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Spike stared at Buffy. She was not the person that he remembered her as. It was sad to see her in that state once again. The scars on her arms were to fresh in his mind. It looked like she had some more scars on the inside. He had to do something so that they could concentrate on getting out of here instead of on her.
Anya and Xander were in one corner. He could hear murmurs of love and missing and all that mushy stuff. He would love to be saying the same thing to Buffy right now. But he needed her totally alert for his plan to work. His plan was deadly enough as it was. But staying here was a hazzard to ones self.
Buffy's face was buried in her lap. There were muffled sobs escaping her. The sound was breaking his heart. Watching her in such a state made him want to kill her father. And Anya had said that she had been like this since they had tried to escape. It would not be easy to get her to try and escape once again.
He sat down slowly next to her. She jumped slightly at the movement. Other then that, she remained motionless. "He now there sweet thing." He put his arm around her. Again, she flinched ever so slightly. "It's me. The big bad Spike. Why don't you put your head on my shoulder for a bit. Then we can work on getting out of here."
That made the petite blond stiffen. She managed to look him in the eye. There were tear stains running down her face. Again, Spike's heart was breaking all over. No words came from her. There was just a fierce look that told him that she would do anything to not try and escape again. The consequences were just too great.
"Hey, I'm here." Spike held her tightly against him. "I'm not bout to let anything bad happen to you. Besides, there are two reasons we have to get out of here." He kissed her on the forehead. "The first being that your father is crazy and really could kill someone. The second, Willow's trial starts today. I think that the judge would be quite interested to hear bout your father's dealings."
Buffy eyed him for a moment. It appeared that the wheels were turning in her head. At first, Spike couldn't tell if it was of the good. Then, there appeared little curls of a smile on her face. Then, the smile grew larger. Finally, it was bigger then any he had seen on her in quite awhile. "I think I know a way. Similar to the one that Anya and I tried. But now that there are four of us..."
"It should work." Spike smiled as he listened to Buffy's plan. It was quite brilliant. It didn't take long for them to fill in Anya and Xander. Anya was just a bit hesitant. But she had had enough of the beatings for a lifetime. "So, we all set then?" Everyone nodded. "Great. I'll get started." She made her way over and pounded on the door. "Hey you out there, I want to talk to my father. Tell him that I've come to an understanding."
"He won't come." The guard pointed his gun at her. "He left specific orders that I ignore any of your tactics of escape."
"This isn't a tactic." Buffy stood as close to the door as she possibly could. "Just tell him that I've decided that I like the family business. He'll want to hear that. He'll know what it means. Just go or get someone else to go for you. He'll be very upset if he hears that I had something to say and he wasn't informed."
The guard thought for a moment. "All right. I'll have Mac give your pop the word. But no funny business."
It was about half an hour later. The door opened without ceremony. Hank Summers two guards at his side as he entered the room. There were at least three others that they could see standing outside the room. "You wanted to see me Princess?"
"I did." Buffy tried not to draw attention to Spike and Xander approaching each guard. "I wanted to tell you that I've thought things through. You are right. I should be in the family business. It only makes since. And it's nice to have a legacy to look back on."
"What made you change your mind?" Hank had his arms crossed against his chest. "Not that I'm not happy, but you were so adamant before. Something had to happen to change your mind. Care to share?"
"Just..." Before she could finish, Xander had knocked the gun out of one of the guards hands while Spike had done the same with the other. Anya had swooped in and picked up one of the guns and held it to Mr. Summers' head. "Thought I'd get you down here so that we could get out of here."
Hank sighed heavily. "Boys, you are so stupid. I'll have to find me better henchmen."
"Ones you find in jail." Buffy took one of the guns and shoved it into his back. "Now you lead. We'll follow. All the way to Sunnydale courthouse. You have some very important testimony to give. One that will make one young person have a life once again."

Gunn looked around him. It was as if there was something coming after him. And why wouldn't there be? After what he had done, the entire police force should be after him. But he had managed to keep himself out of things and implicate Willow Rosenberg at the same time. And her trial was going on at that very moment.
Ever since he had moved out of his apartment, he had felt like a sellout. The Marines had taught him differently, yet he had sold out in a second. Of course, there was that incident that had happened over in Iraq that had soured him on the whole serving his country thing. But did that give him the right to do what he had done?
"Hello there Mr. Gunn." The familiar voice both startled and creeped him out at the same time. "I hope that everything is well." Ethan Rayne stepped out of the shadows. "It's been such a trying day for everyone."
"Everything's cool." Gunn came and stood in front of Ethan. He wanted to show that he did not intimidate easily. Although, he had heard what had happened to Jenny Calendar. He had no doubt in his mind that it was Ethan's doing. "Just out for a stroll. With summer break, I don't have to be at the school as much."
"And that's the reason you are so strapped for cash." Ethan came and brushed off Gunn's shoulders. "I have a little job for you. It seems that an associate of mine is getting a tad bit out of control. He's captured some of the people that I would like to talk to. One I need for a specific reason and very much alive."
Gunn eyed him carefully. "And if I do this, I get paid handsomely." Ethan nodded his head. "And if I don't..."
"You can very easily end up like others I've dealt with." Ethan smiled big. "I know you've read the newspaper. It was a shame that my girlfriend had to die like that. But then, these things do happen. Sad really. You just never know when your time is up."
That made Gunn swallow hard. "What exactly is it that I have to do?"
"Just get Hank Summers for me." Ethan turned his back on him. "Oh but do be careful. Seems that he's in good with the mob. And his boys are rather protective of him. He is the key to the other things that I want."
Gunn watched Ethan walk away. He knew that he had gotten into something bad. It was turning out that he was more and more right. In the back of his mind, he could not help but wonder if he would be the next one to end up as front page news.

Faith sighed heavily as she paced around the tiny jail cell. She had never been one to be cooped up. Little spaces were not her thing. She liked wide open spaces or she liked it filled to the max with people. Alone was not a good thing either. People were known to go crazy by being alone to long.
"Hey." The familiar voice startled her. "How are you?"
"Oz!" Faith was at the bars in an instant. "Hanging in there. This is harder then I thought it was going to be. But for Willow, I'd do anything. Sorry bout not bein on the outside. Hopefully you understand and all. Cause you know that if I had to do it all over again, I would in a heartbeat."
"I know." Oz put his hand on hers. "It makes me love you more."
Faith smiled big. "I love you too man. Now hopefully I didn't hurt Willow's case. I heard tale in here that someone said that I had actually hurt her case more then I had helped it. If that's the case, then I feel like the biggest loser there ever was."
"I think that's just talk." He squeezed her hand tight. "I know that Willow appreciates it. Tara even offered to."
"What?" Oz nodded. "No way! Hope Willow talked some sense into that girl. She has gone through too much to be in here. I'm the one that can take being in here. Willow's too good to be in here. And she's been through a lot as well. Damn! I hate all this stuff. I mean, I'd really like to just wave a magic wand and make everything better, you know?"
"Yeah." Oz sighed heavily. "If only, then we could be making out."
Faith laughed. "You just trying to distract me, that's all. It's too cool." Her smile faded quickly as she thought of something. "Wait a sec. Has anyone heard from my cuz? Last I heard he was a no show when they called him to testify. So unlike him, the geek."
"Nope." Oz could see the concern on her face. "Last I knew, he was out looking for his girl. Probably lost track of time is all."
"Hopefully." Faith sighed heavily. "Man, I do hate being cooped up in here. Happy that I am, but it is so driving me nuts. And the food, it so lacks, I'm telling you. That's the real punishment. Having to eat what they consider food."
Oz smiled big, which was rare. "New ways of torture. Could be used in case of capture during war."
"There you go!" Faith stood a little taller. "That's what they are really doing here in the prisons. Trying to find new techniques to torture prisoners of war or spies. That's it! To get spies to talk! What an ingenious thing to do." Both laughed for quite a bit. "Thanks. Needed to release the tension. Can't do it the way that I really want to." She winked at him.
"Soon." Oz gently stroked her cheek.
"I just want this all over with." Faith pressed herself into his hand. "I just want Willow to be all right. I want Buffy found alive and safe. I want Anya back annoying my cuz. I just want to be at The Bronze, watching you play. Or traveling with you to another gig. I just want my life back to normal again. Whatever normal really is."
"We'll get it again." This time Oz kissed her gently on the cheek. "You just have to keep the faith is all."
"Even though it's my name, easier said then done." Faith put her head to the bars. Oz leaned his head against hers. That's how they stayed till the guard took Oz away.

Willow sat at the defendant's table once again. She wondered if today would be another eventful day like the previous day. First, Faith refuses to testify and goes to jail. Then, they put Tara on the stand who tells the truth. That she had threatened to kill Henry McClay. She was not so sure that if someone hadn't beaten her to the punch, she would have done it herself.
She had talked with her lawyer. Things were not looking good for her. They already knew that going into this that things would be stacked against her. It was going just the way that she had thought it would go. Hopefully, things would turn around when she got to testify. When her side of the story could be told.
It was about time for the trial to continue. She eyed the crowd for supporters. She started at the back and made her way up front. Unlike the previous day, Tara was sitting right behind her. Dawn was smiling at her, holding on to some girl's hand. Her uncle looked like his mind were a million miles from here. But she could understand that with the news of Miss Calendar. Yet another murder happening in good ole Sunnydale.
"All rise." Everyone in the courtroom stood. The day began just like the day before. The judge took his seat and everyone else was seated. He shuffled through his papers before addressing the prosecutor.
"The state calls detective Walsh to the stand." There was silence as she was sworn in. "You were the lead investigator in this case, correct?"
"Yes." Detective Walsh kept her voice even.
"Were there any other suspects in this case?" The prosecutor came to stand before the witness stand.
"There were a few." Detective Walsh hesitated for a moment. "The evidence pointed almost entirely to Miss Rosenberg. With her threats being taken into account, she became our lead suspect. By the end of the investigation, she was our only suspect."
"Thank you Detective." The prosecutor walked smugly back to her desk. "Your witness counselor."
Willow's lawyer stood up. "Now Detective Walsh, isn't it true that there is a crucial piece of evidence that not only doesn't point to my client, but also points to an unknown suspect?"
"Yes." Detective Walsh kept her eye contact with him steady. "But with all the other pieces of evidence, we knew that it was Miss Rosenberg."
"I see." Mr. Parker, Willow's lawyer went to his desk. He picked up a sealed bag. "Let the record show that this is exhibit B." The judge nodded. "Now detective, what exactly is it in this bag that I have marked here?"
"It's a knife." Detective Walsh took the sealed bag from the lawyer. "In fact, it is the murder weapon. We found it about two blocks from the crime scene."
"Were their any prints found on the knife?"
"No." Detective Walsh set the bag down. "I'm afraid that their were only partial prints found. Not enough for us to make a positive match."
"Is there anything unusual about this knife?" Mr. Parker held it up for the detective to take a good look at once again.
"We traced its origins." The detective again kept steady eye contact with the lawyer. "It is of military issue. The Marines to be exact. However, the numbers are filed of so we could not find the person that it was issued to."
"Thank you." Mr. Parker walked away. "No further questions for this witness." There seemed to be just a bit of hope for Willow's case. That was until the next witness was called. Rupert Giles was the next to testify for the prosecution. What would they ask him?