29 April 1883- Outside London- His mind was reeling, even as he held Rachel close to him and whisked her to the waiting carriage at the edge of the estate. Her ragged breathing was painful for him, but he welcomed, and silently encouraged it.

The two acres shrank to nothing as he raced her to safety. He knew of one place that Angelus would never look for her. It was at least a day’s journey from London, and he knew she might not survive, but it was her only chance.

He quickly reached the dark shelter of the coach, “Driver!” he hissed, holding Rachel to him, “Devon, and do not stop!”

“But, Sir…” the driver stammered, astonished.

“I am aware,” the demon within wanted nothing more than to drain the coachman and drive to Devon himself, but the man was needed as he would not last once the sun rose, because even though the weather in England was very favorable to what he had become, he could not leave her, or risk being seen, as he did not know if he would be able to keep the demon at bay during his flight to bring her to sanctuary, “It cannot be helped. Drive!” he growled, and pulled the drape that would keep them hidden, and keep him safe from prying eyes.

* If Angelus knew… *

It was, indeed, a gamble, but it was her only chance. It was the only place that she would be safe. They would know how to care for her…if she survived. Angelus would most probably beat him upon his return, if he cared at all, but a convent was absolutely out of the question. Where they were going, Angelus would never think to look for Rachel there.

He knew that he was going into the lion’s den. *A vampire outside the gates of Hell? Placing himself within a stone’s throw of the Slayer and her stake? This is utter madness. But, it is the only way to keep her… * His thoughts trailed off as he listened to her breath, “Very good, Sweetheart,” he murmured softly; rocking her as the coach raced on through the night, feeling the small bit of warmth she still had slowly draining from her, “You stay alive. You stay alive for me, all right?”
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Buffy could feel the color draining from her face. It ran out of her just as if a vampire had bitten her. She took a deep breath, trying to put the world back on its axis, and suddenly it all made perfect sense. The hatred and the arrogance, the condescending attitude… “He told you this, Giles?”

Giles could feel the heat of anger as it rose in him, and the shame that he could have been so taken by Angelus’s affectations of remorse. It was amazing to him how completely he could be taken in, “Yes, he did,” Rupert wiped at his face wearily with his hand, as if he were trying to erase the image from his mind, “At that time, the Council’s headquarters were here, in Devon. In this very house, I believe. He brought her here. And, if he had not done so, Angelus might have…” he trailed off, lost in the horrible possibilities, “…He left her on the doorstep,” his voice was soft with memories, “Grandmother Rachel told stories of a wealthy cousin…a man called ‘Ian W. Mills’ who was her benefactor. He provided her with the means to have a reasonable quality of life and pursue an education,” Giles looked at Buffy sheepishly, “Last summer, I began to suspect that this cousin and Spike might have a connection. I stumbled across some post that was addressed to him. It seems that the household bills that had accumulated while you were…gone had been routed to his address for remittance.”

Buffy’s brow furrowed, “You mean this Mills guy…he paid some of the bills?”

“Yes,” he nodded, “The majority of the bills were routed to a post office box. But, it was not until tonight that I discovered, for certain, whom mister Mills was…”

Buffy nodded, as Spike’s voice echoed in her mind and heart- “I can get money. Walk with me now… “It was Spike, wasn’t it?” Buffy asked, already knowing the answer. She saw it in his eyes; he was so sincere. He would have taken care of her…If only I had let him… “He paid the bills?”

Giles nodded.

“Ugh! I am so stupid!”

“No more foolish than I, Buffy,” Giles said.

Slayer and Watcher realized that they were not alone when they heard a normally gentle, lilting voice hiss, “Buku!”

From the tone of his voice, and the way his face was suddenly cast in shadow, Buffy could tell that the meaning behind it wasn’t good. It wasn’t like mtina. She liked that word, very much, “I agree with you,” Buffy nodded, putting him at ease, because his eyes widened at his own presumption, “Mouse. I don’t even know what it means but if you’re using it in relation to Angel, I agree with you.”

“I am sorry,” he mumbled, trying to control the rage that was boiling up inside of him, “I do not know all that has happened…but, if this marehemu is of Simba’s linage…Why would he feel the need to protect his sister from him? Was the child not part of his pride?”

Giles sighed, amazed that, with all the boy had seen, he could distill complexities into such simple terms, “In the animal kingdom, Panya, that might be true. But, as a general rule, vampires are very cruel. Spike…Simba, is quite different from others of his kind.”

“Yes, but this other has changed too, has he not?”

“Apparently not as much as he would have us believe,” Giles grumbled, “Because he has refused to render any assistance.”

Buffy almost growled as what Giles had told her finally began to sink in, “Ugh! Giles, how could I be so stupid…?”

“You weren’t stupid, Buffy,” Giles soothed, “You were in love. It is I who was the fool. In talking with Spike, not only did I come to find that he is much more than he seems, but that I have been privileged to be witness to some of those changes.”

Buffy’s eyes widened in surprise, “But I thought…Giles, you had to look in your books. You’ve seen him before? I mean…” she stuttered, “before I did?”

Giles sighed, “As I have said…foolish.”
******************************************************************

Her laughter was both tonic and intoxicant to him, “…And then he…”

“Oh no, Spike…” Dawn sputtered through her giggles “…You have to stop…My stomach hurts…” they were both weeping from mirth “…He really did that…?”

Spike heard the soft tapping at the door that sounded under Dawn’s beautiful laughter, “Yep,” he chuckled, nodding, “he sure did. Have I ever lied to you?”

She shook her head, “Nope…”

“Good,” he smiled, “Bit. But that’s a story for another time. Got company. Come in.”

Buffy opened the door but did not enter the room. Instead the stood in the doorframe, and looked at the floor, “Spike…” her voice trailed off timidly, “…can we talk?”