A/N: I don't own anything. AU for both shows. Doesn't really fit in the time line with the my other stories with Layla, but I really wanted to use her in a crossover story. Please read and review.

It was Sunday. The only day they usually allowed themselves to relax. It was a day for sleeping in, doing laundry, all the mundane little things that they never seem to have time for any other day of the week. Mostly it's their time to spend together without any interruptions. She had made it a rule when their relationship had taken the next step and they had started sharing a bed, that she wasn't allowed to wake up alone on a Sunday. That rule had lead to many long and pleasurable Sundays of them never leaving the bedroom, let alone the bed.

This Sunday however had been preceded by six days of the worst con they had ever tried to pull off. Eliot was bruised, and was pretty sure he had a few cracked ribs and by the way the pinky on his right hand was feeling he was sure it was broken. In short he was a mess. Layla had faired a little better, mostly her nerves had been frayed from wondering how the hell they were going to get out of this one. They had walked into the apartment at three in the morning, subsequently passing out half an hour later. He wasn't sure how long they had been asleep when the phone laying on the nightstand rang. He heard Layla groan then felt her reach across him to grab the offending thing.

"Hello." She answered groggily.

There was a pause before there was an timid response.

"Is Eliot there?"

The voice on the other end sounded young to Layla. Not quite a child, but not an adult either. She sounded like she had been crying and it caused Layla to wonder who this girl was.

"Hang on a minute."

She turned to look at Eliot, who was staring intently at her. She handed him the phone and settled gently against him. Layla knew Eliot well enough that when he didn't speak more than two words to the girl on the other end, something was really wrong. Her concerns were confirmed when he slipped out of the bed.

"I'll be there as soon as I can." He told her and hung up.

Layla sat up, waiting for him to say something. He remained quiet sitting back on the bed.

"Eliot?" Layla touched his bare back softly.

"I have to go out of town for a while." He told her softly.

"Where to?" She asked.

He sighed, pushing off the bed and toward the closet. He pulled out a large duffel bag and started to pack.

"Damn it Eliot, why won't you talk to me." She demanded, irritated.

"Layla," He started, not turning to look at her.

"No. Don't even try." She told him getting up herself. "I'm going with you weather you want me to or not."

"Why are you being so damn stubborn." He demanded turning toward her.

"Hello pot, it's kettle." Layla snapped.

He growled something under his breath, before looking at her again.

"That was my baby sister." He told her softly. "Something happened and my other sister," He paused trying to wrap his head around what he had been told on the phone.

Layla didn't need him to say anything else. She slipped into his arms, resting her head against his shoulder.

"It'll take me ten minutes to pack." She told him quietly. Any anger from the earlier fight had melted rather quickly.

"Are you sure it was a good idea to call him?" Willow asked looking at Dawn.

The young brunette shrugged as she replaced the phone on the cradle.

"He needed to know." Dawn looked at the red head. "He's family."

Willow nodded, pulling Dawn into a hug. She liked Eliot, the few times she had met him back when they were in high school, but there was just something about him. A vibe that didn't settle quite right with her. When she had asked Buffy about it, the slayer had laughed and told her it was because he was such a grouch most of the time. Willow wasn't sure about that, but if Dawn wanted him there she wasn't going to say any more.

"When is he going to be here?" Willow smoothed Dawn's hair.

"He said he'd be here as soon as possible." Dawn replied, then smirked slightly. "I think he has a girlfriend."

Willow smiled. "What makes you say that?"

"A woman answered the phone." Dawn told her.

"Dawnie, honey, that doesn't mean it's his girlfriend." Willow replied with a small laugh.

Dawn shrugged. "Just a feeling."

"Where are Eliot and Layla?" Nate asked when he realized they were two members short.

"Probably flying over Iowa about now." Hardison replied, looking up from his laptop. "Layla called early this morning. Said they needed two plane tickets to California. Something about a family emergency."

"Layla doesn't have any family in California." Parker spoke up.

"I don't know, I'm just telling you what she told me." Hardison replied defensively.

Nate nodded, running through the wealth of knowledge in his head about his team.

"Let me know if they check in." He replied a bit distantly.

"I've never heard of Sunnydale before." Layla commented as she turned her face up toward the California sun.

She was glad she talked Eliot into the convertible. She turned to look at him, catching him smiling at her.

"It's just a little hole in the wall town two hours south of here." He told her, flooring the gas as they left L.A. city limits.

"How did your family end up there?" Layla propped bare feet up on the dash.

"My sisters were born and raised here."

Eliot sighed. Layla was giving him 'The Look'. She wasn't going to leave it alone until he explained.

"We share a father, that's all." He told her.

"Sounds like you don't like him very much." She commented casually.

Eliot snorted. "That's an understatement. Barely saw him growing up and petty much wrote him off when I hit eighteen."

Layla nodded. "Least you kept in touch with your sisters."

"Obviously not enough." He sighed.

Layla squeezed his thigh and settled back against the seat.

"You want me to drive." She asked with a smile.

"No. I want to get to Sunnydale in one piece." He replied.

"He's here." Dawn exclaimed. She threw the door open and ran down the steps before flinging herself into Eliot's arms.

Eliot grunted as pain flared through him. Dawn had managed to hit his damaged ribs. She took a step back, looking up at him in concern.

"You're hurt." It was a statement not a question.

"I'm ok Dawnie."

She instantly went to lift his shirt up, gasping when she saw the ugly bruises on his ribs.

"That is not ok, Eliot." She informed him.

"And you thought I was bad."

At the comment, Dawn realized that her brother wasn't alone. She looked up at him with a smirk.

"You going to introduce me?" Dawn asked.

Eliot rolled his eyes. "Dawn, Layla. Layla, Dawn."

"Are you Eliot's girlfriend?" Dawn asked looking over at Layla.

"I dunno. Eliot am I your girlfriend?" Layla asked looking to the hitter.

"I knew this was a mistake." He muttered. "Can we get out of your front yard please?"

He turned Dawn around and pushed her toward the front door. Layla laughed grabbing the duffel bag out of the car before following the pair.

"How long have you two been dating?" Dawn asked as she slipped past Eliot and started walking next to Layla. "And if its been a long time how have you put up with his grouchiness."

Layla laughed. "I like his grouchiness. It's a challenge."

Dawn giggled, holding open the door for Layla.

"Dawnie, where's your mom?" Eliot asked, taking in the others sitting in the living room.

"We lost her a couple months ago." Willow whispered.

Eliot turned to look at Dawn. Her happy demeanor lost. He could feel something tighten in his chest.

"Why didn't you call me?" He asked softly.

"I wanted to, but Buffy didn't want to bother you." She told him.

Eliot ran a hand over his face, trying to take a deep breath. Layla moved so she stood next to him and took his hand in hers.

"Is there a place where we can get cleaned up?" Layla asked, looking from the red head to the young man that entered the room.

Willow nodded, standing. "I'll show you."

Eliot took the bag from Layla as they followed Willow up the stairs. She showed them into Buffy's room.

"Tara and I would have let you have our room, but Dawn didn't give us a whole lot of time…"

"It's ok." Layla told her with a smile.

Willow nodded. "We're thinking about ordering take out, when you're ready. Just come on down." She left the room closing the door behind her.

"They should have called us." Eliot growled, anger finally spilling out.

"Eliot, do your sisters know what you do for a living?" Layla asked.

"Buffy, might have known a bit." He replied sheepishly.

"It makes since she wouldn't have wanted to call." Layla said sitting on the bed, her hand slipping under the pillow.

She gave Eliot a confused look, as she pulled out a polished dagger. They both looked from it to each other and back again.

"Apple doesn't fall far from the tree?" Layla asked.

She was used to several different blades being hidden in their apartment. Eliot was overprotective and a bit paranoid.

"It doesn't make sense." Eliot muttered.

He was a hitter. It made sense for him to have weapons stashed in various places. Buffy had been a college student, granted she had had some problems when she was younger, but from what he knew she had gotten over it. Since Layla found the knife, he counted three more hidden about the room.

"We need to find out what the hell is going on." Eliot stated. "Now."