Disclaimer, Notes, and Other Sundries

Skip if you want.

Step into the Way-Back Machine.  Please fasten your seatbelts.  Next stop: Second half of Season 2 of BtVS. 

WARNING: Xovers ahead!  Tales From the Crypt: Demon Knight and Highlander: The Series. 

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters in this story, nor the mythology surrounding them, wish I did, and I'm not making any money either.

What you need to know:  Story is heavily Buffyverse-centric.  Don't need to have seen TftC:DK or HL:TS to follow, though it's nice if you have. 

To help picture who's who: Jeryline/Key Keeper: Jada Pinkett-Smith (with close cropped, bleached blonde hair), the Collector/Demon Knight: Billy Zane (no hair), and Amanda: Elizabeth Grasen (with short dark hair, pre-bleaching, there are too many peroxide blondes in the story as it is. ;)

Side Note: Immortals don't know about vampires and other things that go bump in the night because, heh, they're sort of self-absorbed.  You know the whole Game and "There can be only one" thing, and no, I don't know if Giles' Watcher Council has any connection to the Immortals' Watchers.  Cool if they were, but it's not really important to my story.  Amanda doesn't know about Watchers yet, and Giles doesn't say if he knows about immortals or not.

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Chapter 1

Welcome to the Hellmouth

In a high school cafeteria, young teenagers sat and ate their lunches either brought from home or unwisely bought from the school lunch line.

            "Is it just me, or is my Jell-O staring at me?" asked Willow.

            "Ugh, I feel like it's undressing me with its gelatin eyes," said Buffy, sitting beside her.

            "Sorry, Buffy, but that would be me."  Xander crookedly smiled at her.

            "Tell me again, why we let him eat with us?" Buffy asked Willow.

            "Because it's our civic duty," said the other girl pertly.

            "Like community service?" Buffy asked

            "Hey, I'm right here, you know," said Xander feigning outrage at his friends quips.

            "You know we love you, Xander," Buffy said, reaching over to pinch his cheek.

            "How does the saying go? With friends like these--"

            "Buffy, I need to see you as soon as possible," Giles interrupted. Buffy looked up at the Englishman, surprised by his arrival.

            "Sure, Giles. Now?" asked Buffy, standing up.

            "Yes," he said already leaving.  The three teenagers quickly gathered their things and followed the hastily retreating librarian.

            When they were all within the safety of the library, Giles took a seat and gave everyone a very serious look. "Oh, oh, Giles has that Sunnydale is threatened by demonic forces look again," Buffy said, sitting down.

            "How well you know me," Giles said dryly.  "I just received word from an old friend that something catastrophic may be coming our way."

            "And that would be?" Buffy asked.

            "The Seventh Key of Hell," Giles answered.

            "What? There's a key to Hell?" Buffy exclaimed.

            "No less, seven," Willow chirped in.

            "Yes," said the librarian about to continue.

            "When did the vamps need a key?  The Master didn't need a key to open the Hellmouth.  Did he just have a really good set of lock picks?" Xander asked.

            "He was able to make the attempt because the demons have six of the keys.  If they had all seven, all the gates of Hell would be thrown open, and there would be no force able to stop the demons that poured forth."

            "And that would be bad, so why is this seventh Key coming here?  Who's bringing it?" Buffy asked.

            Giles removed his glasses to wipe them.  "The current keeper.  She's been running from the various demons sent from Hell to try and claim it from her."

            "So why is she coming here?  Doesn't she know this is the Hellmouth?  I mean this would seem like one of the most obvious places to avoid."

            "We know that, but she doesn't," Giles told them.  "She's a relatively new key keeper, and keepers aren't told where to go and where not to go.  The key is pretty much unexpectedly thrust upon them."

            "It must be tough.  Having something like that thrown on you," Willow said.

            "Kind of like being told you're the Chosen One," said Buffy wryly.

            "Yes, but at least you have me here and your friends.  From what I understand of the Key Keeper, she or he must carry their weight alone."  Giles paused and to put on his glasses.  "And that's normally how it goes, but from what my source told me, the current keeper has something of a sidekick.  Another woman is traveling with her, who is assisting the keeper in fighting off the demons, and she is incredibly adept with a sword."

            "A sword?  Who is she, Xena: Warrior Princess?" Xander asked.

            "I don't know who you are referring to, but I think we should keep a look out for both of these women.  Their arrival won't go unnoticed," said Giles with a sigh.

            "You mean the vampires may try and get the key from them?" Buffy asked.

            "Yes, and if they do..."

            "Sunnydale would be in even more trouble than it normally is any other day of the week.  I'll keep an eye out for them when I go on patrol tonight.  I'll swing by the motels and see if I can find them.  But what do I do if I find them?  Tell them, 'Hey, I'm the Slayer in this here town, and I don't want any trouble?'"

#

A ratty, blue Skylark barreled down a dark secondary road.  There was no light on that dark night except the headlights of the old car

"Do you want me to drive for a stretch? You've been behind the wheel a straight six hours now."

            "No," said Jeryline.  She took a hand off the wheel and massaged her neck.  "The next town is just a few more miles ahead."

            "And what's the name of this town?" asked other woman.

            "Sunnydale."

            "That doesn't sound like a place for us."

            "I don't know.  It might be a nice change, Amanda," replied Jeryline.  "With a name like that, the demons might stay away on sheer principle."

            Amanda snorted.  "Since when did demons have principles?"

#

            "Two warriors come.  They are forever in flight, searching for the perfect battleground.  They will not find it here."

            "Is that all the cards tell you, pet?" asked the reclining man on the sofa.  His voice was weak.  He looked like his voice sounded. He was ghastly pale, his veins were shockingly visible as were the shapes of his bones.

            "No, my beloved Spike, who lost his strength to give me mine," said the raven-haired woman, staring at the Tarot cards.

            "Tell me what else the cards say."

            "They both contain powerful blood.  They must for the battle they fight," said the woman, touching the cards delicately.  "But the fight they do not know may kill them."

            "And what fight is that, Dru?" asked Spike.

            "The fight for their blood," said the woman, her face transforming to reveal the demon within her.

            "Oh, I do love having you back to your old self," said the man, relishing her blood hungry face.

            "And I as well, Spike," said Drusilla, turning to smile at her lover.

#

            "Tell me again why I've thrown my lot in with yours," Amanda asked as she tossed her duffel bag on the bed in the sleazy motel room.

            "For the excitement and adventure," the black woman joked.  "But mainly for the five star accommodations," she finished, flopping onto the other bed.

            "Well, at least we've got cable."  Amanda worked the buttons on the remote attached to the nightstand.  She flipped through the channels, finally settling on a local station broadcasting the news.

            "Sunnydale has once again been rocked by a spree of missing person reports.  It is investigators' only hope now that the people will not turn up dead as has been sadly the case in all previous circumstances."  Amanda turned to meet Jeryline's equally worried gaze.

            "I think I will secure the door after all," Jeryline said.  She got up and took something out of her pocket.  It was an ornate key encasing a bottle with strange metalwork inlayed within it.  The bottle carried a dark red liquid that was contained very powerful blood.  She let a drop of the blood escape the bottle to fall on the doorsill.  A red glowing line traced the door frame and a red film appeared over the doorway for a moment, quickly fading away. 

            "I've got an idea, let's go out tonight," said Amanda, bouncing up off the bed.

            "And where would we go?  This place doesn't seem to have much of a night life," Jeryline said as she straightened from her task.

            "We passed that place, um the Bronze."

"It looks like a classic teeny-bopper hang out, count me out."

            "Oh come on, Jeryline. You wanted to see the world, come see it with me."

            "I'll skip this part of the tour and catch up on my television."

            "Suit yourself.  Call me if there's any trouble," Amanda said, getting her coat and leaving.

            Jeryline settled down on her bed and began flipping through the channels.

#

            Amanda scanned the main room of  the ever popular Bronze and sighed.  "Jeryline was right, classic teeny-bopper territory."  She turned to go only to run straight into someone else. 

"Sorry," she said looking up into delicious, dark chocolate eyes.

            "No problem."  The dark haired man smiled down at her. "New to town?" he asked, lounging back against the wall.

            Amanda gave him a quick once over, found him interesting and attractive, and moved to lean beside him.  "Just passing through," she replied.

            "If you're here for only a night, it shouldn't be spent in this dive," he said, smiling charmingly.

            "And where would you be if you had only one night here?" Amanda asked curious. The man was very attractive.  He was dark haired and beautiful eyes that were almost angelic but with a hint of danger to them.

            "I'll show you if you let me," he said offering his hand.  Amanda considered his hand for a moment, but decided what the hell, she only lived once, though for an indeterminately long time.  She smiled at the man and slipped her hand into his.  They left.

            In another part of the room, closer to the stage, sat the trio of friends.

            "No luck finding that key keeper, huh, Buffy?"

            "Well, it's not like she would sign in as the Seventh key of Hell Possessor." Buffy said, swirling her straw around in her soda.

            "Yeah, I guess you would get a writing cramp after a while," Xander joked.

            Willow, who had been watching the door for Oz, saw something that startled her. "Uh, Buffy, I think Angelus just picked up some lady."

            "What?" Buffy said, swiveling around quickly on her stool.

            "They just left hand in hand," Willow told her.

            "Great.  Why did he have to be so gorgeous?" Buffy asked in exasperation.  She picked up her coat and left to follow her ex and the nameless woman.

            "I've asked that question since day one," Xander said ruefully.

            "Do you think we should follow her?" Willow asked.

            "Nah, let her work out her issues with Dead Boy alone tonight."

            "Okay." Willow said settling back down but not happy with the decision.

            "Hey there, cutie."

            "Oz!"

#

            "The graveyard is the place to spend the night in Sunnydale?" Amanda asked her companion in a disbelieving tone.

            "Isn't it romantic, the moonlight, the.." he said, drawing the woman into his arms.

            "Yeah, graves make my heart go pitter-pat," said the woman, snuggling closer to the man.  "You know, I would like to know whose name I should be sighing while you're nuzzling on my neck," she said spreading her hands over his silk clad chest.

            "Angelus," he answered as his head began to descend.  "But I think you're going to be screaming it."

            "Aren't you cocky?" Amanda laughed

            "No, I'm a vampire," he murmured into her ear, his game face appearing.

            Amanda could only get off a startled "What?" before his fangs sank into her neck.

            "Damn it, I shouldn't have had that sundae this evening," Buffy panted as she ran, desperately trying to catch up with her former lover. Her footsteps quickly closed the gap between her and the cemetery, and there in the bright moonlight was Angelus.  His head buried in the neck of the poor woman he'd seduced.

            "Even when he's killing someone, he looks sexy," Buffy muttered. She ran up to the tall vampire and ripped him off the woman.  Angelus dropped Amanda with a snarl.

            "Have you no manners?  I was enjoying a quiet meal."

            "Tsk, tsk," Buffy said mockingly.  "So rude of me to interrupt your homicide."

            "You didn't interrupt. I was done, just getting the last drops," Angelus said, indicating the prone body.

            Buffy's face darkened as she dropped to a fighting stance.  "I hope you enjoyed it because that was your last meal," she replied, swirling around and lifting her leg for a powerful roundhouse kick.  Her heel caught Angelus in the face.  He flew back against a tree, knocking his head.  He growled as he regained his feet.

            "Grr," Buffy repeated, imitating him.  "I have to say Angelus, since you've turned, you're conversation skills have gone down hill."

            "Would you prefer," Angelus began his voice softening as he slowly approached the slayer.  "For me to say, your hair, when the moonlight catches it, glitters like a thousand stars, that when I look at you, my heart actually beats, and my lungs fill with air so that I can take in your exquisite scent.  When I touch you, your heat infuses me.  When I hear your voice, my blood sings."  Buffy began backing up.  Though the words were overly sappy, she still had trouble seeing Angelus, the former Scourge of Europe instead of Angel, the first man she ever loved.  Angelus continued to approach.  Her back connected with a tree and stopped her.  She stood there while her mind tried to convince her heart that she could strike him.  He was a vampire, an evil vampire.  It didn't matter that she'd once kissed that face.  Angelus bent over her, enjoying her confusion.

"Sorry, babe, but I'm not that wimp anymore," he snarled morphing into game face and delivering a hard back-hand slap.  Buffy fell over.  Her hand flew to her face to sooth the stinging.

            Angelus laughed, stepping over her.  "Buffy, Buffy, you let your guard down. Bad move."

            Unbeknownst to the two combatants, a strange thing was happening to Angelus' latest meal.  A flicker of blue lightning erased the recent bite mark, and the body jumped as if a powerful current had suddenly rushed through it.  The eyelids flickered, and a low groan issued from the previously cold lips.  The woman sat up and clutched her head.  "Shit, did anybody get the license of that vacuum?" she groaned as her hand moved to her neck.

            "You fooled me for a moment, but not again, Angelus," Buffy said, pulling out a stake. Angelus quickly kicked the piece of wood out of her hand.

            "It just takes a moment," he sneered.  He reached down and grabbed her.  Buffy was so startled that she couldn't move fast enough.  Her worst nightmare picked her up and threw her at a nearby mausoleum.  Buffy hit the stone wall with a loud thud.

            Angelus stalked toward her crumpled form, smiling evilly down at her.  Buffy lay there helplessly in too much pain.  She watched in horror as Angelus closed the gap. When he was only a few steps away from her sprawled form, his back arched, and he howled.  Buffy jerked and watched in astonishment as he whirled around to display a throwing dagger imbedded in his back.  She looked past him for the thrower to find the woman Angelus had killed standing with another dagger in her hand.

            "Now that wasn't nice, Angelus.  I thought you were mine for the night," the woman said.

            "Who are you?" Angelus roared.

            "Geez, you forgot it already?  It's Amanda.  This will help you remember it next time," the woman replied, throwing another dagger which thumped into his chest.

            "Somebody needs to get that woman a stake," Buffy murmured.  Angelus tore the second dagger out of his chest.

            "Sorry, Amanda, but metal ain't going to do it." Angelus smirked, but gasped in pain as he took a step toward her.  The dagger in his back was still firmly embedded and tore at his muscles when he moved.  He tried to reach the dagger to pull it out but couldn't reach it.

            "Seems to be working fine to me," the woman replied, taking out another dagger.

            Angelus didn't like the odds: one slayer and formerly dead woman with knives. The vampire lord beat a hasty retreat. Amanda let fly another dagger, but it flew into a tree.  Amanda cursed and stumbled over to the slayer.  She was still a little woozy.   

            "Are you all right?"  She gave Buffy a hand up.

            "I should be asking you.  You're the one who died after all," Buffy answered, grimacing.

            "Yeah, dying is a bummer," replied the woman with a grimace also.

            "You don't happen to use a sword and travel with a certain key keeper, do you?" Buffy asked.

            "What do you know about Jeryline and me?" asked Amanda shocked.

            "Only that you guys are so in the wrong town," Buffy said, leading the immortal out of the cemetery.

#

            A cab arrived in downtown Sunnydale with LA stickers. It pulled over to the curb.  Only one passenger got out of the cab upon arrival.  He was tall and broad shouldered.  He had on a long ranch coat and a cowboy hat.  He turned to go down the street, but  the driver rolled down his window and said, "Hey, you gotta pay.  I didn't carry you all the way out here to get gypped on my fare."

            The figure slowly turned back to the driver.  The oily cabdriver swallowed nervously.  Something in the guy's eyes had made him do everything he'd said, and now looking in those eyes again, he regretted asking for his fare.

"You want repayment for your services?" the dark stranger asked.

            The man could only nod dumbly.

            "Very well." the mysterious man said and reached into his ranch coat.  The cab driver stuck out his hand.  Quicker than the blink of an eye, the stranger stuck something into the man's hand.  As soon as the cab driver saw his hand, he began screaming.  His hand had been impaled by a role of quarters.

            "Oh shut up." the stranger said and with another lightning move, stuck two more rolls of quarters in the man's eyes.

            "Never say I don't pay my way," the demon laughed as he walked away.

#

            "Tonight on Hard Copy, Yanni's European Tour."

            "I don't think so," Jeryline told the television, changing the channel.

            Someone knocked at the door. "Who's there?" Jeryline called, getting up and grabbing the Key.

"Room service," the person answered from the other side of the door.

            Jeryline sneaked a peek out the window and saw a bellhop with a tray. "Good, my burger," Jeryline sighed, digging in her pocket for some cash.

            She opened the door still preoccupied with her pocket. "Just put it anywhere," she said.  She motioned the man inside.

"Gladly," replied the man.  She finally pulled out a few bucks and had them extended to the bellhop when he whirled around with a meat cleaver in his hand and glowing green eyes in his head.

"Shit," Jeryline gasped, dropping down to the floor as the cleaver whooshed through the empty air where her head had been.  She rolled over the bed to her duffel bag and whipped out a pistol.  She quickly cocked the gun and shot it at the demon possessed bellhop. The bullet hit him in the head, but not in the eyes. Jeryline cursed again as she dodged the lunging figure.  He half tackled her, causing her to lose her gun.  She kicked at the man as she struggled to get free of him.  He began to claw his way up her legs.  The gun was out of reach, but the cord to the nightstand's lamp was beside her.  She grabbed it and pulled the lamp off the dresser.  She clutched the large fallen lamp and swung it at the man's head.  It connected and threw him off her.  She ripped the lampshade off and clutched the lamp in both hands.  She straddled the body of the possessed bellhop and with the knob of the lamp harp, stabbed both of the demon's eyes.  She lunged away from the body as he screamed, green lightning flew from his head as his soul was released, and scorched the wall over the bed. "Damn, there goes the room deposit," Jeryline said as she sank down on the edge of the bed.

"Very resourceful, Jeryline," said the Demon Knight from the doorway.  Jeryline's eyes shot up at the familiar voice.

            "I thought I'd killed you," Jeryline said surprised at the familiar demon standing in the doorway.

            "You did, but where do you think a demon goes when he dies?" He cocked his head to the side. "I was demoted if that makes you happy.  But you and your friend have been vanquishing my colleagues so quickly that you've unwittingly facilitated my return to Demon Knight rank."

            "Great," Jeryline replied rolling her eyes.

            "I think so," the demon replied.  He raised his hand and ran it across the magical barrier.  "You've holed yourself up here pretty well, but you're all alone.  How will you protect the key?"

            Jeryline stared at him with dawning apprehension.  He couldn't get in, but the elixir only held out him and other demons.  He could corrupt more humans, and they could force their way in and break the barrier.  She was a sitting duck.  "I've taken care of myself pretty well so far," Jeryline said rising off the bed.  "If you don't mind, I'm going to catch up on my television." 

She slammed the door in his smirking face. She quickly went to the phone and found it dead. She cursed softly as she returned it to its cradle. She quickly gathered her things.

            There was a small window in the bathroom. Jeryline hadn't thought it a possible entry for demons because her room was on the third floor, now she looked at it as a possible escape.  She stood on tip toe on the toilet to reach the windowsill.  She weighed her options.  She was immortal but only till the stars on her hand came into formation.  She looked out the window at the sheer drop and wondered if she could make it.  No time to wonder she told herself.  The Collector would be onto her soon.  She briefly prayed that she wouldn't break her neck.  She hadn't fully tested her healing capabilities yet.  She didn't know whether she broke her back if it would heal and how long that would take.  She didn't feel like finding out.  She dropped her bag out the window and pulled herself out.  When she was hanging from it on the other side by her fingertips, she kicked off the wall and let go. She clenched her teeth to keep back the scream welling up in her throat.  She hit the ground with a sickening thud.  She tucked and rolled and listened for the sound of snapping bones.  None came.  She shakily got up and looked at herself.  Scratched and bruised but still kickin'.  She pulled her bag onto her shoulder and jogged to the street.  It wouldn't be long before the Collector discovered her missing. She had to move quickly.

She went down the street and spotted a pay phone.  She quickly dialed Amanda's cell phone and told her where she was.  She prayed Amanda would be prompt but knew that she might have to ditch her friend.  The key keeper generally worked alone out of necessity.

#

            "OK, wait a minute.  Are you telling me vampires exist?  This is just getting better and better.  First demons, now vampires.  What next the bogeyman?"

            "Well, actually werewolves," Oz said. Buffy and Co. had gathered for an emergency meeting in the library to discuss possible actions concerning one sword-wielding immortal and her friend, the Seventh Key of Hell Keeper.

            "Let me guess, you're a werewolf," Amanda said looking at the young man.  Oz nodded his head.

            "And I'm a witch.  Or at least almost," Willow said.  Amanda just rubbed her eyes wearily.  Everyone jumped when her cell phone rang.  Amanda quickly pulled it out and after a very brief conversation hung up.

            "A Demon Knight found Jeryline.  I have to go and help her."

            "I'll go with you," Buffy said grabbing her coat.

            "You sure?" Amanda asked staring at the petite woman.

            "Hey, I'm the Vampire Slayer, plus I've handled a few demons in my day."

            "Fine, you can show me where Morris Ave. is."

#

            "Turn right here," Buffy directed.  Amanda silently nodded.  The quietness of the car was beginning to get to Buffy.

            "So how did you hook up with Jeryline?" she asked to fill the silence.

            "I was hiding out in an abandoned church which is considered sacred ground among my kind.  I needed to think and get away.  No other immortal could challenge me while I was there so I thought I was safe.  But then one night Jeryline comes in with demons hot on her tail.  She thought it was empty.  Anyway, when she found I was there, she told me her story.  I'm sorry to say I didn't believe her till the Demon Knight that night tried to seduce me.  He failed, and I helped her keep the demons back till dawn.  The minor demons can't function during sunlight so we ran.  We've been running together for four months now."

            "This is Morris up ahead.  Why do you stay with her?" Buffy asked curious.

            Spotting Jeryline, Amanda pulled to the curb.  "I know I can help her, and I don't think anyone wants Earth to fall into the clutches of Hell."

            "Can't disagree with you there," Buffy said.  She fell silent when the young black woman hopped into the back seat.

            "Who's she?" Jeryline asked.

            "The Vampire Slayer. I think we should all go back to the library to regroup and talk," Amanda said making a U-turn.  From the shadows of an alley, Drusilla and Angelus watched the car drive away.

            "Those are the two," Drusilla said.

            "I've met one of them.  She was tasty.  It does not help us any though that the slayer has found out about them as well."

            "Yes, two against three, isn't all that good.  How about I help even the odds?" 

            Angelus turned to the new-comer.  It was the Collector.  Drusilla cooed and slid up to the Demon Knight. 

            "You're all aglow.  I could burn myself in your wicked light."  She ran her hand across his shirt. 

The Demon Knight smiled down at her.  "If there's time, I'll have to introduce myself properly."

Angelus growled. 

            "But not right now," the demon said pushing Drusilla reluctantly away.  "Now, I have a proposition.  If you help me get the key, you can have the women.  Well, I'd like to play with Jeryline a little first, but you can have her too at the end."

            "Sounds good.  Got a plan?" Angelus asked.

            The demon smiled.  "Now that you mention it..." 

#

            Amanda wheeled around to face everyone in the library.  She was not a happy immortal.  In a space of an hour, she'd found out there were vampires, demons, and werewolves.  She'd known there were true witches, thanks to Cassandra, but the fact that the other stuff could have passed her notice for more than a thousand years was very upsetting to her.  She'd always thought she was pretty observant, but these revelations about monsters in the night made her want to go get her vision checked.

            "Is there anything else you guys want to tell us?  Do we need to worry about elves or ghosts or sea monsters?" Amanda asked testily.  Xander opened his mouth to answer, but Willow quickly covered it. 

            "We could ask you two the same thing.  It's not like you two don't rate high on the weirdness meter yourselves," Buffy replied.

            "She's right," Jeryline said.  The key keeper was tired and on edge.  She didn't really want to involve all these innocent teenagers in her constant struggle, but they'd volunteered before she'd had any say.  If they were going to pitch in, they needed to know what the deal was. "A Demon Knight is a serious menace.  You've got to be prepared.  He'll try to tempt you with your heart's desire in exchange for the key.  He'll succeed with some, and you have to be prepared to kill them because their souls will have been corrupted by  the fire of hell.  And that's not all.  The Demon Knight will call lesser demons to fight for him as well.  The only way you can kill the lesser demons and those taken by the demon is by destroying their eyes.  Nothing else will stop them.  The Demon Knight is even harder to kill.  He has to be touched with the blood of the key, and he won't let you do that without a serious fight."

            The Scooby gang sat in silence absorbing Jeryline's advice.  "That reminds me.  How's your hand doing?" Amanda said.

            Jeryline took off one of her gloves and turned the palm towards the immortal.  "The stars haven't moved once during the night.  I guess the setting isn't perfect."

            "I don't see why not.  You've got-" Amanda paused to count those in the room.  Willow, Xander, Oz, Giles, Buffy, Amanda, and Jeryline. "You've got seven here."

            Jeryline merely shrugged.

            "What's the deal with your hand?" Buffy asked.

            Jeryline turned her hand toward the slayer so she could get a look at the seven stars that were branded on the palm of her hand.  "When the stars form a perfect circle that means a new key keeper has been chosen, and my death is imminent."

            Everyone looked nervously at each other as a small shiver went down all their spines.  They hoped the stars on Jeryline's hand didn't so much as twitch that night.  Surviving on the Hellmouth was hard enough without having a big blazing target on them like the key. 

            "So what do we do now?"  Willow asked.

            "We wait.  At first light, Amanda and I are out of here.  We just gotta make it that long and then we'll be on easy street," Jeryline said.

            Buffy nodded her head.  "Yeah, easy street, but first we just got to survive the road to Hell and back."

Chapter 2

Heart's Desire

            "We need to make barricades and secure all the doors and windows with the key," Jeryline told them.  She got up from the table and went to the main doors. She poured a drop onto the sill, and a red line traced the door's edges. 

Buffy nodded to Willow, Xander, and Oz.  "You guys go help Jeryline, show her every entrance and don't forget the vents.  Help block as many entrances as possible plus put crosses up everywhere you can.  It won't keep the vamps out, but it'll slow them down." The three nodded their heads and rose to assist Jeryline with the securing of the library. 

Amanda turned to Giles.  "You got weapons in this place?" 

            "I'll show you the locker," Giles said, rising.

            A low whistle came from Amanda at the weapons locker.  Buffy went over to see what was up. 

            "I haven't handled some of these things in five hundred years."

            "You still know how to use them?" Buffy asked.

            Amanda picked up a Morningstar and slashed through the air gauging its weight.  The wind whistled with its passage.  She smiled.  "Just like riding a bike."

            "You got any idea what's going to happen tonight?" Buffy asked softly.

            Amanda looked around the library at the young people who had so eagerly agreed to help her and Jeryline, and a frown of sorrow crossed her face.  She looked down at the young slayer and could not smile any encouragement.  "Hopefully no one dies tonight," she said.

            Buffy eyes narrowed. "Good because we have one rule here in the Scooby Gang."

            "And that is?" Amanda asked.

            "No one gets killed."

            For the next two hours, everyone worked to make the library into an impromptu fortress.  Bookcases were moved to block doors.  Crosses were hung everywhere.  Jeryline made sure to seal every major entrance with the key.  She had to be sparing with the blood though.  It didn't replenish itself.  Buffy handed out stakes and holy water and gave the two women a quick and dirty lesson in vampire slaying.  They finally all gathered back at the central table and sat. 

            "I am so hungry.  Couldn't we order a pizza?  There's nothing demonic about an extra large with pepperoni, right Giles?" Xander pleaded.

            "No, only the way you inhale them," Giles answered.

            "Sorry guys, but we can't order out.  The Demon Knight would use any delivery person as a means of gaining access to this place.  I've already been reminded of that once tonight," Jeryline said.

            Buffy got up and went to the main doors.  They'd left a space so they could see out the door windows to the hall.  She turned her body sideways and leaned against the barricade as she scanned outside.  She had her arms crossed with a stake in each hand.  Amanda followed her and mirrored her position.  Except instead of stakes, she carried a sword.

            "It's too quiet," Buffy commented.

            Amanda nodded her head. 

            "Do you think the Demon Knight has joined forces with the vampires?" Buffy asked.

            Amanda nodded again.  She looked at the slayer and said carefully, "You seemed to have a history with the vampire I met tonight."

            Buffy closed her eyes and turned away.  "Yeah, he used to be my boyfriend."

            Amanda nodded once more. 

            "What happened?" Amanda asked softly.

            "He lost his soul."  Amanda's eyebrows rose, but she didn't pursue the matter further.  She decided she'd learned enough new things for the night.

            The vampires had tracked the teenagers to the school.  Angelus had sent back word to the mansion for all the vampires there to join them.  Spike had tagged along to see for himself this big bad demon.  The Demon Knight reeked of mojo but like bad cologne not deadly power.  Spike didn't have much hope for the evening, but Angelus seemed to think it had possibilities, and Drusilla was fairly dancing due to all the 'pretty red pictures' she got from the Collector.  The three vampires and the Demon Knight stood outside the school discussing the plan.

            "Are you sure this will work?" Spike asked.

            "I have tempted saints into damnation.  A few high schoolers shouldn't be too much trouble," the Collector said confidently.

            "Yeah, well you don't know these kids.  They hang out with the bloody slayer for a reason."

            "And why's that?" the Collector asked turning to Spike with a condescending smile.

            "Because their hearts are bigger than their brains."  

            Angelus chuckled and swatted Spike upside his head hard.

            "You'll have to forgive Spike's pessimism.  You can see what happened the last time he got a little too cocky."

            "Oh, I can feel the violence in the air, ash and blood will sent the wind before morning," Drusilla cooed.

            "If you'll excuse me, I have souls to corrupt," the Demon Knight said.   

             Willow looked out the library window.  She hadn't wanted to say anything to the others, but this whole thing was scaring her more than anything they had come up against yet.  The stakes were too high for her.  All that stood between them and Hell on earth was a single key.  She shivered at the tenuousness of it. 

            "Willow."

            Willow looked out the window startled.  Xander stood below her looking up.  She pressed her nose against the glass, staring.  "Xander, what are you doing out there?" she cried.

            "I got hungry so I went out.  There's nothing to worry about.  The demons aren't here.  They probably aren't even real.  If you open the window, you'll see for yourself."

            "Get inside, Xander.  You don't know that, not for sure," Willow cried, pressing her hand against the window.

            Xander swept his arms up and turned around on the grass.  "Come on, Wills, there's nothing to fear.  See, nothing's attacking.  We're perfectly safe."

            "Xander, get inside, please," Willow pleaded.

            "Come on, Wills.  Just open the window," Xander urged.

            Willow shook her head.  Frustrated tears bubbled up in her eyes.  "Xander, please get inside now."

            Xander opened his mouth to reply when a vampire lunged out of the shadows and grabbed him.  Willow screamed as she watched the vampire bite Xander's neck. 

            "Buffy!  Somebody help!" Willow called frantically.  She scrambled to open the window latch, but her anxiety made her finger fumble.

            "Willow, what are you doing?"

            Willow jumped and turned to Oz. 

            "Xander's outside!  A vampire's attacking him!" she said.  Oz grabbed her and pulled her back from the window.  

            "I just saw him in the stacks with Giles.  He can't be outside."

            Willow struggled against Oz's grasp.  She watched in mounting horror as the vampire drained Xander.  "He'll die if we don't help him!"

            "I don't see anyone."

            "He's right there," she insisted.  She began to twist and push against her boyfriend. 

            Oz took her by the shoulders and turned her away from the window.  "Willow, what did he want you to do?"

            Willow looked at Oz in confusion.  "What does that matter?  He's going to die!"

            "He's not out there, Willow."

            Willow struggled out of Oz's arms and reached for the window again.  "I have to open this and try to help him."

            Oz quickly grabbed Willow again and pulled her away from the window. 

            Willow fought him in earnest as he dragged her away. 

            "Don't you understand, he's in danger!" Willow cried.

            "Who's in danger?" Xander asked coming out of the stacks with Giles.  Willow stopped and stared at Xander.

            "But..." Willow protested turning back to the windows.  Oz tucked his arm around her and led her to the center of the library. 

            Buffy and Amanda looked up at their entrance. 

            "What's going on?" Buffy asked moving from the door.

            "I saw Xander outside," Willow said.

            "Willow, I'm right here," Xander said a step behind them. 

            Jeryline sat on a table Indian style with her elbows resting on her knees.  She nodded her head.  "The Collector's doing his little tricks.  He'll make you see things that aren't real.  He'll try to offer you your heart's desire, but you have to reject it or fall prey to him."

            "So he made me see Xander?" Willow asked.

            "Yep, and he'll make the rest of you see things too, so be ready."

            "All right, new rule, nobody goes or stays anywhere without a buddy.  If somebody starts acting weird or seeing things, you call out and get the rest of us.  I don't want anybody fooled tonight," Buffy instructed.

            Everyone nodded their heads.  Oz rubbed Willow's back reassuringly, and she hugged him.  The fact that the Collector had used Xander to tempt her did not escape Willow.  She looked at Oz and told herself that the Collector had made a mistake.  If he'd used Oz in his ploy, she would've opened the window without hesitation, but Willow's inner resolve on this was strangely hollow.  

            The Demon Knight sucked his teeth in mild annoyance as he looked up at the now empty window. 

"The computer geek didn't take the bait," Angelus said.

            "It wouldn't be any fun if she had," the Collector replied.

            "Who's next?"

            "The librarian.  You mentioned he'd recently lost someone close."

            "Yeah, I lost her for him."

Giles sat in his office.  The door was open with a clear line of sight of Jeryline sitting Indian style on a table.  He hadn't said anything directly to her about getting off of it, though he had hoped his disapproving glances and pointed offering of a chair would move her, but the keykeeper had simply ignored him.  He shook his head.  Now wasn't the time to worry about decorum, anyway.  He looked back down at his tome.  He'd hoped he could find something that would help them tonight vanquish the demon.  When he'd mentioned this to Jeryline, she'd shrugged her shoulders dismissively and said he could do what he wanted.  She didn't believe he would find anything, and she'd told him that even if they did kill this demon, another would arrive tomorrow to take up where the other had left off.  The one that was after them tonight had been the first to challenge Jeryline, and she'd killed him good, or so she thought.  There was no end to them, she said.  Giles tried not to dwell on this.  It echoed too closely his personal views.  Living on the Hellmouth, facing monster after monster, the illusion of a happily ever after was becoming harder and harder to maintain, but he had to remain optimistic, if only for Buffy.  Someone had to remain hopeful for her, especially now that there was Angelus.  He shied away from thinking about the vampire master because whenever he allowed that name to enter his thoughts, his heart would crack open and blood would spill out to spell another name.  Jenny.

            Giles slammed his book closed.  He would mourn his loss when he had time.  He didn't have any now.  Jeryline appeared in the doorway to his office to investigate the loud noise.  Giles smiled sheepishly at her and said, "I need to rest my eyes for a little bit."

            "Don't wear yourself out on this.  I don't."

            Her advice baffled Giles.  "What do you mean?" he asked.

            "Don't watch the distant horizon.  Watch the one that's right out there," she said, pointing out the window behind him.  "Daybreak is what we should worry about accomplishing, not anything grander.  We're playing a waiting game here.  That's all.  This isn't chess or high stakes poker.  Just simple waiting.  Don't complicate it anymore than it needs to be."

            Jeryline's terse philosophy galvanized Giles into inaction, if such a thing can be said.  He put away all his books and came out of his office.  Surreptitiously, he made his way back to the stacks.  He just needed to lose himself for a little while.  He went to the far back.  He knew he should've brought someone back with him, but how was he supposed to lose himself if someone were with him who knew where he was?  He stopped before a shelf and ran his hand over the tightly packed spines.  He wouldn't allow his eyes to read the titles.  He just stroked them for the tactile sensory.  They gave him comfort like a handrail in a dark stairwell.  He didn't know where to step, but with the cool metal banister under his hand, he knew he wouldn't fall.

            "Rupert." 

            When Giles whirled around, his hand dropped away from the books.  He found himself in a graveyard.  No, not any graveyard and not among ordinary graves.  He gaped at the gravestone before him.  Freshly hewed, the letters were in deep relief.  Jenny Calendar, May 25, 1967 - February 24, 1998. 

            "Rather elegant isn't it?" said a soft husky voice from his side.

            Giles turned slowly to his right.  He didn't want to look, but even if this weren't real, he had to see her one more time.  

            Jenny smiled softly at him.  "I've missed you, Rupert," she said.  She looked like she had everyday he'd seen her at school: Long dark skirt, crisp white shirt, hair slightly windblown, and a good humored smile tugging at her lips.

            Giles swallowed the sudden lump in his throat with a grimace. "And I've missed you," he said.

            Jenny tilted her head up at him with a slight raise of an eyebrow.  "Have you?"

            "Of course I have," Giles sputtered.

            She cast her eyes down to the tombstone.  "You haven't been to my grave since my funeral," she replied.

            "It's just too painful.  I haven't had the courage yet."

            "It doesn't have to be that way.  You're here now.  Is it painful?"

            "Yes," Giles breathed.

            "I'm sorry, here take my hand.  I'll help you through it."

            Giles reached out, but stopped with hand half raised.  "How can you help me mourn for your death?"

            "How? By being right here, Rupert.  You don't have to lose me."

            "But that's what death is."

            "Oh come off it, Rupert.  You've been on the Hellmouth for how long?  You know death isn't that simple."

            "But it is.  Vampires may appear alive, but the person that lived in them is gone.  The husk may still walk around, but the soul is gone.  You're dead.  Gone.  Which means what's standing before me may appear like the woman I was falling in love with, but she is not that woman just a diabolical facsimile."

            "Rupert, why do you have to be so stuffy?"

            "I won't dignify that with a response.  Go away, you won't capture my soul tonight."

            Jenny began to dissolve.  Her voice changed to the deep growl of the Collector.  "I wouldn't be so proud, old man.  Do you think the young ones will be so resolved?"  

            "You leave them alone!  They will not be swayed by your illusions!"

            "That's what you think," replied the Collector. 

            Giles whirled around and found himself among the stacks again.  He hurried back to the main room.

            Giles had told everyone that the Collector had attempted to tempt him.  He didn't go into the specifics but warned everyone to be doubly on their guard.  The Demon Knight did not play fair and would offer them things that were painful to decline.  Everyone solemnly swore to keep their guard up, and they'd stayed together.  A couple of hours passed and nothing happened.  They were all getting antsy waiting for the bad guys to make their next move.  Xander was getting positively stir crazy.  He was hungry, bored, and worried for his life. 

"Who wants to do a perimeter check with me?" Xander asked the room.

            "I will.  I need to stretch my legs," Jeryline answered.

            "All right.  Me and the Seventh Key of Hell Keeper are doing the perimeter check."

            "The Seventh Key of Hell Keeper and I," Jeryline corrected.

            "Right," Xander chuckled uneasily.  "Anyone else?  We don't need to do this strictly in pairs," Xander pleaded.

            "Thanks Xander, but the two of you should be enough," Buffy replied without noticing her friend's comical distress.  Willow was asleep with her head on Oz's shoulder.  Neither of them would be moving anytime soon, and Amanda didn't even glance away from the doorway.

            "Okay.  Ready?" Xander asked the slim black woman. 

            "I'm already two steps in front of you, what do you think?" Jeryline asked over her shoulder at the entrance to the stacks. 

            "Right," Xander grumbled and quick stepped to catch up.  The unlikely pair disappeared behind the bookcases.

             They were deep in the stacks when Xander next spoke, "So this Demon Knight tempts you with your heart's desire?"

            "Yes," Jeryline replied.

            "Did he tempt you?"

            "Yes."

            "How?"

            "With the world."

            "As in domination or travel?"

            "Travel.  I'd been stuck in Texas all my life.  I was desperate to get out, but my parole officer would have had my hide if I even crossed county lines, then the key came along and now I've seen the world.  But I'm beginning to realize that maybe the world isn't big enough."

            "You couldn't have seen all of it," Xander scoffed.

            "No, but I've walked all seven continents.  The trip to Antarctica was a bitch, but even there they found me.  They slaughtered the entire expedition team.  I barely made it to a passing freight liner.  Believe me, I've seen a lot of the world, but I haven't had much chance to enjoy it.  All I got are snapshots.  I'll never have a home again."

            Xander couldn't reply to these bleak declarations. 

            "Lets rejoin the others.  I feel like sitting down again."

            Xander nodded and fell in step behind her.  They were halfway back when a sound caught Xander's ear.  It was the sound of crying.  He was about to call out to Jeryline, when he recognized who the quiet sobs were coming from.  Buffy.    He ducked behind a bookcase and began searching for her.  He followed the sound to a dark corner of the library.  She was sitting on the floor, leaning against a bookcase with her legs curled under her.  She had the back of her hand up to her face to try and stifle her sobs. 

            "Buffy?" Xander asked.

            Buffy jumped and hastily wiped her tears.  "Oh God, Xander.  You should be with the others."

            "So should you.  What are you doing alone here?"

            "I needed to get away for a few minutes."

            Xander sat down beside her and put his arm around her shoulders.  Buffy leaned into his half embrace and sighed.

            "Is it Angel?" asked Xander.

            Buffy dropped her head.  "When isn't it?"

            Xander nodded and rubbed a reassuring hand on her back.  He couldn't bring himself to say anything.  He had distrusted the guy when he had a soul and absolutely hated him now that he was Angelus.  It took all he had not to say 'I told you so' whenever the subject of Angel came up, but Buffy's pain tore at him.  She'd really loved the vampire.  Angel's sudden change and his malicious actions had left her reeling. 

            "Xander, why couldn't I have fallen for you?" asked Buffy, breaking the silence.

            "Because the universe isn't that kind," he wisecracked.

            Buffy pushed away from him to look him in the eye.  "No, I mean it.  You're kind, loyal, brave, funny, everything I could hope for in a guy.  Was I just blind?"

            Xander blushed under the compliments.  Praise always undid him. 

            "Buffy, we should get back to the others.  They'll be worried about us."

            Buffy shook her head and snuggled against Xander.  "I don't want to go back.  I like it right here."

            Xander let out a silent breath.  Whoa!  Why did she have to say stuff like that to him?  Even though his mind knew she didn't mean anything by those types of comments, his heart would jump in hope anyway. 

            "Cordelia!" Xander blurted out.  How could he forget about his girlfriend?  She would not like it if she saw how he was comforting Buffy.  She was already mildly jealous of the Slayer.

            "Where?" Buffy asked lifting her head.

            "Not here, but you know she and I are sort of a couple."

            "'Sort of' being the operative term."

            "Yeah, but we're trying."

            "Does she make you happy?"

            Xander looked into the distance as he tried to formulate an answer to Buffy's question.  His knee jerk response was yes, but then everything that infuriated him about the cheerleader popped into his head.  Buffy snuggled back into Xander's chest as he thought.  She put her arms around him and squeezed him with a contented sigh.  Xander looked down at the top of Buffy's head.  She felt so nice in his arms. 

            "Buffy, we really need to get back to the others," he said.  His voice had a trace of reluctance to it.  It was nice to just sit there and hold Buffy, but it wasn't his place.  She didn't feel for him that way, and he had too much respect and admiration for her to take advantage of her when she was feeling down.  Plus there was Cordelia.  It wasn't just  the hot closet make-out sessions that drew him to the cheerleader.  He did sort of like the May Queen for herself.  She was straightforward and honest, even when the truth could hurt, and she was strong.  She might not have Buffy's slayer strength, but she stood up for herself and wouldn't let anyone put her down.  He had to admire that.  They didn't have much in common except razor-sharp tongues but that didn't mean they couldn't work it out.  He wanted to give Cordelia a chance. 

            "Buffy?" Xander asked when he realized the slayer hadn't responded to him.  She was still snuggled to his side.

            "What?" she asked sleepily. 

            "We need to go back."

            Buffy let out a little groan.  "Do we have to?" she asked.

            "I think the others will be worried about where we are."

            "Just five more minutes, please," she asked.

            "Buffy…" Xander started but trailed off.  Buffy let out a contented sigh and burrowed her head into the crook of his neck.  She was practically in his lap now.  Xander put both his arms around her and rubbed her back.  She needed a break from the craziness.  What would five more minutes hurt?  Xander was willing to allow that.  Ho hum, have to hold Buffy in his arms for five minutes, such a chore, he thought to himself contentedly.    

            When he felt warm soft lips kiss his neck, Xander jumped up and spilled Buffy to the ground, and though he would deny it to anyone who asked, he let out a short high-pitched shriek. 

            "What is it, Xander?  Did you see a vamp?" asked Buffy as she turned her head side to side to look for a threat.  Xander shook his head as he tried to gulp for air.

            "You kissed me!" he exclaimed.

            Buffy tilted her head with a little smirk.  "Is that why you screamed?  Boy, are you going to howl later."

            "What?" asked Xander in bewilderment.

Chapter 3

Showdown

            Buffy crawled seductively to her feet.  "Come on, Xander.  We're alone.  I'm on the rebound.  You hate your girlfriend.  Lets console each other in a sweaty, moany fashion."

            "Okay, did you bump your head while I wasn't looking?" asked Xander.

            "Xander, you would be so good for me, and I'd do anything for you."

            Xander backed up a step.  "This is a trick.  You're a vision sent by the demon knight."

            Buffy smiled slyly at Xander.  "Do I look demony?  Do I have horns or fangs or bad skin?  If you need to, you're welcome to make a thorough examination."  She began to lift off her shirt. 

            Xander took another panicked step back and hit the bookshelf behind him.  He grabbed a large hardback from the shelf and held it in front of him.  "Stop it.  Now isn't the time.  We need to get back to the others."

            Buffy's shirt fell to the ground.  Xander gaped and quickly opened the book and held it up to block out the vision of a half clad Buffy.  "Buffy, please," Xander begged.  His mind was in chaos.  On the one hand, he did not want to give in to the demon knight.  On the other hand, this might not be the demon knight but Buffy actually throwing herself at him. 

            "Xander, put the silly book away."

            Xander shook his head from behind the safety of the book.  "Sorry, Buffy, but this is becoming R rated, and I'm only sixteen."

            Buffy pushed the book down from Xander's face.  "Xander, come on.  I know you want to." 

            "Look, if you're really Buffy, then sorry.  If not, then damn you!" Xander shouted.  He snapped the book closed and brought it up and hit Buffy across the face with it.  The slayer whirled away and fell to the ground.  Xander didn't wait around to see if he'd knocked her out or not.  He dashed out of the stacks.  When he reached the common area, he skidded to a stop.  Everyone turned to stare at him.

            "Where's Buffy?" he wheezed. 

            "I'm right here, Xander.  What happened?  Why'd you split on Jeryline?"

            Xander stared at Buffy for a moment.  It had been the demon.  He really wished then that he'd hit the imposter harder and kicked it a few times too.  "Demon Knight," he said.

            "Did he tempt you?" Buffy asked.

            Xander mutely nodded as he regained control of his breathing.

            "What'd he tempt you with?" she asked.

            Xander blurted out the first lie that came to mind.  "An extra large supreme pizza with everything could've been all mine if I'd given you up."

            "Well, I'm glad you didn't let your stomach get us all sucked into Hell," Amanda said.

            Xander grinned ruefully.  He took a deep breath and let it out slowly.  Boy, that had not been fun, and the idea that a half clad Buffy could be anything but fun was a very startling concept to Xander.

#

            The vampires and demon knight had moved into the school and taken a classroom as their temporary base of operations.  Angelus put his fist through the chalk board.  "I thought you said you could corrupt them!  Make them your pawns!"

            "I almost had the boy."

            Spike sighed from where he sat in his wheelchair in the corner observing everything.  "Funny how people argue they almost had something when in the end they have nothing.  Does the excuse make you feel better, or do you really think we care?  Because sorry to disappoint you mate, but we're vampires.  We don't care about anything except blood, and NONE has been spilled yet."

            The Collector cast a menacing glare at the blonde vampire.  "You want to see blood because I'm willing to show you some."  Spike's back straightened in the face of the threat.  He desperately wished he had use of his legs right then so he could go nose to nose with the demon. 

            "Boys, don't make Mommy have to spank you," Drusilla scolded.

            "No, if the vampaplegic wants to see blood I'll show him blood," the Demon Knight said.  He began throwing desks out of his way as he cleared the center of the room.  The vampires all stopped what they were doing to stare.  "Here you go, Spear," the Demon Knight sneered.  He raised his hand, and with his thumbnail, he made a long slit in his palm.  Glowing yellow blood bubbled up.  He lowered his hand and shook it loosely.  The blood splattered on the ground.

            "It's Spike you stupid git, and I prefer red blood not pus yellow," he said looking at the droplets in distaste.

            "Patience, my dear Spork," the Collector grinned.  The blood that he'd spilled began to bubble. 

            Spike growled low in his throat.  Images of teaching the demon his name with nice sharp visual aides flashed through Spike's head.  Dru jerked him out of his bloodthirsty imagining with a sharp squeeze of his shoulder. 

            "More for the party," she giggled.  "I hope we have enough crumpets and cake."  From the Demon Knight's blood, demons began to rise.  Spike's lip curled at the sight of them.  They were slimy, with long talon-like fingernails, stringy patchy hair, and glowing yellow-green eyes.  He'd seen rotting zombies that looked healthier than these things.                

            "And what are these things supposed to do?  Turn the slayer's stomach?  Because that's all I can see happening," Spike said.

            "They're fodder.  The mortals will be so busy killing them that they won't notice us coming up behind to eviscerate them."

            "Ooh eviscerate, the demon said a big word.  Do you need to sit down?" Spike taunted.

            "No, do you?  Oh sorry, forget I asked," the Collector responded with a smirk.  Spike's jaw clenched.  He'd had just about enough.  He didn't care if the Demon Knight succeeded.  The fact was he hoped the slayer gutted him.  He moved his wheelchair to the door.

            "Are you leaving, Spike?" Drusilla asked with a delicate pout.  Spike spared his princess a glance and nodded.

            "Yeah, ducks, I'm going back to the mansion.  This whole evening feels like a big waste."  Drusilla went over to him and kissed him on the cheek. 

            "Princess will be home later," she said in farewell.

            Spike nodded and pushed himself out of the room.  He'd have the mansion to himself.  He could practice using his legs in the seclusion.

            Angel prowled around the room.  He growled at the slimy demons that crowded his way.  He was getting impatient.  He marched up to the Demon Knight.

            "You get one more chance.  Then corrupted or not, we're moving in.  I'm getting tired of this.  I'd rather be knee-capping little old ladies."

            "All right, you want results I'll give them to you," the Demon Knight said.

#

            "It's too quiet out there," said Buffy.  She still stood at the door.  Everyone was in the main area sitting tensely, waiting for the other shoe to drop.

            "Do you think maybe they went home?" Willow asked.  She'd finally roused from her nap.

            "Doubtful, Wills," Xander said.

            "I could go out and check," offered Amanda.

            "What are you suicidal?" asked Xander.

            "No, immortal," reminded Amanda.

            "Oh yeah, you know that's really handy."

            "I've often thought so," said Amanda with a little smirk.

            "It's too dangerous," said Giles.

            "We do need to know what they're planning," said Buffy.

            Amanda nodded and straightened from where she'd been leaning on the check-out counter.  "I'll be really sneaky," she assured them.

            "You're not going alone," said Buffy.

            Giles started at this.  "Buffy, you can't go out there.  If Angelus were to capture you-"

            "I know.  That would be bad with an emphasis on the pain, but Amanda doesn't know the layout of the school, plus they're just demons and vampires.  I can handle them."

            "Just demons and vampires," repeated Jeryline with a little wonder in her voice.  "Girl, either you're really brave or delusional.  A Demon Knight is almost impossible to kill."

            "Then while I'm gone, you guys work up a way to kill the guy.  Like you said, he's almost impossible to kill, Virgo there is a possibility, right?"

            Jeryline looked at her confused. 

"Ergo," Giles corrected from his corner.

            Jeryline nodded with a wry smile, "Yeah, but you'll have to lead him back here."

            "Simple enough, I'll run.  Demons seem to like to chase me."

            Buffy turned to look at her watcher to see if he had any final comments.  "I do not like this plan," he said plainly.

            "Then come up with a better one while Amanda and I are out."

            "Very well, be careful.  I'd hate for your death to become an annual event."

            "So would I," assured Buffy.  Amanda and Buffy equipped themselves with stakes and a sword each while the others unbarred the swinging doors. 

            "You sure you want to do this?" Amanda asked Buffy at the doors.

            Buffy rolled her eyes.  "No, but I gotta go to the bathroom."

            Amanda grinned.  "All right then, first stop the powder room." 

            They crept down the hallway.  Amanda was in front.  They'd argued over who would take point.  Buffy said she was stronger and had a lot of experience staking vampires.  Amanda had countered with she's immortal and has a lot of experience beheading others.  Buffy tried to trump her with her knowledge of the school and sharper senses.  Amanda countered with her over a thousand years fighting experience, and she was a world-class thief.  Rock, paper, scissors had finally settled it.  Buffy had chosen rock while Amanda had chosen paper. 

They hadn't seen any signs of demons or vampires yet.  Buffy had assumed they would come upon them very quickly, but the halls were eerily quiet.  They had come to the bottom of the stairway.  Amanda cautiously looked up it and then back at Buffy.  She shook her head, still no sign of monsters.  They reached the bathroom in peace.  Buffy quickly went into one of the stalls while Amanda stood guard at the hall door.  There was a tremendous crash outside. 

"I'm gonna check that out," Amanda said.

"No, wait--" Buffy said, but she heard the bathroom door swing close.  She finished up quickly and left the stall only to find the Demon Knight leaning against the sinks waiting for her. 

He smiled at the slayer and took off his cowboy hat.  "Hello Buffy, may I call you Buffy?  I have to say it's a real honor to meet you.  You're the first slayer I've ever crossed paths with.  Gotta tell you, you've really impressed me.  I bet you'll grow up to be a helluva woman that is if you don't get killed first."

"And who's gonna kill me?  You?" Buffy asked on guard.  She slowly withdrew one of her stakes.

The Collector laughed and shook his head deprecatingly.  "Oh no, I wouldn't dream of harming one sweet blonde hair on that pretty head, but we both know that slayers have a notoriously short shelf life."

"I know, some might say I'm already past my expiration date," Buffy replied.

The Demon Knight smiled widely.  "Wouldn't it be nice to get a second chance?"

"Second chance at what?" Buffy asked.

"A normal life.  Come on, you must have thought about it.  A new slayer has been called, and there's only supposed to one of you, so why can't you retire happily?  I know you've still got all the skills and the strength.  You feel like you're obligated to go on fighting and helping the innocent.  What if all your special abilities just went away?  You could go back to being a normal girl who didn't have to go out at night and patrol cemeteries or worry about prophecies or stop apocalypses.  Wouldn't that be grand?  Normalcy, mundania, the simple life, it's what you always wanted, isn't it?"

"No, it's not," Buffy answered, but she slanted her eyes away from the Collector when she said it.

The Collector smirked and crossed his arms.  "Now, now, slayer, lets be honest.  You'd love to go back to being the prom queen, the cheerleader, and the most popular girl in school.  It's all you ever wanted."

"No, it's not," Buffy repeated. 

"It's not?" the Collector taunted.  His voice was only a whisper.  Buffy looked around her in alarm.  She wasn't in the Sunnydale High School bathroom anymore.  She was in a hallway in her old high school back in LA.  The hallway was bright and sunny and streaming with students.

"Buffy!" Ford called.

Buffy whirled around.  Goosebumps formed on her arms at the brush of her long blonde hair across them.  Ford ran up to Buffy and slipped his arm around her shoulders.  "You hyped for the party this weekend?" he asked as he guided her down the hall. 

"Party?" Buffy asked.

Ford rolled his eyes.  "Yeah, you know the one you're throwing this weekend while your parents are away?"

"I am?" Buffy asked surprised.

Ford stopped and turned to his friend.  "Buffy, come on, it's practically tradition.  Your parents would probably worry if you don't have a party.  Anyway, I already ran off a bunch of fliers and stuck them up all over school."

"Ford," Buffy scolded.  Buffy couldn't reprimand her friend further due to the loud squeal in triplicate that sounded behind her.  She whirled around searching for danger only to find three of her gal pals come running up to her.

"Oh, Buffy, this party is going to be the coolest.  You so are going to be the talk of the school come Monday," the first gushed.

"It's going to be like legendary," the second declared

"Hey, do you need any help decorating?" the third offered.

Buffy stood there in a daze.  She looked around at her friends and felt an overwhelming sense of vertigo.  This wasn't real a little voice in her mind whispered, but it was so easy to fall into.  This had been her chosen life before fate had chosen her. 

"Earth to Buffy.  Hey, are you all right?" Ford asked.

Buffy looked up at her old friend.  She reached up and touched his cheek.  It was warm underneath her hand.  Ford gave her a worried smile and squeezed her shoulder.  Buffy felt tears form in her eyes.  This wasn't hers.  She turned and ran away.  She heard her friends calling out to her, but she didn't look back.  She saw a girl's bathroom and raced toward it.  When she went through the door, it wasn't linoleum and tiles that greeted her but the living room of her house.  Her mother looked up in surprise at her.

"Buffy!  What are you doing home so early?" she asked.

Buffy couldn't respond as she heaved for breathe.

Joyce shook her head as she dismissed the question.  "It's great that you're here anyway.  Look who's here!"

Buffy turned, and with stunned eyes, she stared at her father.  "Dad?  What are you doing here?"

Hank Summers grinned at his daughter.  "Hey kiddo, I came home early.  My afternoon meeting was cancelled."

Joyce nodded her head with a smile.  "We were going to go to the park for a picnic.  I'll throw a few more sandwiches in the basket if you want to come."

"There's plenty of room on the blanket for one more," Hank cajoled.  Buffy stood there gaping at her parents.

Joyce rose from the couch and went to her daughter.  "Buffy dear, are you feeling all right?  Is that why you came home early?  You do look a little pale."

Buffy brushed her mother's hand from her forehead.  "I am a little tired," she said.

"Well, why don't you take a nice nap?  Your dad and I will be happy to stick around if you want," Joyce offered.

Buffy shook her head.  "No, you two go have your picnic.  I'm just going to go upstairs."

"Are you sure, hun?" Buffy's father asked.  "We don't mind sticking around."

Buffy turned to her father and felt pain rip through her chest.  "No, you two go out and have a nice time."

"Buffy--" Joyce began.

"No, go, have a good time," Buffy said a touch desperately.  She went to the stairs.  "I'm just going to take a nap.  I'm sure that's all I need," she told them.

She saw her parents nod and escaped up the stairs.  She went to her room and locked the door.  Oh god, she thought, her heart was racing.  This wasn't real, the whisper repeated, but it was getting fainter.  She went to her weapon's chest and threw it open but nestled inside were only winter clothes.  She slammed it shut and sat down on her bed.  She looked around and saw a family portrait on the nightstand.  She snatched it up and almost sobbed.  It was her and her parents.  They were smiling and looked so happy.  This isn't real, the tiny voice in her mind repeated.  She was fighting really hard to not answer that voice because she knew what her answer would be.  No, it wasn't real, but it was what she wanted, more than anything.  The patter of pebbles against her window jerked her attention away from the photograph.  She rose from the bed and went over to it.  She looked outside and gasped.  Standing in the sunshine, looking up at her window was Angel.  For a moment, it was like the floor dropped out from underneath her.  Her mind reeled with the image, but the reeling swiftly stopped, and everything came back into focus.  Sharp focus.  Her hand went to her side, and she found a stake there.  A stake she had placed there before she left the library.  She turned from the window only to find Angel now standing just inside her bedroom.

"Hey, your parents let me in.  Your mom thought you could use some TLC," he said.

"Oh, really?" Buffy asked.

Angel nodded and stepped closer to her.  "Yeah, are you feeling all right?" he asked.  He raced his hand and brushed her hair. 

"Never better," Buffy replied.  She raised the stake and plunged it into Angel's chest.  Angel stumbled back gasping.  He raised his hand to his bloody chest and stared in horror at Buffy.

She stared coldly back at him.  "Well, that wasn't very nice." he said and morphed into the Collector.  The scene changed back to the bathroom.  

"Yeah, well, boys aren't allowed in the girl's bathroom," Buffy responded.  She grabbed the beam connecting the partitions of the stalls and swung her feet up to kick the Collector square in the chest.  The force threw him back and smashed him into the mirrors.

"Oh, oh, that's like mega bad luck.  For you," Buffy taunted.  The Collector snarled and straightened.  Buffy didn't wait for his next move but dashed out of the bathroom.  She was putting her very simple, but if she might say, brilliant plan into effect: Have demon chase her back to the library.  As she turned the corner back to the library, she overcame Amanda who was headed in the same direction.  The immortal looked quite singed, and her sword was covered in slime.

"What happened to you?" Buffy asked as they ran together.

"A group of the Demon Knight's minions jumped me.  Thank God, I'm immune to disease because those things are like walking staph infections.  What about you?"

"Demon Knight tried to tempt me.  I pissed him off by declining."

"I wouldn't say I'm pissed off, more disappointed really," the Collector said appearing in the hallway before them.  Amanda and Buffy skidded to a halt.  A group of vampires quickly surrounded them.  Angelus and Drusilla were among them.  Buffy quickly counted the odds: eight vampires, including Angelus and Drusilla and a Demon Knight.  Amanda and she would have their work cut out for them. 

"Buffy, just give up, you aren't going to make it," Angelus coaxed.

"You and your friends will make lovely decorations at our party," Drusilla said.  Buffy rolled her eyes.

"While I'm still standing, you aren't going to win," Buffy said.

"Fine with me.  I want you horizontal anyway," Angelus said.  He motioned for the vampires to attack.  Buffy quickly staked one but was grabbed from behind by another.  She used his strength to lift her legs and push another advancing vampire away and throw the one holding her against the wall so that he hit it hard enough for his grip to slip.  Buffy slid out of his arms, turned around, and staked him.

Amanda was dancing with two others and slashing them whenever she got a chance.  Buffy moved to watch her back.  Amanda nearly decapitated her. 

"Whoa," Buffy yelled as she ducked.  Amanda cut her swing short and whirled back to face the vampires.

"Announce yourself when you're coming up on a friendly's back," Amanda groused.  "Especially one holding a sword."

"Dually noted," Buffy replied.

"We're wasting time with these two.  We need to get the key," the Collector demanded.

"You know Jeryline will never give it to you," Amanda said.

"I don't mind prying it from her dead hands," the Collector replied.

"Now see, I thought we had something.  Sure, it was sick and depraved, but I thought you liked me.  Killing someone doesn't inspire the warm fuzzies," Jeryline said.

The Collector whirled around.  Jeryline smiled at him and lifted the tranq gun and fired. 

"But then again, I could be wrong, I mean killing you always makes me feel tingly all over."

The Collector plucked the now empty dart from his abdomen. 

"Jeryline, dear, what was in the dart?" he asked.

"Oh guess," she smirked.  The Demon Knight didn't need to.  He could feel the effects beginning.  He let out a howl as the key's blood burned through his body.  Bright fissures appeared on his skin as flesh began to drop away. 

"Buffy, Amanda, you guys might want to find cover," warned Jeryline.  She took her own advice and ducked into a classroom.  Buffy and Amanda dashed into another classroom.  The Demon Knight's human form continued to melt away.  The vampires watched stunned as the Demon Knight disintegrated.  Angelus grabbed Drusilla and got out of the hallway.

"What's happening, Daddy?" Drusilla whimpered.

"They won, again," Angelus growled.  He peeked around the corner to watch the Demon Knight.  Fire had erupted around the Collector and consumed his form.  A grisly being of bones and burning flesh too tall for the hallway emerged and toppled over.  He could tell this wasn't going to end well.  He jerked Drusilla with him and ran down the hall.  There was no use hanging around any longer.  He exited the school just in time.  The fiery explosion blew out the glass doors of the school and threw the two vampires to the grass. 

"Do you think it killed the slayer or any of the others?" Drusilla asked.

Angelus growled as he got back to his feet.  He knew the blast hadn't killed any of them.  It was too much to hope for.  He started walking back to the mansion.  He really hoped they came across some stupid mortals on the way.  He really needed to release some frustration. 

The sprinklers had come on throughout the school.  Buffy and Amanda coughed and shivered as they picked their way from the classroom back to the library. 

"Jeryline!" Amanda called.

A door being kicked open answered her.  Jeryline stumbled out.  "I wish those guys would go just a wee bit more quietly," she griped.  The hallway was charred, but nothing seemed to be on fire.  Puddles were mixing with the soot and making everything run black. 

"Where are the others?" Buffy asked.

"Still in the library.  I told them they didn't want to be around when I took the Demon Knight out."

"They let you go alone?" Buffy asked surprised.

"The wards would be their best protection against the blast, and I left the key with them."

"That was a pretty good idea to use a tranq gun," Amanda said.

"Mr. Giles came up with it."

"Buffy!  Amanda!  Jeryline!"

"We're here, Giles!  We're okay!" Buffy called back.

The others appeared at the other end of the hall and ran to their friends.

"Is it over?" Willow panted.

"For now," Jeryline replied.  Giles handed over the key to Jeryline.  She nodded her head in thanks and put it in her pocket.  She raised the tranq gun to give it back.  Giles raised his hands and shook his head.

"You keep it.  I can get another.  I'll give you what darts I have as well."  Jeryline smiled in gratitude at the librarian.  "Lets all go back to the library where it's drier and less smoky."

Everyone agreed and returned to the library.

Jeryline and Amanda collected the rest of their things.  The scoobies also gathered up what they wanted as well.  The fire department would soon be there and they did not want to be around to be questioned.

"Do you think school will be cancelled tomorrow?" Xander asked hopefully.

Giles removed his glasses to contemplate his answer.  "More than likely," he finally answered.

"Whoo hoo!  See saving the world does pay off!" Xander exclaimed.

Buffy and the others smiled at him.  The slayer turned to the two women who were set to leave.  She stuck out her hand to them.  "It was cool working with you guys," she said.  Amanda and Jeryline shook her hand in turns. 

"Yeah, I'm glad there's somebody else out there helping to keep these stupid demons in check," Jeryline said.

"Me too," Buffy said with a smile. 

Amanda smiled at the slayer.  "I hope everything works out for you, and you get a chance to kick your ex's ass."

Buffy looked down in agitation.  "It's a little more complicated that that," she said.

"It doesn't have to be.  Take it from someone who's had a few relationships.  Kick his ass, and you'll feel tons better."

Buffy grinned wryly and nodded her head.  "I think I can agree with that."  Jeryline and Amanda left the library with one last wave to all the people who had helped them and a wish they could've stuck around to work with them more and get to know them, but demons were relentless, and they wanted to get as big a start as they could.

As they slipped back into their battered car, Jeryline turned to Amanda who'd taken the driver's wheel.  "Anywhere you want to go?"

"Seattle's nice this time of year," she said.

"Anything in Seattle?" Jeryline asked.

"An old friend who won't want to see me, but that's never stopped me before."

Jeryline shook her head but didn't comment.  Amanda pulled out of the school parking lot with sirens in the distance and began toward the highway.  Neither of them noticed the figure that slunk out of the shadows in a cowboy hat that began walking in the same direction they were going.  He had his thumb out.

Buffy and the gang had walked a block from the high school when the fire trucks arrived.  Giles wasn't with them but had driven his car home.  The teenagers were tired but relaxed.  They'd won again.  It was a nice feeling.

"You know the only one of us who wasn't tempted was you, Oz," Xander said.

Oz raised his eyebrows.  "But I was tempted."

"You were?" Willow asked.

"Yeah, the Demon Knight guy offered to give me the skill to do Diminish G."

"Not the cure for lycanthropy?" his girlfriend asked in surprise.

Oz shrugged his shoulders.  "No."

"Huh," she replied.

"What does it say about us that we all refused our heart's desire?" Buffy asked.

"That we don't know what's good for us?" Xander asked sarcastically.

"No, that we know there are more important things than what we want," Willow said.

"Are you sure?" Buffy asked.

"Not really," Willow replied.

"Whatever it means, we survived and that will always mean something," Oz said.  The group nodded and let the subject drop.  The sun began to peek over the horizon.