Disclaimer: I do not own Buffy the Vampire Slayer or any of its characters. In fact the only thing I lay claim to is my OC Valentina and her family.

""- Talking

Italics- sarcasm

(Thinking)

Chapter 4

There were tons of psychic shops and booths along with some self-proclaimed witches. Hopefully we would be able to get some kind of lead as to why Buffy was here or at least how she got here, along with how to get her home. There was a comfortable silence between us as we enjoyed the breeze and music. I pulled into the first available spot that I saw, and we began our boardwalk journey.

As we made our way down the boardwalk dozens of people came up to us selling purses, watches, clothing, dreams; you name it they had it. We had to have been walking for nearly an hour when we hit the gold mine. There had to be at least twenty people claiming to have the sight. I turned to look at Buffy with a raised brow. "I'm starting to think we'll be paying a pretty penny before we get anywhere." "Let's just go visit them all briefly, and feel them out. Maybe we can figure weed out the fakes before emptying out our wallets." We split up and each took up a side of the boardwalk to quicken our search. Several of the men and women lining the walkway were easy to spy as frauds. I had spoken with a couple people that seemed promising but I was going to wait until I spoke with Buffy. (Best to talk out a plan before jumping the gun.)

I had gone past a few more booths when a hand grabbed my wrist. "You do not belong here young one. You're meant to travel great distances through time and even space." My head whipped around as I starred at a woman with what looked like sightless eyes. They were as white as snow and surrounded by small wrinkles that told of her joys and sorrows. "Excuse me?" She let go of my wrist as I turned to fully face her. "You heard me dear. As clear as a bell, and you know what I speak of." "Can you see the future?" "I see a bit of everything dear. Glimpses of the past, present, and future. Sometimes I can see across into other worlds you could call it." "Um, would you be willing to speak with myself and a friend in private? I think you might be able to shed some light on our current predicament." "Of course dear, you fetch Buffy and the two of you can meet me back here. Then we can go get some tea perhaps." "That sounds wonderful. What is your name?" "My name is Rei dear, and you're Valentina." Somehow I knew she could tell I was smiling at her. "I'll be back shortly."

I raced ahead as fast as my feet could carry me looking for Buffy. About a quarter of a mile further I found talking with a young man. "You see a tall dark and handsome man in my future? How bout that there's one in my past too." I laughed as the man grumbled something under his breath. "Buffy!" She turned and frowned at me. "Please say you've had some kind of luck today, because I have had zilch, nada, zero." I just grabbed her hand while grinning and started to pull her the way I had come. "I think I've had quite a bit of luck Buff. I didn't even find her. She found me!" "Wait a minute how do you know she didn't hear us talking somehow." "Buffy she's blind, I doubt she goes too far from the boardwalk or home. All she said to me was 'you don't belong here, you're meant to travel great distances through time and even space.'" "Well then, I suppose you win."

We finally made it back to Rei, and she greeted us before we uttered a word. "Hello girls. I suppose we should get going?" "If you don't mind." "Not at all dear. It's been quite a while since I've had a just cause." Rei stood up slowly and started to lead the way. "There is a nice little café down the way a bit where we can have some privacy girls." We followed the older woman, and crossed our fingers that we would be getting some much needed answers.

We finally made it to the small café and found a table way off in the back completely secluded from all the other patrons. After receiving our drinks and properly introducing ourselves we dove into our little problem. Rei looked at Buffy and smiled gently. "Buffy dear let me see your hand." With the same smile on her face she turned to me. "I'll be needing your hand as well Valentina." We each gave here one of our hands and watched as her eyes closed in concentration. Anxiously we waited watching her eyes moving back and forth under her lids as her breathing quickened ever so slightly. "Two parts, one whole. Nearly the same with separate souls. They wish together, their minds linked. They will come together as they speak in sync." Rei released my hand only to grip Buffy's other. "You are the link between all. The thread that keeps them all together. You are meant for great things Buffy Summers, but not here. You're time here is precious. The memories you make will be with you forever. Fear not Slayer you will return to your world."

I put my hands over Buffy's in a comforting manner just in time for Rei to grasp both of mine instead. "You Valentina Grey are a gem lost in a field of flowers. You have hidden power you have yet to tap into. A potential born in another world. Once activated you're world will change again but for the poorer or better I know not." She grasped both of our hands once again and smiled softly. "You girls are linked like none other. You share a bond that nothing can break. You are two and yet one." Buffy and I gripped each other's hands as Rei released up and opened her eyes. "Well you darlings look like you've seen a ghost!" I shook my head in shock. "You don't remember anything?" "Oh, bits and pieces it was all rather jumbled. I've learned that it comes in like the static in a radio and comes out completely coherent for those listening in." "Oh." "Did you learn anything of use?" Buffy and I relayed everything she had told us during her out of body experience as she calls it.

Buffy and I sat there staring at Rei expectantly; hoping that she would give us a magical non-gibberish explanation to what we had just heard. "Uhhhh, so… any idea what this all means?" Rei just continued to sip her tea. (Uh, okay? Gotta say this is a little odd.) I looked at Buffy and could tell she must have been having similar thoughts. After what felt like forever Rei finally put her empty cup on the table and looked and each of us. "Well let's see if we can shed a bit of light on our mystery words shall we?" "Yes!" The word burst out of both of our mouths before Rei could finish her sentence. "Where would you two like to start?"

"How about why and how I got here?" "I believe it's more how and not necessarily a why." "What do you mean?" "I believe your lives and souls are intertwined in such a way you can call upon one another. If your minds are completely in sync you can bring one to the other." "But how would it work? We didn't even know the other existed!" (Could my wish have done this?) "When did you first arrive? Perhaps if we have all the details for when we can at least figure out the how."

I decided to go first. "It was on my birthday. I had been driving home from my party when I found Buffy laying on the sidewalk unconscious about fifteen minutes from my house." Rei turned her head towards Buffy. "And you dear?" "I had been in LA visiting my dad. I didn't want to be there. I wanted to be anywhere else." "There has to be something else; you're minds are linked. What did you wish for that day?" Our next answer verbalized just how much we needed each other. "I made a wish that night. Just as I blew out my candles I wished to meet my idol." I paused to look at Buffy with regret. "I wished she was real and in my world." Buffy's eyes widened in realization. "And I wished to be anywhere else in the universe with someone I could talk to and have no worries."

Rei just sat there and smiled. "You two are something special, something unique." "As great as that is we still don't understand the how or why." "Don't you see? You needed one another, if only to know the other existed. To know there is someone you can trust completely, that will never judge or abandon you. The moment you each made your wish you were completely in sync, and that is what allowed Buffy to come into our world." Buffy and I smiled at each other. "You're sisters across time, and you're wishes are what brought you together."

As happy as I was to get some closure on our questions another question invaded my mind. "Ok, so I get how she came here and all but why is she on tv?" "That dear Val is a mystery I cannot solve for you. Perhaps fate wishes to somehow chronicle the journey of another world's hero, one that may have the influence to change our world." I just nodded and sat back to listen as Buffy started in with her own questioning. "So since we know how I got here; does that mean it's the same for how I get back home?" "Essentially yes. The two of you merely need to sync your minds as one again. You must want the same thing, and your focus can be on nothing else but returning home." "Would we need anything else?" "No, but it wouldn't hurt to wait until the next full moon. It will lend you strength in your endeavors."

Buffy and I each sat back and just absorbed the information that was tossed at us. (Two and the same? How can that be when we aren't even from the same world?)

The sun was slowly starting to set when Buffy and I decided to walk Rei back to her booth. We exchanged contact information, and then proceeded to help her get packed up. As a way to say thank you Buffy and I carried Rei's things and escorted her home. Once we put her things away we said our goodbyes and headed back to the boardwalk.

As we walked amongst the shrinking crowds of people I glanced at Buffy. "Hey Buff?" "Yeah Val?" "You know there's a full moon coming up in a couple weeks right?" "I know." "Do you want to go back?" Buffy paused and I could see the frown forming on her face as she stared out at the ocean." "I dunno, I mean yes I want to go home but… I'm not sure if I want to go just yet." She turned to smile at me. "Maybe I'll stick around a bit longer." "I'll miss you when you leave." "I'll miss you too Val. You're like a sister to me, and Vinny is like a little brother haha." "Before you leave though I want you to tell me about everyone back home." Buffy smiled and nodded. "Okay, and before I leave I want us to visit every mall, beach, and club!" I stuck my pinky out. "Pinky swear, anywhere you wanna go we'll go." Once it had officially become nightfall we went back to the car and headed home.

On our way back I decided to take a detour and have a bit of fun. "So, Buffy feel like having some fun?" I could hear the grin in her voice when she answered. "Of course!" "Perfect!" I took a few dead ends until going down the right side road to find our place of interest. As we neared the club I was searching for I glanced over to Buffy and saw her smile grinning across her face. The bass was so loud I could feel it thrumming through my car the closer we got." "Whooo! You ready to party!" "Whooooo!" At the next light I turned and spotted the welcoming green glow of the Rainforest. I could feel the inquisitive stare of my passenger as I parked and got out of the car. "Come on Buffy you'll love it!" She slowly got out of the car. "Rainforest? Come on Val; I was so excited." "Ok so it may sound a bit hippyish, however they play awesome music, they're constantly packed, and lots of dancing. There's people of all ages here, and the best part is they have plants all over the place and vines you can swing from!" Buffy shook her head at me as I bounced around in excitement. "Alright, come on."

As we made our way inside the club I heard Buffy gasp. "Oh wow!" "I told you!" "Val, this place is amazing! It's beautiful!" "I know; now let's go boogie." We ran into the masses hollering our happiness for all of LA to hear. (I promise Buffy; it will be all fun and normalcy until you go home.) I could feel beads of sweat beginning to form the closer to the group center we got. Buffy was starting to loosen up more and more as the night went on. An hour of dancing and several partners later we went after drinks. (Gotta keep the fluids up.) We couldn't stop bouncing as we waited for our drinks. "This is so much fun!" "I know!" "You gotta go?" "No haha I said I know!" I saw Buffy's eyes widen. "Oh!" The bartender gave us our drinks and we went over to a table near the back to people watch. "I feel like I haven't been this normal in forever!" "Glad I could help." We just stood there for a few minutes in silence. "Buffy?" "Yeah?" "What do you think will happen when you go back home?" "Everything will go back to normal I'm sure, or as normal as it can get anyway. What do you think will happen here?" "Nothing haha which is normal for me. It will be weird though not having you here." "Maybe I can come back. Rei did say as long as we're in sync we should be able to get to each other." "Hmmmm we'll have to think on that later; for now we dance!"