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Part 3
Duncan returned as promised two days later. He headed to the Starburst motel for his business meeting with Spike. He wasn't sure what had happened, but was sure that Spike needed his services for a reason. He knocked on Spike's door as the sun sunk beneath the horizon. He waited till Spike answered. "Duncan, how are you? The years appear to have been kind to you. Please, come in." Spike stepped back to allow Duncan to enter. As Duncan entered he looked around. "Not bad, Spike. I am not sure why you called, but I would guess that it would have to do with your old traveling partner Drusilla. Would I be right there? You did say that you had lost your dark rose." Duncan had taken a seat as he was talking, and motioned for Spike to do the same. "You would be. She left me again. This time because of some stupid questions that she needed answered. She's in Sunnydale now. My Dru is hanging with a slayer of all people. Plus, she's gone all soul having like her sire did. I don't like that. She was mine. We were soul mates for eternity. I want her back. I know that you can use magic. So I want you to steal her soul away from her. That should do it. As long as she is without it, she should be mine again. That is my only request, bring her back to me." Spike studied Duncan's eyes. The older man didn't show what he was feeling as he considered Spike's words. "I need time to think about this. What you are asking requires a great deal of power from the person casting it. To steal a soul from one who has accepted it is not easy. She did accept it right?" Spike nodded. "Then, this was something she wanted. That will make it harder to take it. Was there any type of binding spells added into the mix? If there were, it may be impossible to steal it, depending on the spell used." Spike shook his head. "When she told me all of this, she never mentioned any bonding thing, but I do know that little lady that did this isn't one for using magic that isn't asked for. She wouldn't have used that type if it would cause pain to the person. She is quite the little human. I doubt that she would have added that to her soul spell. She really isn't all that good with magic, still being a beginner and all." Duncan nodded. "A bonding spell isn't beginner's magic, that is true. This spell will cause the one losing their soul pain and discomfort. It may even cause them to lose their sanity. Can you handle that? The reason for asking is that this is a dangerous type of magic, and if you stop the spell before completed, it could kill not only her, but myself as well. If you can't handle listening to her cries of pain or loss of sanity, then I would suggest that you abandon this idea now." Spike nodded. "I can handle it, Duncan. I've had lots of practice in the past years. So will you do it?" Duncan nodded. "I shall, but not now. I will be ready to in one week's time. You are to return to Sunnydale. I will meet you there the day before I cast it. I want to see your intended target. I need to know how strong she is, and if there will be anyone there to aid her. If she is hanging around with the slayer and her sire, we must separate her from them. The slayer would try to prevent this from happening. Now go, but leave an address at the desk where I can find you in Sunnydale." Duncan got up to leave. Spike saw him to the door, and then started packing to return to Sunnydale. He was more convinced that his dreams of Dru by his side would be a reality in about a week.&nsbp; He threw the bag of clothes in the car, and left the address to the factory in Sunnydale for Duncan in the office as promised. Spike was returning there till after he got Dru back.&nsbp; Once that happened, both of them would cause tons of trouble for the slayer and her poof boyfriend. He knew that together they would watch the town of Sunnydale burn when their minions helped to take it over.
Angel and Buffy had started teaching Dru the kata they were using the night after she saw them practicing in the library. In two days time, she finally learned enough of it to workout with them. She was still having a few problems with it, but Angel would gently correct them. He never yelled or scolded her for not being able to get it right. She was glad that he was a calmer person than her mom and dad had been. Buffy would help when she could as well, and she was glad to see that Dru was gradually losing her fear of being close to both her and Angel. Buffy suspicioned that it was the way that Dru had treated them that caused her to distance herself. Dru was even accompanying them on patrol now, instead of staying in the shadows. She still wore her dresses though, instead of the jeans she had bought not sure of how they would react to that change. Her slaying skills still needed some improvement, but she wasn't doing bad for someone who had no formal training in this matter. Through the day after both Angel and Dru were up, Buffy would stop over and practice with Dru on different ways to get away from an attacker should they get close enough to her. Angel would help in training both girls with different forms of attacks, neither one had to pull their punches. Dru was learning how to be a slayer without even realizing that it was happening. Buffy knew that Dru didn't want them in trouble, so she kept quiet about it. She had talked to Giles about it though, and he agreed to allow both Angel and Buffy to start the training. He had felt as she did that the changes in Dru weren't going to be undone, and that she was not going to lose her soul any time soon. When Buffy told Angel about that, she made sure that he understood that Dru wasn't to be told. Angel understood and remained quiet when it came to the matters of Dru's unofficial slayer training.
Giles had spent the two days after talking to the council preparing for the arrival of the new watcher. He had agreed to allow Buffy and Angel to "unofficially" train Dru as a slayer. He didn't see any reason to hold her back.&nsbp; She didn't show any signs that she was losing control. She seemed very stable, and self aware. There were no signs of her old habits at all. It was as if Drusilla the evil vampiress had never existed. He was lost in the old diaries when he heard a knock on the door. Giles got up to answer it.&nsbp; When he opened the door there was a lady that appeared to be in her late 20's to early 30's there. She had strawberry blond hair that was braided. She had soft green eyes, and a small build. "Rupert Giles?" He nodded, stunned. "I'm here from the council. My name is Kristen Howe. I was sent here to aid you in a special problem that you were having." Giles looked at her. "Please come in. I have been waiting for your arrival since the day I called them. Did you say Howe? There was a Miss Kathy Howe that I have been reading about. Would you like some tea, Kristen?" She shook her head. "Yes, I said Howe. Kathy is one of my great grandparents along the line. She was a watcher to a young lady that was denied her calling. Our family has passed that story down through the generations. It would appear that Kathy was convinced that since she was denied her training that it might be possible for her to return to her calling in her vampire state. I share that belief, but the council doesn't. I was sent here to kill the slayer that you spoke of to them. I find that I am unable to do that right now. I want to know that there is no redemption for her first. That she can't be returned to her path. Also, I hate the name Kristen, please call me Kris. I am prepared to see this slayer, do you know where she is?" Kris watched Giles. He nodded. "I know where she is, but I want to learn a bit more about you before I introduce you to her. She trusts me and I won't go against that trust. You mentioned a slayer that was denied her training, do you know her name? I would also like to know how you feel about training a vampire as a slayer. It would be different than training just a slayer. There is one other thing, do you believe that a vampire can have a soul? These are important for me to know, because we are on the hellmouth. This place has all sorts of oddities that find their way here." Kris studied Giles's eyes. She smiled. "I do believe that a vampire can have a soul.&nsbp; I have heard of your special friend, Angel. I have also heard of the love he has for your slayer. I don't mind training a vampire as a slayer, as long as they don't turn it against the regular slayers. If your converted slayer were to attack anyone after I train her, she's dusted. There would be no questions asked. As for the slayer denied the training, I believe that her name was Drusilla. Does that answer all of your questions?" Giles nodded. "I will arrange for you to meet her tomorrow evening. I will tell you now that you are about to meet the slayer that you just mentioned. She is with both Buffy and Angel. They have been keeping an eye on her to make sure that she is stable. There has been no signs of instability in the spell that returned her soul to her, or in her reactions to everything. There is a spare room here that you may use for now, if you wish. I will contact Angel and let him know that we will be stopping by tomorrow. Now if you will excuse me, I have a call to make. The room is the second on the right, if you want it." Kris nodded and headed to the room mentioned. Giles went to his room and closed the door. He called Angel and told him of Kris's arrival. He explained that he would like both Buffy and Dru there for that meeting with Kris. Angel promised to get them there and keep them there, even if it meant another tickling session. Giles smiled. He was glad that Angel was being good natured about this whole mess. He just hoped that Dru would be the same way. As he hung up, he thought about the way things were turning out and hoped that they would work out for the best.
Angel walked back into the library after talking with Giles. He told Buffy and Dru of the new watcher's arrival. He also told them that both of them would swing by the following day. Angel saw the fear in Dru's eyes, and could understand that she just wasn't ready for this. He knew that she was sure that her death arrived with the new watcher. He didn't know how to comfort her. Dru got up and left the library quickly. Buffy started to follow her, but was stopped by Angel.&nsbp; "Let her go. I want you to call your mom and see if you can stay here. They will be stopping by in the day, but didn't say when. He wants you here, that much he said. Please? I'll go check on Dru. You know where her room is, just stop down after your done talking to your mom." Buffy nodded. She realized that if she didn't call she would be in trouble, but she was concerned about Dru too. Buffy picked up the phone once Angel left to go find Dru, and called her mom. Joyce listened as her daughter explained everything. She was quiet for a few minutes, then agreed to let her stay. She warned Buffy about being careful while there and hung up after Buffy agreed to it. Buffy went down the hall to Dru's room.
Angel was on the bed trying to comfort Dru. She was visibly upset,
and it didn't appear as though he was getting anywhere. Angel glanced up
as Buffy walked in and she nodded, answering his unasked question. He
got up and walked away leaving Buffy and Dru there together. He figured
that Buffy might have a little more luck with her than he did. Buffy
walked over to Dru slowly. The thought that this was still an act was
still on her mind, but seeing her upset was something that Buffy couldn't stand.
She sat down on the bed near Dru. Dru didn't even show signs that she
noticed Buffy was there. Buffy put her arms around Dru, and hugged her.
Dru broke down. She told Buffy that she was afraid that she would be
dead soon. Dru told her about all of her fears that had been made real
with the arrival of the new watcher. Buffy didn't know what to do, so she
just sat there and held onto Dru. She could understand the fears that
she had even though she had never experienced them herself. Buffy found
herself slowly rocking Dru as she was crying. It was the first time Buffy
truly understood how fragile Dru's state of mind really was. She could
see the reason why Angel wanted her to return here. She wanted to protect
Dru from this now too. Buffy used calming words to talked to Dru, and
to reassure her that they would be there with her when the watchers came over.
Dru finally calmed down enough to fall asleep in the slayer's arms.
Angel went to check on both of them when it got quiet. He saw that
Dru had fallen asleep and helped Buffy to get her laid down without waking her.
Buffy walked quietly out of the room with Angel. Once in the hall, she
said, "she was pretty upset. I didn't think that she would ever be
like that. She is in a very fragile state of mind. This visit
will either make her a slayer, or break her will to be good. I almost
wish that Giles hadn't called them now. I'll be able to hear if she runs.
Go get some rest. I'm gonna try to do the same. It's going to be
a long day tomorrow. Night Angel."&nsbp; Buffy walked into the spare
room near Dru's. She was still stunned by the way Dru lost it a little
while ago. She hoped that Willow's spell would hold through this.
She laid down on the bed and fell into a light sleep. Angel went to his
room after checking all locks.&nsbp; Once satisfied with the safety of the
mansion, he went to bed as well.