It took them the better part of an hour to reach the plains.  The terrain had been difficult and the wailing that had seemed at first to be part of the scenery now seemed to be coming from the shadows.  Something was out there and it was keeping pace with them.

 

There was no question but that they were in the right place.  By this time not only Tara felt it.  They were going to find Anya and neither the dark nor the wailing beasts were not going to stop them.  Xander was at the head of the group, followed by Tara and Dawn with Spike and Skip bringing up the rear.  When they appeared to have gotten the attention of the locals, Spike broke off more branches and made more torches.  These provided light and would function as weapons should the need arise.  The ground was flat here and there were boulders of various sizes to move around.  The odd twisted tree and disarranged bush all dotted the landscape that could be seen.  What had not occurred to any of them was that the torches they carried would be seen.

 

*****

 

That light was still moving toward them at a good and steady pace.  All this time here and nothing had attacked them.  Mainly, they had been fighting their own personal demons.  Even Ethan had had to face the fact that his preoccupation with Rupert Giles had given his life form, even purpose.  This thought darkened his mood as much as the landscape had darkened.  The less than subtle hints to this fact that Anya had repeatedly dropped on his head had actually caused him to raise his hand to the girl. 

 

Willow interceded and had knocked the errant Rayne to the ground. "You are never to even think of hitting her.  NOT EVER AGAIN!  The first time you do, I will destroy you." 

 

Ethan noticed the lightning crisscrossing the sky violently but soundlessly.  The wailing had stopped.  He looked at Willow and saw that her eyes had grown... darker.  The man smiled as he felt the promise of the magic that slipped over his skin.  He knew he was wrong to delight in the spell that had been cast against him.  He knew that he would probably go off like a Neutron bomb if he let himself think of hitting Anya. He, he… he just couldn't help it.  It made him happy to see the dark forces working.  What would Rupert say about the evil that lay at the heart of his band of merry men?  Smiling as he rubbed the sore place on his chin, Ethan stood and raised his hands in surrender, backing away from the girls. 

 

That was when Anya saw the approaching light was larger.  There seemed to be more of them.  Now distracted from her anger, the despair returned to Willow.  Ethan arched a brow noticing that the wailing had started again.

 

"Do you think they are after us?"  Anya asked, still clinging to the hope that Willow would answer no.  Instead Willow decided that they would have to fight in this dimension after all.

 

"Anya, I saw a good sized branch over there.  You better get it.  I think it is better if we set a trap and attack first.  I don't think we can out run them.  They may be like the heights and the mountain.  We will have to overcome them to be free." 

 

Anya knew Willow was right and moved to get the branch.  Willow started picking up rocks.  She found a perch at the top of one of the boulders and began stacking rocks there to use as ammunition.  She planted Anya at the top of that boulder with the branch.   She found another boulder and planted herself atop it with rocks and a large branch.  She watched Ethan cower behind a third boulder, while they waited for the lights to get closer.

 

*****

 

"Oh, GEEZ"  The first rock was let fly before Willow could get herself to change gears.  She sighed in relief when Xander ducked the rock.  Flapping her hands before her face in excitement Willow jumped down and ran toward her friends.  She and Xander hugged.  The relief they felt when they hugged each other was a like living thing.  It made Anya wince a little as she thought that Xander would never greet her like that.  Dawn was squealing in excitement and Spike reached out an arm to hug her and keep her out of the way as the lovers reunited.

 

Willow moved slowly toward Tara for the first two steps then ran.  Taking Tara in her arms filled Willow with a joy and happiness like none she had ever known.  Always this feeling... my love... my love.  Tara, sinking into the woman that embodied strength, courage, love, hope,  life for her, simply cried.  The taste of the salt from each of her tears alternately breaking and restoring Willow's heart.  Only then did Willow let go of the pain of her fear over Tara's disappearance.  Only then did she let go of the despair of the last months without her lover.  She slipped her hand beneath Tara's blouse to feel her skin.  The simple touch brought a shiver from the white witch that made Willow's body tremble.  "Love." She whispered into Tara's mouth still kissing her. "Love." 

 

Xander was left to stand looking for some glimpse of Anya.  Anya had remained hidden at the top the boulder.  She didn't want to face Xander.  It was enough to know he was all right.  She felt herself crying as she moved down to the ground.  She was careful to keep the boulder between herself and the group.  I will just maybe walk away.  He had saved Willow and now he would go save Buffy and that would be okay.  Her feet touched the ground for a millisecond as Xander lifted her in his arms and drew her to his chest.  He hugged her so tight he was crushing her.  She crushed right back.

 

"Anya. Dear God, Anya.  Are you all right? Please speak to me.  I am so sorry.  I was so scared.  I never want to loose you like that again.  Promise me.  PROMISE ME, you are all right.  Aww, sweetheart don't cry... I love you."  Anya lifted her head from his shoulder and placed her lips on his.  Xander shifted Anya in his arms so that he could place his left arm beneath her knees and drew her entire body to his chest without breaking their kiss. 

 

When he did lift his head, he looked into her eyes and she said, "Let's go find Buffy and Giles."

 

Willow approved of Tara's methods and employed them again.  With Ethan sitting rather uncomfortably on the ground at Spike's feet, the vampire using his head as an ashtray, Willow spoke having seen a flash of a flower like the ones on Buffy's porch.  The former witch had also heard a noise like guitar music.  She led them to the spot where this happened.  After searching the area fully, they found no way into another realm. 

 

They couldn't give up but they were starting to be discouraged when Ethan sat on rock at the center of the search site, "I will take no further part in this asinine adventure.  I am tired."  He fell backwards through the rock and out of that reality. 

 

"Oh," said Dawn, "he found it."  She smiled happily at Skip.  "Can I go first?" 

 

Spike, not able to contain his excitement at the prospect of finding Buffy, lifted Dawn onto his shoulder like a sack of potatoes, and said, "No."

 

*****

 

A demon with a sword swung at Buffy as another spun around, its foot aimed at her head. She stepped outside the kick and pushed the foot further around. The first demon was startled when the sword went through his ally, and was only a bit less startled when his ally's foot clocked him in the head. He dropped his sword, and Buffy grabbed it before it hit the floor. "Thanks!" she said, running it through.

 

With the ease of Errol Flynn wielding a tin broadsword, Buffy held the demons at bay, hewing to the left and right. Giles stood behind her, brandishing the torch at the demons that would approach from the rear. "Status quo isn't my gig, Giles," Buffy exclaimed. "We have to get out of here."

 

Eight or nine monsters were peeling away from the wall, and more were starting to grow.  They seemed to be everywhere.  Just then the door burst open. After a second that lasted forever, Skip and Xander walked into the room, the others right behind.  Skip took a defensive posture, but Xander launched himself at the nearest pile of slime, knocking it, and himself, to the floor.  "Slimeballs," he groaned.  "Why did it have to be slimeballs?"

 

Hearing the sounds of a scuffle, the others filed in.  Tara saw what was happening and whispered "Requiem" toward a knot of five demons.   There was a flash and they collapsed to the floor.

 

A demon straddled Giles, its leg crushing his chest, its foul breath a nauseating stench. Giles grabbed the demon's hand and pushed with all his might, but the claw slipped closer and closer to his eye.

 

Suddenly, there was an "oof" as the demon rolled off Giles onto its back. Giles saw a flash of Ethan as he sailed over the prostate man. Ethan tumbled over the demon, which had its wind knocked out. Ethan smiled a sly grin at Giles, then took off for the door. Giles began to follow, but the demon on the floor started to stir. As Giles thrust a nearby torch into the demon's face, he heard "Quick as can be, you can't catch mmmmm." A metallic "CLANG" cut off the last word.

 

Spike picked up two loose swords off the floor and handed one to Xander. "Here, Harris, try not to hurt yourself." With that, the vampire jabbed his hilt into the midsection of advancing demon, then thrust it back, jamming it through a monster behind.  Xander, whose minimal training was for weapons more modern, held the sword awkwardly with both hands and battered at the nightmares that came near. For all his clumsiness, he managed to dispatch several of the gooey threats.

 

"Buffy, look out." Buffy turned to see her sister jump onto the foetid back of a beast, grabbing it around the shoulders. The monster spun, trying to shake her off, but the teen dug her hands in deeper. Xander spun, raising his sword high overhead and brained the hideous creature with the flat of the blade. As it crumpled to the floor, Dawn kicked and kicked and kicked it until it was quite dead.

 

A claw ripped through Anya's sleeve. A thin line of blood seeped into the fabric. "Damn," she shouted. Her fist pounded into the demon's chest. "That blouse..." Her knee drove into its falling chin.  "Cost me $80!" Her arm arched out and the demon clutched at its unexpectedly empty chest cavity.

 

Light sputtered from the torches as the battle raged across the room.  Claws were raised, fists flew, and the clang of sword on sword rang through the chamber.  There was a flash of silver as a sword flew into a wall and clattered on the floor.  The lower part of a demon's hand was still attached.  Before it could even register shock, Buffy bisected it at the waist.

 

The last demon oozed back into the wall. "This way," Skip called, "and hurry."   He rounded the corner and stopped short. There was a pile-up as the others skidded to a stop. "Oh, bloody hell," said Spike. "It's that damned wanker."

 

Quentin Travers stood on the far side of the portal muttering.  He moved his fingers in small, almost intimate gestures.  The edge of the portal flamed in unnatural combinations of pinks and purples.  Travers turned to look at the approaching group. To his customary air of smug superiority was added a touch of bitter contempt.

 

"Well, well, Miss Summers, mission accomplished, eh? I'm impressed. I wouldn't have thought it possible. Not that it makes any difference now. None of you are leaving."

 

"You knew all about this, didn't you," said an incredulous Buffy. "You knew all about it from the start. That's why you wouldn't help us."

 

"The Council keeps close track of all disturbances in this reality. We knew something unnatural had occurred, and when you arrived at my office with your demands, it wasn't hard to put two and two together. Especially knowing that Ethan Rayne was on the loose. Where is he, by the way? Lose him somewhere down there?"

 

"He knew about Ethan, too," said Xander. "Hell, he probably arranged for his escape in the first place!"

 

"That's quite an accusation, young man," said Travers. "And very difficult to prove. Let's just say that I knew where he was being held, and let it be known that the Council wouldn't be concerned if he escaped. Not that Rayne knew about that. He thinks he got away on his own. Not as bright as he thinks he is. And far too untrustworthy for The Council to work with."

 

Giles glared at Travers, unable to hide his revulsion. "That's what this is all about, isn't it, Quentin? Who The Council, or at least you, want to work with. You knew Ethan would come after me, and Buffy. You figured you'd use him to get rid of us, all the while keeping your hands nice and clean."

 

"Damned right!" said Quentin, the bitter contempt now overriding any other emotion. "Who are you to defy me the way you do?! And you," he cried, turning to Buffy, "who are you to say that you'll ALLOW The Council to be part of YOUR operations?! Slayers are replaceable, and you are about to be replaced. If the one in prison isn't properly grateful for our securing her release, she can be disposed of as well. The Council is where the power lies, not you."

 

"Not exactly." Skip stepped forward, still brandishing the sword he'd taken from one of the Hell demons. "The Council holds its power in trust from The Powers That Be. It's not for you to decide who The Slayer should be, or to cast anyone unjustly into Hell." He looked grimly at Travers. "They're going to take a very dim view of this."

 

Quentin sneered. "If they do, then let them take some action for once."

 

Quentin resumed the spell. The exit started shrinking. Suddenly, a thick arrow thwacked down less than a yard from his feet. The flame it carried spurted onto the dry grass and ringed around Quentin in a heartbeat. Quickly, he jumped the only way open to him -- into the portal.

 

The passage cleared, the gang headed for the exit. "Step aside, Quentin," said Buffy. "You can stay here, or come with us. Either way, you've lost."

 

"NO!" cried Quentin, and furiously flew at her. But before she could react, Skip lunged forward, running his sword through Travers in a single stroke, then just as quickly pulling it out. Travers fell forward, dead.

 

A dark hand thrust through the portal. Olivia helped Buffy through the portal, which was now not much larger than the width of Buffy's shoulders.  Together, they pulled out the others, Skip pushing from the other direction.  As Dawn, the last before Skip, started through, the ring shrank to encircle her waist.  Xander grabbed her arm below Olivia and Giles grabbed below Buffy.  The two witches held hands and focused on not letting the portal collapse further.  With a mighty collective grunt, there was a short loud "POP" and Dawn was free.  Skip shouted, "I'll find my own way out," as the ring pulsed once more and vanished.

 

At Olivia's feet was an unloaded crossbow.  "Nobody hurts my boyfriend!" Olivia explained. "As I was leaving, I saw Travers approaching.  It seemed odd that he would be here, after claiming that he knew nothing about this.  So I got the crossbow that RG," she smiled at Giles, "always hides in the trunk."

 

"How did you learn to use it?" Giles asked.

 

"How do you think?  By watching you."

 

Dawn looked back at where the portal had been.  She was startled to see Skip standing in its place. He shrugged and smiled, "I told you I'd find my own way out."

 

She shuddered as she thought how narrow their escape had been, and then asked him, "Can you just kill people like that?"

 

Skip shrugged.  "Oh yeah. It's all part of working for The Powers. You have free license to do whatever needs doing."

 

"Kinda like James Bond." Xander offered.

 

Skip considered this. "Sure. Well, Connery anyway. I don't mind Brosnan, but those guys in-between, what were they thinking!"

 

*****

 

The drive back to Giles' flat was oddly silent. Xander drove the rental car, Anya sitting uncomplainingly next to him, while Tara and Willow shared the back seat with perfect speechless contentment. In the other car, Buffy noticed Olivia giving Giles an occasional worried glance as she drove. Buffy wondered if he would say anything, too, but still felt strangely peaceful. She hadn't even minded when Spike piled into the back seat between her and Dawn. She was even faintly amused when Dawn dozed off with her head on his shoulder.

 

When they reached Bath, they stormed the kitchen for food. "Strange how almost getting killed by demons and the threat of being trapped in Hell forever can cause you to forget about meals," said Xander.  As they sorted through the half-filled cartons of leftovers, Buffy realized Giles hadn't joined them. She left the others to their scavenging, and found him and Olivia upstairs.

 

"I've been afraid." Olivia turned to face Giles. "Those… things… you deal with, they're hard to believe in, they shake me to my core. It's been easier to not believe. But RG, after seeing what your friends would do for you -- the kind of man who could inspire that kind of loyalty, that's the man I want to spend my life with. With you, for you, I could believe. With you, for you, I want to believe."

 

She brought her face up to meet his coming down in a long, tender kiss. Buffy discreetly cleared her throat. Giles looked up, noticeably irritated.

 

"Must you always walk in at these moments?"

 

"Sorry. But on the plus side, I don't think it's nearly so icky anymore."

 

Giles began to respond, but Olivia gave him a nudge, smiling at Buffy. The Slayer grinned in return.

 

Giles sighed. "Was there something you wanted?"

 

"You think he made it out?"

 

"What?  Who made it out?"

 

"Ethan," said Buffy. "Do you think he got out before the portal closed?"

 

"Oh," he said, with a dry look. "I expect he did. Ethan always finds a way to escape. Even if he didn't, he'll figure some way out. I can see him now, negotiating with whatever Hell god rules that dimension, promising him a mutually advantageous deal."

 

*****

 

The kitchen was mostly silent as the hungry group devoured whatever they could find.  Dawn noticed Spike frowning into a square white carton.

 

"Hey, what's wrong? Is that spoiled?"

 

"Worse. It's bland." He made a disgusted scowl and glanced around to see what the others were eating.  “Don't they make anything spicy in this sodding country?"

 

"Um, Spike," Dawn looked at him skeptically. "You're from England."

 

"Was." He clarified, tossing the half-filled carton into the sink. "You know, I didn't get a taste for the tangy stuff until I started eating Californians."

 

Dawn moved away and tried to look put off by his words, but couldn't help laughing once she turned away.

 

"Well, I don't know about the rest of you," Anya spoke up between swallows, "but I'm ready to get out of this place. It is very wet and dreary, and there are far too many strange people here. And Spike's right. The food is terrible."

 

Xander threw an arm around her shoulder, then lifted his eyebrows, somewhat surprised when she didn't shrug him away. "Ah yes, strange people. We never meet those in Sunnydale."

 

"Aw, Xander." Anya eyed him compassionately. "You're starting to get two little beady black eyes.  They're so cute!"

 

Willow wrinkled her forehead. "Actually, I think we've met all these strange people in Sunnydale!"

 

Tara smiled at her shyly. "You're right honey."

 

Willow moved over to the sweet witch. "Tara," she reached out to gently take hold of her hands. "What we went through in Hell, well it was so hard."  Tara nodded her understanding. "I didn't know if any of us would get out of there, or if I'd ever even see you again."

 

"I know." Tara told Willow, squeezing her hands.

 

"It… it's just that, even though I knew we could die, I didn't want to use my magic and risk losing you forever, even if there was only a tiny chance that we could make it." Willow let go of Tara's hands and slid her arms around her lover's waist. "I love you, and I don't want to spend anymore time apart from each other.  We never really know how much time we have left."

 

Tara blinked back the tears in her eyes and wrapped her arms tightly around Willow. "I love you too, Sweetie, and as far as I'm concerned, you proved yourself out there today. I trust you and I don't want to be separated from you either."  They melted into a deep kiss as the others in the room discreetly slipped away.

 

*****

 

Buffy Giles and Olivia moved down the staircase and into the living room to find Xander and Anya sitting on the settee while Spike flipped though Giles' record collection.  Dawn kept taking peeks into the kitchen and emitting small squeals. 

 

"Where are Willow and Tara?" Giles asked.

 

"They're in the kitchen." Anya informed him. "Engaged in heavy kissing and very likely mild petting."

 

"Oh." He removed his glasses. "I see. Well then, they've mended fences."

 

"There are no fences," Anya said, "but apparently Willow earned some sort of reward for refusing to use her powers for the greater edification of the group."

 

"No An," Xander shifted slightly and groaned, touching his nose gingerly. "Ow. This is really beginning to hurt. I can't explain now."

 

"I can." Buffy stepped forward. "Willow chose to do the right thing, even though everyone and everything around her was pressuring her to do the wrong thing." She looked meaningfully over to Spike who had stopped browsing through the music collection to listen to her. "Sometimes doing the right thing for the right reason still hurts."

 

Spike acknowledged this with a quick nod, then looked down.

 

Anya turned to Xander. "This is one of those things you always feel the need to educate me about, isn't it?" She didn't wait for his answer, but continued. "You want me to do the right things at the right time because you think it would be better for me."

 

Xander looked sad. "Yes, but I still did the wrong thing at the wrong time."

 

"Oh!" Anya softened. "Yes you did!"  She leaned over to kiss him, but stopped abruptly at his howl of pain. "Just wait, Xander. Once your nose is healed, if you're still reasonably handsome, I'll probably give you an opportunity to plead your case."

 

The opening of the kitchen door interrupted them.  Willow and Tara walked into the room with fingers entwined and lips rosy and swollen.

 

"Is everyone ready to go?" Willow asked. She gestured to the room she had just left. "There's an, um, clock in there, and the plane leaves in an hour."

 

"That's it then." Buffy rubbed her hands together. "Time to go." She started toward the door, then stopped to glance at Spike. "How will you get back?"

 

He shrugged. "Same way I came, most likely."

 

"Oh, yeah." She looked at Dawn, who shrugged her shoulders. She turned back to the vampire. "Before we go, I want to... I guess, I just want to say thanks for helping out."

 

Spike nodded in acceptance, then raised his brows to address the group. "Well then, I'll be off to see if there's any decent pig's blood in this burg."  He turned and, with a flap of black leather, exited through the back of the brownstone.

 

The rest of the group sounded their farewells and moved out the front door. Buffy was the last one out. "Goodbye Giles." Buffy leaned forward to embrace her former watcher.  She moved to hug Olivia as well. "Take care of him."

 

"I intend to." Olivia told her warmly.

 

Giles stepped to the doorway to wave them all goodbye, then softly closed the door.

 

THE END