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Dru started a routine the day after she had spoke to Spike. She would have a bit of supper, go out on and watch over Buffy and Angel while on patrol, and then return to her room for a bit of writing and thinking about her future. She hadn't seen Spike since the night she spoke to him about the changes. She hoped that it would continue to go as easily as it had so far. There were no signs of her returning to the crazy state of mind she had experienced for so many years, so she guessed that it was a permanent change in her life. Her urge not to kill had gotten stronger and the guilt was becoming a bit easier to cope with. She decided that it was time to make the final decision, where to go from here. Dru had basically two options, try to find a watcher to train her as a slayer or just work with Buffy as a partner like Angel did. Dru wasn't sure what to do. She had already had a taste of slaying and it was fun, but what would Buffy think of having another slayer in town. She decided to give things some more time and try to work through them.
For the next few weeks, Dru watched from the shadows and even aided them a few times secretly. She suspicioned that they knew she was there, but never came near her. Buffy always turned her direction when she showed and said something to Angel about it. He would just smile and stop her if she started towards the location Dru was at. Dru wondered if he really knew or not. She became stronger and started to help them out more. There were days that she would take an area that she had seen vampires in without Buffy or Angel nearby. She would also take time in the park to watch the children play, not even realizing that if a vampire were to show up that they were in trouble. She remembered the little boy she had talked to once. Dru was glad that Angel had been watching out for the kids even then.
Dru finally came to a decision about a month after leaving the mansion. She wanted to try to return to being a slayer, but only if Giles would be her watcher. She didn't know what the council would think of a vampire returning to being a slayer and wasn't even sure that he would train her, but she had to try. Dru wrote a short note to Angel that night.
Angel,
It's time. Library, after sunset.
Dru.
She went Angel's place and taped the short letter to the door. She would tell Spike on the day after she told everyone else. She hoped that he would call everyone and tell them. It had been a while since she spoke to anyone except Spike. She wondered if they had even tried to find out if she was in town. Dru waited till after she saw Angel return and pull the note off the door. After he read it, he turned and looked around to see if there was anyone else there. She was well hidden so he didn't see her. Angel went in and closed the door. Dru smiled and left. She knew that Spike hadn't been there when she dropped off the note because she did a quick sweep to check it out first. She returned to her room and laid down. She would write in her diary a little later on, but for now she tried to decide how to tell them of her decision.
As Angel closed the door, he looked at the note again. It was very short and to the point. She wanted to meet in the library and just after sundown. He wasn't sure about the "it's time" part of it though. 'It's time for what Dru,' he thought. 'Time for you to tell us that it has backfired and that you are returning to evil? Time to tell us that you are leaving Sunnydale? Time to explain why you have been watching both Buffy and me patrol? I should go alone, but I have a feeling that you want everyone there. I'll have to call them, but Dru if you harm them, my promise stands.' Angel went over to the phone and called Buffy first. She wouldn't have been asleep yet, it was the start of her two week break for summer.
Buffy picked up after the second ring. "Hello? Angel? What's wrong? Dru has been in touch? That's good, what did she say? Oh, I see. Well, I'll be there. Sure, I'll be careful. Do you think she is going back to the old habits? I don't know. I was kinda hoping that she would have let some indication in the note. She's gone cryptic, huh. I see ok, you call Giles. No, Willow won't be there. She's leaving tomorrow morning for vacation. Angel, it could be good news. She hasn't attacked us, right? I see, that's true, to attack us together would be suicide. But Spike is still around. Wouldn't she join him? Yeah, I'll let you go so that you can call Giles. I'll tell Willow what's going on. True, love ya. Night Angel." Buffy hung up the phone. She wasn't sure what to expect when Dru spoke to them tomorrow but she hoped that it was good news. Buffy called Willow and quickly told her about the call she had received from Angel. Willow told Buffy that she would call the following evening once she got to wherever it was that her parents were taking her. Buffy said she would tell her everything then. The girls said goodnight and went to bed.
Angel called Giles and was getting the same type of questions Buffy had just asked. He told the watcher all that he knew and about Dru watching them for so long. He wasn't sure whether or not she would attack but promised to be ready for it. Giles agreed and hung up a few minutes later. Giles had promised to be there and that he would be ready for anything. Angel was glad that everyone that should be involved now knew. He went to his room with a heavy heart. He was afraid of losing Dru and now with this short message, it may become a reality. Angel was sure what to do now. He wanted to go find her, but that just wasn't an option. He had promised till the end of the month and that is what he would allow.
Dru picked up her diary and started to write after about two hours of quiet time for herself. She had picked out a dress for tomorrow and decided to wear her hair down. She didn't want to shock them too much at first.
June 30,1999
Dear Diary,
I have given everything tons of thought and decided. I left Angel a note to meet me tomorrow at the library. I hope he tells everyone else. He probably has because it concerns them too. I miss them a lot. I don't know what type of reaction I'll get, but I'm going to tell them that I want to go back to being a slayer. I want to help Buffy with her special destiny. I don't know if I will end up with a different watcher or not, but I would really like it to be Giles. He at least knows of the special circumstances surrounding me. I don't think the council would like a converted slayer returning to her calling. It is risky, but I can do it. I know it. Well, I have decided to tell Spike too. He won't like this. I know that much. I'll have a fight on my hands that's for sure. I'm not sure what is going to happen now, but I will deal with it. I guess that is what I should have done years ago, but I can't change that now. It's time to go on with my life. I will survive.
Dru.
Dru laid the book down and walked to her room. She missed the one that she
had altered at the mansion for her short stay there. She wondered if Angel
ever changed it back from having all soft colors to what it was before she
got there. Dru had left her past in that room. She had her sister's dolls
there. That was the one thing she really missed, but she didn't really trust
the place she was staying at now with something that fragile. She had
cleaned up the room and gotten softer colors for the bed. She also removed
any signs of the time when she was on the crazy side. The dolls had their
gags and blindfolds removed, plus she had placed them in clean dresses. She
wondered if Angel even knew that she truly forgave him, and was entrusted the
care of her treasures to him. She had left the letter, but she never checked
to see if he found it. There would be time to explain all of that later when
she told them of her decisions. She had to get some rest and she knew it,
but sleep just didn't come for her. Her mind wasn't going to be quieted
easily on this night. Dru just laid there and looked at the ceiling, hoping
that there would eventually be a reprieve of rest.