A/N: Thank you to LindsayH for beta-ing from here on out!

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Chapter 42 - Interviews

“I swear I can totally handle it alone. I’ll just make one last sweep of the two big cemeteries downtown and then call it a night.”

“If you’re quite certain,” Giles said.

“It’s not like I expect someone to come along with me every night,” Buffy said. “And third time’s the charm, right? I need to like solo or something. I’ll be fine.”

He paused. Then, “Very well, if you insist.”

Buffy watched as Giles disappeared and then continued on her way. Restfield was only two blocks over. It wasn’t that she didn’t like the company on patrol, but really, she should be doing this on her own at least sometime. Or at least as on her own as she was going to get. And Giles and the others had been patrolling by themselves for months. They deserved a break.

But Buffy had another reason for wanting Giles out of the way. It was almost like she could feel it in the air. They were going to put in an appearance tonight. She wasn’t exactly sure why she felt that way, and there was no logical explanation for it, but the feeling remained nonetheless.

Indeed, she had barely entered the cemetery when they suddenly appeared before her. She recognized Drusilla from a fuzzy photograph, and the vampire on her arm could only be Angelus. Buffy couldn’t quite put her finger on it, but there was no way this guy could not be Angelus. His attitude and body language left no doubt in her mind.

He was wearing black on black, and Drusilla had on a tight, red velvet dress that screamed ‘I’m a vampire.’ She was beautiful, Buffy supposed, in a creepy, poignant sort of way.

Darla didn’t appear to be with them.

The pair noticed her at the same time she saw them. Angelus came to a stop about a dozen feet away and ran a languid gaze over her, sizing her up and blatantly checking her out.

“And here I thought I had a snack,” he said. “But you’re the new Slayer.”

Buffy twirled a stake. “Gee, what tipped you off?”

“So this is what replaced Faith. I gotta say, not bad. I always did have a thing for blondes.”

“That so?”

“I’m kind of in a hurry tonight, but we could play for a bit.”

“If by ‘play’ you mean someone ends up dusty, I’ve got the time if you do.”

Suddenly his expression changed slightly as he glanced to the left. There was surprise, but not concern in his eyes, and then an evil smile slid over his face.

Buffy sensed another vampire behind her and knew without looking that it was Spike. He walked up to the point that his body was nearly touching hers, but didn’t say a word.

Angelus was grinning like an idiot. He was obviously shocked but pleased, and was waiting in anticipation for her discovery.

“You’re outnumbered,” he said.

“Really? Cause I don’t think so.”

“I know something you don’t know.”

“Cliché much? Well, so do I. And I’m betting mine’s better.”

“Look over your shoulder,” he said in a stage whisper.

Buffy turned and glanced casually at Spike, who was smiling with his tongue behind his teeth. She looked back at Angelus. “Yeah?”

Clearly nothing had prepared him that this was even a possibility. Angelus looked back and forth between the two of them for a moment, and then apparently deciding that Spike was the object of most interest, shifted his stance. Buffy was momentarily forgotten.

“Haven’t seen you in a while, Spike.”

“I get around.” He paused. “You’re gettin’ around better than last time, I see.”

The phony smile faded, Buffy noticed. Apparently that was a sore spot. “No thanks to you,” Angelus said.

Spike shrugged. “How’re you, Dru?”

Drusilla turned mournful eyes on him and spoke for the first time. “My poor, poor Spike. So faraway.”

He smiled slightly. “Same as ever, I see. So Angelus, where’s your other broad? Didn’t do her in to get your strength back, did you?”

The sudden look that crossed Angelus’s face told Spike that he’d hit nearer the mark than he’d intended.

“Killed the bint, huh? Oh well, it’ll save me the trouble.”

“Oh, she’s quite well,” Drusilla said, nodding. “The Hellmouth has made her quite well again.”

Still mindful of Buffy’s position, Spike took a few steps forward, focusing on Dru. “And how’s that, pet?” he asked softly, tilting his head.

“It was quite sad, really,” she said.

“Dru!” Angelus hissed.

One thing that had always annoyed the hell out of Angelus was Spike’s ability to understand Dru’s ranting. The other was the fact that he had a knack for getting her to talk.

“What’s sad?” he pressed her.

“Blood to blood to blood, and then the oldest things are gone. Grandmother was quite displeased.”

Spike looked at Angelus, the flicker of an idea forming in his head. Darla had been done as well, but was better now, though something old was gone. Well, that was interesting.

Suddenly a scream cut through the silence. Buffy automatically shifted in the direction it came from.

Angelus shrugged. “The boys have to eat.”

Buffy met Spike’s eyes before she took off in the direction of the scream.

No longer cautious about a Slayer at his back, Angelus turned and shoved Spike into a tree trunk. “What the hell are you doing? Why don’t you kill her?!”

Spike pushed Angelus off so hard that the other vampire was thrown onto the dirt. “I don’t take orders from you.”

Clearly shocked, whether at the bluntness of the words or the strength behind them, Angelus stood and pulled Dru to him in a posturing gesture that Spike didn’t even acknowledge.

“Fine,” Angelus said. “You don’t run with us anymore. I get it. That still doesn’t explain why you’re not killing her.”

“Sorry mate, but that’d be what we call a conflict of interest.”

“She’s a Slayer! You kill her, end of conflict.”

“She’s gotten inside my boy,” Drusilla said. “Wiggled into his head. And he’s gotten into her as well.”

Angelus, quick to jump to the crudest interpretation, grinned and said, “Oh. So you’re fucking her.” He sucked the air through his teeth. “Slayers aren’t bad, I’ll give you that. I killed one once, you know.”

“Like I haven’t.”

“Yeah, but I kept mine alive a lot longer.”

“Oh, please.”

“And the torture—”

“Does that really count? I still did two of ’em.”

“So is blondie going to be your third?” Angelus looked in the direction of Buffy, who had already killed one minion and was easily dispatching the second. “I’d love to watch. Of course, if you get tired of her before that, I’d be more than happy to take her off your hands.”

Spike tightened. “Can’t let that happen.”

For a moment, Angelus simply stared at him. Then, “Are you saying you’re with her?” he spat.

“In a manner of speaking.”

“And I thought Dru was insane. But here William the Bloody’s got himself a little Slayer girlfriend. Fine. If you’re not with us, you’re against us.”

“Well, yeah,” Spike said in a bored tone. “What’s that they say nowadays? ‘Duh?’”

Angelus narrowed his eyes. “I’ve gotten a taste for Slayer myself. Just the other day I was saying how I wished I had another one.” He smiled and glanced at Buffy, his gaze lingering on her. Then he turned, pulling Dru behind him and walking off into the night.

Spike watched them go.

A moment later, Buffy was back at Spike’s side. “I dusted them.”

“I know you did, pet.”

She frowned. “Did you just let them walk away?”

“Define ‘let.’”

“But we didn’t even fight,” she protested. “It was totally lame.”

Spike looked at her. “Bloody hell, are you sayin’ you wanted to fight him tonight?”

“Well, I guess not. But he didn’t even try.”

“That’s not how he works, love.”

“And anyway, you completely stole my thunder. It was supposed to be ‘Slayer confronts vampire rival,’ not ‘vampire ignores Slayer to catch up with other vampire.’ What did you talk about, anyway?”

“Killin’ Slayers.”

“Lovely.”

“And the not killin’ of certain Slayers.”

“I’m guessing you had to explain that part more than once.”

Spike grinned. “He was a bit slow on the uptake, yeah.” But the look on Angelus’s face when the pin had finally dropped was priceless.

“So you’re still okay with all this?”

“Why wouldn’t I be?”

“I dunno.” She paused. “So that was Drusilla, huh?”

“Yeah.”

He didn’t offer any other comment, and Buffy decided not to press it.

“What was she saying earlier about Darla and the Hellmouth?”

Spike sighed. “I’m guessin’ the little ritual I started went right on up the line.”

“You mean Angelus did it to her.”

“And then the Master. Who, if not dead, isn’t gonna be much of a problem.”

“Well, that’s good news, if nothing else, I suppose.”

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“Terribly terrible news,” Drusilla said as they entered the mansion. “They’ve come.”

“Who?” Darla asked with obvious disinterest.

“The Slayer’s come.”

“Oh.”

“She’s brought my Spike.”

“What?” Darla looked up sharply.

“He’s here.” Angelus slammed the door. “Spike is working with the new Slayer.”

“You’re not serious.”

“He practically said he was on her side.”

“Spike kills Slayers. He’s always had a Slayer thing, ever since he found out about them.”

“Well, maybe now he’s got a different Slayer thing.” He shrugged. “Oh well, I’m gonna kill her anyway. And if he gets in the way— Should be fun all around.”

Angelus frowned to himself. Spike had never been so…vocal before. Sure, he’d fume, he’d snark, he’d defy—he had finally left—but he’d never stood right up to have it out. The fact that Spike had done so, even now, annoyed him.

His eyes slid to Darla, who was looking at a magazine. She liked to be dressed impeccably in the latest fashions. Always had been. Back in the day, they used to go to the opera. He would catch the show, and she would catch someone whose gown she liked.

Darla said nothing, though he could tell she knew he was staring at her.

Angelus looked at her crossways.

“Oh, what?” she finally demanded.

“Spike asked if I killed you to get strong again.” Upon seeing her glare, he continued, “He said it would save him the trouble if I did.”

“So?”

“It was sort of an odd thing to say, don’t you think? But, if he’s actually helping her, well, what do Slayers do?”

“Kill vampires?” Then, “Oh, don’t be ridiculous.”

“Fine.” He sat down. “But if he comes at you with a pointy stick, I wouldn’t be surprised.”

“If he comes after anyone, it’s going to be you. You always did have that ridiculous rivalry. You two can have at it; Dru and I will sit it out like always.”

“He may not play that way.” He paused. “You know, in a way, the entire ritual thing was Spike’s fault.” Angelus looked back at Darla, and then brought up the thing that was not spoken of. “And everything that happened because of it.”

She glared at him. “If you’re going there, we might as well say those idiots in Prague are to blame. Perhaps we should hunt them down instead?”

“Oh, Spike already did that, quite well,” Dru said.

“I’m just saying,” he said.

“Yes, well. Perhaps,” Darla conceded.

Angelus leaned back, crossing his arms behind his head and propping his foot up. “She’s going to be fun.”