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The following day, Angel started calling around to see if he could find out if Dru was registered anywhere. He finally found one on the outskirts of town that told him about a new arrival. They said that she had called and wanted it delivered to her apartment. Angel smiled. His contacts hadn't let him down. He now knew that Dru was staying close to Sunnydale, and that she was still not feeding off humans. He never asked where she was located though. He was going to wait till she told him herself. He hung up and went back to Dru's room. He was going to put the book back for now. He wasn't sure when she'd be back and this way it would be easier to find the book when she did return. He walked over and picked it up. He looked through a few pages and noticed that she hadn't gone as far in the book as he had thought she had. There were a couple sheets of folded paper marking the spot where she had left off. Angel started to close the book and then noticed that they had his name written on them. He pulled them out and set the book down. Angel recognized the writing as Dru's and opened them up. He smiled as he read them.
Angel,
I'm sorry about not telling you I was leaving, but I feel as though I have to. What Giles told me tonight is a lot to absorb right now. I do need time to think. I will be in touch when I decide what to do. Thanks for all of your help. Thank the others for me as well. I know that running isn't really the answer, but I don't want to take chances. I agree with Buffy, if this isn't permanent then it will cause problems. Right now, I can't hurt anyone, but I can't say that I never will. I'm afraid that something will happen that will cause me to go back to what I was before. I'm going to stay close to Sunnydale for now. If I find that I can't stay this way, then I will leave.
Angel, I left my dolls where they are safe. I am also leaving this note where you will hopefully find it. Tell Buffy to be careful. Spike has seen me slaying with both of you. I didn't mention it because I didn't want you to worry about it. I guess that is something I shouldn't have done, but it is to late to change it now.
Don't be upset or guilty about this Angel. You couldn't have known that I was like Buffy, because even I didn't. Slaying feels natural to me now. I will stay safe and I will try to make sure that you both stay safe as well. If I see Spike, I will explain what has happened to him. I don't know how he will take it, but I really don't care either. It is just something that he has to get used to.
This is just to let you know what is going on so that you don't worry too much about you "child". From the bottom of this slayer's heart, you are forgiven for everything. Don't ever forget that. I will miss you all. I too love you as a member of my family. You are kinda like a father to me.
"Your Daughter" , Dru
Angel finished reading and looked up. He had tears in his eyes. Dru was close and she was keeping her promises. She had definitely become stronger than he had ever thought she would. There was still a long road ahead, but now he had a small hope that she would be the first slayer to ever survive being converted to being a vampire. He realized the mistake that he made with her so long ago, but being forgiven by her eased the pain that he felt. Angel put the book back down on the nightstand and left the room carrying the letter she had written to him. He was going to leave things just as they were for now. He went to call Buffy and tell her what he found out.
The phone rang at Buffy's house and Joyce answered it. She recognized Angel's voice and told him that she would get Buffy. He asked if she was busy and Joyce explained that she was just watching a bit of TV before getting ready for patrol. Angel agreed to wait till after she was able to get Buffy. As Joyce laid the phone down, Angel glanced over at the clock. He had lost all track of time while calling around trying to locate Dru and reading her letter to him. "Angel? Are you there?" Buffy had finally answered the phone. "Yes, I'm here Buffy. Can you stop by the mansion before patrol? I have some information that I think you should know about. I see well, then how about afterwards just for a few minutes? Sure, I'll wait while you check." Angel waited patiently while Buffy checked with her mom. He was glad that they were finally starting to get along. Her mom was really very nice once she got to know him. He could understand her not really wanting her daughter to be out to late, she did need her rest for school. He had been helping Buffy bring her grades up recently too. Joyce had asked him to tutor Buffy from time to time. "Angel, mom wants to know if you can come over? She said that she would like to hear it too. I kinda explained a bit about Dru in case she gets in trouble and comes here when I'm not here. All right, I'll see you soon then. Sure, just be careful on your way here. I know but you keep telling me the same thing. I love you too, Angel. Ok, in about an hour then. Bye. Buffy hung up the phone and turned around to find her mom standing in the door way. Joyce was smiling at Buffy. "Is he stopping by?" Buffy nodded. "Ok, I heard the last part of what you said. Just make sure that he's the one you want in your life before it goes as far as last time. I"m sure that you can handle Angel, but I don't want to see you have to face Angelus again. I do understand that they are as different as night and day. I hope that you find a way to be together someday, if that is what you want. Is your friend okay? The one you mentioned, Dru?" Buffy walked over to her mom. "I don't know, but Angel has been worrying about her and so have I. He said that he has information, so I'm hoping. I will be careful with Angel. We are taking it slow for now. I know that I'be already made one mistake, and I don't plan on doing it again. If Angel and I decide to be together forever, you will be the first to know. Thanks, I wasn't sure you'd want him over here again, without worrying about things happening. I know you let him tutor me and patrol with me, but to be here and talk with me, that is different. I'm glad that you finally know, I hated not being able to tell you about my life." Joyce looked at her daughter. She pulled her towards her to hug her. As she hugged Buffy, she was trying to decide how to respond, but couldn't think of anything, so she let the hug say it all.
About an hour before sunset, Dru was eating some supper. She didn't want to show up at the park hungry. Facing Spike was definitely not what she wanted to do tonight, but as long as she was with him, he couldn't attack Buffy and Angel himself. She pulled out her notebook and started writing to kill what was left of the time till her meeting.
June 9, 1999
Dear Diary,
I told you about the meeting I had with Spike. Well, I'm getting ready to go and tell him everything. I am not sure what to expect, but I hope that he will just let me work things out. I don't know though. I asked for the park because I know that Buffy occasionally patrols there on Tuesdays, and I hope that tonight is no different. At least this way, if he causes any trouble, I may have help. I plan on going armed, a couple of stakes should work nicely. He won't be able to see them, I'll have a jacket on that will hide them quite well. I will let you know what happens once I return. I have to get ready.
Dru sets the notebook back off to the side and runs off to get changed. She knows that the sun is just about down, and that it is almost time to meet up with him. She doesn't want to be late, because he may start feeding. At least while she is around, she may be able to prevent it. Dru leaves her pace about 5 minutes after the sun drops under the horizon heading towards the park. She had made a promise to herself that no matter what that by the end of the night, Spike would know what she was to have been and of her soul that she had recently gotten returned to her.
Spike arrived at the park just ahead of Dru and was sitting on one of the benches near the lake. He was waiting to find out why his partner for nearly a century had spoken to him differently the night before. He had noticed that she had started losing some of her craziness in Brazil. He couldn't understand it then, but he accepted it because she was with him. But over the few months that she was with him, she had also stopped killing. He really couldn't follow her reasoning there. When he had found that note telling him that she was leaving him, he knew that she had changed. He called around and found out about the chartered plane that she caught back to Sunnydale. He followed her very shortly afterwards. He wanted answers and was going to get them. He had taken Buffy to give to Dru just to see what she would do. She seemed back to normal when she told him that she would eat later, but then Angel showed up and attacked him. She tried to help Angel and not him. This made him angry. He had gotten away and just watched her for a while. He knew that she was staying at the mansion with Angel but didn't go to confront her. But now, it was time to do so. She would tell him everything she said. Spike heard her mention returning to be a slayer and it was not what he wanted. Spike had never heard Angel mention that she was one.
Dru walked in and seen Spike siting on the bench. She went over to it and sat down. Spike looked over and smiled. "Well, luv. What is this all about? You promised that you would tell me everything, so tell it." Dru looked at him. She was not ready for such a direct question, but she started. "Spike, you don't know much about my past. I found out something that even Angel didn't know before changing my life for me many years ago. I will tell you all, but I want you to just listen before you say another word, got it?" Spike nodded. "Good, first of all, you have been staying with a slayer for quite a while, or at least a person who would have been one if she were smart enough to listen instead of turning away the only person who could help her. I had visions, that much you know, but they started when I was still a young kid. I was to have been the youngest slayer in history at the time. I was never trained because between my parents and my own stupidity, my watcher was detoured everytime she tried to get close. Anyway, I just found all of this out about a 4 days ago. I am still trying to deal with it myself. I have a choice to make, and I'm making it alone. There is nothing that you can do to stop that. I have a soul as well. I allowed a spell to be cast that returned it to me. I don't know if it permanent or not, no one does. That is why I moved out of the mansion. Angel doesn't even know where I am, nor does Buffy. I am sorry, but I don't want to be with you right now. If I return to evil, then maybe. I have to deal with this now. I am surviving, that is all you need to know for now. I'm still not sure what I am going to do, but I can tell you this, for now I won't allow you to harm either Buffy or her friends and family. I do know how to defend myself, you've seen that much. When I leave this park, you won't hear from me again till after I decide. I have told Angel the same thing and he is allowing the space needed. You will just have to accept it, even if you don't want to." Dru watched Spike for a few minutes. His face showed the shock that he felt Dru knew that it wouldn't last though. Once everything fell into place, he would probably want her dead.
Spike felt like a ton of bricks had just hit him. His Dru, a slayer? There was no way, although he did know that slayer had visions at times, plus there was her added strength that he had noticed before. It was possible. The one thing he couldn't follow was the fact that she had a soul. Why in the world would she accept that? He knew that she would not want to return to him now. Most spells cast stay cast. If she had her soul, she would go back to her calling. He would have to come up with a plan to prevent that. He would give her the time she asked for, but in the meantime he would also try to find a way to return her to him. "Well, it appears that Angel made a big mistake in his past. Converting a slayer is not the best thing to do, even I know that. I'll give you the time you need. Make your decisions. I will wait to hear from you either one way or another. Take care, Dru. I hope you will be happy, whichever way you choose to go." Spike slowly got up and left her behind. He was going to find a magic user and get them to reverse that soul spell, but he wasn't going to tell her that. He walked off leaving her in the park alone. Dru watched him leave and then headed back to her room.
Angel had arrived at Buffy's at the indicated time. Buffy opened the door and invited him in. Joyce came in from the kitchen with drinks for all, including one for Angel. He started to turn her down when she offered it to him, till he noticed what it was. He gave her a quizzical look, and she smiled. "I stopped by Willy's. Buffy told me that it was where most vampires go to socialize. I talked him into selling some of their favorite drink to me. I want you to feel welcome here." Angel took a drink and smiled. "Thanks, Miss Summers. I do feel quite welcome here. Anyway, the reason why I wanted to see Buffy is about Dru. I found a letter from her this afternoon. She said not to worry about her, and that she would be close by. I also discovered through one of my sources that she is still keeping her promises to us. Buffy, Dru wanted me to thank you for helping her. Spike is still around, and she planned on telling him everything if he asked. I think that is why she went with him last night. I hope that she can avoid temptation to return to him." Buffy watched Angel. "That's good, and I wouldn't worry too much about her. If she is still avoiding her old habits, then she is probably strong enough to avoid temptation from Spike. Did you find out where she was staying? Can we go see her?" Angel shook his head. "I didn't ask. She wants time to think. If we were to show up, we could push her away from us. If we don't hear something by the end of the month, then I'll go and check on her, in secret. Would that work?" Buffy nodded. Joyce spoke up at the end, "Angel could be right Buffy. If she has asked for time, then it is best to give it to her. As long as she is holding her own and doing well, she can make it. I don't see any reason to worry about her yet, it has only been a few days since she left. Now why don't you two go on your patrol, before it gets to late. I'll see you in the morning Buffy. Night Angel." Joyce headed up to her room and Buffy went on patrol with Angel. They had a quiet night and returned early. Angel made sure that Buffy was safe then headed home.
Dru returned to her room and sat down to finish her diary entry for the night before turning in. She continues...
Well, I did it, I faced Spike and told him everything. He was calmer than I would have expected. I think he has some sort of plan to try to get me back. I can't say what, but I just have a feeling about this. I haven't made any decisions yet, but I do know this much, Angel will be the first one I tell. I'm going to sleep now. Dru.
She laid the diary she had started back down and headed to her room. She was
tired, and fell asleep quickly.