~*~

Willow pulled closer to Oz as she looked nervously at the vampire who had retrieved her best friend the previous night. He might be helping, but Willow was still anything but easy in Spike’s company.

The Scoobies arrived the next afternoon when summoned by Giles. Buffy had come to consciousness the night before and was resting peacefully in her bed while the group was being updated on the previous night’s activities.

"So Mr. ‘Wish I Were Billy Idol’ just showed up on the back porch with Buffy? What’s the catch?" Cordy put into words what they were all thinking.

"Cordelia, I have to ask you to respect guests in my home," Joyce warned the girl. "He saved my daughter’s life and that is all that matters to me to make him an honored guest for as long as he likes."

Giles rolled his eyes in annoyance at Mrs. Summers’ naivete. True, he was feeling generous where Spike was concerned, but the facts hadn’t changed. Spike was an evil, soulless vampire and not to be trusted, much less welcomed into one’s home. Time enough later, however, to address that with the good lady.

Spike smiled in amused amazement at his ‘welcome’ and the novelty of being under the protection of a human. Mrs. Summers was quite a lady. "No catch, Barbie. Got my own score to settle with Peaches. Need the Slayer to take the Poof out."

"I think it’s a trick," Xander pronounced. "You can’t tell me that Angel just let Spike walk out with Buffy like that. And speaking of walking…" He gave a pointed look in Spike’s direction.

"Been workin’ on the walkin’ part for a while now. Woulda been up to somethin’ like full power in time but took the openin’ Angelus gave me. Birk’s movin’ the nest again and when he undid the chains on Buffy, I made my move." Spike looked at the Scoobies as he retold the story he had already given the Watcher the night before.

Joyce stood up and headed for the kitchen. "Which reminds me…," she said under her breath. Some rustling and the eventual ding of a microwave were heard in the kitchen before her return.

The Scoobies looked on in surprise as Buffy’s mother handed a mug to Spike. "The butcher seems used to selling blood. He didn’t even look at me oddly when I picked it up this morning." She smiled at Spike as he grimaced at the taste. "It’s beef. Sorry, but I draw the line at human blood."

"’Tis fine, Joyce. Takes a bit of getting used to is all. Appreciate the thought." Spike drained the mug and sat it on the side table.

Giles cleared his throat and recaptured the attention of the gaping Scoobies. "Yes, well now, Spike you were saying that Angelus referred to a large rock of some sort at this new location. Combining that information what we already knew I’d say the rock is this Acathla. I examined this rock for Dr. Perren the other day but have been far too distracted to work on the translation of the glyphs carved on it. The morning paper has Dr. Perren’s murder across the front page so I assume this is indeed Acathla."

"So this rock god, what’s it do?" Xander gave up on the Spike taunting for the moment to join in the planning session.

"Kendra’s Watcher merely said the seers were foretelling a great evil rising, one that would destroy all mankind. Spike said that Dru was babbling something of the same nature. I have found some references to Acathla dating from the time of Charlemagne. In Turpin's Chronicle from the Codex Calixtinus, actually. They were setting down oral history taken from captive Saracens in one portion and this great demon was spoken of who would be revived and suck the world and all its inhabitants into hell. This demon was named Acathla. If that is what is encased in the rock, we need to stop Angelus at all costs."

"What’s Dead Boy Jr. got to do with that?" Xander glared at Spike again.

"Got me a truce. Gonna help take out Angelus, make the world safe for puppy dogs and Christmas again," Spike smirked.

"Yeah? What’s in it for you? You can’t convince me you’ve decided to play the good guy now," Xander prodded.

"Can’t say as I am, no," Spike answered. "I happen to like the world the way it is, whelp. You got dog racing, Manchester United, "Love Boat", and you got people. Billions of people walking around like Happy Meals with legs. It’s all right here. But then someone comes along with a vision. With a real passion for destruction. Angel could pull it off. Goodbye, Picadilly. Farewell, Leicester bloody Square. You see what I’m saying."

Oz nodded with understanding. "Makes sense."

"Bloody right it does," Spike agreed. "I want Dru back. I want it like it was before HE came back." Spike looked pointedly at the Watcher. "I help you put the bastard in the ground and I take Dru and leave Sunnyhell forever. That’s the deal."

"You’re going to just let Spike and Dru leave to go kill somewhere else?" Willow looked appalled at the idea.

"I don’t like it either, Willow, but without Spike, I doubt we can stop Angel. Buffy is not ready to fight this one alone, or at all really. I see no other way to accomplish what we must." Giles’ eyes bored into Spike as he continued, "Besides, I feel certain that both Spike and Dru will have a dusty end in good time."

"Rupert Giles! I’m sure Spike is looking to change for the better, aren’t you?" Joyce looked so worried that Spike felt guilty even looking at her.

"I’m a vampire, Joyce. It’s what I am, what I do," Spike muttered.

"Only because you’ve never considered another way. I hate to think of you getting dusted out there somewhere. You saved my baby. Promise you’ll at least consider a different way of living," she pleaded.

"Ta, luv, I’ll give it some thought," Spike answered. He really wanted a change of subject in the worst way. Turning to Giles again, he asked, "Where’s your gypsy honey? I think Dru’s onto her plans."

"Jenny assured me that she has completed most of the work needed to do the spell to give Angel his soul back. I’m meeting with her tonight to go over it and we shall try implementing it tomorrow." Giles looked out at the lowering sun and suggested, "I think you had all best get back to your homes for now. The sun will be setting before long and you need to be safely inside. We’ll meet here in the morning, if that’s all right with you, Joyce?" She nodded in acceptance. "Good, off with you then until tomorrow."

The Scoobies filed out as Giles headed upstairs. "Good job," said Oz to a startled Spike as he passed him by. "I’d think about what Joyce said. Smart lady."

"Yeah, well, it’s not that easy. Dealin’ with a demon here."

Spike tilted his head and looked more closely at the boy. "But I have the feelin’ you know a bit more about that than most. Am I right?"

"Werewolf. New. Working on the controls and safetys still. Point is, I am working on them. You should give it a try. Sounds like you appreciate more about the world than just blood. Should try to stay in it." With that bit of advice, Oz joined the others in his van and they drove away.

Spike stared after the unusual pack of humans and shook his head. "Might be worth a thought or two at that," he said to himself..

~~~

Buffy demanded that she be the one to put an end to her former lover. "I earned the right, Giles."

Giles had to be firm in insisting that Buffy not try to take part in any of their plan against Angelus, at least until she was feeling more the thing.

"Well, we won’t be taking action immediately. Jenny may have found a way to restore his soul and we wish to try that first thing." Giles was surprised to see her lack of interest in re-ensouling Angel. "You DO want him to have his soul back, don’t you, Buffy?"

"What? Oh, yes. Of course I do. It wouldn’t be fair for me to hate Angelus so much that I’d condemn Angel." Buffy turned her face to the wall. "I’m tired, Giles. Think I’ll sleep now."

She had been surprised when her mother told her how she came to be home. Spike had actually come through and gotten her to safety. Buffy was back to thinking about the differences in the two soulless vampires. Her thoughts disturbed her greatly. Still, it would be wrong to kill Angelus before giving Jenny a chance. Buffy wasn’t sure how she was going to relate to Angel again after all of this, but he deserved the chance.

~~~

"I heard what Oz said. He’s right, Spike." Joyce handed the healing vampire another mug of blood. "I didn’t meet you like the others did. I barely remember your involvement in the Parents Night attack. You’ve proven yourself capable of love and loyalty both to Dru and my daughter. I’d hate to see you not reach your potential. There’s more to you than just killing and eating, if you just work on it." She looked at Spike with real concern and tenderness as she continued. " Maybe no one was ever around that cared. Maybe it hasn’t mattered to anyone what becomes of you, but it does now. I care. I think Buffy will too. You’re a smart man, you can think of better ways of being than to just be another vampire."

Much to Spike’s shock, Joyce pulled him into an impulsive embrace and hugged him tightly.

Giles was headed down the stairs at that moment and panicked at the sight of the vampire so close to his Slayer’s mother’s neck. He pulled Spike out of her embrace and reached for his stake.

"Giles! What on earth is wrong with you?" Joyce slapped the stake from his hand.

"Thought I was gonna bite you, missus. Can’t blame the bloke." Spike felt as if his head was spinning. These two humans reminded him too much of the two paths he had to choose from in the future. He really couldn’t think right then. Inside, he cried out for the embrace even as he had to admit the suspicion and stake were more likely his fate. "Not gonna feed except from the mug, at least until we settle this thing Watcher. You’ve got my word."

"We’ll be perfectly fine here, Mr. Giles. You go meet with Miss Calendar as you planned. Spike won’t hurt me. If he had planned to do that, he had plenty of opportunity before now." Joyce started to guide Giles towards the front door.

Spike smirked at Giles as headed out the door, still protesting mildly.

~~~

Giles could hear the tenor voice wafting through the air before he even got to his door. When he reached it there was a single red rose stuck in it. Giles smiled in appreciation of Jenny’s unsuspected romantic streak. He took the rose, sniffed it with a smile and opened the door. "Hello? Jenny? …"

Aside from the opera playing on his turntable, the apartment was silent. It was also the perfect setting for he and Jenny to finally consummate their relationship. She must be wanting to celebrate, having finally discovered everything needed for the spells. There was a wine bucket with bottle chilling. Two glasses awaited the nectar, so Giles poured out the rich, red wine and smiled at the note with the single word of promise, "Upstairs" on it.

He began to hum along with the tenor as he made his way to the staircase. There were more roses on the stairs, a blazing trail leading to the woman who had captivated the Watcher as none before. Giles felt as if his heart would explode, it was beating so fast.

He reached the loft and looked to the bed where he could see Jenny stretched out, her lovely form inviting in the candlelight. She didn’t blink or move as he took in the sight. In fact, he soon noted, she didn’t breathe either.

The sound of breaking glass joined the operatic singer as the wineglasses tumbled from Giles’ horror-chilled hands.

He didn’t discover the sketched portrait of his beloved, left by Angelus, until the EMTs left with her body.