Summary:  Buffy meets her worst frienemy…Who has a modest proposal…

Disclaimer:  I know nothing…Nothing…All of it was Joss Whedon’s idea…

Archived at the Buffy Rebecca verse’s Cicelyverse page,
www.buffyrebecca.com/Cicelypg.html

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Flap of wings…

Bats…?

Whoooo….Whooo…

Owls?

No, wait…That’s not Whoo…It’s…

“Helloooo…."

The wooziness clearing...

"Hello, Buffy….” the voice said… “Feeling better?...”

I know that voice, she thought…Trying to stir…Misty, dim…Must have
been drugged by that dart that struck me, she realized…Feeling the
stiffness in her arms and legs…

“I do hope you understand that I could very easily kill you…”

She frowned, trying to take it all in… “Like Hell…”

Well, she ruefully eyed the chains holding her to the wall of the
cavern?...Yeah, has that cavern smell…In which she’d woken to find
herself…

Maybe it would be a bit of a fight…Drugged and all…

“But I’m not here for that…” the voice continued…

She peered out, her vision seemed to be clearing a little…She could
make out a form approaching her…

“In fact I’m here to do you and someone else a service…”

“You are?...” Buffy frowned…Trying to make out the figure moving
toward her…

“Indeed I am…”

“And why would you want to do me a service…Dru?...” she asked the
vampiress…Drusilla now within five feet or
less of her, smiling…Dressed in rather surprisingly normal attire…A
rather attractive-looking suit, in fact…

“More for the other person, perhaps…” Dru smiled… “But as to why…
Perhaps…What with all the vampires getting souls back these days, I’ve
gotten mine back and want to make amends?...I smell human, don’t
I?...”

Sweet smile…

Buffy eyed her coolly…

“Right then, it was a glam to get safely into your new town , I’m
lying…” Dru grinned… “But my intentions are in fact quite honorable
and worthy at least of a souled vampire...”

“Sure…” Buffy nodded…Hard stare…

“You’re wise not to believe me straight out, Slayer…So…The question
before us is what do I really want and what would lead me to want to
help anyone?...Including you?...”

“Please make sure you give me the name of your therapist…” Buffy
replied coolly… “Whether you’re simply out to kill me or not…He or she
is a miracle worker…”

“Indeed…” Dru smiled… “But I must give the credit to all those self-
help books you people put about…”

“What do you want, Drusilla?...If you really are Dru?...Spike told me
the First took your form once with him…”
Buffy eyed her…

“Very flattering…She didn’t hurt him much, did she?...”

“I got him out in time…”

“And managed to hurt him far worse…”

“Oh….” Buffy nodded… “So that’s it…”

“Buffy…” Dru shook her head…  “While this is a suitable place for
revenge…What I want is what every mother wants, Miss Summers…For her
child to be happy…Darla…” she paused…

“…Poor Darla even accepted her child’s soul’s control to make her
human baby happy…”

“Touching…So my guts smeared across this cave will make Spike
happy…?...That’s your notion?...”

“Miss Summers…If I…Or William…Wanted you dead…”

“A few of you have tried…Including Spike…What?...His demon call you
from Hell and ask for my head on a platter?...”

“And Warren Mears and several others but for those who loved you would
have succeeded in that long ago…” Dru continued… “You’re a bit too
full of yourself, Buffy…Not all your triumphs were sole ones by a long
shot, girl…And there have been better Slayers than you, dear…Though
few ever so lucky as to be loved as you have been…”

“What are you up to Dru?...Possession?...Get Spike back through taking
me?...Or just holding me to get Spike to come and then kill us both…?”

“So you do know…” arch look…

“Know…What?...”

Dru eyed her silently…

“Did he put you up to this?...”

“Buffy…” frown… “He loves you…And has a human soul again…Do you have
as little faith in him as you had in Angelus?...Angel…” she corrected…

“He didn’t come…” Buffy said…Blinking a little… “Why didn’t he
come?...When Giles told me, after we found out about the Black Thorn…”

“He thought you knew…Your friend Andrew knew…And told him you knew…”

“Andy?...Told him…?”

“He came to Rome to save you from the Immortal, with Angel…Andrew told
him you’d moved on…”

“The Immortal?...” Buffy stared… “That was some idea of Giles to keep
the Partners off my back if Angel had sold us out…It wasn’t me…”

“I know…” Dru nodded… “I’d been watching you…Or rather, her…For some
time …I knew the Slayer playing you wasn’t you…That was when I went
searching for you…Buffy?...”

“Sorry I wasn’t available to do lunch…What?...”

“Why did you accept Mr. Giles’ plan?...You didn’t believe Angel would
simply turn on you?...”

“He’s done it before…”

“As Angelus…Not Angel…Why?...”

“He took the job…He went over to the Partners…God knows what he was up
to…He gave William that amulet…”

“Did he?...”

“Well…He brought it…He must have known Will would take it…”

“And that you would let him…?”

“I didn’t ask him to …” Buffy frowned… “It’s not my fault…” sharply…

“He got a soul for you…He died for you…” Dru noted quietly…

“He could have come…I…” Buffy paused…

“Would have been very glad to see him?...” Dru asked…

“How did you find me?...And how did you…”

“Take you down?...” Dru suggested, politely…

“That remains to be seen…”

“There are a lot of Slayers these days, Buffy…Including some very
independent ones…Your organization, fine as it
is, can’t monitor them 24/7…”

“It will from now on…” Buffy replied, grimly… “So you what?…Turned a
Slayer?...”

“Not at all…She’s fine and quite free of any memory of meeting with me…
I knew you’d be unhappy if I’d turned or simply killed her…As would
William were he ever to learn of it…” Dru, calmly… “But she did know
where to look
for you and how…”

“That explains the how…As to why?...”

“I’ve told you that as well…A mother wants her child to be happy…
William is in part at least my child…And now I’ve reached a, shall we
say…New plateau in our relationship?…I want my child happy…”

“Turning me won’t do that, Dru…”

“No…Sadly…” Dru nodded… “I would be pleased to know he had an Immortal
companion…But if we consider the immortality of the soul…”

She gave a wan smile to Buffy’s stare… “I was of a religious bent in
my human days, Miss Summers…And it’s rather sad that you of all people
should stereotype me as incapable of advanced thought…”

“So it’s possession?...”

“Miss Summers…” Dru sighed… “I’ve no particular desire to go mortal…
Not to mention that a living human body will shortly reject a demon
spirit…With rather appalling consequences…”

“What then….?  Your soul?...You’re going to pump your soul into
me?...”

“Interesting idea, Buffy…” Dru nodded... “Unfortunately my soul would
have other ideas than seeking out William…”

“I thought you loved him…”

“My soul and he have never been properly introduced, Buffy…Though they
have met…But she would have, as I say, other ideas…And as for me…
Well…” shrug…

“As I also say, I’ve reached a new plateau in our relationship…Though
I still am capable of wishing to perform a mother’s service of love…”

“You can’t spell me into loving him, Dru…”

Wry smile… “I thought you loved him…You said you did…”

Buffy staring at the pleasantly calm face before her…

“What is it you want, Dru?...”

“How’s your financial situation these days, Miss Summers?...”

“What?...”

“I know Slayers don’t exactly rake in wealth…Though they could if they
would…And your Council while wealthy and powerful in the collective,
is rather parsimonious towards its individual members…And you haven’t
finished college…”

“I make out ok…”

“Dawn must be nearly ready to start college…”

“If you take a step her way…”

“I mean no harm, Buffy…I’m simply stating what I think is true…Your
life as a Slayer has limited your economic opportunities…Dawn will be
ready for college soon…You’d love to try and go back and finish…And
it’s long overdue that you were properly rewarded for all your efforts…
Which, after all, have benefitted me as well as Humanity…Given I, like
Spike, like this world…And have no great desire to see it ended…”

“I take back what I said about your therapist…Or those books…”

“Let me speak plainly then, Miss Summers…Do you care for my William?…
At all?...”

“Is that a threat?...”

“It’s a mother’s question…Mother-in-law’s of sorts, I should say…Do
you, Buffy?...”

“It’s none of your business…”

“Fine then…” Dru sighed… “I’ll have to speak to Harmony, then…Though
she is a poor second choice…And I will have to drag her to Africa to
get a soul…Those chains will release in ten minutes…The entrance is
just down that way…” she pointed…And turned…

Harmony?...

“Wait…” Buffy called…

“Yes?...” weary bu t pleasant, halted but not turning back…

“What is this about, Dru?...Are you going to hurt him?...”

Dru sighed again…Turning finally to face her prisoner…

“If you care…Why did you leave him?...Why have you not tried to have
Miss Rosenberg reach him, when you didn’t know…?”

“I couldn’t stay…They all needed me…And Wil and Giles said…”

“I imagine they had a lot to say…They always did if I remember them
rightly…Though they must have been pleased to find you at last willing
to mind them…” ironic tone…

“I let Angel go…”

“To Hell…” Dru nodded…

“That’s not what I meant…You asked why I let Giles convince me Angel
couldn’t be trusted…” Buffy eyed her captor… “He brought that damned
amulet…He knew Will would take it…”

“Yet even after you knew he was still…In existence…”

“He spent the whole year in LA…Didn’t come to me…I thought he’d
decided…”

Narrow look from Dru…

Miss Summers…

Buffy blinking at the hard, harsh stare…Finally hardening…

“This isn’t your business, Dru…And you’d be wise to let me go and
clear out…”

“You may recall I was about to when you recalled me…By the way, you’d
just let me go?...Drusilla, the mad fiend?...” Dru grinned…

“I can always go on a hunt for you when I’m up for it…” Buffy, coldly…

“William wouldn’t like for you to kill me…” Dru smiled… “And that’s
why you won’t…Just as I won’t kill you…
We’re practically family already, girl…”

“Don’t put too much faith in that theory…” Buffy frowned… “Get out
while I’m still chained up, Dru…I promise you, whether you let me go
or no, it won’t be much longer…”

“He’d rather find me and try to help me…Even if he has to stake me in
the end…” smile…

“Guess he’s just a loving mother’s boy…” Buffy, coldly… “Do him a
favor and take yourself out…Or let me…”

“If you care, why don’t you go and see him?...” Dru asked…

Buffy…Hard glare a moment, then…

“He’ll never believe me…” she said, closing eyes… “After Sunnydale…And
now, LA…Hell, I wouldn’t believe me…
Besides…”

“Yes?...”

“I’m not Immortal, Dru…I’ll die one day…What would he do?...”

“Stake himself, take you for a last sunrise…Something like that…”

Whoa…And she knows him better than…

“But there’s more…” Dru noted… “There is, isn’t there, Buffy?...”
expectantly…

“I left him…Like I left Angel…How can I put him through that
again?...One day something would happen and the
Slayer would kill him, no matter how much I…” Buffy paused… “How could
he bear that?...”

 “He wouldn’t care, Buffy…” Dru cocked her head… “But…?”

“How could I bear it?...” Buffy looked at her… “But I already did…And
one day it would come to that again…It will…”

“Then…Next time don’t make that choice…” Dru smiled…

“I’m the Slayer…I have to…”

“You’re one slayer now among many…And Slayers have been fools for love
in the past…Whether or not your Mr.
Giles has told you…Dear girl…The world won’t end because you take the
trouble to save your beloved…If he is your beloved…And if you’re
capable of that kind of love…”

What the hell is that supposed to…?

“That’s what you fear, isn’t it?...How can you compete with that kind
of love?...Spike the demon finds it possible to love you and give up
everything for you…William the human dies for you without any hope
that you’d ever return his love…And you…”

“I’ve risked my life and my soul a thousand times…I’ve died…”

“For Humanity…For your daughter…”

“Sister…”

“Please…I know Dawn’s true nature, Buffy…You didn’t save Angel…You
didn’t stay with William…You’re wondering if you’re even capable of
that kind of love…Wondering if you’ll fail him…”

“Nothing to wonder about…Is there?...”

“You’re still breathing…He’s still not breathing but up and about…
Though no thanks to you…”

“Thanks…”

“I am what I am, my girl…Buffy, I have a proposal to make…”

“What?...Let you turn me and hope he’ll go on a quest to save me?...”

“You know…I did consider that…” Dru smiled… “But your demon is likely
to be a bit too much for him…And would probably fight to stay with him
herself…Besides…” faint grin… “I want grandchildren…”

Stare…

“Lord knows if Angel can, my William can too…” she grinned wider…

“Of course if I want to ever see them, I’ll have to let you two drag
me to Africa or curse me…And I’ll have to share with Mrs. Walthrop…”
Sigh…

“Who?...”

Shake of head…Hand to head… “Buffy?...You never looked up William’s
last name?...”

“I…Was going to have Willow do that…For his tombstone…But Giles said…”

“Mr. Giles…If Mr. Giles tells you to jump off a cliff, would you do
that?...”

“All right…I didn’t want to know…” Buffy looked away from Dru’s stare…
“I had him standing there, staring at me, every day after Sunnydale…
Morning, noon , night…At my table, beside my chair…In my goddamn bed…
Never complaining, never asking for anything…But he wouldn’t go…
Knowing his name on top of…I couldn’t bear it…” she paused…

“Walthrop?...”

“William Soames…” Dru nodded…

“That’s beautiful…” Buffy beamed…

“Elisabeth Anne Walthrop…Not bad…” Dru eyed her…

“What?...” Buffy blinked…

“That’s what I propose Buffy…The task I set for you…Marry him, bear
his children, let him die in your arms…”

“What?...That’s not possible, Dru…”

“They do wonderful things with invitro fertilization even if the
magics fail for you…”

“Dru…”

“So…You care but not enough…”

“I didn’t say that…But I have responsibilities…Even if I were sure I
loved him that way…You can’t just step in and
arrange this sort of thing…”

“In my day that was the standard way a mother dealt with such a
situation when their silly children were
floundering about…Especially with humans…And all things considered it
generally worked at least as well as ‘lets fall in love and see if we
last’…What responsibilities?...”

“I’m the Slayer…There’s Dawn…Giles…My friends…”

“As I said…You’re one slayer among many…Mr. Giles?...Is he your father?
…Is he looking to marry you himself?...Your friends?...Do they expect
you to decide about whom they’ll love and marry?...And as for your
daughter…”

“Sister, please…I know what you mean but it warps my head…”

“Sister then…I can help you regards her…”

“The hell you will…” sharp jerk to chain…

“I mean…Financially, Buffy…And you too, for that matter…I happen to be
quite well situated these days…”

Long stare…What…?

“You’d pay me to marry William?...”

“Lets say…I’ll make it easier for two star-crossed lovers to fulfill
their desires…Come, I know you also hesitate for the economics as well…
William’s not really been exactly a financial success in his careers
as poet or deranged killer…And you haven’t a college degree or
training outside skills that would only suit the military…or the
Mafia…”

“It’s blood money…”

“So?...Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s family’s money came from opium,
George  Washington’s from Martha and her slaves, most of the English
aristocracy’s from piracy, murder, slaves...Mine’s long been well
invested by Wolfram-Hart in legitimate business activity…”

“Economics wouldn’t stop me…”

Long stare from Dru…

“Then…What has been holding you back?...He’s not cursed you know…The
soul is here to stay…Seize the day, girl…Your biological clock is
running apace…”

“Hey…”

“I don’t believe it was a lie at Sunnydale, Buffy…I wouldn’t risk my
Immortal existence if I did…I believe you cared and care…And if so, I
can’t understand why…”

“What if I don’t love him enough?...” Buffy said suddenly… “I mean, I
didn’t stay…I didn’t even look up his name…
He already won’t believe…And if I don’t…If I can’t…He’d know…I
couldn’t do that to him…Make him believe, let
him hope…”

It’ll be worse than what you did to him…she eyed Dru…

Who after a brief pause, nodded…Well then...

“Suppose you try it for a year…I’ll make it worth your while and if
you find it’s not want you want…Well, you and Dawn will at least be
set for your lives…”

“What?...Dru!…You can't just...”

“I’m merely being practical…I doubt you even could make plane fare to
LA on your own on what Mr. Giles pays you…I don’t require you marry
him…One grandchild will suffice…And if you find it necessary to leave
him again, at the end of the year… I’ll send him out of this
misery...”

“Goddamn it, Dru!...Stop it!...” Wrenching yank at chain nearly
pulling it free…

“He can’t live without you…I’ll do anything I must to make him happy…
This is a very practical solution, Buffy…He’ll never be happy unless
someone loves him…I fear that someone, the only one he’ll ever love,
is the one who put him where he is…

You, Cicely…”

“I…?!...You Murderess!!!...” dark rage, chains snapping…

British accent…

Buffy blinked…Whoa…

“Well, that was easy…” Dru noted, smiling…

***