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“Are you ok?” Dawn’s question drew Buffy from her thoughts

“Honestly I don’t know, everything’s so upside down now” sighing the slayer drew a shaky hand through her ever perfect hair "I mean it's been ten years since I battled the good old forces of darkness, I thought it was finished, you know?"

Dawn frowned, ten years? Not even close to that. But Buffy seemed always confused by the passage of time, as if since the demise of Sunnydale the inexorable ticking of the clock would speed and slow without reason.

Not wanting to upset her sister any more Dawn let the slip pass "You know you won't have to do it alone don't you? Willows ready for the fight, so are Angel and Giles, and Willow talked to Xander, he's already on his way"

Oh that was better, a real smile breaking through her sister's cheerful façade "He's really coming? God, Dawn we've all missed him so much. He's really coming?"

"Yeah he's really coming" Dawn gave her sister an indulgent smile, sometimes Buffy seemed so very young, that Dawn almost felt as if she where the elder. Certainly Buffy appeared as responsible and mature as the next person, working hard, engaged, keeping a good house. But at times the younger girl would wonder if Buffy had actually grown at all since Sunnydale, that she was somehow frozen unable or maybe unwilling to change.

"Guys!" Willows voice sounded from the bottom of the stairs "We're gonna go, try and at least get some sleep. See you tomorrow after work, hopefully Xander'll be here by then too"

"Hang on a sec!" Buffy was up and off to say pleasant goodbyes and smile prettily for her departing audience, having no desire to watch the performance Dawn wandered to her room to get some rest, figures they where all going to need it.

…….

Marcus was growing impatient. He was not by nature an impatient man, he had after all been working for decades to reach this point. But somehow, now that his endeavours neared fruition he found himself always with a growing sense of urgency.

"Solomon!" He bellowed suddenly, startling the group of female vampires that where almost always in his attendance. "Where is the Shaman?"

"Here my lord, one moment."

The Shaman was of inconsequential appearance, a small pale man with sandy hair and grey eyes. He wore an ill fitting suit that had clearly seen better days and carried himself with the air of someone with little hope of ever achieving anything. A clever act thought Marcus, ever appreciative of cunning. He had seen this man wield the devastating force of his magic before, seen with his own eyes how a few muttered words had reduced a charging Fyarl to nothing more than bones and ash.

Marcus smiled a cold satisfied smile. That had been a mere conjuring trick to this man. He could do more, oh so much more, and he would do it now at Marcus' command, because like the others he believed in Marcus, in what he said, in what he would surely achieve.

"You have work for me lord?" a question asked only out of curtsey, no thought or knowledge was hidden to the Shaman's power.

"Yes. You can do it?" not really a question. Understanding flowed palpably between the two of them.

The Shaman smiled a soft appreciative smile, God but Marcus was clever, a gift it was, how he could seek out an exploit his enemy's most secret weakness. And this weakness, of this girl… it would be beautiful to see, the destruction of such a creature, a slayer made weak by the weakness of her own heart, oh yes it would be beautiful to see.
…

Finally the light and noise receded around them, the palpable power of the magic draining away, leaving the air around them dead and devoid of energy. It was done, just as the Shaman said it could be done.

Marcus regarded the occupant of the previously empty cage with something akin to disappointment, he had expected more. Really he had. Someone taller perhaps or broader in the shoulder, perhaps strikingly dark or fair not this lithe, sandy haired, man lying unconscious before them.

"Can you wake him?" Marcus' eyes never strayed for a moment from the prone form.

"Awake" A quite command laced with power

…

"Drinks" Buffy in hostess mode, Dawn almost groaned aloud. "We have tea, coffee, soda, ooh even bear. It's Dawns"

"Tea, I think would be fine." Murmured Giles, cleaning his glasses pensively. 'Do you see it too Giles?' Dawn wondered, 'do you see how she acts?'

"Tea, coming up" she smiled perkily before disappearing into the kitchen.

Giles looked ready to comment on Buffy's behaviour when the group was interrupted by a welcome arrival.

"Xander" twin exclamations from Willow and Dawn as they rushed to embrace their friend. A whirl of blonde hair and pink cotton and the embracing trio were almost taken to the ground by the force of the slayer's enthusiasm.

"Oh Xander, it is so good to see you." She gushed as she held him in an almost painful embrace. "We all missed you so much"

"Good to see you too, been away from my three best girls far too long"

They all smiled in response charming, affectionate Xander, it was true, he had been away far too long.

Dawn tuned out the bubble of excited conversation as she observed her one time crush. It seemed where loss had frozen Buffy in time, it had aged Xander beyond his years. Grey flecks in his deep brown hair and shallow lines on his tanned skin gave him the look of one of Steinbeck's travelling farm hands, especially when coupled with his faded jeans and logger jacket. Not a bad look on him Dawn conceded, he was slimmer than Sunnydale, a little harder, not only in his body, but also in those warm brown eyes, still welcoming and gentle, but tinged with a resigned sadness that spoke of deep loss.

"Wow, I can't believe the gangs all here" Willows excited voice died away abruptly. Her mind automatically bring forth Tara's gentle face, a glance at Xander and Giles told her that they two where remembering lost lovers, surprisingly Angels expression mirrored theirs. Who's loss had brought that look of love, grief and acceptance to his face, she wondered Cordelia perhaps? The four of them shared a moment of silent, affectionate remembrance.

Glancing at Dawn, Willow found her eyes following the younger woman's worried gaze to the Slayers determined expression. Determined, it suddenly struck Willow that, that was the word she could have use to describe Buffy a thousand times since Sunnydale. Determined to do well, at college, to get a good job and a husband. Determined to retire from slaying and life a happy normal life. And now amongst her closest friends determined not to show any sign of grief or pain. Willow wondered if Buffy had grieved at all, had she missed the painful healing of grief, in her determination to live as he had wanted her too.

"Right then" It was the voice of a slayer calling the meeting to order "We all know what's going down. Question is what are we gonna do about it? Time to plan guys times a wasting"

Dawn wanted to hug Buffy at that moment, wanted to yell for joy at the sight of Buffy's hard gaze, at the steel in her voice. There was the slayer, chipping away at the normal girl veneer, forcing herself to the forefront to take command.

'Ah' thought Marcus, with a pleased grin as he observed the now fully awake creature before him 'this is more like it'. The man stood naked and unashamed, his expression, a mixture between annoyance and boredom, showed a creature undaunted by waking a captive. His flinty eyes held a power and arrogance that Marcus approved of and his confident demeanour spoke of a resourceful survivor

"Solomon, send for Beatrice" He commanded without sparing the Vaith a glance. "Beatrice has a gift" he explained to the caged creature "she'll know whether or not we can let you out"

"Piss off" a clipped accented voice

"Now, now William. We're all friends here no need for unpleasantness"

"Friends don't call me William" the man stated his voice eerily calm "nor do they lock me in a bloody cage"

"No of course not, Spike. The measure is only temporary I assure you, for security, you understand?" Marcus amicable tone grated on the others nerves

"Right, great. So where's this bird, I don't fancy spendin' too much time cooped up like a bloody budgie. Got places to be, you know, people to kill"

……





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