I watch her materialize under the street lamp at the mouth of the alley. She looks great. Wonderful, even, looks like the afterlife has been treating her well. Makes me almost wonder why she's even here and what Whistler must've said to her to get her help. But, then again, this is Rose I'm talking about. She really did feel for the boys and it was just in her kind nature to want to help.

Her hair is the same medium length but not blowing in the persistent wind of Seattle's winter night. She's wearing that white summer dress with red roses and vines along the skirt that she loved so much, the same dress she was buried in. It suits her well though.

She spies me deep in the alley and begins to make her way over. Her pretty white sandaled feet don't sink into the snow that has been whipped into this dark corner of the city. When she comes up to my side, she tilts her head and looks around the warehouses, "So, this is where they're hiding?"

I shake my head, "No, they're off away down that way," I nod my head over my shoulder, "underground, like rats."

She glances at me and nods, making a 'lead the way' gesture. We begin to walk deeper into the alley.

After a few long and silent moments, I can't help but start, "So, you're lookin' good darling. How's the afterlife been? They, uh, let you through the Pearly Gates?"

She laughs and shakes her head, "Ah, not exactly, but close enough for me."

"Really? Why not?"

She gives me an incredulous look, "Well, I did offer my soul to a demon," she gives me a look.

"Yeah, well, you only did it to save those little friends of yours and our boys..."

She shrugs, "Yeah, but like I said, it works for me," she smiles softly, "I'm with my brother."

I smile back, "Sounds like a dream, darling."

"What about yourself?"

"Me? Eh, had better days. Tried finding a decent host or two, but I tell you they just don't make girls like the used to," I let out a sigh.

"Oh? Business slow?"

"Not exactly. Can you believe the girl after you actually -summoned- me? Thought I'd make her some sort of pop star!" I can't help a snort at that. Please.

She gives me a little shocked look, "That's a little shallow."

"Yeah, wasn't even worth it. Just completely lost herself nearly instantly. Haven't had a worthy Host since you."

She gives another laugh, "I'm not sure if that should be a compliment. Is that why you're doing all this?" she gestures with her hand to the dark alleys around us.

"Part of the reason. That, and I think what that little red-headed witch did to us did something to me," I pretend to make a disgusted face, "I find myself actually caring a little about that happens to the boys!"

She grins "Me too, look," she places her hand on her chest and I peer at the design she's pointing at, "the seal is even still here. That Whistler guy said it helps allow me to travel to this universe."

I tilt my head curiously, "Hum, that makes some kinda sense I guess."

By now we arrive at out destination. We pause and look at the dark, seemingly abandoned building for a long moment. "So," she says quietly, "this is where the roaches are nesting?"

I nod, understanding the venom in her voice. I don't have the greatest memories about these guys either. Of all the stupid things human have done over the millennia, they had to go and do foolish things like this. Humans used to have a proper and healthy fearful respect for demons and elder things, but they've gotten all uppity over the past few centuries. Think they're the top of the food chain and all.

"You ready for this?"

"Yeah, I mean, I'm dead," she chuckles, "what more could they do to me?"

There is that, granted. "Ok then, just follow my lead. Keep in mind though," I meet her gaze, "this ain't the two-bit op like in Sunnydale. This is the main facility for the West Coast."

She nods and I see her expression that says she's ready for it. So in we go. Being incorporeal can be handy and get us through most of the security, but not all of it.

I've seen some pretty nasty shit over my long years, but even the stuff we pass makes me cringe some. Rose is a little jumpy by the time we reach as far as we can go.

We're at the end of a long white corridor where there is only one guard. He looks bored. "Right, this is the tough part, darling. In order to get the cage open we're gonna need to get this tin soldier to let us through the next few check points and take his key card. You up for it?"

She gives me a definitive nod. We reach out to each other and I place a hand on the seal on her chest and she places her hand on mine. I feel a brief moment of vertigo as we kinda melt into each other. It's pretty trippy.

The guard starts a little, reaching for his side arm. I/we smile at him but its pretty obvious he can't quite see us/me/her but he's pretty wigged out. "Hey there sweet thing, give us a kiss?" I/we grin at the terror that crosses over his face.

I/we time is perfectly so we/me/her don't run into any other guards. I/we make our way through several more corridors before reaching our goal. There you are my poor sweet pup. The, big, black wolf prowls restlessly in her glass cage, growling and twitching and snapping. "Don't worry, darling, we're here to set you free," I/we say as we swipe the stolen keycard and step aside as she leaps out.

As the alarms sound off and soldiers and doctors pour into the corridors, I/we hang back and watch the bloody mayhem. I/we follow the big bad wolf as she rips apart her captors. I/we swipe the keycard when necessary. I/we aren't needed for much else, until I/we pass a room full of computers. I/we look over the terminals and say thoughtfully, "This looks important," and promptly smash various spots until the monitors supply me/us the images of all the cages opening and their occupants joining in the fun.

"I'm glad I don't have to eat," Rose said once we separated again, "that was seriously trippy!"

I laugh, "Yeah, felt a little dizzy myself for a moment, but it gets the job done."

"And just what job, by the way? Don't get me wrong, I don't mind flushing out the vermin," she gestures to the now very gory labyrinth that had been this branch of the Initiative, "but why'd you go right for that big wolf?"

I feel my wicked grin spread, "You'll see! That girl's gonna help bring down the cages!"

She smirks (ha, a trick she learned from my Will!) "Oh that was revealing!"

I sling an arm around her shoulder, "Don't worry darling, just trust me. This is gonna be quite the show!"

She gives me another look, "And what do the Powers think of your idea of a show?"

I blink at her. She blinks back. Her lips twitch and I snort and then we're both laughing like maniacs. The Kleptsh demon still lingering down in the Pit looks up at us before running off. Skittish little things, probably because they can actually see us.

"Fuck the Powers," I finally manage once we finish our laughing fit.

She chuckles again, "You sound like a hippy or something, fight the power!"

"Hey, at least they know how to party. It was funny scaring the shit out of them when they were high though."

She shakes her head, but is still smiling. "So, as much as I've liked catching up, is there anything else you need help with?"

I consider for a moment, but shake my head. "No, I just gotta shepherd home the big bad wolf and start the ball rolling with that," I give her a considering glance, "what about you? What next?"

She swings her legs a little and hops down from the ledge we were occupying, "I dunno, maybe I should stick around for a little while? Maybe check in on Xan and Spike..."

"Oh, Rose, darling you are something else. You could easily go back to a nice little afterlife gig and you'd rather go stalk your ex from another dimension and the vamp he dumped you for?"

She grins, "Hey, what can I say?" her face falls a little, "I wasn't very happy when Whistler told me how they got screwed. It was wrong and they deserve better," she finished quietly.

I jump off the ledge too and shake my head, "softy," I tease.

The smile returns, "Oh? And what does that make you?"

"Probably senile," I offer and inspect my nails nonchalantly.

She giggles, "Defiantly. Well, I'm sure we'll be seeing each other around, babysitting and all." She gives me a little wave and disappears.

"Seeya!" Now, where did the wolf-girl run off too?