A/N: Had this done halfway after finishing the previous chapters. So thought I'd finish it before going on my hiatus. I hadn't partially completed Out into the Light, or A New Life, after the previous chapters. So new chapters for those stories would be coming back at the end of my two-month hiatus. Cheers.

Sunnydale, CA.

Tara was chuckling at the look on both Rose and Teyla's faces as they stared at the crowded supermarket that was located close to the mall. She, Willow, and Lorne.. who was under a glamour spell thanks to the redhead, which was something that impressed both Rose and Teyla, had already been to the mall. It was there that Willow, Tara, Lorne, and Wesley had taken Rose and Teyla for lunch.

It was also the first time that Teyla and Rose had eaten Peppermint and Chocolate chip ice-cream, with the both of them having two waffle bowls of the treat filled with three scoops. Tara smiled at the childlike antics of Rose as she licked her spoon while speaking excitedly with Teyla. It was then, while walking by the various stores, some of which Rose had been asking Willow questions about, that Tara realized that Rose was really just a child. She was physically in her mid-twenties, but Tara knew that her mentality could be near that of a child.

'A child whose learning fast,' thought Tara to herself while she was talking to Wesley and Lorne, at the same time glancing at Rose occasionally, 'learning all she has now… no, maybe she doesn't have the mind of a child. She's still got this childish curiosity and excitement. It beats the feeling that's coming off Teyla.. no, Rose is more… I can't put my finger on it; there's something more. Maybe it because she's only a few months old.. technically. But then again, Dr. Mackay will have some things to say about that, I guess.'

"What is this place?" asked Rose as she looked up at the sign that said Victoria Secret. Her spoon hanging off the side of her mouth and her waffle cup in hand, she then turned towards the men whose faces had turned red before they mumbled an excuse about having to go somewhere else. The ladies couldn't make out where they were going since they were all speaking at the same time nervously.

"Perhaps another time," said Teyla as she placed a hand on Rose while Willow and Tara chuckled, "we do have to get the items for the spell, and we also need to get more food items."

"My dears," said Lorne as he placed an arm around Rose and Teyla's shoulders before walking off with them, and with Wesley following them as he shook his head behind them, "I'll introduce you to the great drink that is a Sea-breeze."

"We always feel the breeze of the sea on Lantea," whispered Rose as Lorne chuckled before telling the young woman, and then Teyla, the definition of a Seabreeze. While Lorne was having his conversation with Rose and Teyla, with Wesley occasionally jumping in, Tara and Willow were walking arm in arm as they passed one store after another. They were on the way to the exit as Tara slowed down until they were just about out of earshot from Wesley and the others.

"Tara?" asked a confused Willow who noticed that they were sampling strolling slowly, "you ok?"

"I think everything's hitting me at once," whispered Tara as she leaned into Willow, who looked back at her with her eyebrows knitted together in confusion, "I mean John's here, so's his team, and we have all of those especial gifts at home and… and I can't help but really think that this could really be it. That we're really going to face the end of the world and…"

"Buffy, me, Xander, and Giles have faced a lot of armageddons before.. oh, and Angel and Cordelia were there too," said Willow, whose face saddened a bit at the mention of their dead friends. But she shook her head to clear her mind, before talking once more about being able to beat back every single Armageddon.

"I know," whispered Tara as they continued to stroll along. It was a few minutes later that they exited the mall and stepped out into the open air, "but this still feels… feels as if something's different."

"You said it yourself, Tara," replied Willow as she watched Wesley and the others reach the SUV. Once they had gone in, Tara and Willow entered the SUV which then brought them to their present location; a grocery store.

Tara and Willow chuckled as Lorne took Teyla to get the ingredients for a Sea breeze while Rose stayed and stare din wonder at the various aisles and rows upon rows of food. Wesley then excused himself saying that he needed to get some drinks for the adults and the Potential Slayers, while Tara nudged Willow and nodded at the amazed looking Rose.

"Take her with you," whispered Tara.

Willow nodded her head before placing her hand on Rose's shoulder. The both of them looked at each other before Willow asked Rose if she wanted to accompany her, "we'll check on more ice-cream flavours."

Rose nodded her head before the both of them vanished in the frozen food aisles while Tara chuckled and went to get the rest of the groceries. Tara spent time alone gathering what she needed to get while thinking about her time with John, and the fact that it seemed it would be ending soon. However, Tara could tell if that was a bad or good; she didn't know if their time ending soon meant that they would lose this war against the First and die, or that they would win and Colonel Sheppard would have to return to Atlantis.

She didn't like either one, but she then immediately mentally kicked up before thinking that as long as her brother was alive… she would be happy. Walking while playing items in her cart, Tara eventually met up with Rose and Willow, and then with Wesley, Lorne, and Teyla. The people from Earth chuckled at how excited Rose was about the food in the cart, telling them that Willow had recommended the strawberry ice-cream… while Teyla was looking forward to having the Se-breeze when she got back to the Summers house.

Once they had paid for all the goods, the group carried the bags to the SUV which then made its way to the Magic Box. It was here that Willow and Tara got out, telling Wesley to drive the others back to the Summers home.

"It's still daylight out," said Willow, "so Tara and I are gonna be safe walking back home."

"Willow," said Wesley, "we can wait for a little while and…"

"We need to find the ingredients for the spell, Wes, it'll take more than five minutes," Willow reminded him before joking, "Look, if we haven't contacted Buffy in twenty minutes, send the cavalry."

"I will stay," replied Teyla as he got out of the SUV before looking back at Rose, "accompany them home, Rose."

"I will," came the reply as she nodded her head.

Wesley then sighed before driving off towards home. It would be twenty minutes later that Willow and Tara closed the Magic Box, after calling Buffy to inform her that they were on the way home, with Teyla waiting on the both of them as she scanned the people who were walking by. Once everything was shut, they started on the walk home with Willow and Tara telling Teyla about their adventures, and how they felt about fighting the paranormal on Earth. It would be nearly be forty-five minutes later that Tara and the others walked up the walkway to the front porch where Colonel Sheppard was sitting on the stairs.

Getting up once he saw his sister, the Colonel walked down the stairs before asking if they got all the ingredients needed to put up a shield. Willow and Tara then looked at each other before telling the Colonel that they did not, all they had was ingredients to create a barrier that would act as an early warning system.

"If one of those creatures comes close to the home," explained Teyla who was surprised to learn, back at the store, that they were missing one or two ingredients for the shield. Instead, the two witches assured Teyla that the early warning system would work, "Willow and Tara have assured me that we will not miss it. It would give us time to prepare for a defence."

The Colonel nodded his head before Teyla walked past him, and as he did, she patted his shoulder before rushing up the stairs. The Colonel then turned to look at Tara and Willow, and asked them to start on the spell.

"General O'Neill just called," said the Colonel, "we may have a new place by tomorrow afternoon. Do you have enough for two early warning spells?"

"I.. I think we should," said Tara while Willow nodded her head.

"Good," said the Colonel as he stepped forward and placed his hands on their shoulders, "I trust you guys to look after yourselves. The both of you, Buffy, Xander, and the others… but this is a very dangerous time. There's a reason that I had Rose and Teyla go with you four."

"For protection," replied Tara as she sensed the Colonel's worry for the both of them.

"The reason I wasn't worried this time was because Teyla was with the both of you," said the Colonel, "she's not as strong as Buffy, but she's can just as easily take care of herself against the Wraith. Hell, she saved my life a few times, and I trust her with my life. And.. well don't want to sound like the over-protective brother, but I'd like for you guys to stay as a group when you go out, and when you come back."

"We'll go out as a group, and then come back as a group the next time," smiled Tara while she noticed that the Colonel's aura indicated he was still worried even though his face didn't show it. Willow and Tara assured him that with Teyla, hey were still safe… and would have still been kept safe witH Rose. The Colonel nodded his head before saying that early the next morning, he was going to train both Willow and Tara in basic self-defence. Tara and Willow couldn't help but smile as they nodded they heads in agreement before the Colonel asked them to go on with their work.

"But, before you do," said the Colonel, "I want Teyla with you. Alright?"

"Yeah,' replied both Willow and Tara together before the three of them walked up the stairs, and into the home. It would be an hours later that Teyla would watch in amazement, along with the Colonel, and the Pegasus and Atlantis residents, as Tara and Willow poured a pink hued power around the house. And then, when they havd finished pouring the powerder, a yellow shield like field raised into the air and vanished.

"And that;s magic," said Willow as Tara gave a small bow. It would be hours later, with everyone inside the Summers home that about twenty one figures in red robes would be gathered meters away from the house. Their first target was the van that was watching the house and its surroundings with thermal imaging camera's; camera's that were useless after the figures used a spell to hide their heat-signatures and their movements. Ten of them approached the van from the rear, and then two of them knocked on the door. Once the door opened, the figures grabbed the surprised Airmen, as well as the driver and his passenger, and stabbed them to death. Everything was over in seconds as the figures then closed the doors to the van, and then crept towards the house. The figures, wearing red cloaks and hoods, with runic symbols etched over their eyes, simply looked at the house as they surrounded it. They could feel the magic around the house as a blonde woman that resembled Buffy appeared next to one of the figures, and glared at the entrance.

"Weapons and magic," said the First who had taken Buffy's form, "nothing can save you now. I took away one champion out of the board, and now is the turn of the other one. In the meantime, my Turok-Han will continue to gather in strength before they are released into this world. I will be in the hearts of everyone, Buffy. No one can escape me.. but first. I take the champion away from you. And then… then I have my fun."

The First turned her head to look at one of the figures, one of her Bringers, and then ordered him.. and the others, to bring her Spike. She then took on the form of Drusilla as the clapped her hands while the Bringers marched forward, and then ran towards the house once the alarm had gone off.

"Bring me my prince," cried Dru as she looked at the stars, and then at the house as some of the Bringers were taken down by the security system while others that weren't knocked out, got onto the porch.. or broke through the windows to get into the house, "just don't kill Buffy yet. I want her for me… I want to break Spike, and I will make him eat her. And then… then I win."

TBC