An: thanks to all those who r and r. I love you guys! its been along time since I updated this story and I'm very sorry for it. There's all sorts of reason behind it, but mostly I moved and started college.

Part 10.

Willow stared at Spike. Her mind running frantically. It had been a hard night. First her date with Tara got interrupted at a very delicate moment as they were pulled through a portal and taken all the way across the country. Then there was the whole arriving naked and somewhat busy thing. To top it all off, Dawn had some how been fused into a single entity with this Rogue girl. If that wasn't bad enough, Spike was being logical, extremely so. He was even happily researching about 4 books, at the same time. Her head hurt.

"I'm sorry." She said finally. "Can you repeat that once more time?" Spike sighed.

"Its only been three months Red. Get your brain in gear." he snapped. "Now it works like this. Mendleevs theory of time magnetism states that when two charged objects are brought together they will react, the object with the stronger charge will take over both objects. Now if the objects have the same amount of power, or a third angle becomes involved such as time, or in this case the objects are a vacuum and a never ending power supply, the two objects will fuse together. Even after they are taken apart, they will share the same characteristics." Spike tapped the one book he was reading from and Willow cut him off.

"So we can't change them back?" She asked desperately.

"Not to exactly how they were before." Spike admitted grudgingly. "But I do know how to get them back to their old selves. Mostly." 

"Well that's wicked." Faith said, rounding the corner of the study. "good job Blondie." Spike glared at her and stuck out his tongue.

"How's story time going?" Spike asked with a smirk.

"Got cut off," Faith said, rolling her eyes. "Scott's equally bitchy telepathic fiancee said it was upsetting the children.   Then she kicked me out of the library. Fred grabbed a few of the ones I didn't get a chance to talk to and took them for a walk in the garden. The rest of 'em will hear it by word of mouth, and eventually they'll head to the sources."  She stretched and sighed. "I figured I'd see how ya'll were doing then head to bed."

"You haven't been to bed yet?" Willow asked, concern shading her voice.

"And here I thought you still hated me Red." Faith purred, she winked at Spike then shook her head. "Had more important things to do. I talked to almost 30 kids."

"Speaking of the kids, shouldn't they be in classes or something?" Spike tossed in to keep Willow from stammering an answer to Faith.

"The Prof let them have the day off. Half their teachers are busy with us and this little situation." Faith explained, heading back around the corner.  "But now I'm going to bed." Willow waved goodbye to Faith and turned her attention to Spike.

"So how do we put them back to the way they were?" She asked, leaning over the book.

"Well this Mendeleev figured that if you set the two objects together in contact again, and brought that third source back into the equation, you could stop time for a moment, but more importantly you could separate the two objects back into their core beings." Spike said, running his finger along the passage. "Now from what I saw, that nasty Rack bastard was using raw dark magic. Its like a drug, heightens the senses,   makes everything more real." He sighed. "But its dangerous, its heightens magic by amazing amounts. From what I've heard its like sex, an electric connection of sharing and taking and giving that is unlike anything.  The moment Rack got taken out of the equation, the magic had nowhere to go, no purpose.  Then Dawn used it to open that portal, and part of it became a part of her. Then, she touched Rogue and when the two fused, the dark magic became part of Rogue too. " Spike paused. "this is where it gets really complicated. Because bits the key, the magic enabled her to start using herself. Dawns now a genuine portal maker. Because Rogue and Dawn are basically the same, she can also open portals, using the bit of key-ness she stole. They have the same memories, and until they're separated, they'll be the same person, not Dawn, not Rogue, but both."

"Will we need Rack to get that spell?" Willow asked, her eyes dark with worry. 

"Have you paid no attention to anything you've heard about Giles's 'Ripper' days?" came Wesley's voice from the doorway. Willow shook her head, and Spike raised an eyebrow.

"That part of Giles is kind of creepy." Willow said firmly.  Spike snorted.

"Leave it to you to make it that simple Red." Spike shot. "The Ripper thing was something I missed out on."

"When Giles was..." Wesley paused, carefully choosing his words, "rebelling at his father and the council, he and his friends got wrapped up with a magic dealer. Giles killed the man, when the dealer murdered a female friend of his. Before Giles killed him, Giles sucked him dry, stole his magic's, his memories and his knowledge." Willow blinked, while Spike grinned.

"Knew I liked him." the vampire mused. "So basically, Giles can do this spell?" He turned and grinned at Willow. "We've got just the thing to bring him here." She smiled.

"So now we go and talk to the Professor." Willow agreed. Spike shook his head.

"No thanks." He said, "I'm going to go find Ororo, she promised she'd make it rain for me."

"You can see rain anytime Spike!" Wesley said. Spike shook his head.

"Not in a greenhouse with treated windows. No harmful me bursting into flame." Spike smiled.  "Apparently, one of the kids here is allergic to sunlight, and can make plants grow with out the sun. They got the little girl her own greenhouse with clear windows so she can see the sun. Angel watched the sun rise this morning. I want a sun shower." He stood  and practically skipped from the room

"He's a good man." Wesley said after a moment. Willow looked at him in disbelief.  "I have changed, you know." Wesley muttered dryly. "Its been some time since you saw me last." Willow blushed and looked down, closing the book in front of her.

"Sorry." She murmured. "So how about I go talk to the professor, and you call Giles?" Willow stood and stretched.

"I can do that." Wesley said smiling softly as Willow strode out of the room. Willow had grown up quite a bit since he'd spoken to her last. The last time he'd seen her, she'd come to inform them of Buffys death. There'd been no time for talking. Willow had to go back to Sunnydale to help with Dawn. "Everything changes."  He sighed softly, wandering off to find a phone.

~~~~

"I don't like this." Jean snapped at Scott. "Its unnatural." She waved one had at the closed door of examination room one. "There is a dead person in there with the girls." She stopped to shoot Scott a glare, "And he is still walking around!" Scott sighed, he was not in a good mood.

 "Who are you to say what's natural or not Jean?" He asked gently. "We're mutants."

"That's just evolution!" Jean snapped at him, beginning to pace back and forth. "Dead people should stay buried. Not rise up and kill people." She stopped whirling to face him and poked him in his chest. "This is your fault." She announced.  "Your cousin brought these things here. I want you to deal with it Scott. " She turned again and stomped out of the clinic. Scott placed his head in his hands. This wasn't fair.

End part 10