Surprise

Buffy rolled around in her bed as a foreboding sense writhed in her gut. The slayer couldn't take it and she fiercely blinked awake. Turning over, Buffy switched on her light and took a soothing gulp of water, but the feeling continued to stir inside her. Deciding to try and shake it off, the young blonde slumped out of bed and made her way to the bathroom.

Unknowingly to her, Libby took the hallway corner and stealthily walked behind her. The protector was paler than Drusilla on her best day and her dark hair curled un-tamely down past her shoulders. Libby leered at her slayer with rage and betrayal, as her pajama top continued to be soaked in blood.

Buffy opened the bathroom door and entered the Bronze. Anything by Cari Howe was playing as many people danced and talked, ignoring Buffy as she walked by them. Soon, she came upon Willow sitting at a table…with an entertainment monkey dressed in red next to her.

"Le hippo a pique ton pantalon." Willow told the monkey.

Buffy frowned in confusion at the sight, but Willow merely removed her hand resting on the large coffee cup and waved happily at her best friend. Buffy waved back and kept on walking. She knew that wasn't why she was there. The pull led Buffy to her mother, who turned to face her with a blank expression on her face.

"Do you really think you're ready, Buffy?" Joyce asked.

"What?"

Suddenly, her mom dropped the lime green saucer that matched the mug she was holding and it shattered on the floor. The sound rang in Buffy's ears, as if marking itself on her eardrums, but her mother just walked off.

The slayer made her way backward, unsure of what to do, when she saw it. Standing there by the stage. Buffy hurried over to her sister with the happiest and most relieved smile on her face.

"Libby! Where have you been? Are you okay?"

"To keep it safe, you can't touch." Libby answered.

"What? Keep what safe?" Buffy frowned, but tried to understand.

"A touch will bring death. You need to know that."

Buffy was going to ask for more information when Libby dramatically changed. Not her expression, but her entire body. She went from healthy and beautiful to injured and weak. Libby's skin was ashy and bruised, the bags under her eyes were so dark they were a swirl of purple and black, it looked as though she lost all strength, and her once bright eyes were glazed over and unfocussed.

"Libby…" Buffy gasped in horror. "What happened to you?"

"The worst has not yet come," Libby's neck began to profusely bleed from the deep bite gnawed into her artery. "There may be a chance."

"Tell me how to save you!" Buffy cried, holding onto her deteriorating sister.

"He'll tell you." Libby whispered.

Buffy knew. Automatically she knew. The slayer laid her protector gently against the stage before she spun around to lock eyes with Angel. An involuntary grin of awe and love swept over her lips and they stepped closer to one another. The soulful vampire smiled back at her, but he never made it. Drusilla corporatized from nothing and staked Angel in the heart from the back. He reached out his hand as Buffy screamed his name. Their hands tried to meet, but Angel turned to dust before their fingers could graze. His ring fell to the floor and Buffy glanced up at Drusilla in frightening grief.

"Happy birthday, Buffy." Drusilla snarled between her vampire fangs.

Buffy shot up in bed in complete alertness. That dream was too real. Far too real to be just a dream. It had to be more. Buffy's eyes widened. Libby…and Angel!

Libby slammed into the floor with a shrill scream that vibrated through the walls. She covered herself after flailing her way down, but after a few minutes Libby realized she was alone. Drusilla was never there. She was never bitten. Libby sat up and grasped at the side of her neck. She could have sworn she had been bitten. It felt so real. The protector shook her head and tried to calm down, but her breath quivered too much.

"I don't understand," Libby whispered into the empty air. "I don't understand."

Libby couldn't see straight and her mind was working backwards and upside down. Everything in her body shrieked in pain to the point where she was afraid she wouldn't be able to move: physically or telekinetically. Libby curled herself into a ball and rocked herself back and forth on the floor. She just stared wide-eyed in the darkness, no tears or moaning out in pain; she tried to remember where she was and who she should be with, but Libby couldn't find the answers.

Who were the faces in her mind? Her mother? Yes, that was her mom. But that man with the glasses? And the blonde girl carrying something in her hand? Libby knows she knows them, but there's too much pain and disorientation now.

She gazed down at her folded arms. Pale – past sickly – and agony manifesting itself in sensitive blotches of dark blue and ashy purple, her arms even looked cold. But her insides were actually heating up, despite the fact that her skin remained frostier than black ice. How was this happening? What was happening?

Libby thought harder and searched through the faces. Names to match! Where are the names to match? Gild? No, Giles! And Buffy. Buffy! Libby's eyes shot open. Yes! She's still inside her insanity ridden body. Now, she just has to make her way back home. That's what her mother said. But how?

Angel.

Buffy frantically knocked on the door and received the answer of, "Hold on." Angel opened the door – wonderfully shirtless – and greeted, "Hey. Is everything okay?"

"That's what I was gonna ask you. You're okay, right?" Buffy asked urgently.

"Sure…I'm fine," Angel gentlemanly moved aside to let Buffy in as he inquired softly, "What' up?"

"Um…I had this dream that Drusilla was alive."

Angel stopped to grab a white undershirt and pulled it over his head saying, "What happened?"

"She killed you. Right in front of me." Buffy whimpered.

"It was just a dream. It wasn't real."

"But it felt so real."

"It wasn't," Angel comforted as he tenderly placed his hand on the side of her face. "I'm right here."

"Angel, that not all. I saw Libby. First she was following me and she looked so angry, but then she was fine and trying to warn me about something."

"What?"

"I don't know, but then she changed." Buffy choked as she relived the image. "Angel, she was so pale and weak, and a vampire had bitten her. There was so much blood. But there was more, she wasn't making sense like something else was affecting her. She told me that you would save her."

Angel sorrowfully shook his head, not knowing what to say.

"Have you talked to her? Maybe?"

"No, not a word. I'm sorry."

"Angel, I know this is more than a dream. It feels like the ones I had about the Master and they came true. What if Libby is in danger and what if Drusilla is alive?"

"She's not. But even if she was, we'd deal. And if Libby really is in danger, she'll find her way back to us. And I promise I'll be on the look out for her…extra."

"Okay, but what if –"

Buffy was cut off when Angel suddenly pulled her into a deep, but slow kiss. Buffy totally lost herself to the feeling of his arms around her and his lips on hers. Angel could think of nothing other than the love he had for her. "What if what?" He whispered when he pulled away.

"I'm sorry. Were we talking?"

Buffy leaned up to meet his lips again and the kiss deepened. Their passion grew as they clung to each other, but it couldn't go on even though that's all they wanted.

"I'm sorry. I – um – I have to go to school." Buffy feebly stated.

She even turned around and walked to the door, but Angel couldn't take it. He grabbed her arm and swung her back into his arms for another passionate embrace.

"God, you feel…" Buffy whispered as she molded into him.

"You have to go to school." Angel mumbled as they fought against their lips reconnecting.

They backed up and Buffy even managed to pick up her bag saying, "All right. I know. This is me. I'm going."

However, right as her back touched the door, the two passionately kissed again. Not being able to get enough, Buffy held onto him tighter and Angel began to trail kisses down to her neck, but he knew they had to slow down.

"You still haven't told me what you wanted for your birthday." Angel said with a spark in his eye.

"Surprise me."

"Okay. I will." Angel smirked, the perfect idea springing to his mind.

Buffy smiled up at him and kissed him sweetly. "This is nice. I like seeing you first thing in the morning."

"It's bedtime for me."

"Well, then, I like seeing you bedtime. Um…" Buffy tried to cover up, but failed with her slip of desires. "Y-You know what I mean."

"I think so," Angel pondered. "What do you mean?"

"I like seeing you," Buffy admitted. "And the part at the end of the night where we say goodbye? It's getting harder."

"Yeah…It is."

""I like you at bedtime"?" Willow said in shock. "You actually said that?"

"I know. I know." Buffy grumbled with an embarrassed smile.

"Man, that's like…I don't know. That's moxie or somethin'."

"Totally unplanned. It just came out."

Laughing, Willow asked, "And he was into it? He wants to see you at bedtime too?"

"Yeah, I think he does. I mean, he's cool about it."

"Well, of course he is. 'Cause he's cool. I mean, he would never, you know…"

"Push." Buffy finished for her.

"Right. He's not the type."

"Willow, what am I gonna do?" Buffy asked as she found a bench to sit and talk to her best friend on.

"What do you wanna do?"

"I don't know. I – I mean, "want" isn't always the right thing to do. To act on want can be wrong." Buffy thought aloud.

"True." Willow agreed.

"But to not act on want…What if I never feel this way again? Gah! I need Libby to tell me what to do." Buffy whined in absolute confusion.

"What do you think she'd say?" Willow dove into Libby's faux shoes to try and help Buffy more than she already was.

"Hopefully not what she said in my dream last night." Buffy rolled her eyes in frustration and worry. "She said, "To keep it safe, you can't touch." And that "A touch will bring death" and I "need to know that." Then she bled out in my arms telling me Angel could help save her."

"Oh my goodness," Willow gasped in fear. "What does that mean?"

"I have no idea. But I'm freaking out over it and everything else."

"Well, if it helps, Carpe diem. You told me that once." Willow offered.

""Fish of the day"?" Buffy squinted in confusion.

"Not 'carp', 'Carpe'. It means, "seize the day.""

"Right," Buffy began to focus again. "I think we're going to. Seize it. Once you get to a certain point, then seizing is sort of inevitable."

"Wow." Willow breathed in astonishment.

"Yeah." Buffy smiled, happy with her decision and hoping Libby would agree.

"Wow."

Xander walked down the hallway after a usual conversation with Cordelia when a reliable librarian caught his eye. There was no getting passed him.

"Oh, good morning!" Giles greeted with an eager smile. "Is everything in order for the party?"

"Absolutely. As long as you don't count the still M.I.A. Libby." Xander answered.

"Yes, well – oh, here comes Buffy – now remember nothing about Libby and discretion is the better part of valor."

Xander turned to see Buffy descending the stairs with Ms. Calendar and rolled his eyes back to Giles replying, "You could've just said "Shh." God! Are all you Brits such drama queens?"

Buffy walked up to her watcher and friend, but her mind was still plagued by her nightmare. She probably would have walked right past them if Xander hadn't declared, "Buffy! I feel a pre-birthday spankin' comin' on."

"I'd curb that impulse if I were you, Xander." Jenny ordered.

"Check. Cancel spanking." Xander joked into the invisible microphone on his shirt.

As they all sat down at the table, Giles notice just how distracted Buffy was and became concerned. "You all right, Buffy? You seem a little fatigued."

"Rough night," Buffy answered. "I had a dream that Drusilla was alive, and she killed Angel. But what really freaked me out was Libby. She looked awful, Giles – like the dying brutally kinda awful – and she told me that, "to keep it safe, you can't touch" that "a touch will bring death." I have no idea what that means but she said I needed to know."

"Do you feel that this is more of a…a portent?" Giles inquired, the worry furrowing his brow.

"See, I don't know. Everything in my body tells me that it is, but my mind just can't wrap itself around it. I just don't want to have a big freak-out if it's over nothing."

"Still, best to be uh…on the alert. If Drusilla is alive and Libby is in danger, then it could be a fairly cataclysmic state of affairs."

"Again, so many words. Couldn't you just say "we'd be in trouble"?" Xander interrupted, trying to ease the minds of his friends.

Giles jerked his head in annoyance and said, "Go to class, Xander."

"Gone." Xander obliged as he got up, but he just had to make his point. "Notice the economy of phrasing. "Gone." Simple. Direct."

"Maybe I should get gone, too." Buffy said as she desperately tried to leave the conversation that made her stomach twist in fear.

"Don't worry unduly, Buffy. I'm sure it's nothing, but if it is, Libby can handle herself." Giles attempted to comfort.

"I know. I should keep my slayer cool, but it's Angel, which automatically equals maxi-wig. Add that to my paralyzing fear that my protector is out there dying somewhere, well, it's hard to not worry duly."

Libby tried to pack. She tried really hard, but she couldn't concentrate. She was losing time and reality. The sun burned through the window and began melting the walls away. Libby tiptoed to avoid hot liquid debris pooling up around her, but there was no use. The world wasn't going to be easy on her. The protector took in a deep breath and spun herself at the door. Pain and dizziness crippling her form, Libby lunged for the door and opened it. It would be dawn soon so no vampires would be able to get her…but where was she exactly?

"Out. Out. Out." Libby whimpered behind her teeth. "No help in here. No one in here." Libby shook her head and literally threw herself across the doorway and banged into the railing.

Libby looked down and saw the bars begin to loosen and slither upwards. They were black and meaty and coiled themselves onto her arms. The young girl screamed and frantically yanked her arms away and when she did the iron snakes exploded into black sludge all over the place. It looked like thick, sticky blood and felt like hot tar. She gasped in horror and scrambled to her feet. The protector nearly fell down the stairs, but she was able to find her way out of the motel. Libby dragged herself onto the sidewalk and by the time she made it to the street corner, the sun was rising and lighting up the sky.

Cars screeched like a banshee echoing in the fleeting night. The wind whispered cruel things in her ears. People transformed into the demons they tried to convince themselves they're not. Libby looked down and saw herself withering away into ash on bones.

"And when I lose my way I close my eyes and he has found me…" Libby sang quietly to herself. She drew in a very unsteady breath and stepped forward.

"And then my mom broke the plate." Buffy panted, fear and the need to take action now consuming her every thought. "It was just like my dream. Every gesture, every word. It was so creepy."

"Yes, well, I'd imagine it would be fairly unnerving." Giles agreed as he pondered what Buffy had just told him.

"Hey! It's the woman of the hour." Xander announced with a big smile.

"It's happy birthday, Buffy!" Willow skipped over and hugged her best friend, but at the blonde's look of total despair, she asked, "Not happy birthday, Buffy?"

Giles thought that it would be a better idea for him to explain instead of having Buffy relive it so he responded, "It's just that um…part of the nightmare that Buffy had the other night actually transpired."

"Which means Drusilla might still be alive and Libby's probably out there somewhere dying." The slayer did her best to compose herself, but she couldn't. It was too much. "Giles, in my dream Libby gave me a warning and died in my arms saying only Angel could save her, but Drusilla blindsided me and Angel was gone before I knew what happened."

"Even if she is alive, we can still protect Angel and we are still searching for Libby. Dreams aren't prophecies, Buffy." Giles calmed her down with his rational and truthful thought. "You dreamt that the Master had risen, but you stopped that from happening."

"You ground his bones to make your bread." Xander confirmed with vigor.

"That's true. Except for the bread part." Buffy agreed. "Okay, fine, we're one step ahead, but I wanna stay that way."

"Absolutely. Let me read up on Drusilla, see if she has any particular patterns. And I'll call some of the local places to see if they've seen Libby since the last time I called." Giles planned. "Why don't you meet me here at seven? We'll map out a strategy."

Buffy whipped her blonde head around and asked, "What am I supposed to do until then?"

"Go to classes. Do your homework. Have supper?"

She heaved a deep sigh and sadly mumbled, "Right… be that Buffy."

As she lifted her classy, white backpack off the table and left the library, Xander scowled at her in disappointment saying, "Well, that's not a perky birthday puppy."

"So much for our surprise party. I bought little hats and everything." Willow solemnly moped for her friend. "Oh, well. I guess I'll tell Cordelia."

"No, you won't." Giles stopped them from his office door. "We're having a party tonight."

"Looks like Mr. Caution Man, but the sound he makes is funny." Xander sarcastically jabbed.

"Buffy's surprise party will go ahead as we planned. Except I won't be wearing a little hat and hopefully I'll be able to find Libby in time."

"But Buffy and Angel…and if you can't find –" Willow began to panic, but Giles eased her.

"Yes, they may well be in danger. As they have been before and I imagine will be again. One thing I've learnt here on the Hellmouth is that there is no good time to relax. Buffy's turning 17 just once, and she deserves a party. And the fact that I – that we all – missed Libby's special birthday is incentive for us to not miss Buffy's and I will find Libby. If not tonight then soon because I refuse to let anything more happen to her! She will return and we will have such things as birthday parties and suppers at home and time in the library for more than just defeating the week's peril."

Giles slammed the book on the counter, followed by his dropping glasses to rub his eyes. It had been over two weeks of an empty apartment filled with productive and positive thinking for everyone else, but the watcher felt his own loss and despair and it was finally taking its toll.

"I'm sorry, Giles," whispered Willow as she took a step toward him with sympathetic eyes.

"What?"

"We never asked how you're doing with Libby and you were the one taking care of her."

Giles put his glasses back on as well as a struggling grin. "Quite all right. I'll keep searching until it's time for the party.

"You're a great man of our time." Xander replied in earnest.

"Maybe we should focus on both? Buffy's party and Libby's presents. Plus, Angel's at least coming so she'll be able to protect him and have cake." Willow thought with renewed excitement.

"Precisely." Giles said simply before retiring to his office, letting to two old friends have the rest of their day.

The sun dipped below the horizon and the world went dark again. Libby's eyes peered through the blackness, but not even the streetlights helped her truly see her surroundings. She carefully and slowly placed every step so her feet would not plummet and twist into the cavernous abyss below her. The concrete cracked and split apart as far as she could see and underneath was a raging fire climbing to reach the top. Growls and screams rumbled beneath her feet so faintly that Libby could hear nothing else. Trying to understand the flames and voices swirled together consumed her mind.

"You don't look so good, love." A purring song swept over her ears. "I must say, Drusilla chose the perfect spell for you."

Libby slightly turned her head and saw Spike roll out of the shadows. The right side of his face was badly burned and his body appeared to be weak, but the fury in his eyes was nothing short of vengeful.

"It's a nifty little spell, ya know. My Dru, she has the most wicked ideas. She decided to use your own mind against you. Make your fears manifest, twist the knowledge that you have, even create your own worst delusions and all to make you go absolutely insane," Spike maniacally laughed. "Tell me, love, how are the visions going? Gruesome and terrifying, I hope?"

"You have brought me to that moment when words run dry…to that moment when speech disappears into silence, silence…" Libby sang out into the air, not directly looking at Spike. It soothed her. Singing. Somehow, it made her mind think a little more clearly…just enough to the point of semi-function in physical and emotional matters.

"What's that, pet?" Spike snarled as he circled her. "Are you that far gone?"

Libby clasped her hands to her head and rigidly shook herself in desperation to know for sure what was real and what wasn't.

"Spike?" She trembled.

"Protector." Spike growled menacingly.

Libby lowered her hands and screamed, crashing backward into the fiery crack in the earth. She tumbled away, but Spike followed. He was on all fours, stalking her with his steel claws and vicious fangs. Every move he made caused the sound of metal clanging on metal. His face was more deformed than it should be as he glared down at her and the taunting words vibrated around her and though she couldn't hear him over the threatening clanging, Libby's heart pounded in horror.

Suddenly, Spike's strength came in full force when he grabbed her and pinned her on top of him. She struggled with all her might, but the hold on her was overpowering. Then his teeth ripped into the nape of her neck and the groan of pleasure from Spike's throat made Libby scream. In pure, unquestionable fear, the protector telekinetically freed herself and hurled Spike out of the wheelchair and he hung over the cliff.

"Protector!" Spike bellowed as Libby ran away as fast as she could. "I will bathe in your blood and mount your head on the wall!"

The young girl cried and panted as she ran further into the darkness, leaving Spike and the cavern full of flames and growls behind her. She was about to collapse. There was no way she could keep going. Her bones ached and grinded against one another and the rest of her body was far from nourished. Libby could feel her mind deteriorating. It was like being trapped in a dark room with only a door and Libby knew that if she could get to the door she could escape and everything would be all right, but for the life of her she had no idea how to get over there…and even if by some miracle she did, Libby still had no idea how to open it.

Giving up, giving in, the protector fell to the rock hard ground and went limp with misery. Her body shook and her mind raced with incoherency.

"Angel…" Libby croaked out in despair. "Angel…"

"Libby!" Angel shouted at the moment he saw her.

Hope and panic struck his heart at the same time when he saw his dear friend, Buffy's protector, lying there helpless and alone. He dashed over and swooped down to look her over. It was one of the worst things he'd ever seen and he had seen (and caused) a lot.

"Libby, I'm here. Can you hear me? Libby?"

Her faded, hollow eyes fluttered open at the sound of his voice, but when he gently cradled her in his arms, Libby's eyes deepened into an unnerving, focused kind of madness.

"Man is not one, but two, he is evil and good, and he walks the fine line we'd all cross if we could…"

"Libby? It's Angel." He tried not to get too emotional, but the fear she had gazing up at him, ripped apart his soul. "You're safe now. I don't know what's happening to you, but I promise I'll save you."

Her eyes softened and glazed over a little, but she never stopped looking at him. "Angel?"

"Yes, Libby, it's me," Angel smiled, but it soon disappeared at her wandering and dreading eyes staring up into the night. "What? What is it?"

"The sky's bleeding."

Libby blinked rapidly as she held out one of her hands to watch the perfectly bulbous drops of blood splatter on her fragile fingers.

Angel gently and sweetly carried her into his arms and held her securely to his chest and replied, "Don't worry, it'll stop soon."

Buffy stared at the old and oddly shaped box. Why Spike's men were trying to steal this was a mystery, but Buffy was honestly not as curious as she should be. The only thing on her mind was that both Angel and Libby were nowhere to be seen. The slayer thought that Angel would be there for her surprise party and the fact that he wasn't put her on edge.

"Help!" Angel shouted from the doorway as he carried Libby in his arms.

Buffy sharply turned her head to see her protector thrashing and screaming in Angel's arms. She looked just like she did in her dream and Buffy was speechless. This image had nothing on her mother identically dropping the broken plate. Giles lost all strength when he saw his ward in such a threatening condition. Willow forgot how to breath she was so shocked while Xander went numb and dumb.

"It's seeping through! The weight of it! No one can contain it!" Libby screamed as Angel held her closer to comfort and restrain her.

"Libby?" Buffy cried as she ran over with the rest of them following. "I'm here. It's Buffy. Angel, what's wrong with her?"

"I think she's under a curse of some kind."

"Drusilla," Buffy growled. "I'm gonna kill her."

"What can we do?" Willow whimpered as she tried to smooth out Libby's hair.

"NO!" Libby shrieked when she looked at Willow. "Get away! Not time yet!" Willow stepped backwards with tears dripping past her eyelashes, but Libby saw pitch-black hair and purple veins with the bulging black-sparked eyes. "Dark! The darkness writhes inside!"

"Back up, Willow," Angel calmly ordered. "She's hallucinating and you're the center of it."

"Why me?" Will asked in confusion and false guilt.

"I have no idea."

"Do you have any suspicions as to what kind of curse that has been placed on her?" Giles questioned as he dispersed the crowd of friends.

"Knowing Drusilla, probably something personal. Twisting the mind with someone's worst fears, maybe?" Angel answered, placing a wriggling Libby on the floor where she settled down.

Buffy bent down and took her sister into her arms. She sweetly held Libby in front of her and brushed some curly hair from her protector's pale, exhausted face. Libby began to breathe somewhat smoother, but she was still incredibly lost and discombobulated.

"You're gonna be okay," Buffy promised. "You're gonna survive this. I'll make sure of it, all right?" She started to cry and hugged her sister close. "God, I'm so sorry, Libby. I'm so sorry."

"No touching." Libby whispered.

Buffy immediately let go and stared at her protector. "Why?"

"Death follows."

"Libby –"

"It's in you! All the time!" Libby yelled in Buffy's face. "It fuels you! No, no, no, no, no, no, no! Please stop!" Blood began pouring out of Buffy's tear ducks and nose and ears and mouth as fluidly as water. "Stop it! Hurts! HURTS!"

Angel caringly grabbed Buffy's shoulders and moved her away from Libby, who was now ripping at her hair and banging herself against the stage. Giles was about to go to her when Cordelia beat him to it. She marched right over and knelt down with actual sympathy on her face.

"Libby, you know it's not real. We're all here for you, but you need to stop screaming." The protector stopped instantly and stared at Cordelia. "There ya go. Now, tell us how to help you because that's all we want to do."

"Not here. Not staying," Libby muttered, but then she burst out, "Not your home! Leave her! More like me…doomed!"

"I'm not getting any of this." Cordelia frowned, feeling upset and strangely insulted. "Can someone translate crazy to English?"

"Don't! Please! The pain! No! Stop this! NO, PLEASE!" Libby screeched as Cordelia suddenly arched back in an ear-splitting scream and flew backwards into a large beam holding up the balcony. Libby cried out when she saw Cordy gasping on the floor like a dying fish, but really Cordelia was just stepping back to stand by a comatose Xander.

"She seems to be having specific hallucinations for each of us." Giles gravely observed. "She's seeing something in us and it's distorting into living nightmares."

"Do know the spell then?" Buffy demanded.

"Possibly, but I'll need my books."

"NO! Not Giles, you bitch!" Libby roared when she saw Jenny brutally stab Giles in the back and twist the knife with an evil grin. "I'll kill you if you hurt him!"

"I would never hurt him." Jenny tried, but was cut down.

"LIAR! Nothing about you is true! You're not real! STOP! YOU'RE KILLING HIM!"

"Jenny, please leave her sight!" Giles commanded in a voice that was louder and more resolute than any of them have heard before. "Her veins are protruding and I can see them throbbing at a great velocity. You are seemingly making her worse and she's already in a life threatening situation."

Jenny nodded and quickly hid in the shadows, but Libby still saw Giles suffering from his fatal wounds and couldn't stop squawking. Of course, it got a lot worse when she caught sight of Oz in his werewolf form.

Oz crouched and snarled, drool overlapping his teeth and his harry claws pierced the air as they scraped across the floor. This sent Libby into a hysterical frenzy and Willow had to embrace him just to hush Libby. Thankfully, seeing this helped transform Oz back into at least part human, but she was still anxious.

"How are we supposed to help her if she won't chill out?" Cordelia asked, growing very worried.

"She's hallucinated with all of us and who knows what she's hallucinating in general right now." Angel said. Libby saw demon eyes lurking in every shadowy corner as the roof began to crack and blood trickled through faster and faster.

"She hasn't with me," Xander suddenly found his voice. "She hasn't had any hallucinations about me and I know she knows I'm here. She's looked right at me."

"Good, all right, just approach her slowly and with care, Xander." Giles said.

Xander nodded and walked towards her. Libby didn't notice right away, but when she did her eyes remained very focused on him. "Hey, Libbs. It's Xander. Remember me?" Libby didn't answer, but she didn't move away either. "You're gonna be fine, but you have to trust me, okay?"

"Xander…" Libby whispered.

He lit up with a smile and replied, "Yeah?"

"I hurt."

"I know, come here."

Libby crawled into his arms and he felt her entire body relax and go limp. Xander held her in his lap and stroked her hair, not knowing what else to do. She clung to his sleeve and buried her face in his chest, but the noises and blood never ceased.

"Dear lord," Giles sighed. "Xander causes her peace instead of distress. I believe we can finally start making progress in saving her."

"What do we do?" Willow asked.

"We get her to the library and do whatever we have to." Buffy answered.

"Uh, guys?" Angel asked from behind them. "What's this?"

"Buffy fought some vampires outside before coming in. This is what they left behind." Jenny answered, easing her way back to the group.

"Do you know what it is?" Buffy asked.

"No idea."

"Surprise." Libby hummed. "17."

"Yeah, it's my birthday." Buffy smiled as she bent down and caught Libby's eye. "Don't worry, we'll have one for you too."

"Don't let it burn." Libby said as seriously as she could, but her voice shook.

"The cake?" Cordelia guessed as she looked at the unlit candles.

Libby softly smiled as she looked over and sweetly sang, "We could light the candle…" Then she looked up at Xander and finished, "Oh won't you light the candle?"

"Did she just sing?" Oz asked.

"I think so." Cordy frowned, a little amused.

"She's good."

"Why is she singing?" Willow asked.

"Who cares?" Buffy wailed. "Please, let's just get her out of here so we can save her!"

"But what about the box?" Jenny asked.

"Ugh!" Buffy groaned as she stomped over and opened it in a huff…to reveal an ugly looking arm. "What the –"

The arm suddenly lunged out and gripped Buffy by the throat and squeezed as hard as it could. Buffy coughed and Angel helped pull it off of her, but Libby went nuts and started screaming as she could see the Judge in his true form. Libby stopped the moment Angel locked it back up, but Buffy fell to the stage and gasped for air.

"Well clearly the Hellmouth's answer to "What do you get the slayer who has everything,"" Xander said to lighten the room and ease Libby, which it did.

"Good heavens. Buffy, are you all right?" Giles asked, now truly completely taken aback.

"Man, that thing had major grip."

"What was that?" Willow unsteadily inquired.

"It looked like an arm." Oz answered.

"It can't be. She wouldn't." Angel said to himself.

"What, a vamp's version of snakes in a can, or do you care to share? It's not like we don't have more important things to take care of here!" Xander snapped as he hugged a moaning and struggling Libby.

"He's right, Angel. What is it?" Buffy said.

"It's a legend, way before my time. Of a demon brought forth to rid the Earth of the plague of humanity. To separate the righteous from the wicked, and to burn the righteous down. They called him the Judge." Angel answered.

"The Judge? This is he?" Giles inquired, his fear peaked.

"Not all of him." Angel responded.

"I'm still needing backstory here." Buffy demanded, growing extremely impatient.

"Um, he…he couldn't be killed, yes?" Giles looked to Angel, who gave confirmation. "An army was sent against him. Most of them died. But finally there were able to dismember him, but not kill him."

"The pieces were scattered, buried in every corner of the Earth." Angel added as he went to sit next to Buffy.

"So all these parts are being brought here?" Jenny asked.

"By Drusilla. The vamps outside were Spike's men. Argh, she is so dead!" Buffy groaned.

"She's just crazy enough to do it." Angel agreed.

"Do what? Reassemble the Judge?" Willow asked.

"Bring forth Armageddon." Angel concluded.

"No use!" Libby screamed and made everyone nearly jump out of their skin. "No protection! Not now! I CAN'T TAKE IT!"

Xander rocked her back and forth and kissed her forehead. Everyone held their breath and tried to think of what to do with what was laid out in front of them.

"We need to get this out of town while we bring Libby to the library." Giles suggested.

"Angel." Jenny decided.

"What?" Buffy snapped.

"You have to do it. You're the only one that can protect this thing." Ms. Calendar pushed.

"What about me?"

"What? You're just gonna skip town for a few months?"

"Months?"

"She's right. I gotta get this to the remotest region possible." Angel agreed.

"But that's not months." Buffy challenged.

"I can catch a cargo ship to Asia and maybe trek to Nepal…"

"You know, those new flying machines are really much safer than they used to be."

"I can't fly. There's no sure way to guard against the daylight." Angel reminded her in sorrow. "I don't like this any more than you do, Buffy. But there's no other choice."

"When?"

"Tonight." Angel whispered. "As soon as possible."

Buffy gasped. "But it's my birthday."

Slinking her way between them, Jenny offered, "I'll drive you to the docks."

"We'll smoke you out! No place with us!" Libby yelled at Jenny.

"We need to get her out of here." Xander said and he picked her up.

"Agreed. Let's go." Giles replied as he and the rest of the gang moved out.

"You lost it." Drusilla scolded the brainy vampire. "You lost my present."

"I know. I'm sorry." He whimpered.

"It's a bad turn, man. She can't have her fun without the box." Spike grumbled. "That fun is all we have now that I lost the bleeding protector despite the fact that she should have been a pathetic, weepy little ball of insanity!"

"I'm sorry it didn't work, but the slayer…she came out of nowhere. I didn't even see her. She –" he defended, but Drusilla's finger on his lips stopped him.

Dru swiped his glass off his face and tossed them on the ground where she crushed them under her heels. "Make a wish."

"What?"

Drusilla held his face steady and clawed two fingers in front of his eyes with a deadly stare. "I'm going to blow out the candles."

"You might give him a chance to find your lost treasure." Spike proposed in an aggravated huff with his own situation. "He is a wanker, but he's the only one we've got with half a brain. If he fails, you can eat his eyes out of their sockets for all I care."

"I'll get it. Please. I swear."

Toying with him, sucking energy out of his fear, Drusilla smiled before recoiling her fingers. She bent down to pick up his glasses and indifferently put them back on his nose.

"Okay." Dru patted his head like the dog she viewed him as. "Hurry back then."

Buffy walked along the docks with Angel, arm hooked in his as he kissed the top of her head. Part of her wanted to stay with Libby, but she knew her sister was in the best hands and she had to see her boyfriend off.

"I should go the rest of the way alone." Angel said once they reached the ship.

"Okay." Buffy said as she felt the lump in her throat get bigger.

"But I'll be back. I will." Angel promised.

"When? Six months? A year?" Buffy began to cry. "You don't know how long it's gonna take, or…if we'll even…"

"Hey…" Angel cupped her chin with his finger and gazed deep into her eyes. "If we'll even what?"

"Well, if you haven't noticed someone pretty much always wants us dead and Libby might actually…"

"Don't say that. We'll be fine. And so will Libby."

"We don't know that." Buffy countered, eyes getting wetter.

"We can't know, Buffy. Nobody can. Not even Libby. That's just the deal."

"Libby would know. I know she would…if she –" Buffy's voice broke and she had to look down since the pain of what's happened to her sister overtook her emotions.

"I have somethin' for you. For your birthday." Angel softly said to try and make her smile. "I was gonna give it to you earlier, but…"

Buffy looked into his hands saw a beautiful and special sterling silver ring. Smiling she said, "It's beautiful."

"My people, before I was changed, they exchanged this as a sign of devotion." Angel kindly explained. "It's a Claddagh ring. The hands represent friendship, the crown represents loyalty. And the heart…well, you know." Buffy looked up at him with new tears and smiled. "Wear it with the heart pointing towards you. It means you belong to somebody." Angel lifted his hand to reveal his own matching ring. "Like this."

Buffy leaned in and kissed his ring. Angel closed his eyes at her touch and rested his head against hers in longing. The last thing he wanted to do was leave her, but he needed to protect her.

"Put it on."

Angel placed on the same finger on Buffy's hand, but kept his there to caress her. Buffy held his hands back and wished with all her might that he would stay with her.

"I don't wanna do this." Buffy sighed in dread.

"Me either."

"So don't go." She begged.

Instead of answering her in words, Angel dipped low and kissed Buffy deeply. He held her so close that she molded into his body and Buffy clung to him with all the longing and love that she felt. She never wanted to let go, but when Angel parted their lips she found his eyes.

"Buffy?" Angel nearly cried. "I…"

Moment ruined. Buffy could kill that vamp from jumping out at them. He pulled her away from Angel and threw her on the ground. However, she was back on her feet in no time with a lot of rage directed solely at him. She hit him as hard as she could over and over and over again in the gut. Angel went for the other vampire who tried to take the box back, but Angel was able to keep him away. Unfortunately, that pesky vampire with the glasses snuck up on them and ran off with the boxed arm.

"Angel! The box!"

Angel tackled the other vampire while Buffy fought off the same one, but the third vamp ran up from behind Angel and grabbed the box himself. Angel was prepared to go after him, but Buffy was thrown over and splashed into the ocean.

"Buffy!"

Angel leapt over the side and dove into the water, but there was no Buffy to be seen.

"No! NO! Not there!" Libby screamed as she tried to escape Giles' and Xander's caring, but firm hold on her. "Please! Sharp! Chomping!"

"What happened? She was doing so well in the car." Willow said as she held the library doors open.

"I don't know, but everything we need is in there so we have to press on!" Giles ordered as he swung her feet into the entrance of the library and walked backwards.

Libby wailed and thrashed, but it was no use. She was in the library and the jaws were snapping, waiting for her. The table splintered, snapped and tumbled into the mouth as it roared. Flames were on its breath and the teeth were harder and sharper than the carving of the sturdiest stone. Its skin was rough and dark and the flesh inside the mouth was raw and bleeding. Libby was petrified. The huge, open mouth chomped for her and rumbled her name. The Hellmouth was hungry for the protector.

"Where should we put her?" Xander asked as Giles rested her feet on the ground.

Libby whirled around behind Xander and gripped him close so that he couldn't move or detach from her.

"Not by the desk…" Willow replied warily. "She seems to be really afraid of something over there."

"How about behind the counter?" Giles suggested.

Libby made a run for it. She stumbled up the stairs and made her way to one of the isles of books in the back. Even though she was screaming incoherently as she went, Xander followed her.

"Don't worry. They'll find an answer and you'll be all better." He soothed as he sat beside her.

"No Zeppo." Libby muttered as she coiled herself around half of his body. "Never a Zeppo."

"Uh…thanks?"

It had been a couple hours and Giles and Willow were still coming up empty. There was no spell that matched Libby's symptoms and therefore no reversal to save her. And at the rate she was deteriorating, they needed to find something soon.

"What happened?" Giles asked when Buffy returned.

"Dru's guys ambushed us. They got the box."

"Where's Jenny?"

"Uh, she took Angel to get clothing. I had some here."

"And we needed clothes because…?" Xander called out from behind the bookcase.

"We…got wet." Buffy answered confused. "Where are they?"

"Libby got freaked out by something here at the desk so she ran for the back. Xander's keeping her calm while we're researching." Willow responded with more confidence since Libby's hallucinations of her lessened.

"Giles, what do we know?"

"Unfortunately, I haven't discovered anything to help Libby just yet, but the more I study the Judge the less I like him." Giles replied as he removed his glasses and rose from his seat to pace and stretch. "His touch can literally burn the humanity out of you. A true creature of evil can survive the process. No human ever has."

"Okay, that's bad. Can this guy be stopped? Without an army?" Buffy asked.

"Um…"No weapon forged can kill him." Not very encouraging." Giles answered. "If we could only stop them from assembling him…"

"We need to figure out where they'd be keeping him," Buffy said with revived purpose. "But we need to focus on Libby. Willow research anything that has to do with spells that mess with the mind and check the reversal spells. Xander!"

"Yeah?"

"Grab a book or two from Giles and do the same thing! When Angel gets here, he can help research the Judge. Giles, you and me are gonna do both with Libby as the priority."

"Better do a round robin." Willow announced. "I'll go first, then I'll bring the phone to Xander."

"Good call." Buffy agreed.

"Round robin?" Giles asked.

"It's when everybody calls everybody else's mom and tells them they're staying at everyone's house." Willow explained.

"Thus freeing us up for world saveage." Buffy added.

"And all-night keggers." Willow giggled as she picked up the phone. And at the looks of disapproval she said, "What, only Xander gets to make dumb jokes?"

Hours passed and Libby only got worse. It was torture seeing the Hellmouth rip apart her friends over and over. The ceiling continued to drip blood and every time Angel came near her, she saw his demon face right before he tore her throat out. Willow kept shocking the library with bolts of black and purple lightening and Buffy could never stop the bleeding. Still, Xander never left her side and told her every joke he knew even though nothing could make her laugh.

The pain was getting unendurable. Libby couldn't move without moaning and the horrible bruises covered 85% of her body. She was losing water weight too since she couldn't hold anything down for more than a few minutes. There was hardly anything left in her mind but the gnawing perplexity and that alone made her want her head to explode just to release the suffering.

"Libby? You still with me?" Xander nervously prodded.

"But there are dreams that cannot be and there are storms we cannot weather…"

"Shhh…" Xander tried to compose himself. "Yes, we can. We'll get through this. You'll be fine, Libby. Please…"

"Life has killed the dream I dreamed…"

"Guys! We need to hurry!" Xander desperately called out.

"We are. Promise." Angel assured before he descended the stairs with a new book.

"Angel? Any luck?" Giles asked, but then saw Buffy sleeping through the window of his office and hushed him instead of pressing for an answer.

"It seems Buffy needed some rest."

"Yeah, she hasn't been sleeping well. Tossing and turning." Angel shared, but at the shocked stares of everyone he added, "She told me. 'Cause of her dreams."

"Found it!" Willow cried out and she slammed her finger on the pivotal page. "The curse Drusilla used on Libby! This is exactly what's happening to her."

"Is there a reversal spell?" Giles inquired as he urgently peered over the counter.

"Yes! It's all right here! It's quite simple, really. A few herbs and a chant."

"All right, let's get started." Giles declared as he took the book from Willow.

"Angel!" Buffy suddenly called out from another nightmare, but Angel rushed to her side.

"Buffy, it's okay. I'm here. I'm right here." They embraced as Buffy tried to come out of the dream, but Angel did that for her. "Willow found the cure to save Libby."

"What?" Buffy's eyes brightened and she wasted no time in running out of the room and up the tiny staircase. She skidded down to her knees and looked Libby directly in the eyes. "We found it. We can save you, Libby."

"Thank God." Xander sighed.

"Bring her down?" Buffy asked.

"Yeah."

Buffy kissed a quivering Libby on the forehead and then fled back downstairs to prepare for the Judge. It didn't take long before Giles started asking questions.

"Buffy, what's happening?"

"She had another dream." Angel answered.

"I think I know where Spike and Drusilla are."

"That's very good. However, you do need a plan and since we're about to save Libby, I deduced that you'd want to be present."

"I have a plan." Buffy retorted. "Angel and I go to the factory and do recon, figure out how far they've got in assembling the Judge. You guys do the reversal spell and save Libby and then check any places the boxes could be coming into town – shipping yards, airports, anything. We need to stop them from getting all the boxes in one place, but you save Libby first."

"Yes…yes, well, actually that's quite a good plan." Giles replied a bit sheepishly.

"This thing is nasty and it's real, Giles. We can't wait for it to come get us. And I will not let Drusilla and Spike get away with what they've done to Libby."

"Buffy!" Libby bawled as she clung to Xander, who did his best not to trip coming down the stairs.

The blonde ran over and helped move Libby away from the Hellmouth, but the brunette grasped onto Buffy as hard as she could. The look in her eyes was wild and desperate and it scared the slayer.

"S-S-Sta-y." Libby quailed, tugging at Buffy's shirt in need for understanding.

"I need to go to protect you and everyone else." Buffy gulped back tears.

"No, too soon too late to go."

"I'll see you when I get back and you'll be all better."

Libby reached out, but she and Angel were already out the door. She slid down to the floor and tried to crawl, but the throbbing rolled her over and kept her still. Everyone began to get the spell ready, but Libby just glanced at the swinging doors.

Buffy and Angel snuck into the factory and stalked very quietly on top of the balcony railing. Around and below them were candles and flowers, but the people gathered around the long, metal table on the first floor.

"I saw this. The party." Buffy whispered.

Then walked in big blue. And he was just that; very large, a pure blue, lots of horns protruding from his head, and invincible armor covering his body. The Judge really lived up to his rep.

"What? What is it?" Spike asked as he looked up at his pet's present.

The Judge sniffed and soon his nose brought him up to see Buffy and Angel on the balcony.

"We gotta get outta here." Angel said.

They turned to run, but vampires quickly surrounded them, leaving no gap in which they could escape.

"Well, well. Look what we have here." Spike taunted as his minions brought the two down to him. "Crashers."

"I'm sure our invitations just got lost in the mail." Buffy quipped back.

"It's delicious." Drusilla playfully growled as she licked her finger. "I only dreamed you'd come. How's sissy? I did hope she would make it."

"Shut up! Don't you dare talk about Libby!" Buffy furiously yelled.

"Oh? Would you like to die first so you won't have to bear her death on your good little heart?" Dru snarled.

"Leave her alone!" Angel defended and fought against his captors.

"Yeah, that'll work. Now say, "pretty please,"" Spike sarcastically replied before taking a swig of wine.

"The girl?" The Judge senses tingled.

"Chilling, isn't it?" Dru confessed. "She's so full of good intention."

Angel threw himself in front of the Judge and exclaimed, "Take me."

"NO!"

"Take me instead of her."

Spike rolled his eyes and raised his hand saying, "Er, you're not clear on the concept, pal. There is no "instead." Just first and second."

"And if you go first, then you don't get to watch the slayer die." Drusilla purred.

Angel was yanked back and Buffy brought forward. The Judge outstretched his hand, ready to burn her into embers of nothingness, but Buffy had other ideas. She hurled herself up to kick him back as hard as she could but not in time to hear Angel's warning.

"Don't touch him!"

A powerful and white hot current bolted through her body, but it was worth it to see the Judge stumble back and Angel send the TVs crashing down on him. Big Blue was taken out, giving Buffy the opportunity to escape her captors. She ran into Angel's arms and they slipped into the hole in the floor that led to the sewers.

"Go!" Drusilla ordered their lackeys, but it was too late.

Buffy and Angel were able climb out of a manhole cover and into the pouring night ran.

"Come on! We need to get inside!" Angel said and grabbed Buffy's hand.

"All right, Libby. It's time." Giles cooed and offered her his hand. "Everything's ready, you just need to sit and stay still in the circle."

Libby looked over and saw the Hellmouth trying to swallow her hole…and that's where the circle was. She violently shook her head and keeled over, but dying wasn't an option. Xander came over and lifted her into his arms and Willow held her hand.

"It'll be over soon, I promise." Willow cried.

"Hungry…hungry mouth. Death wants me."

"It can't have you." Xander stated as he held her face in his hands. "We want you to live, Libby. We need you."

"Be brave, sweetheart." Giles said as Xander stepped out of the circle. "I have faith in you."

Libby drooped her head against her knees and wrapped herself into a ball. She heard them say things and she smelled herbs mixing together in smoke, but all she felt was the moist, hot breath of Hell yearning for her. Dust rubbed against her throat like sandpaper. Blood drip dropped, drip dropped from above and it stained her hair. And Buffy wasn't there.

The protector shot her head up and twitched in the circle. She saw fear on her friends' faces and knew she couldn't leave…but she couldn't leave. The circle was in flames and closing in around her. Demons started to crawl out of Hell's mouth and ruthlessly eat her loved ones. Libby howled and shrieked with all her might as tears poured out of her eyes.

Suddenly, her heart stopped. And everything went black.

Libby's body slumped to the floor and everyone ran over to her. Willow carefully turned her over and rested Libby's head on her lap. Giles checked her over for damage, but her body was completely healed. Xander held tightly onto her hand and prayed that she'd wake up.

"Libby?" Giles softly urged. "Libby? Can you hear me?"

"Giles?" Libby whimpered as she opened her eyes.

It was gone. It was all gone. No more pain, no more hallucinations, no more confusion. She was fine. They saved her. Libby instantly burst into tears and reached out for her watcher. Giles embraced her in relief as the others held onto her too.

"I'm sorry," Libby wept in their arms. "I'm so sorry."

"Oh will you get over that! We have." Xander goofed in honesty and selfishly pulled her away to hug her himself.

"I'm so glad you're okay," Willow cried in joy and joined in the hug.

"I love ya'll so much…" Libby sniffed as she went for another fatherly hug from Giles.

"We love you, Libby." He replied and kissed her forehead.

"Buffy's gonna be so relieved that you're all right." Xander said.

"Buffy," Libby whispered as she remained tucked in the watcher's arms. "Where is she?"

"She and Angel went to do some recon on the Judge." Willow replied.

"No…no, no. Not good," Libby mumbled as she failed to get to her feet.

"What's wrong?" Giles demanded, leading her to rest in a chair.

"I was gonna call, but then this…I need to go. Now."

Giles placed a firm hand on her shoulder and ordered, "You're not going anywhere, except home. You need to rest. Xander, Willow? Help her outside while I bring my car to the front."

Xander helped Libby up by securing an arm around her waist while Willow draped Libby's arm over her shoulders. "Guys, I need to go help Buffy."

"No, Giles is right," Willow said. "You need to rest and regain your strength. You can barely walk."

"Call her when you get home," offered Xander. "And remember what ever happens, it's not gonna be your fault."

Libby sighed as she heard Giles park his car by the entrance of the school. Easy for you to say.

Angel and Buffy walked into his apartment drenched to the bone. Buffy tried to maintain some kind of composure, but she was freezing. Angel took off his coat and placed it on the back of a chair, but heard her shivering.

"You're shaking like a leaf."

"I'm cold." Buffy laughed, but not really.

"Let me get you somethin'." Angel offered and headed to his dresser.

"I need to call and find out about Libby."

"Once you're warm. Put these on."

"What if she's okay? What if she's not?"

"I'm sure she's fine, but you need to take care of yourself too. Get under the covers just to warm up." Angel ordered gently.

Buffy obeyed and went to sit on the bed, but when Angel followed her, she looked up at him expectantly. Feeling like an idiot, Angel turned around and apologized. Buffy took off her thin sweater, but the motion caused a pain on her back and she hissed.

"What?" Angel worriedly asked.

"Oh, um…it's okay. I just have a cut or something."

"Can I…" Angel began, but changed his tone. "Let me see."

Covering herself, Buffy whispered, "Okay."

Angel came over and sat close to her on the bed. Buffy turned her body so he could see it more easily and her heart skipped when he tenderly touched her back.

"It's already closed. You're fine." Angel marveled.

Buffy twisted her head and slowly eased herself against his body and he wrapped his arms around her at the sweet action.

"You almost went away today." Buffy whimpered.

"We both did."

"Angel…" Buffy sobbed. "I nearly lost Libby and I – I feel like I did lose you." Pausing and getting no response, she added, "You're right, though. We can't be sure of anything…"

"Shhhhh…" Angel hushed, not being able to bear the thought. "I…"

Buffy tried to find his head, but they were draped in shadow so she turned her body so she could face him. "You what?"

"I love you." Angel confessed. "I try not to, but I can't stop."

"Me – Me too. I can't either." Buffy cried in happiness.

The kiss was igniting. Every fiber in Buffy's body sang and Angel swore his heart started to beat. She wanted more, to feel him everywhere, to truly bask in the love they shared, but Angel was afraid of what might happen.

"Buffy, maybe we shouldn't…"

"Don't. Just kiss me."

And he did. And it was perfect.

Libby ran as fast as she could through the stinging rain to get to Angel's apartment. The protector's feet would just not move fast enough. If she knew Angel's damn phone number, but only Buffy did.

"Don't slow down." Libby scolded herself and pushed harder.

Her lungs were about ready to collapse, as were her legs, when she at last reached the back door. Libby was about to grab the handle when Angel crashed his was through and slammed her into the wall with the door. He fell into the trashcans in agony and had no idea that Libby stood there aghast, watching the tragedy take place.

"Buffy!" Angel screamed louder than the thunder and stronger than the lightening. "BUFFY!"

The protector's eyes shot open as her body bolted upright from her bed. It was too late.