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Author's Chapter Notes:
thanks to cordy kitten, dusty and Ariadne for thier reviews, could i beg some more, they really do help with the writing,
and for those waiting patientlyfor Spike, this chapter insisted on being written
Dawn was busy with Martin in the ballroom, they had converted it into a makeshift hospital. There were beds and medical supplies everywhere. Dawn had found every excuse to spend time with Martin that she could think of, and it was obvious to Riley that Martin didn’t object, but now it was time for her to do her own job. Willow and Morgana had worked hard all day securing the building: nothing and no-one could get in without Dawn opening a portal. The Hyperion would stand a nuclear blast with the amount of wards and protections around it.

They had had to deal with reports coming in all day of battles all over LA. The TV talked of gangs on PCB and martial law being declared but they knew it was demons: demons let loose by Angel’s stupidity and Giles’ meddling. Demons trying to find them, to stop them. They would need more slayers.

Riley wanted to send out patrols, as did Buffy, but they knew it was impossible. They had to keep safe and within all the protection spells Willow had set up.

Buffy wanted to run and hide, she always did at this point, but how could she? Perhaps this is why she was such a bitch at times; never mind PMS, she had PFS: pre-fight-syndrome.

Riley and Sam helped as much as they could. They kept absolute discipline at all times, none of their men were allowed to put a foot out of place. There had been some trouble with the men finding it hard to take orders from, or even respect the girls. But Rona, Mary, Viv, Kennedy and Buffy had offered to train with them. Sam personally thought that it was the sight of all four girls jumping twenty foot straight up and waiting for them on the second floor. It had actually scared those with any sense. Those without sense took a little longer and a warm up with the slayers before going to see Martin with bruises and abrasions. Xander had sat down with coffee and donuts to watch: Sam and Riley had joined him. Once the men had left the field of combat the girls had stopped holding back and practised properly. That had been enough to make Riley wince and even Xander closed his eyes when some of the blows landed.

‘Hurts less if I don’t actually see it,’ he explained to Sam when she raised an eyebrow at him.

‘Way to go: Girl Power!’ she laughed and then winced herself. At seven months and three weeks, she really didn’t need false labour pains, they felt just too real.

Willow noticed the brief look of discomfort that Sam tried to hide. She’d been busy reading a book, Rebecca, by Daphne Du Maurier, quite used to Slayers playing, but she put it down and went to find Morgana, and the two witches started looking into spells to help a premature baby, they had to be ready for any contingency. There were old spells in the scroll Cordy had given them that were very easy to perform, well within Dawn’s capability, that would strengthen ‘an infant’s breathing when rent away from the mother too soon.’ Perfect for what they needed; it seemed Willow wasn’t the only one who wanted to be prepared for any emergency.

The slayers headed into the kitchen for a post play cool-down. They were hot and sweaty and needed drinks and…

‘Ooh, ice cream!’ Buffy had found a huge tub of double choc chip. They attacked it with gusto, all diving in with spoons, fighting each other for the best bits. They were giggling and laughing, their wounds healing faster than any of the soldiers thought possible when there was a hammering on the rear door: someone was trying to get in. Someone who shouldn’t know they were there at all. The soldiers reached for the guns ever present on their hips and one ran for Riley. Buffy and Rona got up from the steel table at the same time, Buffy reaching for a carving knife, Rona pulling a stake out of the waist band of her jeans.

They went to see who it was. Because of Willow’s spell, they could see out and no-one could see in. They peered through the glass to see a demon with floppy skin, holding a small demon infant.

‘Clem,’ Buffy whispered, then yelled ‘Clem!’ at the top of her voice, but because of Willow’s spell the demon couldn’t hear her. He was sheltering the infant in his arms looking anxiously around him, with a terrified look on his face, his body shaking. Another demon came up behind him, one Buffy had never seen before but obviously the same species.

‘Get Dawn and Willow.’ Buffy snapped at Viv who leapt from her chair shouting through the building for Dawn and Willow, who came running full pelt into the kitchen just a couple of seconds later.

Buffy just pointed at the door, it had been less than a minute since she’d first heard the knocking, but now it was heavy pounding.

‘Clem!’ Dawn echoed her sister’s shout and reached for the knife in Buffy’s hand. Willow stopped her.

‘We’re going to have to do this carefully,’ Willow said. ‘I will seal the hotel behind you, you open the portal to let Clem and his companions in and then I’ll reseal that portal before opening up the hotel to you all.’

‘You can’t let him in!’ Riley had arrived to see what the fuss was about. He was horrified that the Slayer was about to let an evil demon into the hotel. He would stop it. He pulled out his gun and aimed it at Clem. Rona smiled, the sort of smile a snake has a second before it bites you and took the weapon easily out of his hand.

‘That’s Clem,’ she explained. ‘Buffy’s in charge remember,’ she pointed out as she crushed the gun in her hands. Riley had forgotten how strong slayers could be.

‘It’s Clem,’ said both Dawn and Willow at the same time, as if that explained everything.

‘No need to seal the portal Willow, I’ll go through bleeding. That will seal it automatically so all you have to do is let us back in.’ Buffy pointed out.

Willow chanted a couple of words in Latin and Dawn and Buffy were standing in a shimmering bubble of energy. Dawn dropped a couple of spots of blood onto the floor using the knife she’d taken from her sister. She handed it back to Buffy and Buffy made a small cut on her finger. Dawn put her head through the portal and pulled Clem into the bubble. His friend followed, as did another couple of strange-looking demons. When they were safe inside Buffy just stuck her hand through and the drip of blood on the other side closed the energy down. Willow simply waved her hand and the bubble vanished. Clem and his group were inside the barrier.

Buffy and Dawn hugged the floppy skinned demon, careful of the young one in his arms. The soldiers were very wary. Willow looked at the other demon; holding out a hand, she sent her senses forward.

‘I’m Willow.’

‘Baya,’ came the soft reply. There was no ill feeling from her, though she was obviously very scared.

‘What happened? Why did you come here? We didn’t think anyone could find us.’ Willow led the demon to a stool and let her sit down. The little one started crying and Baya reached for her baby and opened a pot of very smelly food.

‘We lived in LA,’ she explained as she spoon fed the little one. ‘When the demons started attacking our neighbourhood, Clem tried to help people get out, especially those who were not pure, but the Wolf Ram and Hart took exception to him and were coming for us. A human, she said her name was Cordy, told us to come here and we would be safe. I must say I thought it was a trap, we couldn’t see anyone around and the hotel looked deserted.’

‘That’s what its supposed to look like, we’re all here ready for the big push, against both Wolf Ram and Hart and the human helping him.’

‘Giles,’ Baya nodded. Buffy snapped her head round. ‘You know Giles?’

‘Know of him, one of the worst humans ever to live. Sold his soul to control the Council and the demon councils, wanted all the power for himself. I’d keep away from him if I were you, it would take a slayer to take him out.’ she added emphatically.

‘Good job we’ve got a few of those then isn’t it.’ Grinned Dawn. Baya looked scared but Clem with his arm around Buffy’s waist headed over.

‘Baya, this is Buffy, the slayer I told you about and her sister Dawnie. Girls, this is my wife Baya and my baby, Chara.’

‘Oh Clem, congratulations!’ Buffy gave him a kiss on the cheek and Dawn was busy cooing over the little one. ‘Isn’t he a darling?’

The soldiers were dismissed by Riley; he thought the fewer opportunities for bloodshed the better, and if Buffy said they were friends his men would come off worse. A very pregnant Sam had made her way into the kitchen and had heard everything. She was cautious of the newcomers, but any friend of Buffy’s…

Baya looked at the human female, she was very fat, or was that where they carried their young?

‘How old is Chara? And is he, she, it, a boy or a girl?’ Dawnie was asking.

‘Chara is only two months old, and ‘it’ is considered polite, we won’t know if Chara is male or female until it reaches about five years.’ Clem answered.

‘Mine’s a boy, male,’ Sam said, patting her rounded stomach.

‘It’s such hard work isn’t it? I hated the last few weeks, I couldn’t feel my spine at all.’ Baya said, finally finding something that she had in common with the humans around her. She hadn’t had much to do with humans and had been scared to come, but Clem had assured her that they would be safer with his friend Buffy.

Buffy smiled at her, trying to put the poor woman at ease. Willow felt for her as well: it must be so hard to trust all these strangers with her child’s safety.

Clem, Buffy and Riley sat up for much of the night talking. Clem had a lot of information about the outside: things were getting desperate. The President had declared a state of emergency and had shut LA down. It was left to demon gangs and them.

The next morning was crunch time. The troops were ready all over the world. Faith had gathered together the first wave in Cleveland, others were ready as far apart as Moscow and Australia, ready for what ever was needed. Faith had kept up the pretence of hating Buffy, she had used Buffy’s apparent treachery to the Council and Giles to contact every slayer they knew about. The slayers had a secret code that they hadn’t ever let Giles in on and they never knew why, but now it served them well. They were all ready for the great battle about to commence. Giles and his friends were going down.

Sam had organised the rooms on the fourth floor into dorms, ready for the influx about to happen and she was waiting quietly with Riley watching Buffy take command. Buffy herself was standing in front of the troops gathered in the foyer.

‘I know that most of you think that the only good demons are dead demons, but understand that Clem, his wife and child are my friends. They have risked their lives to help humans and half humans to get out of LA; they are on our side and if you don’t like it, fine. I can understand that and next time the representative from the Higher Powers That Be comes in you can take up your complaints with her, but I suggest you do it politely. Cordy has always had a temper and her boss can destroy cities and worlds alike with a word. That’s all we are going to say on the subject. They are here and under my protection.’

There was a general muttering of agreement. They had all seen the slayers work out and they weren’t going to upset them any more.

Dawn came down and stood by her sister: the troops watched with interest. They were used to shamans working but this was a whole new level. Riley knew that they were getting close to D-Day; he’d had rumblings from some of his men about working with little girls. He and Buffy had organised a little demonstration for later. When Faith arrived she and Buffy would play a game of tag, little girls against the big boys. Riley had warned Martin that there might be casualties.

Dawn waited patiently for the signal from Willow and nicked her little finger with a lancet supplied by Martin. A single drop of blood produced a huge swirling mass of energy and colours: the portal was open. Through it stepped Faith and Robin, followed by a dozen other girls, all in their late teens and early twenties. Last of all came Andrew.

Xander started growling and swearing at the sight of the man who had killed Anya but Faith stepped in front of him.

‘Wait until you hear the whole story there Xan-man, then if you still feel the way you do I’ll help you kill him.’ Xander took one look at Faith’s face and backed down - for now.





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