Disclaimer: See 1st chapter.

A/N: Thank you for the reviews!

Chapter Twenty Five: Validus

Okay. Don't panic. No need to panic. There is no panic here.

"I'm panicking." Buffy said, more to herself as she stared at the wet dirt. "I'm trying not to but, see, this is my panic face."

Sandy nodded slowly. "Um, what should we do? I don't think I could deliver a baby. I saw it done on tv and that's beyond gross."

The blonde shook her head, smoothing her hands along her stomach. "It's my first baby and I read somewhere th--that it could take a while, so I think we are okay." A beat. "You have to promise me that you won't say a word to anyone. Especially Doc."

"I won't." The other girl replied. "I promise."

Although that was quite comforting, Buffy knew eventually the annoying little man would figure things out. The more time went on the stronger the contractions would become, and soon she wouldn't be able to simply scowl her way through them. And then she was having a fleeting thought that perhaps the pain would give her enough anger and strength to break the bars in half. If only things worked out that way for her.

No, she needed to be realistic. Try hard to remember what Giles had said about the ritual that needed to be performed. He hadn't given specifics since he probably didn't know them at the time, but she did recall a few choice words dealing with the birth. If Maddie was born before they could work their evil hoodoo, they could always just work it after as some sort of possession. Well possessions could be reversed, couldn't they? If push came to shove they could grab the baby and make a break for it, then exorcise Erebus when they were clear.

Unless the possession went along the lines of morphing her into some giant demony thing like it had did the Mayor.

Slowly moving away from the door, she leaned against the nearest wall and took a deep breath. Her heart was thudding in her chest, her nerves on edge. She felt light headed for a moment and fanned herself, whispering that she needed to remain calm. Getting stressed out and more affected by the moldy heat would not help her. It would also alert to her current status. If she could just hang in there until the others came everything would be alright. She had to clutch onto that hope with both hands; now more than ever.

It really was a race against the clock and time unfortunately was not on her side.

The edges of reality blurred together like dark smudges on white paper. The scenery changed from half destroyed house to heated dessert, revealing eight slightly staggered figures and one perfectly fine Willow. Andrew felt dizzy for a moment, and then as if he were going to be sick. He bent over with dry heaves, his blue eyes bigger than usual. He held to his stomach and groaned as Dawn rubbed his back soothingly. "That was horrible. I'm gonna toss my Hot Pockets onto my stylish Converse sneakers."

"It gets better after a while, the teleporting thing." She replied smiling. "I felt all weird the first time it happened to me as well."

"When we leave, can we take the bus?"

"I don't think buses run out there..."

"A tumbleweed then?"

Faith pulled at her black wife beater and sighed, rubbing the back of her neck. She felt antsy as all hell, like her bones were gonna jump out of her skin. She remembered feeling somewhat similar back in Sunnydale before the big throw down; that thrill of excitement and danger running along her spine, the butterflies in her stomach that morphed into giant birds of prey.

Giles cleared his throat and everyone looked over. "Alright is everyone clear on what they are supposed to do?" He shifted his sword to his right hand. "I am quite sure that we shall encounter Discordia's minions, and that they will try to stop us."

Robin nodded. "We got the first flank against anything with fangs."

Kennedy gripped her weapon, tugging at her white tank top. "And my group and I take out anythin' of the demon variety. Clear a path if need be."

"When we're close enough I work the magics." Willow replied. "Hopefully the right way."

The ex Watcher smiled and rubbed her shoulder. "Everyone be on guard and be safe." A beat. "Let's go."

The group headed towards the rocky terrain, up along a steep mountainous range with several black cave openings dotted along the front. Using the locater spell that Willow had whipped up earlier (mixed with an incantation to find Discordia), she pointed out the right hole and they dipped inside, using flash lights to lead the way. The smell inside was musky and ripe with death, which made more sense for the deeper they trekked the more skeletons they saw hanging on the walls. Some looked wet and juicy, as if they were recently fresh with bits of flesh still clinging on for dear life. Others were chipped and broken, ready to crumble into dust at any moment.

"It smells like Cheetos and feet down here." Andrew remarked, using his sleeve to cover his nose. He tapped at his miner's hat with its bright light, ducking a nasty looking spider's web.

Xander made a face. "Now I'll never eat those again."

Stepping over a decaying hand as it reached out of the ground all gnarled and twisted, Faith glanced around. Up to the high jagged ceiling and the openness of the cavity. "These tunnels could go on for miles, yo."

"Or days or even weeks." Andrew piped up. "We could be down here for--ahhh! They're on me!" Wiggling and screaming, he did a little dance to shake off the big roaches that had just fallen onto his shoulders. "They could have rabies!"

"Shut up, man!" Kennedy scowled. "Someone could..." Trailing off, she blinked as a group of vampires ran out of a side hollow. "...hear you."

Willow pointed to the left, scanning the map in her hand. "That way!"

As the vamps encircled the Scoobies and attacked, Robin swung out with his sword. "You guys go ahead. We'll keep 'em busy!"

Faith kicked the one closest to her in the stomach and grabbed the Wicca, hurrying towards the opening. Xander, Kennedy and Giles were quick to follow while Kayla, Robin, Andrew and Dawn stayed behind like they were supposed to. It was decided in the grand scheme of demons verses vampires, that Dawn would be safer with something she was used to. Besides they knew Robin and Kayla would look out for her.

Rounding a corner, Xander looked back and related that they weren't being followed. "Hope they'll be okay."

"I'm sure they will be." Giles voiced cleaning his glasses.

Just then Kennedy tilted her head to the side, pressing her ear to the wall as they came to a dead end. "Do you guys hear that? It sounds like chanting..."

"We're close." The ex Watcher said. "I suspect the main crypt is on the other side of this wall."

"How do we get past it?"

"Perhaps we should go around."

"That could take a while and I don't think we have that long..."

Practicing her breathing, Buffy sat in the farthest corner of the cage that she could find. A contraction trickled through her stomach and she bit her bottom lip, trying to pant through it as it peaked and then slowly ebbed away. "I--I'd kill for a watch right now..."

"Well I tried to count and I don't think they are minutes apart. So you're still good." Sandy related. "How do you feel? I mean do they hurt really bad?"

"Pain is funny when you're a Slayer. They hurt bu--but not as much as bein' beaten to a pulp by an uber vampire." She bent her knees, digging her toes into the sand. "However I think they are only gonna get worse as time goes on."

"Well, yeah."

"I want Faith."

"Tell me about her. Maybe it'll take your mind off...ya know."

"Heh I guess I could give it a shot. She--she's a real...interesting person. Tough, beautiful and amazing. We used to be enemies."

Sandy chuckled. "How does that work out?"

"The baby, actually. She brought us back together." She explained. "Maddie is our little miracle; she's not even here yet and she's already did so much. I don't think Faith and I would have gotten together if I hadn't gotten pregnant."

"You might have. The world is a crazy thing these days." The other girl smiled. "If I make it out of here, I think I'll try to study magic. Try and help people."

"That sounds really cool. My friend Willow is a grade A witch so I'm sure she'll be able to help you."

"You know the coolest people."

"Yeah, I guess I do."

Itching at her dirty hair, Sandy gazed out through the bars. "I bet my parents are going crazy worrying about me. I really hope that I get to see them again."

"You will." The blonde replied. "We are both gonna get outta here. It's crunch time yeah, but the fat lady hasn't sung. The other shoe hasn't fallen yet."

"The first thing I'm gonna do is take a nice long shower. I have like eight layers of dirt caked on me." The young girl snickered. "And then eat so much chocolate that I have to go to the hospital and let them pump my stomach."

A laugh. "Don't mention food! I could really go for a cookie right about now." A beat. "What is it with me a cookie related things? I'm always mentioning them or something."

Sandy smiled. "Least it's something good. My brother is a prune junkie. Needless to say his bathroom is not the cleanest place in the world."

Buffy laughed hard; the first good chuckle she'd had since waking up in no man's land. "Not an image I needed in my head."

"Sorry." Her friend giggled. "Come to think of it now, here is probably cleaner. Probably smells better too."

Suddenly two men, bald and clothed in robes appeared on the other side of the bars. They unlocked the door and stalked inside, grabbing Buffy up from where she sat, tossing Sandy down roughly when she tried to help. They then drug her out across the room kicking and screaming the best she could, over to a large altar. It smelled of blood and flesh, and was surrounded by skulls of all different sizes. She was forced up onto it and then chained down, eagle spread with manacles that dug into her tender skin.

Doc walked up to her and smiled, patting her stomach, laughing as she yelled at him to get away. He grabbed the material of her sun dress and ripped, exposing the bareness of her tummy. "Interesting that our master is inside...this."

Discordia swept up beside him. "Hm. Not exactly a birth suitable for a God but, we'll make due." He reached for the red bladed knife and dipped it into a gooey solution off to the side.

"Please!" Buffy cried, hating the feeling of helplessness that surrounded her. "Please, don't do this!"

"It'll only hurt for a moment." Doc soothed. "And then you'll just slip away. Dead."

"Why is she wet?" Asked the demon, pointing to her bottom of her garment.

"Oh my. I think her water broke. She's in what the humans call, labor. Meaning she's gonna have the Vessel the natural way."

"Well can't let that happen, can we? Let us begin."

"Okay I have an idea." Willow rubbed her hands together and pointed at the ceiling, chanting a few choice words.

A hole swirled its way into view and then up, as if a vacuum were above sucking up the dirt and rocks to make them an entrance. Faith shook out her limbs and jumped, using her strong legs to squeeze along the wall until she was horizontal. Then she started to crawl, following the faint bit of light that she could see. She heard the others shuffling behind her, trying to follow her path. Soon she came to the other end of the opening the spell had made, which lead into yet another cavern.

She dropped down from the ceiling and stepped aside so that the others could do the same thing. The chanting was louder now, and bright lantern lights glowed through a stone doorway. They followed the deep murmur of voices to find a set of men chained off to the left, rocking back and forth as they recited the same words over and over again. A cage was to the right, hidden almost under a large hanging piece of rock that jutted out. Inside was a young girl, crying and cowering near the bars.

However directly in the center near the back of the cave was Buffy chained to a silver altar; Doc and Discordia hovering over her like jackals about to devour prey. In Discordia's clawed hand was the twisted dagger, dripping with an oozy black substance and poised over the blonde's large tummy.

"Buffy!" The brunette yelled, making her look over with a tear stained face.

"Faith!" She struggled against her binds.

Willow raised a hand, feeling the wind brimming on her fingertips before she spoke the word to send it out. "Eximo!" The gust hit the knife and sent it clattering out of the demon's hand and across the floor. "Contego!"

Discordia growled in anger as an ice like shield curved itself over Buffy, protecting her from him. Snarling, he began to hit at it with his fist as hard as he could, shaking the ground and chipping it away bit by bit. "Get them!"

Doc grinned and prepared to lunge, swinging his black tail. Giles reached behind him and pulled out a small cross bow, firing the sharp arrow. It hit the older man in the throat, making him sputter and flail like a deflating balloon as blood poured from the wound. As he struggled to remove it, the chanting men felt their confines break away. They stood and headed for the Scoobies with jagged bones as weapons, their eyes white like sheets and their bodies scarred.

"Oh goodie." Kennedy grinned. "We all get to play. C'mon Xander! Loser buys ice cream!"

Faith grabbed Willow and pulled her over near the cage as everyone else began to engage in battle. "Do it."

The red head closed her eyes, wetting her lips. "Power of the ancient, swirling spirit of darkness, I summon thee. Advenio." A wooden staff with dangling beads appeared in her hand, and she struck the ground with it three times; the sound echoing off the walls like the beats of a drum. "Edo edi essum."

Out of the ground it came, a swirling black cloud of liquid smoke, crawling along the walls with a faint moaning sound. Faith swallowed hard and planted her feet, watching it as her chest began to heave. It skittered on the air for a moment as if seeking her out, and then darted like a swooping hawk directly at her. It flowed into her body like a virus, infecting every pore that it could. She grunted and cringed in pain, the flesh on her bones sizzling as it melted to her muscles. She wanted to fight it; her brain was screaming at her to fight it but she reframed.

She let it take her over. Let it consume her like a burning fire of sulfur and shadow. Up her nose and in her ears, spreading out its veiny arms like she were a suit to be worn. The pressure drove her to her knees and she coughed, her hands trembling and digging into the sand. Faintly she heard the sounds of Discordia beating away at the force field...and then nothing.

Willow took a step back, chancing a gaze to see how Kennedy and the others were fairing against the robed men. They were doing quite well, thankfully. Looking back to Faith, she gulped. "Faith?"

The brunette stood so fluid it was like a hand pulled her up by a puppet string. Black marks appeared on her arms and face two by two; across her cheeks, on her forehead and chin. War paint of the first Slayer. Her eyes fluttered open, the usually warm brown replaced now by a devoid onyx.

"Faith? Can you hear me? The Wicca inquired, praying she hadn't just made a big mistake. "Are you...okay?"

There was a pause, as if she were thinking it over. And then her voice spoke up, sounding like it was giving off feedback. "Five by five..."