Indaran Warriors

By Melanie Walker

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Prologue: May 2003…

 

Buffy Summers stared with dazed eyes at the man… no demon pacing in front of her. He’d appeared a week ago. Appeared warning of danger and heartache and she hadn’t listened to him.

 

“Have you made your choice?” he paced in front of her.

 

It was on the tip of her tongue to tell him to take his choice and shove it where the sun didn’t shine. To tell him to take his ridiculous hat off and to find a new wardrober because the one he had seemed to be living in the seventies.

 

But instead she bit her tongue and said nothing. Just stared blankly at him.

 

“I need an answer,” Whistler stopped pacing his eyes levelly meeting hers. He didn’t show that he noticed the blood staining her clothes. Didn’t show that he noticed that he was standing in blood on the floor. As was she.

 

Xander’s blood.

 

Anya’s blood.

 

Her blood.

 

Blood spilled when Anya chose to come after her and Willow to mete out justice to Xander. Willow had bound her, taken her unconscious body to Giles in the hopes that something could be done for the insane vengeance demon.

 

But that still wouldn’t help Xander.

 

Nothing would help Xander. And he would still be dead.

 

Dead at the hands of the woman that he loved.

 

“What about my sister? My friends?” Buffy asked hollowly.

 

“Your father will take over custody over her. We have people just waiting for the right word to contact him. We can have him here tomorrow.”

 

Buffy snorted as she ran a hand through her hair. She had kept it short. It fell just above her shoulders and was spotted with her blood, as well as Xander’s, with maybe just a little of Anya’s thrown in for good measure.

 

Where had her father been when her mother had died? When she had died leaving Dawn alone, uncared for. When she had returned to this plane from Heaven and almost lost their house and custody of Dawn because she didn’t have money to pay the bills, didn’t have anything.

 

“My friends?” she repeated.

 

“They’ll be told whatever you want,” Whistler moved closer to her. Staring directly into her eyes he searched for something that only he could see. Something that he must have seen because he nodded and a small smile began to grace his face, only to be replaced with sympathy. “Whatever you want…”

 

“How about I’m dead,” Buffy stated, her voice tired as she lowered her gaze from his. Seemingly just now noticing that she had blood on her hands. “Dead works for me.”

 

She always had blood on her hands.

 

And Xander was still dead.

 

“Anything you want,” Whistler promised. “If you want the death scenario we can work it but I think…”

 

“I won’t remember anything?” Buffy interrupted staring at her hands. She didn’t want to hear how her friends deserved better. How her family deserved better. If they had just let her rest all of this could have been avoided. She clenched her hands into fists before she looked back over at him. Attempting to reign in her temper. This wasn’t his fault. He had tried to warn her.

 

And now she had memories running in a never ending picture show in her brain right now.

 

Memories that she didn’t want. Memories that she wasn’t strong enough to deal with. She laughed to herself at that thought. She hadn’t been strong enough to handle anything since Willow brought her back from the dead.

 

“The wipe will be complete… The only thing you’ll remember is your name, your abilities, date of birth… nothing else. The powers wouldn’t allow it.”

 

“My friends will be taken care of?”

 

“Already in the works… all that’s needed is your assent so they can continue.”

 

“You know you’re being a lot less cryptic then usual,” Buffy’s eyes narrowed as her head cocked to study him. “What’s up with that?”

 

“The powers want to make sure that you understand what assignment your undertaking. There’s no going back from it. If you decide to step up to the plate there’s no quitting. Until death.”

 

Death. When had death become a pleasant thought?

 

She closed her eyes. Such a decision to make. To live forever with the image of Willow’s terrified face. Of Anya’s demonic one, of Xander placing himself before them to protect them. Or to forget it all and allow them to finally move on with their lives. Without having to back up the Slayer. But there was always the Hellmouth she realized.

 

“The Hellmouth?”

 

“Will be taken care of. Another Slayer will be called to take your place. Special circumstances and all.”

 

Buffy nodded a harsh laugh emanating from between her lips even though she tried to stop it. Faith was still in jail and she had vivid reminders of what happened when a Slayer wasn’t on the Hellmouth.

 

Hell on Earth happened. Friends, loved ones died. Buffy straightened, folding her arms over her chest she raised her chin staring at him almost defiantly.

 

“Okay.”

 

**************************************************************************************

 

Wesley Wyndham-Pryce wasn’t exactly sure what his purpose was anymore.

 

At one time he was sure it was to help the Watchers Council train slayers. Of course he hadn’t counted on one of the Slayers becoming homicidal and shooting a poisoned arrow into the chest of the vampire boyfriend of the other Slayer as she was trying to help the mayor of Sunnydale become a very large demon. He had tried to explain to the council that it wasn’t his fault that Buffy Summers had quit the council upon their refusal to help Angel. Had tried to explain the Slayers relationship with the ensouled vampire… how he was a special case, how they had to help him.

 

But in the end all his reasons, all his demands had been refused. And Buffy had retaliated by quitting the Council. The first lone Slayer in the history of the Council, aided by the friends the Council hated, by the Watcher they had fired.

 

And he was out of a job.

 

So his tenure had ended with one Slayer in a coma, never to awaken. The other in college and he was without a purpose.

 

So he had went out and found himself another one. As a rogue demon hunter he scoured the streets of Los Angeles looking for demons to slay. Instead he had come upon Angel and Cordelia fighting their own battle

 

A battle which he had joined gladly. Helping a vampire with a destiny to be human and the suddenly unselfish cheerleader / seer rid the streets of evil had once again gave him purpose.

 

Purpose he had needed. Helping Angel achieve his destiny gave him direction. But as he paced in front of the tackily dressed ‘man’ standing in front of him he wasn’t sure of anything anymore.

 

It seemed that he had a ‘destiny’ of his very own as this little rude man kept telling him.

 

A destiny… he laughed to himself. The only destiny that he had was to betray his best friend and get his son sucked into a hell dimension all under the misguided belief that he was protecting the boy.

 

Rubbing the scar on his neck he winced, Angel and the others would never forgive him for that trespass… even though they said they had, their actions spoke even louder then their words. And their actions spoke of distrust, anger, hatred.

 

All things that he deserved.

 

Especially after a teenage Connor returned and wrecked havoc on his father and friends. Although father and son had finally managed to get past the brainwashing that Holtz had accomplished, they would never get back the years that had been lost. Lost because of him. Because he had been so sure that Angel would attempt to harm his own son.

 

They would never get any of that time back and it was all his fault.

 

“I’m not sure exactly what you want me to say…” he turned to face the little man, fighting the urge to tell him to take his ridiculous hat off… he was inside after all.

 

“What part of the story didn’t you understand?” Whistler sighed. “Because to be honest my last recruit told me I was being less cryptic then usual… and well she normally doesn’t understand me regardless of what I say.”

 

“I just want to make sure I understand… you’re saying that I’m not as it seems meant to be a watcher for the Slayers, I’m a watcher for the Warriors.”

 

“Exactly,” Whistler nodded, a pleased smile crossing his face. Finally they were making some progress.

 

“And what warriors would these be exactly?” Wesley asked.

 

“The Warriors… the Indaran’s…”

 

Wesley’s eyes widened in shock as he gaped at the man who seemed to be finding great enjoyment in his reaction. “The Indaran warriors are myth… legends… they don’t exist.”

 

“They do, well they will once we get this show on the road anyway.”

 

“And you want me to what? Be a watcher to a bunch of mythical warriors… that may or may not exist?”

 

“Exactly.”

 

“Why me? I don’t exactly have the best track record when it comes to helping out warriors for our side. Look at what I did to Angel.”

 

“Everything happened exactly as it was meant to,” Whistler frowned. “Well except for the whole Ms. Chase becoming a demon thing, can’t say as any of us saw that coming. The powers are quite thrown but that development,” he shook his head in wry amusement.

 

“The powers are the ones that gave her the choice. Either lose the visions or become half demon to keep them,” Wesley protested.

 

“You think the powers did that?” Whistler laughed. “They’ve got more important things to worry about then whether one of the seers is in pain or not. She wasn’t supposed to keep the visions anyway,” he shrugged. “Oh well… it’s done now anyway… What’s your choice? Do you help the Indaran’s or do you go back to your lonely pathetic life? Which I hate to say is only going to get more lonely and pathetic.”

 

Wesley sighed. “What about my…” what should he call the people that wouldn’t let him help. Wouldn’t let him make amends. “… what about the others?”

 

“They’ll be told whatever you want them to be told.”

 

“I guess it doesn’t really matter does it…” he laughed hollowly. “At this point they wouldn’t care either way…I’m in,” he stated, his spine stiffening as he stared at the shorter… man, daring him to challenge him, daring him to change his mind and take the offer back.

 

“Good,” Whistler grinned wildly. Looking past Wesley’s shoulder at the door opening behind him he nodded. “We seem to be ready then, everyone’s here.”

 

Wesley turned slowly. His eyes taking in the warriors spoken of only in legends. The Indaran warriors had been mentioned in every End of Day prophecy he and the council had deciphered. They were foretold to be fifty of the strongest, most intelligent fighters. And it looked as if he would be the Watcher to four of the fifty. He could only hope that he didn’t disappoint them as he had his last three charges.

 

As the small group filed into the room he was stunned at how normal they looked.

 

How young.

 

A young man, barely in his twenties. Dark brown hair, blue eyes twinkling merrily in his face smiled at him as he made room for the young woman behind him.

 

The beautiful young woman behind him. Long black hair that reached her waist in a braid, emerald green eyes flashing with interest and amusement. Hopefully not directed at him.

 

Another young man followed her. Shaggy blond hair, a bored expression on his face that Wesley did not make the mistake of thinking was boredom. Eyes hidden behind a dark pair of sunglasses.

 

The young woman following him caused his eyes to widen and a gasp to escape him. She winked at him as she took up her place between the two dark haired warriors.

 

“Hello Wesley… long time no see,” she said softly a wry smile adorning her face.

 

“Buffy,” he gaped at her.

 

She was one of the legendary warriors?

 

The petite blonde Slayer that he had been first assigned upon taking up his watcher duties in Sunnydale. The one that had quit the council while under his command thus causing him to lose his job with the council. He was to be her watcher again? Turning with a stunned expression to Whistler he shook his head.

 

“What…?”

 

“Yes I imagine the two of you already know each other,” Whistler grinned. “It won’t matter once the ritual is done of course.”

 

**************************************************************************************

 

February 2004

 

Too much time had become hazardous to his health Angel decided as he entered his second hour of brooding.

 

In his hand he held his last remaining reminder of his lost love.

 

A picture.

 

One lone picture was all he had left of Buffy Summers.

 

He’d wanted the claddagh ring that he’d given her so many years ago back. But Dawn had told him once they had finally made it to Sunnydale that she had been buried with it.

 

That at least had given him some measure of piece. She had not hated him enough to be buried without it. He knew though that she had removed it for some time. Right after they’d first split, when the separation was still painful and raw Willow had told him she’d taken it off and buried it in her jewelry box.

 

Where he had clung to his ring as a reminder of her and her love, she had felt it to painful to keep it on.

 

He’d been told that she’d started wearing it again just a few short months before her death.

 

Her third death.

 

The third time that she died, the third time that he had failed to save her.

 

The second time that he had failed to even be in Sunnydale when she’d fallen.

 

Of course the third time she hadn’t fallen alone. Xander Harris, one of her most loyal compatriots had fallen with her. And with him all the dreams that Cordelia had once hidden away with the heart he and Willow had broken had been shattered.

 

They had of course realized the truth to late. He had realized that they were being manipulated weeks before Cordy had. But had been unable to do anything. Had been unable to draw himself out of the abyss that he had fallen into.

 

He berated himself even now for his weakness.

 

Because Buffy had called him for help and he hadn’t been able to go to her. By the time the spell that had been cast was broken Buffy and Xander were both dead. Willow had come out of her self-imposed magikal exile in order to bind Anyanka and D’Hoffryn had sent Halfrek to them to serve out her penance for her part in Anyanka’s descent into madness.

 

Even though she wasn’t really the one to blame.

 

They had been to late to help, they had been to late to lay down their lives with them, they had even been to late for the funerals and those were all trespasses that Angel could never forgive himself for.

 

For the third time his mate, his life had died and he had been unable to prevent it.

 

“Alright enough,” Cordy snapped from the door, Angel’s eyes flying up to meet hers.

 

“Cordy?”

 

“You’ve been brooding for over an hour. I think that’s long enough… besides that picture of Buffy is so worn I’m surprised that you can even see who it is.”

 

“And the one you have of Xander isn’t in the same shape?” Angel retorted sharply, wincing as he saw the flicker of pain cross her face and then disappear behind her flawless mask.

 

“Well at least I don’t do my brooding in a public venue… I at least wait until I’m home… then at least I can cry.”

 

“Sorry Cordy,” he said softly as he placed the photo cradled in his hands lovingly in his desk drawer. “That was uncalled for.”

 

Cordy sighed, gracefully falling into one of the office chairs as she stared at her fingernails. “I’m sorry to… it’s just we’ve got someone coming from Sunnydale and…”

 

“And you didn’t want them faced with immediate reminders of what they’ve lost,” Angel finished with a wry smile. “Who’s coming?”

 

“I have no idea,” she shrugged. “Giles just called and said that he was sending someone to us, they’re having some problems… disappearance and such. They should be here soon,” she pushed herself to her feet.

 

“Hey Cordy…” Angel called after her. There had been one more death that he hadn’t been able to prevent. One more person that he was too late to save. Although given his feelings towards the man at the time of his death he wasn’t sure if he would have helped him or not. “Have you talked to Kate about what we found out about the explosion at Wesley’s?”

 

“I haven’t been able to get a hold of her… once I do…”

 

“Thanks,” he leaned forward as he began rifling through the papers on his desk.

 

“You’ve got be kidding me!” he heard Cordy exclaim loudly from the outer office. Shoving himself to his feet he moved quickly to the door and was shocked into stillness by the sight in front of him.

 

“Spike,” he growled low in his throat.

 

“’ello peaches… did’ya miss me?” his most arrogant ensouled grandchilde smirked at him from his perch on Cordy’s desk. “We’ve got a world of trouble in good ole Sunnyhell.”

 

**************************************************************************************

 

Angel paced furiously in front of his desk, alternating between glaring at his silent grandchilde and the clock on the mantle.

 

“It’s been 30 minutes Spike are you going to just sit here for the entire day eating or are you going to tell me what the hell you’re doing here?” Angel asked in a carefully controlled voice, Spike was not one of his favorite people.

 

Even less so now that he had a soul. He as well as anyone knew that prophecies were tricky things. There was now a chance that all the prophecies regarding his shanshu and battles could have been meant for Spike. Not a pleasant thought, and one he did not like to dwell on for.

 

Then there was his ‘relationship’ with Buffy. Just the thought of the vampire sitting in front of him touching his mate caused him to see an angry, violent red.

 

Spike sighed softly, running a hand over his hair. He’d stopped using the massive amounts of bleach and gel that had been his trademark for so long. Now his hair, still cropped short was wavy and light brown.

 

“Hallie’s gone missing…”

 

Angel turned to stare at him. “I thought D’Hoffryn still had her doing penance for helping Anya.”

 

“She is… but she’s still doing her regular vengeance gig as well… went missing about two weeks ago.”

 

“If she’s out on a job…”

 

“That’s just it, D’Hoffryn did his little flashy thing ‘bout a week ago to let red know that Hallie had missed her check-in with her parole officer…”

 

Angel narrowed his eyes as he perched on the edge of his desk. “Wait a minute… she has a parole officer… they have parole officers for demons?” he asked, just a hint of humor in his voice.

 

“Yeah, funny heh?” Spike grinned. “Anyway the watcher asked Riley to see what he’d heard… Initiative’s been helping the Slayer out you know…”

“Yes,” Angel frowned. The thought of Finn in Sunnydale when he couldn’t be grated on a nerve that he thought had been buried with Buffy.

 

“Anyway now Finn and his team’s missing… Five men and Finn’s wife.”

 

“Shit,” Angel swore under his breath.

 

“Watcher wants to know if you’ll keep an ear out… thinks something big is going on. Something that we don’t know about.”

 

**************************************************************************************

 

Riley Finn stood defiantly facing what he supposed was his judge and jury. A room full of demons that wanted nothing more than to tear him apart.

 

That had already torn apart one of his men.

 

Literally torn him limb from limb.

 

Had killed his wife as he watched, hands chained behind his back, legs shackled together to impede movement they had just laughed as he struggled to save Sam.

 

Until his dying day, which he realized shouldn’t be too much longer, he would remember the look on her face.

 

That look of horror when she realized that this was it. That he wasn’t going to be able to get to her in time.

 

An ambush, a fucking ambush on what should have been a fairly simple rescue mission had left Sam, Josh and quite possibly himself dead. The others, Graham, Marshall, Norman were either missing, dead or god willing had managed to escape and were even now heading to Sunnydale or LA for reinforcements.

 

“He’s quite an attractive specimen,” one snaggly-toothed female said in what he supposed she thought was her seductive voice. She ran a hand across his face, down his chest. “Quite well endowed as well,” she laughed even as he flinched away from her. “I say we put him in the auction with the others. He should fetch a pretty price… being a warrior and all.”

 

“He’s not a warrior,” an elderly human looking male said as he quietly watched the proceedings. A look of disgust crossing his face. “If he were one you wouldn’t be able to touch him Aggie and he certainly wouldn’t have been captured.”

 

“Then what is he old man?” this from a green and red hued demon that he couldn’t place. “And don’t think about lying to us… if he is a warrior, we won’t find…”

 

“He’s human Samuel,” the old man pulled himself to his feet using the table as a lever. A cane in one hand he hobbled forward. “There is something different about him I’ll grant you that… but he’s not Indaran.”

 

Riley frowned as he heard that word again. When they had been captured it had been tossed around. Especially after he had tossed two of his guards across the room in his rush to save Sam and Josh.

 

If he got out of this he would have to make sure to ask Giles about it. Find out what he knew about these Indaran’s.

 

Of course that was all dependent on him surviving.

 

As he was pushed forward, forced to his knees he kept his expression stoic even though surprise was riding him.  That was the first time that he had managed to think about one of the Scoobies, the Sunnydale based team of the Slayers without grief washing over him. Without blaming himself for Xander and Buffy’s deaths. Without helplessly wondering if he had been there, if he and his team had responded to Xander’s desperate call for backup on the Hellmouth if things would have gone down differently.

 

Maybe they would have managed to stop Anya before she killed Xander. Before Buffy died of her own injuries.

 

Closing his eyes he growled as he felt one of his guards yanking on his chains, pulling his arms over his head.

 

“He’s not human… no human fights like he did… His strength…”

 

“He’s human Samuel… do not question me about that,” the old man snapped whirling until he faced his adversary glaring him into submission. When he was finally silent he turned back to Riley his eyes losing focus as he touched his forehead.

 

“Keep him for the auction though,” the old man said his eyes focusing once more on the young man seemingly ignoring them. He wasn’t fooled though. He could feel the tightly coiled muscles waiting for his guards to loosen their grips on his chains for just one moment so he could escape.

 

“I think Aggie is right, he’ll fetch a right good price on the market… ” the old man said suddenly his eyes suddenly crystal clear. Standing before Riley who had stilled at his words, his eyes closing momentarily as he sought composure. His eyes shooting open when he felt his chin gripped, the old mans strength belying his true age it seemed. Their eyes meeting in that instant Riley felt a gasp pulled from his throat. He hadn’t felt power like that since his last visit to Sunnydale and the Scoobies. Willow had power like that.

 

Riley winced as his angry eyes met the clear ones of his captors and a smile crossed the face of the old man. “Or quite possibly the Indaran’s will attempt to rescue him, we may yet be able to get our hands on one of those elusive warriors.”

 

**************************************************************************************

 

Buffy groaned as she rolled onto her side. Opening her eyes she glared at her alarm clock, tossing it across the room in one swift motion. With a smile she closed her eyes as she heard it hit the wall. That was much better she snuggled deeper into her pillows.

 

“How many clocks is that this month?” she heard an amused voice from the doorway. Opening one eye she shot her death glare at the grinning young man leaning against the doorframe. Black hair neatly combed. Black T-shirt tucked into his black jeans, combat boots already on his feet he looked ready for whatever this evening’s assignment brought them.

 

“Does it really matter Damon?”

 

“No… although maybe you should buy stock in whatever company manufactures your brand… their stock prices must be soaring through the roof.”

 

“Ha, ha,” she said sarcastically sitting up in her bed. “Look how funny you’re not this morning.”

 

“Never claimed to be funny babe,” Damon grinned eyes twinkling with amusement as he sauntered into the room.

 

For a brief moment Buffy felt a flicker of recognition before it faded away. The memory wipe that all Indaran’s had been required to go through didn’t seem to want to take with her, at least once a day she would have a flash of something. Never anything concrete it was like fog that she couldn’t hold onto. One minute there, the next gone. She had learned over the last couple of months to pretty much ignore them. They could only serve to get her hurt… or drive her insane.

 

“Don’t call me babe,” she said automatically, swinging her feet off the bed she slipped her cold feet into her fuzzy pig slippers.

 

“Whatever you say doll face,” he winked at her as he flopped down on the foot of her bed, watching with a semi-interested expression as she pulled her robe on rolling her eyes at him. The friendly banter was part of their morning routine. If he were to suddenly one morning not appear in her doorway with his flirtatious banter she would think something was wrong.

 

“What time is it?” she asked moving to her closet. Digging around she pulled a pair of black jeans and a black turtleneck out.

 

“Past ten… you missed the morning update, thrilling as it was,” Damon rolled his eyes this time. Morning updates were the bane of their existence. Getting up at nine just to talk about what they had done the previous night seemed like a big waste of time that could be better spent with other activities.

 

Like sleeping.

 

“I’m surprised Wes didn’t come wake me up.”

 

“I think he’s still terrified to come in here after you threw your alarm clock at him.”

 

“I missed him didn’t I?”

 

“I don’t think that made him feel any better.”

 

“Actually I think Wes is more afraid of your growling than your habit of throwing alarm clocks at peoples heads,” Jade said as she took up Damon’s old position leaning at the door.

 

“I don’t growl,” Buffy yelled from the bathroom.

 

“Keep telling yourself that,” Jade called back. She exchanged a wicked grin with Damon before cocking her head indicating that he should depart the room. He sighed loudly.

 

Woman talk. At least he was being warned. Normally they just started talking about their cycles and what not as he was standing right there.

 

Like he really wanted to hear that stuff.

 

“Hey Buff I’m going to go see if Colin’s got our gear ready for tonight,” he called as he pushed himself to his feet.

 

“Make sure he packs extra batteries this time,” Buffy called out. Damon laughed as he walked out of the room. Jade closing the bedroom door behind him.

 

“So…” Buffy said as she walked out of the bathroom.

 

“What?”

 

“Please,” she rolled her eyes. “Wes afraid to wake me up… what happened last night?”

 

“You don’t remember?” Jade asked pacing in front of the bed.

 

“I remember going to bed,” Buffy shrugged. “Then Damon this morning…  why? Did I have another nightmare?”

 

“More like several,” Jade dragged her fingers through her hair. “You kept Wes and I up half the night worrying. He finally put in another call to Whistler…”

 

“He wants to see if they can do another wipe.”

 

“Yeah… after the mission tonight,” her friend nodded. “He doesn’t want to take the risk of doing it before and have you forgetting something vital...”

 

“Like what? How to fight,” Buffy laughed. “Like that would happen… So what’s on tap?”

 

“Rescue mission… Sounds like one of our guys but everyone’s checked in so…”

 

“So it could be a trap, or could be a demon hunter. Cool… sounds like fun,” Buffy winked as she glanced in the mirror running her fingers through her hair as she sighed.

 

“Rescue missions… not really my idea of fun,” Jade shook her head.

 

**************************************************************************************

 

“Good morning Buffy, sleep well?” an overly tired looking Wesley asked as Buffy and Jade walked into the conference room.

 

Seated at one end of the long table, at the other end was Susanne. The watcher for the other four warriors already seated. Taking her own place to Wesley’s right she flipped open the folder in front of her all the while surreptitiously studying the tired face of her watcher.

 

She knew from the look on his face that the steaming cup in front of him held Earl Grey tea and that he had probably been drinking it for several hours to keep awake. Maybe she should suggest No-Doze or something.

 

“Slept like a baby,” Buffy shrugged as she caught the bottle of water that Damon tossed at her.

 

“Right,” Wesley frowned at her. “I suppose Jade has mentioned that I’ve put in a call to Whistler to come look at you again.”

 

“Yeah she did… I really don’t think it’s necessary.”

 

“Humor me.”

 

“Well then, can we put it off for a few days? Just to see if I remember anything concrete… I mean right now it’s just these images… Which really don’t mean much.”

 

“I’ll think about it.”

 

Susanne cleared her throat from her end of the table, causing all eyes to fly to her. “If we’re ready to begin?” she asked eyebrows arched as she waited for Wesley’s assent.

 

“By all means,” he nodded leaning back in his chair as Susanne rose to her feet.

 

Pointing her remote at the screen behind her a picture and small bio appeared.

 

“This is Agent Riley Finn, he currently works for a top secret government organization called the Initiative…”

 

“Some secret if we were able to find about it,” Colin mumbled, the rest of the table snickering in agreement. Susanne smiled as she continued.

 

“Be that as it may, we have friends in high places… and so it seem does this young man. He was captured a little less then a week ago. Showed signs of unusual strength, some rapidity in his healing upon his capture. We have however determined that he’s not one of ours. Everyone is accounted for, but…”

 

“But that doesn’t mean that he’s not a demon hunter that wasn’t chosen to be a warrior,” Buffy finished. “But why would a hunter work for the government? Aren’t they as afraid of exploitation as the rest of us?”

 

“We’re not sure, but the message came directly from the powers. This particular young man assists the current vampire Slayer on the Hellmouth in Sunnydale California. Plus this was apparently a rescue mission. A vengeance demon that works in conjunction with the group had gone missing, they had gotten a lead on where she was being held and were attempting to rescue her unfortunately for them our team got there first and they were led into an ambush.”

 

“You mean they were trying to rescue…?” Jade pointed down. In the basement levels is where they were currently holding three demons that had been rescued in various operations. One of them, a vengeance demon named Halfrek was still recovering from wounds she had suffered.

 

“Yes Halfrek is currently working with the Slayer and others right now. Her wounds have healed enough that she can leave today if she wishes. But that still leaves Mr. Finn in the hands of the Senmarrite’s. He’s been listed as part of this weekends auctions, it’s the consensus of the group that he’s actually being set up as bait for us. The Senmarrite’s know that we won’t let them put the young man on the block so they’ll likely be waiting for us to rescue him.”

 

“So we know it’s a trap, but we’re still going to rescue him,” Damon grimaced. “Nothing like going right into the devil’s lair.”

 

“It’ll be a simple in/out run. You’ve already breeched this building once, Alpha and Beta teams will take point. Charlie and Delta will take secondary flanking and run interference as needed,” Susanne closed her folder. “Oh and Buffy, Halfrek would like a word with you if you have a moment.”

 

**************************************************************************************

 

Buffy stared through the glass at the demon that was currently pacing holes in the floor of her room.

 

When they had first rescued her she had been in as rough a shape as they had seen any of their cases in.

 

She had been almost beaten into submission. If they’d been just another day in rescuing her she would have been broken.

 

As it was when they had gotten to her she’d had so many broken bones that she’d been unable to assist in her rescue. Damon’d had to carry her out. When they gotten her back to the compound they discovered that with the broken bones there was absolutely no patch of skin on her body that hadn’t been marred with vicious bruises or wounds.

 

She’d been brutalized.

 

Demons didn’t take to kindly to one of their own assisting the other side. Unprotected demons that were visible in the fight bore the brunt of the punishments and Halfrek’s had been severe.

 

It had taken her almost the entire 10 days that she’d been in their care to heal. And for that Buffy could only praise the accelerated healing that both demons and themselves were blessed with. If Halfrek had been a normal human woman she would have been dead.

 

She would never have believed it without proof that the vengeance demon was assisting the Slayer. It had taken months after she had assumed her role as an Indaran before she realized that the demon world was not just black and white.

 

Whistler was a prime example of that.

 

He was half-demon and working for the powers that be. Showing up at the most inopportune times to spread his wisdom or give them assignments. Normally he went directly to one of the Watchers and he seemed to specifically like interrupting Wesley or Susanne just as they were going into or coming out of the shower.

 

Although there were various times he went directly to one of the warriors, which is what he had done in Halfrek’s case.

 

He had popped into her room as she was sleeping and had an alarm clock lobbed off his head before he managed to wake her up. All the while swearing under his breath.

 

She didn’t think that he would be making visits to her room late at night anymore. Or at least while she was sleeping.

 

Taking a deep breath Buffy steeled herself to enter the room. Halfrek’s presence within the Indaran compound had disturbed her deeply.

 

And she knew part of that was because Halfrek knew her.

 

She had known even without Halfrek having said anything. It had been in the way that the demon watched her, studied her, questioned her.

 

Once she had realized what was happening Buffy had purposely distanced herself from the recovery process.

 

“Susanne mentioned that you wanted to speak to me before you left?” she asked politely, arms folded over her chest she presented an imposing picture. But she could tell by the smirk on her face that Halfrek was less than impressed with it.

 

“I didn’t think that watcher of yours would pass the message along,” Hallie grinned. Moving she circled the former Slayer, eyeing her front and back as she looked for something hidden. “They do good work,” she commented.

“What are you talking about?”

 

“I know that you don’t know who I am… your watcher boy, he explained all about the Indarans and the memory wipes. But you also know that I know you, or rather knew the other you… You can feel it despite what they’ve done to you.”

 

“And your point is what?” Buffy sighed. “That at one time we were friends or something?”

 

“Oh god no,” Hallie laughed. “We were never friends. We’d only spoken a few times before your ‘death’. I certainly wasn’t fighting the good fight then.”

 

“Then how…?”

 

“We had mutual friends,” Hallie stopped right in front of her, inches away she crossed her own arms over her chest and stared at the girl.

 

“I don’t want to know,” Buffy held up a hand, halting the protest that she could see forming on Hallie’s lips. “This is the way things are, I left for a reason…”

 

“You left because bad things happened and you couldn’t deal with them. In my book that’s weak, and it’s cowardly as hell for you to continue to let them think you’re dead when you’re not. You know it as well, it’s why your memories keep trying to come back despite the power that be’s best efforts to keep it from happening.”

 

“Are we finished here? Because I’ve got work to do.”

 

“He doesn’t believe you’re dead,” Hallie said suddenly. “He never has, he doesn’t talk about it anymore. Doesn’t even mention it because there was talk of putting him out of his misery… but he never believed it… You’re making him suffer, just like you’re suffering. He deserves to know the truth.”

 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Buffy said softly, wishing that her voice could have just a tad bit more conviction. In her mind she could see the chocolate brown eyes of a man, unknown to her that was looking at her with such adoration and love that it made her heart and soul sing.

 

In her most private moments she would close her eyes and think about those eyes, that man with no name and hope that someday… when the fight was over with that she would be able to find him.

 

“I think you do… you just don’t want to admit,” Hallie said gently, touching her shoulder in a brief moment of solidarity. “What will they do to you if you remember? Will they take your memories away again? What kind of reward is that for warriors that fight in their name?”

 

“I made the decision…” Buffy said softly her eyes rising to meet those of the demon who knew her, tears welling in her eyes as she talked. Her voice barely a whisper. “They gave us all the choice, we didn’t have to be Indaran, we could have been what we were before and kept fighting in their name. I made this choice. And now I have to live with it. But they don’t.”

 

“Buffy…”

 

“So they find out I’m alive, then what? I’ll still have no memory of them. Don’t you think that would hurt them more?”

 

“I think they’d want to help you.”

 

“I’m sorry,” Buffy said wiping at her eyes. “Do you have enough strength to do a teleportation spell or do you need someone to take you home?”

 

“If I told you I didn’t would you be the one to take me?”

 

Buffy stood stock still for a moment before shaking her head.

 

“Then I have enough energy to do the spell,” Hallie said in defeat. “Am I free to go?”

 

“Yes,” Buffy turned away moving slowly to the door even as she heard Hallie maneuvering behind her, setting up the spell with the ingredients that had been left at her disposal.

 

“Buffy,” Hallie called out even as she set the circle and began mixing the herbs together.

 

“What now?”

 

“I won’t keep this a secret. They… he deserves to know… I will tell them that you’re alive.”

 

“You’ll only hurt them if you do.”

 

“Be that as it may… they’ve been fighting just as long as you have, don’t they deserve a little peace?” Hallie asked quietly even as she disappeared from within the circle.

 

“Don’t worry Buffy,” Jade’s quiet voice came from the doorway. “She won’t have a chance to say anything.”

 

“What did you do?”

 

“Sleeping spell, delayed reaction. It should kick in as soon as she reaches the Hellmouth. She should have enough energy to find a soft surface to collapse on then she’ll be out for a few days. That’ll give the powers enough time to intervene.”

 

“Do you think they will?”

 

“Of course… why wouldn’t they?”

 

**************************************************************************************

 

When Hallie had been setting up the teleportation spell her original intention had been to return to Sunnydale and let everyone know she was all right.

 

Deep down, despite the fact that she considered herself bound into slavery by an act that had been out of her control, she actually liked working with the Slayer and her team. For once in her life she had a purpose that didn’t revolve around the wish.

 

She considered them her friends now. Even those that stared at her as if waiting for her to attempt to kill them much like Anya had done.

 

But as she watching Buffy Summers depart the room she was in she had changed the direction of the spell and decided that she could call Sunnydale, she really, desperately needed to speak to Angel.

 

Like everyone else she had watched the ensouled vampire suffer for the last year. Watched him grieve for his lost love and for once in her life she wished she wasn’t bound by the laws of the wish.

 

The laws that stated that the demon could not make a wish on her own powers, or grant a wish to another demon with the same powers.

 

Because she most certainly would have used the opportunity to undo everything that she had done to assist Anyanka in her vengeance against Xander just to give the vampire back his mate.

 

But she couldn’t.

 

So she had watched Angel slowly try to move on with his life, never quite succeeding, because as he had confided in her just months prior, he didn’t truly believe that Buffy was dead.

 

He thought she had been captured on her way to the hospital. Or transported to some other dimension… because after all, she did live on the Hellmouth.

 

The fact that her body had been buried before he could see it himself only served to further his thoughts that Buffy Summers was indeed alive. Because why would they bury her body without giving him the opportunity to say goodbye.

 

Never mind the fact that they had been split up. That Angel had been slowly venturing into a relationship with his seer.

 

All that had been forgotten and Angel’s real emotions revealed when told that the Slayer was dead.

 

Still Hallie had been like the others, placating him. Because he was one of theirs. If he felt the need to believe that the girl was alive somewhere so be it.

 

But now that Hallie had actually met the girl she had no choice but to believe in the power of whatever connection the two had.

 

Because she had actually talked to the former Slayer, touched her, seen the scar on her neck that pronounced her the mate of the vampire Angelus.

 

Of course it would just figure that her memories were shot to hell, but Hallie was not disheartened by this fact. She could tell that they were just waiting for the right moment to bubble to the surface and wreak havoc on her freshly created life and return her to the fold from which she’d been removed.

 

But in the meantime she could at least tell Angel that he had been right.

 

Which is why she was startled when she appeared in the lobby of the Hyperion and saw Spike staring at her.

 

“Hallie!” he whooped rushing towards even as she felt an overwhelming ache of tiredness creep over her body. Her eyes widened as she realized the implications and she shoved Spike aside only to clutch at his arms when her legs started to fail her.

 

“Angel,” she gasped as they sank to the carpeted floor. Damn it she hadn’t realized that they had a witch. She was adept enough to recognize a sleeping spell, and also to know that she didn’t have enough energy to combat it. “Need to talk… to Angel…”

 

“Angel!” Spike bellowed, Cordy wincing as she ran into the room at the volume of his voice.

 

“The walls are thin Spike,” she glared at the vampire. “Do you really need to bellow?”

 

“Angel,” Hallie mumbled her eyes closing as she shook within the protective circle of Spike’s arms.

 

“Peaches get your arse down here now!!!” Spike shouted again as he grabbed a pillow from the couch they were situated nearest. Propping it under Hallie’s head he moved slightly away, only stopping when she clutched his hand.

 

“What’s wrong?!” Angel yelled as he raced into the lobby. “Did you have vision Cordy?”

 

“No Spike found his missing demon though,” Cordy waved at where Spike was trying to coax Hallie into staying awake.

 

“See peaches is here now,” Spike was saying quietly.

 

“Angel,” Hallie murmured.

 

“Oh my…” Angel dropped to his knees next to her. “What the hell happened to her?”

 

“Don’t know, she just ported in here and then collapsed… said she needed to talk to you,” Spike said squeezing Hallie’s hand even as he tried to focus her attention on the dark haired vampire sitting on her other side.

 

“Hallie,” Angel leaned over her, grabbing her hand he watched her face as her eyes focus on him. “Hallie what is it?”

 

“You were right,” she whispered her eyes drifting close.

 

“Right about what Hallie… stay awake now…” Angel insisted as he clenched her hand tightly.

 

“Were right,” she mumbled. “She’s alive.”

 

Angel sat back on his haunches his eyes widened in shock. He had hoped, had felt it in his bones. But only within his deepest desires had he ever imagined that he would be proven right.

 

“Who?” Spike asked looking between the two. Between Angel who looked as if he couldn’t decide between wanting to pass out or jump up and do a jig and instead just sat there gaping in shock, and Hallie who looked as if she was going to go to sleep right at that very moment. “Who Hallie?”

 

“Buffy… Buffy’s alive.”

 

**************************************************************************************

 

Riley came to consciousness with a gasp and groan. He had collapsed in his cell the moment that he’d been returned to it. Bound hand and foot with chains that he couldn’t break through despite his best efforts.

 

He hadn’t felt this weak in a long time.

 

Part of him couldn’t decide if it was because of the damn tests that he was being subjected to or if they were drugging him.

 

Whatever group these demons belonged to they were as thorough as the military.

 

He’d had to have had every medical test known to man or demon performed on him. All the while his captors complained about everything and anything to do with his human status.

 

Under the seemingly never-ending litany of complaints though he could sense the worry that their real purpose in capturing him, of putting him up for auction was going to go unrewarded.

 

Because he had been in their custody for days and the elusive Indaran’s had yet to attempt a rescue. The underlying tension told him that if there was not a rescue attempt made soon that he’d go on the auction block regardless and he probably wouldn’t like who he was sold to.

 

He had a feeling that they were doing all the tests looking for anything that could disprove the old man’s statement that he was not Indaran.

 

Because they desperately wanted an Indaran.

 

Then there was the old man. Who had been back one time to see him.

 

As he had laid strapped to a metal table in the bare room where they had been performing their multitude of tests on him he had gazed into his pain filled eyes and told him in a soft voice that his wife was in a better place.

 

Somehow that hadn’t made him feel any better.

 

He knew that the life’s they led were dangerous. That their missions could end their lives within minutes, knew that they wouldn’t grow old together and die wrapped together in their bed.

 

But he had hoped.

 

When he had left Sunnydale he had never thought that he would fall in love again. He thought he’d left his heart behind in that small California town with a girl that didn’t want it because she was tied to a vampire that she couldn’t be with. But he had fallen in love again.

 

Falling for Sam had come as something of a shock for him. One day they were friends and the next he didn’t know what he’d do without her and he had to wonder if that was how Buffy had felt. If she had loved Angel as much as he loved Sam it must have killed her to be separated from him.

 

What the hell are you doing Finn! he berated himself. You have more important things to worry about!

 

And one of them was the fact that he wasn’t alone in the tiny room.

 

Squinting his eyes he attempted to focus on the shadows. He could have sworn he heard someone move.

 

“Is…” he started and would have jumped sky high at the feel of a hand against his mouth silencing him, if he hadn’t been bound so tightly by his restraints.

 

A face loomed above him and his eyes widened in shock as he saw a face directly out of his dreams. Hazel eyes stared down at him as she pressed a finger to her lips indicating that he needed to be silent and with questioning eyes she waited for him to nod his head.

 

Drawing away from him she pulled a tiny knife from a pocket on her vest and went to work on the chains binding him.

 

“Am I dead?” he whispered. He had to be dead. Because she was flying with Angel’s and his Sam once more, and there was no earthly way possible that she was standing in front of him.

 

Especially not garbed totally in black, complete with black stocking cap covering what he remembered being her short blonde locks.

 

No one else had those eyes though.

 

Instead of a response he saw her once again place her finger against her lips. Silently shushing him an almost imperceptible expression of exasperation on her face. He sighed when he realized that no response was forthcoming and only then did the absurd reality of the situation hit him.

 

She was rescuing him.

 

He was being rescued by a dead woman.

 

Did he really need to rescued in order to go to heaven?

 

If he wasn’t already dead he would be free if he could just hold his questions until they got out of this hole.

 

With that in mind he relaxed in his chains, trying to give her some slack to work with almost jumping again when he heard her speak.

 

I found him, he heard her say wordlessly, even though her lips did not move he knew that it had come from her. He looked up at her in surprise, then realized that she wasn’t speaking to him, that she was still busy with his chains and that she was talking to someone else.

 

Probably a transmitter in her ear although even straining he couldn’t hear what was being said.

 

She’d never used transmitter radios before. Even though once he’d tried to get her to use them. Telling her that it would allow them to fight better together.

 

Be a better team.

 

But they weren’t a team, she was the Slayer and he was her sidekick.

 

Besides she was dead.

 

I’ll need help I don’t think I can carry him and fight at the same time.

 

Third door on the right.

 

His suspicions that she was speaking to someone else were confirmed when another body appeared in the doorway. He tried to focus his eyes enough to make out the form and was just about to warn her when it reached her side.

 

A young man, dressed in a similar fashion touched her arm and then helped her remove the chains.

 

Riley desperate to prove that he wasn’t helpless and did not need to be carried from this place attempted to sit up; only to fall back as his arms and legs failed him.

 

“Shit,” he mumbled softly. Sighing silently as he saw the now twin looks of exasperation as both of his rescuers silenced him with glares.

 

The young man threw his arm round his shoulder pulling him up gently. But even with as gentle as his rescuer was Riley still winced as the muscles in his arms joined in the protest with the rest of his body at having to actually move. Biting back a groan he leaned heavily into the man’s side as he watched her move with stealth to the door. Waving them forward as she took a small metal baton from somewhere on her person and stepped out of his line of sight.

 

Their movement from where he was being to held to the freedom he was being half-carried towards was a long arduous journey.

 

And while he watched her flit between shadows, appearing and disappearing he had to wonder where the demons that had run this place were.

 

Just hours before there had been a loud, raucous party going on and now it was as quiet as a tomb.

 

It was when they made their way into the large open room where he had gone through his make-shift trial that he realized why the building was silent.

 

Bodies littered the floor, and when he stumbled upon noticing them he decided he should concentrate on not fucking up their rescue of him by getting himself killed.

 

When they moved into the hallways he watched her strictly from his peripheral vision. Watched as she calmly and efficiently dealt with every obstacle that was presented to her.

 

She had always been good.

 

It seemed she still was.

 

Clutching at the shoulder that was being leant to him by the young man at his side he concentrated on putting one foot in front of the other. It was better to focus on him instead of the dead woman that was moving in front of him.

 

He was so intent on not making a muck of the rescue that he was shocked into stillness when he realized that they had gotten away. Only the gentle prodding of the man at his side had him crawling, then collapsing on the floor of the van.

 

Of course than he saw the Cyclops demon, one eye blinking sleepily as it stared down at him.

 

“Is that all of them?” the eyes that had been drifting closed popped open as he recognized that English speaking voice.

 

He’d only heard it once, years ago when he’d still been in favor with the Sunnydale crowd he answered the phone to hear that British voice. A former watcher of the Slayers he had been working in LA with Angel and his group.

 

Wesley Wyndam-Price was also supposed to be dead.

 

An explosion in his apartment building, believed to have been set by the lawyers hell-bent on either destroying Angel or releasing Angelus.

 

His eyes drifted closed again. He was suddenly completely exhausted as the realization that he was free hit him.

 

When she spoke, the sound of her voice though caused his eyes to pop open and his gaze to fix on her.

 

Her voice so familiar to him that he thought he’d only hear it in his dreams.

 

“That’s all of them,” Buffy said quietly, her voice muffled as she pulled the vest she had been wearing over her head.

 

Buffy was alive, he mumbled to himself as his eyes drifted shut. Her name a whisper on his lips even as he heard Wesley ask, “Is that really an elf?”

 

**************************************************************************************

 

Buffy relentlessly pounded the bag in front of her. While everyone else on Alpha and Beta teams had collapsed upon making sure their charges were safe she was hard-pressed to feel tired.

 

Dealing with Halfrek that morning, then the rescue tonight had left her feeling on edge.

 

Like something was about to happen.

 

“Aren’t you exhausted?” she heard Damon ask from the doorway. “I mean it’s been a busy day.”

 

“Too wired,” she stated breathlessly.

 

“Let’s have a go then,” Damon said stated, when she turned with a quizzical expression on her face she saw that he had donned work out clothes and taped his hands before coming down to the gym.

 

With a grin and a whoop she dove at him, the two circling, kicking, punching with all the pent up energy they could muster.

 

It wasn’t very often they could let loose like they were without hurting the person they were sparring against. Normally the watchers didn’t like them fighting each other, there wasn’t any chance of them hurting each other. As evenly matched as they were their fights almost always came out in ties.

 

But there was always the possibility that one of them could have a good day and be just enough better than their opponent and do some major damage.

 

Collapsing side by side they both panted as the sweat rolled from their bodies to the mats below.

 

“Just once I’d like one of our fights to not come out in a tie,” Buffy grumbled as she swiped a hand across her forehead.

 

“You want to lose to me that badly?”

 

**************************************************************************************

 

Buffy moved slowly from room to room in house… no hotel… that she didn’t recognize.

 

People moved slowly around her. A dark-haired brunette sat behind a counter laughing with a young black man. A green demon, whose origins she couldn’t place was talking to a short curly haired young woman a distance away.

 

He wasn’t here and she was alarmed.

 

He was always here. This was his home, his family.

 

Moving forward again she climbed the stairs, an open door on the right revealed a young man with eyes that looked familiar although she couldn’t place them. He was just out of his teens sitting in the middle of his bed talking animatedly to a young woman with long, straight dark brown hair.

 

Dawn a voice whispered in her mind. That was Dawn, her sister… who was not her sister. And Connor who she wasn’t supposed to know about.

 

With a frown she moved on. How could you have a sister who wasn’t a sister? And why shouldn’t she know about the boy?

 

The next room brought her to the one she sought and as she moved in she smiled softly then stopped as confusion reigned.

 

He sat in an old, comfortable looking leather chair. And instead of looking sad, forlorn as he stared at the picture cradled in his hands he had a small smile playing on his lips.

 

“He looks happy,” she whispered softly, not understanding in the slightest.

 

“He loves you still B… thinks you’re still alive,” came a voice from behind her. Whirling around in anger and silently berating herself she assumed a defensive position as she faced the brunette leaning negligently against the door frame.

 

“Who are you?” she growled.

 

“Funny B… just because we didn’t part on the best of terms doesn’t mean that I didn’t care when you died.”

 

I’m not dead was her first response but what actually came from her mouth was, “Humor me.”

 

“I’m Faith… remember me? Your sister Slayer… fighting the good fight and all.”

 

“Right…” Buffy drawled slowly. “So why are you here? Why aren’t you on the Hellmouth?”

 

“Because Sunny D has a Slayer right now. New girl, Theresa… I’ve been helping broody boy and his gang in LA.”

 

“You’re in LA?” Buffy shook her head, so not the point right now. “How did you get into my dream?”

 

“Your dream… hate to break it to you B but you’re dead, this is my dream,” Faith stated in exasperation. “You came to me, see the powers do this trippy thing where they make the messages they send us Slayers totally incomprehensible so that it takes nine years to decrypt them.”

 

“Right,” Buffy lowered her fists, her eyes still wary on the other girl before she decided that hell this was a dream, you couldn’t die in dreams right? So she turned away, refocusing on the reason she had come here.

 

Him.

 

“He’s a vampire,” she said softly as she watched him sip the mug that she knew, how did she know, was filled with blood.

 

Probably heated to exactly the right temperature.

 

98.6.

 

“You know that already B,” Faith moved up alongside her staring down at him. The blonde’s picture clutched in one hand, the other holding the mug to his lips.

 

“He doesn’t believe that you’re dead… Can’t move on because of it,” turning to the other woman suddenly she grabbed her arm, shock on her face when her hand didn’t pass right through like it normally would. She was real… she wasn’t an apparition as normal. “What the…? Are you haunting him B? Is that what this is?”

 

“I don’t know…”

 

“Is that what you’re trying to tell me?!!” Faith screamed her face raised to the heavens. “Is that why he can’t move on because she’s still here.”

 

Looking at the brunette with something akin to fear Buffy backed away. A loud beeping interrupting her train of thought, making her lose what she had been about to say as she blindly turned towards the door.

 

“What’s that noise?!” Faith shouted rushing forward to grab her arm.

 

“Let me go!” Buffy struggled against her grip, peeling her fingers off one by one and moving towards the door again.

 

“What is that?” Faith repeated as she blocked her path of escape.

 

“It’s my alarm clock,” Buffy said as she tried to maneuver around the other woman.

 

“Alarm clock? You have alarm clocks in heaven? How messed up is that.”

 

“I’m not dead,” Buffy said desperately. The shock on Faith’s face gave her the split second she needed to move around the other woman and out the door.

 

“Not dead? Not dead?!” Faith rushed after her. Racing to catch up with her. “B?! Buffy!?”

 

With a gasp Faith came awake, sitting straight up in her bed, her chest heaving. One word on her lips.

 

“Buffy.”

 

**************************************************************************************

 

Buffy lay in the middle of her large bed staring with unseeing at the ceiling. Confusion and fear raced through her body.

 

There had been someone in her dream.

 

Someone that had known her. Someone that she’d known.

 

Faith.

 

She’d gotten used to Cordelia and the others. People that she’d never met who helped and lived with Angel. She’d gotten used to the dreamlike existence that she lived in at night.

 

Her life was flashing before her eyes and she hated it.

 

She would forget them every time Whistler did a wipe on her. But then the dreams would start again. Hazy dreams of her past, of her present. Slowly she would relearn all those people that she’d forgotten.

 

But there were some that she never forgot.

 

Dawn. Connor…

 

Angel.

 

Sitting up she ran fingers through her hair as she sighed loudly. She had told Wesley to hold off on contacting Whistle but now she had to wonder if that had been a wise idea.

 

She could not go downstairs and see Riley with her memories firmly intact.

 

She knew that the powers wouldn’t let her go see Riley with her memories intact. Besides she didn’t think she could stand to see the revulsion on his face when he realized that she was alive and had abandoned her friends and family.

 

“Well at least this time I won’t leave with an alarm clock shaped imprint on my forehead,” she heard Whistlers voice before she ever saw. Sitting up on the edge of the bed she stared at the demon who was walking slowly towards her, hat held in his hands as he studied her face.

 

“Definitely came back quicker this time,” he commented as he stopped in front of her.

 

“I remember it all,” she confirmed absently as she lifted her hands to study them. “There was so much blood.”

 

“He died a warriors death, just like he wanted, just like he was meant to.”

 

“Like he was meant to?! He wasn’t a warrior! He shouldn’t even have been there! Should never have died like that.”

 

“You can’t change the past kid… What’s done is done… You made the only choice you could under the circumstances.”

 

“I had his blood on my hands, I remember what it sounded like when he fell,” she covered her face with her hands sobbing. “I remember it all… why?”

 

“The powers have no control over the bond that you share with the vampire…”

 

“Angel?” Buffy’s hands fell to her lap as she stared up at Whistler with wide eyes. “What does Angel have to do with this?”

 

“We thought the bond between you was gone, dead… or at the very least so weak that it would have no bearing on the order things needed to happen. Obviously we underestimated the power of it,” Whistler twisted his hat between his hands as he frowned. Buffy was sure that if the hat had been on his head that he would have been wringing his hands in frustration.

 

“What are you talking about?” she asked in confusion. “What does Angel have to do with my memories continually coming back?”

 

“You keep remembering because he remembers. He remembers every kiss, every touch, every moment that you spent together and separated. Whenever we do the wipe it only holds until the bond between you asserts itself and his memories start refreshing yours. It’s really quite extraordinary… frustrating… but extraordinary.”

 

“But you’re still going to do another wipe… even though the memories will come back again.”

 

“Yes.”

 

Buffy stared at him for a moment before she sighed and lay back on her bed, closing her eyes she settled against her pillows. “Then do it now… before I change my mind and refuse.”

 

Whistler moved to stand beside the bed, setting his hat down his hands moved to hover over her head. “I’m sorry,” he whispered as he began the spell. “I wish there was another way.”

 

“And how long will it hold this time?” Wesley asked from behind him.

 

The demon glanced over his shoulder at the Watcher standing patiently in the door. “How much did you hear?”

 

“Enough to know that the wipes will last for continually shorter time spans until one day when it won’t work at all,” Wesley said as he motioned for the demon the follow him from the room.

 

“It only has to last for a few days.”

 

“What are you talking about?”

 

“The powers have decided to intervene. To speed up what was always meant to happen. In that vein the demon, the one that was just released…”

 

“Halfrek,” Wesley supplied.

 

“Yeah that’s her… She’s being allowed to retain her memories of meeting Buffy. She’s already told some of the more important players that she’s seen her. Faith, another Slayer,” Whistler stated at Wesley’s confused look. “She’s already infiltrated the girls dreams. Others will find out in dreams, visions, word of mouth… pretty soon you’re going to have a whole caravan of people on your doorstep.”

 

“If that’s the case why wipe her at all? Why not just let her keep her memories?”

 

“Because things have to happen in a certain order… and then there’s you. It’s common knowledge that you and Buffy knew each other prior to taking your positions. So it only stands to reason that you’re going to know the same people, that you ran in the same circles. Besides once they figure out what’s happened to her, it’ll be only a hop, skip and a jump till they figure out what happened to you.”

 

“So what you’re saying then is that I should get the guestrooms ready… because we have company coming.”

 

**************************************************************************************

 

Cordy wandered slowly down the stairs of the Hyperion. She could see the sun shining brightly through the large windows in the lobby and once again cursed her fate at working for a vampire with an aversion to sunlight.

 

If he’d just kept the damn Gem of Amara they could have stalked evil during the day… allowing her to actually have a life.

 

Maybe it would have forced her back to Sunnydale and Xander in time for him to not die on her.

 

Pushing open the front doors she prepared to feel the sun beating down on her upturned face only to be faced with the Summers’ living room.

 

“What the…” she started before she recognized the scene before her. Recognized the pools of blood on the floor that she’d only seen in police photographs.

 

This was the Summers’ home on the day that Xander had died.

 

“I didn’t think there’d be so much blood,” she said softly as she felt the presence behind her.

 

 “There always is when death is involved,” he said quietly as he moved to stand beside her, Cordy whirling in shock at the sound of his voice.

 

“Xander?! What are you doing here?!”

 

“Geez Cord… If I’d known you were going to be this happy to see me I would have come sooner,” Xander retorted, his brow arching as he watched a flush crawl across her cheeks.

 

“Sorry… It’s just Doyle’s normally the one I see in these dreams,” she muttered.

 

“I asked him if I could be the one to do this… I mean since it involves me and everything,” he said quietly as he watched her turn back to the room.

 

“Did it hurt? When you died I mean.”

 

“Ever the tactful one heh Cord? Guess not everything can change,” Xander grinned, fingering a tendril of her short hair, the grin was fleeting, crossing his face and leaving just as quickly. When he continued she had to strain to hear him his voice was so soft. “Yes it hurt, it’s not as quick as it is in the movies, I couldn’t do anything, couldn’t move. Just laid there like a lump on a log trying to keep from bleeding to death… but in the end…” he shrugged. “You can’t prevent death, can’t keep on living when your time is up.”

 

“I wish…” Cordy started, stilling when she felt Xander stiffen next to her.

 

“No wishing,” he stated. “That way leads to violent bloody deaths, for those near and dear.”

 

“I’m sorry,” she said honestly. “If I had done things differently, if I’d forgiven you…”

 

“Things still would have worked out the same… you needed to leave Sunnydale, to get as far away from the Hellmouth as you could. And I needed to stay. My presence, and Willow’s kept Buffy strong. As long as she had friends and family to fight for she could continue, once she lost that, once she lost hope…” Xander waved a hand in front of them, the scene in the room changing as Buffy and a demon that Cordy knew well took form before them.

 

“Whistler,” she whispered.

 

“Watch, listen… you need to prepare them.”

 

Before them Buffy was staring with a shell-shocked expression at Whistler who was pacing in front of her.

 

“Have you made your choice?” he asked her.

 

“What choice?” Cordy turned to face Xander. He shook his head, directing her attention back to scene in front of them.

 

Buffy didn’t answer him, just stared blankly at him as he stopped pacing. Standing before her as his eyes levelly met hers. “I need an answer.”

 

Cordy had to wonder if they knew that they were standing in blood.

 

That Buffy’s clothing was stained with it and she had to bite her tongue to stop from asking Xander whose blood it was.

 

Was it his? Anya’s? Buffy’s?

 

She knew from what information Willow and Dawn had imparted on them upon their arrival that Buffy had been injured during the fight with Anya.

 

That she had died at the Summers’ home from those injuries after Xander had been taken to the hospital, after Willow has taken Anya to Giles.

 

“What about my sister? My friends?” Buffy asked hollowly.

 

“Your father will take over custody over her. We have people just waiting for the right word to contact him. We can have him here tomorrow.”

 

Buffy snorted as she ran a hand through her hair. Obviously not believing what the little demon was telling her.

 

“My friends?” she repeated.

 

“They’ll be told whatever you want,” Whistler moved closer to her. Staring directly into her eyes as he waited for a response. Suddenly a smile began to grace his face, to be replaced instead with sympathy. “Whatever you want…”

 

“How about I’m dead,” Buffy stated, her voice tired as she lowered her gaze from his. Seemingly just now noticing that she had blood on her hands. “Dead works for me.”

 

“Anything you want,” Whistler promised. “If you want the death scenario we can work it but I think…”

 

“I won’t remember anything?” Buffy cut him off still staring at the blood on her hands. She clenched her hands into fists as she looked back over at him, making an obvious attempt to reign in her temper.

 

“The wipe will be complete… The only thing you’ll remember is your name, your abilities, date of birth… nothing else. The powers wouldn’t allow it.”

 

“My friends will be taken care of?”

 

“Already in the works… all that’s needed is your assent so they can continue.”

 

“You know you’re being a lot less cryptic then usual,” Buffy’s eyes narrowed as her head cocked to study him. “What’s up with that?”

 

“The powers want to make sure that you understand what assignment your undertaking. There’s no going back from it. If you decide to step up to the plate there’s no quitting. Until death.”

 

Buffy closed her eyes, drawing a deep breath right before her eyes popped back open.

 

“The Hellmouth?”

 

“Will be taken care of. Another Slayer will be called to take your place. Special circumstances and all.”

 

Buffy nodded a harsh laugh emanating from between her lips.

 

“Okay,” she said softly as the scene faded from before them.

 

Cordy stared in bafflement at where just seconds before Buffy and Whistler had been standing.

 

Now they were gone, as was the blood that had been pooled on the floor.

 

“Did you never ask yourself why Buffy, who had been hurt worse in the past would die from injuries that should not have been life-threatening? Willow and Dawn both said that she was fine, a little sore when they left to run their particular errands but when they returned she was dead.”

 

“You know Buffy,” Cordy snapped, although if she could tell that her heart wasn’t in it so could he. “She’s a super hero after all.”

 

“Don’t be catty Cordy,” Xander rolled his eyes at her. “She gave up everything because she wanted you all to be safe and happy.”

 

“Happy? Do I look happy? Does Angel? How ‘bout Dawn or Willow or Giles or even Spike? Everyone’s miserable.”

 

“Well not for much longer,” he said musingly. “You know it’s kind of funny that you guys didn’t realize it sooner. I mean how many times do the dead actually stay dead in our cases?”

 

“Xander,” she muttered.

 

“Well apart from me… a lot of stuff is about to go down… but things have to happen in a certain order. She won’t know you, might not show any signs of recognition… except for maybe Angel, Dawn… Connor…”

 

“Connor?”

 

“Yeah… funny story that… remind me to tell you ‘bout it sometime Cor.”

 

“Does that mean that I’ll see you again?”

 

“Here and there,” he murmured cryptically. Moving forward to close the distance between them he touched her cupping her cheeks within his hands. “I’m glad that you did finally come, that you finally understood.”

 

“I did love you Xander, you have to know that,” a tear trailing down one cheek.

 

He wiped it away as he watched her. “You should take Dawn and Connor to the movies tomorrow night. They need some downtime.”

 

“What?” she looked up at him in confusion.

 

He smiled enigmatically at her as he pressed a soft kiss to her lips. “I wish…”

 

Cordy jerked suddenly awake, sitting straight up in her bed. Hands pressed to her lips she felt wetness on her cheeks.

 

“Xander…”

 

**************************************************************************************

 

Spike sauntered down the steps of the hotel, he’d spent the last couple hours at Hallie’s bedside trying to figure out what had knocked her off her feet.

 

They’d only found out what had happened when they contacted D’Hoffryn. It seemed a spell had been cast. A sleeping spell at that, D’Hoffryn had been endlessly amused when he’d figured out what the spell was.

 

Although that amusement had vanished when it became clear that Hallie was out for the count and that a supplemental spell had been cast cloaking the point of origin of Hallie’s ‘port.

 

“Anythin’ Red?” he flopped down on the floor next to where Willow had set up her potions. With Giles looking on with a stern expression she had slowly ventured back into the world of magik.

 

Only small spells of course. Most of her power had been stripped the first time she’d lost control. But she did have enough magikal ability to do simple spells.

 

“I think I’ve been able to at least trace Hallie to Colorado,” Willow looked up from where she was working frowning. “But I can’t go any further than that…” with a glance over at Giles she looked back at Spike and continued. “The witch that cast that spell, she’s got a lot of power, more than I do. Maybe a few years ago I could have broken the spell down and got us an actual location, but now…”

 

“So if Halfrek is to be believed than Buffy is alive,” Giles removed his glasses, cleaning them with the ever-present white handkerchief that he pulled from his pocket. “And living somewhere in Colorado… so what was Halfrek doing there in the first place.”

 

“What Watcher you don’t think people need vengeance in Colorado?”

 

“Yes Spike… but D’Hoffryn said that her last assignment was in Maine, so how did she end up all the way across the country in Colorado?”

 

“Don’t know, maybe she’ll tell us when she bleedin’ wakes up.”

 

All three jumped, Spike and Giles falling into defensive positions in front of Willow when the front door crashed open.

 

“Faith,” Giles said with mild relief as he realized that there wasn’t an attack underway. The one bad thing about living, even temporarily at the Hyperion, was the sheer number of attacks on the building. He idly wondered how long it would take Angel to run out of money from fixing all the damage before he realized that Faith was moving towards them.

 

“What the hell is she doing here?”

 

“Well maybe if you asked her nicely Spike she’d tell you,” Giles rolled his eyes. The animosity between the two was a source of constant headaches and amusement.

 

“Where’s Angel? I need to see him,” Faith said breathlessly. It was the fact that she was out of breath that drew Giles’ attention to the fact that she was in fact panting, sweating heavily as she collapsed onto the large couch in the middle of the lobby.

 

Spike studied her for a mere second before he moved quickly up the stairs, most probably to retrieve Angel. Giles sat down next to her, holding out the handkerchief he had been still holding to her.

 

“You didn’t blow your nose on it or anything did you?” Faith eyed it carefully, when Giles shook his head she used it to wipe at her face.

 

“Did you run the whole way?” Willow asked as she reappeared behind Spike holding out a glass of water to the Slayer. She never had the chance to respond, instead flew to her feet as she saw Angel moving quickly down the stairs. Spike on his heels.

 

“Faith? What’s wrong?”

 

“Had a dream…”

 

“A prophetic one?”

 

“Yeah… but the thing is… the dream…” Faith stumbled. Now that she was here. Staring up at the vampire that had become her family she wondered if telling him was the right thing.

 

Would he be better off?

 

“Your dream?” Giles prompted.

 

“B was in the dream,” she said her voice almost a whisper, her face pleading with him to believe her. “And she said that she was alive.”

 

**************************************************************************************

 

“So is it true?” Angel was startled to hear the voice behind him. Turning from where he was sitting in his worn leather chair, staring once more at his battered picture of Buffy he came face to face with Buffy’s sister.

 

Dawn. With her ever present shadow and best-friend. His grown son Connor

 

The two had become fast friends the instant they had met. Which had scared Angel at first.

 

Dawn and Connor? Nothing good could come of it. He and Buffy were the perfect example of that.

 

It had never even dawned on him that they might be another reason that it might not be a good idea.

 

“Is what true?” he asked carefully.

 

The look she shot at him was so classically Buffy that he was forced to smile thinly at her.

 

“Is it true that Backstreet Boys are aliens?” she snorted, Connor standing awkwardly at her side his face an expression of apprehension lining his face. “Is it true that Buffy’s alive?”

 

“Dawn…” Angel sighed, setting his picture aside he stood, facing the two with what he hoped was a stern expression.  From the looks on their faces they weren’t buying it.

 

“Don’t try to placate us dad,” Connor started, shifting on his feet as the fatherly platitude issued from his mouth. It had taken a long time for Connor to get used to calling Angel ‘Dad’, Dawn had been a huge factor in forcing him to face the facts.

 

That whether he liked it or not, Angel was his father… and that wouldn’t change.

 

Sometimes Dawn could be just as stubborn as her older sister.

 

“We want to know the truth.”

 

“The truth?” Angel asked running a hand over his hair. “The truth is we don’t know.”

 

“But what do you think Angel?” Dawn reached over and gripped Connor’s hand tightly within her own.

 

Angel drew a deep breath as he studied them. Connor dark to Dawns light, matching eyes and he vaguely wondered how he hadn’t realized the truth so much sooner. Giles, Connor and Dawn had all figured it out before he’d even come to suspect the truth.

 

“I think she’s alive.”

 

Dawn’s face lit up with a grin as she threw her arms around Connor. “I knew it,” she said excitedly, “I just knew she couldn’t be dead.”

 

“Well you were right Dawnie,” a small smile crossed Angel’s face as he watched Dawn’s joy and excitement… which didn’t seem to be contagious as normal.

 

His son still looked apprehensive.

 

“Connor? You’re not pleased?”

 

“It’s just…” Connor trailed off as he looked from Dawn’s beaming face, to his father’s curious one and he shrugged. “What if she doesn’t like me?”

 

“Why wouldn’t she like you?” Dawn backed away staring up into the young warriors eyes.

 

“Well… you know… I tried to kill Angel… and look who gave birth to me…”

 

“Well Buffy hopefully won’t throw stones about the Darla thing… and you’re not the only one who’s tried to kill Angel… Buffy actually succeeded in sending Angelus to hell,” Willow said from where she was standing in the doorway.

 

“Hell?” Connor blinked at the redhead before whipping his head around to gape at Angel. “Angelus?”

 

To which both Willow and Angel turned theirs gazes to Dawn who was now staring at her feet, shuffling back and forth. She had been telling Connor about Buffy and Angel’s life together in great detail. How had she managed…?

 

“Hadn’t got to the Angelus stuff yet…” she muttered. “Couldn’t figure out a way to tell it without going into the whole how he lost his soul in the first place thing.”

 

“Wait a minute since when can you lose your soul?” Connor glared at Angel accusingly. “I thought it was permanent?”

 

“It is now… but it wasn’t always,” Angel said softly. Those few months in Sunnydale when he had terrorized the Slayer and her friends, had killed Jenny Calendar ran through his mind.

 

Sometimes he couldn’t believe that Buffy, let alone the other Scoobies had ever forgiven him for his actions as Angelus.

 

He knew that to some degree Xander and Giles never had.

 

“What are you doing here Dawn? Aren’t you supposed to be spending ‘quality’ time with your father?” Willow asked in an attempt to draw the attention away from Angel and his once precariously attached soul.

 

“He got called out of town on business… I thought I’d come over here and stay, you know since I have stuff here anyway.”

 

“Of course you can stay here Dawn,” Angel stated with a frown. Hank Summers had to be the worst father that Angel’d ever had the privilege of coming in contact with. If he had been in the other mans place he would never have left his only remaining daughter alone at all.

 

But unfortunately he wasn’t Dawn’s father, and to be fair to the man Hank had been trying to be better. He’d actually spent three consecutive weeks at home this time before his work had dragged him away. That had to be a record someplace.

 

Dawn had come to realize, just like Buffy had, to Hank Summers work would always come first.

 

“You know you’re always welcome.”

 

“Besides it’s not like most of your stuff isn’t here already,” Connor murmured under his breath. Dawn smacked him in the chest as she shot a glare in his direction.

 

“We’re going to go see if Faith and Cordy have finished going over their dreams for Giles for the nine hundredth time,” Dawn muttered grabbing Connors hand and dragging him from the room.

 

“You know it’s probably a good thing that the two of them figured out the truth on their own,” Willow said musingly watching the two leave.

 

“What are you talking about?” Angel asked suspiciously. She couldn’t know. There were only four people, plus the powers that knew the truth.

 

“It probably would have been more awkward for you to have to have the ‘Dawn, Connor you can’t see each other because you’re related talk’ after they started sleeping together.”

 

“How did you find out?”

 

“Please… its so obvious when you see the two of them together. Plus Connor has her eyes,” she said when Angel arched a brow at her. “He has Buffy’s eyes.”

 

“You can’t say anything Willow…”

 

“I know, I kind of figured that out on my own. I’m actually surprised that Mr. Summers hasn’t said something… every time he comes here he looks at Connor like he can’t place where he knows him from.” Willow walked further into the room, perching on the edge of the bed she stared up at the vampire. “How are you going to tell her?”

 

“What tell Buffy?” Angel crossed his arms over his chest. “I was kind of thinking of taking the cowards way out on the one… and just giving her a card on mothers day.”

 

“Angel…”

 

“How do you explain something like this Willow? How do I tell her that I was human?”

 

“You told me.”

 

“You’re not her; it’s easy to tell someone that’s not Buffy. Besides I know the minute I tell her she’s going to look at me and tell me that she’s an adult and doesn’t need me running her life for her.”

 

“Well that is true Angel,” Willow muttered. “I mean she’s been over 18 for a few years at least.”

 

“She won’t understand when I tell her that I gave it back to save her. That I gave back every dream that the two of us had ever had so that she would live.”

 

“And look how well that worked out Angel. She’s died twice since then.”

 

“Once,” Angel corrected. “I knew that she wasn’t dead.”

 

“Well you were the only one. Every one else thought she was dead.”

 

“I know… Sometimes I thought I was going mad Willow. I could feel her, inside me and I just knew that she wasn’t gone. Yet everyone was insisting that she was. I started to believe it myself towards the end. I mean if she was alive why wouldn’t she at least come to me?”

“All I’m saying is she deserves to know.”

 

“I think we have more important things to worry about anyway,” Angel sighed. “Like if she’s even going to remember us when we finally do get her back.”

 

**************************************************************************************

 

Riley winced as he paced the length of the room he was confined in. As far as cells went it wasn’t that bad.

 

Bed was soft, had a separate bathroom, food was brought at regular intervals and undrugged. But he still felt like a prisoner.

 

He thought that it might have something to do with the locked door. So when the door opened he expected to see yet one more lab coat coming to take his blood and was surprised instead to see a young woman, black hair braided down the middle of her back smiling at him.

 

“So you’re Riley Finn,” she said appraisingly. Her eyes traveled the line of his body. “I guess I could see why they would think you were Indaran,” she shrugged. Turning on her heel she went to walk away, stopping when she realized that he wasn’t following her.

 

“Are you coming?”

 

With wide eyes Riley shoved his feet into the sneakers he had found in his room and hurriedly followed her.

 

“There was a woman that was there last night…” he started.

 

“That would be Buffy… I’m Jade by the way…”

 

“Will she be wherever you’re taking me?” he asked as he lengthened his steps to keep up with her. For a woman that was almost as short as he remembered Buffy being she moved at a brisk pace.

 

“Probably not… she and a couple of others are doing a recon on another matter,” Jade stopped outside a closed door waving a card in front of a metal plate she waited as the door opened. “We’re here.”

 

**************************************************************************************

 

“So what do we know?” Angel asked as he and Willow rejoined the group amassed in the lobby.

 

“Well we know that if the dreams are to be believed that Buffy is indeed alive,” Giles started. “If what Xander showed Cordy in her dream was true…”

 

“My visions don’t lie,” Cordy harrumphed.

 

“You had a dream not a vision… but what was shown in your dream does track with what happened. Buffy was left alone in the Summers house and when Dawn and Willow returned she was gone. Her body later turning up at the hospital. But what we don’t understand is the conversation that you said she had with Whistler…”

 

“He asked her if she’d made her choice, she asked if her friends and family would be taken care of, made sure that they were going to take away her memories and then agreed… What’s so hard to understand about that?”

 

“Well it doesn’t tell us what kind of choice Whistler asked her to make,” Angel murmured. “I mean he could have asked her to do anything.”

 

“Indaran…” Hallie’s weak voice came from behind them.

 

“Hallie!” Spike moved to his feet quickly over to where the demon was swaying. “You shouldn’t be up,” he scolded gently.

 

“I… I wanted to see if you’d found her yet,” Hallie said as she leaned heavily against Spike, letting him lead her to a spot on the floor that she gratefully sank down to.

 

“Not yet pet,” Spike said softly as he sat next to her.

 

“Are you sure it was her Hallie?” Angel asked softly moving to her side, crouching next to her.

 

“I was so close to her Angel. I touched her, talked to her… I saw the scar on her neck.”

 

“What do you mean Indaran?” Giles asked suddenly, removing his glances as he watched her carefully.

 

“She’s a warrior…”

 

“She’s always been a warrior,” Dawn murmured.

 

“No I mean she’s an Indaran Warrior, that’s what Whistler offered her…”

 

“Oh my dear lord…” Giles sputtered.

 

“Whistler offered her Indaran… and she accepted.”

 

“So… so that means that the Indaran’s have been chosen?” Giles’ eyes flickered to Angel then settled back onto Hallie.

 

“Yes… all fifty have been chosen along with their watchers, they were the ones that rescued me.”

 

“But… oh dear lord.”

 

“Giles?” Willow eyed the watcher carefully. “Are you okay? That’s the second time that you’ve ‘oh dear lorded’.”

 

“I take it you’ve heard of these Indaran’s before?” Angel asked.

 

“The Indaran’s are myth,” Giles shoved his glasses back on his face and climbed to his feet. “In the texts that I’ve read, that have managed to be deciphered by the council they are warriors… fifty of the strongest chosen from every class of demon hunter known to us, probably some not known to us.”

 

“They’re warriors, strong, smart… There are supposed to be tests to determine their worthiness to carry the mantle of Indaran. Hard ones that must be passed before they are chosen. They wouldn’t have any family, friends…”

 

“No one that would miss them,” Spike finished. “But the bint had family. The niblet, red, you watcher… hell even Peaches.”

 

“Yes I’m aware of that… they must have made a special allowance in her case… Most likely because they would normally have chosen Faith…”

 

“And I was detained behind bars at the time.”

 

“Exactly… But the Indaran Warriors aren’t supposed to be chosen until the final days. Until the End of Days begins unfolding. They’re supposed to be pivotal in the battles.”

 

“But if the Indaran’s have been chosen…” Cordy started.

 

“The End of Days has begun,” Angel finished.

 

**************************************************************************************

 

Dawn stood at the entryway to the garden watching Connor brood amidst the flowers. A habit that he’d most likely picked up from his father, although he would never admit to it.

 

It wasn’t very often that she got the opportunity to attempt to sneak up on him. He had inherited his senses from both Buffy and Angel and he very rarely let his guard down.

 

With a sly grin on her face she moved quietly into the garden area, taking up position behind him she lifted her hand slightly as she prepared to tap him on the shoulder.

 

“I kind of wanted to be alone Dawn,” he said softly his head hanging even lower, if possible on his shoulders.

 

“How’d you know it was me?” she frowned as she moved around the bench he was sitting on and flopped cross-legged down on the concrete in front of him.

 

“I recognized your perfume… besides you’re the only one that even tries to sneak up on me anymore.”

 

“Someday I will do it,” she promised before she changed the subject. She already knew why he was here by himself instead of immersing himself in discovering where his mother, her sister was. But she knew from past experience that he would overcome the problem only when he wanted to, or could finally admit what it was.

 

But it never hurt if she prodded him in the solving it himself direction.

 

“So what are you doing out here by yourself? I thought you’d be inside helping your dad and the others pinpoint Buffy’s location.”

 

Connor frowned down at her, when she refused to be cowed by the expression on his face. Instead just kept staring at him with that same mulish expression on her face that he’d gotten quite used to over the last year he sighed.

 

“I was just thinking.”

 

“’bout what?” she asked drawing her knees up to her chest she rested her chin in the V created by them, wrapping her arms around her legs as she patiently waited.

 

Pushing him too much caused him to dig his feet in and be stubborn.

 

Just like her sister… and Angel.

 

“About what she’s going to be like, how she’s going to react to me… I’ve had these dreams of what it’s going to be like and now I just don’t know…”

 

“She’s going to love you Connor,” Dawn said softly.

 

“She won’t even know who I am.”

 

“You don’t think she’s going to be able to take one look at you and figure it out? I mean I did, you did once you saw pictures of her…”

 

“But Cordy says I look more like Angel then Buffy… and besides why would she even think that? I mean if I were her and Angel’s child I would have to be like three, not going on 20.”

 

Connor scowled, once more he was filled with loathing that he directed entirely at Holtz.

 

Which was a startling contrast to how he had been when he had first returned to this dimension with his ‘father’.

 

Then he had hated Angel with a fiery passion. Holtz had taught him that. Had taught him that Angel, Darla and their childer had destroyed their entire family leaving the two of them all alone in the world. Holtz had taught him to feel only hatred towards the two beings that he didn’t know had given him life.

 

He hated to think what Holtz would have done if he had figured out that Connor had not been Darla’s son, but the son of a Slayer. Would he have taught him to feel hatred towards Buffy, his mother as well? Would he have planted the same seed in young Connor’s mind that he had planted for Angel?

 

That she needed to die for her sins. For willingly giving herself to a vampire.

 

And how would Buffy feel about her son when she found out that he had tried and very damn near succeeded in killing his own father? Would she hate him? Would her eyes fill with anger and hate as opposed to the love that he hoped for?

 

“None of that,” Dawn interrupted his musings, smacking his leg hard she laughed at him when his scowl directed itself at her.

 

She had been the reason that he had even attempted to learn who his father truly was.

 

“Do you remember the first time we met?” he asked suddenly.

 

“Of course,” Dawn frowned at him as she tried to figure out where he was going with his question. “You came with Angel and Cordy… when they found out…”

 

And he had made the journey from LA to Sunnydale with Angel and Cordelia when they learned of their loved ones deaths. He had sat in the backseat of Angel’s huge car never wondering or caring why the vampire that called himself his father was driving seemingly carved in stone.

 

He could see, even though he was still not on the best of terms with Angel at the time, the pain etched into every feature on the vampires face. He just didn’t care at that moment. Hadn’t cared about Cordelia either, as she sat sobbing in the passenger seat for the first hour they were on the road, then sat as though in shock for the rest of the trip.

 

When they had arrived at the Summers’ residence the door had swung open before Angel had even pulled his car in the driveway, a lanky teen-age girl racing to where Angel was already stepping from the car. Throwing herself in his arms, all the while sobbing as if her entire world had vanished.

 

A redhead and an older gentleman were slowly making their way to the car as Connor stepped from it. Nonchalantly stretching he had looked around, not really interested in the spectacle happening in front of him until he heard the low moan of pain.

 

A low moan of a vampire in pain. And since the only vampire that Connor could sense in the immediate area was Angel he had turned to him and felt a heart, that hadn’t felt anything but maybe contempt for the man who was his father, break.

 

Angel had the still crying girl clutched to one side as he listened to whatever the older man was saying, and as Connor stepped closer he heard the low sound of pain once more emanate from the vampires chest. The grief that he had kept bottled up within himself upon learning of the Slayers death released itself in a loud roar of anguish as he fell to his knees, dragging the girl down with him. She wrapped her arms around his torso, burying her head in his side as tears streamed openly from his eyes.

 

The older man knelt before them, touching Angel’s shoulder gently and Connor could hear him explaining quietly that they had already buried her. That they had buried them both.

 

With the raw anguish on Angel’s face, that he could hear in Cordy’s cry as she sobbed into the redheads shoulder he wanted to tell the older man to stop. To let them deal with the deaths first and the other stuff later.

 

But there was no reprieve. Angel and Cordy were helped into the house, Connor trailing along behind them and the story was finished.

 

He hadn’t understood the depths of Angel’s anguish until the following morning, as the vampire fell into an exhausted sleep in the Slayers room Connor had his first meeting with Dawn.

 

“You didn’t like Angel very much then,” Dawn said softly. “And I couldn’t understand why you came with him…”

 

“I didn’t understand myself… I just knew that I had to go to Sunnydale with them and then when I got here…”

 

“I knew the minute I saw you,” she smiled. “I knew that you had to be Buffy’s. I didn’t know how, nobody had told me about that day that didn’t happen but I knew, just looking at you that you were hers. Angel’d already explained what had happened to you when you were a baby, how Darla had sacrificed herself for you, how Wesley had taken you thinking he was protecting you, how Holtz had tricked him… all of that. I think he wanted to make sure we understood that he didn’t blame you for hating him. But what he did was give me the missing pieces of the puzzle that wouldn’t fit… I mean because if you were Buffy’s she would have been like three when she had you… but factoring in the other stuff.”

 

“I thought you were insane the first time you told me what you thought… then you showed me those pictures of her and dad told us about the day he was human. You know I’m surprised he hasn’t snagged one of them to replace the one he has… it’s falling apart you know.”

 

“I offered him a new one, told him I’d have that same picture made up from the negative but…” Dawn shrugged.

 

“I think it’s because my mom gave that one to him.”

 

“You know,” Dawn smirked. “It’s funny hearing you call her that, hearing you call Angel dad.”

 

“It took a long time for me to be able to do it, a lot of that was because of you,” Connor said as he pushed himself to his feet dusting off the back of his jeans he smiled at her as she held her hands out to her. “What?”

 

“Be a gentleman and offer your aunt a hand up,” she frowned at him, grabbing at his hands when he finally held them out he pulled her to her feet.

 

“So do you really think she’s going to like me?”

 

“You’re not going to be like this the whole time we’re at the movies are you? Because I’ll make Cordy let us go to different shows.”

 

**************************************************************************************

 

Wesley sat at his desk flipping through folders with a frown on his face he merely glanced up when he heard the voices of three of his set of warriors enter. They sounded happy and Buffy was showing no signs of any ill effects from the night priors’ wipe.

 

In fact she didn’t seem to remember Whistler’s visit at all, of course all that did was make him wonder what else she had forgotten in the this last wipe. Hopefully Whistler could be believed and she would no longer have to undergo the seemingly weekly wipes.

 

Of course then he had to decide if the weekly visits from Whistler were better than the caravan of people that were poised to descend upon them as they realized that she was still alive.

 

“So how did your recon go?” he asked turning his attention back to the file in front of him.

 

“Tickets purchased,” Buffy grinned widely flopping in perfect synchronization with Damon down on the small couch positioned in the center of the room. “Are you sure you don’t want to go with us? Could be great fun.”

 

“Hmmm… lets see. Spend hours battling LA traffic to go see a two hour movie, having to contend with rude, obnoxious movie goers, than spend hours battling LA traffic to get back home… I think I’ll just sit here with my musty old books.”

 

“You’re a bore Wes… sometimes I wonder what exactly Jade sees in you,” Colin smirked perching on the edge of the desk.

 

“It’s my ruggishly good looks.”

 

“I think it’s the scar,” Damon decided. “Women dig scars.”

 

“That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard of and on behalf on my sex…” Buffy smacked him upside the head. “We do not dig scars.”

 

“As much fun as this is…” Wes prompted. “Why are you here?”

 

“Because we’re trying one more time to convince you to come with us…” Buffy started.

 

“Plus we wanted to know if Jade was back from the Colorado compound,” Colin finished.

 

“No I’m not going with you; you’ll just have to have your quota of fun without me. Which of course means no fights,” this directed at Damon and Colin who both frowned at him. “If I get a call to bail you out of jail I’ll leave you there overnight.”

 

“We don’t always start fights,” Damon protested.

 

“Keep telling yourself that,” Buffy mumbled under her breath, smiling innocently at him when he glared at her.

 

“And yes Jade is back from the Colorado compound, she’s already approved Mr. Finn’s release, he should be back in Sunnydale by sunset. Although,” Wesley tapped the pages on the folder in front of him. “We may have another issue where he’s concerned.”

 

“What kind of issue?” Colin asked cocking his head so he could peer down at the pages. “Wait a minute,” he muttered snatching the folder from under Wesley’s hands he studied what appeared to be Finn’s test results. “Are these readings right?”

 

“Yes…”

 

“What’s wrong with them?” Buffy asked as she and Damon came to stand beside Colin, reading over his shoulder frowning as she squinted at the file. It just looked like a bunch of colorful gibberish to her. “Okay for those of us with an IQ of not genius level what the hell is this saying?”

 

“We tested his DNA strands… trying to figure out why the Senmarrite’s would think he was one of ours…”

 

“And did we figure it out?” Damon asked as he dragged a finger down the sheet.

 

“We think we did… somehow; we’re not sure how, his DNA strands have been changed. Somehow adjusted to reflect Hunter, Warrior strands. He has semi-accelerated healing, superior strength…”

 

“But he’s not a warrior, we know that. He’s not a hunter either,” Colin muttered.

“Mr. Finn admitted that when he first came to work for the Initiative that the Dr.” Wesley glanced down at his notes. “A Maggie Walsh was administering some drugs to them, did some surgical enhancements that they only found out about afterwards. He of course is under the impression that the majority of the drugs are out of his system, the enhancements had to be modified or removed all together because of some health problems but…”

 

“But he still has the strength, which of course the Senmarrite’s would have honed right in on,” Buffy finished. “So as far as he knows the Initiative is no longer drugging its people?”

 

“Yes… but unfortunately the readings we took from him indicate that they are still being drugged, so that begs the question…”

 

“How did they know to what levels to drug them? Was it just a lucky guess or did Maggie Walsh somehow get her hands on a Warrior and figured it out that way,” Damon mused as he leaned heavily against the side of the desk.

 

“Well we’ll never know. Maggie Walsh is dead, Finn has been released so…”

 

“Why did we release Finn if we have questions on this?” Colin asked waving the file at Wesley.

 

“Because he didn’t know anything. All he knew was that at one time the drugs were being fed to them unknowingly in their food. While they had some routine surgery they had minor implants, one of which Finn removed himself. He didn’t have anything more to share with us so we sent him back to the Hellmouth,” Jade said from the doorway.

 

“Did we get tickets?” she asked sauntering into the room.

 

“Tickets have been acquired… although Wes said he’s still not going with us,” Buffy mock-glared at the Watcher.

 

“I have more important things to do…”

 

“Wes we only get minimal time in LA, I can’t believe you would rather spend time here cooped up with your books than at the movies with me,” Jade wheedled as she rounded the desk; wrapping her arms around Wes’s neck she pressed a kiss to his cheek.

 

“Oh god,” Colin and Damon moaned in unison. “Here comes the PDA.”

 

“Shush guys,” Buffy grinned winking at Jade. “I think it’s sweet.”

 

“You’re a girl, you would,” Damon retorted.

 

“You guys have fun without me, try to stay out of trouble,” Wes said as Colin handed Riley’s folder back to him. “And take the blazer not the sports car; it’s already got weapons in it.”

 

“I thought you wanted us to stay out of trouble,” Jade called as they walked out of the room.

 

“I know the four of you well enough to know that you’ll never completely stay out of the trouble,” Wes called after them. “Blazer, not the sports car,” he reiterated.

 

“Yeah, yeah…”

 

**************************************************************************************

 

“Tell me good news old man,” Samuel growled as he watched him pace in front of the table. Set on it were photos, taken from the cameras that had been active within the warehouse they were in. “Tell me we didn’t lose the closest thing we had to a warrior and got nothing out of it.”

 

“Patience Samuel,” the old man stared down at the photos. Grainy textures from where they had been zoomed in to catch the people in the photo. All were worthless, except for that one, he thought as a smile started to cross his face. Pushing the photo across the table he set it directly in front of his counterpart. A man he would rather kill than help, but some things had to be the way they were.

 

“It’s a girl,” Samuel glanced down at the picture and then back up at the old man a quizzical expression on his face.

 

“It’s the girl,” the old man emphasized. “The only one within the Indaran structure who has loved ones outside of it.”

 

“Indaran’s have no loved ones old man, that’s why they’re called as Indaran. No ties to their past, no ties to a future. Just the fight.”

 

“Yes normally… but this one has friends. She has compatriots that she fought with outside of the Indaran Warriors. A witch, strong once but no more. A Warrior uncalled, that has perished within the flames. A watcher…”

 

“So she was a Slayer then,” Samuel grinned. “This gets better and better.”

 

“A demon once helped her, another serves penance, sister, soldiers, vampire as her lover, another as her mate…”

 

“The Slayer let a vampire claim her?” Samuel asked in disbelief.

 

“He not only claimed her, he bred off of her. Of course she doesn’t know yet, won’t know if we move in time.”

 

“Where do we find her old man?”

 

“She journeys to the city of angels, as do her brethren. The Slayer who is no longer will be in the city of Angels.”

 

**************************************************************************************

 

Connor fidgeted restlessly in his seat earning yet another glare from Dawn and an elbow from Cordy. Discretely he glanced down at his watch and absently reminded himself to never let Dawn or Cordy choose a movie ever again.

 

If he’d thought about it earlier he would have realized that going to the movies with two females meant that he was going to be outvoted. And he had been.

 

Instead of seeing the new Will Smith movie like he’d wanted he’d instead gotten dragged into a romantic comedy.

 

The ache in the base of his spine had started around the time the movie had begun. At first he had attributed it to the uncomfortable theater chairs, thus reminding himself why he didn’t like going to the movies in the first place.

 

When it had continued he had surreptitiously began scanning the theater. Because that ache in his spine could only mean one thing, only signaled one thing.

 

It told him that there was a demon… or a vampire very close by. He hoped that Cordy not having a vision meant that the demon wasn’t using the theater as a hunting ground. But Cordy’s visions had been slightly unreliable as of late.

 

Although why else a demon would be in a theater, watching this particular movie if they weren’t hunting was totally beyond him.

 

“Oh that was great,” Dawn sighed as the credits started rolling and the house lights slowly came up.

 

“Have to agree with you on that one,” Cordy smiled dreamily. “I adore Josh Hartnett.”

 

“Are we ready?” Connor ignored both of their self-satisfied expressions and abruptly stood. “I think I need to go either kill something or at the very least do something manly to get over this entire experience.”

 

“God Connor what’s your deal?” Dawn muttered as she used the seat in front of her to pull herself to her feet.

 

“Something’s off…” he said rubbing the small of his back as he once more began scanning the theater.

 

Dawn and Cordy understood his meaning right away, both quite well-acquainted with the way his ‘gifts’ worked, they realized immediately that there was something in the theater that had set off Connor’s hair trigger senses.

 

“Do you see anything?” Cordy asked under her breath as she smiled at the woman who was slowly moving out of the row in front of her.

 

“No… but whatever it is its close… I don’t think it’s hunting but…”

 

“I haven’t had a vision,” Cordy stated quietly.

 

“You don’t always get one though Cordy,” Dawn reminded her, Cordy turned to glare at the younger girl annoyed at having the fact that her powers had been diminishing as of late. She hadn’t had an actual vision in over a week, although she’d had the dream with Xander showing her what had happened to Buffy which she counted.

 

But if she was honest with herself if this kept up sooner or later Angel and the others weren’t going to need her.

 

When the their row came to a halt, Cordy harrumphing loudly at the front of their group, Connor once more began scanning the crowd frowning down at Dawn when she bumped into him her eyes wide as she gaped at something behind her.

 

“Dawn… are you okay?” he asked turning to eye the direction that she was staring in. All he saw before him was a sea of people that didn’t look familiar.

 

“I…” Dawn started. “I swear to god I just saw Buffy over there… but she’s not there now.”

 

“Dawnie I know that you want to see her,” Cordy smiled gently. “We all do… but what are the actual chances that she would be in this movie theater right now?”

 

“Pretty slim,” Dawn muttered. “But stranger things have happened… I did live on a Hellmouth for seven years… okay three years but still…” she amended when Connor raised a brow in her direction.

 

“We will find her guys,” the seer promised. “It’s just going to take some time… And of course right now we just need to get out of this theater.”

 

**************************************************************************************

 

Wesley rubbed his eyes as he relaxed back in his chair. With a sigh he propped his feet up on the edge of his desk and smiled.

 

Blissful silence. Not a scream, not a yell, not a ‘Damon I’m going to tear out your heart and dance on it’ could be heard.

 

And it was absolutely wonderful to his overly frazzled nerves. Dealing with Buffy’s memories returning had been hard enough. Making sure that they were ready for the family and friends, that Whistler assured him she had, to descend was another.

 

Especially when he realized that those family and friends would undoubtedly know him as well.

 

He had to wonder what kind of friends they’d had. Had they been missed at all? Or had life moved on for them? Would their resurgence create a world of havoc or joy?

 

The thoughts were enough to drive a man insane. Add in the fact that they hadn’t had to deal with any massive assaults from the ‘other’ side in weeks and his nerves were about ready to be frayed to nonexistence.

 

“Where’s your team?” the sound of Susanne’s voice when he thought himself alone startled him so much he shot to his feet in alarm.

 

“Don’t ever do that again,” he breathed as he pressed a hand to his chest.

 

“I made enough noise to alert the entire western hemisphere of my presence,” Susanne said in amusement as she moved in what Wesley could only describe as a ‘mosy’ into his office. “And to repeat my question… where’s your team? I would have thought they would have been suited up by now but the others said they haven’t seen them.”

 

“They’re at the movies,” Wesley started as he sat back down in his chair his eyes shooting up to meet Susanne’s in confusion when the rest of her statement finally registered. “Wait a minute… Suited up for what? We don’t have anything going on this evening.”

 

Shaking her head at Wesley as she came to stand before his desk she flipped the picture cube on one corner idly. “Whistler came about two hours ago… gave us primary and secondary playing fields… I thought for sure that he would have been here to see you already.”

 

“He was here to give his blessing to their going to the movies, he said nothing about their being any trouble tonight,” Wesley surged to his feet, with Susanne at his heels he moved quickly down the long corridor.

 

When they had purchased this house at the beginning of the year it had been because he had been outvoted by the other four. He had wanted something practical… and close to Colorado.

 

It had only been when they moved into and started spending their off days and weekends within its walls that he had seen its intricate charms.

 

This was their home now, the four of them, regardless of the differences they’d had when this had all began, were a family. So while they may have spent most of their time with the rest of the Indaran’s at the compound in Colorado when they thought of going home they all thought of this house in LA.

 

“What exactly did Whistler say?” Wesley asked breathlessly as they raced down the steps into the large foyer. He paid no attention to the 46 black clad soldiers wandering aimlessly around in it. His sole thought was to get to his cell phone on the charger in the kitchen.

 

The cells were the only secure links, besides their comm. units, and the preferred way to keep and get in touch with whichever members of their teams that were present.

 

As he hurriedly dialed the number for the cell he knew Jade wouldn’t have left the property without he glanced back up at Susanne expectantly.

 

“He didn’t say much of anything…Which is highly unusual, normally he gives us more than just the playing fields,” Susanne shrugged. “All he told us was that both primary and secondary playing fields were here in LA, we ported everyone in as soon as they were assembled… You’re sure that he didn’t say anything?”

“I’m positive,” Wesley muttered as he tapped his foot patiently. The phone rang twice, three times then picked up and Wes froze. “The call you are attempting cannot be completed as dialed. Please check the number and try again. Thank you.”

 

His eyes widened in shock as they rose to meet Susanne’s.

 

“I take it you couldn’t get through?” she asked quietly. Glancing behind her she saw the Indaran’s casually strolling about. Engaged in quiet conversations with each other none of them looked alarmed.

 

And if four of their brethren had fallen they would have been alarmed.

 

She could remember quite clearly the reactions of the group when one of her girls, Katie, had been almost gutted in one of their first fights. The group had been agitated, alarmed… angry.

 

The fifty were joined together in a way that the watchers couldn’t even begin to understand. As much as they were part of their five member teams, they were more a part of a much larger organism. They fed off each other, cared about each other.

 

Felt each other.

 

“What’s the primary playing field?” Wesley asked his tone eerily calm.

 

Pulling a folded sheet of paper from her pocket she glanced down at the address. “It’s actually a hotel, not an actual hotel because it’s privately owned…”

 

“The address,” Wesley stated once more his eyes steely on hers and Susanne thought she could almost feel the anger coursing through his body. She could sympathize with him entirely, if someone had purposefully left her team out, perhaps knowingly put her team in danger she would be just as angry.

 

“The Hyperion,” she said softly handing the slip of paper to him. “The actual street address is on the paper,” she said as he snatched it from her hands. “Wes I’m sure they’re fine… they can take care of themselves.”

 

“Yes they can… but they shouldn’t have to,” Wes said quietly. Standing in the middle of the room he waited for the rest of the Indaran to notice his presence.

 

He was one of the three head Watchers, normally during a briefing of this magnitude the group would be split into thirds but his counterparts understood that this was an unusual circumstance.

 

It was his team that was unaccounted for, his team that had been left out of the loop. Which meant that it was his team that would be attacked.

 

As Wes surveyed the group he was struck once more by how young the hope for the future looked. Most of these warriors were barely out of their teens but had seen horrors that would stay with them the rest of their lives. And that was only if they had lives. He knew that more than half of them would fall in battle, that by the time the End of Days actually finished that only a handful of these children would be left standing.

 

The thought that his kids, that his lover might be one of those not rejoicing at their victory… and he knew they would win, made him angrier then he ever thought possible.

 

“Listen up…” he started his voice cool and collected. It wouldn’t do for them to see how truly frightened he actually was. “Here’s what we’re going to do…”

 

**************************************************************************************

 

Damon and Colin followed their counterparts slowly, bemused expressions lining their faces.

 

The movie had been chosen specifically for Buffy. They all knew, even without Wes having spilled the beans earlier that day that Whistler had been by to see Buffy. That he’d performed yet another wipe. And they knew from the past experiences that she would be slightly out of sorts, that to compensate for the loss of her regained memories that the Warrior side of her personality would take charge.

 

And that side of her could be brutal. Both physically and emotionally.

 

The movie was an obvious attempt, at least on their part, to help her regain her equilibrium. To force her to see that there was more to their lives than just the fight.

 

And it had seemed to work. Buffy and Jade walked side by side, giggling to one another as they dissected the movie they’d just seen.

 

A romantic comedy that Wesley would have hated.

 

“Hey Jade did you bring your cell?” Damon asked. He didn’t know why, but he had a sudden feeling that checking in was imperative.

 

“Yeah,” Jade fished it out of her coat pocket and tossed it to him.

 

He frowned when he attempted to activate it, pressing a few numbers nothing responded to his ministrations. “Did you charge it before we left?” he queried as he tossed it back to her.

 

She shot him a look that would have crumbled a lesser man. “Of course I charged it… do you really think Wes would let us out of the house without a fully charged cell?” she muttered. Touching the keypad she exchanged a worried look with Damon as Buffy and Colin looked on.

 

“Nothing?” Colin murmured. Jade shook her head.

 

“I know it worked when we left…”

 

The sound of a feminine scream drew their attention away from the matter of their non-working phone and forced them into movement. Half the team heading for weapons, the other headed for the screamer.

 

**************************************************************************************

 

“Where is she?” a vampire snarled into Dawn’s face. He held her pinned to the wall and she knew that help wouldn’t be coming. Over his shoulder she could see Connor pinned to the wall across from her, held in place by two Fyarl demons who just laughed at his attempts to free himself.

 

Cordy lay crumpled on the ground, unmoving.

 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Dawn cried struggling for all she was worth. Buffy had taught her to fight the summer before she’d disappeared. But none of the moves that she knew seemed to be working on the vampire currently menacing her.

 

“The warrior? Where is she?”

 

“Hey,” Dawn only had a split second to react before the vamp was pulled off her. “Why don’t you pick on someone your own size,” she heard the dark haired girl say right as she shoved Dawn behind her. So in a daze was she that she was almost shocked to see Connor beside her and a dark haired man standing beside her savior.

 

“Indaran,” the vampire glared

 

“Very good… do you want to take door number two as well?”

 

“We have not engaged you in combat… You are not the one we seek… this is not your fight.”

 

“Oh… I’m sorry,” the girl touched her chest mockingly. “Maybe I’m engaging you in battle.”

 

“Jade,” the man said warningly. “No fighting remember?”

 

“And what Damon? Should we just leave these people here to be finished off by these creeps?”

 

“We should at least wait until we have weapons,” Damon muttered.

 

“You are not the one we seek but you will do,” the vampire murmured as he flew towards them. He’d heard the gist of their conversation. Knew that there were more warriors coming which meant that the one they sought might be among them.

 

“Saren,” with identical grins Damon and Jade leapt into battle. The single word activating what was known as their battle shields. It would lock them in battle with these warriors from the other side, and with the first blow of contact electricity sparked between the fighters.

 

“Hey are you okay?” a blonde man this time, crouching in front of them. “You should move with shields on if one of them flies into you it’ll be like getting stung by an electrical charge.”

 

“Does it hurt?” Dawn asked numbly her eyes on the battle in front of her.

 

“It doesn’t hurt us… it would hurt you,” the man said with a gentle smile.

 

“Hey Colin… bit of help here,” Jade called as she flew back towards the wall the vampire that she’d been fighting descending on her gameface on. Before Colin even had a chance to move a crossbolt came from seemingly nowhere, the vampire exploding into particles of dust.

 

“It’s about damn time,” Jade muttered. “I thought Wes said that the blazer had weapons.”

 

“It does… couldn’t find anything to go with my shoes,” the blonde angel standing in the entry to the alley said. Dawn slowly came to her feet, Connor right behind her their eyes fixed on the blonde that was even now warily watching them approach her.

 

“Oh my god,” Dawn breathed. They had told her, Angel had believed… but somehow it hadn’t seemed real until this very moment. “Buffy?” she asked in an almost whisper.

 

A trembling hand reached out to touch her sisters cheek, the hand becoming steadier as Dawn realized that the woman in front of her was solid. Was not made of mist, was not a dream that was going to disappear.

 

She didn’t realize that the fight behind them was finished.

 

That with Colin’s help Damon and Jade had killed the two Fyarls and were even now avidly watching the scene taking place in front of them.

 

That Cordy had regained consciousness and was slowly climbing unsteadily to her feet, one hand resting against the wall as she attempted to stop swaying.

 

She shook her head, attempting to clear her vision as she saw an unbelievable sight in front of her. Saw Buffy standing with a crossbow in one hand and a look of apprehension on her face. Saw Dawn’s hand slowly touching her sisters cheek, Connor’s hand resting in the middle of the younger girls back.

 

“Buffy?” Cordy murmured. “Buffy is that you?”

 

“I’m sorry,” Cordy would remember it forever, the look of abject terror and apology on the blonde’s face. She could tell from that one look into those eyes that whatever life Buffy Summers had been leading since her death… it had not been good to her. “Do I know you?”

 

**************************************************************************************

 

Next Page