Wetworks 1: Cambodian Calamity Part 1 of 2
By phoenixgod2000

Authors note: This story is a piece of action-fluff. There are so
many dark, grim post chosen pieces that I decided to write a piece
set in the near future where the scoobies are happy warriors closer
to how they were in the early seasons, although with their hard
fought wisdom and power still intact. I hope you like it.

Pairings: Willow/Xander/Dana (crazy slayer from Angel) andBuffy/Immortal.
Yeah, you heard me right.

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters—mores the pity.

This story is unbeta'd.


2007
Five years after Chosen

The dark Italian nightclub pulsed with the twin beats of strobe
lights and techno music. Bodies ground together in frenzied dance
of sexual energy. Beautiful people of all appearances gathered to
talk, dance, seduce, and love—for at least one night.

Willow Rosenberg was a long way from Sunnydale, California.

The young redhead nodded in time with the music's beat and let it
flow over her body as she stood in the back of the club near the
bar. She could feel the energy and passion being released into the
air by the frenzied dancing to be intoxicating. The eddies of magic
swirled, twisting through the dark club as the throng of humanity
released emotional energy unconsciously—but since none of the people
there were capable to tapping into that energy, it drifted unused
through the air. No need for it to go to waste Willow mused. With
hardly a thought, the powerful witch opened a small tap and let the
energy flow into her magical core, beginning the slow process of
restoring much of the energy lost during her last mission for the
council. It wasn't pure magic, tainted as it was by sexual energy,
but that aspect of the power could be harmlessly channeled with the
aid of Xander and Dana.

"Your drinks are ready, bellezza rossa."

The bartender pushed a pair of brightly colored mixed drinks in her
direction and gave the redheaded witch a seductive smile that begged
for an answer from the young beauty. Willow shot the man a safe,
noncommittal grin and gave him a handful of Euros, without bothering
to count them. There was more than enough there to pay for the
drinks as well as sympathy tip for the white toothed bartender.
Money didn't mean all that much to her anymore.

Willow took a long look around, trying to spot either of her two
lovers in the crowd. Frowning, Willow failed to pick up a glimpse
of either Xander or Dana, but she saw the flare of a pale aura
around a man leading a twentysomething girl off of the dance floor,
towards a rear exit. The aura of a vampire who needed to feed.

"Hold these for me." Willow instructed the bartender. "I'll be
right back."

A witch's work was never done.


"So how long are you in town for?"

"A few days, maybe a week. Long enough to see some sights and visit
a few friends."

Alexander Lavelle Harris was very careful to keep his single good
eye trained on the face of the Italian beauty who was hitting on him
and not on the bronzed expanse of most impressive cleavage that was
bound within her leather tube top.

"Good," she purred in seductively accented English. "I have a bag
of some great coke at home just begging to be shared with someone
special."

"I have a girlfriend."

"Invite her."

"Would you believe I have two girlfriends?" Xander asked hopefully.

"IL più il meglio—how you say? The more the merrier?"

The young—and very aggressive—beauty beamed at Xander. She didn't
seem like she was going to be giving up anytime soon.

"Listen, I…uhhh…don't really do that stuff." he stammered. "I guess
its fine for you and everything, well not fine, cause it's illegal
and bad for you but…"

There was a time in his life when he would have given anything to
have this sensual beauty throwing herself at him, Xander thought to
himself, but that time had long since passed. All he wanted to do
now was relax for a week with Dana and Willow while catching up with
Buffy and doting on his sapphire-eyed goddaughter. He had almost
died on the last mission and Willow had almost exhausted her
reserves getting him and Dana out.

The girl frowned prettily at him when he was done talking. "Too
bad." she murmured.

Standing up she smoothed out imaginary wrinkles in her tight, barely
there skirt. Xander watched her flounce away, beaming a smile at a
very receptive dancer on the wooden dance floor. How quickly I am
replaced
Xander mused to himself with a slightly relieved sigh. He
would have hated to have the girl still been there when Dana got
back from the bathroom. The slayer had a very low tolerance for
women poaching her territory. She wouldn't have hurt the girl…much,
but it was never a good idea to make Dana angry.

Xander frowned and looked around the club. Where was Willow at with
the drinks?


Willow wrapped a mantle of magic around herself so that she would
remain unnoticed by the vampire and his victim. Next she opened
herself up to the power that coursed within her and let out a
trickle of it to infuse through her veins, filling her with nearly
slayer level strength and speed. It was the quietest and most
efficient way to dispatch the monster. Enhancement magic wasn't all
that draining so she could husband what remained of her power till
she had a chance to recharge for longer than a few minutes.

She crept down the alley, keeping pace with the pair ahead of her.


"I don't feel so good. Is your car close by?"

Audrey Watson leaned against the wall of the alley outside the club
to settle her stomach. She had way too much to drink. On Spring
Break in Rome thanks to her parents, Audrey never drank this much
normally but that's what Spring Break was for, wasn't it? After
this she vowed that she wasn't going to drink ever again. It just
wasn't worth it.

"It's close. Parking lot at the end of the alley."

She smiled at Guillermo. He was so nice. And handsome too. His
accent was really sexy. He totally saw that she was in pain and
offered her a ride home. He was so unlike one of the college guys at
the school she went to. One of those boys would have been all over
her but Guillermo was so gentlemanly.

She stopped and doubled over, her stomach rebelling against the
movement. Guillermo grabbed her and when she went to thank him, she
let out a scream instead. He loomed over her with a twisted face
and glowing yellow eyes.

"I think we're far enough so that I can stop for a meal." He
pressed her against the wall of the alley and tugged on her hair
until her neck veins stood out against her skin. She struggled
hopelessly against his iron grip and closed her eyes, dreading the
prick of his hollow fangs against her skin.

"Do you guys have some kind of international school you go to for
stupid puns?"

Audrey felt the creatures cold hands pull away and she sucked air
into her lungs. Opening her eyes, she saw a pretty red haired woman
in her late twenties stood a few feet away. She wore a long black
lace skirt, ankle length pointed boots, and a black tube top with a
gauzy red shirt over the top. Her eyes seemed to shine in the
darkened alley and her lips were quirked into a smile that belied
the dangerousness of the situation.

The vampire's eyes widened momentarily but he quickly recovered his
equilibrium. "Listen, bitch, I'm always hungry enough for seconds."
he lisped between his fangs.

The redhead smiled coldly in response. "Bored now."


Willow watched as the vampire growled and rushed her. With the
rational part of her mind she noted that he was stronger and faster
than a newbie. Definitely close to a century. Probably smart
normally. You didn't get to be a vamp in Rome if you suffered from
terminal stupidity. But you also didn't get to eat regularly. He
was hungry and it was making him sloppy.

She sidestepped his rush and flicked her leg out of her skirts side
slit in a sidekick that cracked a few of his ribs and flung him into
the side of the club. Not for the first time she thanked Xander for
making all the clothes he bought her combat ready. She followed up
with a punch that caught him on the chin. His head snapped back but
he was tough enough to recover and send a lightning quick punch of
his own drove her back a few steps.

Audrey watched in horror as the creature pressed his advantage and
drove the girl backwards with a series of quick strikes.

They were moving so fast! Each figure was a blur to the intoxicated
young girl. If it weren't for the look of fear on the redheads face
she might not be able to tell who was winning the fight. But to her
it looked like the creature that had been Guillermo was going to get
her would-be rescuer.

Then Audrey blinked. It looked like thin blue flame surrounded the
redheads hand and the girl slammed the fist into the center of
Guillermo's chest and with a pop, he turned to ash. The woman
turned towards Audrey and smiled. "I was faking." She said in a
stage whisper.

Audrey nodded sickly. She leaned backwards against the wall as a
wave of dizziness came over her. The redhead walked over and lent
her an arm for support.

"Are you alright?" She asked sympathetically.

Audrey shook her head frantically. "W-W-What were those things?
Who are you? How did you…"

The redhead answered, "In order, those things were vampires; my name
is Willow, and magic." She smiled in a way that should have been
comforting for Audrey but did nothing to warm the inebriated girl.

"Vampire?"

"Yeah," Willow answered sympathetically. "You have to be careful in
clubs. They love to come to them so they can feed."

Audrey began to laugh hysterically. "Vampires. Magic. I…this…what
world did I step into? How can these things exist? They aren't
supposed to exist." She turned to Willow. "Are you like them? A
monster? Do you eat vampires like they eat us?" She watched with
mixed satisfaction and revulsion as the redheaded witch flinched.

"No," she whispered, "I'm not like them."

"I can't handle this." Audrey choked. "This, I don't want to
remember this. I want things to go back to they way they were."

"Then forget."

Willow leaned forward and kissed the girl on the forehead.


Audrey Watson blinked and looked around. She was in an alley. A
pretty redhead a few years older than her looked at her with some
concern. Willow her memory identified. How had she gotten out
here and how did she know Willow?

"Are you alright?"

"Yes, I…I think so." Audrey answered. She smiled at Willow
weakly. "I think I'm going to swear off drinking."

Willow grinned at her. "That might be for the best." She reached
out and steadied the girl with a remarkably strong grip. "Let me
walk you inside."

Audrey nodded and said again. "I am definitely going to stop
drinking. I can't even remember what I'm doing out here."


Flashback

"Xander!"

"Willow!"

The pretty redhead embarrassed the many British people around her by
leaping on her friend and hugging him with a ferocious grip.

"Down girl," the fit and tanned Alexander Harris warned. "You'll
crush the souvenirs."

Willow let go with an expression of mock horror. "What did you get
me, Xander? Is it cool? Is it magic? I hear African Shamans know
all kinds about magic. Tell me everything. Were there more slayers
there than anywhere else. Were they stronger? Africa was where
slayers were first made so I was thinking that the connection might
be stronger there than anywhere else..."

"Breathe Will, breathe." Xander interrupted with a smile. With a
laugh he wrapped his arm around the petite redhead and the pair
walked out of the British airport towards the waiting Council car.

"Not that it isn't good to see you, Wills, but why exactly did you
have Giles pull me out of Africa?"

"That is a totally separate thing. I just asked to borrow you for a
little while." Her face shifted to a more serious expression. "We
have a little problem with one of the slayers."


Xander was weaving his way through the impacted dance floor when his
beeper went off. He cursed and deftly avoided the flailing elbow of
a dancer that had had a little too much to drink.

Did your beeper just go off? Willows thoughts intruded on his mind.

Yeah, you?

Get Dana and meet me outside

Xander wove his way to the other side of the dance floor and started
searching for his slayer girlfriend.

No one was more surprised than he when he fell for the quiet,
slightly unbalanced Slayer. She was a beguiling mix of innocence,
sex appeal, and fun. She was damaged; there was no question about
that. But thanks to him and Willow, the girl who Dana would have
become had her life not become a twisted nightmare was slowly
starting to surface. It was a personality tingled with the dark
power of the slayer spirit and emotional damage, but the core
personality was one of brightness and light.

Xander knew that few people understood the relationship between him,
Willow, and Dana, but most of those people never saw them at play,
when they weren't off on ugly council business. They never saw
Willow's sexy come-on's in the privacy of their lives, they never
saw Dana's sense of humor, dark as it was, and they never saw the
fierce devotion Xander invested in his woman. All any of those
people ever saw was the Council's most well-known and efficient
roving operations team—who happened to have an odd personal
relationship.

Damnit

Dana was still by the bathroom. A man in expensively cut clothes
had corralled her to one of the nearby walls, using his body and one
arm to fence her in, as he made an effort to convince the stunning
young slayer of his virtues.

Xander couldn't really blame the guy. Dana was looking particularly
fetching that evening in a modest black skirt, knee length black
leather boots, and a white mans shirt with enough buttons undone to
show off her perfectly toned stomach. A black bra could be seen
beneath the shirt.

Xander also noted that Dana was hiding behind her hair, a sure sign
of her uncertainty in the situation. He quickened his step, angry
at the man on his girlfriend's behalf. She was still so delicate
and fragile; she shouldn't have to put up with his overtures.


Flashback

"What's wrong with her?" Xander asked softly.

"Lots."

He and Willow stood in the doorway of the Slayer Compounds specially
trained gym. They watched as the gyms sole occupant lifted weights
that would stagger almost any other slayer with the frenetic passion
of someone trying to avoid their own thoughts.

Dana.

The crazy, murdering Slayer out of Los Angles.

Xander had heard the stories about Andrew's recovery of the girl and
the conflict with Angel and Co. He so wished it could have been him
to confront the grim vampire. "Is she still dangerous?" he asked.

"Very. But she isn't getting confused anymore, and that's a start.
Dana's mind was so fragmented by her life that the Empowerment spell
filled in the gaps in her mind with bits and pieces of past and
current slayers. She couldn't tell anymore what part of her reality
was real and what part was the reality for slayers that had been
dead for centuries." Willow shuddered. Mind effecting magic still
brought up a lot of bad memories.

Giles spoke up. "What makes her so special is that she has somehow
managed to receive the same double dose of power as Buffy and
Faith. I believe it has to do with all of the slayer memories that
flooded her mind to fill in the fractures left by the poor girl's
schizophrenia. Those memories were accompanied by more of the slayer
spirit than is traditionally received."

"Why do you need me?" Xander asked.

"I've been using the thought entering spell I used on Buffy that one
time," Willow said, "to go into her thoughts and attempt to put the
fragments together and form some stability and coherence. It's
working up to a point but I need someone she trusts. Someone who
can help me reach the deepest, most fragmented parts of her mind."

Xander turned to Willow and asked in a confused tone. "But why
would she trust me, I've never even met her?"

Willow smiled at Xander and squeezed his hand. "But there are a
whole lot of slayers inside her who've met you."


Thad Hamilton gave the chick in front of him a gleaming smile that
had won him the beds of a number of female models and actresses.
But as many of his conquests as he had on his belt, he wanted none
of them more than he wanted the girl in front of him.

She was a stunning mix of several races that gave her perfect
cheekbones, silken ebony hair, and dusky skin. Her body was a
beguiling mixture of slenderness and muscled strength that enticed
him more than the waifish boniness of the average model.

"So I have a great bottle of Pinot at penthouse suite," he whispered
seductively. "You could come back there and we could have a toast
to Rome from my balcony. It has the best view in the city."

He watched the beauty expectantly. He hoped to see the flash of
shock and surprise, maybe a little reluctance. And of course
desire. He always saw desire.

Except this time.

"I have a boyfriend."

Her voice, soft and meek as it was, had a sexy throatiness that
aroused him even more than he had been. He could tell that she had
no idea just how pretty she was. That was good. He loved the ones
with low self esteem. They were always so easy to manipulate. So
he scoffed. "So what. Is he here right now?"

"Actually he is."

Thad spun around. A young man a few years older than himself stood
there with his hands in his pockets. He wore clothes that were
expertly tailored and were all black. Thad admitted that the guy
was handsome, in a rugged adventurer sort of way. Not the look that
was in favor in the fashion industry, but it worked on him. And the
well worn eye patch added a hint of danger to his appearance. Idly,
he wondered about getting one for himself, maybe it would add to his
danger quotient.

"Stay away from Dana." The eye patched man growled.

"Or what. You'll stab me with your cutlass, pirate boy?" The male
model laughed.

The man with the eye patch smiled. "Me? No. That's what I have her
for."

Thad was about to respond when a vise clasped around his neck. The
voice that whispered in his ear was the same sexy rasp, but all hint
of fear or submission was gone.

"I am Xander's. And he is mine. Leave him alone or else."

Pressure continued to build on his neck until he thought his eyes
would burst.

"Leave him alone, Dana." Xander ordered. "We have to go. Another
mission has come up."

Thad felt the pressure release from around his neck and he gasped
for air. He lay there and watched as the pretty girl and the guy
left. The pair looked happy and the girl nestled in the guy's side
as he wrapped a protective arm around her. He touched his neck at
the rapidly appearing bruise and suddenly decided that respecting
women had become much more of a focus in his life.


Dana and Xander walked out to the front of the club expecting to
find Willow and maybe a cab that she had summoned.

What they weren't expecting was the white stretch limousine. A
driver in a black uniform stood by an opened door. Willow was
sitting by the open door talking with Buffy, who was clad in a
beautiful black cocktail dress. Next to the eldest slayer was a man
who put the male model hitting on Dana to shame. He appeared to be
of Italian decent with perfectly chiseled features and shoulder
length black hair tied in a small ponytail.

The Immortal. The lover of Buffy Summers and father of her
daughter.

The ancient man nudged his companion and she turned to smile
apologetically at the newcomers.

"Sorry to cut the vacation short, Xan. But we have a little
situation."

"That's alright Buff," Xander grinned. "Those five minutes were
almost too relaxing. I don't know what I would have done with a
whole ten."

"Good. Then you'll love this mission." Buffy said. "It'll be like
old times. Apocalypse and everything."


Alexander Harris sat in the stretch Limousine and watched his old
friend and her lover nestle in each other's arms and trade seductive
whispers into each other's ear.

The Italian sorcerer had been alive for centuries longer than Angel
and Xander had been leery of the man at first. He was at best dark
grey character in the underworld and Xander had worried for Buffy,
that she was falling into old patterns, but he had to hand it to
her, the blond slayer was doing better than he ever thought possible.

He worried after the battle of Sunnydale that putting together the
new council might be too much for the still fragile woman. But she
had risen to the challenge with her characteristic strength and
stubbornness. The pressure off of her finally, the young woman had
worked hard, but not alone, until she took the position as the head
of the Italian branch of the Watchers Council. She spent more time
at parties in at various embassies and training slayers than in the
field killing demons. She had a job of well deserved ease, and took
to the field only in the rarest circumstances—and not at all since
her daughter had been born.

The immortal had proven to be a better man than Xander gave him
credit for too. He loved Buffy. It shone in every movement, in
every gesture and look. He was tough to his enemies and loyal to
the people he cared for. Those were two things that Xander could
definitely get on board with. As for his grayness, well, fatherhood
had started to soften the ancient wanderer. He doted on his raven
haired, sapphire eyed daughter, and protected her with all the
powers of his formidable organization. An organization that he used
in conjunction with the watchers council to great effect.

The pair made a formidable match, in the personal lives, as well as
in the realm of supernatural. It was a well known fact now in the
demon realms, that the Immortal had finally removed himself from his
legendary neutrality and had taken a position as a player for the
side of light.

But love could be funny that way

"We should stop by the hotel to pick up our things." Xander
suggested

"I have already taken the liberty of doing so, Alexander." The
immortal answered in a thick Italian accent that Xander knew was
affected. He could speak three dozen human tongues and sound like a
native in all of them if he wanted too.

Xander nodded and looked out the window of the limo and watched the
old city disappear into the distance as they sped to the Immortals
private landing strip.

"What are we dealing with Buffy, and why can't the local slayers
handle it?" Now that it was time, Xander was totally serious.

Buffy slipped off her high heels and rubbed her feet with a pleased
sigh. "The pain of being short," she muttered.

"Buffy," Xander warned.

"Cambodia." Was her terse reply.

"Ahh."

That explained it. Southeast Asia was one of the least settled
places by the watchers council. Much of the area was still only
settled by small villages and the old ways held sway. They didn't
take kindly to interference by westerners and it took time to find
local demon hunting groups and integrate them into the council. The
Golden Candle Society was their greatest success but they had their
hands full in China.

"It's a group of wizards and half-breed demons with a name that I
can't pronounce in Cambodia. They got their god's sarcophagus from
the Deeping Well and are just waiting for the right star alignment
to wake him up."

"Let me guess," Xander said dryly. "The alignment is soon."

"About eighteen hours from now." Buffy said.

"Perfect."


The landing strip was just outside Rome and a sleek private jet sat
on the runway waiting for them to climb on. A wheeled staircase led
up to the open door at the front of the fuselage. The limo pulled
up the staircase and everyone got out. The loud roar of engines
just starting to warm up filled the air.

"Thanks for the lift, Buff." Xander said, "But you don't really
have to walk us onto the airplane."

Buffy smiled perkily. "We," and she pointed between herself and the
immortal, "are going with you."

"We got this one, Buffy," Xander protested. "You haven't been in
the field in close to two years—not since Isabelle."

Buffy crossed her arms. "I know how bad the last mission was Xan, I
know that Willow isn't anywhere near her full power. You're going
to need a few more heavy hitters on this one." She
grinned. "You're just lucky you happen to know a supercharged
slayer willing to help you out."

"Buffy, you're a mom now; you can't be going on missions like
this." Xander protested.

"Don't go there," Buffy warned in an iron voice. "Last time I
heard, Rome was part of the world that would go boom if this guy
wakes up. I'm going and that's that." She turned and disappeared
up the stairs, moving at a speed that only a slayer could manage.

"That was unkind, Alexander." The Immortal rebuked. "You know that
Buffy is the mightiest Slayer in the entire world and motherhood has
not changed that. Apologize to her."

He ran up the steps, Dana following behind him. She didn't say
anything to Xander but her narrowed gaze spoke volumes.

"We do need her." Willow said to Xander once the two of them had
been left alone on the tarmac. "I am nowhere near full strength and
Buffy and the Immortal are tough enough to a big help. Say your
sorry when we get in the air."

Xander watched as Willow walked up the staircase, leaving him alone
on the runway.

"Open mouth, insert foot." He muttered before joining his friends.


The interior of the plane was as luxurious as everything else the
Immortal owned. Couches and artwork placed on wood paneled walls
lent an almost old world air to the aircraft. Once Xander boarded
and the door was shut a servant of the Immortal's guided everyone to
chairs to be strapped into as the plane took off.

Once in the air everyone got up and moved into the lushly appointed
lounge area to talk.

"I have your weapons and things in another room," the immortal
volunteered.

"Thank you." Willow politely responded.

Dana flung herself long ways on one of the couches. Xander sat next
to her and she shifted so that she could rest her feet on his lap.

"So what's our ETA," Xander asked while absently rubbing his
slayer's feet.

"About ten hours," The immortal responded.

"Leaving us about…"

"Seven hours," Buffy responded, "to get in and do the job."

"Shouldn't be a problem," Xander said shrugging. "We cut it this
close before."

"Who is the group anyway?" Willow asked. "Cambodian wizards?"

"The cult of Toc. Cannibal Cambodian wizards with vampire
servants." Buffy clarified. "They are some bad people from what
our agents say but we've had a few bigger problems in the area than
them. They were on the get-to list but pretty far down it.

Xander leaned back. "They just got bumped up."


Flashback

"Soooo…how was Africa?" Willow asked from her perch on Xander's
bed. The two of them lay side by side staring up at the ceiling in
Xander's room at the Council compound.

"Nice." Xander said softly. "Sad. Poor. I don't think I've ever
been to a place with friendlier people. They would give you the
clothes off your back if you needed it. It's also just about the
most violent place I have ever seen."

"Are you sorry you went?" Willow asked gently.

Xander looked over at his best friend. "Only sorry that I didn't
get to see you—see all of you--as much as I could."

He grinned and held his hands a foot a way from his chest. "I mean,
have you seen Dawn lately? Va-Va-Voom!"

He barely blinked once when four pillows threw themselves at his
head before he could blink. "No fair," he cried out through his
laughter. "No magic in pillow fights."

Willow crossed her arms. "Since when?"

Xander shrugged helplessly. "Now?" he ventured sheepishly.

Willow smiled at him softly, her soft eyes cutting though his heart
more than he thought possible. "I missed you Xander. It hasn't
been the same, not having you down the street from me anymore." Her
voice dropped. "I missed you more than I thought I could miss
anyone but Tara."

Xander scooted forward till he was only a few inches from her face.
He could smell her willow scent mixed with desire, and knew he
hadn't been misreading the signs. His heart pounded. The last time
they were in this position they had both hurt the ones they loved.
This time, nothing stood in their way if they wanted it.

"Xander, I…"

The one eyed man put his finger up to her lips silencing her
words. "I know," he whispered softly.


Willow stared out the window the plane, the miles passing unnoticed
below her vision. Her thoughts were on the events of the night and
the spell she had cast on the vampire victim.

The memory spell she had cast on her victim.

Even now, her stomach twisted with acid when she thought about what
she had done. It was so easy, it took almost none of her magical
reserves to eliminate and replace the memories of the events that
had transpired in the alley. But then again, it hadn't taken much
magic to modify Tara's memory either. Almost everything about magic
came easily to her now. Her rampage had done more than destroy the
magic box or almost end the world. It had permanently transformed
her into a being of magic, a being maybe not even human anymore.
Willow closed her eyes and let the hum of the airplane lull her into
a state of meditation…

She could remember old talks with Tara and Jenny Calendar about the
nature of magic where they would try and explain to her the
interconnectedness of all things. She had scoffed at the idea
thinking that it bore more resemblance to the pseudo-philosophy of
the Star Wars universe than anything close to real life. But now
she could feel the truth of it. Her senses were so attuned to the
vagaries of life, magic, and destiny she thought she could hear what
some medieval scholars called the Music of the Spheres—the
otherworldly hum of magic and other dimensions. Sometimes, mostly
times like these, she wanted nothing more than to disappear forever
so that she could try and find its source.

She felt the presence of Xander and Dana enter the room behind her.
Their auras filled the space in ways no physical body could
duplicate. Dana's was fierce and strong, the aura of a slayer. But
there was also an undercurrent of sweetness that was impossible to
believe unless you saw past the physical presence the girl put
forth. Xander's was different. There were swirls of animal rage
and power that flickered through the aural splashes of passion that
colored the whole, and of course there was the peace. It was the
aura of a man who had found his place in the world, and it was a
place that fit him like a glove. It was the aura of someone who had
nothing left to prove. But with out a doubt the greatest emotion
that filled his aura was love. A seemingly endless ability to love
others with a depth that was nothing short of shocking.

"Whatever it is, Will, I'm sure you had a good reason to do it." He
whispered softly as her two lovers moved to flank Willow.

Willow smiled without opening her eyes. Of course Xander would know
what was bothering her. He always did. It was what Xander did. He noticed things.
He sees the world clearly. He sees her clearly.

Willow slowly opened her eyes.

"The vamp I killed," she began, "He had a victim with him and she
started flipping out when she saw him go poof. Looked like she
couldn't handle the nasty truth so I changed her memory to forget
that it happened while leaving behind just enough to try and prevent
her from going off with any other vampires. It'll all eventually
come back to her, but in a way that she'll be able to handle." She
shook her head. "It's…it's just that it makes me think of the past.
Tara…"

Xander rested his hand on her shoulder. "You did the right thing
Wills. Not everyone can know what we know and do what we do. That's
why we do it. To protect the people who can't."

"What I did, Xan?" Willow whispered. "That'll never be the right
thing to do. It'll never be right."


Nearly ten hours later
Somewhere over Cambodia

According to the intelligence briefing compiled by the Immortal's
network, the Temple of Toc was located in a relatively unsettled
region of Cambodia was still mostly overrun with forest and
animals. The Cult consisted of perhaps a dozen acolytes of Toc,
cannibal sorcerers one and all, and another two or three dozen
vampires that were fed slaves they captured from outlying villages.

Toc, the Tyrant Lord of De'ree'gothla was the second most powerful
of the true demons after Illyira. He ruled three dimensions without
contest and was well on his way to conquering this one when all the
old ones were imprisoned in the Deeping Well. He was a military
genius in addition to possessing godlike powers. If he escaped it
wouldn't take long for him to unite various demon factions and
create an army that would conquer the Earth.

"So everyone understands the plan?" The immortal asked.

The five stood in the rear compartment of the plane, moments from
jumping out of the aircraft. They all wore black clothes and knit
caps, gear strapped to a harness that wrapped around their torso.
Everyone but Dana that is. She didn't use any other weapons beyond
a curved Gurkha knife that had been blessed by fakir of great
power. He claimed it would pierce the hide of anything she came
across, including a god. Everyone else had several incendiary
grenades, knifes, stakes, a field medical kit, and a P-90 with extra
ammunition. The Immortal and Xander also wore armored vests the
others did not. Buffy and Dana were slayers and thus relied more on
their agility to evade blows. Their natural toughness would take
care of the rest. The armor would only slow them down and make them
more likely to get injured. Likewise Willow, who was going to
function as more of a slayer than witch on this mission thanks to
her dangerously low reserves of magical energy wore no vest. She
had spell components strapped to various easily accessible
positions. While much of her magic was inaccessible due to her
mystical exhaustion, she could still conjure up a little with the
aid of the right ingredients.

"Yes." Xander answered. "If by plan you mean our mad dash towards
the temple killing every cultist we come across." Xander shot a
grin towards Buffy, "just like old times, right?"

"I'm feeling very nostalgic." Buffy answered agreeably.

Willow bit her lip. Her freckles stood out like tiny drops of blood
against her pasty skin. "Do I have to really jump? Because I don't
think I need to. I have enough power to levitate myself down
without jumping. What if we need the extra parachute and we don't
have one because you gave it to me when I don't really need one.
That would of the badness. Right?"

Her voice rose until it was so high and thin it was coming out as a
squeak by the end of the speech.

The Immortal gave her a dazzlingly bright smile. "Bella, do not
worry. I will jump with you. It shall be as easy as dancing." He
comforted.

The immortal flipped a latch and the door opened, filling the cabin
with the roar of air. He guided the shaking redhead to the door.

"But I hate dancing!" Willow wailed as she leapt from plane.

Even over the roar of the airplane, Xander heard Dana's giggle as
the dark haired slayer flung herself out of the plane with reckless
abandon.

Buffy started to walk forward, but Xander barred her path.

"Buffy, before we jump, I just want you to know that I'm sorry for
what I said on the tarmac." Xander admitted. He had to bend over
to shout it in her ear. "I guess I let how scared I still get for
you take over my mouth."

Buffy smiled. "I forgive you." She yelled back. "But don't use
your god child like that again, Xan, or I'll be forced to tell her
the story about how I kicked her God-daddy's ass."

Xander grinned and shrugged. "I've lived in a world without you
Buffy, and I never want to have to do it again." he shouted back.

Buffy smiled wordlessly at Xander and walked over to the open door.
She mouthed something that would have been inaudible to anyone not
invested with Hyena senses and then jumped out of the plane.

Xander grinned and followed. As he jumped he whispered, "Yeah Buff,
I know you love me."

End of Part One