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Disclaimer: None of the recognizable characters are mine. They belong to Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy. No copyright infringement is intended. Any unrecognizable ones are created by either a few of my friends or myself. Summary: This story is a sequel to Decisions. The decisions were made, but what is the price and is it to high for Dru to pay?
Author's Notes: " indicates spoken words, ' ' indicates thoughts. italics indicate writing, and < > indicate dreams.
Part 1
Spike arrived in L.A. the following evening. He rented a motel near the house of his friend. Spike was hungry, so he decided to get a bite to eat before calling his friend. He left the rented room and headed to a local nightclub. He found a young lady that was all alone, and invited her to his room for a few drinks and a bite to eat. She agreed, and followed Spike to the alley near his motel. Once there, he got his bite to eat. He quickly disposed of the young lady, and returned to his room. He called the number his friend had given him years ago and waited till someone answered.
A young lady answered the phone on the third ring. "Hello, Starson residence. May I help you?" Spike smiled. His friend hadn't changed his number in years. He wondered if the old coded message sequence was still in use. "Yes, I sure hope you can. This message is for Duncan. Tell him that the thorn has lost his dark rose and wants it back, but needs his help to get it. The Stars have more of his answers, if he has questions." Spike waited till the young lady answered. "Sir, I will give him the message, but a visit to the Stars isn't possible right now. He had some out of town business to attend to and will return soon. I will have him contact you as soon as possible, though. Good evening to you sir, and thank you for calling." She hung up. Spike was glad that she understood the message, apparently the years hadn't changed the way Duncan did business much. All Spike could do now was wait, and dream of his Dru returning to him.
Angel had promised to meet Buffy for patrol in the park about two hours after sunset. When he got there he noticed her swinging on one of the swings. She appeared to be enjoying it, so he just watched her for a few minutes before approaching her. "Enjoying yourself Buffy? This definitely isn't the way to patrol." There was was smile on her face when she turned to face Angel. "I was waiting on you. This something I haven't had time for in years. I figured as long as I was here, might as well see if I remembered what it was like not to have to worry about things for a while. I was enjoying myself though. I'm enjoying the evening even more now that you're here." Buffy walked over to him, and hugged him. "Ready to go vamp hunting, honey?" Angel nodded. They made a quick sweep through the park and cemetery. Their last stop was the Bronze to make sure that it was safe and to get a couple of mochas.
Angel went over to the counter and got the drinks while Buffy did a quick sweep and found a table for them. Angel saw where she was and walked over with two mochas. He sat down and looked at Buffy. He hoped that she wouldn't be upset with him after what he told her tonight. He reached for Buffy's hand and looked her in the eyes. "Buffy, honey, I have a question to ask you. Would you mind if I asked Dru to return to the mansion? We know what she wanted now, and we also know that she told Spike. I'm not sure how well that went, but I doubt that he will stand by and allow that to happen. Spike loves Dru, and won't want to lose her. He may even try to kill her or steal her soul because of this. She has the basic skills to defend herself. But if Spike were to attack her, I don't think she could handle it. At least with her at the mansion, I could help keep an eye on her, and maybe help her through any problems she will have dealing with what's going on in her life. Plus I must admit, it was fun having someone there to talk to while you were in school and couldn't come over to see me." Angel watched Buffy's eyes for any sign that she was angry with him. Buffy just smiled. "I understand Angel, go ahead and try to get her to return to the mansion. I don't mind. Just be careful, ok?" Angel nodded. "Good, now I have to go back home. I'll see you tomorrow evening, if I can't get away beforehand. I'll give you a call either way tomorrow afternoon. Night Angel." She gave him a quick kiss and left.&nsbp; Angel watched her go, and then pulled out the address that Dru had left when she left the library. He was going to pay her a visit, and then swing by and check on Buffy.
Giles had spent the day trying to talk the council into listening to his side of the story. He had called them for advice on how to deal with Dru's requests. Dru wanting to return to her calling had placed them in uncharted territory. There were no records anywhere on how to deal with this, thus the reason for his call. The council gave him a run around as far as getting answers. They didn't commit to much of anything, and left the matter in his hands. They did warn him that slayers that were converted didn't ever return to their calling, and that the only one that did started having suicidal behavior. Giles tried to explain that this time could be different, but the still refused to commit. Their suggestion was to kill her before any further problems arose, because after all she was a vampire. Giles didn't say whether or not he would do that. The council did finally agree to send a second watcher to aid him and to report back to them about any problems that may arise in this converted slayer. He was told that it would be up to the two of them to decide how to proceed with this. Giles asked for the name, but it was never given to him. The council broke the call off abruptly leaving a very frustrated Giles on the other end. He wasn't sure of what to do now, the council refused to give him a yes or no answer, and he seemed to be back at square one again. Giles went to get himself a cup of tea. He decided to start weighing his options and possible outcomes of the decision that had been placed in his hands, whether or not to train a former slayer that had survived the conversion to a vampire.
Dru was sitting in her room writing in her diary.
July 1, 1999
Dear Diary,
Yesterday didn't go quite as well as I though it would. When I got to the library, everyone was being attacked by Spike's men. I got a few of the away from Buffy, Angel and Giles though. I tricked them into following me. There were four of them and I staked three. Buffy and Angel seen me fight and helped with the late one. I sat away from them considering the attack that had just happened. I told the of my choice to return to my calling, to being the slayer that I should have been. I also told them that I wanted Giles to be my watcher, and Buffy my partner. I know that if anything wer to happen to cause me to return to my evil side, that buffy could kill me. She did send Angel to hell after all. I could see the doubt in Buffy's eyes. She still thought that I had planned the attack on the library, so I told them that I would wait on them to come to me. I left this adress and phone number there when I left. I just hope this works out. I told Spike about my decisions after I left the library. I found him in the park, and dropped everything into his lap. He took it calmly, but I know full well that I am no longer safer from him. He will try to either kill me or steal my soul. I am staying here alone, and I am afraid now more than ever. I can fight the few fledglings that I have faced, but Spike is a different story. I don't have enough training to face him yet. I will have to find a different location soon, to stay safe.
Angel had arrived at the hotel that Dru was staying at and knocked on the door. Dru stopped writing and set her diary to the side. She went cautiously to the door. "Who is it?" She heard a voice that calmed her, Angel's. She opened the door and invited him in. Angel looked around and saw the same basic changes here and there that Dru had made in the one at the mansion. He took a seat on the couch and waited for Dru to do the same. She went to the kitchen and got them both something to drink. She hadn't eaten, and wasn't sure if Angel had either. She returned with two glasses and handed one to Angel. He took it and waited till she was seated. "Dru, thank you for the drink. How are you doing?" Dru told him that she was just fine. Angel smiled. "I came here to ask you to rejoin me at the mansion. I know you have probably already spoken with Spike. He will either want you back or dead. I"ve already told Buffy that I was going to ask you to come back and stay with me. She agrees that it would be safer. I want you to know that your safety isn't the only reason I want you to return, though. I miss your company too. Will you do that? Would you give up this room and stay at the mansion with me?" Dru studied Angel's eyes and nodded. "I would like that. Thanks. I was a bit afraid of staying here alone. I have a few cleaning supplies and other odds and ends, but there isn't much to get ready to move. I'm just not sure how I'm going to get it to the mansion." Angel smiled. "That's not a problem. Can I borrow your phone? I know someone who would probably help, if they are still up." Dru nodded and pointed to where it was located before going off to pack her clothes. Angel called Buffy's house. Joyce answered the phone. She listened as Angel explained why he had called. She told Angel that she would be by soon and that she would bring Buffy with her. He hung up the phone and started packing up the few meals that Dru had left and the cleaning supplies she had bought. Dru finished packing up her clothes and brought the two bags into the front room. She watched Angel packing up the items in the kitchen. She picked up her diary and her pens and placed them in the bag.
Joyce arrived about 15 minutes after Angel called, and sent Buffy to knock on the door. Dru answered it, and let Buffy in. The three of them grabbed the bags and other supplies. They placed everything in the back of the truck. Dru went over to the office and dropped off the key. She returned to the truck and Joyce drove them to the mansion. Joyce talked with Dru like she had known for a while, and this pleased both Buffy and Angel. Once they arrived at the mansion, they unloaded the truck, and Angel carried the meals he had taken from Dru's to the kitchen and put them up. Buffy helped Dru carry her bags of clothes to her room. "I'm glad you chose to return here, Dru. Angel missed you. I understand the relationship you two have now. I haven't heard from Giles about his decision yet, but I would like to have you as a partner. He was going to try to get the council to agree to allow you to be trained. That won't be an easy thing to get done though, they tend to shy away from training a vampire with anything that will allow them to defeat a slayer. I hope that you will understand that, and please, don't be hard on Giles about this if he can't do it." Dru smiled at Buffy. "I won't I expected the problems. A converted slayer returning to her calling is not something that has happened very often I would guess. I will deal with what ever happens. I will still help even if he can't train me. You better get going, your mom is waiting on you. Night Buffy." Buffy turned to leave. "Night Dru, take care." Dru watched Buffy leave. She was just happy to be back in her room at the mansion. Angel hadn't changed a thing since she had left.
Angel walked Buffy and Joyce to the Truck and watched as they left.
He went in and checked on Dru. She had laid down on the bed and was already
asleep. He went quietly to his room and laid down. He fell asleep
quickly also.