CHAPTER 1:

"Oh boy, this looks like home alright! The usual apocalypse happening!"

Adanar turned his glance from the battle being fought in the man made canyon below long enough to confirm the import of his companion's tone. He sighed and voiced his supposition as a fact and not a query,

"We're going to join this ridiculously one sided fight."

Dawn studied the scene below and nodded.

"Guess I have to, but there's no need for you to do anything if you don't want. Ooh jeez Spike; that had to hurt!"

The blond vampire had been thrown several feet up and into the brick wall of the hotel. Dawn turned her attention to a severely wounded dragon and the figure dodging its massive talons and thrashing body.

"Trust Angel to think he's Saint George! He's a kick-ass fighter all right. Wonder who the blue haired woman is? She is awesome but so not human!"

"A running commentary is not an effective battle plan Dawn. Immediate action is required if you wish to save their lives."

Adanar's voice was dry; she amused him at the oddest times but if they were to join this fight she must offer constructive directions. This was her world and he knew very little of it. Dawn had been thinking furiously the whole time they had been observing and told him,

"The only useful action we can take against these numbers involves sacrificing the portal device. If one of us takes it over the rooves to the back of the demon army, set it for that black hole we almost got dragged into and tosses it above them, it should take quite a lot out before it destroys itself."

She gave him a glance. Adanar sighed; the device might be his only way of returning to his own world. He stared at the four creatures that dared make a stand against such might and knew he would try to save them.

"It might not work and we'll lose the device. If you say no then we won't. The device is yours now I am back in my dimension."

Dawn's words were unnecessary but he appreciated them none the less.

"I'll take the device. You need to tell your friends what will happen so that they are not dragged through the portal inadvertently."

Dawn handed him the device and said quietly,

"They are worth saving, my friend. And so is this world. Perhaps we shall find you another way home."

"Perhaps. Now go!"

Spike caught a movement from the corner of his eye; something had jumped from the hotel roof and would land too close for comfort. He gave the wounded demon in front of him a mighty shove and spun to face the new threat. Both his sword and his jaw dropped as he recognised the woman in front of him, despite her being far older than she should and carrying three parallel scars down and across one cheek.

"What … Dawnie?"

"Hi Spike. The cavalry's here. Duck."

"Duck? What duck?"

She held a wickedly sharp knife with the hilt pointing downwards and moving incredibly fast, stabbed the long blade over his shoulder and there was a scream from behind him.

"We're opening a portal towards the back of this lot. I'll tell Angel, you call your friends back!"

He blinked as she flexed her knees and made a standing jump that carried her over the demons and the fifty feet between her and Angel. His shoulder was gripped by a horny hand and he stabbed backwards instinctively and was released. Question time could wait, where were Gunn and Illyria? He had lost sight of them what felt like hours ago. He sprung onto the dead bulk of a Hyrulka demon and caught a flash of blue further down the alley; Illyria had found the violence she had craved and then some.

Angel was down and unconscious before Dawn reached him. He lay under the dead weight of the dragon, partially covered by one leathery wing. As she bent to free him a great cyclonic wind struck and she threw herself next to Angel and hoped the dragon's massive body would prevent them from sucked into the portal. The roar of the wind, the screams of the demons, the rending of metal and the cracking of man made rocks was deafening and she covered her ears and curled into a ball, whimpering with the pain of it. Seconds later there was a profound silence. Or maybe I'm just deaf, Dawn thought as she raised herself up cautiously to study the scene.

There were gaping holes in the buildings on either side of the alley, and a deep hole below the place where the portal must have opened. Demon bodies littered the ground in front of her for a bare thirty feet between her and the newly opened chasm and the few remaining live ones were either wandering aimlessly in shock or lying injured and moaning in pain. They were no longer a threat and could be dealt with later. She looked around, calling anxiously,

"Spike? Spike?"

A movement caught her eye and half a demon toppled aside as Spike forced himself to his feet. He gave her a small wave before bending over and heaving aside more carcasses. She looked up and scanned the roof line and was relieved to see Adanar leaping effortlessly between buildings. He stepped off of the hotel roof and landed lightly at Dawn's side.

"He is dead."

Adanar said in a gentle voice as Dawn dragged Angel free of the dragon.

"No he isn't. Well, yeah he's dead but he's a vampire and they're un-dead. I told you about them, remember?"

"Are they dead but not dead also?"

Dawn looked to where he was indicating; Spike was coming towards them carrying a moaning black man. She told Adanar,

"Spike, the one still on his feet, is a vampire but I'm not sure about .. "

"Gunn's human. More than I can say for your mate, Bit."

"I am Ganaru."

Spike raised an eyebrow,

"Is that your name or did you just sneeze?"

Dawn glared at him as Adanar lifted the limp body of Angel effortlessly.

"Adanar just gave up his only chance to get back to his own home world so we could save your bottle blond butt Spike because I told him you were worth saving!"

"Sorry luv. You know how my mouth runs away from me sometimes. I am grateful; last time I saved the world I got boiled from the inside out and I wasn't mad keen on doing it again."

Adanar smiled,

"Dawn is not noted for either her ability to be quiet or to be tactful. I see I was right to assume it to be a human failing."

Spike grinned,

"Wait till you meet her sister! The Slayer could talk you to death if she set her mind to it!"

Dawn glanced at the sky and suggested,

"Hadn't you better get indoors before you go up in flames, Spike? Sun's coming up. Where's the woman? Wasn't she on your side?"

"Yeah, she was. She wouldn't listen. Wesley's death shook her up and I guess she didn't want to stay in this world without him."

Dawn took half of Gunn's weight as they moved into the half demolished hotel.