Carpe Diem - The Novel Version: Part 1 completed
by Gaius Petronius

Carpe Diem, part 1 continued Chapter 5

by Gaius Petronius

Disclaimer: Joss and Fox own it all!

Chapter 5 - The Secret Weapon

Returning from the raid on the school library, Spike, Drusilla,
and Angelus followed by three lackey vampires stormed into their
makeshift banquet hall in the old warehouse. Angelus, now in an
especially foul mood because of the latest inconclusive run in
with the Slayer, struck out at the corpse still dangling upside
down from the ceiling rafters. The body swung gently from the
impact of the vampire's sloppy and ill placed blow as if it were
another insult to the evening's escapade.

Spike with the Command stone in his lap, rolled up to the banquet
table and slid it out onto the mahogany surface. Drusilla still
cradled the one Martel notebook the group had managed to secure.

"Well, that was a disaster!" Spike announced, his
voice dripping sarcasm, "We get just one of the books, and
this wizard friend of yours is now fully operational! Not only
that, but now that miserable Slayer's little rat pack knows were
up to something. If we had waited, like I suggested," Here
Spike paused for emphasis, "We would have gotten everything
we wanted, no interference. But Goo Goo Doll Eyes over here, "he
snarled at Angelus, "Has to sooth his pathetic little ego
taking on the Slayer!"

"Be sweet and still now, Spike my love," Drusilla
answered, her eyes rolling again, "We have all we need. And
our friends saved us the trouble of raising up dear Johannes."

"Yeah, and he's probably spilling the whole story to the
Slayer right now!" Spike snapped back.

"Have some faith in Dru, will ya Spike," Angelus
replied, coming to Drusilla's defense, "She knows this Martel
guy real well. She has a plan."

Angelus turned to Drusilla and raised his eyebrows.

"You do have a plan, don't you Dru?"

"Angelus! My family doesn't believe in me?" Drusilla
announced with mock indignation as she placed her free hand over
her chest.

"Of course we do," Angelus said with just the faintest
hint of nervousness in his answer, "It's just this Martel
dude was the one who nearly nailed me four hundred years ago .
. . literally."

Angelus sidled up to Drusilla and ran his hands over the skin
on her neck.

"Don't get me wrong. I never regret that special night
I brought you into our family," he crooned seductively into
her ear as his fangs made a little nick on the side of her neck,
"But your ex is a dangerous commodity."

"Just this once, I'll lower myself and agree with Angelus,"
Spike said as he boiled over with jealousy at the actions of the
other two vampires. But he decided to hold his temper. He knew
later when Angelus went out wandering looking for the Slayer,
he would have his way with Drusilla.

"A slayer is one thing," he explained, "But
a wizard, he could clean us out with a wave of his hand!"

"But it's all so simple, my darlings," Drusilla cooed
as she separated herself from Angelus' embrace, "You see,
wizards are stupid. They have one major flaw. They have to help
people."

"That's my Dru!" Spike exclaimed with glee, now sensing
some particularly nasty activities in store, "Go on, love,
tell!"

Drusilla swept into the middle of the banquet hall as if she
were on stage before the footlights. She paused by the center
of the table, laid down the Martel notebook and gazed on the Command
stone.

"I just let my ex fiance know when and where I plan to
raise up," she patted the Command stone gently, "Our
little pet here."

"An invitation to a surprise party! What fun!" Spike
nodded in appreciation.

"He, of course, dashes to the rescue of the world,"
Drusilla waved her arms in the air and swayed back and forth like
a demented ballerina, "He uses all his remaining energy putting
the Ancient One back down and 'voila!'"

Drusilla suddenly stopped swaying. She dropped her arms to
her side and glared out into empty space. Her eyes bulged and
her face morphed into the vampire rage. Finally she spoke with
the coldness of the ocean depths.

"His spell disintegrates and our wizard returns to dust!"

Spike clapped his hands in applause.

"Not only are you are a manipulative bitch," he grinned
as his face morphed as well, "You're bloody damn lucid for
a change!"

"Now, tell me how much you love me," Drusilla cooed
as she slid down the table to the side of Spike's wheelchair.
There she licked his neck lasciviously and turned to grin at Angelus.

"You are good," Spike whispered back, succumbing
to his lover's wiles.

"How do you think I took out our magic friend four hundred
years ago," she smiled back as her teeth brushed against
his skin.

"But Dru," Angelus complained, once again being left
out of the "family" activities, "Why should we
bust our butts to get this guy?"

"Angelus, dear, what did the Slayer do to you that's had
you so out of sorts? . . ." Drusilla replied coldly, her
voice hissing as she spoke, "Well, the wizard tried to do
the same to me . . . give me back my soul . . . make me happy
. . . and for that the bastard must pay!"

"Ah, Dru, I love it when you seethe!" Spike said
as he buried his face in her long brown hair.

"Besides, I long for all his knowledge, . . . " Drusilla
continued relishing the thought and now ignoring Spike's advances,
"His energy, . . . his powers . . . all in my hand . . .
in a little jar."

* * * * * * * *

Buffy, Johannes, Giles, Willow, Xander and Cordelia walked
as a group down the Sunnydale High steps under a night sky filled
with stars. They all paused together by the edge of the sidewalk
and the school parking lot. Buffy glanced at Johannes by her side
as he stared around at the buildings, streetlights, cars driving
by on the street and all the other everyday fixtures of the "New
World."

"I guess all this must look pretty strange," she
said to him almost apologetically.

"You cannot imagine," he murmured and sighed. To
her surprise, Buffy automatically reached out and took his arm
in hers and squeezed it reassuringly.

"Hey," she said softly and paused. "It's gonna
be okay. Trust me."

"I do," he answered her, and she stared back at him.

"Real culture shock," Willow joined in the conversation,
"All the lights and machines."

"At least the stars are the same," Johannes said
quietly as he stared up at the night sky.

"Yeah, I guess they would be," Buffy nodded in agreement
as they headed towards Cordelia's red convertible and Giles beat
up Citroen.

"Okay, now you're staying with Giles," Buffy said
as she turned to face Johannes, "And then we'll see you in
the morning."

"All of you are going to be all right?" Giles addressed
the group.

"I'll make sure everyone get's home safe," Cordelia
announced calmly. For the first time that day she felt she was
finally in control since she was the only one who had both a drivers
license and a car.

"Yeah, and if we get attacked again, Cordy'll just run
'em down," Xander quipped as he play whispered to Cordelia,
"Pretend they're the cones in driver's ed."

Cordelia just rolled her eyes at Xander's remark.

"We'll be okay," Buffy grinned.

"Buffy, are you sure this is such a good idea, Johannes
coming to school?" Giles asked warily.

"Sure," she smiled back at her Watcher and then faced
Johannes, "You're up for it? Right?"

"I've already lost four hundred years. What's left to
lose?" the young telekinetic said as he shrugged his shoulders.

"But, it would be safer . . ." Giles protested but
Buffy immediately cut him off.

"Giles, to help us he's gotta know what's going on around
here," she said and then nodded to Johannes, "We'll
take good care of you."

"I'm relieved," he answered as he stared wide eyed
at the two cars in front of them.

"One thing, though," she quickly slipped in, "Lose
the weird clothes."

"Sorry. Didn't have time to pack," he replied.

Buffy smiled and realized that Johannes for the first time
that night was smiling back at her. At the same time, Giles climbed
into the clunky Citroen.

"Go on, get outta here," Buffy grinned and gently
directed Johannes towards the rear of Giles' car. Suddenly he
stopped, clearly puzzled by what he was supposed to do next.

"What's wrong? Get in," Buffy said.

Johannes still didn't move and only stared at the peculiarly
shaped vehicle. Buffy suddenly realized that he had never seen
a car before and hadn't a clue how to even open the door. She
shook her head in disgust, marched to the passenger's side and
pulled on the door handle. As the door swung open, it groaned
on rusty hinges.

"Get in," Buffy ordered Johannes firmly.

Johannes walked up to the passenger's side but then stood frozen
staring at the interior.

"Sit in the seat!" Buffy explained, now getting a
little exasperated.

Finally, Johannes lowered himself into the Citroen. Buffy leaned
over and buckled his seat belt. Suddenly finding himself restrained,
Johannes stared up at her with an instant look of panic on his
face.

"Trust me," she said with a grin.

". . . but! . . ." he stammered.

Buffy slammed the car door. Giles turned over the engine. Through
the window, Buffy could see Johannes' fear turn to horror as Giles
tapped the accelerator and the engine clattered. Giles ground
the gears as he put the manual shift Citroen into first and tried
to pull out. As the car drove away, belching exhaust and disappeared
down the street, the Scoobies heard a final cry over the roar
of the engine.

'SACRE MERDE!"

As the exhaust fumes dissipated, Buffy turned to look back
at the others.

"Oh . . my . . God!" Cordelia said out loud.

Xander put his chin in his hand and in a mock effort to appear
thoughtful, expressed what the rest of the Scoobies were thinking.

"You know Buff, if this guy's supposed to be some kind
of secret weapon . . ."

"Don't go there, Xander!" she cut him off, shaking
her head, "Just don't go there!"

* * * * *





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