DISCLAIMER: The Buffy the Vampire Slayer characters are the property of Mutant Enemy, Joss Whedon, and Fox Studios. The story contents are the creation and property of Djinn and are copyright (c) 2000 by Djinn. This story is Rated PG.

Gossip

by Djinn

"Wesley, I know that he said we were fired. But I'm sure he didn't mean it. I think he meant it more in the way that I say you're a useless waste of air? Uh yeah that was a joke. God, Wesley, please! Crap, someone's at the door. Can I call you right back?"

Cordelia hung up the phone and hurried over to the door. She pulled back the deadbolt lock that she'd asked Angel to install after Faith's visit. The lock immediately slammed back into place. She sighed and pulled it back again. It stayed open only a second before locking again.

"Phantom Dennis," she muttered. "I don't need this right now."

She pulled the lock and this time it stayed open. She opened the door the length the little security chain would allow. "Look, I'm really busy and...Harmony?"

"Hey, Cordy. It's been like forever and I was missing you! Can I come in?"

Cordelia shook her head in stunned silence.

"Oh, c'mon, Cordy. Let me in. We have so much to catch up on."

"Yeah, like the fact that you're a vampire?" Cordelia began to close the door.

"Okay, okay, I'm a vampire. But this is important, Cordelia. Please?"

Sighing, she pulled the door back open. "What?"

"I need to get a message to Angel."

"You? Need to get a message to Angel? How do you even know him?"

"Everybody knows him. In my new circles, I mean. And Spike talked about him."

"Spike?"

Harmony smiled sadly. "Before I lost him. He threw me out, can you believe that?"

"You. And Spike? And you made fun of me and Xander?"

"Spike is totally cool! Or he was before everything happened."

"Uh huh." Cordelia knew her face lacked any sympathy. "Look, Harmony, I'm not exactly sure where Angel is at the moment. But give me the message and I'll make sure he gets it."

Harmony seemed unsure. Cordelia shook her head in frustration and began to close the door. Harmony's hand came out. "Okay, okay. Just tell him Spike and Buffy."

"Spike and Buffy what?"

Harmony scowled. "You know. Together."

"No. Way."

"Way."

"I thought she was with some Rigby guy?"

"Riley. And he's gone. Spike had something to do with that. It's just too bizarre." Harmony looked extremely pissed. "I mean why would he pick her when he could have me?"

"Yeah." Cordelia shifted a bit to get a better view of her former friend. Being a vampire had done nothing for her fashion sense. "So why do you think Angel would care?"

"Well, everybody knows he's totally in love with Buffy. He's not going to be happy. Maybe he'll come and take care of this once and for all."

Harmony was still so out of touch. Between Darla and Drusilla, Angel had pretty much put his little prison slayer and pen pal, Faith, much less the more distant Buffy, out of his mind. "Thanks for dropping by, Harmony. I'll be sure to tell Angel."

"You're sure I can't come in?" Harmony held up a large magazine and tried to look innocent. "I have this month's W. And I'd love to see your new apartment and reminisce."

"Buh-bye." Cordelia closed the door firmly ignoring Harmony's continued entreaties. She hurried to the phone and dialed Wesley. He picked up immediately. "You aren't going to believe who that was."

"Shall I try to guess?"

"No. It was Harmony Kendall."

"Good lord. Your blonde friend from high school. Isn't she a vampire now?"

"Yes. And she actually thought I wouldn't know that. Hello, vision girl working for big undead do-gooder guy!!"

"What did she want?"

"That's the weird part. She wanted me to give Angel a message."

"You didn't tell her we were fired?"

"Of course not, Wesley. Jeesh."

"What was the message?"

"Buffy and Spike."

"Buffy and Spike what?"

"That's exactly what I said. Buffy and Spike are together."

"I don't believe that."

"Why not? She went out with Angel."

"Yes, but he has a soul."

"And Spike has a chip. One that won't stop working if he's momentarily happy, if you get my drift."

"Ohhhh."

"Yeah."

"We can't tell Angel this."

"Of course not."

"Not that we could anyway, especially when I'm not sure where he is."

"Staking his little family, hopefully. What if Drusilla gets wind of this?"

"Who would tell her?"

"Harmony."

"We haven't been able to find her I doubt that Harmony will."

"You're probably right. So have you heard from Gunn?"

##

The room was smoky and very dark. Darla watched as a blonde vampire walked up to the bar. "Hey, I'm looking for Drusilla."

"Never heard of her," the woman behind the bar replied without turning around. Darla wondered if this new vamp had any idea what Dru looked like.

"It's very important."

"Sorry," the brunette turned and busied herself with the inventory.

The vampire slumped on a barstool. "Do you have anything fresh back there?"

Clearly she had no clue she was talking to Dru.

Darla rose and walked to the bar. "It's on me. Give her the good stuff." She looked at the vampire. "You're new around here." She played with a lock of the vampire's long hair. "And you're looking for Drusilla?"

The vampire grimaced and jerked away. "Do you know where she is?"

"Maybe." She reached for the vampire's hair again.

"Look, this isn't funny." The vampire's face changed as her frustration grew.

Darla just laughed. Felt her own face change; saw the other vampire look frightened. "I agree. Not funny at all." She reached out to stroke the hair and felt the girl tremble under her touch. "Mmmm, you're very young. What's your name?"

"Harmony."

"A pretty name. Mine's Darla."

"The Darla?" The vampire seemed to know her.

"Yes."

"You know Spike then. And Drusilla, you're her grandsire."

"Well, it's become a bit more complicated than that," she said with a laugh. "Why do you want Drusilla? Is it about Spike?"

"Yeah."

"Trust me when I say if it's bad news you don't want to deliver it yourself. Tell me and I'll tell her."

"How do I know I can trust you?"

Darla grabbed a fistful of hair and yanked Harmony towards here. "How do you know you can't."

"Good point." Harmony whimpered as Darla released her. "Spike's in love with the slayer."

"With Buffy? That slayer?"

"Uh-huh."

Darla felt rage war with amusement. Spike, killer of slayers, in love with one? With that one? Drusilla was not taking this well—even if she was staying still behind the bar. Angel probably wouldn't like it either. "Who else have you told?"

Harmony looked terrified that her answer would be the wrong one. "I told Cordelia, she works for Angel."

"I know who she is."

"Oh. I told her to tell Angel."

"She won't. She'll protect him. Besides she doesn't work for him now."

Harmony's face fell. "I wanted him to know too."

Darla laughed. "Don't worry, sweetheart. I'll be sure to let him know. Now you drink up and run on home to Sunnydale. You may see us there sometime soon."

Harmony gulped and looked less than pleased at the news. She left the bar without even finishing her drink.

Darla threw back the blood. "Hate to let this go to waste, especially when it's on me." She set it on the bar and studied Drusilla. "So what did you think of the news? Spike and Buffy, quite the surprise or what you were afraid of?"

The glass in Dru's hand broke as she began to keen. "All dirty, all dirty. The young prince has fled the kingdom."

Darla walked around the bar and forced Drusilla's hand open. She picked bits of glass out of the skin and once the hand was clear, lifted it to her mouth and sucked gently. Drusilla began to purr.

"We'll get the prince back, my princess. You'll see."

"When the King and Queen are all put together again?"

"Just exactly," Darla said. "I've had enough of this place and the service here is terrible." She laughed as she pulled Dru over the drained body of the bartender and out the back way.

FIN