Chapter 1

Buffy woke with a start. She looked desperately in the darkness. A horrible beeping sound was hurting her ears. She than looked at the source. Her wake up radio alarm. It marked four AM. She sat up on her bed and turned it off. She cleared her eyes and headed towards the bathroom. A sound of running water could be heard. A gurgle followed. She than came out and headed towards her left. She looked through the main window of her L.A. apartment and watched on. She could feel two demons watching her. They were on top of the fourth floor building in front of her. She smiled and waved at the zone the energy came from. I am right here, she thought to herself. The blonde slayer looked behind her. She moved to the middle of the room and started to pull her glass coffee table towards the window. As soon as it was in place, she slowly sat on top of it. The glass creaked in response to the weight punishment. Buffy carefully crossed her legs on top of the glass. She looked around her. Nothing. She than looked out to the world. The evil energy still stood on the same zone. It wasn't a great evil. It was just a simple gust of wind in comparison to others the slayer had faced. She closed her eyes slowly. "Concentrate", she whispered to herself.

Two low life vampires looked at the slayer from their roof top position. "What is she doing?", vamp one asked as the blonde girl sat on the glass table.

"You got me", vamp two said. "But she knows we are here. Let's get out of here".

"What?", the first vampire asked. "You afraid of heights".

"No", vamp two said. "It's just that this girl shows up here after the Sunnydale thing".

"Look", vamp one said. "Sunnydale's spot was sealed of by a lucky girl who died in the process. No losses there".

"No man", vamp two said. "That isn't what I heard at all. I heard the slayer destroyed it and has come here".

"The slayer?", vamp one asked with a laugh. "Come on. Give me a break. She is dead. Dead".

"I heard of her powers", vamp two said. "She needs not to stake us anymore".

"No slayer has done that", vamp one said. "Specially dead ones. Listen to me. Slayers can just kiss my lazy ass for all I care".

"You shouldn't have made all that noise about our plans in the bar man". Vamp two said looking around. "Not only you can alert a potential slayer. You could alert that bastard of a vampire".

"What the hell is wrong with you?", Vamp one asked. "First afraid of little girl. Than Angelus comes up. Listen to me. If you keep up with this stuff I will slap you silly".

"Wait", vamp two interrupted as he looked at the window. "What is she doing?"

Both stared in awe at the scene. The young girl who sat on the table looked different. She seemed to be making an effort to do something. Suddenly, her body slowly started to glow. A soft orange glow. Both demons had no idea where the light came from. It seem to come from her body within. She slowly opened her eyes. They were red as fire. Both vampires turned back in fear just to see a shadow in front of them. They trembled as the shadow approached them. Another being seemed to stand back.

"You are not scared are you?", the shadows asked.

Faith opened her eyes and looked at her surroundings. She was in a desert. A vast waste land of dead. The sand curled up between her toes. She stood up from the ground and observed the sky. It was clear blue. The sun pounded down on her. Yet, it did not burn. She slowly walked the sand towards a lonely cactus in the plains. A human figure stood there. Just as she, admired the vast loneliness of the place. As Faith neared the desert plant, she was not surprised to find Buffy looking back at her. "Nice place you picked", Faith said referring to the desert. "There is a lot of space".

"I know", Buffy said admiring the peace and beauty of her surroundings. "It just gets to me".

"I understand", Faith said as she turned around and looked at a figure approaching them. It was a young girl. No more than twenty two years old. Her black hair, reached her shoulders in a stylish way.

"I hate this place", the newcomer said to both slayers. "I am always last to arrive".

"To big for you, 'M' ?", Faith asked referring to the new comer. "I thought you liked big stuff"

"Very funny", Mary retorted to the brunette. "I am doing other stuff and I can't get to this spiritual plain as fast as you guys"

"And what's that your working on?", Buffy asked.

"Nothing concerning you", Mary responded calmly. "But when the time comes….you two will be the first to know".

"I am not going to push", Buffy said to herself without her lips moving. She than realized her thoughts has been heard. She groaned in frustration.

"Keep the control", Mary said at both slayers. "It is different here. All your thoughts are exposed. Remember that".

Faith just smiled at herself. She had it all worked out. That is when Buffy and Mary looked at her at the same time. "We can still hear you", both said in unison. Faith's smiled disappeared at the comment. "Control what?", Faith asked starting to get frustrated. "Why don't we just let it all out".

"Weren't you here the first time?", Buffy asked remembering the first time all three were mentally connected. She felt sick only by thinking about it. "I got nauseous".

"That is not my problem", Mary agreed. "Mine is when we get out of this plain".

All three girls nodded in agreement.

"What do you think they are talking about?", Angel asked his vampire friend as he looked at the window in front of him. Buffy was floating above the table about a foot apart.

"About us", Nikon answered as he watched the blonde slayer. "Just as they always do. You know women".

Angel paced the roof always looking at the window. He walked carefully avoiding the knocked out vampires on the roof floor. The sun was about to come up. Yet, there they were…waiting.

"Look at you", Nikon said. "All rallied up over this girl. I thought you said you had stayed friends. And you are here like some poor stalker". Angel looked at his friend in a strange way. "Oh I see", Nikon continued. "You like to torture yourself and watch what you can't have".

Angel paced the roof top a little more agitated now. The truth bore down on him hard. "How is she?", Angel asked. It was a sad question. A sad of longing.

"Kat?", Nikon asked. The image of the 5 year old girl came into view. He could not imagine Angel's pain. The idea of having a daughter protected by the Powers that Be… and not have the chance to see her. Destiny was cruel. "Mary says she is ok", Nikon answered carefully. "She knows how to speak, read and write in English, Spanish, Italian, French and Latin".

"Latin", Angel echoed. "Tough language".

"I know", Nikon answered. "It took me a while to learn it".

"When am I going to see her?", Angel asked sadly. "Does she know me? Does she know Buffy?"

"She knows about you", Nikon said with the image of the blonde slayer in his mind now. "She is just as scared as you are. The only human contact she has is Mary. She has seen no one else but a white light that is with her every night".

"I want to see her", Angel said as he looked on at the window.

"You can't", Nikon said. "It is not the right time. Wait some more. You will be gratified. Just like I will be. We will all be".

"Wait for what?", Angel challenged. "She is five now. If I keep on waiting I will meet her when she is 18. What am I supposed to do".

"Angel", Nikon reassured his friend. "Trust me. I know these beings better than anyone else. You will be rewarded. You have suffered long enough. The time is near".

Angel was about to say something when a ringing sound was heard. He picked up his cell phone and answered. "Wesley?", Angel asked. "What happened?….I am on my way"

"What?", Nikon asked. "What's wrong?"

"Cordelia", Angel answered as he opened the roof hatchet. "Something is wrong. Come on"

"What about these guys?", Nikon asked pointing at two demons.

"The sun will do our job", Angel said. "Come on".