The dark man looked up with a frown. "I know that."

"Then DO something!" The angry young voice insisted. "You've got to save my father!"

"He's right, Wesley. We're out of options."

The beautiful young woman ran down the stairs towards them. "I don't think he's got much time."

"I've put through an emergency call to Sunnydale."

"You've done WHAT?" Cordelia sounded stunned.

Wesley frowned. "If we are to save Angel's life, we need all the help we can get."

"Glad to hear it," a purring female voice sounded. "Does that mean I get a welcoming party?"

"Faith." Wesley acknowledged her briefly. "Thank you for coming."

"You should thank my parole officer," Faith said nonchalently. "He said it was okay to take a vacation from the shelter."

She strolled forward as she spoke, and dropped a large duffle bag on the floor.

Wesley said impassivley, "we've got a crisis here, Faith."

"Must have, if you've called in Buffy's crew."

"Buffy- that's the Slayer?" Connor asked eagerly. "You mean I'll get to meet her?"

Faith extended her hand. "Consider a Slayer met!"

"You?" Connor blinked.

"Me," Faith confirmed. "One of the Chosen Two."

She dropped his hand abruptly and whirled to face Wesley. "What's the matter with Angel?"

"He has a virus; we're not sure where or how he caught it, but it's some sort of blood toxin."

"So, you need the blood of a Slayer?" Faith asked.

Wesley shook his head. "No. The blood of the sire."

Faith raised her eyebrows. "Isn't Darla dead?"

"Yes, but Drusilla isn't. And Drusilla sired Darla, the second time around. Her blood might work. Sire means anyone in the direct line from which a vampire comes." Wesley explained.

"It's the best chance we've got!" Cordelia said tensely.

"So we get Drusilla, and feed her to Angel. No Problem," Faith shrugged.

"Except for the fact that Drusilla is holed up in one of the canyons in an almost impregnable fortress! We don't even know where!" Cordelia snapped. "And- she's not alone!"

"I'd go after her myself, if I knew the location!" Connor glared at Wesley.

"Drusilla is surrounded by a demonic horde; you wouldn't last ten minutes," Wesley said coldly.

Connor's jaw clenched. "Want to bet?"

Faith grinned, pleased at the turmoil.

Cordelia stepped between the two males scowling at one another. "Wesley is right. We'll wait for Buffy before we go in."

Faith glanced over Cordelia's shoulder.

"Guess we're all through waiting. Hi there, Bee!"

Connor whirled around to face the doorway, taking in the group of people clustered there. Foremost was a tiny girl, blonde and beautiful. He knew instinctively that she was the Slayer. His eyes moved to the man behind her and he stiffened in automatic reaction to the presence of a demon. But the blond man, Spike, was apparently accepted by the others.

There was also a pallid redhead with sunken eyes, and a tall dark man who hovered protectively around her.

And there was a girl.

There was a chestnut-haired girl, about his own age, who stared at him with interest. Connor felt his face redden as he looked away.

"Where is Mr. Giles?" Wesley asked eagerly. "I need to confer with him at once!"

"In England," Buffy admitted. "He went to get some more information about this prophecy.."

Cordelia groaned. "Not another one!"

Buffy actually laughed. "I know, we haven't had much luck with those!"

The laughter startled Wesley. The Buffy he'd generally seen in L.A. had always been tense and angry. Now, despite the bleakness of their situation, she seemed somehow to have a more positive outlook.

Faith noticed too. "What's the deal, Bee? How come you're not all whiny and mopey because the love of your life is down for the count?"

Spike snorted; Buffy gave him a irritated glance and said nothing.

Wesley stepped in hastily. "There isn't much we can do tonight; by morning I should have some information concerning Drusilla's whereabouts. Connor will show each of you to a suitable room."

Connor turned to lead the way, but Cordelia placed a detaining hand on Buffy's arm.

"Don't you want to see Angel?"

To her surprise, the other girl seemed to hesitate. "You mean he's conscious?"

"Certainly," Wesley anwered. "This illness simply makes it impossible for him to eat, but he's quite lucid."

Spike nodded slowly. "It was the same with Dru. Well, not the lucid part, nut the not eating."

Buffy scowled. "Fine." She marched after Cordelia. "Take me to see Angel."

Faith trailed along, univited.

He was slumped in a big easy chair with his head cradled in his hands, but he looked up abruptly when the door opened.

"Buffy! I knew you'd come!" Then he blinked. "Faith?"

"Hey, Angel. Thought it was time I looked you up," Faith told him.

For once Buffy was grateful for Faith's intrusion; it gave her time to conceal her shock at Angel's appearance. He'd always been a big man, but now his flesh seemed shrunken in on the skeleton beneath, and his skin was beaded with sweat.

She glanced away to meet the oddest look from Cordelia: hostility and jealousy, yes. But also a curious entreaty.

"Cordy's been watching over me," Angel said proudly. He smiled at Cordelia, and Buffy received another shock.

"Why, he loves her," she thought dazedly. "And she loves him back!"

Oddly, the idea failed to cause her any pain, as it would have in the past. Buffy realized that she just felt desperately sorry for both of them.

Faith had caught the same look, but she chose to hold her tongue until Cordy was belatedly showing them to their rooms.

"So, how long have you and Angel been a couple?" she drawled.

Cordelia's eyes fastened on Buffy. "Not long. It was after I came back from uh, a place I'd been. And I rescued Angel after Connor tried...oh, it's a long story and a huge misunderstanding, but ...they made up, and then Angel made up with Wesley, and then Fred and Gunn got married and went to Texas on their honeymoon, and then Angel and I...but then he got sick and..."

"Cordelia," Buffy interrupted, "You're babbling."

The other girl's eyes widened. "I know," she admitted helplessly.

She and Buffy stared at each other for a long moment; and then both began to laugh.

"Enjoy the funfest," snapped Faith. "I hope Angel finds it as funny as you do."

BUffy reddened guiltily, but Cordelia was a match for a dozen Faiths.

"Angel enjoys everything that I do," she promised.

"Want me to read to you, Will?" Xander sank into the chair beside Willow's bed.

She studied him, noting his weariness; and shook her head.

"I'll be fine," she tried to assure him by plastering a smile across her face; but he wasn't fooled.

"I'm staying with you." Xander cast a longing look at the large bed.

Willow tried to hide her relief. "Why don't you stretch out here for a minute?"

He did as she said, and soon she heard a soft snore.

She curled up next to the comforting bulk. As her eyelids closed, she pondered how long it would be before she would be able to sleep without nightmares; or without him beside her.

The thought threw her into a panic and her eyes flew open. Then she felt his warmth against her back, and the terror subsided. Willow closed her eyes resolutely.

"So, Spike's another vampire? One with a soul, like my dad?" Connor repeated.

Dawn nodded vigorously, unaware of the chocolate mustache adorning her upper lip. "Yeah, he did it for my sister."

"So they're a couple?" Privately Connor thought the mustache was adorable.

Dawn's face darkened. "No, they're not! They can't be!"

Connor said slowly, "It took my dad and Cordelia forever to admit that they were in love."

Dawn jumped. "Really? Cordelia and Angel?"

He nodded vigorously.

Dawn said thoughtfully, "You know, grown-ups can be just DUMB, sometimes."

Connor laughed.

By the time the groups reassembled in the lobby, the two were fast friends. Wesley noted this with approval. He hoped to keep the two teens out of the worst danger.

"I've managed to locate some possible venues where Drusilla might be expected to turn up," Wesley began. "Tonight will be for recconoitering; we'll search out Drusilla and then hatch a plan to kidnap her. Tonight we'll split up, check out these places, and try to ..."

"Get a fix on Drusilla," Faith interrupted. "Yeah, yeah, we get it already."

He stared her down. "The last thing we need are heroics. If Drusilla becomes alarmed and goes to ground, we may lose any chance of finding her in time."

Faith flushed and looked down. Then she asked softly, "Can I go with you?"

If Wesley was surprised at her question, he didn't show it.

"Very well. There's an English- style pub not far from here where Druslla has been seen in the past. We'll try there."

"What about the rest of us?" It was Xander who spoke.

"You and Willow will go to Caritas," Wesley said. "It's a club run by a demon friend of ours, and it's neutral territory. You could find someone who knows of Drusilla, or Lorne might have news."

"Connor and Dawn," he continued, "You'll go to the Half-Moon Theatre. They show classic horror films, and there might be a vampire or two in attendance. Keep your eyes open."

"Okay," Dawn said eagerly.

Wesley looked at Buffy. "You and Spike had better go to Knave of Hearts; it's a private gambling club, but they aren't too careful about whom they buzz in, provided you have the correct look."

"What's the correct look?" Buffy asked dubiously.

"Rich." Spike's voice was heard for the first time that evening.

Wesley looked at Buffy encouragingly. "Don't worry, Buffy. I believe I can help with that."

Dawn sat on the edge of Buffy's bed and grinned at her sister. "You don't look very rich in that bathrobe."

Buffy fluffed out her long hair. "Wesley said he has a designer dress for me. It belonged to his former girlfriend, Virginia. She was rich."

Dawn made a face. "I'm glad I get to wear my jeans. But I bet we don't see a single vampire tonight, and YOU get them all!"

"Yeah, I'm lucky that way." Buffy agreed wrily.

There was a soft tap on the door.

"Oh, Wesley, good, I was afraid you couldn't find...is this IT??!"

Dawn's eyes were as round as saucers. "Ohmigawd! Wesley...could I borrow that, maybe? In case someone asks me to prom?"

The dress was dark red, a strapless bustier that laced low along Buffy's bare back. It brought Spike, just entering the room, to a complete standstill.

In her excitement, Dawn forgot she was mad at him. "Spike, doesn't she look gorgeous!"

It was Wesley who enthusiastically endorsed Dawn; Spike said nothing.

Buffy fumed as she followed him out. She wasn't expecting him to gush all over her; but she had never looked better, and he was still doing his impersonation of a statue! Well, if that's the way he wanted to be, she wasn't going to compliment him either! Although he certainly did know how to wear a tuxedo...

Faith was waiting for Wesley in the lobby.

"All set, Wes?" she smirked.

His startled eyes took in the low-rise black jeans, the short white sweater that revealed her taut stomach. He wrenched his eyes away from her with an effort.

The "pub" was not so much a pub as a long, low room with a small stage at one end and a long bar at the other. In between were dozens of small tables; and Wesley selected one with a good view of the door.

"So is this a typical pub?" Faith asked curiously.

Wesley laughed out loud. "Hardly. It's about as unlike as you could find; I come here for the music."

He'd no sooner finished speaking than a quartet took the stage; and the room was suddenly filled to overflowing. Wesley made haste to order a beer for her and a merlot for himself.

Faith took a gulp, but her eyes were fixed on the stage as the band began to play.

"This is great," she said softly. "I love the music."

Wesley smiled at her. "They're very good. The James Cody Blues Band, from Chicago. I come to hear them whenever they're in town."

"Thanks. For letting me come with you."

With a certain surprise, Wesley realized that he liked being there with Faith. The long-held resentment for the pain she'd caused him slipped away.

Even as he thought so, she looked up at him and spoke.

"Look, Wes, what I did to you, before? Well, I'm sorry. More sorry than I can say. I don't blame you if you can't just forget it. But, I wish you would."

"No," he said at last. "I can't forget it."

Her face fell. "No, I know. I shouldn't ask..."

"But, I can forgive it."

"Yeah? You mean it?" Her eyes were as eager as those of a child at Christmas.

He reached out and took her hand.

"I mean it."

Her smile dazzled him.

"All these movies are in black and white," Dawn whispered to Connor.

"Aren't they usually?"

"No, it's 'cause they're mostly old: Bela Lugosi and Lon Chaney."

"I like them." Connor nibbled some of her popcorn.

Dawn glanced around. "I don't see any vampires but it's still early."

"There's one!" Connor pointed to the screen. "What a silly-looking vampire!"

They giggled together as, up on the big screen, Dracula rose from his coffin.

"Why don't you sing?" Xander nodded at the tiny stage.

Willow shrank back. "No...I can't! My voice is awful. I can't sing!"

"Neither can they." Xander grimaced at the two Karyniak demons who were duetting on 'Hey, Jude.'

"He's right, pumpkin," Lorne paused beside their table. "The whole point isn't how well you sing; it's so I can read you."

Willow shook her red hair back. "I don't...you don't want to read me."

"Can't be that bad," Lorne said gently. "Give it a try, sweetie."

She got up slowly, looking at Xander. He smiled encouragingly.

"Go ahead, Will. I'll order you a Fuzzy Naval."

"Better make that a double," Willow muttered.

She took the mike and started to sing "Looks like we made it..."

Xander flinched. "I love the girl, but Shania Twain she isn't."

"No, she's even flatter than Cordy," admitted Lorne, "and I didn't think that was possible!"

"Cordelia's far from flat!" Xander protested.

Lorne sighed. "I was speaking musically."

"Oh."

"Everyone's staring at us!" Spike said irritably. "The point was to NOT attract attention, but it's difficult with you rigged out like that!"

Buffy shrugged. "Doesn't matter; if Dru lays eyes on us, no disguise would help, She'd spot us at once! Besides, didn't the doorman buzz us right in? And give us complimentary champagne?"

"Better make it last," Spike said sourly. "I'm not buying you another."

"Cheapskate!"

He was about to retort, then noticed her eyes were glued to the blackjack table. "Oooh, let's try it!"

"We're working!"

She pouted for a minute, then seized his arm. "Let's go watch, then."

Instead, he pulled her behind a large potted palm.

"Wha...Spike! What're you..."

"Shhh! Look over there- by the blackjack table!"

Buffy's eyes widened at the sight of a large antique doll in white lace, perched on a chair next to the table.

"Is it Drusilla's?" Buffy whispered.

"Has to be."

The crowd shifted suddenly, and they got a full view of a couple standing nearby: a petite blonde girl and a platinum man in a black duster.

"Spike! It's us! Are we...I mean, they...vampires?"

Spike sighed. "What do you think? They aren't carting that doll around for their own amusement. They're obviously Drusilla's minions."

Just then, the girl plucked the doll from the chair; and both were moving toward the door.

The couple got into an awaiting car.

"We'll never be in time," Buffy moaned. Then she had a thought, and grabbed for her cell phone. "We need reinforcements!"

"There they go," Wesley said softly as the black car passed them. He let three other cars go past, then eased his van into traffic.

"Wes, we're not heading out to the canyons," Faith remarked.

"It seems Drusilla has shifted her location," he agreed. "We're heading straight into the worst part of town."

"Gunn territory," Faith commented. "Too bad he's in Texas."

"Yes," said Wesley curtly.

"On his honeymoon," Faith was pushing.

Wesley sighed. "Give it a rest, Faith. I have."

"You're really over her?"

"Nothing to get over," he shrugged. "She preferred Gunn from the first moment."

"She's the type you go for, though. All brainy and running around talking about quantum physics and all."

Wesley gave her a sharp glance. "You know, Faith, you actually sound jealous."

"Me, jealous?" Faith's voice rose an octave higher. "Well...yeah. Guess I am."

He almost stalled the car. "WHAT did you say?"

Faith kept her eyes straight ahead. "I'm jealous of Faith."

"Because?" Wesley was honestly curious.

"She's smart, she can help with her brains and not just her strength, and everybody likes her. And she got such a cool guy to fall for her.

"Thank you," Wesley smiled.

"I meant Gunn," she said quickly; then burst into laughter at the look on his face.

"Very funny," he snapped, then realized their quarry was pulling to a halt. "Uh-oh, looks like we've reached our destination."

"Hey!" Faith sat bolt upright. "It's a church!"

"Not any more," Wesley cruised by slowly. "It's obviously been abandoned. Desanctified. Many vampires love going to ground in a former church.

"They must," Faith said glumly. "There's at least a dozen milling around."

"And probably as many inside," he concluded. "So now we know where Drusilla is. The question I have is, how do we lure her out?"

TBC