TITLE: Who shall stand?
DISCLAIMER: Nothing belongs to me. Buffy the vampire slayer and characters belong to Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy. Charmed and all of its characters belong to spelling entertainment.
SUMMARY: The charmed ones meet the Scooby gang, but everything happens for a reason. Together they have to fight an evil they never expected to face.
AUTHOR'S NOTES: This takes place after the charmed episode scry hard. Assume spoilers for everything up to that episode. For Buffy its post chosen possible spoilers for all seven seasons. The Scooby gang are in San Francisco to steal an ancient prophecy, this has nothing to do with the plot. There will be a romance between two women, if this offends you or you dislike it please don't read this story.
Who shall stand?
Paige walked out of P3, pulling her jacket a little tighter around herself as the cold air began to bite. She walked away from the crowd trying to get into the club, to savour the sounds of her city. A movement in the shadows caught her attention and she saw three guys chase a girl into an alley.
"Would one night off be too much to ask," muttered Paige as she stalked towards the alley.
As she got closer to the alley Paige could hear a low sobbing that she had learned to associate with a person terrified beyond belief. The sound spurred her into a run, she skidded to a stop in the alley, silently cursing her choice of shoes. Three guys had the girl trapped in a corner. She was on the ground sobbing in-between bouts of pleading. The one closest to Paige turned at the sound of her arrival, his eyes flicked across her body, a smirk flowing across his face.
"I think we just found dessert boys." As the last word echoed in the alley his grin disappeared to be replaced with his demonic face, a heavy brow, yellow eyes and fangs.
Surprise flicked across the demon's face as Paige's smile blossomed. She had bee under the impression she would be fighting humans, now she could use her powers.
All three walked towards Paige, the moment of doubt erased from all their faces. Now a dangerous light played in their eyes, a predator toying with its prey. Paige took a half step back and let out the breath she had been holding. She hurriedly scanned the alley for weapons; the usual assortment of junk, graffiti and waste had accumulated between the low block of buildings.
"Pipe!" The piece of debris flew across the alley, a twist of her wrist, sending it into the lead demon. Paige smiled in satisfaction, as the demon crumpled to the ground, and waited for the body to be consumed. "Oh no." Paige began to walk backwards, as the demon slowly got to his feet and ripped the pipe from his chest.
"That hurt. I was just going to eat you. Now I'm going to have some fun. Lets see how long it takes you to die, bitch," his words were distorted by the growling as he lunged at her. Paige turned ready to orb out when the heel of her shoe broke, twisting her ankle and smashing her head into the ground, she shook her head truing to clear it. The smile was back as he slowly stalked Paige as she tried to get out of the alley. "I'm going to enjoy killing you. You two can have her, she is all mine," said the demon never taking his eyes off Paige.
"Now that isn't very polite. Especially on the first date." The voice came from a dark shape that dropped into the middle of the demons. The shape stood up to reveal a blonde woman, who didn't even look as her snap kick sent the right hand demon crashing into the wall. A blur of motion and the other two demons exploded into a shower of dust. The remaining demon jumped to his feet pure terror written across his face. The blonde's arm shoot out and he screamed before exploding. The blonde woman grinned, then stumbled forward as the girl that had been trapped ran from the alley her fear carrying her off into the night. "Your welcome!" shouted the woman into the gloom. She sighed, walked over and pulled Paige to her feet.
"Thanks," said Paige, struggling for words as she gazed in to the woman's eyes. They were beautiful, but seemed to carry a huge burden of pain.
"No problem, are you okay?"
"Yeah I'm fine." Paige began to worry as the stranger cocked her head to the side as if listing to someone far away.
"I'll be there in a minute. Why can't you use a cell phone like a normal person, Will?" She looked at Paige and smiled, "I've got to go," she gave a quick wave before jumping and climb up the side of the building and was lost in the shadow that cloaked the rooftop.
"… then she Jackie Chaned up the wall and was gone." Paige sat back and sipped her coffee as she finished telling her sisters about what had happened the night before.
"I'd like to say that's the strangest thing I've every heard, but we all know it wouldn't be true," said Phoebe a puzzled look crossing her face as she began working on the problem, hoping a forgotten piece of knowledge would surface.
"True, but it's still weird," said Piper as she feed Chris, while keeping an eye on Wyatt. "Leo might know something, I'll ask him went he gets back from Magic school."
"Well I need to get to the office so, I'll see you guys later," said Phoebe as she picked up the last of her things.
"I'll go and check the Book of shadows," said Paige half way out of her chair before Piper's voice stopped her.
"No. You can't,"
"Why not? It's still in the attic isn't it?"
"Of course it is, but you said that you would be at P3 for the delivery guys. So I'll look through the Book once this messy little one is having a nap." Piper's voice took on a singsong quality as more of her attention was focused on her son instead of her sister.
"Okay you look in the Book, I'll go make you a living."
"Yeah, yeah lady, just get on with it,"
Paige laughed, as she left the kitchen happy at being able to tease her sister.
The manor stood out like a beacon in the dusk as Phoebe parked her car and walked into the house. The postures for her sisters told all she needed to know about how well the search for Paige's saviour had went. She took a seat next to Paige. "No luck I'll assume."
"Nada. The only thing we've got is a piece of gypsy lore that tells of a woman that fought demons," said Paige her disappointment, clearly written on her face and the feelings rolling off of her.
"So, we're just waiting for Leo?" A couple of bobbing heads was the only answer Phoebe got. "We'll she's obviously good, so why does it matter so much?"
'Because I want to see her again' was the answer that flashed through Paige's mind. "Because she killed three demons, that I have never seen before and I'm pretty sure she wasn't even trying." Were the words she spoke aloud.
Wyatt stopped colouring in and looked over to the doorway, signalling the arrival of his father. Leo appeared from a grey portal and grabbed on to the doorframe to steady himself.
"Hay, honey. The portal still making you dizzy?" Piper's was filled with concern, but a faint tint of amusement also rode her words.
"Yeah. I've been orbing for sixty years, travelling any other way feels wrong." Leo's face instantly brightened as he saw his son.
"So tell him about last night," said Piper her grin threatening to run of her face as she watched Leo and Wyatt draw together.
"What happened?" asked Leo; briefly looking at Paige before returning his gaze to his picture.
Paige quickly told her story again, trying to ignore the feeling that she was talking about demons and the only strange thing was that they didn't know what type it was.
"Their face's changed?"
"Yeah, their brows got thicker, grew fangs and their eyes changed colour. Oh and they sort of growled a few times."
Leo nodded at Paige's words even as he selected a new crayon. "What did the woman look like?"
"About so tall," using her hand to show height, "Blonde hair, the most amazing hazel eyes. She was strong, fast and cocky as well."
Phoebe concealed her surprise as she noticed a glazed look in her sister's eyes as she talked about the woman.
"And she talked to someone that wasn't there. Could it have been telepathy?"
"Sounds about right because she complained that they didn't use a cell phone like a normal person."
"I think I know who she…"
He never finished his sentence as the too familiar sound of the front door being forced open bounced through the house. Piper sprang to her feet ready to blast the demon, but was shocked into stillness when a young man flew into the hall and slid to a halt, groaning in pain. He scrambled to his feet hastily firing a crossbow. She followed the bolt and saw its target for the first time, a demon. The bolt it the demons shoulder spinning it around, straight into a kick, that flipped it on its back. The owner of the leg sauntered in to view.
"Will, Axe." She didn't even pass to look as the weapon sailed through the air and she smashed in down into the demons chest. The demon let out a brief scream before disintegrating.
No one knew what to say or think, demons breaking in were nothing new, but no one had ever broken in to vanquish a demon before.
"Hi, sorry for the entrance." Piper turned to the sound of the voice to notice a red headed woman, who looked about twenty-five years old, but something in the eyes made her seem older. "I know this is a strange question, but is this the Halliwell house?"
"It's her, she's the one that saved my life last night," said Paige her mind only no processing what she was seeing. Paige studied the woman in the light and was just as entranced, as she had been the night before. A smirk played across the woman's face as she made the connection.
"Yes it is," said Phoebe struggling to find any words to use.
"So you're the charmed ones?" asked the blonde as she stepped over the demon dust and into the living room.
"Yeah. I'm Paige and theses are my sisters, Phoebe and Piper."
"Nice to meet you," said the blonde waving at all three, but focusing most of her attention on Paige. "I'm B…"
"Buffy Summers, it's an honour to meet you," Leo ignored the looks of surprise from the sisters, and Buffy's smirk, and turned to the red head, "that must make you Willow Rosenburg."
"Oh, you've heard of me?" asked Willow surprise and nerves clear in her voice.
"You have a…reputation with the people I used to work with." Leo's pause didn't go unnoticed and the three sisters resolved to ask him about it later. "Xander Harris, I assume."
"See Buff, I have my first fan all that hard work finally paid off." Xander's remark turned Buffy's smirk into a full blown smile and got a laugh from Willow. Paige took in Xander for the first time and was shocked by the eye patch that showed he was no new comer to the fight against evil.
"That's nice and not to seem rude, but what you doing here" asked Piper in overly sweet voice that hid her irritation.
"Well Buffy killed this demon, but it came back to life and we don't know how to keep it dead. I heard the charmed ones lived in San Francisco, I hopped you could help," answered Willow with an embarrassed smile.
"Guy's step back," said Buffy, her previously friendly stance changed in a heartbeat to that of a fighter, the axe no longer hung loosely in her hand, but became a part of her. The demon reappeared straight into the blade of the axe, turning it back into dust.
"You can see the problem, so can you help us?" asked Buffy.
"It's a Lazarus demon, you need to bury it in a graveyard," said Paige eager to help Buffy.
"Great, lets see if we can get dust boy here back in a box."
"Let me," said Paige with a playful smile. "Dust." She orbed the remains into a bag. "Back in a minute," She orbed out with the bag leaving stunned looks on Willow, Xander and Buffy's faces.
"Sorry for the mess," said Willow, who was beginning to feel uncomfortable.
"Don't worry," said Piper waving away the young woman's concern, "would you like to stay for dinner?"
"We wouldn't want to intrude," said Buffy slowly backing out of the room.
"Please we would like you to and it will give us a chance to find out why you're so famous."
Phoebe shuddered as a look of pure fear flashed in Willow's eyes, whatever the reason was that the Elders knew her name she was afraid of others finding out. Phoebe was worried; the only people on the Elders radar were those that had done great good or great evil and people weren't scared of advertising doing good.
Piper smiled to herself at the noise of conversation around the table. The amount of affection she felt for the three strangers that had stumbled into her life a few hours ago had grown faster than she had though possible. It had taken a little over an hour for her to make dinner, with Willow's help, and during that time she had saw how strong the bond between the three of them was. Xander had helped Leo fix the door, telling stories about all the times he had repaired Buffy's home. The more time she spent around Buffy the more sure she became that the young blond wasn't completely human. There was something about the way she moved that … just didn't fit right. But she had saved Paige's life, so Piper was prepared to give Buffy the benefit of the doubt.
"This is amazing food Piper. You should be a chief," complemented Xander between mouthfuls.
"Thanks Xander, I always wanted my own restaurant, but it just didn't happen. I've got my club so I'm happy enough." Piper was glad she had cooked so much, she wasn't sure if Xander would ever stop eating.
"P3?" asked Buffy.
"Yeah."
"I though as much. There wasn't any vamps in there, the three hassling Paige are the only ones I've seen in that area all week."
"You hunt vampires?" asked Phoebe disbelief filling her voice.
"Buffy simply shrugged, "I'm the Slayer. Dusting vamps is what I do."
"What's a Slayer?" asked Paige while looking around the table, hoping she wasn't the only one who didn't know.
"Where's the G-man when you need him?" asked Xander with a huge grin.
"Well is 'one girl' speech wouldn't work anymore, so he'd just walk away and have some scones." Willow nodded her head as she finished speaking.
Leo broke the silence and gave a quick explanation of what a slayer was and a little of their history. "And Buffy is regarded as the best slayer in centuries. She closed the Hellmouth after leading an assault into hell."
"How do you know so much? Are you a watcher or something?" asked Willow.
Buffy smiled as her friend's desire for knowledge that made her seem like the innocent girl Buffy had met almost nine years ago.
"No, Leo used to be a Whitelighter and an Elder. They know the deep secrets of the universe, or so they claim." Paige's voice held respect along with a large dose of sarcasm.
"What's a Whitelighter?" asked Willow, her tone soft an instinct telling her she wouldn't like the answer.
"They help guide and protect witches," said Paige missing the tone of Willows voice.
Buffy and Xander both looked at Willow hoping for some sort of answer from her.
"Willow doesn't have a Whitelighter because she is a special case," said Leo choosing his words carefully. He understood how much it had taken for Willow to regain herself. "She lived on the Hellmouth when she came into her powers and it interferes with our magic. Any Whitelighter would have been a liability and she was best friends with the slayer, you can't get any better protection."
"And after she left the Hellmouth?" asked Piper her anger growing at the though of Willow being left with out aid.
"There are circumstances, so the decision was made not to send her a Whitelighter."
"Circumstances! What could possibly justify not helping her in every way possible?"
"There are reasons Piper." Leo's tone made it clear that the subject should be dropped.
"There is no reason!" shouted Piper ignoring Leo's warning.
"It's okay Leo," said Willow with steel in her voice.
"No Willow don't defend him or that bunch of no good interfering bastards."
"Piper it's my own fault." Willow had to almost shout in order to get Piper's attention. "Leo is just trying to help me. They don't trust me because of what I did."
Leo nodded at Willow's statement, wishing he had seen where the conversation was going so he could have speared Willow some pain.
Phoebe felt her earlier dread hit her again with a huge amount of force. Not only did the Elders know about her, but they had also decided not to help her.
"I lost the woman I loved and I used some of the darkest of magic's to get revenge. Then I almost destroyed the world. I was trying to stop all the pain I felt in the world." Willow spoke simply not trying to diminish what she had done.
"You also saw the face of the Goddess," said Leo quickly hoping she wouldn't dwell on her dark times. "She deemed you good enough to channel her power. For a few seconds you were the Goddess. You were the source of all goodness. That wouldn't have happened if that taint could have controlled you."
Paige was stunned by what she had heard. She looked at the woman in front of her, easily able to believe Leo's words, but trying to imagine such hate and darkness coming from Willow was impossible. Willow could be over looked in a crowd, yet here she sat talking about how she almost destroyed the world. The murmur of Buffy comforting her friend drifted over the table, and Paige's heart almost broke at the compassion in Buffy's voice and the Pain in Willows eyes. Paige was going to add her voice to Buffy's when the room shook.
The lights flickered on and off. The chandelier began to shake violently. Sparks ripped apart the air. A ball of appeared in the air, a rolling, seething mass of magical energy. A snap like lighting filled the room and a man crashed into the table.
"Giles?" Buffy's shocked voice seemed to clear the room of all other sound.
"She's coming. You need to get ready, she's coming."
The collapsed into a pool of blood, three now obvious bullet holes marked his chest.