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Author's Chapter Notes:
I’m thrilled that so many people have read and enjoyed my work. I’ve never written an ensemble cast this large all in first person before, so it's been a creative journey on several levels. I like to think I’ve been able to give the characters each their own voice.

Up until now, each chapter has had one narrator, and most have been divided into three sections. This chapter will be divided into shorter sections, and each will have a different narrator. Hopefully it’s not too confusing. The narrator will be named at the head of each section, as per usual.

And an additional disclaimer: I actually picked a name off the hospital website for a doctor in this chapter, as I seem to be running out of creativity when it comes to naming my ever-expanding cast of characters. I mean no infringement on his life; and as I have never met him, the character likely bears no resemblance to the real person, and it is not intended to. If you are him, or have met him, and feel that he is being represented unfavorably, I apologize.
Merry

Willow calls as I’m reading a book about Slayers in the Victorian era. Okay, so I’m not focusing on the topic at hand, exactly. But I’ve never read this book, or heard of it for that matter, and it is in my area of expertise. God bless Mindy and her habit of buying any and all books. I miss that girl.

“Cheerio, Willow.” I don’t normally go for the full tilt British when I’m in the States, but it seems to make her happy, and some people are just worth going the extra mile for.

Don’t think it worked, though, because Willow’s voice is tense when she speaks. “Hey, Merry. How are our Slayers?”

“Evidently, a sight better than our vampires.” I joke, but it falls flat, so I move on. “I take it the meeting didn’t go well?”

“The meeting went fine.” She sighs, and I hear someone snort in the background, and the murmur of voices. “Well, if you call Angel storming out pissed off at everyone fine, then it was. It’s been a long morning, and it’s only 7, you know? We still have 12 hours until we storm the proverbial castle, and I’m all jittery.”

I chuckle because in the day I’ve known her, I have learned that jittery is very much Willow’s normal state while under stress. Then it sinks in. At 7 tonight, I will be fighting something more than my usual couple of fledglings on patrol.

There’s more talking at the other end of the line, and it takes Willow a minute before she continues. “So, I think we’ve got assignments for the Slayers, if you wanna approve them?”

“Sure, luv, have at.” God, I sound cheesy. It’s weird, having two native accents. At any given moment, I sound fake to myself.

“Well, I figured a couple of Slayers could cover the assignment Angel wanted to give Lindsay, maybe with Jezebel in charge. I’d like a Slayer to come with Wesley and me, whoever is best at magic. Someone else, possibly two Slayers, will go with Charles Gunn. Everyone else will head to the Hyperion with Lorne, then meet up with us when the big fighting starts. Lorne’s setting up a triage unit, and laying in supplies in case we get stuck for a few days. I’d suggest sending some stuff over, you know, so you can all change into clean clothes and stuff. How’s that sound?”

It sounds fine, if vague, so I agree pending input from Jezzie and Penny. “Hey, listen, I sent my sister to collect supplies and head out of town, should I call back and just have her go to this Hyperion place?”

“You have a sister?” Why does Willow sound so confused? “I’m sorry, it’s just that, I was only informed of four Slayers in Los Angeles. I mean, Giles and Faith both signed off on the paperwork; how come they didn't think of her? I didn't even bother doing the Slayer-detection spell I usually do when I got here, it didn't seem worth it.”

I frown. The Council didn't identify Joyce as a Potential. Something about the strong blood usually going to the older kids, Mom said. I’ve sparred with her a couple of times since we came into our powers, and superior skill is really the only thing that kept me on my feet. "I wouldn't do the trance now, either; you'll need your strength, and we don't have time to track people down." I'm sure I sound worried, but I like Willow and I don't want her to hurt herself. Then there's my sister, who it took almost an hour to convince to get out of town. Whom I should probably call and get back here to fight for her life. How groovy. "If there are other Slayers in the city, either they'll show up to help, or they won't. My question is, what do I do about Joy?"

There’s a second of silence on the other end of the line. “Call her.” Willow’s voice is so stern, it almost makes me jump. “Get her back here, now. Here’s Gunn, he’ll give you directions to the Hyperion for her. And have her bring more weapons, if you haven’t already. I'll be by as soon as I can get there, to do the protection spells, and finalize the assignments." Before I can reply, she's handed the phone over.
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Penelope

It’s been a strange few days. On Monday, Tom and I met with what felt like a hundred caterers for the wedding, and I know we should have done it earlier, we only have two months left and a lot of places were too booked up to work with us, but we just kept putting it off for one reason or another. Like, the eight funerals we've been to since we got engaged for example.

Then Jezzie calls to tell me she's having dinner with William the Bloody, and she's won our long-standing bet that she'd discover his true identity; and has confirmation that William the Bloody was, in fact, William Spenser. We've been arguing over this ever since she started working on her thesis. I really did think William Pratt was a more likely candidate, but then, I'm not the vampire expert. And, oh, BTW; the world might be ending, wish you were here.

This is an adventure I didn't expect. I should be at work, or planning my wedding; or anywhere in Arizona for that matter. Instead, I'm in Los Angeles, researching a prophecy I've spent ten years saying is a myth, because it's about to come true. You'd think I'd get used to strange, but I never do.

Willow freaked Merry out, I think, when she called earlier. I don't know what it was all about, but after she told us Willow was coming over, she felt the need to stop everyone's research, and give us a little lecture on Slayers and demon-human hybrids. I'm not sure what the whole thing was actually about, exactly. Whatever, I'm not a Slayer line expert, so I'm out of my depth once again.

Other than my wicked stake-throwing skills, I'm really not sure why I felt the need to come. I mean, I already miss Tommy like crazy, and we're both gonna be in trouble if we have to go more than a few days without reconnecting.

I decide to take some time and rewrite everyone's research neatly, so I can piece this mess together. I wish I'd had time to tap a few more libraries, but the only books I could get to quickly were mine and Mindy’s. If we survive this, which I think we will, we really need to work on developing a database of who has what and where.

The Guardians are still troubling me, they have for years. How can two forces of such strength, independent of the two Champions, be the driving force in saving the world? They’re supposed to be involved in some kind of ‘final test’ according to Devoir. If you’re a Champion, sanctioned by the Powers, what constitutes a final test?

I miss my father painfully, at times like these. He was one of the most brilliant people I’ve ever met, and I know Jezebel and her mother, so that’s saying something. Dad would have been able to figure this out, I just know it.

It’s all about halves, or pairs, I'm starting to think. The two vampires with souls acquired them in opposite ways, they’ve traveled drastically different paths to get to this point, and they have very different priorities and goals.

William the Bloody was the mate of a Potential, and is likely the mate of our current head Slayer. My Dad always referred to the current Slayer as Sineya, because she filled the shoes of the First Slayer, and the Slayer line is drawn from the clan of Sineya. So, he’s the mate of Sineya mentioned in the prophecy, I guess.

William and I are here without our mates. I know none of the other Slayers here are mated. Wesley is single; Jezzie told me when she mentioned he was here. Maybe that’s part of it; us all being unfinished halves of mating pairs? If that figures in at all, it must mean that Angelus won’t technically Shanshu, that he’ll become part of the Slayer line. Or, it has nothing to do with anything.

I can’t focus on any one thing too long, so I move on to the Aurelian part of the prophecy. The power to grant the Champions their reward will be drawn from the demonic life force of the Aurelian line. So do they all become human, or dust? I’m banking on all of them dusting, based on the repeated use of the word destruction. So, no more Aurelian line. Which brings me to the Wolf, the Ram, and the Hart.

Traditionally, the three animals represent aspects of the Powers; the ‘Dark Side of the Force’, if you will. I’m back to duality, again; that seems like the key to this whole thing. Wolfram & Hart, the demon law firm, are their agents in this dimension. The prophecy states that the day will be won when the Wolf, Ram, and Hart are forced to give up their supremacy in our world, and finally surrender to the light. I’d bet my favorite shoes that losing one of the most powerful and prominent vampire clans, as well as every member of the Circle of the Black Thorn, would be enough; especially if we can defeat the army of the Senior Partners.

The Child of Vampires will be abandoned by his parents, and reclaimed by the Child of Sineya. As far as I know, Buffy doesn't have a kid. Maybe it's a metaphor? Except, the rest of that paragraph is way too specific.

And the Destroyer…I have no clue how to interpret this stuff. The Destroyer is an agent of good and evil, and will pick it's side for each battle. The Destroyer is the Key to this reality. And why the hell is Key capitalized?

My head hits the table, and I bang it for good measure, moaning in frustration. We're never gonna figure this out.
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Elise

I know all the answers.

The strange thing about seeing the future, is that people believe prediction is somehow separate from free will. It's not. I see what will happen based on the choices of those around me; the choices they will make based on who they are. Everything will play out the way it is supposed to, based on who we are, so there is no reason to share what I know right now. Actually, telling people what's coming will sometimes cause them to act in a manner that goes against their instincts, and change the future.

So, I keep my mouth shut, even though it would ease my sisters' minds to know what's coming. Because, easing their minds is not worth two of them dying, which is what will happen if I tell them. They'll just have to be okay with being unprepared.

My Watcher is banging her head against the table, and as amusing as it is, it comes from frustration. "Miss Penny?" She looks up at me, resting her chin on the table. "It'll be alright. You'll see. The research isn't as important as you think it is." No, what's really important is that you relax and focus on the fight, because if you die, Lady Sineya will have big problems.

Miss Penny blinks at me, frowning. I can tell she's caught between acting like I've reassured her when I haven't, and yelling at me for trying to get out of research. Then she pulls back, in that way she has, and looks at the papers spread out before her. She looks back up at me, and our eyes hold for a minute before she turns to Merry, Laurie, and Apple. The other Slayers are all buried in books and papers, and Apple at least has been up all night. Miss Jezebel went to pass out on the couch not too long ago.

After studying the others for what feels like a really long time, she nods and starts gathering her papers. "Ladies?" Her voice is strong and clear as she attracts their attention. "Why don't you finish what you're doing, and start cleaning this stuff up. I'll get some lunch together." Laurie, naturally, nods and cleans up right away. Apple ignores her, happy to be immersed in a book. Merry looks puzzled, but tired, and nods at Miss Penny before returning to her research.

The three of us gather up Miss Penny's summary pages with our completed research, and all the books that aren't being used, and place them in the boxes. Before we get far, the doorbell rings. Merry bolts out of her seat, and I smile because years from now, that will still be her reaction to Willow's arrival. Their ending is unclear, but the affection between them will always be there.

When Merry enters the room, Willow in tow, I have to suck in a giggle, because I can see the small purple streamers of emerging affection in their auras. Miss Penny almost chokes; I can tell the second she sees it. The nice thing about seeing auras, and spending so much time with someone else who has the gift, is that we've both been able to hone the skill. Also, it makes me feel less crazy, that when I see colors floating around the room, someone can back me up.

Willow has a lot of power, it's obvious when I shake her hand. She looks into my eyes, and I can tell that she senses something in me that she doesn't see very often. Her power touches mine in a way that most humans can't touch Slayers. And I understand another little piece of the puzzle. This woman is Sineya's bridge to humanity. It's one of those aspects of the prophecy we decided wasn't important enough to continue researching. A human will join with the Slayers, to remind Sineya of the people she defends. Or, at least that's the gist of it. And Willow is the bridge.

I expected her to be a Slayer, like Miss Penny and I, so there's a sense of disappointment, yet I'm fascinated. She wasn't born into this fight like the rest of us. Her involvement is truly and completely predicated on Buffy. Something in their makeup drew them together, something in Willow brings out the humanity in Buffy, and even if she weren't a witch, no one else in the world can do what she does by being a friend. It's one of the coolest things I've ever encountered.

I listen quietly, with something approaching awe, as Willow, Merry, and Miss Penny discuss what we're all doing tonight. Laurie wanders away to start making lunch, she must really be bored; and Apple still has her nose in a book. I keep watch, because I don't know what else to do, and I become anxious as the future rearranges itself around them.

My Watcher, who is over-protective to a fault, refuses to allow me to go with Wesley and Willow to fight the wizard-demon they'll be up against. Of course, it could also be because Miss Penny wants to see Wesley. I've never met the infamous Wesley, but I've been hearing about him since I was little. Miss Penny and he were very close at one time.

I will evidently be assisting Joy and a Pylean demon-guy in setting up a place for us to go after the battle. Merry talks about finding a demon doctor in case she's too injured to help anyone, and I decide to add some useful information. Who knows what it will change in the future, but I have to help with what I can.

"There's a Slayer's mate working in the emergency room at Good Samaritan." My remark is met with dead silence, and I freak out a little, because I startled everyone more than I meant to.

Willow stared hard at me for a minute, then turns to my Watcher. "Um, not to be a doubting Thomas…Or Thomasina, really because; you know, girl and all; but, um how accurate are Elise's visions, usually?

Miss Penny shakes herself slightly, which is a very strange relaxation technique she has, before she answers calmly. "They're not so much visions as a future-memory type thing; and they're always accurate unless she says something about them; sometimes they change because telling us what's coming changes the timeline, or a person's response."

"We weren't going to meet Ron for another year or so, but people are going to get hurt between now and then, and I thought maybe it would be okay to ask for help earlier, since he's going to help out later, anyway. He's very nice." He and Will bump heads a lot, but they don't need to know that now.

Willow nodded, and smiled at me. "Okay, thanks for the input. Do you know his full name, by any chance? Ron, you said was is first name?"

"Ronald Lieberman." Willow dutifully writes it down, and thanks me. Miss Penny just shakes her head. If possible, she looks more worried than she did before.

"Lise, I don't know if I like that you're changing things so close to us going into a big battle. Can you please not change anything else, please?" My eyes tear up, and I hate crying, but I can't help it. I'm trying to keep my Watcher, my surrogate big sister alive; and I'm getting a lecture on responsibility. I thought she understood that I'd never do anything to get her hurt.

Miss Penny shakes her head at my tears, and moves to take me in her arms. And I lose it, completely. There's no way I can lose her. Miss Penny is all I have left. Where would I go if she died? Would Tommy still want me around? Would any of the others care?

When I calm down, I realize that I must have been babbling, because the mood is much more subdued. Apple has the rest of the research off the table now, and is focused on the rest of the group. Miss Penny is holding me close against her side, trembling softly. Willow and Merry, I don't even think realize they're holding hands, and they're both staring at me.

I smile sheepishly. I hate crying, especially with other people around, but I feel much better now. I open my mouth to say something, I'm not even sure what, really; and it sinks into me, the knowledge that my Watcher refers to as future-memory. She's going to be okay. And since she asked me not to change anything, I close my mouth.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Connor

That goddamn stupid, egotistical, careless, son-of-a-bitch vampire! I shift gears hard, nearly stalling the car, and it only pisses me off more. How dare he? I'm still trying to reconcile my life, you know? I have memories of two entire lives; and if that wasn't fucked-up enough, my parents still think they're my parents.

So, he wants to be a father, huh? Or, what he thinks I want in a father, anyway. He wants to pop into my life and act like my friend, all concerned and interested, and leave? How stupid does Angel think I am? There's no reason for him to confront me again so soon. The curiosity and guilt wouldn't have built up enough that he felt he had to see me. So, logically, what's the only reason he'd come visit? Duh, end of the world! Hello!

And then he left, without telling me. There was no warning, and he didn't actually say goodbye. Because, I guess, in order to say goodbye, he'd have had to tell me something. It would have been nice if he'd told me something, even if it was only 'hey, if I die, there's that cool sword at the Hyperion you can have'. Selfish prick. A little 'don't get killed' warning would have been nice.

After he left, I went back to the dorm, called myself out of classes and stuff for a week due to family problems; which sucks, because I have two tests this week; and got in the car. Hopefully I can make it to LA before that damn bloodsucker blows the whole town sky high.
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Willow

Casting protection spells on Angel's friends was with the unanticipated weirdness. After what Spike told me last night, I looked specifically for a spell to protect demon-human hybrids, to use on the Slayers. Turns out, Wesley has enough demon-ness in him for me to use the Slayer spell on him. Which, is a really weird way to think about Wesley. I still remember him as the awkward wussy-guy we first met. But he's stronger than any of us knew, maybe stronger than he knows himself.

Gunn, on the other hand, doesn't have a lot of demon-type power. I was surprised when I found some demon blood in him; I'd been expecting it with Wes, but not with Gunn. It's there, but not nearly enough to protect him. I had to cast the original protection spell for him, with herbs and incantations and the whole thing.

Spike was surprised, I think, with the way I handled myself. And he helped me with the casting circle for Gunn, which is a big deal since he hates magick so much. I tried to convince Spike to let me cast a protection spell on him, too, but that was where his tolerance kerpluey-ed.

When I finished everything I could do to help them, Lorne went to get the supplies the rest of us had asked for. There was some snarking when Spike asked for a carton of cigarettes, and Gunn decided to ask for a basketball and hoop; after all, if Spike got to indulge his 'hobby', why shouldn't Gunn? The three of them argued, but Lorne managed to get both of them to back off before he left.

With Lorne gone, we were all quiet for a few minutes. Then, Gunn made his exit, telling us he had people to see today, and he should get going. Wesley went back to nursing Illyria, and Spike looked like he wasn't ready to move again, so I excused myself and took a cab to Jezebel's house, with the directions Merry gave me earlier.

You could have knocked me over; well, most people I hang around with can nock me over, but it would have been a whole lot easier than normal; when she called to say she was picking up two more Slayers at the airport, and I should meet them at the house. She did it again when she told me about her sister; shocked me, I mean. The girl just keeps surprising me. Which, I guess, really shouldn't surprise me. I mean, not after she's done it a couple of times.

The house is pretty; a little bungalow-type structure with black steps and shutters, and some cactus and other plants in the yard. I recognize an aloe plant as I walk past, but nothing else rings a bell. Then again, I don't know a whole lot about plants.

Merry answers the door, and pulls me down a hall into what turns out to be the dining room. Three teenagers; blonde, brunette, and redhead; and a woman with reddish-goldish hair are around a table piled with papers and books. The woman and two of the girls are cleaning up, while the blonde teen has her nose in a book.

Merry introduces me to the woman, Penelope Lane, who she studied with at the Watcher's Academy. I keep my mouth shut about her name being just like a Beatles' song, because I don't want to offend her, and some people with strange names are a little sensitive about them. Trust me, I've gone through life named Willow Rosenberg. The brunette teen is Penny's (I didn't call her that, Merry did) Slayer, Elise Huntington; and the blonde is Jezebel's Slayer, Apple Pratt. The redhead is Laurie Kent, Jezebel's adopted daughter. I shake hands with all of them, and I can feel the power in every one of these Slayers.

"Where's Jezebel?" I ask, once the introductions are finished. I wanna get this done, and go run some errands.

"She's sleeping; she left me in charge before she crashed, so I didn't think we should wake her for this." Penelope motions to a chair, and I sit cautiously. I'm starting to freak a little, and I don't want to show it.

"Well, I guess we should decide who's going where, huh?" I'm trying to sound chipper, but I'm way too nervous to sound like I mean it. Looking at the three teen Slayers at the table, and the knowing this is the first time I will fight anything without my friends, makes my stomach all squiggy. I'm really, really nervous.

Everyone is nice, and they seem interested in what I'm saying; except for Apple, who looks up from time to time but puts most of her attention into taking notes. After I explain about all the members of the Black Thorn we'll be fighting, Penelope offers to join up with Wesley and I. "I've had extensive magickal training; my father was a Watcher; he was one of Wesley's teachers actually."

I agree to bring her along, and we both agree that Elise should join Lorne in setting up the Hyperion. Apple and Laurie both seem excited to join their Watcher in carrying out Lindsay's duties, and then they lose interest in the conversation. Apple goes back to her research, and Laurie gets up and goes to start making lunch. Meredith is kinda pissy when I tell her what her assignment is. "I bloody well fight vampires every night; you couldn't 've found me something a tad more interesting?"

She blatantly refuses to bring Joyce with her and Gunn, so Meredith's little sister will join Elise and Lorne. Then, Merry brings up a point I hadn't thought of before. "We might want to think about getting a demon doctor to the Hyperion with Lorne and the girls. I can handle most wounds and some minor surgery myself if we have the right equipment; but I'll be fighting, and we'll be in a big fat cork-screw if I get hurt."

"Hmm, that's a good point." Penelope furrows her forehead like she's thinking deep thoughts.

I'm about to ask why we'd want to have a demon doctor around, when Elise puts a few cents in. "There's a Slayer's mate working in the emergency room at Good Samaritan."

I whip my head around and focus on the younger Slayer with a look of blank panic. No one speaks, so I assume their reactions were like mine. To calm myself and make sense of this new weirdness, I focus on everything I've seen and heard during the strangeness that has been my trip to LA. What sticks out is Spike's story about his past, Merry's comments this morning about Penelope and her fiancé and their connection, and something I read a long time ago in one of Giles' books about certain species of demons mating for life, like penguins. Well, I didn't learn that during this trip, but it seems relevant somehow. And yet, not the most important thing.

I search Elise's eyes, and find inside myself the sense-memory of touching her hand. She has powers beyond many of the Slayers I teach. After years of dealing with Buffy's prophetic dreams, and now with my own students; I know the information gained through 'Slayer' dreams is not always accurate. More often the dreams are a metaphorical warning or promise. If a Slayer is also a seer, that's different; then their visions are always incredibly accurate and detailed as far as I've seen.

I direct my questions to Penelope. "Um, not to be a doubting Thomas…Or Thomasina, really because; you know, girl and all; but, um how accurate are Elise's visions, usually?

Penelope shakes herself slightly; like she's a wet dog, or shivering from cold; but she sounds very calm when she speaks. "They're not so much visions as a future-memory type thing; and they're always accurate unless she says something about them; sometimes they change because telling us what's coming changes the timeline, or a person's response."

"We weren't going to meet Ron for another year or so, but people are going to get hurt between now and then, and I thought maybe it would be okay to ask for help, since he's going to be around later, anyway. He's very nice." Elise sounds a little upset that we're not grateful for the information, which makes my skin crawl, because now I'm all wondering who's going to get hurt.

I really want to ask questions, but I understand completely what Penelope meant, about how discussing the future can change it. I've learned a lot about control the last few years; most importantly, that I don't always need to have it. So, I let it go.

I nod, and try to smile reassuringly at her, because she's started shifting nervously and chewing the end of her ponytail. "Okay, thanks for the input. Do you know his full name, by any chance? Ron, you said was is first name?"

"Ronald Lieberman." She takes her hair out of her mouth to tell me, and immediately puts it back in. I write it down and thank her politely, wondering how to get this guy to help us.

Penelope shakes her head, looking worried, and returns her attention to her Slayer. "Lise, I don't know if I like that you're changing things so close to us going into a big battle. Can you please not change anything else, please?"

I understand her point, I really do. There's so much we can't predict in this situation, throwing in more variables seems like a really dumb idea. But, as I watch Elise's eyes tear up, I feel guilty. Even if I wasn't the one to say anything, I still feel really horrible, like I personally made the little girl cry. Penelope must feel it, too, because she pulls her Slayer into a hug. You'd think the hugging would calm her, but Elise starts sobbing harshly; and as she gasps for air she starts to babble.

"Don't want…Watcher…Big sister…Dying…Need her…Alive…Never do…Hurt her… Two Slayers…So much blood…Can't leave…Me alone…"

Penelope turns white, and Merry grabs my hand and squeezes too hard. Apple drops her book, and it clatters to the floor forgotten. Wow, okay, so now I get why Elise has been paying attention to everything we've said since I got here, and why she's been so nervous. Penelope hugs her tighter as Elise continues to sob and babble. Other than the part about Penelope dying, I don't understand most of it, but Merry keeps squeezing my hand, so I guess she's processing the stuff that goes over my head.

After a few more agonizing minutes, where the rest of us are frozen, Elise calms to quiet hiccoughs and sniffles. The little Slayer looks pretty miserable, and Penelope is visibly shaking. I'm trying to think of a way to bring the conversation around to the protection spells, when Elise suddenly relaxes against her Watcher and smiles faintly. I may be the only person who sees it, but it makes me feel a lot better. I don't say anything, though. It's healthy for them to be worried about one another.

The quiet's starting to make me nervous, and my fingers are aching, so I go for the distraction. "So, I'll need to cast protection spells on all of you. Who wants to start?" I try to find a place between respectful and cheerful to put my voice. Elise grabs her Watcher by the wrist and raises her hand, and it breaks the tension when the rest of us laugh.

The actual castings are quick and easy; Jezebel sleeps through hers, and Laurie and Penelope make lunch while I work around them. Penelope has been fluttering with nervous energy, and I get that, but I just don't know what to do about it. My final casting is Merry, and once I'm done, she meets my eyes. She has really pretty brown eyes.

"So." Merry pops up out of the chair facing mine. "What's next?"

I take a deep breath as I watch her bounce nervously. This is quite possibly the worst time I could've picked to be interested in someone, what with the world about to end. But, it's not like we can really choose these things. "How would you like to visit the Emergency Room at Good Samaritan with me?"

A huge smile spreads across her face. "It's a date! Let's blow this pop stand."
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Lorne

I haven't been to the Hyperion in I don't know how many months, and neither has anybody else, judging by the dust that's simply everywhere. It almost makes me long for Spikeykins' drab little hole of an apartment. But, despite the dust and the stuffy air, it's somewhere to hang our proverbial hats, now that the realm of evil lawyers is closed to us.

I only have a few hours before the special appearance my agent set up for me, so I'd better get cracking if I want this place to feel like home sweet home when the kiddies arrive. Little Willow, bless her heart, is sending me a couple of Slayers to help out, and she promised to stop by herself with more supplies.

It's nice to have someone around who appreciates that my talents lie more in the area of organizing and decorating than fighting. I have to admit, I feel a little left out of the whole 'relaxing day, preparing for battle' thing, but I'm a lover, not a fighter. Since Lindsay's out of our collective hair, thanks again Willow, I'm much happier to help out. Not that I was unhappy to help before. I was more…Unhappy with the path Angel's been following, and I'm still not thrilled about that. Still, as they say in the biz, the show must go on.

I lug the huge pile of stuff I got inside; luckily without breaking a nail, although I think I pulled a muscle in my back; and start putting up the groceries. When I get back to the lobby, ready to grab a bag of bedding and head upstairs, there are two women waiting for me. The older, taller gal has fox-fur-colored hair and a splash of freckles across an elven-looking face. The other is a cute-as-a-button brunette teen with huge brown eyes and a coppery tan, who looks less like a Slayer than an oversized doll. "Well, hello ladies. Aren't you two just the most delicious sights I've seen in ages." They both start when they hear me, but neither of them seems afraid or surprised by what I look like. "I'm Lorne, by the way. Who might you little dumplings be?"

The little one drops her backpack, and bounces toward me. "Hi, Lorne, I'm Elise. I'm here to help. What do you need help with?" By the time she bounces to a stop about six inches in front of me, I'm grinning like I haven't grinned in a long time. She spins around and points at the other Slayer, who's smiling like she can't help herself. "That's Miss Penny, she's my Watcher. She's gonna help, too, until Willow and Merry get here; then she's gonna go help Willow with some magic stuff." The little snack-cake shrugs her shoulders. "They won't let me help, even though I'm really good at the magic stuff; Mr. Lane told me I was a very promising student." She frowns and glares at her Watcher, who glares back.

They're so cute, I can't even stand it. Miss Foxy-Penny meets my eyes and smiles. "Hey, Lorne, I'm Penny. It's nice to meet you." She steps forward to give my hand a firm shake. "So, what do we do first?" Gotta love that take-charge attitude, it's very Slayerly.

The girls help me carry the bags upstairs, and starting with the closest room in the right hand wing, we begin making up the beds and clearing out dust and debris. Luckily there are no rats at the Hyperion, but there's still plenty of broken plaster, peeling wallpaper, and other yucky old junk laying around in the unused rooms. Cordykins kept ahead of the decay as best she could, but there never seemed to be enough time to go through every room and clear it out.

About an hour into our little project, Penny hears a voice in the lobby, and we all go investigate. A snackable little blonde girl and a brand new pile of boxes and bags are waiting for us. "Hey, Penny." The girl waves as she spots us, and grabs an animal carrier and a suitcase as she heads up the stairs.

Penny waves and turns back to me to make the introductions. Not only is she a hard worker and a cheerful person, she has excellent manners. "Lorne, this is Joy, Joyce Cunningham. She's going to be staying here with you and Lise until we all meet up." Joy puts down her bags to shake my hand, more cautious than the others. "Joyce, this is Lorne, he's an anagogic demon, from a dimension called Pylea. He's one of the people we're helping."

I'm sensing that the shy blonde Slayer wasn't a potential, and darling Penny is trying to reassure her. Still, the little one has pluck, and soon she's joking along with us, repeating Elise's earlier complaint about having to sit out the first wave, but offering to help set up the rooms and to cook. While we were getting comfortable with one another, the carrier at Joy's feet started mewing pitifully, and eventually the cat has all of our attention.

"I couldn't find all of Merry's cats, when I went to get her stuff." Joy explains quietly. "Just two. Mackey is downstairs, then Tasha here." She nudges the carrier with her foot. "I guess I should put them and Merry's bag in a room, so they're out of the way. She'll kill me if they run off or anything."

We pick one of the clean rooms for her big sister and the little hairballs, and while she runs down for the other cat, Penny explains that Merry was a Potential. Elise makes a little sign for the door, warning people about the cats inside, and we let them frolic around the room as we move on with the cleaning.

We find the next few rooms stripped of furniture, one of them with ancient police tape still partially over the door. Penny suggests moving on to the next furnished room, but the others say they don't mind moving furniture, and personally I'd rather keep my friends close, so I direct the tough tidbits to start bringing in furniture from the farthest rooms first.

It's a big job, even for the rooms that just need to be dusted and fixed up with new sheets and towels. The girls are insistent that we salvage the old linens, and they're probably right, since I'm already short a set of sheets. Thankfully, Joy says she panicked and brought way too much stuff with her, including sheets and towels. The girls and I create a huge laundry pile by flinging the dirty things down into the lobby.

By the time we've cleared out twelve rooms so that they're habitable, Willow appears at the door with another adorable little brunette girl; and a handsome-if-scrawny young guy with dark receding hair. "Hey, guys. This is Merry, Lorne. Lorne, Merry. And everyone, this is Ron Lieberman. He's a doctor, and he's going to stick around in case anyone gets hurt."

"It's nice to meet you." Penny is the first to greet the new guy, and she introduces him to everyone else cheerfully and politely. He seems like a quiet guy, a bit shy with strangers like Joy, but he's also polite and interested in everyone.

"It's an honor to help." Ronny tilts his glasses back and forth on his face, his eyes traveling over all of us. "I've met a few demons, killed a few vamps, and I've even met a few demon-human hybrids. But I've never been involved in anything like this before; anything this noble, and I want to thank you for asking me. I promise I'll do my damndest to keep you all alive."

In the ensuing silence, where I for one am humbled; Merry grabs her sister, thanking her profusely for bringing the cats. Everyone has a good laugh and we all relax. Once we're calm again, Joy gets everyone's attention. "Well, looks like we have at least four more rooms to fix up, and I haven't had a chance to unpack Merry's weapons yet, or put away the non-perishable foods I brought. We should get a move on."

"Joy's right." Merry tugs on her sister's blonde ponytail. "If I can make a few suggestions? I say Ron chooses a room toward this end of the hallway, so there's someone with first aid close to everyone. I'll stay where Joycie put me. Someone should call Jezzie, and ask her to empty her medicine cabinets and linen closet. I'll sort my weapons and anything else weapon-like that comes in, then run out for perishables and first aid supplies…"

"I have some stuff in my car, if you wouldn't mind getting it." Penny pulls out a set of keys and tosses them to the shorter Slayer. "We didn't pack much beyond a couple of changes of clothing and the books, but we did stop and get a few sleeping bags, new pillows, and a few first aid supplies."

Ron looks around the room we're just about done fixing up. "If it's alright with everyone, I'll bring my stuff up here. Once the rooms are set up, I'll head over to the medical supply store to get what we don't have." He walks out into the hall, opening the door across from his. Most of us follow, but Joy and Elise stay behind to sweep away the last of the dust. The room hasn't been touched yet, and he peers around inside it. It has a double bed, but no other furniture. "Since I'm across the hall, we'll reserve this room for any serious injuries I might need to look after. Why don't you guys who are cleaning move off down the hall, and we'll come back to this room later; I can do it if the rest of you get tired. Also, if you have medical supplies, bring them here. Even if you have Midol in your purse or something, I'm gonna ask you to bring it in here for now. That way I'll know what I need to get." He wanders off to check out the bathroom, and I can hear him test the faucets and toilet, banging open the cabinets and closets as he goes.

"Umm, ladies." They all turn to focus on me, and I smile a little sheepishly. "My agent got me a gig this afternoon, so I'm going to have to leave you. I'll be back in four hours or so. Before I go, I want to offer the Doc one of Wes' old filing cabinets for medical supplies, if one of you will help me carry." Elise waves her hand out the door, smacking her Watcher in the process, and I chuckle at her energy and cuteness. They're all nice girls, but something in little Lisey speaks to me. Penny drags the Cunningham sisters with her to the next bedroom, and Willow-tree goes to talk to the Doc, while Dollface and I head down the stairs.

In the lobby is another toy-sized Slayer; blonde and petite, yet coltishly thin, wearing cowboy boots and a ten-gallon hat. She drops a suitcase and several plastic bags on the floor, before grinning up at us. "Hey, y'all. Who's the green guy, Lise?"

Elise greets the other Slayer, introducing her as "Apple Pratt, from Texas," and introducing me as "Lorne, from Pylea." Apple reminds me of Fred in some ways, but is really almost nothing like her, other than being a female from Texas. She does, however, seem excited to help.

"Jezzie and Laurie are bringin' more stuff in from the car." Apple snaps her gum, which makes me wince. "Ay just need to go help them out, then we kin help move those filing cabinets for y'all." Almost before she's done speaking she takes off, and Lise and I exchange a look before we head after her. Outside a black-haired woman and a little redheaded girl are arguing as they unload the back of a minivan. I shudder at the heinous evil that is the minivan, but I hold it together long enough to get through some more introductions.

Once the evil minivan is empty, Penny and Willow are in the lobby with Elise, waiting to give Jezebel instructions; the other younglings have vanished upstairs. Jezebel. Man, were her parents psychic or what; I don't believe I've seen many women more tempting than her.

The instructions snap me back to the present. Time for me to fill in the last few blanks, and be off. "The kitchen is over here." I lead them in that direction, and usher them inside. "Everything should work, if something's broken, there are repair numbers here," I hold up a pad with notes in Cordelia's precise handwriting. "Not that you'll be able to get anyone here before I get back. There's a walk in fridge around that corner, and the deep freeze is through it. I already put some stuff in, and I'm not real sure what's in the cabinets, so make a list before anyone shops."

I dig around for a pen, and flip to a blank page. "Here's my cell number. Use it, leave detailed messages, I always check them. Willow has it on her phone, too. Wesley's old office is across the lobby, near the elevator. Any file cabinets and shelves in there that aren't nailed into the walls, you girls are free to move up to the infirmary for Doc. They should all be empty. Oh, and if you want to spar," I lead them down the hall and show them the basement door. "At the bottom of the stairs, on the far left. Anything else you lovelies need?"

They shake their heads, and wish me luck. Elise grabs me in a big bear hug, and whispers in my ear. "It'll be nice to have another seer around, won't it?" Before I can respond she's bolted, and I need to leave, so I have to wait to pick her little-girl brain. I suddenly feel lighter than I have in months, even though I have no clue what's going on.





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