A Deadly Game

Serena

Synopsis: Buffy and the gang fly to Romania to try and convince the vengeful gypsies to help them defeat Leonna. In the process they stir up both old and new hatred towards the group and Angel.

Disclaimer: I don't own Buffy, Angel, Willow, Xander, Oz, Cordelia, Giles, Spike, Dru, Joyce, Kendra, and Jenny, they belong to Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, the WB, and 20th Century Fox. I'm just playing with them, I promise to put them back after I'm done. I do own Leonna, Arianna, and all the other gypsies I made up, though. Please don't sue me, I just spent all my money on new clothes and I don't think you big hot-shot guys will look good in capri pants and tank tops.

Rating: PG-13

Timeline: Takes place directly after Vanishing Act, so I suggest you read that one first.

Author's Notes: Author's Notes: Okay, guys, this is the last story in my little trilogy. This follows Another Chance and Vanishing Act so I suggest reading those first. Things could get a little confusing. I've made up everything about the gypsy clan. I tried to be as accurate as possible, but this is fiction, so bear with me. I've never been to Romania either, but I did *research* it. Yay me. And yes, I know how to speak English, the old woman in my story can't talk too good, it's not me or my writing. Thoughts are in italics.

Feedback: Yes please!

*~*

"All right," Rupert Giles said, walking out of the cockpit into the main part of the plane. "We just reached our maximum altitude and are now on our way across the Pacific. We should be reaching our destination in about," he paused, glancing at his watch. "A day or so."

"Is this the official 'seat belt sign is now turned off' notice? 'Cause I gotta use the ladies room," Buffy Summers said, undoing her seat belt and jumping out of her plush leather seat. She turned to Giles before heading to the bathroom. "Giles, this plane is really cool. Any chance the Council will let us keep it?"

"Yeah, we can go save Hawaii from the big bad volcanoes or something," Xander Harris piped in.

"Or go to Paris and go shopping!" Cordelia Chase squealed. Giles gave them a pained look.

"I highly doubt the Council would...appreciate that. This plane is strictly for business--"

"Yeah," Xander said. "Business. Uh huh. Sure. We're on to you, buddy," he shook his finger at Giles. "Now we know what you Watchers really do. Take this plane and go to Vegas."

Giles smiled faintly and turned to go back to the cockpit, where Katrina was overseeing the flying. Buffy disappeared into the bathroom, but not before she went over into the corner where Angelus sat behind a thick curtain, strapped into a chair.

"You're awfully quiet," she remarked with a smile. He just growled at her.

"You just wait," he retorted. "You'll get what's coming to you."

"No, honey, I'm afraid you'll get what's coming to you. This is getting really old, she sighed, tossing her blond hair behind her shoulder. "I miss Angel. I can't wait to get him back."

"You change me, I'll just get changed back," he spat back, his eyes glowing yellow. She just laughed.

"That's what you think, babe," she said, patting his head in a sign of power. "That's what you think."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Leonna stood in the middle of the large room, fuming. She held a letter in her hands that the Slayer had discreetly placed in the old factory. Her anger rolled off of her in waves, threatening to engulf all who came near. She was gazing at it when she felt a presence behind her.

"Why does this always happen when I have plans?" she asked quietly, dangerously, not looking up. The blond vampire shrugged.

"I have no idea, pet. The damn Slayer and her annoying friends always find a way to screw things up royally. They really get on my nerves," Spike said as he walked up to Leonna and took the letter out of her hands.

"Let's see, 'It's a game of tag, and guess who's it'," he read. " 'Catch us if you can.' Well, that's helpful," he said, turning his gaze on Leonna. She stood still, her emotions clear on her face. Anger, hatred, the need for revenge. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, muttering something in a language lost long ago. She gasped suddenly and opened her eyes, a small smile creeping onto her blood red lips.

"What is it, love? You look like the bloody cat who ate the canary," Spike said. She just looked at him.

"I'm on to them. They think they're so smart. They're on a plane, darling, a plane headed to Romania. And they have my Angelus. Come, we must be quick. They have quite a lead on us," she said, looking away suddenly. She took the note out of Spike’s hand and crumpled it in her fist.

"Umm...Lee? What's the big deal? Why not just wait until they get back from their little vacation?" Spike asked.

Leonna looked at him again with a fire burning in her eyes. "Because I will not let them win."

Part One

Cordelia looked up from the latest issue of Cosmo as Giles and Katrina entered from the cockpit. The others had been trying to figure out how to work the VCR and were looking for some good movies.

"We must talk about what we're going to do with Angelus," Giles said as they sat down in two of the plush chairs.

"Why don't you let me go so I can kill you all?" he growled from his corner. Everyone ignored him.

"I think we outta stake him. Ya know, so this doesn't happen again," Xander suggested. Buffy gave him a dirty look.

"Try it and you'll be jumping out of this plane without a parachute," she said sweetly. Xander shut his mouth, deciding it would be better for him if he didn't give any more 'suggestions.'

"What I meant i-is that we can either let the gypsies perform the spell or do-do it ourselves," he said.

"Ooh, bad idea," Buffy said. "First one anyway. They kinda hate him, remember? Old vengeance kick that they got going on. They could try and turn him into a toad."

"Or just put a stake in his heart and end it there," Cordelia said sweetly. Everyone just looked at her. Shrugging, she turned back to her magazine.

"So I get to do the spell again? Cool!" Willow exclaimed as she stood and retrieved one of her bags.

"Do you require any assistance, Willow?" Katrina asked in her soft voice. She had been an instant favorite with the group, particularly Giles. The teens had all exchanged glances when they saw him look at her.

"Not really. I just have to set up and I need someone to read the Latin for me. And another to do the stinky herbs thing. But thanks," she smiled. Katrina nodded faintly.

"Ah ha!" Oz said. Everyone looked at him and he grinned sheepishly. "Sorry, just got the VCR working. Which movie, guys?"

"Here," Xander said, handing him one.

"Austin Powers. Hey, this movie rocks. Did you bring it?" he asked as he popped it in. Xander shook his head.

"It was here. Who'da thought the stuffy Watchers would have a thing for Mike Myers?" he chuckled. The others laughed as Katrina and Giles exchanged glances, small smiles on their lips.

Xander stood and walked over to Cordelia doing his best Mike Myers impersonation. "Shall we shag now or shall we shag later?" he said to her. "Yeah baby, yeah! Do I make you horny, baby?" Cordelia just sighed and gave Xander a look before pulling her magazine up to cover her face.

"I must be mental," she muttered as the others laughed.

"Okay. I'm ready when you guys are, Willow announced. She handed an old leather-bound book to Giles and lit what looked like a bundle of incense, which she handed to Oz. Katrina went back to flying the plane and Xander sat down quietly, picking up one of Cordelia1s magazines and leafing through it.

"Give me a sec," Buffy said as she stood and walked over to where Angelus sat. "Well, hun, it's been real. I'll look you up if I'm ever in hell," she smirked.

"You're still bad in bed, Buff. Soul Boy is too nice to say that to you, so I thought I'd let you know. Have a nice death," he sneered. She just leered at him then turned and marched back to where Willow sat.

"Okay, I'm ready. Better do it before I do something I1ll regret later," she complained, flopping into one of the chairs. Willow smiled at her before nodding to Giles, who began to read from his book. Buffy, wanting to be there when her boyfriend awoke again, stood and waited outside the curtain until Willow was almost done. She heard Angelus's scream and stepped behind the curtain just in time to see the green fade from his eyes. He groaned and his head dropped. Buffy slowly approached him, slightly wary of him. Her heart ached to hold Angel once again, but she couldn1t get too close yet. The world stopped spinning as she waited for him to wake up.

"Angel?" she whispered uncertainly. She took another step closer, waiting for him to respond. When he didn't she got worried. She stood before him and gently took his chin in her hand, pushing it up lightly to gaze at his face. "You're so beautiful..." she said softly, barely audible, as she traced her other hand across his cheek. He leaned into the caress gently and she smiled.

He opened his eyes groggily and blinked before fixing his gaze on Buffy. "Hey honey, I'm home," he joked. She laughed and leaned down, catching his lips in a tender kiss as she reached around him and undid the handcuffs that held him in place. Angel wrapped his arms around Buffy, drawing her down to sit on his lap as they continued to kiss softly. They broke it off when both needed to breathe. Buffy gazed into Angel's eyes.

"This is getting really old, you know. I missed you," she said to him. He smiled slightly and kissed her again before hugging her close to his chest.

"I missed you too, baby. I was only gone for a couple of hours, though. I'm sorry," he replied and kissed her hair. She looked at him in surprise.

"What for? It wasn't your fault. We just didn’t know that Spike wanted you back that badly," she smiled. He chuckled softly and she laid her head against his chest again, listening to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat. He ran his hands up and down her back and arm, stroking her skin softly. "You didn’t do anything with that Leonna chick besides kiss her, did you?" she asked suddenly, jealousy surging through her.

"Yes, I got her pregnant and then proposed to her," he replied, laughing. He felt her smile. "No, sweetie, of course not. I missed you too much. She did offer, though..." he trailed off. She playfully hit him on the arm, then lifted her head for another kiss.

"Buff? Is Dead Boy attacking you or something?" Xander called over to the curtain. He heard her giggle, but she didn't reply. "I'll take that as a no..."

Angel brought one hand down to caress her leg and she closed her eyes, smiling. He leaned back and lightly tickled her jean-clad thigh before she swatted his hand away with a promise for later.

"C'mon. I want you to meet Katrina. She's really cool. Plus I hear the Austin Powers music playing," she said as she stood and offered him her hand, which he took, standing up as he did so. She pulled the curtain back and sunlight flooded him, causing him to blink again. He smiled slightly, he had missed it.

"Austin Powers?" he asked suddenly. She giggled.

"It's a movie, it's really funny. You have to watch it," she said as she pulled him over to where the others sat around the TV. They glanced up as he entered, smiling, then turned back to the movie. He led Buffy over to an empty chair and sat down, pulling her onto his lap once more. She leaned into his embrace, nuzzling his neck before she turned her attention to the movie.

They watched the movie in comfortable silence until Scott Evil came on screen.

"You know, Oz, that Seth Green guy looks a lot like you," Xander remarked. Buffy looked closely at the screen, then at Oz and nodded her head.

"He's right. That's pretty cool," she said. Willow smiled.

"And while we're on the subject, Buff, you look like that chick from I Know What You Did Last Summer. You know, the one in the bathing suit? She was really hot..." Xander stopped talking as he saw Angel and Cordelia glaring at him. He raised his hands in defense. "What?"

Cordelia sighed, shifting slightly in her seat. "Is there any food on this plane, Giles?" she yelled in the direction of the cockpit. After a beat Giles stuck his head out.

"Yes, there should be some in the little metal box that looks like a refrigerator," he said sarcastically, getting surprised looks from everyone. He blushed slightly. "Sorry, didn’t mean to snap. I-I've just been reading the little material I could find on Leonna, and I must say, I'm a little worried."

"It'll be no sweat, Giles. Really. Now stop worrying about it. We're on vacation!! For *two* weeks. I'm determined to make you have a good time, even though I know it’s against your religion or something. So enjoy it!" she scolded. Giles just gave her a disapproving look before turning around and walking back into the cockpit. She just shrugged. "Well, it's true. I mean, come on, guys, how cool is this? We have no school, we're all with our significant others, we're on our way to a whole new hemisphere..."

"And we have a gypsy vampire who kinda wants to kill us all. Real great, Buffy. And there aren't even any places to shop in Romania!" Cordelia whined, rising from her chair and heading in the direction of the food.

"She's just mad because she's missing that big sale at the mall this week," Xander muttered.

Cordelia didn't turn around from her search in the fridge, only replying, "I heard that, Xander. Oh, wow, how thoughtful! They stocked up on Diet Pepsi for me. You guys want anything?"

"Ooh, do they have any of those little peanuts? I love those things!" Buffy squealed, jumping off Angel's lap and joining Cordelia by the food cabinets. The girls rooted around and brought back chips and sodas that they had brought on the trip with them for everyone. Everyone munched on their snacks as they finished the movie.

Buffy gazed around at her friends, thankful for their support. She was putting on a brave face, showing no fear. But on the inside, she was terrified of Leonna and of the coming days. She had no idea if this would be her final battle, if her time as the Slayer was ending. She silently prayed to whatever God would listen that she and her friends would live through this.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Angel said quietly, shaking Buffy out of her thoughts. She smiled slightly at him, knowing she could keep nothing from him but deciding to try anyway.

"Nothing. I'm just so happy," she said cheerfully. He just raised his eyebrows at her, not believing her for a second. He was awed at how strong she was, he always had been and always would be. He cupped her cheeks in his hands lightly and brushed his palms across the smooth skin. He brought her mouth to meet his in a soft kiss, telling her without words that it was okay to be scared, but that he would be there for her and he would keep her safe from harm. She responded, thanking him. She marveled at how they could communicate without words, without making any conscious thoughts. Her whole being soared with the knowledge that she was being allowed to love him, that they had been given an opportunity to be together and she pulled him closer to her. She had been so terrified when she had realized he had been turned again, she felt the feeling of dread creeping up on her again as she remembered the wave of emotions that had hit her.

He sensed her tense up and held her tightly, anchoring her firmly and running his fingers through her hair as they continued to kiss. He felt a familiar wetness creeping on his cheek and wasn't sure if they were her tears or his. A mixture of both, perhaps. For eternity they stayed together like that, the outside world melting away long ago, leaving the two soul mates to bask in the light of their love. They were the only two who mattered, two halves of one soul.

After a time they pulled apart, brown and hazel eyes quickly becoming lost in the depths of the other's soul. Buffy brought her hands up to slowly draw away the tears that wetted Angel's face and he did the same with hers. She smiled slightly and began to giggle, kissing his forehead and snuggling back up to him.

"Are you two done?" Cordelia asked, sounding slightly annoyed. They looked up to see Willow smiling at them, Xander tossing cheese balls in the air and catching them in his mouth, Oz playing his guitar, and Cordelia staring intently at them. Buffy and Angel nodded. "Okay, good, you two were making me nauseous. Who wants what for lunch?"

The six friends got up and began looking for the sandwiches they had brought, for the moment their minds off the confrontation ahead.

Part Two

Leonna once again stood in the middle of the large room, this time tapping her high heels in a sign of impatience. She crossed her arms and looked at the silver watch on her wrist. She glanced again in the direction of Spike and Drusilla’s bedroom, then around the room. There were no loitering minions like there had been when she had first arrived. She smiled evilly, knowing they were terrified of her and that they had gone to the sewers in an attempt to avoid her.

And with good reason she thought. I doubt they've ever been in the presence of one who's killed five Slayers in the last four hundred years. She was rather proud of her track record, she was itching to make it six with this latest Slayer.

Buffy. She certainly presented quite a challenge, but Leonna had yet to face a challenge she couldn't overcome. She wasn't going to let some seventeen year old child get the best of her. Clouds of anger stirred in Leonna as she thought of Angelus, whom she had sired after he had been made human by his little Slayer. She would not let this Buffy have him, she would not let her win. And there has to be some kind of a written rule about vampires and Slayers falling in love she thought, shuddering in fury. He was supposed to be hers, like it should have been before he was first ensouled. Darla had kept him from her, she had been so overbearing when it came to him. She wouldn't even share every now and then.

Leonna was interrupted from her thoughts by Spike appearing in the doorway to his room. Her thoughts shifted to him as she stared at him evenly. He certainly was handsome, and if wasn't for Drusilla, he could have been hers also. She smiled at the irony of it all. She knew Spike wanted her, lusted after her, but his heart belonged to the insane vampiress and nothing would change that. Even when Dru had been lusting after Angelus, he had loved her with every fiber of his being. It surprised Leonna that vampires could have such feelings for any kind of creature, but she had seen it displayed throughout the ages. She shook her head slightly to clear it, then gave Spike her full attention.

"So, anything?" she asked lightly as she strode up to him, knowing she was affecting him. Knowing he was using every bit of self control to stop himself from doing something he would regret later on. The smile on her blood lips grew.

"Well, I found someone who owes me a big favor, who just so happens to own a plane that he is so...willingly letting us borrow. Problem is," Spike said, pulling the cigarette that had been sitting behind his ear down and lighting it. He took a slow drag and continued. "He's in the Bahamas right now and it'll take him about a day to get here."

She frowned, but controlled the anger and hatred that surged up in her. Hatred directed to the blond who seemed to always come out on top, always succeed. "Well, it’s better than nothing, I suppose. I take it Dru will be coming?" she said, raising her eyebrows slightly in a provocative way. She gave him a look that made him groan.

"Yeah, she wants to go back to Europe. America just hasn't done anything for her," he said tightly. He took another drag from his cigarette and passed it over to her. She puckered her lips and drew in a long drag, holding it in her dead lungs before blowing it in Spike's face. She was taunting him, flirting with him and he knew it. He was powerless to her charms, to her powers. He seemed to forget that she was a powerful gypsy who had the skill to do things most people only dreamed of. She stepped forward, handing him back his cigarette, and placed a kiss on his cheek before turning to go back to her room, wriggling a little more than necessary.

Spike swallowed and closed his eyes, mentally cursing her and the power she held over him. He stood there for a long moment before walking back into the room where his princess reigned above all.

*~*

Katrina walked quietly into the the main part of the plane, careful not to wake any of the Slayerettes. They had been in the air for hours, awake for even longer, and everyone was exhausted. She glanced around the room, feeling admiration swell in her for the ones she traveled with. She was one of the few members of the Council who didn't criticize the Slayer for having her friends help her. How could she when they'd saved the world from so many terrible things? When they'd averted so many apocalypses, defied so many prophesies? She even had had no objection to a vampire and a Slayer in love, not when the vampire was Angel. Many members had been determined to end it, but she had refused to let them get involved. She knew in her heart that they were meant to be together.

She stared at them now, asleep in each other's arms in one of the leather chairs. They clung to each other in a somewhat desperate manner, an unconscious gesture of love and fear. Katrina watched Buffy stir and nuzzle Angel's neck in her sleep, seemingly relieved that he was there. She smiled slightly, knowing what she would report back to the Council. Many of its members had been outraged as they watched the tragedy of Angel's fall unfold. They had griped and complained about how unorthodox the whole thing was, how weak the Slayer seemed because she could not kill him. What Katrina had realized was that the Council members were ignorant when it came to love. They could not begin to fathom what it was like to lose your first love, to lose that sense of security.

But she could, not that anyone else knew about it. Knew about what she had gone through, what she had had to do. She kept her pain locked away in a forgotten corner of her heart. She would not let anyone know the horrors she had faced, she would never share her experiences with anyone. She was strong enough to not need anyone. She had healed long ago and moved on.

She looked briefly over the others. Willow and Oz slept in two of the chairs that were side by side, their fingers close but not touching. She smiled at them. Their feelings were new, she could tell. They were still tentative, unsure. Cordelia lay on the only bed, the others having given it to her so they wouldn1t hear her complain all night. Xander slept in a chair not far from Cordelia, curled in a ball. His blanket had slipped from his body and Katrina retrieved it from the floor, placing it across his shoulders again. He snuggled under it, pulling the blanket closer to him. She smiled at him before returning to the cockpit where Giles lay asleep with his book in his lap.

She chuckled softly and removed the book, getting one of the extra blankets and covering him with it. She touched his face lightly, gazing at him sadly. She was attracted to him and she knew he was to her, but they could never be together. She smiled at the irony, a vampire and a Slayer were allowed to love, but two Watchers were not. Or could not, she had vowed long ago she would never get close to another man. It was too painful.

Sighing, she sat down in her seat and checked the gauges. They were going to be landing in Japan to refill and then would continue on to Romania. Katrina sat silently and stared out into the darkness.

*~*

They landed in Japan about sixteen hours after they had left Sunnydale. Giles and Katrina had agreed they should get as far as they could with the amount of gas they had, time was of the utmost importance. The Council had had to draw up fake passports for everyone, and since it was such short notice they were British passports. The gang had spent quite a bit of time perfecting their accents.

"All right," Katrina said as they all gathered in the airport terminal. "The gentleman said it will be about an hour before they can refuel us, so we have that much time before we need to be back here. You may go off, but remain in groups. Don't leave the airport and please be back promptly in one hour. Don't forget the accents either, although you shouldn't have to use them right now."

The five teenagers and one ex-vampire nodded and said goodbye to the Watchers before heading off. Cordelia immediately spotted some designer clothing stores and dragged Xander towards them. Buffy, Angel, Oz, and Willow all walked around looking for phones and restrooms.

"I really wish I spoke Japanese," Buffy said as she listened to conversations around her. They were beginning to give her a headache.

"Yeah, but at least some of the signs are in English," Willow pointed out. Buffy nodded, grateful at least for that. The two couples made their way to the restrooms and found phones near them.

"Ooh, these are the cool kind of pay phones. Will, what did you tell your parents? I never asked."

"Oh, just that there was an opportunity to go on this free trip that some company gave me or something. It worked out really well because my parents were going away and didn't know where I was going to stay. So they didn't ask too many questions," Willow replied as Buffy punched in her calling card number and waited for her mother to answer.

"Hey, Mom...is it too late to call?...Okay, good...yeah, we're all fine, the plane ride has been pretty cool so far. We're in Japan right now...has Snyder called yet?...Oh, what did he say?...What did you say?...Cool. Okay, I'm gonna go, I'll call you when we get there...Love you...I will...I will...Okay. Bye," she said, hanging up the phone and turning to her friends. "Snyder called my house and told my mom I wasn't there, she said I was on a trip with you guys and she had forgotten to inform the school or something. He didn't call anyone else's parents, thank God. That's really not something I would want to explain to the school board. 'Yeah, I had to go to Romania to stop this powerful vampire from killing me.' Not exactly a good excuse."

They wandered around for a while, grabbing a bite to eat before going into a book store for some magazines. Buffy was dismayed at the fact that there were hardly any there, but she picked up the latest issue of Seventeen and a Stephen King book. Angel picked up the new Anne Rice novel, receiving odd looks from them all.

"I got hooked," he said simply, shrugging. The others laughed as they continued on to where they were supposed to meet Giles and Katrina.

"I wonder if Xander has survived," Willow said, giggling.

"Maybe Cordy convinced him to buy some new clothes," Buffy suggested, picturing Xander in clothes that would make him look like a model from GQ. She laughed.

They made it back with fifteen minutes to spare. Giles and Katrina were engaged in a conversation in some of the chairs and Xander and Cordelia were nowhere to be found. The four of them took seats a couple of chairs away from the two Watchers.

"Will, what do you think?" she said, tossing her head over in the direction of Giles and Katrina.

"I think there's the mutual attraction there, but I don't know. Ms. Calendar's death hit Giles really hard, probably more than we know. I mean, he loved her and never got to tell her," Willow said quietly, stealing a look in Angel’s direction. He sat next to Buffy, his hand entwined in hers, a somewhat sad expression passing across his features before disappearing. Willow felt proud of him, he was obviously trying hard to remember that it wasn't his fault in any way. Buffy glanced at him too and gave him a soft kiss, squeezing his hand gently. He gave her a little smile.

"Yeah, I know. It would be kinda cool if she could come back to Sunnydale with us, though, she's really awesome. Kinda kills the old Watchers-are-always-uptight-and-wear-tweed theory," Buffy said, glancing once more in their direction. The two just seemed to realize that they were not alone anymore and looked up. They stood and made their way over to the group, Giles checking his watch as they did so.

"I gather Cordelia and Xander were not with you?" he asked, looking around for them. Buffy shook her head.

"We lost them as soon as Cordelia saw the Gucci store. Haven't seen them since. We're gonna give them ten more minutes before we send out the search party," Buffy said. Giles gave her a slightly pained look. "Hey," she said defensively, "We're not on a Hellmouth anymore. You don't have to take it literally."

"Quite true. We were just informed that the plane is ready when we are," Katrina spoke up, casting a glance around the terminal once more. She heard rather than saw Cordelia and Xander.

"I still think you should have bought it, Xander, you need a new wardrobe. Badly," Cordelia said as they rounded the corner and headed towards the group. She was carrying several shopping bags, as was Xander.

"I will not pay a hundred dollars for a shirt, Cordy. An *ugly* shirt, might I add," he retorted.

"Ugly? You're calling that shirt ugly? You're hopeless!!" she cried, then looked up to see the rest of the group watching them intently with smiles. "What? He is!"

"Buy enough, Cordy?" Buffy asked, turning her gaze to the many shopping bags. She would not want to see the bill for all those designer clothes.

"Yeah, she bought enough to clothe a small nation," Xander muttered under his breath.

"Excuse me if I need more than two shirts and a pair of pants, Xander," she retorted. He glared at her, then stomped over to one of the chairs and plopped himself into it.

"Ah, young love," Oz said, eliciting a laugh from everyone but Xander and Cordelia, who continued to glare at each other.

"Three, two, one..." Angel said under his breath. Right on time, Xander and Cordelia launched themselves into each other's arms, kissing furiously. The others just shook their heads.

"Yo, guys. We have to go. Remember? Leonna, Romania, people who don't like me. You can make out on the plane," Buffy said as she picked up her bag. They followed Giles and Katrina to where the plane was sitting. The wind whipped around them, causing the girls' hair to blow all over the place. They quickly boarded and sealed the hatch. The guys strapped themselves in and watched the girls complain about their hair.

They left shortly afterwards, Giles and Katrina in the cockpit, Buffy and Angel curled up together, she reading her magazine, he reading his book. Oz and Willow were talking quietly and Xander and Cordelia were making out.

"Next stop, Romania," Buffy muttered under her breath as they lifted smoothly off the ground. Angel smiled at her.

"Oh, I meant to ask you before. Why don't the gypsies like you?" Angel asked, marking his spot and gazing at Buffy. She turned pink and looked back.

"Oh...um...I guess it would be because I kinda called them about Leonna and they didn't believe me and I kinda...gave them an attitude," she said sheepishly.

"Careful. They make enemies for eternity," he teased. She groaned.

"That's what I'm afraid of. We need their help with Leonna," she replied.

"They'll give it to us. One way or another," Angel reassured her. She smiled and gave him a quick kiss before returning to her magazine.

*~*

"Is he here yet?" Leonna called into the outer room. She was busily packing what little she had brought. She paused, gazing over at the bed Melaine had slept in. Fury grew like a hurricane in her, itching to get out. Melaine had been killed by the Slayer not even a week before. "I will get revenge for you, Mel, my sweet. I will get revenge," she whispered menacingly to the air.

"No, not yet," Drusilla said from the doorway. Leonna spun around to see her. She was wearing a petticoat and carried her doll and an antique suitcase in her hand. "But I feel him...he's coming. Soon, we'll have another party," she said dreamily, curling a lock of brown hair around her finger. "To celebrate the Slayer's death."

Leonna smiled at her. "That's right, darling. And we'll share her. All three of us."

"Four," Drusilla corrected. Leonna looked at her, confused.

"Melly’s coming along. She says to pack her bags for her. Her clothes keep jumping away from her and she's growing panicked. She wants to come too," Drusilla said, fixating her gaze on a point beyond Leonna. She turned sharply, half-expecting to see Melaine there. An empty wall met her gaze.

"Okay, sweetie. I'll pack some clothes for her in my suitcase, all right?" Leonna said softly. Drusilla smiled happily and turned and walked back towards her room. Leonna shook her head and turned back to her packing, anticipating the coming days.

Part Three

Buffy stepped off the plane in Constanta, a city about two hours away from the town they were headed to. She wasn't even about to try and say its name. She looked around uncertainly, not sure what to expect. She saw the Black Sea glittering in the distance and pulled her sunglasses out of her bag. The others followed Giles into the airport, carrying their assorted bags. Angel reached out and took Buffy’s hand, pulling her closer to him and giving her forehead a soft kiss. She smiled at him and pulled him so they caught up with everyone else. They walked to the rental car place and Giles and the woman behind the counter engaged in a conversation in a language Buffy had never heard of before.

"How many languages does he speak?" Buffy whispered to Angel, who gave her a smile and a quick kiss. She stood and watched her Watcher, a feeling of pride swelling in her.

Giles turned after getting two sets of keys from the woman. "We have two cars. Katrina and I are the two registered to drive them. We must go retrieve them and check into immigrations and go through customs," he said, leading the way. Katrina passed out their fake passports and they practiced talking with a British accent on the way. Their suitcases were searched at customs, the guards gave them strange looks at the number of stakes they had with them. Buffy had brought along her crossbow also, and that raised a lot of questions.

After a little persuasion from Giles, they were on their way to the cars. It was decided that Buffy, Angel, and Xander would go with Giles and Willow, Oz, and Cordelia would go with Katrina. Buffy stared out the window as they drove through the city, taking in everything. She pulled out her camera a few times to take pictures, while Xander, in the front seat, would tease her about it.

The trip to the town was uneventful, Buffy and Angel cuddling in the backseat and Xander constantly flipping through the radio stations in search of some music. The only thing he could get was some classical and Giles insisted they keep it on.

"Giles, do we have rooms somewhere or something?" Buffy asked as they drove through the countryside. They were headed south along the coast. Giles glanced briefly at her in the rear view mirror before turning his attention back to the road.

"The Council said they had made arrangements for us to stay at an inn. There are four rooms reserved. That's everything they told me, besides its location," Giles replied.

"Okay, and do we know the location of this person we're supposed to contact?" Buffy asked, leaning into Angel’s arms and closing her eyes.

"No...I'm afraid we must look her up on our own."

"Oh, okay. Wake me when we get there," Buffy said quietly as she allowed herself to fall asleep.

Minutes, or what could have been hours, after she fell asleep, a bright light flashed around her. She saw an older woman arguing with Giles...a group discussing things around a large table...Leonna, Spike, and Drusilla...the battle ahead, her friends battered and bloody. These images swirled around her mind mixed with brilliant shades of red and yellow. She was tossing and turning, trying to escape the pictures that were plaguing her. The world around her began to shake.

"Buffy...Buff...sweetie, wake up," she heard through a haze. Angel's voice, calling her. Rescuing her. With a start she woke up and glanced around wildly. They had stopped and Xander, Giles, and Angel were looking at her worriedly. She ran a hand through her hair and sat up.

"Whoa, talk about a nightmare," she said. "I'm fine, guys. Really."

"What were you dreaming about? Do you think it was prophetic?" Giles asked eagerly.

"Yeah. I saw Leonna, Spike, and Dru doing God knows what, you and this woman at each other's throat, figuratively speaking of course, a bunch of people. It was kind of chaotic," she replied. Buffy looked out the window and saw that they had pulled up to a simple looking house with a sign out front in a language Buffy didn't know. "This is it?"

"Hmm? Oh, yes, this is the place we will be staying. We must check in and then find this woman we are supposed to contact. Her name is Ireena," Giles said as he stepped out of the car and glanced around. Farmland stretched on for miles. The inn was located on a hill and in the valley below was nestled a small village. Giles felt uncomfortable here, in Jenny's homeland. A sharp knife cut through his heart as he thought of her, but he put his feelings aside to be dealt with later. He turned to see the other car pulling into the driveway.

Cordelia was the first one out, not even waiting for the car to stop as she hopped out. "Giles, I need a bathroom," she said, leaning from foot to foot to emphasize her point. Angel began unloading the suitcases from the trunk and Oz followed his lead, unloading the other car. The others collected their bags and made their way into the foyer of the huge house. Cordelia wrinkled her nose in distaste, it was a very simple and rather plain looking inn. The foyer led into a living room and there was a closed door on one side. A staircase was in a corner of the room.

Katrina and Giles approached the desk, where an old woman sat knitting.

"Ah, you must be Watcher," the old woman said in heavily-accented English. The others strained to understand her. Giles nodded.

"Yes, I understand reservations have been made?" he said calmly, growing more and more uncomfortable by the minute. It was almost as if he could feel her in this old house, sense her on the stairs. He turned slightly and was greeted by nothing.

"Yes. You loved my Janna, did you not? I can feel it...she would not want you to be sad," the old woman said wisely before writing something down. She looked up suddenly and focused on Angel. Buffy moved closer to her boyfriend protectively. "Janna does not blame you, old one. You have suffered much and deserve all the happiness you now receive."

Angel stiffened, flooded by memories of Angelus snapping Jenny’s neck as if it was nothing more than a twig. He had known that he would experience this when he came, knew that these people hated him with an intense passion. Yet the woman's kind words gave him strength to fight off the guilt and he felt a strange peace replace the horrible memories. He smiled slightly at her as Buffy squeezed his hand.

"Come, come, I show you your rooms."

They followed the woman up the stairs, passing closed doors as they went. Turning down another corridor, they arrived at their rooms. "If you are hungry, come to kitchen and I make you something to eat," the old woman said in her broken English before disappearing the same way she had come. Two small children appeared in the hallway and looked at the group. They whispered and ran the other way.

"Okay, so what's the room situation?" Buffy asked once they were alone.

"We have four rooms. There is a room with one bed and three rooms with two. Since Buffy and Angel have...shared the same room before, I feel they should get the one-bed room," Giles said, pausing uncomfortably.

"What makes you think Xander and I haven't 'shared a room' before?" Cordelia asked. The others raised their eyebrows at her. "I'm not saying we have or anything, it's just that you shouldn't make those kind of assumptions."

"Katrina and I will share another room, and you four may room however you like. I hope I do not have to remind you that...certain behaviors are not appropriate here. This is a different culture from our own, and we need not offend these kind people," Giles said, again pausing uncomfortably. The others eyed him.

"Try to keep your hormones in check," Katrina said politely. The gang laughed and went into their respective rooms. Xander and Oz were going to room together and Cordelia and Willow would share the last room.

Buffy and Angel walked quietly into their room. It was a quaint little place, a queen-size bed against one wall with a night stand next to it. There was a bureau with a vase of flowers and a pitcher for water on top of it and a mirror hanging on the wall. Two chairs sat on the far wall, separated by a big window.

"Cozy," she commented as they placed their bags on the floor next to the bed.

"You're okay with this, right? I mean, if we're going too fast or if you feel uncomfortable with anything, you'd tell me, right?" Angel asked uncertainly, glancing at his girlfriend. She looked back at him and smiled slightly. He looked closely at her and saw the light circles around her eyes and the haggard look on her face. "Pretending takes a lot out of you, huh?" he asked quietly.

She gave a humorless laugh. Buffy stepped over to Angel, pulling him into an intense hug. "Thank you. For being here for me," she whispered into his ear, holding him close to her.

He pulled back, gazing intently at her, searching her eyes. She gave him a small smile and leaned up for a gentle kiss. "And yes, I'm perfectly fine with sharing a bed with you. It's not like you hog the covers or anything!" she laughed. He joined her and kissed her again.

She walked over to the window and gazed out. Below she saw a garden with a young woman working in it. The breeze coming through the open window caused the curtains to rise and fall steadily, almost as if they were dancing. They wrapped Buffy up and allowed her to forget everything for the time being, letting her focus on the beauty of the countryside. She heard Angel rummaging around and turned to face him. She grinned when she saw him unpacking both suitcases and placing the clothes in the bureau.

She walked over to the adjourning bathroom, which had an old-fashioned bathtub in it. Her breath caught at the simple beauty of it. A pair of strong arms wrapped around her waist and she leaned into them before turning to face Angel.

"We should probably get freshened up and go find this Ireena person, right?" she asked, sighing slightly. All she wanted to do was fall asleep in Angel’s arms. He nodded.

"Have to look presentable," he agreed, going over to the dresser and pulling out a cleanly-pressed white shirt and a pair of dark slacks. Buffy sorted through the clothes she had brought, looking for a nice outfit to put on. Have to make a good impression she thought wryly. She pulled out a camisole and a pair of pants that only reached her mid-calf. She quickly changed and fixed her hair and makeup before pulling on a pair of tan platform sandals.

"Ready?" she asked. Angel nodded, pulling a brush through his hair. They walked out of their room to find the hall empty and a conversation going on in Willow and Cordelia’s room.

"So Willow, how come you never wear anything designer?" Cordelia asked as she unpacked her suitcase, pulling out a variety of stylish clothes. Willow glanced up, feeling somewhat ashamed as she pulled out her own plain clothing. She shrugged.

"Designer doesn’t look good on me," Willow replied. She wasn't lying, either. She had tried on some of those trendy clothes at the mall a couple of weeks ago and they were all wrong for her.

"Well, you have to get the colors right and stuff. Tell you what. When we get back to Sunnydale, we'll go shopping. You and me. And Buffy too, the girl is in some desperate need of new clothing," Cordelia said, turning to Willow as she spoke. Willow looked up, surprised.

"What's with you, Cordy? The altitude affecting you or something? Remember, you *don’t* like me," Willow said, in shock. Cordelia sighed, plopping down on one of the beds.

"Willow, if I tell you something do you swear you won't tell anyone else?" Cordelia asked. Willow nodded, noticing the change of her tone. She sat down on the bed next to Cordelia and waited.

"Okay, here's the thing. My friends, or I guess followers is a better term, treat me as if I'm some sort of goddess or something. They nod and they agree and they copy. But they never tried to get to know the real me, you know? It was always just 'oh, Cordelia's rich and she's pretty and she's got cool clothes, so we can be her friend.' They can be such airheads sometimes,” she paused glancing down at her hands and swallowing. Here came the hard part. She hated admitting it to herself, telling someone else was going to be hell. But she didn't want to lie anymore, make them think she didn't appreciate and like them.

"But you guys...you accepted me. You weren't always asking what the color of the minute was or if I had gotten the latest issue of Cosmo or whatever. You were actually doing important stuff, like saving the world. And...you reminded me there is more to life than boys and shopping and stuff. What they are exactly, I don’t know, she said, half-smiling. Willow gazed at her, shocked beyond words that Cordelia Chase was sitting spilling everything to her, Willow Nobody-Notices-Me Rosenberg.

"So thanks. And I want to be your friend. You are in desperate need of some fashion advice," she joked, ending her little speech. She glanced up at Willow, not sure what to expect. Willow was looking at her, surprise on her face. Not that Cordelia blamed her or anything, what she had just said was a shocker.

"Wow. I don't know what to say," Willow said softly. Cordelia gave her a brief smile.

"I figured on that. Just don't say anything, okay?" Cordelia asked, rising and going over to the mirror in their room to inspect her hair and makeup. She pulled out her blush from her makeup bag and applied some before facing Willow again. "Shall we?" she gestured to the door. Willow nodded and stood.

"Don't worry, your secret is safe with me," Willow said as the two girls left their room. They found Angel, Buffy, Oz, and Xander sitting in the hall engaged in a quiet conversation. They looked up and smiled at the two girls, Angel and Buffy exchanging secret looks.

"Where are Giles and Katrina?" Willow asked.

"They just finished unpacking and went down to talk to that old lady about where we can find this person," Xander said.

"Let's go," Buffy stood and offered Angel her hand, eager for this to get underway. They ran into Giles and Katrina on the way down the stairs and the eight of them piled into the cars, on their way to meet the person who was supposedly able to help them.

Part Four

Leonna sat on the small plane, growing more and more frustrated and bored by the minute. They had only been flying for about an hour and she was already about to kill Drusilla. She would not shut up about her stupid dolls and she was driving Leonna insane. She sighed, glancing out of the small window. The sun had just set in Sunnydale a mere two hours ago, and they would be flying in darkness for a while.

She closed her eyes, concentrating on finding the Slayer. She did not think she would be that successful, she was not that powerful, but it was still worth a try. She caught a glimpse of them in her peoples' village, walking along the old street. She had played on that street as a child, she and her sister Torah both had. She felt no emotions, no choked up feeling when she thought of her sister, dead for hundreds of years. Leonna’s hand had been the one to do it.

She was a creature of darkness now, those memories from long ago were another's. She settled back into her seat as the picture faded and she came back to the present. Spike was reading the paper and Dru was counting all the fish in the sea, or so she was saying. Leonna sighed, closing her eyes again and allowing evil thoughts to take over once again.

*~*

They walked down the main street of the village, passing a few shops. They were searching for a particular shop, a place they where supposed to look for Ireena in. Buffy noticed the people staring as the foreigners walked down the street, and she shifted, slightly uncomfortable under their scrutiny. Angel squeezed her hand encouragingly and she smiled at him. She looked back and saw Willow and Oz walking in comfortable silence and Xander and Cordelia talking quietly for a change. Katrina and Giles were ahead of them all, a small space separating the two.

Buffy frowned, trying to figure out what was up with the two of them. They were obviously attracted to each other, yet they made no move to get closer. Buffy knew Giles was still heartbroken from losing Jenny and could sense there was more to Katrina than met the eye. She wanted so badly for Giles to be happy again, she felt guilty that she had Angel and he had no one. But there was nothing she could do.

Up ahead, Katrina pointed something out to Giles and he nodded. They crossed the street and walked up to a clothing shop. The things inside were rather plain looking and not up to Cordelia's standards. Giles took a quick look at Buffy, who nodded slightly, before opening the door.

A tiny bell rang as they stepped inside. A bored young woman sat on a stool behind the counter, flipping idly through a magazine. The girl was beautiful, long dark hair pulled up in a pony tail and very little makeup on. Her features were flawless and Buffy felt a wave of jealousy hit as she remembered her own state.

"You must be Buffy. The Slayer," the girl said without glancing up from her magazine. She spoke with a vague accent and had an aura of confidence surrounding her. Buffy looked hard at her, trying to see if there was a hidden meaning to the question.

"Yeah, that's be me. What's it to you?" she asked coolly, stepping over to the counter.

"We spoke on the phone. My name is Arianna and as I explained already we are not interested in helping you," she said with ice, glancing up for the first time. She looked over the group, her eyes resting on Angel. Arianna raised her eyebrows slightly, looking him up and down. Buffy rolled her eyes and stepped closer to him.

"Well, see, the thing is I *don't care* if you aren't interested in helping. You're gonna have to whether you want to or not," Buffy said, a smirk on her face. The two were squaring off and Giles decided to step in before Buffy did any permanent damage.

"Excuse me, miss. Please disregard all Buffy has said. We need your help, your clan is the only thing that can help us. We must at least be able to speak to Ireena," Giles said diplomatically. Arianna stiffened at the mention of the name and sighed slightly. Her attitude seemed to evaporate and she motioned for them to stay where they were.

"For heaven's sake, Buffy, could you try to be civilized?" Giles growled. Buffy gave him a look.

"She started it!" she whined. Giles returned her look with one of his own.

"Let me do the talking," he said.

Arianna reappeared with an older woman at her side. Her beauty was evident and Buffy secretly wondered why all the gypsies were beautiful. Probably some weird spell thing.

"Arianna has told me of your request. I'm afraid we cannot help you," she said in a soft voice. Giles frowned.

"Have you heard of the vampire Leonna?" Giles asked. Ireena bowed her head slightly. "I'm assuming you have. She was a gypsy who was turned nearly four hundred years ago. She had the ability to...to disappear and reappear wherever she liked. In the Watcher Diary from one of your own it is stated that the only way to defeat her is to block her powers and we haven't the faintest idea how to do that."

Ireena regarded him calmly, choosing for the time to ignore his statements. She looked over the group and everyone shifted uncomfortably under her gaze. Like Arianna before her, her eyes fell upon Angel. He was just waiting for someone to bring up his past and it looked like she was about to.

"Why should we help a killer?" she asked, scrutinizing Angel. Buffy took a threatening step towards her, but Angel caught her arm.

"It's okay, Buff. I knew it would come up," he replied quietly. Buffy relaxed, but just barely. She was getting more and more fed up with these people by the second.

"Answer me, Angelus," she commanded, soft voice dripping with authority. He looked up at her, self-hatred and sadness clouding his eyes. She softened slightly.

"It's Angel," he said in a low tone. "I didn't commit any of those crimes. I'm not a killer, the demon who possessed my body was."

"You killed our Janna. You're a monster who deserves nothing," Ireena said fiercely, hatred burning in her voice. Angel hung his head low, memories once again plaguing him. He knew in his soul it wasn't his fault, he could have done nothing to prevent any of it. But the stirrings of self-hatred and doubt began to swirl inside of him. Maybe there had been something he could have done...it didn't matter. He had snapped Jenny's neck with these hands, the hands that were now gripping onto Buffy tightly. He released her instantly and she whirled around, looking at him with concern in her hazel eyes. His guilt and sadness took him back into the past, spiraling him away from the others, haunting him. He felt like he was about to go insane, he was about to snap...

Buffy grabbed onto him wildly, forcing him to look her in the eye. Love was evident there, love for him. Angel suddenly remembered the thing he had promised himself on that morning he had first seen the sun in over two hundred years. For Buffy, he would not dwell on what had happened. Nothing could change the past. It was done. He was here to make amends for his sins. He would not let some gypsy ruin him.

Angel glanced over at Buffy, who was staring at him fearfully. He gave her a small smile and she relaxed, jumping into his arms and kissing him. She touched her forehead to his.

"Don't do that to me again! Stress will kill me by the time I'm twenty!" she said quietly, cracking a smile. Angel grinned back.

"Sorry, bad memories," he replied. Giles cleared his throat and they reluctantly parted. Buffy didn’t go far, just turned around and leaned into Angel's arms, glaring at Ireena with fire in her gaze. The older woman held her ground, but she was wary of this Slayer, this girl who had fallen in love with a murderer.

"How can you let him touch you? He used those hands to kill Janna," Ireena said accusingly.

"These hands?" Buffy smirked, bringing Angel's hands up to her lips. She kissed them both and gazed steadily at Ireena, her eyebrows raised and a cocky grin on her face.

"Okay, first off, will you get over it? He didn't kill Jenny," she said, rolling her eyes. "And second, how dare you judge him? In case you forgot or something, umm...vampires *don’t have souls.* You made Angel suffer for something that wasn't his fault. I'm sorry that your little gypsy princess was stupid and that she was killed by Angelus, but don't take it out on Angel. He did nothing to harm Jenny and if he had had his soul he would never have killed her," she said, her voice rising with each word. She was finally getting the chance to pour out all her anger and hurt and sadness and rip into the people who had taken Angel from her.

"Which brings up something else, it's all your fault that she's dead. That happiness clause sure was stupid," she spat.

"Well, we never expected it to be broken by a Slayer. A Slayer who is supposed to kill demons, not love them. It's your own fault, you let him feel like a human and made him unworthy of having a soul," Ireena cried back. Buffy fumed, daggers shooting from her eyes in the direction of Ireena and Arianna.

"God, you gypsies think so highly of yourselves or something. You don't get to make other people suffer. You don't control their lives. You're not higher than anyone else, so get that little thought out of your head. News flash. Jenny's dead because of your need for revenge for someone who's been dead for *90 years.* Deal and move on."

"Yes, and we all know you were so good at that. Deal and move on. Tell me, Buffy, why didn't you kill Angelus when you found out what had happened to him?" Arianna spoke up, giving Buffy an even look. Buffy turned to her, shocked.

"Excuse me, have you ever been in love?" Buffy asked, leaning back into Angel's arms. Arianna looked away for a moment and Buffy smirked. "I didn't think so. Okay, so just pretend with me here. Say you fall for the perfect guy. And you love him and against odds can be with him. Are you with me so far, or do you need a visual?" Buffy asked, attitude in full swing. She hadn't had a good verbal fight since before she left Hemery. Arianna glared at her. Giles looked as if he was about to cut in and for a split second Buffy wondered why he hadn’t already. Maybe it's because he knows you're right she told herself.

"And then you make love and he changes. Becomes evil. And you still love him. Can you kill him? Can you kill your soul mate?" she waited. Arianna didn't answer. "Didn't think so."

"Are you guys gonna chick fight anytime soon?" Xander asked suddenly.

"Look, I know we all have our little problems with each other, but can we focus on the problem at hand? Leonna is on her way here with Spike and Drusilla as we speak. We need to figure out how to stop her," Katrina said. Buffy, Arianna, and Ireena grumbled but agreed.

"Yeah, she isn't exactly coming for a family reunion," Xander said, desperately trying to break the thick tension in the air.

"I think we should all go back and sleep for a while and then after we're refreshed we can meet. Do you have any cucumbers?" Cordelia asked, checking her eyes in the mirror in the shop. "Ugh. Bags. Just peachy."

"We don't have time for that. Leonna is coming. She is powerful and she wants revenge. You took Angel away from her, Buffy, don't forget that," Giles warned. "We need to plan out what exactly we will do."

He turned to Ireena, his full authority as Watcher showing through. He looked evenly at her, trying to make her understand the true danger of the situation. He was amazed at how spiteful and reluctant these people were to help. "We need your help. You owe it to us to help."

"You owe it to Jenny to help," Buffy said softly. All eyes turned to her. She looked at them with a sad expression on her face. "You owe it to her. She loved Giles. Help him for her sake."

There was a deafening silence for a long time. Ireena stared at Buffy, empathy crawling through her anger. This girl had to put her life on the line every night to save people from demons. Maybe they did deserve assistance in return.

"All right," Ireena croaked, looking back at Giles. "All right, Watcher, we shall give you assistance. But this is your fight. We will only do what is needed of us."

Giles stared back at her, relief flowing through him. He bowed his head slightly. "Thank you."

The others breathed out sighs of relief. Arianna looked upset and Cordelia smiled inwardly. She had never known Buffy could be so straightforward and blunt. She hadn’t know Buffy would be that good at verbal bashing.

"Can I just say one thing?" Arianna spoke up. Ireena looked at her. "Buffy, what is going on with the pants? Couldn't buy them long enough? Or are you just waiting for a flood?" she asked, smirking the whole time. Buffy turned crimson for a moment, glancing at her capris.

"If you paid any attention to fashion--which I'm sure you don't, considering what you're wearing--you'd know that capris are totally in," Cordelia said, not about to let anyone criticize Buffy's pants. That was her job.

"Giles, I say we go get some rest. We have a lot ahead of us and I really don't want to fight with the flu or anything," Buffy said, feeling drained from the entire afternoon. She looked outside and noticed it was dusk. Her internal clock was so screwed up she didn't have the faintest idea of what time it was.

Giles was about to protest when he looked around to see the other members of the Scooby Gang yawning and rubbing their eyes. He could see her point, now was definitely not the time to get sick. He nodded.

"Good idea. Let us go get some rest and meet tomorrow. Where is the best place for you?" he questioned, shifting his gaze back to Ireena. He saw her hesitate and wondered briefly at it.

"We will come to you. Noon time," Ireena said after a short pause that got everyone concerned. They were too tired to think more about it, though.

"Until tomorrow, then," Giles said as they turned and left the shop. Arianna stared after them before looking back at Ireena.

"What have you done?" she demanded.

"Hush, child. We will call a clan gathering. There is much we must do," Ireena replied, staring out after the group. She wondered at the trials ahead.

Part Five

"I assume you all know about the Slayer and her friends. They require our assistance and shall receive it," Ireena spoke in Romanian a few hours later. They had gathered at the town hall, securing all the entrances with guards to prevent the Slayer from listening in on their plans. The powerful members of the clan had shown up. Ireena and Arianna were directing the meeting.

"But why? She has brought Angelus with her. She has turned him human. She has allowed him to receive true happiness once again. He doesn’t deserve that," a middle-aged man said dangerously. A chorus of agreement rose around the table and Ireena silenced them with a look.

"Very true. We shall deal with him later. She has angered a vampire named Leonna, who was one of us before she was turned. She retained her ability to dissipate into thin air and return in a different spot. All they require is Leonna’s power stripped from her for the battle," Ireena replied. Small talk broke out around the large table, most infuriated that they had agreed to help. Ireena allowed them to talk for a few moments, allowed their anger to surface.

"We don't need to do this for them. They have done nothing in return. They deserve nothing. The nerve of bringing Angelus here..." a woman trailed off.

"She sleeps in the same room as he. They share a bed," the girl Buffy had seen in the garden earlier said. Cries once again rose around the room.

"Focus on Angelus later, okay?" Arianna said, annoyed. "The point is they've brought with them a powerful vampire. And their argument is it's our fault. Everything is our fault. Regardless of the fact that it was the Slayer's fault Angelus returned, of course. It's our fault he came back. It's our fault Janna is dead," she spoke in a low tone. A hush fell over the table. The others stared in shock, glancing around at each other wildly.

"How dare they?"

"Of course they would blame it on us--"

"It's all our fault--"

"Silence," Ireena ordered. The table once again fell silent. "I don't agree with it anymore than you do. But the point of the matter is I have given my word. We have no choice--"

"We have a choice in the matter. *You* gave your word. We did not," the man who had first spoke said. She stared at him in shock. "We will not help these people. They were responsible for Janna's death. We do not deal with murderers."

She stood still, letting it sink in. She looked with anger and authority filling her gaze. "I have given my word,” she said lowly, dangerously. "We will help them. My vow cannot be broken. As head of this clan, I say we will help them. Now go. Tomorrow night, we shall meet with them to discuss this."

With that she turned and left the conference room, leaving the stunned members of the clan behind.

*~*

Buffy brushed her teeth and washed her face in a daze. She was so exhausted, she could barely see straight. She spit the remainder of the toothpaste into the sink and rinsed her mouth before switching off the light in the bathroom. She noticed Angel was already in bed, propped up against the headboard. His head bobbed as he fell asleep, only to wake an instant later. She smiled sleepily and sat down on the bed, holding her head in her hands and rubbing her temples. She felt Angel's hands cover hers and she smiled, leaning into him.

They lay down together, drawing the covers over their bodies as they snuggled together. Whispered I love yous floated around the room as they fell into a dreamless sleep, clutching onto each other.

*~*

In the next room over, tension lingered. Giles and Katrina lay in their separate beds, facing away from each other. Fighting their mutual attractions. Giles felt his heart weep for Jenny, his lost love. He was confused, how could he feel something for Katrina when it had been such a short time since Jenny's death? He saw her in the eyes of Ireena and Arianna. He could tell that they were related. He missed her beyond words, beyond comprehension. He felt strangely envious of Buffy and Angel. They had been given a chance. Why hadn't he and Jenny? He fell into a distressed sleep.

In the other bed, Katrina lay awake for a long time, mulling over her feelings. She knew she could not get involved, yet she felt as though an invisible force was pushing her towards Rupert. Katrina knew he had had a horrible loss and hadn¹t even begun to mourn it. Stay away from him. Nothing will come but heartache she told herself firmly. She fell asleep with a strange ache inside.

Part Six

Ireena never showed the next day. She had sent someone to tell the group there was something she had to attend to. They were to meet her at the town hall at eight that night.

Faced with the afternoon off, the gang decided to begin preparations for the upcoming fight. Stakes were carved, weapons were checked, strategies were thought up. Giles had Buffy and Angel train in the open field next to the inn.

They circled each other, practicing techniques and basic things. They practiced for hours, stretching in between sessions. Cordelia sat in the sun reading a romance novel she had brought. Willow was hooked into the Internet, searching for anything that might be of use. Xander and Oz made most of the stakes, talking as they did so.

"Giles, are we done?" Buffy whined as Angel helped her stand. She gave him a quick kiss as a creepy feeling came over her. The feeling of being watched.

She swung her head around and caught sight of the girl she had seen working the day before. She turned back to her work and Buffy relaxed. But the feeling would not go away.

An old tree sat on their left. It was huge and cast an enormous shadow. Buffy saw a darkened figure standing close to the trunk. Curious, she stepped closer. The figure was leaning against the tree, arms crossed, a strange sense radiating from it. The feeling of power, of confidence and, above all else, evil. The shadow hid the figure from view. She walked closer and as she stepped to the edge of the shadow, the figure faded. She blinked, stunned for a moment.

"Leonna..." she whispered. It had to be. There had been someone there, she was sure of it. Angel had followed her and was now looking at her.

"She was there, Angel. I saw her," Buffy said as she turned to him. He nodded, having seen her himself.

"It's beginning."

"Giles. She's here," Buffy said as they walked back to where the Watcher stood. He looked at them, shocked.

"He-here? Now?" he asked. Buffy and Angel nodded.

"She was over there by that tree. In the shadow. And then she disappeared," Buffy said, shaken up badly. The worst part was she had not been able to sense it was a vampire. Leonna had masked herself from Buffy’s Slayer sense. Angel glanced at her and saw how unnerved she was. He looked at Giles.

"Go get cleaned up, both of you. We have to eat and get to that meeting. I'll warn the others. We must be extremely cautious. With Leonna's power she can turn up in places we won't expect," Giles warned before going to find Katrina and explain things to her.

Angel led Buffy up to their room. He ran a hot bubble bath for her and waited until after she had climbed into the scalding liquid. She sighed, leaning up against the towel resting on the edge of the tub. Angel kneeled by her and gently massaged her temples as her eyes fell closed.

"Mmm...this is nice," she mumbled as she sank lower into the water. Bubbles teased the ends of her hair as she sat and thought.

"Angel, I'm scared," she said in a tiny, terror evident voice. Angel's heart went out to her. She was so strong. He placed a soft kiss on her forehead before he spoke.

"Everything will be okay, Buff. You're going to kill Leonna and we’ll go back home," he reassured her.

"But what if I can't? What if she hurts one of my friends?" she asked, raising her head and turning around to face him. She looked into his eyes. "What if she hurts you?" As the words escaped her mouth, tears formed in her eyes. She could not fathom a life without him. She remember how terrified she had been when he had landed in the hospital and when Leonna had turned him.

"I won’t let her," he said, determined. She gave him a little smile and a soft kiss.

"But what if you can't stop her?"

"Buffy. I will not let her harm you or anyone else. We'll triumph, we always do. Good wins over evil," he said, touching his forehead to hers and giving her an eskimo kiss.

"What would I do without you?" she asked with a small smile.

"I don't think we want to know the answer," he replied.

"Thanks. I love you," she whispered and gave him another kiss.

"I love you too."

"And someday I’ll be able to comfort you and make you feel better," she laughed as she raised her head and looked into his eyes. He laughed also and brought a hand up to cup her cheek.

"I'll let you finish your bath in peace," he told her as he stood.

"Care to join me?" she asked, arching an eyebrow.

"You know I want to, but..." he trailed off, giving her a look of longing.

"Oh. Yeah. Best behavior thing, sorry. I forgot," she said, giving him a look of her own. "Stay with me?"

He nodded and knelt back down again, talking softly to her as she finished her bath.

Afterwards, she fell asleep, totally exhausted. He held her but did not sleep, just watched her chest rise and fall. He studied her beautiful face and love swelled inside of him. She was his, forever. He woke her soon after and they went down to eat dinner. They had something called mititei, which were like meatballs that were seasoned and grilled. They tasted surprisingly good.

Buffy glanced around at her friends. Willow and Cordelia were talking quietly and Oz and Xander were talking about comics. Buffy smiled, knowing neither Willow nor Cordelia knew that she and Angel had overheard their conversation. She was glad for the change of heart in Cordelia and glad that she had confided in Willow. Willow had been a victim of Cordelia¹s countless times in the past and it seemed appropriate for her to have talked to Willow first.

They didn't talk at all about Leonna or the meeting they were about to attend, they didn't trust the gypsies. There was a sort of tension in the air, an anxiety that no one could explain. It was not that apparent, but it was there, causing the usually cheerful group to be sullen and subdued. They were all aware of it and it seemed urgent almost. It certainly added apprehension to the night ahead.

The gang climbed into the two cars after dinner, heading for the town hall. As they traveled down the driveway, Buffy felt a pair of eyes on her. She turned back and saw the old woman standing on the front step of the house, watching her. Buffy grew uncomfortable, even though the stare wasn’t malicious. It was almost pitiful, really, and made her wonder. Wonder about what was ahead.

Wonder if she would survive.

Part Seven

"Isn't this charming?" Leonna asked as she spun around the quaint room. Spike raised his eyebrows, surprised that Leonna knew someone this close to her old hometown. The old farmhouse had been redone, accommodating the vampires it now housed. Drusilla stood at his side, her petticoat and doll making her seem like a young, lost child. He slipped his arm around her shoulders and glanced back at their host.

She was beautiful--what the hell was it with all these gypsies being gorgeous?--long blond hair flowing over her shoulders in a sparkly sea. She seemed quiet, reserved, standing in a long creamy yellow gown from the late nineteenth century. She reminded Spike of Darla, the long blond hair and full lips. She also looked a bit like Leonna, which slightly puzzled Spike. He didn’t know anymore of the gypsies had been turned.

"Lovely," he said as he glanced around. It was beautiful, even if it was a tad old fashioned. Old oak chests and cushiony couches sat around the room, several vampires sitting leisurely around. They glanced up at the new arrivals then went back to doing whatever they had been doing. Their host, whose name Spike hadn't caught, led them to their rooms.

"You should have seen her face, love, it was absolutely priceless. And then she said my name and I could taste her fear," Leonna was saying, snapping Spike out of his thoughts. She had disappeared from the airport, only to return a short time later with the information of where the Slayer and her annoying friends were staying.

"She thought I disappeared totally then, but I was there. When she told her Watcher, I was there. She kissed Angelus..." she trailed off, craning her head to the side in a gesture he had come to associate with Drusilla¹s madness. "I wanted to rip her heart out, hold it in front of her and make her watch it beat."

"Isn't that a lovely visual," Spike said dryly. "Angel got me a heart once...of a little shop girl. It was still warm..." Drusilla cooed, lost in the past. Spike¹s chest tightened slightly at the name of his sire.

"I didn't, needless to say. The daylight would have stopped me. But the sun has gone to sleep," she said maliciously, pointing to the stream of vampires exiting into the black night. "It's time to play, my dears."

"And where exactly are we going to play? I'm hungry and I need a smoke," Spike complained, dropping his bags next to the door of the room he and Drusilla would share. Leonna's eyes flickered briefly over his door and her door, a small smile creeping lazily onto her lips. Drusilla was talking quietly to the blond and didn¹t catch the meaning.

But Spike did. He groaned softly, almost inaudibly. But Leonna, with her heightened vampire hearing, heard it. And her evil smile grew.

Spike would be hers.

Sooner than later, if she had anything to say about it.

"We'll go eat after I go see what this little meeting of theirs is. I want to check on the little Slayer, see what she’s up to," Leonna replied, the smile leaving her lips as Drusilla looked up, staring intently at her. Leonna shifted, slightly uneasy as she looked at her, knowing her ability to read minds was powerful.

But so was Leonna and she could block Drusilla’s probes. Which she did. Dru shook her head lightly, but looked warily at Leonna. She knew that Dru wasn't so completely mad that she wouldn't realize Leonna was coming onto Spike. She'd just have to be more careful, that was all.

A small price to pay for the pleasure she was sure he would bring her.

*~*

Willow stood nervously outside the meeting room with the others, waiting for Ireena to come get them. She wasn't exactly sure why she was nervous. Maybe it's because these people have major vengeance kicks and don't like us she said to herself bitterly. She glanced around at her friends, all quiet for once. Buffy and Angel stood next to her, foreheads touching, whispering. She smiled slightly, glad that she had given them this. This opportunity to lead a normal life, like they were meant to. She involuntarily tightened her hand around Oz’s, and he looked at her questioningly. She gave him a half smile and he gave her cheek a quick peck. She blushed a rosy pink, looking around to see if anyone had witnessed it.

Xander and Cordelia were leaning against the opposite wall, Xander hugging Cordelia to his chest. She had her arms wrapped around his waist and seemed content to stay there for a very long time. She looked up to see Willow looking at her and gave her a small smile, snuggling closer to Xander. Willow was still amazed at Cordelia¹s character change, after their talk they had become closer. Cordelia had even confided in Willow something no one else knew.

Giles stood next to Willow, cleaning his glasses and staring off into space. Space that Katrina occupied, that is. When Katrina looked up, Giles quickly turned his gaze down towards his glasses. She gazed for a moment then looked back at the door, almost willing someone to walk through it and end the torture.

Willow flickered her eyes down to the floor. From the corner of her eye she saw Buffy and Angel kissing lightly, lovingly. They seemed to take advantage of every second they had together, they never took their time for granted. A good lesson could be learned from those two--cherish what you have while it’s around. It could be gone in an instant.

Okay, enough with the unhappy thoughts Willow scolded herself. Great, now I'm *talking* to myself. At least it's not out loud... Her thoughts were interrupted by the door swinging open and Arianna's head popping around the side. She gave them a look.

"You're being summoned," she said sarcastically, giving Buffy a particularly dirty look. The Slayer was so wrapped up in Angel she didn’t even notice, which Willow decided was a good thing.

Buffy knew they could be seen by all the people in the room, so she let the kiss linger a few seconds longer. Willow shot her a raised eyebrow, but Buffy just smiled and shrugged. She grabbed Angel’s hand and held onto it as they all filed into the room.

"Does anyone else feel like we're heading to our execution?" Xander muttered under his breath. Cordelia smacked him playfully on the arm and he gave her a pained look, clutching his arm as if she had actually hurt him. The others smiled, thankful for his distraction.

They entered the room, surveying the scene. A group of about twenty people, old and young alike, were seated around a large table. Ireena stood at its head, with Arianna joining her. The gypsies looked rather coldly at the group as the Scooby Gang eyed them back. Tension was thick.

The gypsies immediately scowled when they gazed at Buffy and Angel. Buffy was holding Angel's hand in her own, the Claddagh ring she wore on her finger clearly visible.

"Wow, who turned on the air conditioning?" Xander joked, attempting once again to break tension.

"Silence, young one," an older man said in heavy-accented English. Xander looked startled, but shut his mouth. Giles moved to speak, but Buffy beat him to it.

"Chill. It was a joke. You guys know what we want...I hope," she said with a hint of sarcasm in her voice. Giles groaned and took over before Buffy could do any damage.

"Please excuse them," Giles said. "I assume Ms. Ireena has...briefed you on our current situation. We gained the information that you could help from an old Watcher's diary, written by a member of your clan by the name of Torah. It seems her sister, Leonna, was turned into a vampire and killed her. Leonna retained her power and is a huge threat to us."

"We were told of your troubles, Watcher," that same man said as he leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. "And I must admit that many of us are rather reluctant to help you."

"And why is that?" Giles asked, suddenly becoming defensive.

"Down boy," Buffy muttered under her breath.

"Because of your past. Not yours in particular, but two certain people that you travel with are not among our favorites," he replied. All eyes, including her friends, turned towards Buffy and Angel. She stared back at them and quirked an eyebrow.

"What did *I* do? I didn't kill your precious Jenny," she snapped.

"You gave Angelus true happiness," a woman sitting in the back said. Buffy turned her eyes to her.

"Will you people give it a rest? So what? *We were in love.* God, you act like that's such a horrible thing," she said, pulling Angel closer to her. He draped his arm over her shoulder in a protective gesture.

"How could you fall in love with a monster?" Arianna asked quietly.

"A monster? You think he's a monster? I've seen plenty of monsters and Angel is definitely not one of them. Angelus is. I'm not gonna deny that. And I should know, he did some not so pleasant things to me. But I fell in love with Angel. I don't see what the crime is for that," Buffy said, trying to make them see the error to their thoughts. They had always assumed Angel and Angelus were the same, when they were complete opposites.

"He's a killer--"

"No, he's not!! The demon that was in his body was. Angel is not a killer. He'd never hurt anyone. You punished the soul--the soul that is beautiful and pure and perfect--when you should have punished the demon! I wish you people would realize that and stop thinking they’re the same," Buffy cried, not caring what the consequences could be for her actions, not caring what impressions she might be making. She was angry and needed to vent, and since she didn't think they'd like it to much if she beat the hell out of all of them, yelling would have to do.

"It is his own fault he was turned," the young woman from the garden said. Buffy looked at her, confused. "Or did you not share that with your precious girlfriend, Angelus? His past, before he was changed, was quite shady. He was a drunk who slept with anyone he could get his hands on--"

"Enough!" Giles cried, trying to stop this before it got any worse. No one listened to him.

"No, Giles, we have major issues that obviously can't be put on the back burner for the time being, so we have to deal. And as for you gypsies who think you're God's gift to mankind or whatever," she said, fuming. "I don't care about Angel's past. It was two hundred and forty years ago!! He never told me anything because it was painful and I respected that. You obviously can’t."

No one spoke for a long moment. Anger and hatred filled the air, taunting them. Laughing at them. Buffy's friends stood on one side, watching the confrontation unfold. Some of the gypsies shifted uneasily in their chairs. Ireena stood still at the head of the table, making no effort to stop it. She knew that this had to be worked out now before any progress could be made.

"How can you let him touch you, knowing what those hands have done? How can you kiss his lips, knowing that they've sucked people's lives out of their bodies?" the older man asked. Buffy smirked, suddenly remembering what she had done when Ireena had asked the same question. She took Angel’s hand off her shoulder while taking the other one in her hand. She brought them up to her face and placed them there. He looked at her questioningly, but she just gave him a look. He took her face in his hands obediently and stroked her cheeks.

"These hands?" she asked, then stepped on tiptoe to kiss him softly. "These lips? It's not hard."

"Bu-but...how can you...knowing..." the man sputtered, trying to get a sentence out. Buffy could tell they were furious with her actions, but at this point she could care less.

"Okay," she said after the guy had shut his mouth. "Any more questions?"

"You show very little fear, young Slayer. You seem to forget that we do not need to offer our help," an old woman spoke up from the back. Buffy made a slight face.

"Lady, I've fought vampires, demons, one of the most powerful vamps to ever walk, invisible people, man-eating snakes, my own boyfriend, and I've *died.* Talking to a bunch of self-absorbed gypsies hardly qualifies as causing me to freak," Buffy retorted. "And you will."

Everyone noticed the change in Buffy's voice. She went from snotty teenager to serious Slayer in about two seconds flat.

"How can you be so sure?" Arianna challenged.

"What is your problem? You've got a huge holier-than-thou attitude going on. You make Cordelia seem like Mother Theresa or something--no offense, Cor," Buffy said.

"None taken," Cordelia replied.

"And to get back to your question, Arianna, when she comes here and starts killing you people, you'll want to help real quick."

"She's already here," a voice said from the shadows. The gang tensed, knowing it was Leonna. The gypsies had no clue what was going on.

"Well, well. If it isn't Leonna. I don't believe we've been formally introduced. I'm Buffy, the one who's going to kill you," Buffy said coolly as Leonna stepped out from the shadows. She knew she stuck fear into the hearts of her kin, she could taste it.

"Having a secret meeting. How sweet. Let me guess, am I the topic?" Leonna asked.

"She¹s got powers and she's smart. This girl is definitely going places," Buffy retorted, edging closer to Angel as Leonna’s eyes fell on him.

"Hello, Angelus. Long time, no see. Human again. Too bad, we didn't get to have any fun. But we will," she said, stepping closer to him. Angel and Buffy held their ground, but the gypsies seemed to shrink into their chairs. "After I kill your little bitch of a girlfriend, I'll change you and we'll finally be together. For eternity, my darling," she whispered, tossing her jet black hair over her shoulder.

"Yeah, when hell freezes over. And since that's not in the five day forecast, think of a new plan. And quick, cause there's someone I want to introduce you to," Buffy said, suddenly moving fast. She raced up to Leonna as she pulled a stake out of her back pocket. Leonna just looked at her with a smirk and as Buffy moved in to plunge the stake into her heart, she disappeared. Buffy stood with her stake poised, looking around frantically.

"Damnit! I hate it when they vanish like that," she said as Leonna appeared behind her.

"Nice try, Slayer. You seem to have forgotten one tiny thing--I have powers and you don't," Leonna said as she swept her eyes around the room once more. Her brown pupils pierced every member of the clan she had once belonged to. With a smirk, she was gone. "See you soon."

Buffy relaxed slightly, dropping the stake to her side. She turned back to the gypsies. "Any questions?"

Part Eight

Leonna strolled down the street, arms raised above her head as she stretched. She laughed maliciously, the only sound filling the night other than the sharp click of her knee-high boots against the concrete. She headed back to Daniella's house, where she was supposed to meet Spike and Dru for dinner. She stretched leisurely, arms reaching for the stars. She came back down to Earth and continued on, picking up the pace.

She reached the house to find Spike and Dru sitting on a love seat in the living room. Spike was stroking Drusilla's lips with his index finger. Leonna stood in the doorway, watching them with intense jealousy. Spike was supposed to belong to her, not the insane vampire. But all in good time...

Spike looked up first, noticing Leonna studying he and Dru with a nasty look on her face. He wondered slightly at the look in her eye, confidence shining through, trying to mask the jealousy and failing. If she so much as dared to touch one hair on Dru¹s head...

"I trust you've finished your business?" Spike said coldly. Leonna nodded.

"Yes, my sweet, they were dutifully notified. That Buffy has quite a smart tongue. She should know not to speak to her elders disrespectfully. I should rip it out for that..." Leonna said calmly, strangely reminding Spike of Drusilla for the second time.

"Later, ducks. Dru and I are hungry," Spike said. Leonna nodded.

"I need a good kill. Since I can't kill the Slayer yet, I'll have to settle one of the clan members. Come, darlings," Leonna said dangerously. "We must gather strength for the upcoming battle."

*~*

The Slayerettes gathered in Buffy and Angel's room after the meeting for a meeting of their own. Buffy was idly carving a stake as they discussed possible fight strategies. Ireena had promised to begin looking for a spell to strip Leonna of her powers. Xander lay stretched out on the bed at her feet, gnawing on a Snickers bar he had brought with him. Willow was sitting on Oz's lap in one of the chairs in the room. Giles and Katrina stood, directing the impromptu meeting. Angel sat next to Buffy with his arm around her shoulder protectively, and Cordelia was down by Xander filing her perfect nails.

"Well, Leonna probably has a whole bunch of vamps she wants me to fight," Buffy said, concentrating on her work. Giles nodded.

"We must step up your training," he agreed. She groaned.

"Are we done?" Cordelia asked, sounding bored. Giles moved to say something, but Katrina cut him off.

"Yes, you can all go. I suggest you get some rest, we don't know how strenuous of a battle this will be," Katrina said. The teenagers stood and filed out of the room, Giles and Katrina right behind them. Buffy finished her stake and placed it on the nightstand next to the carving knife she had used. She stood and made her way to the bathroom, washing her face and brushing her teeth. Angel came to stand behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist. She smiled at him in the mirror.

"Thanks," he said quietly. She looked at him quizzically.

"What for?" she asked.

"For standing up for me tonight," he replied. She nodded.

"Hey, it's no big. No one messes with my Angel," she smiled. He leaned down, resting his chin on her shoulder. He began to nibble up and down her bare neck, kissing and licking the sensitive flesh. "Angel...we have to be good," Buffy said to him.

"No, we don't. We just have to be quiet," he whispered. She smiled and turned to face him, catching his lips in a sweet kiss.

"That's not a problem," she said as they moved toward the bed.

*~*

Angel awoke to find nothing but cool sheets holding him. Alarmed, he glanced around, his eyes falling on Buffy. He relaxed slightly, watching her as she gazed out into the moonlit night. Wearing her pajama bottoms and a simple tank top, he had never seen her look more beautiful. She sat with her legs curled up to her chest, her arms wrapped around them, staring out into the dark night. The darkness created shadows on her face, accenting her beauty. She looked like a porcelain doll, a princess from long ago.

Angel got up quietly, careful not to alert her that he was awake. He pulled on a pair of sweat pants and made his way over to the other chair. Buffy jumped slightly as he sat down.

"Penny," he said lightly. She gazed at him.

"Not worth it. I just had a freaky dream, I needed to think," she replied. He nodded, reaching out and taking one of her hands in his own. He brought it to his lips and kissed it softly, then caressed the smooth flesh.

"Want to tell me about it?" he asked. She sighed and nodded.

"It was really strange. It was around daybreak, you were in this creepy mansion with this big statue that had a sword sticking out of its chest. Spike and Dru were there, but then they left. It just came down to me and you...actually, it was me and Angelus," she said, trying to remember everything from her dream. It had all seemed so real...

"I guess this statue was a really bad thing, because Angelus were pretty determined to pull the sword out. We ended up fighting with our swords, it was brutal. Angelus had me backed into a corner...his voice was so mocking when he spoke," she said softly. Angel almost had to strain to hear her. "He told me I had nothing left...no weapons, no friends, no hope. He shoved a sword right at my face, but I...I caught it. I had one more thing left--me. I turned the tables on him, I came so close to beating him. As I was about to kill him...something happened. He was you again.

"You didn't remember anything," she continued. "We kissed, and I told you I loved you, and...and I killed you. I had to, it was the only way to stop the demon in the statue. I left, skipped town after it. It just left me really wigged."

Angel sat in shock. He looked up to see silent tears falling down Buffy's face. It had affected her deeply.

"It's weird," she whispered. "It seemed like it was so real. I knew everything that was happening, I was really fighting. I don't think it was prophetic, but..." she trailed off, not knowing what else to say.

"You should tell Giles. Maybe he'll have an explanation for it," Angel suggested automatically. Buffy nodded and sighed, wiping the tears away.

"Sorry I woke you," she said sheepishly.

"Don't worry about it. It was actually a good thing, could you imagine if someone had come to wake us and found us?" he asked. She gave him a half-smile. "I love you, Miss Summers," he said.

"I love you too, Mr. I-Won't-Tell-My-Girlfriend-What-My-Last-Name-Is," she joked. Angel laughed and leaned over for a kiss.

"Isn't this a picture," a cold voice said. Buffy and Angel jerked up, staring in shock at the vampire.

"How the hell did you get in here?" Buffy snarled, leaping up. Angel stood up right next to her. Leonna just smirked at the two of them.

"I had an invitation."

"From whom?" Angel asked, wary of Leonna and her tricks.

"The doormat. 'Enter.' They really should do something about that," she said, walking forward. She trailed her finger along the bureau, her ankle length crimson coat swirling slightly.

"I have to give you some credit. You do know how to dress," Buffy said, inching over to where her newly-made stake sat on the night table. Leonna looked down at her attire, the tight black bodice and tiny black skirt, complete with knee high boots. She smiled.

"I do try, you know," she replied maliciously.

"What's up with you, Leonna? Taking up stalking as a new habit?" Angel asked sarcastically. All traces of laughter vanished from her face at his words. Buffy shivered involuntarily, a sudden chill creeping into her bones.

"You just wait, Angelus. I'll kill your girlfriend and I'll make you watch. And suffer. You'll be mine, honey. So will Spike and we can rule the world together," Leonna said as she took another step. Buffy raised her stake threateningly. Leonna just looked at it and laughed. "How cute. Slayer's got a little stake. You're a fool to think that you can stop me. So many others have died attempting, and soon you'll be in that same position. Your time is running out," she said dangerously before she vanished.

Buffy and Angel looked at each other and bolted from the room. They ran to Cordelia and Willow’s room, throwing the door open and flipping the light on. Cordy and Willow were startled awake and demanded to know what was going on. Not pausing to answer, Buffy ran to Xander and Oz’s room while Angel ran across the hall to Giles and Katrina’s room. When they were assured that everyone was still breathing, they had some explaining to do.

"What the hell was that for, Buffy? Some practice fire drill or something?" Cordelia asked hotly.

"Leonna was in our room," she said. Everyone gaped at her. "She came by for a little chat and then left. We just wanted to make sure she didn't grab a midnight snack."

"What should we do?" Willow asked.

"Keep stakes and holy water next to your beds and scream if she decides to become the ghost of Christmas past and come visit," Buffy replied. After agreeing, the others went back to sleep.

Buffy and Angel sat awake for a long time that night, mostly making sure Leonna didn’t come back. After a time, they too fell asleep, locked in a lover’s embrace. Leonna watched them hold each other lovingly, Angel’s arms wrapped possessively around Buffy’s body. They seemed so content and in love, Leonna felt sick. She would put an end to their happiness.

One way or another.

Part Nine

Ireena sat with the old clan woman, talking to her about what was needed to perform the ritual to strip one's power. They had all the ingredients, all that was needed was the word for them to begin. The oil in the lamp had all but burned out, and the small kitchen of Ireena's house was thrown into shadows. Dark, cold shadows that whispered thing of uncontrollable evil.

She stiffened, hearing a noise upstairs. Her niece, Arianna, was asleep up there. Ireena frowned. She sensed a great deal of animosity towards the Slayer and her friends coming from Arianna and wondered at it. It was directed mostly to the Slayer herself, sharp words had been exchanged between those two. But it was almost jealousy, which probably had something to do with Angel. Ireena wasn't sure if Arianna had a crush on him or if she was still angry about him being responsible for Janna's death. She had, after all, been the girl’s aunt.

But Janna had been Ireena's sister, and her death had affected her deeply. She had vowed to get revenge on the monster that had ended her life, and in a way she had. Angelus suffered in that he was no longer in control of Angel's body. He was in hell and could not wreak havoc on the world.

In that way, she had her revenge.

Ireena helped the old woman to bed and turned the oil lamp off. She felt a pair of eyes on her as she moved through the kitchen, but when she looked there was nothing but darkness. She sensed a vampire but there was nothing it could do, it was not invited in. She shrugged it off slightly and walked upstairs.

From the shadows of the kitchen, Leonna stared evilly after the woman, plans forming in her mind.

*~*

"Tonight. It's going to happen tonight," Buffy announced suddenly at the meeting the next afternoon. The gypsies looked at her, wary.

"How can you be so sure?" Ireena asked.

"I can feel it, the air holds this sort of tension. It's really wigging me out," Buffy replied. It was true, she could sense the battle would take place tonight.

"You don’t know, you're just guessing. We need more than--" Arianna was cut off by Buffy’s angry words.

"Don't start again. I know it's going to happen tonight. Leave it at that, 'kay?" she said. She turned to the other members of the clan. 'I don’t need any of your help. You guys come around the battle you’re bound to either get hurt or killed. All I need from you is the spell to be done. Are we clear?'

They nodded, happy to not have to participate in the fighting. The next hour was spent on working out the details of the fight. Ireena would be the only gypsy present, it was decided. She would make sure nothing went wrong. Which it probably would. At least they were taking some precautions.

They ended at around three in the afternoon. Faced with time on their hands, the group went back to the inn. Cordelia announced at once that she was in for another day of sun bathing and Willow decided to accompany her. Buffy lost track of Xander and Oz, they had wanted to explore the town. Buffy sat leaning against the tree where she had first seen Leonna, watching Angel play with the two young children they had encountered on their first day. She smiled softly, watching them wrestle in the grass.

"He's wonderful with children," Katrina said as she came up from behind Buffy. Buffy swung her head around and gave Katrina a friendly grin.

"Oh, I know. I've never been able to see him with kids before," Buffy said as Katrina sat down next to her. They watched in comfortable silence for several minutes.

"Frightened about tonight?" Katrina asked softly. Buffy shook her head.

"Not really. I've never actually been able to really prepare for a fight before, except for the Master. Well, that was kind of panicking. But as long as nothing goes really wrong I'll be okay and I just totally jinxed it, didn't I?" Buffy sighed, laughing softly. Katrina joined her.

"Don't worry about it, Leonna won't stand a chance."

Buffy turned to gaze at Katrina, taking in her profile. She was attractive, fair skin and dark hair. She reminded Buffy of Jenny Calendar. "Is there anything going on with you and Giles?" she blurted out. Katrina sighed softly.

"No, Buffy, there is not. I cannot get involved with him...it will only end in heartache for both of us," Katrina replied quietly. She seemed resigned about the subject, like she had spent a lot of time thinking about it. Buffy wondered at her words.

"How do you know?" Buffy asked.

"Watchers never fall in love with Watchers. It's a lesson I learned long ago."

"The hard way?" Buffy asked. Katrina nodded.

"Yes, unfortunately. Just like all of life's important lessons," she paused for a moment. "What you and Angel have is very precious. Hold onto it and cherish each other. I don't have to tell you to not dwell on the past, you obviously learned that."

Buffy smiled, feeling a new sense of respect and compassion for the woman. She would be sad to see her go. "Do you have to go back to England when this is over? I mean, couldn't you stay as a research assistant for Giles or something?"

"As much as I would like to," Katrina replied. "My place is with the Council."

"I figured as much, I just had to ask," Buffy said. Angel came over to join them at that point. He sat down next to Buffy and wrapped his arm around her thin shoulder blades.

"You two look like you're having a deep discussion," he said.

"Katrina's just giving me some advice," Buffy replied and leaned in to give him a gentle kiss. Katrina stood and wiped off the back of her jeans.

"I'll leave you two alone," she said as she headed for the house. Angel leaned back, breathing in deeply. Buffy sighed and lowered her head to his lap. She stroked his leg softly and he ran his fingers through her golden hair as they admired the beauty of the countryside around them. After a time Buffy turned her head so she could look Angel in the eye.

"Ready to kick some ass?" he asked her. She nodded.

"I'm itching for a good fight. Maybe Spike will join in the fray, I really want to hurt him."

Angel gently traced his finger along the curve of her jaw. "Promise you'll come back to me," he said softly. She gazed deeply into his eyes.

"Cross my heart and hope to die. Actually I don't, that would kinda suck. But you know what I mean," she smiled. Angel nodded and leaned down, planting a soft kiss on her forehead that sent chills up and down Buffy's spine. She closed her eyes and inhaled, taking his sweet scent in. She was actually terrified about the battle that had yet to come, she was sure something would happen to screw things up royally. She was so afraid that she was going to lose him, but she didn't dare tell him that.

Angel knew, though. He could feel her fear as if it were his own. It was his own, actually, he was equally worried that something would happen to her. He would do everything in his power to protect her, his martial arts skills were back to where they had been when he was a vampire. He just hoped they would be good enough to fight whatever Leonna threw against them.

Buffy got a mischievous smile on her face. Okay, enough with the brooding already. We definitely need to lighten up the mood around here. She looked up at Angel with the smirk on her face and reached up to tickle him. He twitched and looked down at her, surprised. He gave her a sexy smirk of his own and tickled her back. Buffy shrieked with laughter and the two were soon rolling around on the grass, laughing hysterically.

They ended with Angel slightly on top of Buffy. She gave him what was meant to be a quick kiss--she didn¹t want to 'offend' anyone. But Angel would have none of it and soon they were having some serious smoochies. They didn't even come up for air until they heard someone clear their throat. They broke off, slightly annoyed, to find Arianna looming over them. She had her hands on her hips and looked at Buffy with murder in her eyes.

"Can I help you?" Buffy asked coolly. Arianna's eyes drifted to Angel.

"The elder woman needs to speak with you," she replied, her gaze still fixated on Angel.

"Oh. Come on, Angel," Buffy said as she stood. She helped him to his feet.

"Sorry, Angel can't go with you. She wants to speak to you alone. I'll take care of him for you," she said with a gleam in her eye.

"I'll bet," Buffy muttered. She gave Angel a long kiss--just in case Arianna was going to try something--before turning and heading to the house.

"So, Angel," Arianna said flirtatiously, turning to gaze at him. He stared at her blankly. "Want to go for a walk?"

"Not really," he replied, avoiding her gaze.

"Sure you do. We can be alone. I'll make you forget all about Buffy," Arianna said seductively, placing her hand on Angel’s forearm. He jerked it away.

"Highly doubtful. Why don't you go run along and find some other guy to seduce," Angel suggested as he walked away. Arianna stood gaping at his retreating form. No one had ever been able to resist her before. It was all Buffy’s fault.

Soon that problem will be taken care of Arianna thought smugly. She turned and headed up the hill, plans forming. She had a few things she needed to make sure happened tonight, and she knew just the person to talk to.

*~*

"So you're sure you can kill her?" a voice said from inside Leonna¹s room. Spike paused at his own door, suddenly curious about the conversation. Leonna’s voice answered, full of confidence.

"Of course I can kill her. That's not a problem. All you need to do is make sure that stupid spell they want to use fails."

"Already taken care of," the woman¹s voice promised. A third voice entered the conversation, this one sounding slightly unsure.

"Are you sure this will work?"

"Positive. Stop worrying about it. Leonna will take care of the Slayer and I'll have my way with Angel before you kill him. Everything will work out," the second voice said, calming the third's apprehension. Spike wondered who was in the room. He could tell they were human, he could hear their hearts beating from the hallway. He couldn't believe Leonna had allowed two humans in her presence and that they were still breathing.

"You’d better go, someone might miss you. If you fail, your lives will be mine," Leonna said menacingly.

"How will you be able to claim them if the Slayer kills you?" the second voice asked hotly. Spike felt Leonna's anger at the comment.

"Be careful, my sweet. Betray me and you shall pay. Dearly."

The door opened and two young woman stepped out. "Whatever," the dark haired girl muttered.

"Oh, and Arianna?" Leonna's voice called from the room as she appeared in the doorway. "Say hi to Angelus for me."

Part Ten

The tension was thick in the air as the gang made their way through the dark woods. Ireena had found the location of the vampire's hideout using magic and was helping the elder woman along the path. Arianna followed at the back of the pack, she was to help the elder home after the spell was complete. She was not happy about the arrangement and had protested fiercely. Her aunt had not listened.

Buffy, decked out in black leather pants and a thick strapped black tank top, led the way. She was in battle mode, her thoughts focused on the upcoming confrontation. Her crossbow hung at her side and she had stakes strategically placed all over her body. She could not let her thoughts dwell on her friends, even though she was worried about them. She had given them strict instructions to stay off to the side, but she highly doubted they would pay them any mind. They were like that.

Up ahead, she saw lights blazing. A Victorian house came into view. It was fully-lit and beautiful. But the house's radiance was overshadowed by the evil that dwelled within its walls. The whole aura of the house was menacing, a silent warning to all who came near to run. Buffy led the group up the path and signaled for them to wait. The elder woman started her incantation, eerie words escaping her mouth. They waited several minutes until it was finished, then Arianna took her great grandmother gently by the arm and led the tired woman away.

"Here goes everything," Buffy said grimly as she stalked up to the porch with Angel and Giles.

All hell was about to break lose.

*~*

Buffy, Angel, and Giles stole quietly into the house. They crept down the hall, searching for vampires. They came to what looked like the living room and found close to twenty vampires waiting for them. Spike and Dru stood off to the side and Leonna led her undead army.

"We were getting worried that you wouldn't show," Leonna said coldly. In a matter of seconds Buffy was surrounded. She went to work, staking the closest vampire. It exploded but another moved forward to take its place. Striking out with her left leg, she caught one of them in the shin. Arms grabbed her, holding her in place. She used them for balance as she kicked out with both legs, catching the vampire that was charging toward her squarely in the chest. Seeing an opportunity, she kicked off from the vamp’s chest and flipped over, taking her supporters with her. They landed in a heap on the floor and Buffy made quick work of them.

Leonna stood off to the side with Spike and Dru, watching the fight progress. Angel went down hard and looked to be in trouble when a crossbow bolt hit his attacker in the back. With a cry, she was dust. Giles quickly reloaded and went to work on some other vampires.

The door burst open at that moment and in flew the Slayerettes. They tried to help, but their methods were sluggish. Two would grab hold of a vampire while the third would ram a stake into its undead heart. They managed to create a space in the middle and waited for them to strike.

Buffy lashed out, taking the offensive. Angel fought with her back to back and she allowed herself to slip fully into Slayer mode. A sharp right hook caught her squarely in the jaw, and she paused for half a second for the stinging to stop. She looked up with murder in her eyes. The vampire didn’t stand a chance.

Angel was having a bit more trouble. He had taken more of a beating than Buffy and was hurting. He was pretty sure a few ribs had been bruised, but he kept fighting. He would not let them win.

Try as they may to put a dent in the population, the Slayerettes were suffering. Taking more than a few punches, Willow, Xander, Oz, and Cordelia were in pain. They pressed on though, fighting for all they were worth. Katrina was holding her own against the vamps that tried to escape.

The shattering of glass caused everyone to stop in their tracks. Leonna, not being able to wait anymore, had taken the fight straight to Buffy. With a shout she had pushed her out the huge bay window that had been covered with black curtains. The vampires scattered and the gang ran out to see if they could help.

"Stay back," Buffy cried to them. "This is my fight!"

Leonna threw a solid punch that landed on Buffy's already sore jaw. Buffy responded with a sweeping kick that brought Leonna to her knees. Buffy reached for a stake as Leonna's arm shot out, knocking her off her feet. Landing in a heap, Buffy fought to bring oxygen back into her lungs. Leonna loomed over her as Buffy brought her leg up and kicked the vampire off. Leonna snarled and rained punches down on Buffy.

Her friends had their hands full as well. The vampires that had fled before were now back. They fought valiantly, though. Willow felt a warm trickle running down her head and was amazed to find it was blood. She forgot all about when Cordelia shrieked. She was being held down by a vampire that was going in for the kill. Willow reached into her overalls and pulled out a small jar of holy water that she had stored there early. She emptied it on the vampire, who screamed in pain and ran. Cordelia looked up in thanks as Willow helped her to her feet.

Buffy had the upper hand now. She was beating Leonna back, finding strength she hadn't even known she had. She had been fighting for a long time and felt exhausted. But she pushed on, throwing punch after punch at the creature of the night. Buffy had her right where she wanted when Leonna suddenly vanished.

"What the hell?!" Buffy cried. She looked at the spot where Leonna had just been. "Giles!"

Part Eleven

From the woods, Arianna smiled maliciously and wiped the sweat from her brow. She had done it. She was at full power, as proven by the fact that she had just performed one of the hardest spells known to her people. She would show all the doubters.

And she would show Buffy Summers that she was not one to be messed with.

Like her Aunt Leonna, she was rotten. But her aunt was dead, and she was not. There was no demon driving her, it was nothing but the those little things called jealousy, revenge, and hatred. Not only towards the Slayer, but to her people in general.

Soon, she would have the thing she craved.

Angel.

*~*

Buffy stood in shock. Leonna had just disappeared. The spell must not have worked, or something must have happened to it. Buffy stood on alert, waiting and watching for a sign.

Leonna appeared behind her and tapped Buffy on the shoulder. She swung around and was greeted by Leonna's fist in her face.

"How the hell did you do that?" Buffy asked as they stared each other down. Leonna smirked.

"Family is more important than anything. They stand by you, help you out, and look after you. Mine is no different," Leonna said simply. Buffy threw a punch at her as she vanished again, her laughter ringing in the ears of all who stood near. They were all in shock as well.

"Buffy--" Angel started.

"Shh," Buffy said, silencing him. "I need to concentrate."

For several agonizing minutes, the woods were quiet. Spike and Dru stood on the porch, surveying the scene. Suddenly, Leonna appeared. A pattern began. She would hit Buffy a few times and before Buffy could retaliate, she would be gone again. This went on. Her friends watched in terror, desperately wanting to help but not knowing what to do. Ireena was gone, walking back down the path after her grandmother.

Buffy could feel herself growing tired. She was bruised and bloody. Her lip was split, she had a long gash over her right eye, and multiple cuts across her arms. She wasn't sure how much more she could take of the beating. Leonna hit her squarely in the nose and blood poured out. Buffy saw a million stars in her gaze and knew she was fading. Leonna vanished again and Buffy knew that when she returned she was as good as dead.

She looked over at her friends, her Watcher, her lover. She gave them a silent goodbye. They watched in horror, not believing that Leonna was winning. Buffy wobbled and Angel ran to catch her. She kept her balance and looked into his eyes.

"I love you," she whispered.

Leonna appeared suddenly in the middle of her and Angel. She grinned and laughed with an intense hatred and moved in for the kill. Buffy fought weakly, but knew this was the end.

From the edge of the forest, Arianna watched expectantly.

*~*

Leonna closed the gap, then thought better of it. She disappeared again and stayed out of sight for a moment or two. She had had so much fun hurting the poor little Slayer and wanted to drag her death out. Let her fear rise and make her dread evident.

Just a few more seconds...

*~*

Buffy cried out suddenly as an unknown force slammed into her. It took over her entire being, sending a wave of calm and hope through her entire body. She looked around wildly for an explanation.

In her mind, the answers she seeked came into the light. Buffy, let me guide you Jenny Calendar's voice said calmly in the depths of her mind. Buffy suddenly understood.

You're here to help, aren't you she asked, although it didn't come out as a question.

Yes. You're weak and you have been betrayed. I was summoned to help you win the battle. Let me fight you Jenny told her. Buffy agreed at once.

If I live through this, stick around long enough so I can thank you she said as she allowed the spirit of Jenny Calendar to guide her actions.

*~*

The Slayerettes stood gaping at their friend. Buffy had cried out, as if in pain, and then become as still as a statue. She stood quietly, her eyes fixated on an unknown point. The lids fell shut and she took a deep breath. Exhaling, it seemed almost like a sigh of contentment. Almost like she was in slow motion, she whirled around and held her stake at chest level, the tip pointing away from her body.

And she waited.

*~*

Leonna came out of the other world she used to travel in, game face on. She licked her lips, anticipating the blood of the Slayer. She leaned down as a sharp pain pierced her tender flesh.

Shocked, she looked down to see the Slayer's stake sticking out of her heart. She looked up into the Slayer’s smirking face.

It was the last image Leonna saw as she died her final death.

*~*

Her friends stood in awe, watching the action. Buffy raised her stake a millisecond before Leonna appeared. Her eyes were closed and a look of tranquility coated Buffy’s features. She was obviously at peace.

And then Leonna appeared and her eyes remained closed She could feel the weight on her stake and knew she--no, Jenny--had killed Leonna. A smirk filled her features, yet her eyes remained closed. As Leonna dissipated into thin air, Buffy lowered her stake and opened her eyes.

"Thank you," she said softly, before jerking suddenly and gasping. She faltered then, swaying as she fought to keep her balance. Angel swiftly ran and caught her before she fell. She leaned on him heavily and fought to open her eyes. "Angel, she's here."

Before he had a chance to ask, a spirit appeared. Illuminated by a heavenly glow, she looked like an angel as she stood before them all.

"Hey guys," Jenny greeted them. The others stood and gaped. "Didn't your parents ever teach you it's not nice to stare? I may be dead, but the same rules apply."

Buffy looked up at her friends, her eyes shining. "Ms. Calendar was the one who killed Leonna. She just used my body to do it."

"Buffy was weak and needed help. I was summoned to give it," Jenny said simply. Giles stepped forward tentatively, as if the slightest movement would send her away from him forever. She gazed at him with big eyes.

"Jenny?" he whispered, silent tears falling.

"Yes, Rupert. I can't stay long, but I had to see you," she said, stepping closer to him. He embraced her tightly.

"I'm so sorry I couldn't protect you," he said quietly. The others stood by, watching the tearful reunion.

"It wasn't your place to. I don't blame you at all. You either, Angel," she added, casting a glance at him. She looked at the group again. "I have to go. You all look like hell, go get cleaned up!" she laughed.

"Isn’t there some way--" Giles asked pleadingly. Jenny finished his sentence for him.

"That I can come back? Not even magic can do that. Death is final, or else it wouldn't be scary," Jenny said. She gave him a soft kiss. "I love you, and I'll wait for you. Until we meet again," she said, giving him another kiss.

Her glow began to fade and Giles cried out, desperately trying to keep her with him. She touched his cheek and was gone.

No one said anything for a long time. They stood in silence, remembering their friend. Footsteps from the woods brought them all back to the present.

Ireena came stomping into the clearing, Arianna at her side. Arianna and Ireena both wore expressions of intense anger. The girl from the garden--Buffy still hadn’t learned her name--walked behind them, her head held in shame.

"Where the hell were you?" Buffy demanded. "The stupid spell didn't work."

"Oh, it worked all right," Ireena fumed "Why don't you ask Arianna what happened?"

Everyone swung their gaze to Arianna. "Well?" Buffy said after a moment, her hazel eyes piercing Arianna’s brown ones. Arianna looked at her with intense hatred.

"You want to know what happened? Okay, here goes. I made an agreement with my Aunt Leonna. I take that stupid spell off of her, she kills you, I get your boyfriend," Arianna retorted smugly. Buffy stood fuming for a moment, then with lightning fast reflexes reached out and punched the girl in the side of the head. Arianna crumpled slightly, then looked back at Buffy, her eyes nearly black with rage.

"You are such a bitch! I can't believe you would stoop so low for someone who wouldn't touch you with a ten foot pole," Buffy cried. "And how could you stop the spell? I thought it required--and I quote this--'the most intense concentration and skill'?"

"People underestimated my power," Arianna said simply.

"No, people underestimated that you're a psycho bitch who thinks they can get whoever they want" Cordelia spoke up.

"I *can* get whoever I want. Angel here just needed a bit more persuasion."

Angel, not being able to hear anymore of this, spoke up. "Arianna, I wouldn't do anything with you unless we were the last two people on Earth. Of course, there would always be sheep..." he said, trailing off. She shot daggers at him with her eyes and took a step closer. Buffy raised her fist threateningly.

"Do you *want* me to dislocate your jaw?" she asked menacingly. Arianna held her gaze for a moment, then looked back at her aunt.

"And how did you know about all this?" she demanded. Ireena took a step to one side, revealing the other girl. "I should've known you’d run and tattle."

"Oh, give it up, Arianna. I wasn't on your side from the beginning. I was sent to spy on you and see if you went to Leonna," she said. Arianna turned and tried to bolt, but Buffy caught her arm and jerked it hard, putting pressure on her bone.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you. I can snap you arm like a twig. You shouldn't have fucked with me. I warned you from the beginning," Buffy said. She let go of Arianna¹s arm but punched her in the head again, crumpling her in a heap on the ground. "Sorry. She just pissed me off."

Part Twelve

As soon as Leonna had been killed, Spike and Dru beat a hasty retreat. They had grabbed their already-packed bags and taken the car to the airport. They were taking off for Paris as soon as they could. Dru had always wanted to see Paris, she said she wanted to taste a Frenchman. Spike was only too happy to go, he knew going back to Sunnydale would be like asking for the death penalty. Dru pouted slightly at the thought of all her dolls, but was soothed by Spike's promise for new ones.

He sat in quiet reflection, idly smoking a cigarette. He thought about Leonna, and how close he had come to succumbing to her charms. In some ways, she had been even more mad than Drusilla. And the things she had done, little, subtle things that raised his suspicions of her sanity. He gazed over at his baby and knew he had made the right choice.

Whatever the hell that meant.

*~*

Buffy stood in front of the gypsies for the final time. She seemed resigned in some way, her manner quiet and almost pensive. She felt a newfound respect towards herself from them. No one spoke a word of Arianna, Buffy had heard from Ireena that she was in serious trouble. It was just as well that she didn't see her, Buffy wasn't sure she'd be able to hold her temper.

The ritual was complete, none of her friends could be turned against her. She had come alone to offer her thanks.

"Look, I know I acted like a...well, I'm not gonna say it. You know. It's the Slayer in me. I just wanted to thank you for your help. I can understand that it was difficult for you, what with Jenny and all. So...thanks, I guess," Buffy finished awkwardly. They sat, staring at her in silence.

"Have a safe journey home, child," Ireena said kindly from her chair. Buffy smiled and nodded, taking it as her cue to leave. She turned and walked out of the room.

Part Thirteen

The plane ride home was uneventful. Everyone joked and laughed, even thought they were a little worse for the wear. Angel sat quietly, his Slayer safe in his arms. He had known all along she would triumph over Leonna, he had had no doubts whatsoever. Okay, so maybe there had been a few.

She stirred slightly in her sleep, repositioning her body so she could be as close to him as possible. He chuckled softly and kissed her head gently. He looked up to see Katrina standing in the cockpit doorway, gazing at him intently. He gave her a smile and she smiled back, although hers was filled with sadness. He wondered what her story was. Why she had such a sad look in her eye.

She turned away and he knew he'd never know the answers to his questions. He hoped she would find peace.

Arriving back in Sunnydale, they were greeted by Joyce Summers, Kendra, and her Watcher. Dead tired, they answered the questions before going home.

"I'll call you tomorrow, Buffy," Willow promised as she climbed into Oz’s van.

"Okay," Buffy replied from her mother's car. Angel sat next to her and Katrina was in the front seat, Buffy's mom had offered her a place to stay for the night. Cordelia peeled out of the airport parking lot with Xander in the car. Giles stood, waving goodbye to them all before heading to his own car. He thought briefly about Katrina, but his thoughts were centered around Jenny. Seeing her had given him a strange sense of peace, but he knew his grieving had just begun.

"Angel, I have some appointments set up for tomorrow for you to look at some houses," Joyce said as they drove home.

"Thanks," he said gratefully.

When they got home, Buffy and Angel went straight to bed. They cuddled underneath the covers, thankful to be home and in one piece.

"Big day tomorrow. You're coming, right?" he asked as he drifted off.

"I'd better. If it's up to you, you'll have a house with no windows and black walls," she joked. He laughed.

"Thought so. I need your help, plus you have to like the house. I know you'll be spending a lot of time there," he said as he gave her a soft kiss.

"You'd better believe it," she replied. They fell asleep, silently thanking the powers that be that they were alive, safe, and in each other's arms.

Where they were meant to be.

--END

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