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“So that’s the situation.”

Buffy finished her story to the collective audience consisting of herself, Alec, Giles, Spike, Xander, Willow, and Anya. They had all assembled in the back room of the magic shop, which was closed for the morning. When the story had started out, most of them (with the exception of Alec and Giles) had expressions of confidence. They’d fought the Hellmouth before and they could do it again, but as Buffy’s tale grew steadily bleak, so did their expressions.

It was Xander who finally spoke. “Dawn? Dawn is the Key of Power?” he asked incredulously, “Your Dawn, the Dawn that pitches a fit if we don’t let her watch Dawson’s Creek?” he exhaled hard.

Buffy nodded, smiling slightly. “Good disguise, isn’t it?” She replied.

Anya piped in. “Well, I think it’s absolutely brilliant to disguise the Key of Power as an obnoxious pubescent child,” she said with her usual tartness. Alec caught himself shooting her a nasty look, which she chose to ignore.

Willow shook her head. “I just can’t believe that I missed it. Me, the good witch of the Scooby gang,” she lamented, looking downcast until Alec put a hand on her shoulder supportively.

“Chances are that whoever these monks are or were, they put enough shields on her that she’d be impossible to detect. For her protection.” Alec comforted his lover before turning to Buffy. “If Dawn is meant to go head to head with the Hellmouth that means she’d have protection against all kinds of magical scrying.” Buffy nodded her agreement as Alec turned back to Willow. “Dawn’s protected from the Hellmouth’s minions detecting her. Don’t feel bad that she didn’t register sweetie,” Alec assured her. Willow smiled and rested her cheek against his hand and he stroked her face with his thumb, gently dissipating her worries.

Giles cleared his throat before simply stating, “I think it would be best if we do not treat her any differently than we have been.”

Anya shrugged. “I have no problem with that. She’s small and makes loud noises.”

Spike snorted. “Yeah? I’m willing to bet you do too pet, when it’s with Xander and closed doors are involved,” he quipped, ignoring Xander’s look of shocked outrage.

Anya considered the question. “It depends,” she answered thoughtfully, “like last night he did this thing with his—”

“Anya!” Xander cried out before laughing nervously, “Let’s get back to the subject at hand.” Anya shrugged casually snatched up Xander’s hand squeezing it in a gesture that might have been equal parts affection and impatience. Spike and Alec exchanged wry looks.

“Xander and Anya’s sex life aside, we need to make a plan,” Buffy told them all with a grin

Giles smiled slightly. “Buffy wishes to make a plan? The end of the world must truly be upon us,” he cracked. There was a round of laughter from the group as Alec clapped his father on the back.

“My father made a joke. That’s not much further down on the dark omens list,” Alec added. Chuckling, he gave his fathers shoulder a reassuring squeeze before turning back to the group. “Buffy’s right, we need a plan. But first,” he got to his feet to address each one of them in turn, “this is going to be unlike anything any of us has gone up against before. This isn’t slaying vampires or killing demons: this is entering the depths of the earth to do battle with evil incarnate. So if anyone wants out or just is afraid that this is too big or too bad, say so now, and you’ll be released with no strikes against you. But speak now, because after tonight, there’s no going back,” he finished and waited patiently.

Xander spoke first, slowly rising to his feet. “Dusk, you haven’t been around very long, but you’ve been a pretty good guy, so I trust your gut feeling on this. But the gang has been through some pretty dark times and come out in one piece,” Xander told the other man with a shrug. “If Buffy’s going up against the Hellmouth, I’m going with her.” Xander walked over to Buffy’s chair, showing himself firmly behind her.

Willow got up and spoke next. “Darn tootin’! I’ve got three people I love going down into that pit, and I am not about to let them go in without my help. I’m in!” she exclaimed with only a hint of tremulous bravado. She smiled at Alec who returned her look of love warmly as she came to stand behind Buffy as well.

Anya rose next.

“When you fought that icky mayor person, I thought it was suicide, but this I KNOW is suicide.” She sighed in defeat. “But what am I going to do, get old and die instead, with nothing but funny-smelling cats and cross-stitch to keep me company? Count me in too.” Anya got up and stood beside Xander holding his hand tightly. “Besides old people don’t have very good sex.” She looked at Giles. “No offense.”

Xander rolled his eyes and kissed her forehead as Giles turned red and cleared his throat.

“I make no guarantees about our chances, but four years ago I gained a daughter,” he smiled at Buffy, “and four months ago, a son.” He turned his gaze to Alec. “What kind of father would I be allowing my children to face such peril without my aid?” He walked over to the pair and placed a hand on each of their shoulders. “It will be an honor to fight beside you.” Buffy’s eyes watered and Alec clasped his father’s arm tightly, too moved to speak. Releasing his father’s arm, he shifted his gaze to Spike who was the only one to remain sitting. He held his hand out to the blond vampire.

After several silent moments, Spike spoke. “Hell, I need to kill something anyhow, and it’d be nice to be known as ‘Spike: the guy who made the Hellmouth soil its demonic knickers’.” He grinned and slapped Alec’s outstretched hand hard. “Screw it, let’s do some damage.” he came over to stand behind the slayer. “Besides, I’m not about to let the best piece of ass I’ve ever encountered get herself killed.”

Buffy laughed slightly through her tears, she was touched deeply by this display of her friends’ loyalty. She socked Spike on the arm.

“You’re a creep,” she sniffled.

Spike smiled wryly. “Yeah, but I’m a tremendously good lay.”

Buffy laughed and wrapped her arms around him. “Just hold me, you big jerk,” she whispered softly, squeezing him tightly. Spike just held her.

Alec smiled and looked around. “I guess that’s everyone.”

Giles cleared his throat and gestured to door on the other side of the room. “Not quite,” he informed them.

Buffy released Spike and wiped the tears from her eyes and turned. “Giles, what’re you talking abo—” Her voice trailed off as the door opened and a man stepped inside.

There was a collective exclamation of surprise from the group and a low growl from Spike as he placed a possessive arm back around the slayer; she was too stunned to notice.

“Angel?” she whispered. Angel nodded and remained where he was.

“We’ve had our differences, Buffy, but this is more important than any of that.”

Buffy patted Spike’s arm and he reluctantly released her as she slowly walked towards her ex-lover.

Angel continued, “What’s happening is very real and serious, and I want to help.” He looked down at the floor.

“How?” Buffy managed to whisper.

Angel met her glance evenly. “Cordelia had a vision about a great battle; darkness and light rising.” He shrugged. “Sounded like something serious was going down. The Powers That Be mentioned something like this happening someday. I guess this is it,” Angel finished and regarded her.

Buffy spun on Giles. “When? When did he get here?” she demanded.

Giles met her glare calmly. “Last night before you and Alec arrived,” he replied simply. “We didn’t want to reveal his presence until we were sure about which course of action to take.” Giles looked down and Buffy spun to glare at Angel.

“So that was you I felt last night,” Buffy exclaimed. Spike’s face darkened at this and Alec put a hand on his shoulder to restrain him.

Angel shrugged. “I don’t know, but it might have been.”

Buffy went right up to him and without warning, she slammed a right hook across his chin. He stumbled back even as Buffy’s hand howled in protest. The display caused Spike to grin.

“Yeah-hah,” he laughed before Alec shushed him.

Angel regained his composure and straightened up. “I see. That’s how it’s going to be then.” He sighed and turned to leave.

Buffy grabbed his arm and spun him around hard. “That was for trying to cover up the fact that you were here.” Her face was tear-streaked and her lower lip trembled. “And this is for coming here thinking I needed your help.”

Angel braced for another blow, but instead, Buffy threw herself against him, hugging him so tightly that if he had had breath it would have killed him. Angel gently held her. Spike cursed quietly.

“Thank you,” Buffy whispered brokenly, tears streaming freely from her face.

Angel held her a while longer before letting her down. She wiped the new tears from her face and turned to the group. They were regarding the pair with a myriad of expressions. She shuffled her feet uncomfortable before looking up.

“Okay, is THAT everyone?” She smiled slightly. “We’re not going to have any other blasts from the past show up, are we?”

Giles smiled. “No, that about does it.” He chuckled before Angel broke in.

“No, it doesn’t,” Angel said, turning to the rest of the group. “May I have a minute to talk with Buffy alone please?” Spike stepped forward glaring hard at Angel and was about to speak when Alec laid a hand on his shoulder. Spike turned to glare at him.

“She’ll be all right, mate. Come on, let’s go look at weapons,” Alec said.

Spike turned back to stake Angel with a lethal glare before stalking out of the room, nearly bowling over Xander and Anya in the process. One by one, the rest of them filed out of the room quietly. Alec was the last to leave, turning to give Buffy a concerned look. She met his gaze and nodded, signaling that she’d be fine. Alec nodded and closed the door. She turned to address Angel.

“Okay, what is it?” She asked him.

Angel gripped her shoulders and studied her intently with those dark eyes of his as if trying to gaze into her soul. “Someone else is here. Someone you probably won’t be all that happy to see.”

Buffy frowned and then her eyes widened in comprehension. She stared wordlessly at Angel.

“You didn’t,” she breathed.

Angel shook his head. “We need all the help we can get.” He turned and addressing the darkened doorway said, “Come on out.”

There was movement as a woman stepped from the shadows. She tried to smile at Buffy.

“Hiya, B. Long time, no see.”

Buffy’s eyes narrowed to vicious slits. “Faith,” she bit out like a curse.

For a long while, the two slayers regarded each other. Buffy noticed changes in the rogue slayer. Her hair was cut short and a long scar starting from her left eyebrow and cutting down her eye to end raggedly just below her cheekbone marred her face. The eye that was once brown was now a very pale blue. Faith noticed the look and tried to smile.

“You like it?” She absentmindedly stroked the scar. “Some prison betty tried to make me her bitch. No candy or flowers even.”

Buffy was still glaring daggers. “Let me guess: You killed her, right? I mean, hey, that’s what you’re good at isn’t it, Faith? Ending lives? Stealing lives?” Buffy snarled at her. Faith flinched like she’d been hit and looked down. Angel reached down to grab Buffy’s shoulders.

“Buffy – ”

Buffy cut him off angrily, shaking off his grasp. “How dare you! How dare you bring HER here now!” She stepped back, jabbing a condemning finger at Angel. “You don’t know what she is! You could never know what she’s done to me! What she put me through!” She turned a hateful glance to Faith. “What’s the matter, Faith? Heard the end of the world was coming and thought you’d come down and help speed it along? Maybe kill a few innocent people just for old time’s sake?”

“No,” Faith responded quietly, not looking up.

Buffy turned back to regard Angel. “What gives you the right –”

Angel’s self-control snapped. “Buffy, shut up!” The vampire snarled.

Buffy, in shock, did in fact shut up. Angel continued crushing her under his gaze.

“Whatever is happening here is real evil, Buffy. It’s bigger than any evil you’ve ever faced. Bigger than the Judge, bigger than the mayor, bigger than Faith and bigger than me.” His eyes turned cold. “And bigger than your new boyfriend, Spike.” The color in Buffy’s face drained like water and her whole body shuddered as Angel’s words continued to hammer her. “Spike has killed more people than Faith’s ever met. And yet you and he are now star-crossed lovers? Why don’t you ask him sometime, Buffy? Ask him about the women he had crucified with railroad spikes as they begged for their lives! Ask him about two dead slayers!”

“Shut up!” Buffy screamed at him, “shut up, shut up, shut up!” She placed her hands over her ears. “I don’t want to hear it! I don’t care anymore! I hate you! I hate both of you!”

Choking back sobs, she ran from the room. Bursting into the store, she nearly knocked Alec over as she opened the door and slammed it shut behind her. Without a backwards glance, she raced out into the noontime sunlight.

Spike ran up to the door and opened it to follow. A ray of sunlight caught him across the arm and as flames burst, he yowled in pain. Alec tackled him to the ground, smothering the flame and getting him out of the daylight. The smell of burnt skin seeped into the room. Giles and Xander helped them to their feet.

Angel sighed. “That could have gone better,” He mused, placing a hand on Faith’s shoulder. “Come on, let’s go make introductions.”

She mutely followed.





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