watched the stars dance and move. They spoke to her, whispered secrets. 'The . baby will die... all will die... Faith... ALL WILL DIE... only BLOOD will stop... you rise... SHE RISES...' Her eyes shot open and she sat up.

She played with her fingers, teased them, licked them as she waited.

'Further, what's that? Warm... so warm... hurry... need to taste it... hurry... so hard... tired... when will it end... black... black all black... listen... pumping... further... soon... so soon... warm... air...'

Her arms moved above the surface and made a hole for her head to come up out of the soil. She opened her eyes to the darkness and saw the dark woman there, waiting for her, extending a hand.

"Welcome." She stood up and shook herself off. She knew these faces, all but one.

"Who's that?"

"That's Max love, he's a servant. We have a present for you." Spike stepped toward her and she met him and pushed herself into him as she had done months prior in the Bronze. She remembered what she had said.

I could have anything... anyone. Even you, Spike. I could ride you at a gallop until your legs buckled and your eyes rolled up. I've got muscles you've never even dreamed of; I could squeeze you until you popped like warm champagne and you'd beg me to hurt you just a little bit more. And you know why I don't? Because it's wrong.

She'd meant it, she was hot for him, she grabbed his waist and pulled him hard into her. "Or you can not open your present." He said, as he leaned in to her mouth.

"Um, Spike?" He turned to Dru, "Spike? The present..." Dru walked over and unhooked Faith's hands from around her man. "We have a present for you... you know what to do... well we have two presents."

"RILEY!" Faith ran over to him and grabbed him, he was clamy. "Riley, are you, I mean... did they... are you like me?"

"Yeah, I'm here with you babe. Take him, I left him for you. Do it." She walked over to the boy and took out the gag from his mouth, she wanted to hear him scream. She vamped out and bit down, hard and let the blood spout into her mouth and she sucked him dry.

"I've always wondered about that. It's good, tastes like chicken."

"Well, I'd wager it's a lot better than chicken in that's it's not." Spike said as Faith looked back at him. Dru put her arm around him again and Riley slinked his arm around Faith. "So, what else do vampires do for fun?"

"Well, I like to tie up Spike upstairs..." Dru offered.

"Hmmm, I'd like to tie him up too..."

"That's not what I meant. We brought Riley for you, you choose him and he's yours."

"So what, Drusilla? You can fuck other guys, but he can't ride me? That hardly seems fair, I mean, if you can share, why can't he?"

"Because he's mine, and he's been a bad boy, and he's mine."

"I'll bet he's been a bad boy, though as I recall him and B were pretty tight before. Her feeding him, tying him up in the bathtub, sounds like the games you like to play."

Dru whipped around to him and looked at him, her eyes wide. He had to explain, he hadn't told her about it yet, it was too embarassing.

"SPIKE?"

"Dru, baby, I had to survive, I had no money, you left me, and I needed blood, it wasn't as much fun as it sounds, it wasn't any fun. It's all his fault!" He pointed at Riley, but she didn't shift her eyes.

"Upstairs NOW!" She said, and he knew he was in trouble, he went up and she followed him after turning to the new arrivals, "You stay here a couple hours, have fun, Max'll get you another dinner if you like, but stay here, the Slayer is strong, and so is my Angel."

"You got it D, we'll just be chillin' here."

"Faith, she's risen, I saw it, the stars they told me."

"Well, great, another freak listening to stars, at least it's not an ex-girlfriend, huh Angel?" He looked at her and she tried to smile, she knew she shouldn't have said that. He was touchy about those vampire jokes now, especially ones that made him think of how much he hurt her. "Sorry, I..."

"It's okay, let's figure out this... the stars told you?"

Oz reached down and pulled Willow up and kissed her forehead. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, little pain, but no big, the stars they spelled words to me, told me the baby will die, all will die and that I rise and she rises. That's what the message was, which kind of goes with Cordy's vision, the baby and you and all."

"Well, this baby isn't going to die, I won't let it, Buffy," Angel said, he turned to Buffy, "I want you to go home. I'll be along after I find Faith."

"Angel... I'm the Slayer, I have to go."

"Buffy, you're not taking the chance, not with this baby, not with yourself, I'll go."

"Angel, I..."

"He's right Buffy, Angel and I can go, we can take care of it, you go home, we'll come right over afterward."

"Will..."

"Buffy, resolve face. See, resolve face, you've seen it before, you know what it means. Go, Oz'll take you, we'll see you later."

"Willo..."

"Oz, resolve face. Go, take Buffy and make sure she gets home safe."

"Okay, be careful, I love you. Come on Buffy." Willow and Angel said their goodbyes and watched as Oz and Buffy walked off.

"Think it was a good idea?"

"Angel, you're right, we can't take the chance, I mean, Dru bit you, most likely she knows Buffy is pregnant, it's safer this way, and Dru has the emotional leverage over you and Buffy, she could distract her... this is best."

"Dru baby, that bloody hurts, would you stop!" She had tied him up again; he knew he couldn't argue with her. She had a whip this time.

"Shut up Spike." She sat with the stake once more, a few feet out of his reach, at least this time he wasn't completely naked, only his chest was open to her torture.

"Dru, I didn't do anything with the Slayer, I just needed blood and they locked me up in the tub until they were sure I couldn't bit them. That's all, I got this chip in my head and it zapped me every time I tried to hurt someone good. I needed blood, so I was nice to them so I could get blood, that's it."

"You reek of the Slayer Spike, I've smelled it ever since you came groveling back. You taste like her, I feel her on your skin."

"Dru, there was a spell, it made us be in love, I purposed, and we kissed, but it was Willow's spell, she was mad, her boyfriend had left and her magic went wacky, it wasn't my fault... baby, I didn't mean it... I'm sorry Dru, I'm sorry..."

"Okay." She said and she went to him to untie him and she stopped suddenly.

"Dru? I'm sorry, look at me, you know I am, I love you..."

"Good, now scream for mommy..." and she let some holy water from a cup trickle down his chest and he screamed.

"You're a good fuck baby, thanks."

"Not too bad yourself. Think we should stay here?"

"Fat chance in hell, let's go, I wanna have some real fun!" They threw on their clothes and started to the door.

"Um, the Mistress says you're to stay here, she gave me orders."

"Yeah, well, tell her this... we do what we want, when we want." Faith punched the servant and they left. She looked up at the moon that was just barely showing. "What do you say we ditch the English chick and leave town?"

"What? I thought we'd kill Buffy first."

"Oh, is that your pleasure?" She turned to him and smashed into him, grabbing his balls and squeezing them as she had earlier.

"No, you're my pleasure, but Spike and Dru seem to have a plan, like they know something, I have to say, I'm curious. Maybe we should stick around a little."

"Okay, for a while. I'm hung... well well well..."

Willow froze in her tracks. Faith was covered in blood, surrounded by red. She'd never seen anything like it. She knew it wasn't real now; it was a gift, some gift.

"Willow and Angel, little switch, I'm sure Buffy'll be upset if she knew, but hey, why wouldn't Willow wanna feel you too, I mean, with you being so cold and all, it's a real turn on. I remember."

"You can't play your games on us Faith, we know what you are, Riley, you have to get away from her, come to us, slowly." He complied and got near her and took her hand.

"I'm so glad you're here, where is Buffy anyway?"

"She went patrolling, we split up... Riley, you have to stay away from Faith, you don't know what she is now..."

"I think I do." She looked up at him and saw his face and screamed. Angel ran to her and punched him and he went reeling backward. Faith lunged after them and Willow threw up her hands and Faith was thrown back ten feet.

"WOW! This is great!" She said, and she tried it again, as Faith got up on her feet, and it worked again. She then decided to get crafty, she threw Faith into a tree next and Faith screamed.

"RILEY! Get away from them! RUN!" She looked on as Riley and Angel fought. Then she noticed something very interesting.

He was throwing punches left and right, he pictured him with Buffy and it made him punch harder. He took out his stake and Riley rushed him and caught it in the heart.

"Sorry but the best man always wins!"

"RILEY!" Faith ran to him but was too late, he fell to the ground and she fell too. "BASTARD!" She jumped up and went for Angel but was again thrown back and she ran.

"Oops."

"Why oops?"

"Cause I killed Buffy's ex-boyfriend."

"It was an accident."

"No Willow, I did it on purpose, I enjoyed it."

"You had no choice, he was vampire. He deserved it, and anyway, I can't really see Spike and him as pals, I mean Riley was the one who captured him and put that chip in his head. I mean that chip caused us a lot of problems, not only did we have to feed him, but we had to help him and I mean, he was almost like a brother-in-la... I mean, we had to feed him an... '

"Willow, tell me about it." The two walked toward the apartment. "Unless we should go see what good ole' Spike's up to."

"Let's skip the family reunion, we've seen them all way too much and Faith'll be mad anyway. Did you see her face? She still liked him."

"Buffy?"

"In here, resting... how'd it go?" She jumped up and ran to Angel, he picked her up and they exchanged a gentle quiet kiss, as did Willow and Oz.

"I'm sorry Buffy, I accidentally killed Riley."

"WHAT?"

"Buffy, he didn't really KILL kill Riley, I mean not in the strictest sense."

"In what sense then?"

"Well, in the sense that it wasn't accidental and Riley was already dead, and undead."

"Oh, you mean..."

"Yeah, Faith and Riley, both had by Spike and Dru. On the up side I've worked out some glitches in my magic throwing power! I got Faith good."

"Well, now what?"

"Now nothing, it's going to be dawn soon, and Faith'll spreading the news to our undead English friends. Course, they aren't really our friends anymore, are they?" Willow took Oz's hand and led him to the door. "I mean, we never really LIKED Spike, we just put up with him because, I don't even know... anyway..."

"Willow, he wasn't your friend, but I've heard Buffy was quite close with him." Buffy turned her head quickly and saw Willow's eyes dart away from her friend.

"WILLOW?!"

"Well, that's our cue to leave Oz, let's go home... I'm tired... bye Buffy, see you later." They left quickly and Buffy turned back to Angel. He was glaring at her, smiling.

She was quiet for a few minutes, staring at the floor, when he spoke. "Wind Beneath My Wings?"

"That was the spell."

"Right, sure, I believe you."

"It was, that song sucks."

"Buffy, I can read your eyes... I know you... and I can tell when you're joking, and yo..."

"You think you're so smart do you?" She approached him slowly and he drew closer to her.

"Yeah I do."

"Oh yeah?" She crushed herself up against him.

"Yeah."

"Well, maybe you are." She smiled and put her head down on his chest and his arms wrapped around her waist.

"Maybe I am, Mrs. William the Bloody."

"Hey, it would have been Mrs. the Bloody, okay? And anyway, the daytime ceremony would have killed him, I wouldda gotten some really nice presents though."

"Well, that wasn't so bad to admit, was it?"

"Yes."

"Hmmm." He said with a chuckle.

"Angel, I'm never going to hear the end of this, am I?"

"Buffy, no force on this Earth will make me forget."

"HEY! Watch it! You have your fun downstairs." She hissed with a growl.

"Yeah, well, no fun there, Riley's dead."

Dru jumped up and Faith glanced down at Spike and smirked. Dru slapped her on the face and Faith punched her back. "Now girls, no need for fighting, we're family, remember?" Spike grabbed his jeans and pulled them on, noticing Faith's eyes on him. "What happened?"

"We went out to hunt, we were hungry, Angel and red were walking and he killed Riley."

"What about you? Did you just stand there?"

"Red, she's strong, she threw me against a tree, I didn't have any time to get back up."

"Her powers grow stronger Spike, I can't abide, we must destroy her."

He saw that look in her eyes, she was worrying, she would fall soon and he rushed over to her as she did. "Mmmm... Spike... I can't abide... Spike... it's all wrong... red must die...and the baby... she will be strong..."

Spike sunk to the floor with Dru in his arms and held her, caressing her forehead lightly.

"What the hell is she talking about Spike? What baby?"

"Faith, leave us, I'll come down in a few minutes." He watched as she left. "Dru, princess, my black goddess, we'll take care of Red, you need to rest. You should rest, lay down, I'll get Miss Edith and you can rest together..." He put her head down gently and went for the doll and carried her back to her mummy. "Here love, take Miss Edith, get some rest, I'll come get you once we have dinner tonight... don't worry love... Spike'll fix it, I fix everything for you love. Daddy'll make it better."

"Spike?"

"Yes pet?"

"Spike, promise me you'll make it better."

"I promise." He kissed her tenderly and went to the door, "Get some rest." He closed the door and headed downstairs.

He growled loudly and slammed her into a wall, "Don't call her that. She's sick sometimes is all."

"Ooo, wanna play?" He let her go. Rejected. She would have her way with him one day, that day, she would. "What's the matter Spike? She can screw around but you can't? You're a whipped man, makes me sick to my stomach."

"Yeah, well, love's a bitch." She grabbed his arm as he walked away from her she kicked out his knees and he slammed into the ground and she jumped on top of him.

"No, I'm the bitch... Spike." Her hand traced down his shirt beyond his waist and grabbed him. She squeezed him and kissed him ferociously. He kissed back, biting her lip and rolled over on top of her. He then broke the kiss and stood up. She remained on the floor, and spread her legs. "What was the crazy bitch talking about?" She began imitating Dru, "'I can't abide...' what's wrong with her?"

He looked down at her, he stood between her legs and moved his boot deep between them. She shuddered at the thought of how much he could hurt her. 'Do it!' She wanted him. 'Do it!' But he didn't.

"Don't call her that, she made you, you respect her."

"Oh please!" She squeezed her thighs around his foot and squirmed down toward it, increasing the pressure on herself. He tried to move his foot away but she was secure around it, and his efforts to get rid of her only pulled her with him. "What baby was she talking? I get the thing about Red."

"Buffy's baby." She let go and stood up.

"B's having a baby? Well, I guess that'll hurt Angelus, poor guy, guess Buffy was bound to move on, it's Riley's isn't it? How great! He killed the father of her kid! It's ironic!"

"Angel's the father Faith."

"WHAT?! How?"

"He's human."

"Huh? Since when?"

"You've been away a long time." He said as he sat down on a kitchen chair they had used to tie up the prisoners.

She walked over and straddled him on the chair. "I guess I have been." She leaned in to his ear and bit at his ear lobe and whispered, "Tell me about it."

"Everyone got gifts for defeating Adam... a big bloody demon, I got the chip out and Dru came back, Angel got to be human and Willow apparently got powers."

"So we can kill him?"

"He still has his vampire strength, he can fight and he's good, but technically we could kill him."

"Know what would kill him even more?" She looked into his eyes and forged her tongue into his mouth, but he turned away. "If he sees his baby and girl friend, dead. That would kill him."

"That's the plan... we've already got that worked out, we just have to bide our time."

"Well, we've got the plan, psycho girl's asleep, and you know what they say, while the wife is away, the husband and girlfriend play."

She licked his jaw and around to his ear, where she nibbled lightly. It felt good. He remembered what she had said to him, it had been her in the Bronze, he knew that now. He had wanted her, slayer or not, he wanted her, who wouldn't? Her chest pressed into him and it felt good having someone there who was all there. He loved Dru, she was his goddess, his princess, his queen, he worshipped her, but she was never this aggressive, never showed this much interest in him, not as much as she had shown in Angel. It bothered him to say the least and he had always wondered what a slayer would be like. A slayer, the strength she possessed in her body made him sudder. He couldn't help it, it was the masochist inside, the one he'd always been, the reason why he hadn't been married when he died. Maybe he did things to make Dru mad at him so she would punish him, she always seemed more attentive to him when he had been bad.

He slid his hands around her and pawed at her buttocks and pulled her closer to him. She took his lead and began kissing his still bare chest, biting and licking, gnawing and slowly driving him mad. He pawed at her shirt and it too came off, barely breaking their kisses, the contact with her. She began unbuttoning his jeans and he stopped.

"No, stop this, get off." He tried moving her, but she had wrapped her legs around him and the chair. She was flexible and strong. His thoughts went to what she could do with those legs, things that Dru never could. She was also insistent. She sucked a nipple on his chest and bit it lightly. She moved back up to his ears and his neck, nibbling, growling and squirming around slightly. "No." He repeated, but his voice was quiet under her kisses and his objections were overruled. He tried again to push her off, but she didn't budge. He grabbed her breasts tightly and twisted them and he got her attention, but she just looked at him and smiled.

"Stop this Faith."

"Oh Spike! She won't mind, really... she won't. And anyway, she got to have her fun making me, so why can't you have yours and make me?"

"No, she won't like this. I can't."

"What if I told you, you didn't have a choice?" She finished unbuttoning his jeans and moved his hands to hers and he unzipped them almost unwillingly. He wouldn't get out of this, and she knew he was enjoying it, despite his objections. "Because you don't have a choice Spike. I meant what I said, you'll be begging for more." She kissed him again and she moved his hands into her jeans. She was only wearing jeans, nothing else and he moved his hand to feel her, even in death a woman was so soft. Her grip around his waist loosened and he stood up, with her around him, leaving the chair behind. She dismounted and she pushed his jeans to the floor and let hers slide down over her skin and she jumped back up again, kissing him. He sat back down, he had to, he couldn't keep himself sane with her. She sunk down to her knees, taking him deep into her mouth, sucking, licking, biting, squeezing.

It felt good, he couldn't deny that, it was highly erotic and very pleasurable in the painful way he loved so much. She massaged and squeezed him and swallowed the dead rush he gave her. She came back up to him. "Spike?"

"Mmmm?"

"Fuck me, or rather, let me fuck you."

"Um... okay." And she did, hard, fast, deep, over and over, the rest of the day, until they were panting for air they didn't need and he was begging for more.

"You're whining again."

"Well, what you're human for like a month and you've given up the important foods for vegies and chicken? Let's get some medium rare steak and ice cream."

"I've bitten into enough raw meat, I think, and you need to eat properly, I won't have my baby living off of chocolate chip ice cream for nine months, with the freak things that happen on the hellmouth, it'd come out brown and minty."

"Well, that's a nice vision there dear." He picked up her plate and took it to the sink. "You know, for being a vampire for like 200 years, you've very homely now, I would've figured you to be the bare-foot-and-pregnant type."

"Huh?"

"Well, like all guys, that history tells us about, women's sufferage, and machoism, and guys thinking the girls should do all the cleaning and cooking and stuff."

"And Buffy, if I thought that and said it out loud, you'd kick my ass."

"I would. And I could."

"I know, but that's not me. Maybe it was, but as you pointed out, I changed."

"It's a very big man who can admit that."

"Well, I've grown as a person. Of course, that's technically true, isn't it? I mean, I grew into a person. Pretty cool isn't it?" He took her hand and led her to the bedroom.

"Yeah it is." She laid down on the bed and he put his head on her belly.

"I still can't believe a piece of us is in here, growing. I never thought about children before, never, for obvious reasons, I was kind of dead, but even before that, I never wanted kids. And now, I can hardly wait Buffy, you amaze me."

"Well, you're pretty amazing yourself." She pulled his head to hers and kissed him.

"Buffy, I have to go."

"NO!" She was whining again, a side effect of pregnancy.

"Someone has to look out for Faith. Willow and I are going, Oz will stay and keep you company and we'll come back after patrolling.

"It's not fair, I'm the Slayer and I want to slay. I can't take nine months of this, banished to research duty with Xander... while you and Willow get all the excitement. It's not fair! I WANNA A VAMPIRE RIGHT HERE TO FIGHT!" Just then there was a knock on the door.

He opened the door and was shell-shocked.

"Angel? Who is it?" She saw her standing there, "What the hell do you want?"

"You have to invite me in."

"Well, let me think about that, NO! Duh." She couldn't imagine why the hell Drusilla would be standing there. "Go away!"

"Please, Angel, please, listen to me, you have to help me. Invite me in."

"Yeah, let me tell you something, Drusilla, you will not come in here, even if I had a stake trained on your heart and wanted to a good laugh and your ashes on my floor. I wouldn't let you in even if you were holding Angel hostage, you'll never gain access to this place, ever, now go away." Buffy stated matter-of-factly.

"Buffy... maybe we shoul..."

"You are not going to say 'let her in', because that will never happen."

"I just mean, listen to her."

"Taking her side? That's great Angel... that's nice, wonderful. Maybe you should go with her."

"Buffy, that's not what I meant, what I mean is..."

"What do you mean? Hmmm, you told me it was over, that she meant nothing and now you're all like 'invite her in'?"

"I'm just saying, the last time one of them came to you, it helped."

"Angel, need I remind you that we have something here that is very delicate?"

"Speaking of that, how's the baby Buffy?" Drusilla asked.

"Yeah, you know about the baby, shocker there, reason number 101 for not inviting the crazy vampire into the house."

"Buffy, I don't want to hurt you, me tummy's full, I need help, it's Faith."

"Yeah, I know, Faith's a vampire... nice, and Riley's gone. We don't care."

"Angel! I'm ready!" Willow screamed as she entered the building, but before she knew what going on, Drusilla had grabbed her and was holding her by the throat.

"LET HER GO!" Angel screamed, entering the hallway. Drusilla let Willow go and fell to the floor crying.

"It's all wrong, she was suppose to stay away from my Spike, he promised."

"Great! The saga of the vampires continues... 'Buffy help me, I want Dru away from Angel... my girlfriend's a ho and you have to help me' and now... 'Buffy, help me, Spike's screwed the ex-slayer-now-vampire-that-I-made...' please! I'm going to fall into this trap anymore."

"Buffy, it's worth a listen I think." Willow asked as she entered the apartment.

"Willow? You too? Everyone takes her side, fine come on in! Can I offer you some tea?"

"I wouldn't have gone that far Buffy!" Drusilla stood up and entered cautiously. Angel glared at Buffy and she was mad, he could see it.

"Well, Drusilla, need I remind you I have more powers now and I can fling you across the room, and we all keep stakes on us, nice and handy."

"I'm not here to kill you, much as I'd like to, I gotta get rid of Faith. Me plan didn't work as I thought." She sat down on the couch. She turned to Buffy once more. "How's the baby? I always wanted to have a baby, but Angel didn't let me, momma wouldn't allowed it anyway."

"The baby's fine. Two months old. So what? The irony doesn't get to you? Why can you cheat on him, but he can't cheat on you? I feel a moment of dumb blond coming on, I don't get it."

"Angel was my sire, Faith isn't his. And he promised me that he would stay away from her, he promised he would make it right and he was right in the middle of our happy home, grabbing her."

"Again, I don't get it. You can screw Angelus in the house, when poor wheelchair boy couldn't even fight back, then you were going to bring Angel back into the un-afterlife, and you're mad at Spike?"

"I wasn't going to!"

"What?"

"I wasn't going to make him a vampire, I did it to show Spike he wasn't a threat to him anymore. I thought if Spike saw he was dead, then it'd be okay and he wouldn't have to worry about Angel anymore."

"Yeah, well the plan sucked and it backfired, didn't it? Why'd you do it to Faith anyway?"

"I had a vision, I thought it'd be fun... and tasty, a slayer's blood is the best! So will you help me? She's strong and I don't think me magic'll work. You have to go to the mansion and kill her."

"You could do it, you took two slayers before. You killed Kendra, didn't you? Do it and send me a postcard from France or somewhere."

"But I like it here."

"Why?"

"Because you're here Buffy, and the stars whisper dirty secrets to me, and Spike's here."

"This is so funny! I mean, you may very well kill me because I am going to die of laughter. You leave him for a chaos demon because he betrayed you and now you're doing the same exact thing to him. Why would you want him back anyway? He treats you like dirt! Of course I guess you treat him worse huh?"

"He wants to hurt me, and that's fine, we'll be fine, but I want her out of the picture, will you help me or not?" Drusilla looked at Angel and smiled.

"DON'T YOU BE MAKING GOOGLY EYES AT HIM! That'll end your un-life real quick."

"I wasn't, I just, I just can't believe that my Angel got to be human again, it's great, we did have fun though, didn't we? For fifty years! He gave me Spike, so I wouldn't be lonely, he knew Spike would take care of me, and he has, and I owe him. He makes me head feel better."

"Fine, we'll help, here's the deal, first off, don't expect to come back here, we're going to uninvite you as soon as possible, secondly, tomorrow during the day, we'll come over and kill her for you, make sure Spike's men are out of the place, and you have Spike upstairs. Even if you have to tie her up, or what you want, make sure she's alone; she'll be dust by dusk. Deal?"

"Deal. You leave Spike alone though."

"Spike lives, you live, Faith dies, and tomorrow night, you guys go for a nice long vacation, you come back before a year's up and you'll be kindling in my fireplace."

"But..."

"That's the deal, I don't want you guys around to screw with my baby, or my wedding. I don't need the stress, you guys skip town for at least a year, at least, and we'll kill Faith for you and if you promise to stay away for two years, I'll even kick her around a little first, maybe throw a cross at her..."

"Oh, goody. Uhhh... mmm...." she sunk into the couch and then to the floor, clutching her stomach. "Oooo... I can't abide..."

"What the hell is she doing?"

"She's having a vision, this is how she gets them."

"Oh, it's kind of like how mine were the other night." Willow observed. "How long do they last?"

"Couple minutes, usually, then she gets quiet." The three waited a few minutes, meanwhile Oz walked in and Willow filled him in on the unusual turn of events.

"Where is she?" Faith said, clutching him from behind.

"I don't know, maybe she got hungry. Come on, let's go join her."

"Let's not." She grabbed him and slammed him into Dru's bed, crushing the doll. She jumped on top of him and rode him hard into the next hour.

She sat up, they all watched. "Well?" Buffy said, "Tell me oh wise one, about this vision, I'm curious, is this how you found out about the Judge and Acathla?"

"Sort of, the Judge was a present from my Spike and Acathla was from my Angel."

"Oh, I knew I'd regret that question, okay, what the vision?"

"Miss Edith! She's dead, she killed her."

"Who the hell is Miss Edith?"

"My dolly... she's been bad, but she didn't deserve to die."

Willow smiled, "You know what, I'm starting to like her." Angel, Buffy and Oz all turned to look at her and she immediately put on her resolve face, hoping it would distract them.

She stood up and turned to Buffy, "You wanna come kill Faith with me? She needs to die now."

"Same deal as before."

"Yes, and I'll even send the baby a present."

"Like what? A finger from some dead guy?"

"No, I like little kids... I had sisters you know, two of them, they were younger than I was, and I liked to play with all the little girls... we'd sing songs and bake cookies..."

"I can't picture you as Susie homemaker... but it was a long time and a whole lot of blood ago, wasn't it? Course, I guess it would have been more like a whole lot of torture ago, huh?"

"Not funny Buffy." Angel said, surprised by her comment.

"Sorry Angel."

"Dru? For what it's worth, I'm sorry about what I did to you." He looked at her.

"It's okay Angel, I got good games for everyone now and I like the blood it's so pretty."

"Okay, we'll go to the mansion, and you and Spike are out of here tomorrow night, go reek havoc somewhere else, oh, but not LA." Buffy said, grabbing a stake.

"Why not?"

"I have friends there. Let's go, us being this nice is making my spider senses ache."

"Buffy, are you okay? It's not the baby is it?"

"No Angel, I can handle Faith with you guys backing me up, no problem."

"They are upstairs, I'll go up and send her down, promise me you'll let me watch you kill her?"

"Fine, just go up there, and send her down, we'll wait, just hurry, this place gives me the creeps."

Buffy stood, looking around, the place had memories, good and bad, but she felt an eerie peace here, one she had never really felt. It was strange, a place with such horrid memories, had become the home she had wanted, with Angel. They were both a part of this place, the good and bad. She shook off the feeling, as she heard screaming coming from upstairs.

"Dru, baby..." he pushed Faith off of him quickly and she landed on the floor, she was stunned. He was redeeming himself a little. Faith stood up.

"Spike? We were busy... you'll have to come back later Dru." Faith touched Spike and he pushed her back once more.

"Dru, pet, I can explain..."

"Spike, why do you want her anyway? I'm at least sane Spike... come on, throw her out."

He turned to Faith vamped out and Dru watched, in horror. She didn't know what he would do. Did he want her? She was relieved when he screamed, "GET OUT FAITH!" He grabbed her arm and pushed her out into the hallway and closed the door. He turned back to Dru and morphed back, "Dru, pet... I... I don't know what to say. I'm sorry."

She was going to leave again, and this time she probably wouldn't be back. He grabbed his pants and put them on and she watched him. His goddess, his princess of darkness, he thought he was looking at her for the last time. Her eyes never lied to him, she was hurt, angry, even more so than before. He had betrayed her even more than before, he had been unfaithful. It didn't matter if she had been before too, she couldn't think past herself, but he could and he stood in front of her. He had to be the strong one and resist temptations, but he hadn't, and now he would pay.

He fell to his knees and rested his head near the little heat she possessed. Her hands held his head, he wasn't expecting that. He looked up and she leaned down and kissed him lightly, and pulled him up on his feet.

"Let's go downstairs, I have a present waiting downstairs, but they won't wait long." He was curious, so he put his shirt on and followed her downstairs. The scene they found was quite different from what he was expecting. Faith was tied up to the chair and Angel and the Slayer were standing there.

"You've been a naughty little girl, you killed your sister, Miss Edith is very mad about that. You will die tonight, mummy is very mad at you."

"Oh, please you psycho, he doesn't like you, he just keeps you around because he can laugh at you, you're funny... talking to dolls, walking around like a normal person, he never really liked you, you don't give him what he wants, what he needs. He was begging for more, he's attention starved, you don't half the strength to make him happy. He screamed so much today, I can tell he hasn't in a while."

"You know Faith, I've been on the end of Drusilla's wrath and anger, and I wouldn't push her." Spike said as he stood next to Buffy and turned to talk to her. "Dru come to you for help with Faith?"

"Yep, ironic, huh?"

"What does she have to do?"

"You two ship out tomorrow evening, you leave for at least a year, I don't want you around to screw with my baby or my wedding. For some reason she still wants you, you deserve each other."

"How is the baby?"

"You care?"

"Well, you are my ex-fiancée."

"Don't remind me... the baby is fine... what the hell are we doing? I hate you. You hate me, mortal enemies... remember? What kind of a sick twisted relationship is this? Friendship? I think not."

"I don't know Buffy... it's weird for sure but it's so nice being violent again. I feel like a new man. I guess Angel does too, huh? She wasn't going to do it before, she told me."

"I know she told us too." Drusilla walked over to them and handed the stake to Spike. He took it.

"Spike?"

"Yes love?"

"Do it and we'll leave together, we'll be happy, we'll go to Paris or somewhere pretty."

Buffy watched the fear in Faith's eyes as Spike approached her. She started groveling, it was pathetic. "Spike? You were begging for more, tell her about it... you couldn't get enough, we lived out all your fantasies, things you can't tell her, nasty little secrets... how can you even think about it?"

"Because I love my goddess of darkness, and you can't even compare." He took the stake and pushed it hard into her heart and smiled as she crumbled to dust.

"Oh Spike... you do love me!" She ran to him and grabbed him and kissed him.

"Well, if I wasn't so repulsed, I might actually be touched. Okay, you two... tomorrow you leave, or else I'll hunt you down and my friend Willow here will practice throwing stakes at you with her new magic. Understood?"

"Yes." Drusilla said as she walked to Buffy and put her hand on Buffy's stomach. "Tell the baby she's lucky."

"How do you know it's a she?"

"I saw the baby, a baby girl... I want her, but I'll be back. We made a deal... and thank you Buffy."

"This is way too weird for me. You really want to thank me stay away forever, stay away from Angel and my baby."

"I can't do that." She turned to Spike and led him back up the stairs.

"I knew you wouldn't."

"Buffy, we're going to get going home, okay? I'll call you tomorrow?" Willow said.

"Yeah, have a good night." Oz and Willow left.

Angel walked over to her and wrapped his arms around her waist. She smiled. "Interesting night. You did say you wanted a vampire right there."

"Yeah, not that one. Willow's right." She said.

"What?"

"I actually like her, in a twisted kinda way, she's kind of innocent, like a little kid."

"She grows on you."

"I guess, wonder what she was like before, bet she was classy."

"Let's not talk about it."

"Oh, right." They stood there, looking around. Silence.

"Angel?"

"Yeah?"

"You're gonna kill me for saying this."

"What?"

"I wanna move back here." He looked down at her.

"Buffy, I feel exactly the same way. It's home." They walked back to the apartment holding hands. She knew she would have to go back and make sure Spike and Drusilla were gone tomorrow, but they enjoyed each other that night.