Buffy stood just outside of the door the sound of voices not quite raised drifted through the air. She paused a moment becoming perfectly still as she began to make out words.
"I didn't think anyone would get hurt." Through the little window in the door Buffy watched Gunn's hunched body language.
"Nothing from Wolfram & Hart is ever free. You knew that." She watched as Wesley stepped into view.
"I couldn’t go back to being just the muscle. I, I didn’t think it would be one of us. I didn’t think they would try with Fred." The man was crying Buffy could hear the tears in his voice.
Wes walked closer to Gunn and Buffy felt her throat tighten at the obvious intent showing itself in his manner.
"I understand not wanting to go back not wanting to be who we were. I understand it. And I can forgive it." She watched him look at the instruments on the table near them. "But you knew what was happening. You knew who was responsible and you didn't say anything. You let her die. I'm less forgiving about that." Buffy strode through the door her hand reaching for his arm as the last words were spoken, stilling the scalpel in his hand. He looked at her face his eyes dark and clouded. She shook her head at him.
"Stop Wes and think. Is this really what Laura would have wanted? For you to hurt your friend."
"It doesn't matter what she would have wanted. She's dead." The coldness in his voice was like ice water running over her skin.
"Then do you think Fred would want this? She's still here Wes. Think of her." His eyes lowered.
She could feel the intensity of Gunn's eyes on her and she looked at the man tears still streaking his face.
"Go home Gunn." He seemed unable or unwilling to move. "Go. I need him right now and he's not going to be able to do anything if he's concentrating on what you did. Let alone what the others are going to do."
He hung his head a slight nod barely perceptible in his hunched position. He walked past her and out the door.
********
"What the hell were you thinking?" Buffy winced at the yelling coming from a normally quiet vampire. She was only used to the yelling from Spike.
"I wasn't alright. I did what I had to do."
"I don't remember seeing attack Gunn on the agenda this morning. What if Buffy hadn't shown up when she did?" She didn't remember him ever being this physically upset.
"She did and nothing happened." Wes bit back defiantly.
"Is that supposed to make it okay?"
"No. It's not going to be okay. Laura's soul..." He paused the pained expression on his face causing him to age in front of her. "Her soul was destroyed resurrecting Illyria."
Angel backed away from Wesley then his anger dissipating into the air.
"Are you sure?" Wes gave him a curt nod. "What about Gunn?"
"He let the sarcophagus into Wolfram & Hart. What he knew, when he knew it, it doesn't change what happened. He let her die."
"So did I." When Wes looked up at Angel he continued. "At the well in England, there was a way to save her but only if thousands of others died in her place. I couldn't let that happen. I need you to focus Wes. I need you to put this aside and do what needs to be done."
He gave a deep sigh. "Illyria."
"We need to stop her before-"
"She makes a lot more available parking space in downtown?" Spike asked coming in the door.
"What did you get?" Buffy asked.
"A name. Vahla ha'nesh."
********
She was once again sitting in Angel's office wondering if she would ever be able to get some sleep. She was running on fumes and knew they were a long way from being done. The thought of a potential big battle with a god of all things was not helping her at all. She just hoped the others were doing better then she was.
Watching as Wesley opened a book and rested it on the desk she finally made herself get up and take a look. Staring blankly at the pages she could make out a building of sorts in the drawing.
"It's her temple where she was supposed to be resurrected."
Angel pointed at the crude drawing of some kind of demony thing.
"That's Illyria?"
"In its native form."
"What are all the smaller bits?" Spike asked.
"Her army of doom." Wes deadpanned.
"Why can't it ever be an army of bunnies or kittens? Always with the doom."
The others ignored her.
"They were entombed with her."
Wes nodded to Angel. "Waiting for her return."
"To Los Angeles?" Spike raised an eyebrow.
"This is where her temple was millions of years ago. And it's still here."
"You'd think I would remember seeing something like that next to the Ralph's."
"It's out of phase with our time stream. She's the only one who can open the gateway."
"Any idea how we stop her?"
"Well I did find this." Fred handed a polished gem to Angel. "It came from the sarcophagus."
"May I?" Wes asked Angel and he handed it to him. Turning the stone in his hand Wes nodded slowly. "That might work." He handed the stone back to the vamp.
"We ready to go then?" Spike asked as he rocked forward on the balls of his feet.
Angel walked over to the weapons cabinet on the wall. Opening the door he grabbed a sword and tossed it over to Spike. He grabbed a second one for himself.
Curious as to what he had stashed in there Buffy walked to him and peered inside. Her eyes passed over the collection lighting in appreciation on the spectacular assortment. Searching from right to left she glanced at the remaining sword and a couple of battle axes moving to the corner she spotted a crossbow and a very sharp looking katana. Underneath those she saw something smallish wrapped in a burgundy cloth. She couldn't help herself and reached out to draw back the corner of the material.
She gasped as it fell away exposing the silver blade. It shone in the low light of the office fluorescents glinting on a blade broken by ebony scrollwork. Inset in the handle were three small red stones that were surrounded by silver coils wrapping around each in a design that reminded her of a Celtic knot.
Tearing her eyes away from a dagger that before now had only existed in her sleeping mind she looked imploringly at Wes.
He moved to stand just behind her shoulder bringing the weapon into his field of vision. His eyes darted from the dagger to Buffy and then back again. Slowly reaching a hand out his fingers gently brushed the handle before pulling it out of the cabinet.
She could feel the tightening in her chest as the reality of the moment finally hit home. The thing was real. The dagger she had held and wielded so ineffectually in her dream over and over again was real. And she knew that if the dagger was actually real something tangible in this realm then the images she saw and so desperately wished away could possibly be real. It wasn't like the thought hadn't occurred to her before, not when she had had as many prophetic dreams as she had, but it was easier to tell herself that it was harmless that it was only a dream when there was no proof of its existence.
Now she could only watch helplessly as Wesley walked over and gently laid it in the center of Angel's desk. He murmured a few words to the book he had left sitting on the desk and opened it.
The room was silent and she could feel everyone’s eyes moving back and forth between Wesley's quiet perusal of information and the expression on her face that she could not seem to control. To her it seemed like eons had passed when only a few seconds had ticked by. When he lifted his eyes from the book to look at her she knew.
"Tell me it's not the one." The words were a whispered wish the last vestige of hope she had left.
Either Wes hadn't heard her or he didn't know how to answer her because the words were never spoken.
Angel eyes darted from Buffy to Wes then to the dagger, his brow furrowed in thought. He brought his eyes back up to center on Wesley.
"The one what?"
His eyes seemed to settle on only her not knowing how much he should say in front of the others.
"Buffy asked me to research this particular dagger."
"Why?" He turned to face her.
She sighed deeply. "I had a Slayer dream and the dagger was in it. Seemed like it was important so I asked Wes if he could get all watchery and do a little research."
Angel's arms folded over his chest. "And what exactly happens in this dream?"
"As much as I would love to continue this discussion don't you think it would be better if we took care of the Illyria situation first?" She really didn't want to talk about it right now.
The glare from Angel suggested to her that he was not okay with that at all.
"Fine. I promise I'll tell you all about it when we get back okay. I really just want to go and stop her before she takes out all of Los Angeles."
He gave her another hard look and she turned away to glance at Wesley who gave her a small understanding smile. He could appreciate the fact that she was uncomfortable about all of this. Only he didn't know the real reason.
The time it took for Angel to turn that phrase around in his mind seemed an eternity to her as she tried to keep the emotions running through her system in check. This was no time for her to have a breakdown it just wouldn't do.
"I-"
"She said she'd explain later Peaches." His low growl of words seemed to take Angel aback for a second. Buffy recognized the sound for what it was. A warning, one demon to another, to back the hell off.
The dark vamp looked from her to Spike and then back to her. A look of defeat seemed to pass through his dark eyes.
"Alright but I want a full explanation of what this is all about the second Illyria isn't a threat. Clear?"
His tone made her bristle and she fought to control it. She was already wound tight enough as it was he didn't need to be helping. Burying the anger she felt rising she refused to answer him.
"Let's go." She addressed the others in the room.
********
Standing silent outside of a bank Buffy carefully pushed all other thoughts from her mind. They were here to do one thing and that was to stop a demented god king from raising an army and destroying the world. Or from exploding whichever order they happened in.
Spike's hand accidentally brushed against hers and she instinctively grabbed it. Holding it tightly she stole a glance at him her heart lifting a little to see the small smile and tenderness in his eyes.
Her attention returned to the task at hand as Angel opened the door and stepped inside. She quickly followed with Spike's hand still in hers. Wesley followed in behind them letting the door slip shut behind them with an almost imperceptible swish.
They stood watching the two figures before them waiting.
"Showtime." Knox exclaimed as he straightened up.
"Got any good seats left?"
Knox looked them over and shook his head. "Guys you should scan the headlines here. You can't win this."
"Then we all die trying." Wes replied flatly.
She felt Ilyria's cold blue eyes travel over them trying to assess the mixed group.
"Why?"
"You want the short version? Let's start with you walking around looking like the woman you murdered."
Her glare turned solely on Angel.
"You think your actions will restore her?"
"No." Buffy answered as she took a step forward.
"Yet you seek a confrontation you cannot win."
"What you're trying to do, raise your army reclaim your world innocent people would die. Like Laura. We can't let that happen."
"You are the protector of these people?" Illyria sounded incredulous.
"Yes." Angel and Buffy answered together.
Buffy gave him a slight look and took another step towards the god.
Illyria's eyes raked over Knox coldly.
"Even this one?"
He took a nervous step backward.
No one seemed to speak for a long minute. Each trying to process the thought of how much this one dirt piss poor excuse of a human being had cost them in such a short amount of time.
"Yeah even someone as pathetic as he is. It's what we do." Buffy shrugged in his direction and gave a glare to the demon god.
"You are the lowest of the low, Knox but Buffy's right cause when it comes down to it your still a part of humanity. Even if it is the part we'd all like to see buried about six feet under ground." Angel walked forward until he was right next to Illyria.
The group was so focused on the danger of the entity before them that they ignored the presence of the human man. But he didn't lose track of them or what they had said about him. Reaching into his coat pocket he pulled the small gun he had stashed there out.
Buffy had heard the slight metallic click that came from the direction of the lab rat and turned to see the gun raise in her direction. She could almost groan knowing that in the company she was in only two in her party were actuall vulnerable to the weapon now raised. Unfortuanately she was one of them and she had nothing on her that would even come close to stopping a bullet.
She flinched as the report of the gun bounced along the walls of the bank making the sound stretch on longer. Taking a deep breath she could feel no pain and let her eyes focus on the last spot that the man had stood.
He was laying in a growing pool of blood his eyes staring sightlessly at the ceiling.
Buffy turned her head and looked behind her to see Wes standing with his gun now dropped to his side. His eyes moved from the new corpse to her.
"You've destroyed my Qwa'ha Xahn!" Illyria accused angrily.
"He more then had it coming." Spike bit out of clenched teeth.
"It offends me that you think he matters." Her voice was cool once again.
"You're right he's not the problem you are."
Buffy watched as Angel swiped at her with his sword missing her completely. As if that was their cue all of them moved in on her.
She couldn't keep track of all of the movements in the fight it was happening so quickly. Buffy only concentrated on trying to get closer to rain her own blows and yet keep out of the way of the others. She managed to get in one good solid punch which didn't seem to faze the thing before she was thrown into a nearby wall. Pushing to her feet she again went lunging for the god as she stripped Angel of his sword.
"Unimpressive." The dismissive tone made her hackles rise. She would be sure to show her something impressive.
The thought had no sooner flitted across her brain when Illyria and Angel seemed to disappear from view. Damn that time thing was a bitch. She gathered herself waiting for the moment when the effect would wear off. Across from where she was she could see Spike do the same. Behind her she could hear the slight groan from Wesley as he stumbled to his feet.
Not more then a few seconds past when they were again in front of them. The others began to move towards the now running Illyria trying to gain ground on her. But Buffy had been standing directly infront of her path and she had to pass by her. She pounced on the former god king as she dove for the portal that opened.
The blow knocked them both through the entry and they tumbled into her temple each one rolling smoothly to their feet. Sparing a quick glance behind her Buffy saw that the portal was now closed and they were alone.
"You are too late my army will rise-" Her words had trailed off and Buffy looked around noticing that the once proud temple was in a state of neglect and disrepair. The once proud statue of the demon god was now toppled and no army waited to bow at her feet.
"This, this is not possible."
"And yet..." Buffy shrugged.
"My world it is gone." Illyria sank to her knees.
Things were looking up in Buffy's opinion at least there was no army of doom for her to fight. The only thing left was the fact that the womanly shaped body in front of her had the chance of exploding and taking out a good portion of the Los Angeles area with her. Concentrating she thought about how Illyria had manipulated time in the past and thought of something.
"But there are other worlds out there." She said it quietly the idea still forming in her minds eye.
Standing quickly Illyria faced Buffy and cocked her head in contemplation.
"I'm sure someone as powerful as yourself isn't limited to just this world or time."
"You are suggesting something?" There was no hostility with the words just a curious lilt.
"This time, this world, it's moved past you but I'm sure there are other places, other times, where you could go and be worshipped the way you would deserve." Yeah she knew she was laying it on pretty thick but what could it hurt?
"I have traveled more words than your small little mind could even fathom. Time grew still in my grasp and I traveled the dimensions as they trembled before me."
"Right." She shook her head. "So like I was saying. Why stay here? You could go anywhere. Rule as you were meant to."
"This is the world I am meant to rule. It will once again lay at my feet."
Buffy had to stop and think she needed to convince her but she didn't want to end up as something she cleaned off the bottom of her shoes.
"Illyria have you noticed anything different about your shell?"
Her glance down at her own body was almost comical and as tired as Buffy was she had to bite back a small tickle of exhausted laughter.
"It still serves me." This was a little more difficult then she thought.
"Look hard truths kay? Your in a human body. It isn't strong enough to contain all the power you have. You already know that. So why don't we just make this a little easier on all of us and you just hop into a little portal and take over which ever dimension you perfer." She took a step forward. "There's a chance that this way you get to stay all existy like."
"If need be I will take you all with me."
"I don't think you understand. If you stay we will do everything we can to make sure that doesn't happen."
"You believe that you could possibly stop me?"
Buffy shrugged. "Eventually we will find a way. It's what we do. It's what I do." She moved even closer to her. "This way we all get what we want."
Illyria was staring at her intently and it was giving her a case of the wiggins. She had hoped that the simple explanation would make the god see that there really was no choice in the matter. Time seemed to stretch out between the two of them and she was sure that Illyria was doing her little time control trick.
"I shall go but only because it pleases me to do so."
Buffy let out a breath she had no idea that she had been holding. Relief began to flood through her and she felt herself almost giddy of the prospect of this ending without having to beat the crap out of the thing. Or having the crap beaten out of her.
"Yeah." She wasn't sure she could say anything else without pissing her off.
The shimmer of light caught her eye as another portal seemed to open in front of them. Illyria took a couple of steps forward and then took another look at Buffy.
"The battle you are about to wage. You will not live past it."
Turning forward once again she stepped through and the portal closed behind her.
She just stared at the now empty spot for a second before turning her head and seeing the new portal where she had originally entered this place. Calmly she walked through it.
********
They had met back at the office a tense bout of silence flowing in between all of them. She had tried very hard in the car on the way back to convince Angel to let her get some sleep before the great reveal on her dream. But he had remained his own stubborn pain in the ass self and refused to let her off the hook. No matter how many times she had argued or how many growls Spike threw his way.
So they were now gathered in Wesley's office the dagger now sitting on his desk. Wes was sitting behind his desk the book from earlier open in front of him.
Fred was hovering near his shoulder unsure of where to stand. Her unease could have had something to do with what she had been told about Wes's actions while he had been gone. It was a lot to take in about a man you believed to be totally stable and loved.
Spike was sitting in an armchair just as she was facing the desk and Angel stood just off to the side of it his arms crossed over his chest a slight scowl on his face.
No one had said anything in so long that Buffy had begun to think they were waiting for something.
Her mind started to wander and she wondered briefly just how much she should tell them about the dream. Sure the room where they gained access to the caverns was important and the fact that she was with both Angel and Spike was something she could tell them. Describing the demon was a given of course and she knew that explaining the fact that she was trying to use the dagger would feature also. But to tell them about the end of the dream. No. They really didn't need to know that. Her own reactions to it were still to painful and raw. Having to listen to them and their reaction, well she didn't think she could handle that. Besides it wasn't like everything that happened in her dreams came true. Most of the time.
Her eyes focused on the group noticing for the first time that they were all watching her expectantly. That's right she was the one who was supposed to be doing the talking.
She mentally shook herself out of it.
"Ok big dream thing. So the three of us Spike Angel and I start out in this white room with a bunch of long lights set in the walls that has this big round raised part in the center that kind of looks like it's filled with water but I know it's not. There's a set of metal stairs and on top of that there's this control panel thingy. And as I watch Angel places a crystal into it and it starts to open." She shifted uncomfortably in her seat. "When it opens-"
"Wait. This thing in the center does it kind of look like a big aquarium?" Angel interrupted a thoughtful look on his face.
"Yeah kind of I guess. But it really isn't filled with water it's kind of like an effect." She looked him over carefully. "Why?"
"I've seen it." Everyone turned to look at him questions written all over their faces. "When Lindsey was here the last place we fought was that room he was trying to get the tank open. Cordelia stopped it."
Buffy took a nervous breath trying to keep her heart rate under control. No need to get both vamps upset about her being, well, upset. The room though was real, great another thing that the dream was right about. This wasn't getting in the better column.
She cleared her throat gently. "When it opens we step down into it and we're suddenly in this giant cavern."
"What did it look like?" Wes asked.
"There wasn't really anything to look at. It was just like this big hole in the earth." Wes nodded at her. "The dream jumps a bit there and the next thing I know is I'm fighting this big ugly red thing with four arms and two swords holding that dagger." She gave it a withering stare.
"And then what happens?" Angel was the one asking maybe he had been around ex watchery types for too long. Always with the endless questions.
"That's where I wake up." She shrugged hoping against hope that she was convincing. She could feel Spike's eyes boring into her like he sensed she was holding back. As if his intense gaze could prod it out of her. Knowing that she refused to look at him.
Angel also didn't have that ok-so-you-told-us-what-you-know look on his face but he didn't say anything.
"So what else did you find on the dagger Wes." She was more then happy to throw the looks to him instead and was grateful when he began to speak.
"Like I told you before Buffy this dagger was only supposed to exist in myth and legend. It's name Xhesineis comes from an ancient demon language meaning purity. Legend has it this dagger was used to kill the last of the pure demons. It was forged using the blood of a pure warrior. The only other thing that I discovered is that it uses some sort of sacrifice to gather its power. The text is vague however."
"Aren't they always?" She stood up and took a few paces. "I feel like I'm missing something. Like the answer is just on the tip of my nose."
"Tongue pet." Spike corrected her automatically.
She let out a deep sigh. This wasn't helping. There were no answers to her dreams to be found in books and they were wasting time.
Glancing over at Angel she pushed the thoughts of the dream out of her mind and grasped on to the other uncomplete task of her visist.
"Have you made a decision yet Angel?"
He seemed startled at her sudden question. He gave her a look like he needed to tell her something important going so far as to open his mouth when they were interrupted by a knock on the door.
Snapping his jaw shut Angel answered the door.
"Oh good everyone's here." Hamilton replied as his gaze swept over the collection of people.
Buffy couldn't suppress the low groan she felt. It was quiet and only the beings with super vamp hearing had caught it. Both of them gave her a funny look.
"Something you wanted? If you didn't notice we're in a meeting here." Angel stated as the guy breezed past him and into the room.
Buffy felt herself tense as his eyes seemed to light up at the sight of her. There was definiately something about this guy that caused her this uneasy queasy feeling.
"I'll only be a moment. I just wanted to make sure I introduced myself to the rest of your team." His eyes took in Fred and Wesley before settling once more on Buffy. "Hello Buffy it's good to see you again."
"Marcus." She said it with only a slight smile not letting the ick factor get to her. For some reason she was getting the feeling that he hadn't come in here just to meet Fred and Wes.
He seemed to turn his attention back to the people he hadn't met and Buffy let the drone of the conversation fade into the background. Angel was hiding something. She was sure of it just as she was sure he was going to tell them what when this suited menace had come in. Apparently they weren't going to get anything done as long as they were within the walls of this building.
"Angel." She said interrupting. "It's getting really late-" Which was a mild understatement since she could see the sky lightening with the coming dawn. "maybe we should all meet tomorrow?"
He seemed to look at her gratefully and without the dissappointment she saw in Hamilton's face.
"That's probably a good idea."
She almost let out a shout in thanks that she could finally get out of this place and maybe, dare she hope, get some sleep.
"Miss Summers, Buffy-" He corrected at her raised brow. "if you haven't yet made arrangements the firm would be happy to put you up in one of L.A.'s finer hotels."
She cleared her throat slightly. "No." She blinked realized the word came out a little to sharply and backpedaled. "No thank you I've made arrangements already." Giving him a little bigger smile she shrugged. "I really appreciate the offer though."
"Of course. If you need anything please just let us know." The way he had said us sent her the clear message that he meant himself and she fought another shudder of revulsion. "If you'll all excuse me then?" With a brief nod he left just as quickly as he had come in.
"Can we please get out of here now?" Buffy turned her imploring eyes to Spike.
"Yeah." He gave a glance to his Grandsire. "Peaches we'll call you later, set up a time to meet."
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Author's Chapter Notes:
Guys what can I say? The reviews well they make me feel so good I mean I really don't have the words, (wipes tear from eye) I just have to thank you all for being so great. I was wondering what was taking me so long to write this chap when I finally did a word count. Sorry it's so long. Please let me know what you think and thank you all again!