Disclaimer: These characters belong to Joss Whedon

"Fruition"

Chapter 21

"Opening the Can"

"Yeah, it's pretty fast," conceded Rona, "can you slow down a little?"

"Sure," agreed Chastity, "I guess since Giles is okay there's no big hurry anyway."

The car phone rang, and Chastity punched a key.

"Remind me to set the voice commands to you," Blake's voice said through the speakers, "I've got a little problem here and I could use your help. How long until you get here?"

"Not long," Chas answered, "close your eyes if you're nervous," she said to Rona as the car hurtled into the night.

"What's up?" asked Buffy.

"I need an assistant to help me stitch Giles up, and LeAnne has other things to do" Blake explained, "I can do it here under a local but I want Chas here to help, she's sharp, and she's nearly through her training."

"Buff, Kennedy says they're moving into position," Faith informed her.

"You don't need us here?" Buffy asked Blake.

"Nope, go finish this off; I need to do some more cleaning before I start sewing, anyhow. Besides, I don't think any of you want your hands in Giles' belly," Blake replied.

"I'd like to second that," Giles croaked, "Slayers and insides just don't go well together." Buffy looked hesitant.

"Go," Blake told her, "you think I'd risk him?" Buffy smiled her thanks and left.

Buffy, Willow, Faith, and Dawn formed up outside the house; while behind them Ryuki secured the door and set Fluffy to patrol.

"Hang on," advised Dawn, "we're going in hot…"

"What do you mean, gone?" whispered the Ancient.

"There is no one in the room, Master," explained Deiter.

"How is this possible? Could they have teleported?"

"It doesn't work like that," Amy assured the Ancient, "besides, it takes a really powerful witch to teleport, even I can't do it."

"And so it follows that Dawn Summers cannot?" asked the Ancient softly.

"The window was open," admitted Deiter, "I have given the command to search the grounds."

"Very well, keep me informed, but be aware that if they escape I shall not be happy. Come here, Bridget my pet," the Ancient commanded, and one of the women at his feet rose and approached him. "I have a special assignment for you," he informed her, and he whispered into her ear. She was gone in a moment, leaving by a concealed passage. Bridget was very fast, even for a vampire.

"Kennedy, we're ready when you are," Buffy told her.

"Right boss, a couple more minutes will do it. A car just left the place, two-seater moving fast. Vamp chick driving and no passenger I could see," Kennedy replied.

"Did she see you?"

"Please, we parked a mile out and ran in by teams, the way she was headed she won't even see the cars," Kennedy assured her. "Heard from Rona yet?"

"Yeah, she's headed to the house to be with Giles."

"Well, we'll miss her in the fight, but I can't blame her for wanting to be with him. We're all set now, and there is movement on the grounds, the vamps are looking for something."

"More like someone, I think, are they spread out?" asked Buffy.

"The idiots aren't even paired up," Kennedy informed her, "there are a fair few of them though, but nothing we can't handle."

"Don't get cocky," cautioned Buffy.

"No cock here, boss. We're waiting for your signal."

"You'll get it, Dawnie is really pissed off," Buffy promised.

"Good," Kennedy said as she ended the call.

"I will not fail you Master," Bridget whispered aloud as she drove.

Bridget was special.

"Okay Dawn, take us in," Buffy ordered.

Willow's hair whipped the air, and the blue fire on Dawn's skin flared as her eyes blazed.

The women disappeared in a whirlwind.

"Damn," muttered Ryuki as the house shook a little.

Kennedy was watching the large house closely when the air around it shuddered and every window in it exploded outward in a hail of broken glass and splintered wood.

"GO!" she shouted, and the slayers leaped the fence and began the hunt.

Everyone in the room was knocked off of their feet as the nest team materialized in an explosion of wind. Deiter was the first to try and stand, his hand bringing his pistol to bear on the nearest intruder.

"Uh-uh sunshine," said Faith as the lion scythe hissed through the air and took off his gun arm at the elbow before sweeping back and severing his legs mid-calf. "Don't run off, stumpy," she said as she kicked the pistol under a couch that had been thrown against the wall.

Blue lightning leapt from Willow's outstretched hand and slammed Amy against the wall while Dawn sent three vampires everywhere. Faith joined Buffy, and they headed towards the Ancient, who was only now beginning to stand, his face a mask of shock.

"What are these things?" he thought in wonder.

Willow incinerated two vamps in the far corner of the room before joining her power to Dawn's. Together they held the vampires motionless, suspended several inches above the floor. The room was filled with the ring of the slayer's scythe and the angry sizzle of the lion's. In an instant there remained only Amy, who was crumpled in a heap, Deiter, who was sitting and watching his blood cover the floor, the Ancient, and the two female vampires behind him

The ancient shook off the shock, "Enough!" he cried, and Buffy and Faith froze in their tracks. Dawn and Willow exchanged glances, but all they could do was to maintain their hold on the vampires. Dawn was low on energy because of the violence of the port and it would be a little time yet before she could recover sufficiently to disappear the vampires. Buffy and Faith were simply too close to them for Willow to use her own power, although the house trembled as she struggled to restrain it.

"I admit that you have impressed me," said the Ancient smoothly, "I underestimated you, and your witch seems to be better than mine," he looked at Amy with contempt. "But no matter, I have the situation in hand now." He smiled at the motionless slayers. "My power is legion," he boasted, "none can stand before me."

Even Willow could feel the tug of his power, and she fought down the desire to swear allegiance to the Ancient.

"Well, he seems to be winning after all," thought Deiter, "so it is too bad that I am not one of those vampires who can put themselves back together."

"Now then," began the Ancient, "I shall tell you how it is going to be-"

"I don't think so, asshole," Buffy said casually, and the smirk fell from the face of the vampire. "You may be hell on vampires, but you're no Ninja, our minds are our own and nobody else's. Faith, do you remember the designation for these really old, super-powerful, Master Vampires?"

"Sure do Buff, and what we have here is a prime example of a Jaf-vee," Faith declared.

"I agree," Buffy said, smiling at the confounded vampire.

The Ancient didn't want to, but he couldn't help it, he simply had to ask.

"What is this Jaf-vee? What does that mean?"

"Just another fucking vampire," Buffy answered as she swung the scythe.

Faith made short work of the two females, and then there were only Deiter and Amy left in the room. Amy was stirring feebly, and Dawn and Willow turned their attention to her while Buffy casually but thoroughly smashed the bones of the Jaf-vee to powder. Buffy had a real aversion to vampire bones, when there were any.

"You must be Deiter, I'm Faith," the slayer said as she approached the fallen vampire.

"I am honored to meet you," Deiter said formally, "and I don't presume to tell you your business, but I should point out that the most dangerous of his late majesty's pets left before the fight. She really is remarkably unpleasant, and I very much doubt that she is out to help you."

"Thanks, but why would you tell me this?"

"You bested me fairly, and I was extremely tired of that puffed-up old bastard. You have no idea how wearying it is to work for a madman," Deiter explained.

"Actually, I kind of do," Faith told him, and he smiled at her.

"I wonder if I might ask a small favor of you?"

"Sure thing," Faith replied as her scythe hissed through the air. She went and retrieved the luger gingerly. "Dawnie, can you port this damn thing to our weapons chest?" The pistol vanished.

"Faith, let's go check on the teams, we'll leave rat girl to the real witches," Buffy suggested, and the two slayers leaped through the shattered window and headed out across the grounds towards the sound of fighting.

"I'm getting tired of you trying to kill me, Amy," Willow greeted the fallen witch as her eyes opened.

"You got lucky, you and this freak, what is she anyway?"

"I'm the Avatar," Dawn explained, "and I'm a bit tired of you myself. Say, how would you fancy being everywhere at once?"

"No, Dawn," Willow cautioned, "Amy is human. Kind of. We can't just kill her."

"Sure we can, or at least I can," Dawn countered.

"You wouldn't have won if I'd had time to summon Hecate," Amy grumbled.

"You might as well say we wouldn't have won if we hadn't won," Willow replied, "but if you want to summon Hecate, go right ahead." Amy's eyes went round. "Really, call her if you can."

"Goddess Hecate, I, your faithful servant call upon you to –" Amy began.

"Oh, screw it, that will take too long," Willow interrupted, and she snapped her fingers. There was a bright flash of light, and –

"Who dares disturb Hecate?" demanded the Goddess herself, and then her gaze fell on Willow. "Oh, it's you, Willow. What's going on?"

"Isn't she one of yours?" Willow asked, pointing at Amy. Hecate turned to Amy and sighed.

"Yes, I'm afraid so," admitted Hecate, "one takes one's followers where one can nowadays," she explained with a shrug.

"But – my lady," Amy said, bewildered, "will you not aid me?"

"Against her, after what she did to Osiris? You really are stupid, you were better off as a rat," Hecate said in exasperation.

"But, you're a Goddess," protested Amy.

"You really need to get her under control, Hecate," Willow said casually, "I'm a little sick of her." Hecate paled.

"Shall I just take her with me, then?" Hecate proposed hopefully.

"I think that would be best," agreed Willow, "and be sure and keep her there. I'm sure you can find some use for her." Hecate bowed as she laid her hand on Amy's shoulder. The two of them vanished.

Dawn's scythe appeared in her hand.

"Let's go see if they need any help with the cleanup," Dawn suggested.

Ryuki heard a knock at the door, and with Fluffy at her side she looked through the peephole and found herself captured by a clear blue eye.

"You want to let me in," said the voice in her head.

Ryuki opened the door.