Buffy stood and brushed herself off, groaning slightly as fresh bruises formed on her knees and elbows. She glanced over at Faith, who was trying to push herself up with badly skinned palms.
"You OK?" She asked, helping the brunette up.
"Yeah." Faith replied, "Thanks. Where the hell are we?"
"I don't know." Buffy replied, taking in their surroundings. They were in a circular room with smooth white marble walls. In front of them were two marble columns on either side of a silver pool. A glance behind her showed that there was no door. "I'm guessing we aren't in Sunnydale anymore."
"Then again you never know," Faith murmured, pointing up. Buffy followed her gaze, eyes widening. Above them, there was no ceiling. What she saw was a hazy image of the cemetery they had been patrolling in moments ago.
"I'm guessing we...fell?"
"Great thought, B. But how the--"
Buffy grabbed Faith by the arm to silence her, "We have company."
The silver pool was reforming itself before their eyes, and in moments had taken on a human shape. A woman with long hair and pointed ears dressed in flowing gowns. Mist swirled around her, receding only around her eyes, which were a peircing blue. As her face cam more into view, a smile could be seen on her lips and jewelery that appeared to be made of water dripped from her ears and neck.
"OK, enough with this Lord of the RIngs bullshit. What do you want?" Faith demanded, meeting the woman's ice-blue eyes defiantly.
"Uh...Faith?" Buffy said, "Let's not piss off the glowy lady, OK?"
"The Slayers." The woman said, her clear voice echoing loudly off the walls. The silver mist around her began to clear and her blond hair and fair features came into sharper focus.
"That would be us." Buffy said, "Mind telling us why you zapped us here?"
"Do you know where you are?"
"No." Faith replied, the word 'duh' hanging in the air.
"You are at the Gates. You are seeing the entrance into eternity. Just a breath away are The Powers That Be. Do you both understand?" The slayers nodded mutely, "How old are you? Both of you."
"We're both 29." Buffy replied, then pointed to Faith, "But she's like 3 months older."
"Oh get over it." Faith muttered.
"And you both have children."
"I have two. Cassandra and Michella. If you're the Powers, shouldn't you know?"
"I am not the powers. I am merely the Gate Keeper."
"What do our kids have to do with anything?" Faith demanded, her role as protective mother taking over at the reference to her daughter.
"They mean everything. You are both exceptions to every rule. Two slayers, instead of one, both living well over 10 years past the usual life expectancy for any Slayer. Having children, husbands, friends is even more rare. You must realize this."
"Yeah, we know." Faith said, "So what?"
"You are both on the verge of turning 30." Buffy grimaced in a 'don't remind me' way. "In the past 14 years you have accomplished amazing things beyond our expectations. It is nearly time to give you both a vacation of sorts. A rather permanent one."
"What're you gonna off us or something?" Faith asked, one eyebrow quirked.
"No, no. Your daughters. Cassandra, the child of a vampire and a slayer and Imogene, the daughter of a watcher and a slayer, are at the perfect age. They are soon to be reaching a maturity that the two of you did not get the luxury of reaching before you were called. They will be ready."
"Ready?"
"To be called as Slayers. The two of you aren't going to be able to do battle forever. It only makes sense to have your offspring take your places."
The two slayers stared at her in horror. Buffy held Faith's arm when the darker Slayer started forward, "Faith don't." She murmured, then turned her glare full-force on the shining woman, "Do They think this is doing a favor to us or something? A thank-you for almost 15 years of a job well done? It's not! Our daughters' lives are already full of evil. Why complicate it even more?"
"You don't understand yet." The woman said gently, "But Imogene and Cassandra are only the beginning. They are the upstart of a new generation; a league of fighters that will protect the Hellmouth as you and your comrades grow too aged to be up for the task. Among the elite are Michella, your second child, Buffy. Adam and Patrick Harris, and the son of Angel the Souled Vampire, Connor among many more to come. There will be death and destruction to shape the team but they will be more powerful than any force ever known before."
"Adam and Patrick are only 5 and 3 years old. My children are 9 and 9 months. Faith's Imogene is only 8. You can't do this."
"They won't fight yet. They need time to grow. To learn. More will come, trust in that. Children of the warriors who diverted many an apocalypse and defeated every foe they faced."
Faith and Buffy could only stare in disbelief as they were told that their children and the children of their closest friends would be thrown into a life they never should have had.
"Remember what you have heard today." The woman said, "And teach them. Prepare them. Love them, but let them go when the time is right for them to take your places."
Moments later, Faith and Buffy were thrown out of the Gates and found themselves in the cemetery.