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Chapter Five

For an evil guy, Lindsey sure was good at what he did. Every time Kate asked a question Lindsey batted it away, as though swatting a pesky fly. His clients sat in awe of his performance. Kate finally had enough and charged out of the room, leaving Lindsey smirking.

"That was it? It seemed a little anticlimactic." Wes had expected at least being taken to the police station.

"It's not over. She's not the type that gives up easy. But when I'm done she wont have a leg to stand on." Lindsey leaned up against the wall. "But *we're* not done yet. If I remember correctly Ms. Rosenberg, you had something you wanted to share with the group."

Willow had felt a momentary feeling of relief when she saw Kate leave the room. Thanks to Lindsey the tension returned. She shifted nervously in her chair, wishing she could disappear.

"It seems my magic has gotten me...us into trouble again. I met Douglass through the internet when I started getting interested in Wicca. It was nice to have person, outside the gang, to form a friendship with. At first I didn't tell her anything about...us. It wasn't until Angel turned into Angelus that I told her everything." She paused. "I could barely live with myself when I gave Angel his soul back too late. If I had done it correct the first time, he would never have gone to Hell with his soul intact. So Douglass and I started to look for a spell to help him escape. Douglass was the one to find it. The spell only required one person, but was a lot safer with two. So Douglass came out to Sunnydale to help. You all know the rest, Angel comes back, and he�s grumpy, helps fight and then leaves. Life goes on... Only, Douglass called me last month, she found a spell that could...anchor his soul."

" Who else knows about the spell?" Gunn asked.

" No one. I didn't even tell Spike."

" You found a spell to anchor Angel's soul and you didn't tell him?" Cordelia asked, confused as to why Willow would keep something so important from Angel.

" Why would any of this anger Angel? Back at the apartment he was seething. Or is that the way he usually treats people?" Lindsey rubbed the scar tissue around his right wrist. He knew of Angel's anger, but Lindsey had been stupid. Taunting the vampire was not one of Lindsey's smartest moments. Sliding a glace at Cordelia, he saw that she was staring at her hand in gross interest.

"He...he must've found out about it somehow. The demon inside was probably furious." Willow told Lindsey, who seemed to accept the response.

Wes knew there was something more to what she was letting on. "So you think who ever attacked Douglass knew about the spell?"

"Who would want to do that?" Willow asked. "I can't imagine anyone wanting Angelus back."

Everyone turned to glare at Lindsey. "Don't look at me," throwing his hands up, "I had nothing to do with this."

Cordelia snorted, but still refused to look him in the eyes. `She's still pissed about the scroll.' he thought, `not that I blame her. I wasn't trying to kill her, hurt yes, not kill. After taunting him I was going to give him the scroll we had what we wanted. I just wanted to wipe that smug look off of Angel's face. Show him he's not better than I am.'

The door to the small waiting room swung open and Spike strolled in. He had heard pretty much everything and was amazed how well the witch could lie. Spike knew everything, and was impressed at Willow's ability to fool the stupid lawyer.

"Douglass's doctor will be here in a moment." Spike went over to Willow, placing a hand under her chin and forced him to look him in the eye. " Everything is going to be fine pet. After we speak to him why don't you call home. Don't feel like having a certain slayer hunting me down, thinking I ran off with you somewhere." Willow gave him a shaky smile, and he let go of her chin, " And let me say just how *proud* I am of you kitten, didn't know you had it in you." He saw the tug on her lips and winked at her.
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"I'm not going to lie to you, it doesn't look good." The doctor looked around the crowded room. He hated this part of his job. Telling friends and family, that their loved ones might not make it. "We're still running tests...so when they're finished..." The group stopped listening, all they heard was `it doesn't look good.'

Spike snorted when the doctor left, "Stupid prig doesn't know crap." He put a reassuring hand on Willows shoulder. "Douggie's heartbeat is a hell of a lot stronger than it was this morning." A spark of hope flickered in the witch's eyes. "And now you need to call home."

Lindsey reached into his jacket pocket and gave Willow his cell phone. She dialed, and waited for the other end to pick up.

"Giles? Yes it's me... I'm fine...I'm in LA...no the police aren't after me anymore...no I don't need help, you all have enough with Glory on the lose..." Spike snorted and Willow glared at him, "Buffy...hi...I know you were worried about me, but I couldn't call you and get you into this...love you too...Xander?" Willow lost control. Everything she had repressed came rushing forward when she heard his childhood friend on the phone. "Xander I was so scared. It was so awful...you'd do that for me? Please, love you too." After ending the call, she made another. But hung up without talking, and handed the phone back to Lindsey.

"He's coming to LA tonight." She told her friends
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Lindsey left to go home. It was late, and it had been a long, strange day. A smile crept up on his lips, thinking of ways to use his new advantage. He had a Seer, a former watcher, a tough street kid, and if Douglass lived two very strong witches in his debt. He wasn't going to count on Spike; there was no way the vampire was going to be manipulated.

Lindsey pulled out his cell phone again, and smirked as he pushed redial. "Sunnydale police department" Lindsey snapped the phone shut and growled. The witch was smart; he was going to have to keep on his toes.
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Willow waited a few minutes, making sure Lindsey didn't return, and decided it was now or never. "I lied." Everyone stared at her, some in shock, others with newfound respect. "I mean not about doing the spells and such, the anchoring spell is true. Spike knows *everything*. It's about the spell that Douglass and I did."

"I knew something wasn't adding up." Wes muttered.

"I just want to say that when we found the spell we were still new to the craft, and really didn't research as much as we should have. How we first understood the spell, it seemed dangerous, but doable. And it worked; we didn't really think much about it, until two months ago. There's this girl at school, in my Wicca group, Tara. She and I have been helping each other with spells, and she came across the spell in one of my books. Seems she caught something we didn't. How we thought was that the spell caster, or casters, anted their soul, or half, to give the damned a fighting chance to escape hell."

"Willow what were you thinking?" Cordelia cried out. "Do you know how dangerous that was?"

Willow shrugged, "We were always in danger, every night and day. If we fought, or if we didn't, Sunnydale was dangerous. So I really didn't think much of it like that."

"So, I take it that Angel escaped." Gunn sat in amazement, feeling proud that he was a part of this group.

"Yes," Willow looked over to Gunn, "but when he first came back I thought I had made a horrible mistake. He was more animal than Angel. It took him some time to get a grip."

"So what did Tara find that you overlooked?" Wes asked.

"Well Douglass and I just assumed that once he got out, we won, our souls on IOU came back to us. But it seems that as long as Angel is on earth our souls are still on IOU status. So if either Douglass or I dies, half his soul is taken. If we both die... That's why anchoring Angel's soul became so important."

"Dear God Willow, how could you overlook something that important?" Wes groaned. "So Douglass's assault, and Angel's slip onto the dark side is related?"

Willow nodded, "Angel locking the lawyers in the wine cellar, and Douglass's attack were on the same night."

"So we have a *huge* problem if Douglass doesn't make it?" Cordelia got up and started to pace. "So what is he now Angel, or Angelus?

"I'm not sure, but both I think" Willow stated, " After I got here, and heard about what Angel did, I revoked his invitation just in case. When looked into his eyes today I could see that his demon is right at the surface. The Angel we know and love is fighting for control, but is losing more ground the worse Douglass gets."

"So why don't we just do the anchoring spell on him now?" Gunn asked Willow.

"Because he doesn't have a complete soul. If we anchor him now, he might stay as is. Plus Douglass had the spell; I have no idea where it is."

Wes rubbed his temples, "So who ever did this to Douglass knew about the spell?"

"I don't know, but I doubt it. No one but Spike knew of Douglass's involvement, and he's the last one who wants Angelus back. If you remember correctly Spike kind of ruined that hell on earth paradise Angelus and Dru were planning." Willow looked at Spike, "Lindsey knows who you are now."

Spike shrugged

"So what do we do now?" Gunn looked at everyone. "I don't mean to sound uncaring but we need to set up shop again."

Wes's eyes shot to Cordelia, "With all that has been happening, I just realized it's been some time since your last vision."

Cordelia bit her lip and stared at the table. "Two weeks ago. I never thought I'd say this, but I miss them. They made me feel important." Wes put an arm around her shoulder.

"Angel's slipping soul must have something to do with this." Cordelia whispered.

"Yes, I think so. But everything is going to work out fine Cordelia you'll see" Wes looked at the young woman he considered family and felt sorry for her.

"Well I can't go back to Sunnydale until this is taken care of, do you all mind if I join you?" Willow asked.

"Your help is more than welcomed Willow," Wes smiled at the witch.

"Well we need to set up shop. No offense, but after all that�s happened, Cordelia's apartment is the *last* place I want to be. I can get my boys to look for another office." Everyone nodded agreement.

"Spike what about you?" Willow tentatively asked her friend.

�I�ll stay around for you kitten, kick some demon ass. But I'm not one of the good guys" He muttered.

Willow suppressed a smile. "Of course you're not."

"We do have a problem when it comes to research," Wes stated, " Most of the books we used are Angel's. We'll need to start our own collection."

"What about the whole no vision thing?" Cordelia asked.

"Cordelia whether you know it or not you're useful with or without the visions." Wes hugged the young brunette. He knew things were going to rough, but they'd get through it together.

"What about living accommodations?" Willow asked. Not wanting to hurt Cordelia's feelings, but she felt as Gunn did. The less she saw of Cordelia's apartment the better.

Cordelia didn't blame the others for not wanting to stay at her place, or use it as an office until other arrangements could be made. Too many memories were there for her too. "I don't want to stay at my apartment anymore either, but I can't leave Dennis."

"Do you have anything that he's partial to?" Willow asked.

Cordelia thought for moment, and nodded. "Actually in the storage area below the apartment there was a left over box of his toys he had as a kid. He wanted me to get a toy soldier out of the box."

"We can bring him with us, if he agrees, I'll just need the toy soldier."

"So it's settled then, we're back to work." Everyone feeling a little better, having a direction to go in.

Spike grabbed his leather jacket and headed towards the door. "I'm leaving before the Brady Bunch here has a group hug, I hate group hugs." Leaving everyone else to make plans.
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"Dad your hurting me" Spike heard the whimper coming from one of the rooms he was passing, and decided to take a peek.

"Do you remember the story I told you to use? I swear Aria, if you mess this up, I'm going to really make you sorry." An older man twisted the girls arm high up behind her back. Spike caught a glimpse of the girl the man had a hold of. She reminded Spike of Willow. Her hair was a little darker red than Willow�s, and she was a little shorter than the little witch was.

"You're doing that all-wrong mate, if you don't let her go I'll have to show you how it�s done. On yourself of course." His head started to throb at the threat, knowing he'd never get three feet into the room before he collapsed in a heap on the floor.

The man let go of the girl and smirked over at Spike, "This is none of your business, I suggest you leave. My daughter and I are having a little chat." The girl was softly crying on the floor refusing to look at her rescuer.

A young nurse showed up before Spike could continue, and knowing it was a losing battle left. Leaving him a little confused. ` Damn Scoobies making me into one big old poof they are.'