Chapter 11
(Dream Scape)
Logan frowned as he found himself suddenly in a brightly lit space. Sensing a presence behind him he turned to find the young teenager whose body he had been in possession of. The kid looked partly confused and partly amazed as they stared at one another. Logan wondered if he knew what had been going on for the last few hours.
Xander could hardly believe he was actually meeting a bonified hero, mutant or not, the whole experience for him had been strange. He had seen everything that was going on, but couldn't control his body, or interact with Wolverine while he was in control of his body. The most disturbing and if he was honest arousing thing had been the threesome between him, Phoenix and Psylocke even if it had been his, Jenny's and Cordelia's bodies. Never in his life did he ever expect such a thing to happen, what he was most angered about was there had been no choice for any of them because that bitch Madison had cast a damn lust spell on them. Jenny and Cordelia were going to be pissed, Cordelia even more so if she was a virgin and he believed she had been. He was fearful of how this would change things once everything went back to normal. What the hell was he going to say to them?
"You okay kid?" Logan's voice broke him from his thoughts. "Do you have any idea what's been going on?" he asked.
"Oh yeah I know," Xander responded with a nod of his head. "I saw everything that happened, but I couldn't do anything to alter it. I screamed into my mind, but you couldn't hear me," he added as Logan winced at his answer.
"I'm sorry kid, I've probably made your life ten times harder by not being able to resist that damn spell," Logan apologized, not something he usually did but in this case he felt he owed it as this kid was innocent.
"Catherine Madison is insane, but she is powerful, we barely beat her the last time," Xander told him with a shrug of his shoulder, not really wanting to discuss the lust spell and its consequences. "As for the rest of it, I'll deal with it as best as I can," he said as confidently as he could.
Logan could sense that the kid didn't want to discuss the spell or its after affects, he couldn't blame him either. "So what do you think about the idea of being given my skills and more importantly my mutant powers?" he finally asked, deciding to get down to business.
Xander crossed his hands over his chest as he thought over everything that had been said by Whistler and his unknown friend, it sounded like everything he had thought about the war was way off base. It also sounded like things were changing. He had always wished he had a power or gift to help Buffy and the others when on patrol. Now he was been offered that very thing, but also he knew that Wolverine's healing ability was a double edged sword, Wolverine had been alive even longer than he even knew. He had seen a dozen friends and lovers die while he always remained the same. 'Did he want to have that kind of life?' he asked himself. In the end it came down to a single choice, and he wanted to be able to offer everything he could to the fight.
"I agree, if I'm to really help in this war I need skills that can help the others," Xander told him finally. "I need to be someone they can count on, I need to be able to help them fight so I will take what is offered and I will deal with any of the downsides of your powers as they come," he stated as confidently as he could. "I have friends to help me," he added.
Logan just nodded in response seeing the kid was serious. He wanted to fight in the war against the demons and vampires. He was committed, that Logan could see from the look in his eyes. "If you need help or training just give me a call," he told him as he put his hand out and waited for a second before Xander reached out and shook it. Before either could say a word, the white light flashed over them and Logan found himself back in the shop with the others.
"Logan, are you okay?" Betsy inquired moving a little closer to her friend.
"I'm fine Betsy," Logan assured her with a quick smirk in her direction. "Nice trip," he added, turning back to the unknown man who just nodded in return before moving to Jean and repeating the process.
+HX+
(Dream Scape)
Jean blinked as she found herself elsewhere. Taking a look around it didn't take her long to see someone standing off to the side watching her. She was dressed exactly like she was except she had black hair. Smiling she quickly realized this was her host. Her smile faulted a little as she wondered just how much of tonight had her host been aware of, events had become complicated thanks to that witch and her lust spell. Was her host aware her body had been used in a threesome without her consent? The consequences of that event for her host and her friends could be damaging to their friendship.
Jenny was, to be frank, amazed to be staring at Jean Grey, alive and in person. A mutant hero and a legend along with her allies in the X-Men, hell the night she had witnessed while stuck in her own mind had been surreal to say the least. Of course the main bone of contention was the lust spell and its consequences, which she knew could have far reaching affects for her, Cordelia and Xander. If either she or Cordelia ended up pregnant then it would cause even more problem, and could spell the end of their friendships. It was a mess, but she couldn't focus on that right now, that can of worms would have to be dealt with later once the spell was broken.
"Hello," Jenny finally said. "It's nice to meet you," she added as she moved closer.
"Likewise," Jean responded with a smile before deciding she had to ask the question that had been bugging her now they were face to face. "I have to ask, have you been aware the whole time I've been in possession of your body?" she inquired.
"Yes I have and more than likely so were the others," Jenny answered with a sigh, worried by what would happen when the spell ended. "I know it was out of your hands Jean, but that lust spell is going to make matters difficult between Xander, Cordelia and me," she admitted.
"I'm sorry," Jean said and she meant it. "We didn't mean to make this difficult for you. I should have been faster in realizing she was a threat," she added with a frown.
"Sometimes even the best skilled and experienced person can be beaten to the draw. It wasn't your fault and I'm sure the consequences of that action will not be too harsh for me and my friends," Jenny responded as confidently as she could.
Jean smiled as she could sense the unease in her host, but she could appreciate the brave front she was putting up.
"I guess we should discuss what we are here to talk about, shouldn't we?" Jenny said after a few seconds, deciding to change the subject before it got any more uncomfortable.
"You are correct," Jean agreed. "You are aware taking on my powers and skills will not be a simple walk in the park?" she warned her host. "I'm Phoenix, and I'm still learning just what that means," she added.
"I know and it means I will probably go through the same trials as you did, well clearly not the same ones but similar," Jenny agreed with a nod of her head.
"Not only that, but you will mostly likely be resurrected if you are killed like I have been. You will live a very long time," Jean warned wanting her host to be aware of just how much a strain of being Phoenix could be. "You will watch all your friends and loved ones die," she warned her with deep sorrow etched in her tone.
"All but one," Jenny whispered in reply, just loud enough for Jean to hear her.
Jean heard her and paused as she realized who she meant, a fond smile passed over her. Thanks to Logan's healing ability she knew he would still be with her even after a dozen years had passed, it was a comforting thought. And if Logan's host chose to accept his mutant powers then he too would have Logan's talent for fighting the passage of time.
"Yes, all but one," Jean agreed. "So what is your choice Janna?" she asked, deciding they had best move this along. They would have plenty of time to talk once this spell was broken and if she returned to the Earth Plane.
Jenny blinked when she realized Jean knew the truth about her, including her real name.
'Yes I know Janna, and you will have to tell the others the truth in time,' Jean's projected into her mind.
Jenny looked away knowing she was right, but she was fearful of the reaction to the truth. "I will take what is been offered as it will help us survive what is to come. I know that so far we've been lucky," Jenny answered after a few seconds, deciding to put the truth about her real reason for being in Sunnydale aside for now, there would be plenty of time for it to be dealt with. "Things will get worse, the more abilities we can call on the better the chance of surviving will be," she added to which Jean nodded in agreement before they were bathed in a white light and Jean was suddenly back with the others and Jenny was gone for now.
"You back with us Red?" Logan asked from behind her, but she didn't jump as she had already sensed him.
"Yes Logan I'm back," Jean answered with a soft smile, intended just for him.
Abigail had been watching from the middle of the group and she decided she wanted to go next, she wanted answers from her host about the vampire she had killed. Thus she shot forward before Metatron could reach Betsy; the look on her face said it all. Metatron just took her move in stride and repeated the process once more.
Betsy glanced at the short blond in a little irritation before shrugging and waiting her term.
+HX+
(Dream Scape)
Abigail only had a fraction of a second to react as she saw something come at her from the corner of her eye, ducking she missed having her head taken off from a lethal kick. Turning she found her host moving to follow up her attack, the look in her eyes deadly. This more than answered the question concerning the vampire, which just made her all the more sick that her host could be so damn foolish as to trust a vampire.
"You bitch," Buffy screamed as she tried to kill the woman who had used her body to stake Angel. She had watched in complete horror as Abigail first kneed Angel in the privates and then followed it up with an arrow to his heart. She had watched as he turned to dust screaming within her mind and wishing it was just a nightmare. But she knew it was very real, her lover was dead and this bitch before her had made it happen.
"Calm down you silly girl," Abigail spat as she dived out of the way of another kick. "You are trying to kill me for doing what had to be done, vampires can't be trusted or fallen in love with," she raged in response. "They are not pets, they are killers, plain and simple," she pointed out as the girl prepared to strike again. "They kill, rape, pillage and destroy lives," she snarled as all her hatred for vampires came forth.
"Angel was different, he had a soul," Buffy growled as she tried to find the perfect way to attack.
"You poor deluded spoilt idiot," Abigail shot back, unable to believe she had actually said that. "You think having a soul makes one good and noble? You think it stops you from being able to do evil?" she demanded of her host. "Have you not noticed all the wars going on? The murders, rapes and other evils that go on in everyday life?" she continued to hammer her question with intent. "Having a soul doesn't stop one from doing evil, and a vampire is still a corpse," she raged, unable to believe her host was so stupid. "The person they were died a long time ago, the body is ice cold to the touch and the blood lust always leads them to kill and feed," she continued. "No matter if your vampire had fought it for a while, in the end he'd lose the battle and try and feed on you, but you have deluded yourself into thinking he is like any other human," she went on. "Well you are dead wrong on all fronts, so get over it and forget him," she finished with a glare.
Buffy glared back at her coldly, she hated this woman for what she had done to her and Angel, and she had killed him and stolen what they had. She was alone now with no one to lean on, no one who understood the pressure and horror of what being the Slayer was like. But try as she might, she couldn't ignore some of what Abigail had just said. She hated each and every word out of her mouth, but the truth in those words struck her hard. Gritting her teeth, she felt the urge to attack again, but the fight seemed pointless now. Angel was dead, and this woman would soon be gone. Plus there was no telling if this meeting was happening in the real world, or just in their minds. Dropping her hands she backed off, the rage was there but she brought it under control.
"Finally seeing some sense?" Abigail inquired somewhat sarcastically.
"Angel was different, you killed him and for that I will never forgive you," Buffy responded.
"Different only until the blood lust won out, or that supposed soul of his went bye bye," Abigail argued straight back, wondering if anything would get through her thick skull about this. "You are supposed to be a Slayer, you kill vampires you don't fall in love with them under any circumstances," she told her. "By doing what you did, you risked not only your life, but your friends and your families' lives as well," she stated with complete certainty. "Tell me if it came down to a choice between your vampire and your human friends, who would you chose?" she asked, deciding to go in for the kill.
Buffy could only stare at Abigail as she tried to work out the answer to that question, from the look in the other's eyes she had already failed to answer correctly.
"I've made my point, now will you accept the offer or not?" Abigail asked deciding there wasn't anything else to say on the matter.
"Fine I'll take your damn skills, I just want you gone," Buffy spat in response, crossing her arms over her chest and turning away from Abigail as a white light washed over them both. When Abigail blinked her eyes cleared she found herself back in the shop and surrounded by the others. It had been a heated conversation to be sure. She just hoped her host would never be so foolish again.
"You okay Abigail?" Snake inquired who for some reason felt protective of the short blond.
"Yeah, just hoping I got through to her," Abigail responded as Metatron moved onto Betsy and repeated his process once more.
"We can only hope," Whistler whispered to no one in particular.
+HX+
(Dream Scape)
Betsy frowned as she looked around and finding herself suddenly elsewhere, but she quickly realized she wasn't alone. Turning she found herself face to face with her host who seemed to be debating whether to be glaring at her, or to be cordial. Guessing the route of her host's problem, she really didn't know what to say to her. 'How could you explain having your body used in an unplanned threesome anyway?' she asked herself. Granted it wasn't her fault or anyone else's except the witch who had cast the lust spell on them in the first place, but that would be cold comfort for her host, especially as she had been a virgin and had been saving herself for someone she loved.
"I'm sorry," Betsy began to say, but Cordelia cut her off.
"It's not your fault. It's that witch bitches and if I could I would drive you sai through her skull," Cordelia snarled before she paced a little. "But it isn't her body, its Amy's and she is innocent in all of this," she continued. "Ok my body was used against my will in a threesome and I'm no longer a virgin, but at least I can be thankful it wasn't in some drunken orgy with some random people," she vented a little. "I know Xander and Jenny must be feeling the exact same things I'm, the consequences of it will have to be dealt with especially as if I know Xander like I do he will blame himself for it," she stated with worry.
Betsy could sense the concern for the male who had hosted Logan. She believed he would shoulder the blame if he was allowed to. A dangerous thing to happen, no one was to blame, but the witch. "I'm confident you and they can work it all out," she told her host who finally stopped pacing and looked her in the eyes.
"Oh we will work it out, believe me," Cordelia stated confidently as she looked the purple haired telepath over. "You have just a hard a problem to solve as we do," she reminded her, causing Betsy to almost blush at the reminder that she had been in the threesome with Logan and Jean and that the consequences Cordelia faced were mirrored by the ones she would face once this spell was broken and they returned to the mansion.
"So what did you think of the offer?" Betsy inquired deciding they had better move their discussion along.
"Before this event I was just a fringe member of the group. I helped when I could or I guess felt like it," Cordelia admitted with a sigh. "But I've been growing more and more distant from my so called friends. Xander's group is far more a real group of friends than most I've seen," she continued. "The closer I get to Xander, the more integrated I feel with his friends and I get more interested in helping them fight," she added as she thought furiously over things. She knew once she made this choice, there was no going back and whatever ties she still had with her followers would be gone. Thinking of her growing connection with Xander, she made a decision. "I accept the offer," she said as confidently as she could.
Betsy smiled and reached out her hand, Cordelia returned the smile and grasped her hand in a quick hand shake before a white light overtook them. Betsy blinked as she found herself back in the shop, just as quickly as she had found herself well wherever that was. Turning she noted the unknown man move to Snake and begin the process again.
+HX+
(Dream Scape)
Snake was to say the least startled as he now found himself elsewhere, the others were missing and he was no longer in the shop. Reaching down her gripped the comforting grips of his pistols as he looked around, he came to a dead stop as he found himself facing someone dressed like him, only without the eye patch and wearing glasses.
"Fascinating," Giles said as he stared at the movie icon across from him.
The whole night had been full of surprises, granted being trapped in his own mind hadn't been fun, but seeing movie characters and other things brought to life had been interesting to say the least. The high light of the night had of course been watching Buffy's body actually stake Angel after kneeing him in the balls. Granted he didn't kid himself that Buffy would be greatly upset once she got her body back, but he had to admit to himself he felt much better now that Angel would no longer be a factor in their lives. He should have done more to keep him from forming a connection with Buffy in the first place, but Buffy was unlike other Slayers, she refused to be controlled or ordered who to be friends with.
"So you are my host?" Snake finally said as he recalled what Whistler and the unknown guy had said was going to happen.
"Yes I'm. I must say while I can that it is a pleasure to meet you," Giles responded with a smile. "I take it this night has been a shock to you?" he inquired.
Snake snorted at the understatement. "Yeah you could say that pal," Snake said with a smirk. "Just hope once this thing is over I end up back in New York in my own body, cause then all I have to worry about are other people and they are easy to deal with," he added.
"Don't forget you also have to find the President within a certain amount of time before the poison in your body kills you," Giles reminded him.
"Par the course for me," Snake shot back not the least concerned about that problem as he was certain he would complete the mission in time once he was back home. "So the offer, yes or no?" he asked.
"Yes I accept as I feel having your particular skills will be of great help in the future," Giles eagerly answered. Snake nodded in response as the white light washed over them. Turning he find himself back in the shop with some relief, he watched as Tonks stepped up to Metatron and repeated the process for the last time.
+HX+
(Dream Scape)
Tonks shivered as the white light left her blinking to clear her vision, looking around she saw a red headed girl looking at her with a huge grin on her face and if she wasn't mistaken a little awe. 'Clearly the young teenager had some clue as to who she was, why else would she dress up as her?' she thought. Moving towards her, she quickly stunned into a stupor as the red head began babbling a mile a minute at her while shaking her hand vigorously.
Willow continued to talk as quickly as she could, not seeing that her rapid fire words were having little effect on Tonks who could only stare at her. Finally she seemed to realize she had been talking way to fast. Blushing she dropped Tonk's hand and went quiet as Tonks began to recover from the rather enthusiastic greeting.
"So I'm guessing you are very pleased to meet me?" Tonks teased, unable to help herself making Willow blush some more.
"Very pleased," Willow managed to mumble. "I can barely believe you are standing there," she added.
"Join the club, one minute I'm on the floor with Bellatrix bearing down on me and the next I'm elsewhere surrounded by complete chaos," Tonks mused in response. "It was the last thing I expected," she added.
"When you go back, you will have to act as quickly as you can to stop yourself from being killed," Willow told her, wanting her favorite Harry Potter character to have at least a small chance of saving herself as it had always killed her that she dies in the last book. Worst she left her son without either of his parents, not that Harry wouldn't take care of him.
Tonks looked at her with a frown as she heard the genuine concern in her tone, what did she know about her fate that Tonks herself didn't. Deciding to keep her hosts warning in mind when she went back after the spell was ended, what a weird experience this had all been. She wondered if she should tell Remus and the others about it when they got back, and if they survived the battle of Hogwarts. The again would she even remember any of this?" she wondered.
"So what are you going to do about the offer?" Tonks inquired moving onto the main reason they were meeting.
"Oh I'm defiantly in," Willow said with a wide smile. "Been able to do magic will be so cool, plus it will help Buffy and the others so much," she added.
"Just remember magic isn't to be used for stupid reasons," Tonks pointed out, a little unnerved by her easy acceptance and the tone of her voice about being able to do magic. "This is supposed to be so you can help your friends, not so you can be cool," she added. "If you know anything about my world, then you know what people who thought magic was cool can do," she reminded her as Willow flushed scarlet at the idea of her becoming like the Death Eaters.
"I want don't want to use it for any reason, but to help my friends," Willow promised her. "I swear," she stated with as much conviction as she could muster.
"Good, well nice meeting you and good luck," Tonks said with a grin as the white light flashed again and she found herself back in the shop surrounded by the others and Willow was nowhere to be seen. "Man that was strange," she murmured to herself.
"It is done," Metatron stated. "All of your hosts have chosen to accept our offer, they will keep your skills and powers," he continued. "When the spell breaks, all of your will return to your own bodies and for those of you not from here, your own worlds," he explained. "You have a choice to make as well Phoenix," he stated turning to face Jean whose mind had already begun to think about what she wanted to happen now.
She knew what was in her heart and she also knew she had things to deal with both on the Earth Plane and in the White hot room. In the end her eyes were drawn to Logan who was watching her closely, she could see the tenseness in his form as well as his closed fists balled tightly as to draw blood. She glanced at Betsy and noted a similar tenseness in her as well. She had learned everything the Phoenix Master had wanted her to learn until now. Maybe taking a break in training and resuming her life was the next step in her evolution, closing her eyes she reached out with her senses and tried to contact the Phoenix Master. She heard the cry of the Phoenix in her mind, its tone joyous and calm. Smiling she took it as a sign as to what to do.
"I would like to stay on the Earth Plane, back in my body," Jean said as she opened her eyes and faced Metatron again.
"Then when the spell breaks, that is exactly where you will find yourself," Metatron told her before he turned and vanished, leaving Whistler where he had remained the whole time watching. He reappeared a second later to look at Logan. "When the spell is broken, your young friend will be cured of her vampirism, a gift from God," he told him before he vanished again.
Logan stared at the small space he had occupied before a genuine smile graced his features. Jean and the other X-Men shared his happiness at the news that Jubilee would be cured once this mess was over. Jean knew more than anyone what this meant to Logan. Jubilee was almost like a daughter to him and to see her cursed with vampirism had been horrible as there wasn't thing he could do to help her. She took his hand in hers and pulled him into a gentle hug, uncaring of the others watching. Logan smiled even more as he returned the hug as he realized the spunky young Jubilee he had first met years ago would be back soon enough.
"So now we get Ethan here to tell us how to stop the spell right?" Tonks inquired looking at the former balance demon.
"Yes it is all up to you now, good luck and you visor boy remind the Slayer and her friends to take Amy under their wing and teach her to properly use magic," Whistler agreed with a nod of his head before he too vanished. Scott frowned at been referred to as visor boy, something he had hated as a teenager.
"So Ethan, how do we break the spell?" Snake inquired in a dangerous tone of voice. "If you don't tell us then I will shoot your other leg, then your kneecaps and then something much more precious," he warned him, much to Ethan's horror as his gun was now aimed at his privates.
"Yo…You wouldn't," Ethan stuttered with what courage he still had.
"Don't bet me punk," Snake snarled back as Giles's anger and hatred for his old friend surged forward. "Talk or suffer," he stated coldly, ignoring the worried looks from Scott and most of the X-Men present.
"The statue of Janus in the office, break it and the spell will break," Ethan responded after staring into Ripper's possessed eyes for five minutes. It had been like looking into the fires of hell, he had no delusions that he would carry out his threat.
"Are we just going to trust what he says on the first go?" Rogue inquired, not certain it should be that easy. Not that she wanted to see the warlock being shot again. It had been a shock the first time and she could see how tense Scott was. She didn't doubt that a second shot would start a fight between Snake and the majority of the X-Men.
"Emma, scan him," Scott ordered, turning to the blond telepath next to him. Some of the X-Men glanced at Jean, who in the old days would have been the person Scott called on for that kind of thing. Jean however didn't begrudge Emma, she had given Scott permission to move on and he had. She herself was finally free to attempt something with Logan. Hence she only felt some small measure of disquiet at how things had changed.
Emma placed a hand to her head as she focused on the warlocks mind. She easily bypassed into his mind and searched it to see if he had told the truth. She quickly found the answer she was looking for. Retracting from him in disgust at some of the more dark things she had seen in her mind.
"He's telling the truth," Emma told them all. "He is a disgusting piece of slime," she added with a foul look at the man in question. "He is already thinking of ways to get revenge," she told them.
Snake cocked the pistol in his hand and pushed it right up against Ethan's head. The man shivered in alarm at the move and had to fight desperately to control his body's reaction to it. "You are pushing your luck worm, you come back here and you are a dead man," he warned him.
"So what do we do about him?" Kurt inquired as a moan from the ground caught his attention. "She is waking up again," he pointed out. Betsy let out a sigh before she struck her psi-blade back into the waking witches head, and watched as she fell unconscious again. "
"We should put him on ice," Logan growled out much to Scott's annoyance. Jean glanced between the two, already sensing their long standing enmity rising to the surface.
"We don't kill people Wolverine," Scott stated as calmly as he could. "You know that," he pointed out.
"This bastard caused all this for fun, people have died including children," Logan growled out in response. "He has to be stopped from doing it again," he told Scott in a glacial tone.
"I agree," Snake said, pushing his pistol hard against Ethan's head who finally lost control and pissed himself as he came close to been killed. He had ever expected his plans for Sunnydale to turn out like this. He was in deep shit here.
"Sorry, but no one is going to kill him and I'm afraid to say he won't be punished either," Whistler said as he returned, knowing this wasn't going to go down well. "At least not this time," he added.
"WHAT?" Ororo demanded as the storm outside suddenly picked up once more.
Whistler flinched at the noise as well as the pure white eyes now fixed on him. "Janus has asked for Ethan to be spared any punishment as he is his favorite follower, plus if not for Ethan then the plans of the Powers wouldn't have come to light," he explained, knowing he was very close to being fried or considering the look in Logan's eyes, gutted. "So for one time only he gets cut loose, but if he comes back here or you find him sometime in the future, then he is fair game," he went on.
"What about the people who died here?" Ororo inquired, hardly able to believe what she was hearing.
"Ethan will pay for those crimes when he dies. Believe me, he isn't going to heaven," Whistler assured the weather witch. "Sadly sometimes you have to work with scum for the greater good, you've done it before yourselves," he reminded them all. "The world isn't a perfect place, at least not yet and sometimes you have to work with evil people to get things done," he continued with a shake of his head. "Ethan might think he is getting off easy, but somehow I doubt he will feel that way if you guys ever catch up to him again," he told them.
"Then get him out of here before Wolverine or one of the others kills him," Scott told him eyeing the enraged look in Logan's eyes, who was been kept away from Ethan by Jean and Betsy. Snake was been pushed away from Ethan by Abigail and Tonks although none of them looked happy about what was happening.
Whistler clicked his fingers and Ethan vanished. "I know it sucks to let him go. Janus knows it will not be something easily accepted, but he feels Ethan should have some reward for bringing the Powers treason to light," he explained. "Oh when the spell has been broken, look for the eight member of your group," he advised much to their confusion.
"Leave demon and don't come back," Logan growled out.
"You better pray he doesn't cause any more deaths for such senseless reasons," Ororo added as she used her powers to stop the storm going on outside. "Or I will find you somehow and I will introduce you to the full wrath of Storm," she warned before Whistler vanished, knowing he was lucky to get out without any blood being spilt.
"Unbelievable," Abigail muttered, unable to believe anyone would allow Ethan to escape without any punishment. Strangely she felt her host agree with her.
"Calm down Logan," Jean whispered as she ran her hand up and down his arm. "Ethan will get what is coming to him. He is to stupid not to want to come back here for revenge," she told him with certainty. "When he does I don't think he will survive what he unleashes, especially if we are here at the time," she added as she knew from here on out the X-Men would be visiting Sunnydale.
Logan knew Jean was right. Ethan would come back and he just hoped he was here when he did so. If not then having met the kid whose body he controlled, he doubted the kid wouldn't remove Ethan just as he would. And if not the kid then the man who Snake was possessing would do it, considering what Jean had said concerning the two of them.
"I've found the statue," Gambit shouted, drawing all their attentions to the office. "Should I smash it?" he asked.
"Do it gumbo," Logan ordered, just wanting to be back in his own body.
Gambit nodded and pushed the statue of Janus off its pedestal. The statue broke as soon as it hit the ground. Gambit was knocked over as a wave of energy exploded out of the smashed statue. It struck the seven possessed bodies before rushing out of the shop to the other victims of the spell. The other X-Men backed away as a portal seemed to open, before their eyes the Phoenix appeared in its full flamebird form before it shrunk until Jean stood before them in her own body. By her side to their surprise were Logan, Betsy, Hank, Rahne and Jubilee all looking confused a bit.
"May I inquire how we suddenly appeared here when only a minute ago we were in the med lab?" Hank inquired before noting Logan and Betsy were back on their feet. He stared at the two in shock, he had no idea how his two friends were suddenly back on their feet as if nothing had happened.
"Logan," Jubilee cried, unable to help herself before she launched herself into his side and hugged him for all she was worth. Logan returned the hug and quickly sensed the changes in the young girl clinging to his side, she was human again. "Do you feel it kid?" he asked softly, making Jubilee look up at him in confusion as Hank tried his best to examine him and Betsy. "You're cured," he told her.
Jubilee blinked at Logan's statement before she backed away and focused on herself, it didn't take long for her to realize her heart was beating once more. Her skin was warm whereas only a few minutes ago it had been ice cold. Logan was right and she was no longer a vampire. Breaking down in tears she clung to Logan again, she could hardly believe her nightmare was over. The other X-Men rushed over to see their friend. She was pulled away from Logan and embraced by the others one by one. Xander watched and smiled as Jubilee laughed and cried as the others embraced her. All so very happy that she was human again. He wasn't the only one watching events unfold, the rest of the Scooby gang watched as well.
Buffy was doing her best not to break down as the fact she would never see Angel again hit her for the first time since the spell had broken. Giles placed a comforting hand on her shoulder even though he had no sorrow for the loss of the souled vampire.
"I ask again how did we get here, and by my stars and garters how is Jean once more alive?" Hank inquired, having been ignored in the revelation of Jubilee's new status.
"Magic, Hank," Scott answered his confused friend. "All of it was the result of some heavy duty magic," he explained. "Including Jubilee being human again," he added.
"Oh my word," Hank responded before moving to check his young friend over, wondering how the magic had removed the vampirism from her body.
How come Logan and Betsy are okay and back on their feet as well?" Rahne inquired, looking a little lost. "I mean only a few minutes ago they still were flat on their backs with no brain activity at all, then there was a flash of light and we are suddenly elsewhere and they are ok," she added as best as she could.
"It was all down to magic Rahne," Rachel told her friend, giving her a sideways hug. "Mom being back and Logan and Betsy's loss of their minds, it was all down to a spell," she explained. "We just ended it, which is why they are back on their feet as if nothing had happened, as to how you got here well that was down to magic as well, but not from the same source," she continued.
"Then what source did bring us here if I may ask?" Hank inquired with interest as he relented to Jubilee's attempts to stop him trying to examine her new status.
"We'll fill you in later Hank," Scott said, deciding they didn't need to get into all that again just now. "For now it isn't important," he added to which his friend nodded in understanding even though he knew the information Hank wanted was mind blowing important.
"Where are Snake, Tonks and Abigail?" Willow inquired, looking around for them as she frowned before her hair changed from her normal red to a bubblegum pink making her smile.
"Willow you seem to have forgotten they don't exist in this world, they are just fictional characters," Giles answered with an amused smile at her question. Clearly she had gotten a little carried away by what had happened, and forgotten this simple fact.
"Oh yeah," Willow said, blushing for making such an error to the amusement of the others. This had the side effect of turning her hair back to its normal color although a bit darker.
"I feel very different," Cordelia muttered to Xander, doing her best to ignore the already rising feelings of uncertainty between them and Jenny who stood on his other side. She had to focus all her focus on keeping her mind from reaching out and reading the minds of those around her. It seemed it would take her time to learn to harness her new powers.
"I think we all do," Jenny responded having heard what Cordelia had said, she could also sense the struggle Cordelia was having in controlling her telepathy. Thankfully she seemed to have a bit more control, maybe due to Jean's role as Phoenix. "At least those of us who were possessed," she said. "This will not be an easy thing to get used to Cordy, for any of us," she told her.
"I can barely believe it happened," Willow said, having moved closer to them from behind them. I mean for a couple of hours I was another person," she said in a tone that told them she was amazed by the whole thing.
"Er.. guys what is going on?" Amy inquired, finally having been trying to understand how she came to be back at the costume shop.
"Long story Amy," Xander answered with a smile at the young witch. "Do you remember anything that happened tonight?" he asked, wondering just what if anything Amy remembered of what had happened to her yet again.
Amy looked away for a few seconds before she nodded her head. "I remember all of it, at least at first I thought it was just a nightmare, but considering you are all here then it wasn't was it?" she asked with a worried frown. "Mom somehow got control of my body again, didn't she?" she asked.
"Yes she did and I'm afraid it was no nightmare Amy," Jenny responded with a sigh, wishing she could tell the girl differently. "We will fill you in when we get back to the library. She assured her to which Amy nodded.
"Indeed, what I'm curious of is what did Whistler mean when he mentioned to be on the lookout for the eight member of our group" Giles inquired thoughtfully.
"No clue, but I guess we'll find out Giles" Buffy responded.
