By Heather Martin

Spoilers- Set during and after Smashed. I borrowed a few lines from Wrecked as well. Has spoilers for everything up to that point. Goes AU after that

Summary- B/S T/W A/X Something goes funky with Spike and Buffy after their coupling in the abandoned house. Meanwhile, a demon and a mysterious girl come to Sunnydale from the future.

This is where the exciting stuff starts. Enjoy.

Chapter Twenty- Fade Out

The full moon had finally arrived. The night when werewolves prowled and witches performed their prime spells. Celeste had made Judas wait until then. She said the magic she needed couldn’t be reached just any time. He swore that if she failed he would snap her neck. He had wasted valuable time because of her.

She knelt by a fire. The flames danced, illuminating her exotic features. She had raven hair that cascaded down to her waist. Her eyes were green that glowed like a cat.

Impatiently, Judas said, “What do you see?”

The witch ignored him. She chanted something under her breath. Her hands floated through the air.

“Where is the slayer!?” Judas demanded.

“That is of no consequence,” Celeste told him.

“What do you mean!? Isn‘t that why we‘re doing this whole damn spell!”

He took a menacing step toward the woman.

“You will not have to go to the slayer. She will come to you.”

“And how will I arrange that?” He gritted his teeth.

“There is one amongst her that does not belong and does at the same time. If we hurt her, it will hurt the slayer.”

What was it with him being surrounded by crazy people? First the Gestalt and now her. Someone who does not belong and does at the same time?

“Okay, how do I find this one who does not belong and does at the same time?” Judas questioned.

Celeste turned. An unnatural gleam shown in her gaze. “Come with me.”

She began to walk. Judas followed, uncertain about this whole thing.

*************************

Alexis needed to get away. She couldn’t take one moment more in the same house as Buffy and Spike. The sight of them together made her sick. They were trying too hard. Going through the motions as a couple, yet not fooling anyone. Their eyes told the truth.

Without anyone noticing, she left. It wasn’t hard. No one seemed to pay attention to her lately anyway. Everyone was caught up in other things. No one cared about time travel girl. Probably because the Gestalt demon hadn’t made a move. That was the only reason they kept her around. She was useful with the info.

She crept through the night, a stake in her grasp. She scanned the landscape, prepared to attack anything that moved. She had been patrolling before, although never alone. She was confident that she would be all right.

It was then that a woman came out of the darkness. Something about her screamed trouble. Maybe it was her eyes. No normal human could have eyes like that. She raised her stake.

The woman laughed. “Silly, child. I am not a vampire.” The woman raised her hand. A force made the stake shoot out of Alexis’s grip. “I am something else entirely.”

With horror, Alexis stared at her fallen weapon. She moved to grab it again, but somebody from behind grabbed her. She struggled, but the hands that held her were strong and rough.

Cold breath could be felt on the side of her face. “I am the vampire, little girl,” she heard in her ear.

The voice made her freeze. She knew who this was. Judas. The vamp behind this whole thing. He was the reason the Gestalt came here in the first place. The Gestalt wasn’t the real threat. It was Judas.

She was in deep shit.

*************************

Dawn came into the living room. She crossed her arms, rolling her eyes at Buffy. Her sister was on the couch watching a soap opera. The scene wasn’t uncommon. That was all she seemed to do anymore- sit on the couch and stare at the screen. Oh, and eat. She ate a lot now. The throwing up had stopped to be replaced with a great urge to consume everything.

Buffy glanced over at her sibling. “This is so sad,” she commented. “This guy is in love with this girl, but he thinks that she is married. But she’s not. She’s only pretending to be so that her old boyfriend will leave her alone. Oh, and she might be pregnant by this other guy who got her drunk.”

Dawn raised an eyebrow.

“Have you seen Alexis?” Dawn asked.

“No, why? Is she missing?” Buffy replied.

“I can’t find her anywhere.”

“Maybe she’s at Giles’.” Buffy furrowed her brow. “I don’t get it. They’ve been hanging out a lot together.”

“I’ll call.”

Dawn went to call Giles. She picked up the phone, dialed, and waited for an answer. There was none even after six rings. He must not be home, Dawn reasoned.

All of a sudden there was a sound of pain from Buffy. Dawn rushed out of the kitchen. She found Buffy at the top of the stairs. The slayer was holding the banister tightly, her other hand clutching her stomach.

“Buffy, are you all right?” Dawn questioned, worried.

Just then Spike came into view. “What is going on?” he demanded.

“I’m fine, guys,” Buffy stated, straightening up. She took a deep breath. “I was just heading back down from the bathroom. I felt a pain in my middle, but it’s gone now. I’m fine.”

A frown was on Spike’s face. “Stay right where you are. I’m coming to get you.”

“I’m not an invalid! I can get down the stairs,” Buffy spat.

Buffy began to make her way down the steps. She was fine until she made it halfway. She let out a cry, losing her balance. Spike rushed past Dawn, catching the slayer before she tumbled. He scooped his girlfriend up, heading up to the bedroom.

Spike laid Buffy down on the bed. He sat down beside her on the mattress. He smoothed back her hair, gazing into her pained face.

“What is it, luv?”

“It hurts,” she gasped.

He swallowed. Fear rose up in his chest. “Is it the baby?”

Buffy shut her eyes. “I-I think so,” she confessed. “It feels . . . It feels like there is this giant fire in my abdomen.”

Spike instantly jumped off the bed. “We’re going to the hospital!”

She grabbed his arm. “No! Get Tara. She can check me out first. This might be supernatural.”

“All right. But if she says this isn’t magical you are going straight to Sunnydale General.”

She nodded.

Spike hurried out of the room. He caught a hiss from Buffy as he stepped out into the hall.

*************************

Alexis let out a piercing scream. Electricity streamed into her, filling her with agony. Finally it stopped. She slumped over, drained.

“Do you know what I just did to you, child?” Celeste, who Alexis had learned was a witch, asked.

“Um, hit me with some power that fucking hurts?” Alexis answered.

Celeste grinned coldly. “I stole some of your life away.”

“Oh.”

Well that explained why Alexis felt so tired. Was that their master plan? Hit her with some mojo that sapped her until her heart just didn’t have the strength to beat anymore? That’d do it all right. She’d never be born. She’d never fulfill the prophecy. Which meant Judas would remain a vampire.

“So, you’re going to kill me then?”

The grin on Celeste’s face widened. “Eventually. After your precious mother gets here to watch.”

Alexis struggled against the chains that were wrapped around her wrists, connecting her to the wall. It was no use. She was so weak from the power, and even if she wasn’t the bonds were too strong. She slumped, giving up, and letting out a sob.

“Mommy,” she whispered.

**************************

Spike walked into Buffy’s room with Tara and Giles. The slayer lay on the bed, very pale. She didn’t seem to be in any pain at the moment, but looked small and frightened.

The witch stepped over to Buffy’s side. She took Buffy’s hand. “We’re here. Spike called me. He also asked Giles to come as well.”

Buffy gave a small smile at the ex-vampire. “Thanks,” she murmured.

“Okay, sweetie, let me have a look,” Tara said soothingly.

Buffy allowed the other woman to push the covers aside. Then Tara lifted Buffy’s shirt, exposing the slight curve of pregnancy. She placed her hands on Buffy’s stomach, closing her eyes. She searched with her mind, calling upon the goddess for vision.

Suddenly Tara’s normally soft eyes opened to reveal alarmed ones.

Buffy sat up a little. “What is it!?”

“Something is draining your baby’s strength,” Tara explained.

Buffy protectively hugged her belly. “How?”

“They must be doing it from afar. Buffy hasn’t come in contact with any bads lately,” Spike reasoned.

“I-It’s strange,” Tara said. She frowned. “A weakening spell needs physical contact.”

“Dear lord,” Giles muttered.

Everybody turned toward the watcher. He returned their stare with one of gloom.

“I may know what is causing this.”

“What!?” Spike demanded. He clenched his hands into fists.

Giles bowed his head. “I may regret this later, but under the circumstances at the moment I feel that I must disregard my digression.”

“What do you mean?” Buffy inquired.

“I’ve been keeping information from you all,” he confessed.

“Like what!?” Buffy’s voice rose to one of approaching anger.

Giles lifted his head. He met Buffy’s eyes. “Your daughter is in danger because someone has her this very moment. Someone is able to drain her with physical contact as we speak.”

“That’s impossible,” Spike commented. “How can someone have physical contact when she’s still in her mum’s womb?” He snickered. “Unless she can be in two places at once.”

“That is exactly what I’m saying. Your daughter is in two places at once. One lies in Buffy’s stomach, and another is somewhere out there in the hands of our enemy.”

“Have you gone completely off your rocker!”

Irritated, Giles said, “No, I am not mad.” He sighed. He glanced around at the other three occupants. “Alexis.” He said the name as if it explained everything.

“What about Alexis?” Buffy questioned.

“Alexis is your daughter, Buffy. Your daughter from the future.”

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What do you think? Sorry for the wait.