When Buffy’s eyes closed, Angel’s cry of agony was heard outside the castle’s walls. The heads of the Scooby Gang, with the exception of Willow, who was still catatonic as she attempted to break down the barrier around the fortress, snapped up.

“What was that?” Oz asked. “Sounded like an animal.”

“It was Angel,” Cordelia gasped. “Buffy…she’s…she’s dead. That vampire, Laren, drank her.”

“What?!” Spike shouted. “How? How is that possible? Buffy would have fought her…she had to be ten times stronger than that bitch!”

“Where the hell is Angel?” Xander asked.

Cordy shook her head, dazed from the vision. “He’s…trapped. Hostage, chained. Can’t get to her.”

The group stood back in silence, shocked.

“No…no…it can’t be!” Willow cried. The others looked up, surprised, as the witch joined them, freed from her spell.

“Will…how you doing?” Oz asked her tenderly, wrapping his arms around her.

“I…I got it…the barrier’s down…but, we’re too late! We’re too late!” she whispered, tears streaming down her face.

“No…shh…” Oz murmured to her, stroking her hair. He looked up helplessly at the stunned faces of his friends. “We can save Angel. Right? We still have to save Angel.”

Everyone glanced from one person to another, unsure. “Damn right we have to,” Spike said finally, stepping forward and grabbing an ax off the ground. “Red’s got the force field down, we go in and rescue our own. Maybe Buffy’s not really dead…maybe the seer read it wrong.”

Cordeila grimaced. “Yeah…maybe I saw it wrong. Maybe she didn’t drink it all, like Angel did before graduation.”

Spike and Gunn exchanged speculative glances but said nothing. The Scooby Gang mounted up and headed inside.

“She ever been wrong before?” Spike asked Gunn quietly as they stomped up to the castle.

He glanced at his wife. “Couple times…misinterpreted something…”

“Well then…I guess there’s hope,” the vampire said, more to himself, and they went inside.

***

Buffy’s body had stopped moving, her eyes remained unopened, and Angel felt his heart break. He slumped to his knees, eyes never leaving her face, his mouth open in shock.

Darla glanced at him. “Show time,” she told him nonchalantly, and vaulted over the side of the balcony, landing squarely on her feet. She strode to Laren’s side. “Guess you got what you wanted.”

Laren ripped her teeth from the near-dead Slayer and smiled, satisfied. “It’s a start.”

Darla smiled secretively. “Yes, it is.” Signaling to the guards that flanked the entrances she produced a knife from her waistband and held it up for Laren to see.

“What’s this?” Laren asked smoothly. “A gift? It can wait, Darla. I’m in the middle of something here.”

Darla laughed. “I wouldn’t say that.” The guards reached them and took Laren by both arms. Darla easily caught Buffy from hitting the floor.

“What—what are you doing?!” the younger vampire screamed, struggling.

“Do you really think I want Angelus dead? That’s the next part of the plan…to kill him…slowly, painfully…to make him pay?” Darla cocked an eyebrow. “I don’t think so. No one touches my boy but me,” she informed Laren, and turned to the guards. “Take her away.” To the guards upstairs she shouted. “Bring him here!”

The guards pulled Angel up off his feet and drug him down the staircase until he was standing in front of Darla. She was now sitting on the ground, holding the Slayer’s head in her lap, the knife in one hand. Angel stared at her blankly, uncomprehending what was going on around him.

“Angel,” Darla called. “Angelus!” His eyes shot to hers. “Listen to me. There’s still time.” The vampiress slit her forearm and held Buffy’s mouth open. Slowly the blood dripped down the Slayer’s throat.

“No!” Angel hissed, struggling against the guards. “No! Darla, no! You can’t turn her!”

Darla smiled as the blood flowed down her arm and into Buffy’s mouth. “I think I just did.” After a moment she raised her arm up and licked the blood off, grinning at him. “You can’t help her, like you couldn’t help me, Angelus. I may hate her with everything that I am…but I need her. To get you.”

“To get me?” he echoed, staring at his love’s still body, a drop of blood smeared on her perfect cheek.

Darla stood and sauntered over to him. “You can release him,” she told the guards. They unshackled him and backed off. “Leave us. See to Laren. If she screams…make her stop,” she ordered.

Angel moved slowly to Buffy’s side, kneeling, cradling her body in his arms. “I’m so sorry,” he whispered, his voice breaking as he fought back tears.

“Oh please,” Darla said, rolling her eyes. “You’ll see her again, up and about, alive and…well, maybe just kicking…”

“What are you doing?” he asked, his words coming very slowly as he fought to control his anger.

“Did you really think I was here, partners with that twerp? That I was taking orders from her like I was her slave? Her lackey? Her dog? Hardly. Not my style, Angelus, you know that.”

“Then what…?”

She smiled. “You’re not on your game here, are you? Don’t you see? Buffy’s my key to you, much as I hate to admit it. I turn her…and then I turn you.”

Something in Angel’s brain snapped and he stood, lunging at his sire, taking her down at her midsection and dropping them both to the floor, rolling. They landed with him pinning her down. She stared at him, surprised, then laughed. “Your reflexes certainly have improved,” she teased.

He growled. “You’ll never turn me, Darla. I still have all my strength and speed from the demon…you won’t take me alive.”

She laughed again, shifting her weight beneath him seductively. “Good thing, since how I really want you is dead.” She flipped him easily and assumed the position on top. “I think that once you hear what I have to say, you’ll be more than ready to go along with my little plan.”

He bucked and threw her off of him, leaping to his feet. In one swift movement he had her pinned to the nearest wall. “And why would you ever think that?” he snarled.

She smiled sweetly. “Because once I have you…Angelus, the true Angelus…I can change her back…back to her mortal self, back to the Slayer. She lives, you die. It’s up to you.”

***

When the Scooby Gang entered the castle for a second time there were a few more guards than had been before. Within minutes they were all engaged in battle, fighting their way into the fortress, searching for their friends.

“I guess this is what happens when you’re not supposed to be here!” Xander shouted as he ducked the punch of a guard.

“We’ve got to get to the North Tower!” Willow cried. “That’s where Buffy was going! That’s where I sent Angel!”

Spike tossed her a stake and she held it up just in time to dust the charging vampire. Spinning he noted that Giles and Wesley were handling their demons together and that Gunn was taking charge on his side of the room. “Red!” he called. “Mojo!”

Willow nodded and held up her hand. “Fueritas!” she called and a ball of flame appeared in her hand. She lobbed in across the room, aimed at a vampire that was attacking Wesley.

“Wesley!” Cordelia shrieked, warning the Englishman just in time. He veered out of the way as the ball of fire hit his attacker. The vampire shrieked as he caught on fire, then burst into dust a moment later. Repeating the spell she took out two more that had Oz and Xander pinned. Within moments the room was cleared.

“Good work,” Giles told her somberly as they headed out of the hall in search of the main room.

She nodded in reply and quickened her pace.

***

“She lives, I die, no deal,” Angel told Darla, increasing his grip, and sending more pain, to her arms that were pinned against the stone wall.

“No deal…she dies. It’s simple, really,” she told him sweetly.

Angel glanced back at the unmoving form of Buffy, lying on the cold floor, peaceful. “How can you bring her back? Change her? That’s not possible.”

Darla snorted. “Oh, it’s possible. With the right elements, the right timing. Fortunately I’ve spent the last few years acquiring just what we need for such an event.”

Angel stared at her. “You’ve been planning this for years?”

Now she smirked. “Don’t kid yourself. I’ve been traveling, my dear. If I happened to come across a spell ingredient on the way…well then…I picked it up. But the most important piece just came in. A sword, the only one in existence, thought lost for two thousand years. Used properly, with the other ingredients and the incantation…oh, and Slayer’s blood…” she paused dramatically. “Abracadabra.”

As Angel listened to her he slowly loosened his grip on her arms and backed away. “You’re lying,” he sneered and crossed to Buffy, picking her up.

Darla began to pace. “It’s up to you whether or not to believe me. You only have a short while now…before she wakes up. What do you think she’ll be like? A Slayer turned…it’s interesting. No doubt she’ll be strong. But how will she feel about you? You and your soul…that filthy, dirty, human soul. I’d imagine a Slayer-vampire could really cause a lot of problems in the world…so you might have to kill her.”

Angel’s head snapped up, his eyes burning. “Never.”

Darla lost her patience and crossed to him. “Then give it up. You can’t win. If you don’t let me turn you then you’ll have to kill her, eventually. Before she goes after everyone you care about…all your little sidekicks. You went for them first…lashed out at anything you had ever cared about or that had cared for you. If she doesn’t try to take you out first, she’ll go for them. And you’ll find them, one by one…that pretty little Cordelia…her neck all twisted and broken. Or that English-twit…bloodied and battered…”

“Enough!” he shouted. His gazed turned to Buffy, her sweet face expressionless while she slept death’s sleep, her body waiting until its time to walk again. A vision of her face, vamped out, wrinkled, eyes glowing, teeth bared, flashed through his mind. He shuddered.

Darla traced a finger down his sleeve. “Think it over. But I suggest you do it quickly,” she said, casting a glance of disdain at the Slayer. “Before she decides she’s hungry.”

***

Angel carried Buffy up the stairs to the chamber the guards led him to and placed her gently on the bed. Sitting beside her, stroking her hand, he considered his options. //What options?// He was stuck. It was useless. If he tried to leave with her as she was, or would soon be, he would risk unleashing Buffy on the world, on their friends, their family. And if he stayed…he would be turned, back to the evil that had once consumed him, burned in his blood.

There was no guarantee that Darla would keep her end of the deal, even if he did change. She’d kill Buffy, or try to…or let Angelus have her…the thought of that made him violently ill and he broke out into a sweat.

“Damn it!” he shouted, jumping off the bed. “I won’t let him have you, I won’t let her take you either. Willow! Willow could perform the spell. I just have to get all the ingredients and get out of here before you wake up,” he told her sleeping form as he frantically paced. “Willow can perform this spell and turn you back before you…before…” his eyes grew wide as Buffy slowly sat up on the bed.

“Hello, lover.”

***

“Where is he?” Willow cried as they ran down yet another hallway. “And when did this place get so twisty and big?”

“I think we’re lost,” Cordelia concluded, a little panicky. “Not a good place to be.”

“We need more magic,” Spike told the witch.

She sighed. “I’m tired, Spike, all this stuff takes something out of me each time I do it. I don’t know what I can manage.”

“Can you speak your thoughts to Angel?” Giles asked, coming to a stop at a wooden door.

“I’ve been trying, but I’m getting nothing…I think I used all that up,” she said, her voice small. “I’ll try again.”

Angel…Angel. Can you hear me? she called out, closing her eyes in concentration. Angel, where are you?

When she opened them her eyes told them what they already suspected.

“So the telepathy keg’s tapped. What now?” Xander asked, out of breath.

Giles looked around them. “I don’t know.”

“What?” Xander cried. “You don’t know? You always know. That’s your job!”

Giles rolled his eyes. “We keep looking, that’s what.”

The group took off down the hall, searching for their friends.

***

“Buffy,” Angel said, his heart sinking. “You’re awake.”

She yawned and stretched. “And hungry.”

“I should have known…you’re the Slayer…naturally you’d do things faster than other vamps.”

She smiled and patted the bed next to her. “Don’t you want to sit over here and comfort me, Angelus? I can show you that I don’t do everything fast…” she said coyly.

He snorted though his heart was breaking to see her this way. “Don’t think so, sorry. But don’t worry. I’m going to help you.”

Buffy cocked an eyebrow. “Are you now? By feeding me? You’re looking mighty tasty, standing over there, all alone…” she leapt off the bed and was on him in an instant. Sending both of them crashing to the floor she straddled him. “Now what were you saying?”

He coughed, the wind having been knocked out of him. “I’m going to help you, Buffy, I swear.”

“And how are you going to do that?” she cooed, stretching herself over him seductively. “Look what you’ve done already…or not done I guess is more appropriate. You let her have me. You let her drug me, make me all helpless and weak…you let her drink me, you let her turn me. I think you’ve done enough.” She stared at him, her green eyes to his brown. “That must be tearing you up inside.”

Guilt swept through him. “I’m sorry, Buffy. I tried…I couldn’t get to you in time.”

She smiled a sick smile and reached up to touch his face, her fingers trailing down to his neck. “Now I know what you used to get all worked up about,” she whispered. “I can hear your blood…pumping and running through your veins. Calling out to me.”

“It’s powerful,” he agreed, remembering.

“Is it because of our air-quote “special bond?” she asked. “Or will everyone’s blood be this way? I’m kinda curious. I bet witch blood has a kick to it. Or seer blood…werewolf blood…” she teased, knowing that she was getting to him. “I’m going to eat them all, after I’m done playing with them. You know Xander’s always wanted a crack at me…this might be his lucky day.”

Angel closed his eyes, wishing he could block out her words. He couldn’t allow any of that to happen.

She smiled at him. “What you did as Angelus? Minor leagues. There’s never been a vampire-Slayer before…get it? Vampire-Slayer?”

He shivered at her touch. “I know you can’t help this. It’s what you are now. But I’m going to change all that.”

She sat up, pissed off. “You keep saying that! What, exactly, do you think you’re going to do?!” she snapped.

Please forgive me, he thought before reaching back and punching her across the face, knocking her backwards and off of him. He was on her in a moment. Could he growl he would have, but she just laughed and easily pushed him off of her, jumping to her feet, her face twisted into that of a vampire for the first time.

“God, Angel! You were so right! The power of this…it’s like a drug! Why didn’t you ever tell me? I can hear everything…I can smell everything…I can smell your fear…and I can smell something else.” She cocked her head at him, curiously. “Part of you is turned on by this, isn’t it?”

He let out a low laugh. “Not a chance.”

She smirked. “You are!” she gloated. “You may be human, but you’ve still got your demons, my boy. And one of those little nasties inside you is itching to take me…right here, right now,” she teased, running her hands up and down her body.

“You’re crazy,” he told her though part of him feared that she might be right.

“I’m not crazy, Angel,” she cooed as began to pace the room. “What I am is hungry. And you’re…boring me. Same old woe is me Angel, brooding and upset about everything. You know, that act is really wearing thin. The weight of the world deal? Not what’s turning the girls’ heads these days. Now, if you’ll excuse me.”

He moved in front of the door. “You’re not leaving here.”

She cocked an eyebrow at him. “Oh really? You gonna stop me?” she challenged. “I’m anxious to try out my new strength. Didn’t take much for me to kick your ass before. Now it might just be too easy.”

He crossed him arms, his face stoic though on the inside he wanted to cry. What had happened to that lovely woman he had held in his arms only a few hours earlier? Now her face was contorted, ruined, and her soul was gone. Vapor.

She sighed. “Angel, don’t make me do this. It’ll be fun, but…it’s so childish.”

He didn’t move, even when Darla opened the door behind him and walked into the room. She observed the stand-off, took in Buffy’s morphed features, and grimaced.

“Well, that happened more quickly than I’d expected,” she told them.

Buffy’s eyes flicked to her sire’s, her face returning to normal. “What did?”

“Your birth. I only sired you maybe an hour ago.”

Buffy’s eyes flew open. “You sired me?”

Darla smiled, pleased with Buffy’s reaction. “Didn’t he tell you? I saved you from death.”

“She’s still dead,” Angel growled.

“And not too overjoyed with you it would seem,” Darla chuckled. He didn’t answer her. “Have you come to a decision, Angelus?”

Buffy looked from her sire to her lover. “What decision?”

Darla ignored her and walked to Angelus, searching his face. “Well? What’s it going to be?”

“I don’t really have a choice here, Darla, do I?” he spit out, his voice low and menacing. “I can’t leave her like this. I can’t…allow her to become what I was, what you are.”

Darla smiled. “And you can’t kill me…though I know you’re dying to,” she said, eyeing the fists he had been clenching and unclenching.

He eyes her carefully. “I could still.” He let the threat hang in the air.

“Ahmmm, but you won’t. If you kill me there’s no one to tell you how to change your love back. I’m the only one who knows the spell. The only one who knows where the ingredients are. You need me.”

Buffy strode up to them. “What is going on?” she asked impatiently.

Darla glanced at her and shot a fist out, striking the Slayer in the face. “Be. Quiet.”

Angel growled and grabbed Darla’s arm. “Ah ah ah…down boy,” his sire sing-songed.

He didn’t release her. “And if you turn her back, then change me…we’ll kill her anyway. Together. Or she’ll kill us. Did you think about that?”

“Of course I did. We’ll leave here, go far away…let the Slayer and her friends be…if we have to.”

“You’d run?” he asked, mock surprise in his voice. “That’s so unlike you, Darla.”

She looked at him evenly. “It’s the price you pay for someone you love.” Wrenching her arm from his she took Buffy’s and pulled the younger woman to her side. “What’s it going to be, Angelus? I’m running out of patience and you’re running out of time.”

Buffy began to laugh. “Let me get this straight. You want to turn him…make him Angelus again…then change me back to human? That’s not even possible!”

Darla glared at her. “I thought I told you to be quiet.”

“I don’t listen very well, ask Giles. Bane of his existence,” the Slayer retorted, just as the door to the tower was thrown open and the Scooby Gang burst through, weapons blazing.

“Angel!” Willow cried. “And…Buffy?” her eyes lit on her friend. “Oh God…Buffy.”

“I was right…they killed her,” Cordelia gasped.

Spike’s face fell. “That they did,” he whispered.

“Hail hail, the gang’s all here,” Buffy sang. “Hi guys…glad to see you. Been through some changes since we last saw each other. You might find them interesting,” she said, her face morphing.

The room stood in stunned silence as the group stared at Buffy’s face.

“Christ, pet…” Spike muttered finally. His eyes shot daggers at Darla. “This stinks of you.”

“Buffy…oh God…Angel…what’s going on?” Willow asked, lowering the crossbow she had been holding aimed at Darla’s heart.

Angel’s sad eyes found hers. “I think you can guess.”

“They didn’t get you?” Oz asked him. He shook his head.

Darla smiled and stepped forward, placing a hand on his chest. “Not yet.” Angel jerked away.

“Not at all,” Spike snarled. “We’re leaving.”

Buffy sauntered over to him, nose to nose. “I’m staying. Always wanted to be a princess, living in a castle. Here, I can be queen.”

“It’s not all it’s cracked up to be,” Cordelia interjected, her tone icy.

Buffy’s eyes stayed on Spike’s. “You could stay too, Spike…you and me…all alone in this castle…with these nice, big, soft beds…and plenty of people to eat. I’d kill them for you, of course, then let you have at ‘em.”

Spike closed his eyes and swallowed hard. “Not interested in relocation. Got me a pad back home, like it just fine.”

Her face became innocent. “No? Suit yourself.”

“Angel, we have to get out of here,” Wesley said softly.

“I know, Wesley…but it’s complicated.”

“I can hear you!” Buffy shouted, making the room jump. “You don’t need to whisper.”

She and Darla began to circle the room, prowling.

“Angel,” Anya whined, “Why can’t we just take the other one out and figure out what to do with Buffy later?”

Darla smiled and spun around to look at Angel. “He can’t let you do that…I’ve got something he needs. You all need it…it’s a secret.”

“What’s she talking about?” Giles asked, directing his words to Angel.

Angel clenched his fists at his sides. “She says she has a cure…for Buffy. She can turn her back.”

“Impossible,” the Watcher spit out, leveling his cross in front of him as Buffy walked by and hissed.

Darla groaned. “That’s what everyone says! You people really need to open your minds, just a bit.”

“I believe her,” Angel said, hating the words even as they came out.

“Then make her do it!” Gunn shouted.

“That’s the kicker,” Darla told him. “I’ve got some demands first. Some things I want. Well, some thing. Some one.”

Xander picked up on it first. “She wants Angel.”

Angel met his eyes and nodded.

“She wants Angelus,” Giles corrected him.

“We have a winner!” Buffy cried, walking behind Angel and running a hand up his back, around his neck. “But you know? I’ve been thinking.” Kicking out she knocked his legs out from under him. He hit the ground, unprepared, and she pinned him easily from behind. “I don’t really want to be turned back…this is so new, so exciting…”

Darla stopped her prowling and slowly approached Buffy. “What are you doing, child?” she spat.

“I know why you’re so eager to have me turned back…I’d be in the way of you two. You think that Angelus might choose me over you…and I’d wager you’d be right,” the Slayer sneered.

“You’re wrong,” Darla snapped, but her face morphed.

“Am I?” Buffy wondered. “I don’t think so. Your green’s showing, hon. Not your best color.”

Darla looked from Angel to Buffy and back again, then shrieked and ran at them, diving over Angel and taking Buffy out. Angel rolled out of the way as his friends ran, ready to attack, stakes and crossbows held before them. “NO!” he shouted, and the room came to a standstill.

All eyes were on him. “No,” he repeated, more softly. “We can’t kill either of them.”

Everything was silent, no one moved. Finally Gunn uncocked his crossbow and stood back. The others followed. Bending over, Angel grabbed Darla and threw her off of Buffy. The Slayer grinned. “Thanks, lover. Knew I could count on--” her words were cut off by Angel slamming her against a window.

“Don’t call me that again,” he hissed, venom in his words. Releasing her he turned and walked away, running his hands through his hair, aggravated.

Willow took a step forward. “Buffy…some part of you has to remember…you’re the Slayer…that should make a difference…shouldn’t it?”

Buffy laughed, loud and hollow. “Oh Willow…you stupid, ill-equipped mediocre excuse for a witch…no spell is going to get you out of this. The Slayer is gone. The Slayer is dead. There Is. No. More. Slayer!” she shouted.

There was a crash as the window behind her burst, a body flying through it. The person hit the ground and rolled, jumping to their feet and cocking the crossbow they held competently, aimed at Buffy’s heart. “You’d be wrong about that.” Long brown hair lifted in the wind as a head turned and dark eyes glanced at the group of surprised people next to her. “Hey guys…forget about me already? I’m Faith. The other Vampire Slayer.”

Chapter Nine: Doublecross
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