Raksha sat at a table in the library, diligently working on perfecting the spell. It wasn't overly hard. The spell was originally used by voodoo practitioners to reverse the process of turning a person into a souless 'zombie', usually done by another practitioner. All the spell did was capture a soul in whatever astral plane it was in and bind it to the body of a zombie. All Raksha had to do was change the references to zombies to ones about vampires.

After awhile, Raksha had finished altering the spell but kept reading over it to make sure she had everything perfect. Once in awhile she would change a word here or there. She would probably only have one chance to cast the spell and she didn't want to screw it up. She finally finished just as a bell rang, marking the end of the day.

< Now all I need is a object to hold the soul, until I can bind it to Angelus' body... I wonder... Nah. What would work? >

Giles came out of his office. "Buffy and the others will be here soon. They come here most days after school."

"Great. I finished just in time." Raksha handed him the spell. He took it from her and quickly read over it.

"Wonderful. It should work," Giles commented. "I should record this in my Watcher journal so it is never lost again."

Raksha grunted. "Yes. You never know when you might need to ensoul a vampire," Raksha said, dryly. "All I need now is an object that will hold the soul from the time I capture it until I bind it to his body. I'm not sure what to use. Any suggestions?"

"I - I... don't know," Giles stammered. He took off his glasses and thought for a moment. Suddenly he brightened. It was as if a light bulb lit over his head. "How about an orb?"

Raksha smiled. "An orb? That's it! An Orb of Thessula!"

"Yes. That should work. But where will you aquire one?" Giles asked.

"I believe I saw one of those new age shops around here. I'll go there and get one," Raksha answered. "Actually I'll go there now."

Raksha quickly cleaned her work area. She gave Giles the translations, book and other materials. "I'll be back. I'm sorry I won't be able to see Buffy's reaction when you tell her."

"Tell me what?" Buffy asked from the doorway. The Slayer and her friends had just walked into the library. All of them were there, except for Oz. He had band practice. They sat down at their table.

"You tell her," Raksha told Giles. She felt that Buffy deserved to get the news from her watcher.

"No, you tell her. You discovered it," Giles told Raksha. He wasn't sure how Buffy would react to the news and didn't want to tell her.

"I don't care who, just somebody tell me already," Buffy demanded.

"I've found a spell that will restore Angel's soul," Raksha blurted out. She watched Buffy's face for her reaction.

Buffy stood there shocked, as were the others who had just learned of the spell. Then she asked: "You mean you can bring Angel back?"

"Yes," Raksha answered. "Your Angel. And with no conditions either."

Buffy and the others had not responded to the news as Raksha had expected. They just stood there with an confused looks on their faces. < Maybe it's shock... I should give her and her friends a chance to absorb the new development. >

"I'm going to leave and let you all discuss it," Raksha stated. She started to leave, but when she got to the door she paused. "Buffy, just remember that Angel and Angelus are two different people. Like good and evil twins. I'll understand if you don't want to go through with the spell, but I'd hate for you to pass up an opportunity for, both you and Angel, to be happy." And with those parting words, she left to purchase an orb.

"Are you going to do it?" Willow asked Buffy. For an answer all she got was silence.

"Buff, you're not going to do it, are you?" Xander asked, demandingly. He wanted an answer.

"I can't kill him Xander... I -- I don't know," Buffy answered. "I got to go. I need to think." She grabbed her things and practically ran from the library. Willow ran after her friend to comfort her.

"That went *well*," Giles said sarcastically. He went into his office and left Xander and Cordy alone.

Spike casually strolled into the library shortly after sunset. He quickly scanned the room, to assess the situation -- in case he pissed anyone off and had to make a quick exit. To his shock and utter surprise, Raksha, the Slayer and her little redhead friend, Willow he believed, were absent. The only people present, were the Watcher and Buffy's two other little friends.

"Where are the rest?" Spike demanded. "Hiding in the stacks; waiting for me to slip up, so they can stake me?" < Not like I don't know that they're not here, but... Damn! I was hoping Raksha was here. I'm hungry. Why the hell didn't I feed on my way here? Because I want her blood; her blood has made me feel better, stronger than I've felt in a while. Plus my feeding off of her aroused her... >

"We d - don't know where they are," Giles stammered. He wasn't fond of Spike, as Raksha appeared to be. "They left earlier."

< Where is she?! > Spike was getting agitated. "To go where?" he asked.

"Do we look like we know," Cordy asked, smartly. "Or care?"

"What's your deal, anyway? Afraid that Angelus is going to get a few more rolls in the hay with Drusilla, before we kill them?" Xander taunted stupidly.

Spike went over to where Xander was sitting. He grabbed Xander by the collar and threw him on the ground. Cordy started shrieking. Spike ignored her and bent down close to Xander's neck. He open his mouth baring his fangs and prepared to bite...

All of a sudden he was thrown off of Xander, into a wall. He was then picked back up and was dragged back over to the table, where his attacker preceded to slam his head down on the table.

Finally, after being quite thrashed, Spike was released. He looked up at his attacker. "Raksha, pet, I can explain."

"I'm sure you can," she snarled at him. The Slayer came to stand beside her. Apparently, while he was busy, those who were missing had shown up.

Buffy looked down at Spike. "You're lucky she got to you first," she hissed.

Raksha turned back to Xander. "And you! How could you be such an ass? Taunting him like that. You know he's still dealing with that. Vampires are not know for being docile. I cannot believe you were so stupid!" she raged at him.

Xander did not respond. He knew that she was right. His big mouth had almost gotten him killed, yet again.

Raksha took deep breaths to calm down. After she was reasonably calm, she decided to take charge of the situation. "All right, everybody, settle down," she ordered, in a voice that couldn't be ignored. "We have things to do. Let's sit down and talk." She waited for everyone to obey her orders before continuing. "Buffy has decided that we are going to through with it." She paused waiting for everyone to absorb that knowledge.

Spike was utterly bemused. < Agreed to go through with what? > He shot Raksha a questioning look. She mouthed 'later' to him and went back to her spiel.

"I have a plan. But it will require everyone's full cooperation. Is everyone ready and willing?"

The assembled group nodded or mumbled yes, after a few hesitations mainly from Spike. But he, and the others, relented under Raksha's reprimanding glare.

Raksha continued. "Okay. Here's my plan. Tomorrow night Spike will go back to the lair, before Angelus and Drusilla go hunting. He will act as if he's there to get his stuff and to say good bye. While Angelus and Drusilla are detracted, by Spike, the rest of us will slay the guards around the perimeter.

"Then we'll attack Angelus and Drusilla. Angelus is to be knocked out and tied up. You can do whatever you want to Drusilla. I then should be able to perform the ritual. Any questions?" Raksha asked.

"Yes, a lot of them," Spike answered, bemused.

"Figures," Raksha snorted. She was still pissed off at him.

"One, what fucking ritual or spell or whatever the hell it is, are you talking about?" Spike asked, still dazed.

Raksha reached into a bag she had brought with her and lifted out a box that was inside. She opened the box and showed it's contents to Spike. "You're smart. Figure it out," she told him.

"A freaking orb! So what?" Spike demanded.

Raksha reached out and firmly slapped Spike upside his head. "Think!" she ordered.

"Come on, just tell him. He'll never figure it out," Buffy remarked, bored beyond belief.

Raksha ignored her. She had her reasons for wanting Spike to figure it out on his own. "An orb, for a ritual. What does an orb do, Spike? I know you haven't lived with Drusilla all that time and picked up nothing about sorcery," Raksha remarked.

"An orb is used to hold something, a soul or demon usually..." Spike trailed off. His eyes narrowed. "You're going to restore Angelus' soul."

"Very good," Raksha mocked.

"And you're going to restore mine, too, aren't you?" Spike demanded. < Shit! She thinks she's going to be able to turn me into a lap dog. I'd rather be dusted. > He got up from where he was sitting.

Everybody in the room that had been observing the exchange between the two, were shocked that he would think that.

"I've no intention of restoring your soul," Raksha answered him quietly.

"Bloody hell you don't!" Spike raged. "You want me and you think that the only way to keep me is to make me some brooding pet." He turned and started to leave. "Count me out."

"Spike wait!" Raksha called, but he ignored her. She turned towards the others. "I'll see you'll tomorrow. I've got to go after him." She turned and jogged out the door after Spike.

"I knew she had it bad," Willow remarked.