Chapter 15

(A/N) Sorry for the delay in posting I was trying to work out solutions to my writers block) Enjoy!

Anya was the first to realize the problem. Faith had decided to patrol, so Anya returned to the library. She wanted to talk to Giles and find out if he knew anything about the Magic Box yet. She knew that Spike and Buffy had bought it for them, but they hadn’t told her about the purchase yet. It was so frustrating to try and pretend to be ignorant of the surprise. In the alternate timeline Xander had told her it was rude to tell people when she figured out a surprise before it was given to her. Then, on top of it all, she was still supposed to act surprised regardless. Humans were strange that way.

It’s not like much surprised her anymore; she had taken over all of Joyce’s and Spike’s bookkeeping. It was a good thing too; didn’t people understand budgets and investments? The sale of the gems had provided the Summers’ household with plenty of money and they were just going to leave it in their accounts. Finally, Anya had gotten frustrated with the lack of capital gains and took over all their finances. Besides, she could earn a commission this way.

Anya was deep in her musing when she noticed a glint of metal in a nearby tree. Looking up she realized that there was a man with a gun. Confused she mentally calculated where the gun would be aiming…

“GILES!!!!!!!!!!!!” Anya screamed and took off for the library.

Giles was shelving books in the library when he heard Anya. He’d turned to see why she was yelling when a shot rang out. Her frantic screams had saved his life; the bullet that had been aimed for his heart entered his shoulder instead. The impact of the high-caliber round caused him to lose his balance. Falling, he hit his head on the bookshelf. Anya ran up to him and dragged the unconscious Watcher to a protected area of the library. She pulled out her new cell phone and dialed 911.

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Across town Faith was heading towards the cemetery to patrol when she spotted Wesley exiting his apartment. He had just started to load his suitcases in the car when three vampires stepped out of the shadows and began to attack. Faith sighed *watcher-man can’t even go five minutes without attracting trouble.*

The lead vampire had managed to grab Wesley and began to drain him when Faith stepped up. Her first kick dislodged the vampire whose fangs were buried deep in the junior watcher’s neck. Before Wesley’s frail body could hit the ground, Faith had staked his would-be murderer. In a flurry of kicks and punches she dusted the remaining blood-suckers. Wesley looked at her confused. “You… you saved me?”

Faith rolled her eyes, “yeah watcher-man, that’s what I do. You know slayer and all.”

“Wesley stuttered… “But…but you’re a rogue. You live with a vengeance demon and a vampire. You refuse to follow your watcher’s orders… why did you save me?”

“Look, not much of a follower here. But I do my job, save the world, and all that jazz.”

Wesley looked up at her stunned and confused. He knew what the Council had always told him, but the wild slayer had just saved his life. He reached out and stroked her cheek, not noticing that she flinched and stepped back.

“Okay not much with the touchy feely here. Just where are you going anyway… thought you just got here?”

Faith’s question seemed to snap Wesley out of his daze. “Run Faith”

“What? Hey, I don’t run. If you haven’t noticed, the vamps are dust.”

“No, run… the Council has just declared the Sunnydale Slayers rogue. The special operations team is here to kill you.”

Faith gasped and her eyes flashed in fury. Wesley had stood up and tried to go back to the car. Faith grabbed him. “You’re coming with me.”

Faith pulled out her new cell phone. In frustration she threw it down, shattering it into countless pieces. She had forgotten to charge it again.

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Buffy and Spike were warming up in the Magic Box; enjoying the fact that for the moment they had a “secret place.” The workman had finished the training room this afternoon. It was amazing how the promise of a five hundred dollar per day bonus for finishing early would entice some workers. The workman had completed the job five days early earning them an extra $2,500 to split among themselves.

Every last detail of the original Magic Box had been recreated, with the addition of a small computing center in the upstairs loft. Deciding that since they now had three computer experts in the Scooby gang they should set up a state of the art network. Besides, once Angel left for LA they could add a remote connection and have access to all of his and Wesley’s information as well.

Spike had been very proud of himself; he had been attempting to search online for computer supplies when he managed to stumble across the “bookmark” for Willow’s online wish list. Deciding it would be easier to order her a complete system rather than trying to figure it out himself; he promptly ordered three of everything. Of course, once it all arrived, he had taken one look at it and decided that Willow would want to set it up herself. So Willow, Jonathan and Andrew’s computers were sitting boxed up and waiting for them upstairs. *hmmm,* Buffy mused, *I always thought that computers came in one piece, not 20 boxes. Hard ram’s, floppy chips, whatever the hell it was, it all sounds vaguely sexual.*

Their warm-up session was finished so Buffy and Spike began to spar. It seemed like a beautiful yet deadly dance, a form of foreplay, when suddenly both their cell phones rang simultaneously.

“It bloody hell better not be another apocalypse, you said there wasn’t one due for at least a week! I KNEW we shouldn’t have gotten these evil things.” Snarling, Spike picked up the phone, a line popped into his head from the movie, ‘Independence Day’ - “If this is not an insanely beautiful woman, I’m hanging up!”

Buffy was attempting to control her laughter at Spike’s antics. Hitting him on the back of the head she answered her phone “Hello?”

Both blondes wore identical expressions of panic. Their eyes flashed, and fangs descended. “WHAT!?” They barked out orders for the callers to stay exactly where they were and told them that they were on their way.

Buffy and Spike looked at each other’s furious faces and knew that the news the other had could not be good.

Spike started, “That was Faith, - The Council is trying to kill you both. We have to meet her at Jonathan’s house. She took cover there and has Wesley with her.”

Buffy’s eyes seemed to glow with anger, “That was Anya,” she spat out, “apparently the Council started out by shooting Giles. They are at the hospital.”

After a quick but heated discussion, Spike and Buffy decided to split up. Since she would be a primary target, Buffy was to head to Jonathon’s and take cover. Spike would try to get a hold of the other Scoobies and direct them to meet Faith and Buffy. He would join them after he sprung Giles from the hospital. There was a good chance that the Council would attack again and this time Giles might not survive.

Buffy looked over the weapons that they brought from her house this morning and chose a double-edge battle axe as her primary defense weapon. After some thought she tucked a few stakes into her boots and pants and strapped a crossbow onto her back for emergencies. Finally satisfied that she should be able to protect herself, she stopped and grabbed her cell phone.

Spike looked up, “Red is at her house and she is calling dog-boy and the Whelp. They will meet her there. Oz will drive everyone from Red’s. Once you get there, she will try to use one of those protection spells she has been practicing to keep everyone safe until the group meets up.”

Giving Buffy a searing kiss goodbye Spike continued, “I’ll call your Queen C next and have her pick up Tucker’s brother and Peaches next. They can meet you at the Shrimp’s house. That puts a witch and a get-away vehicle in each group for protection. I’ll be there as soon as I kidnap your watcher from the hospital. That should take care of anyone they could think of going after.”

Buffy smiled as she left the Magic Box. She normally hated not being in charge, but she couldn’t fault his logic. She was the primary target, and the less she was running around the less danger they all were in. Deep in thought, she didn’t notice the human who was tracking her, nor the one who was concealed in the shadows, watching the vampire.

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Chapter 16

Buffy silently walked towards Willow’s house. Her troubled thoughts were centered on the newest danger they were all in. She should have known that it had been too calm. Life was too simple when she knew what demons were going to appear, what their agenda was, and how to kill them without even breaking a nail. It had been easy slaying when she knew every plot and every motive before it happened.

Now this. Humans creating chaos and trying to kill the Slayers, it never got old. But she really hadn’t foreseen this new insanity from the Council. Now she was confused and upset. What should she expect next? Quentin Travers had never ordered her murder before, well except for the time she was in Faith’s body.

Knowing that the Council was trying to kill both Slayers at the same time made her incredibly sad, and pissed off. They were the Chosen Ones, not the tools of some stupid social club. When was the last time one of them stopped Armageddon? Besides, if they killed her, there was no way that those idiots would be able to stop The First. Hell, they wouldn’t even make it past those strange creatures who would try to open the hell mouth next week.

Sighing in relief, she spotted Oz’s van pulling into Willow’s driveway. She broke into a sprint to catch up to the young man. Silently the two slipped into the house, relieved to see that Willow and Xander were sitting at the kitchen table. “Hey guys. Did you run into any problems?”

Willow looked up startled at the sound of the Slayer’s voice. “Hey Buffy, we were just making a list of things to take over to Jonathon’s. I have all the herbs and stuff for the protection spell, and Xander has gathered everything that could be used as a weapon.”

“Even the frying pans are packed.” Xander added, “In case anybody wants to get medieval with the cookware…or make breakfast.”

Buffy looked relieved, “How long will it take to do the protection spell?”

“I think I can be done in about half an hour. I need to grind up some herbs and make some little pouches.”

Buffy sighed and sat down. It was going to be a long night.

No one noticed the man who had followed Buffy. Nor did they see what he did next.

Half an hour later, Willow finished handing out the leather pouches which were imbued with the protection spells. The somber group picked up their supplies and started to head out to the van. Buffy, Willow and Xander loaded the back of the van with makeshift weapons and magical herbs.

“Is that all Wills?”

“No, we need to grab my computer and the other electronic equipment I laid out on the couch.”

Buffy turned and went back into the house while Willow followed her.

Willow paused as Xander’s voice rang out, “Do you need some manly muscle?”

Willow laughed, and turned to face her best friends, “You boys can sit this one out, I think the girls can manage.”

Oz smiled his familiar grin that made her knees weak. He buckled in, and turned on the car.

****BOOM****

The blast ripped apart the van and knocked Willow into the house where she collapsed on her knees. Buffy ran out to her friend. They stared at where Oz’s van use to be. It was now a pile of twisted, fiery metal.

Both girls shrieked as one, “NOOOO.”

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Spike was on his way to the hospital when he felt a wave of anguish and grief consume him. It took a considerable amount of strength to keep his knees from buckling in response to the feelings that had begun to flood him. The emotions coming from his mate were overwhelming. He could feel that she was emotionally devastated and heartbroken. He briefly wondered what could cause his mate this much pain, and then he began to panic at the knowledge that whatever it was, it had to be bad.

Grabbing the phone, he flipped it open and dialed. The only response was a cheerful recording. Swearing he hung up and dialed another number.

Almost hysterical, he barked out his orders. “Demon-girl – there’s something’s wrong with Buffy. I’ve got to find her! Get the Watcher and get out of the hospital. Go to Jonathon’s. Do it now. Otherwise it might be too late.” He listened for a moment. “Call Angel. He should be with Queen C. They can pick you up.”

Spike hung up without saying good-bye. Opening up his senses fully he reached out to his mate. Feeling the connection strengthen, he vamped. Her pain was screaming to him. He began to run at full speed in the direction that he felt she was in.

Derek Anderson, the man who had been following him, tried to keep up but soon lost sight of the demon. He unlocked his cell phone and began to type out a text message: “Vampire on route to Summers. Have Montgomery step up hospital plan. The other vampire and demon are mounting rescue. Take out all 3. I am heading to confirmed location of Faith.”

Anderson pulled out the files and looked through the profiles that surveillance had gathered. He glanced over the page marked Jonathan. This should be a piece of cake.

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Anya helped Giles into the elevator. She had been trying to think of a distraction that would allow her to sneak past the hospital staff when a Code Blue had rung out over the intercom. The doctors and nurses had rushed by, leaving her free to rescue a drugged up Giles.

She moved quickly, quite aware that every moment she was there, she was in mortal peril. Plus she didn’t want Giles to be injured further; he had always been nice to her, both in this timeline and in the previous life as well. Besides she remembered from Willow’s ‘Tabula Rasa’ spell that he was a good kisser, and goodness knows they needed more of those in this world!

The elevator doors opened and Anya and Giles staggered out. Giles was barely coherent enough to walk and was leaning heavily on Anya. Normally this wouldn’t have been a problem, but they knew there was an urgency to leave. The Council could show up at any time.

Sighing in relief, they spotted Cordy’s car. Angel began to get out in order to greet them. At that moment, a man stepped out of the shadows. “Hello Rupert, Quentin sends his greetings.”

The gun raised and the world seemed to slow down. As the trigger engaged and the hammer of the gun began to fall, Anya pulled Giles close into her, and closed her eyes. Almost instinctively she tried to teleport, briefly forgetting she was human and no longer a demon.

…and opened her eyes to see Faith staring at her. “What the hell?”

Angel watched as Anya and Giles disappeared before his eyes. He didn’t know what was going on, and he really hated that feeling. Cordy pulled the vampire into her car and squealed out of the parking lot. Looking at the brooding man she asked, “So how ‘bout we go to LA early?”

Angel thought about all the changes that were happening and everything that Buffy had hinted would happen. He knew he should stay and fight the good fight with her. She was supposed to his soul mate, and yet she had mated with his arrogant childe. He felt cheated of his destiny. “Let’s go, they’ll call us if it’s apocalyptic.”

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Spike could easily tell the direction of his mate. Her pain called out to him, it was so intense and overwhelming that it practically radiated off of her like a beacon of anguish.

As he ran, he began to recognize the neighborhood he had entered. This was the way to Red’s house. He felt his stomach tighten as the permutations of what could have happened filled his head.

He smelled smoke and the dual scents of pain and fear. It called to his demon, not with desire but the knowledge that someone had to die for the wrong inflicted on his mate. His demon would not allow whatever happened to go unpunished. His soul gave no dissenting opinion. It sat in tacit approval. It was one of the few times that his warring inner voices were in agreement.

His vision focused on the two girls sobbing in the front yard. The Slayer and Red were there, crying. There was a hunk of twisted metal in the driveway and sirens blaring in the background. It was probably the firefighters or the police on their way. Whoever it was they couldn’t stay. They would be too easy a target in the midst of the ensuing confusion.

He bent down to where the girls were, and ran his hands over each one’s head, caressing their hair in a loving manner. He scooped Buffy up to his chest and held her for a second. Then he looked into her eyes. “What happened luv.”

Buffy just cried harder. Finally Willow looked up at Spike with tears and disbelief in her eyes. “Oz... Xander… Explosion…”

Spike put Buffy down gently, and then cocked his head walking over to the ruins of the van. The sirens were getting louder and he was becoming nervous. He looked at the girls confused and stood there. Inhaling deeply he sighed.

Finally he walked back to the girls. “Luv… there was no one in the van.”

Buffy looked confused. “But…we saw them get in. They were there and now there gone!”

Spike looked at both of them and got on his knees. “Luv, I have never lied to you before. There was no one in the car. I smelled strong magic and a bit of fear, but there are no bodies in that rubble, no Scooby bits, and certainly no one dead in there.”

Willow hiccupped, “Really?”

“Yeah Red, really. Now let’s run. We’ve got to get out of here before the police show up.”

Since Willow was the slowest of the trio, he picked her up and grabbed Buffy’s hand. They took off running in the direction opposite of the sirens.


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