Backfire - Spander Files

find it in himself to take it back or apologize. He leaned further back into Spike’s
arms and closed his eyes, wishing it all away.
Another half an hour later, and the gang was still trying to figure out the connection
between sex with Buffy (which was the last time anyone saw him as Angel) and the
losing of the soul. Willow’s theory was that something must have attacked Angel
between his apartment and the factory that sucked his soul away. It would be a good
theory, but Buffy, who always took the brutal weight of the world on shoulders,
insisted that her Angel would never have cast her off after sex, especially to go find
Xander when the pull wasn’t involved.
Xander, reluctantly, agreed with Buffy. Of course, that could only lead to the
conclusion that Buffy had something to do with the soul’s vanishing act. It was all a
mystery Giles didn’t know how to begin researching. That is, until Ms Calendar
spilled the beans.
Giles had just said, “If only we knew more about the curse itself. Clearly there was
a loophole of some kind. Perhaps a trigger word or phrase. Angel never spoke much
of the gypsies themselves.”
“Gypsies are private folk,” Ms Calendar added casually while pulling a couple more
books off of a shelf. “Especially the Kalderash people. You’ll find very little written
about them.” When she turned back from the bookshelf she startled to see all eyes
trained on her.
Willow spoke first. “Kalderash?”
“That’s the name of the gypsy tribe?” Buffy sounded doubtful.
“Jenny…,” Giles stepped up beside her, but didn’t touch her arm as he usually did,
“what do you know?”
“I…I, nothing.” Ms Calendar shook her head for emphasis.
Then there was a flurry of activity as Buffy vaulted over furniture and was suddenly
clutching her teacher by the throat.