Warnings and disclaimer in Chapter 1. Enjoy!
"I can't believe you confronted them," Veronica glared as they sat heavily on the couch. Faith was fuming, pacing back and forth behind them.
"I didn't mean to," Joyce defended them. "I was going to ask Spike where they were and hopefully give Giles time to talk me down before I confronted them. But when I saw them, I just lost it."
"You lost more than just your mind," Faith snarled. "We lost Willow. And any chance we had at stopping them."
"What about shadows?" Andrew asked from the doorway. They ignored him as Spike came in.
"I just got off the phone with Peaches. He said he'll help but he needs our help with something too."
"What?" Daniel asked. Spike shook his head.
"No idea. Said he couldn't talk about it over the phone. Said it's something we have to see to believe."
"Fine," Faith decided. "We need all the help we can get, even if it comes with strings." Spike nodded and headed back to the basement to call Angel back. Faith growled again as she passed by the group. "Did you think at all? If you listened to that detective for one minute you would have realized vampire Buffy and Dark Willow didn't have anything to do with Buffy and Xander's disappearance."
"What do you mean?" Joyce asked.
"They were abducted in the middle of the day which rules vampire Buffy out," Veronica told them, "and the perpetrators drugged them which rules Willow out. You could have gotten yourself killed for nothing."
"We did at least learn why they came back," Giles reluctantly admitted.
"Yes," Albert added, looking thoughtful. "What did she say about her future? The Voulard managed to disrupt the Slayer line?"
"Eliminate it," Giles corrected. "When Faith died there was no Slayer called, allowing the demons free reign."
"But how did they do it?" Albert wondered.
"The Slayer was created from demons," Giles theorized. "It's not a stretch to think they might be trying to undo it. Apparently successfully."
"The prophecy," Faith muttered. "If they control it they gain control of the Slayer line and they abolish it." She stopped pacing suddenly. "Is a Slayer that big of deal?" she asked. "I mean, one girl with amazing powers is great and all, but I don't see how not having one would self destruct the world as we know it. You guys have done it without Buffy a couple of times."
"Yes," Anya answered. "It's not about the Slayer herself, although they are formidable. It's more about what they represent." She stopped when they all turned to watch her. "Since the dawn of man demons were terrified of the Slayer. Not the girl herself, but the fact that when she died anyone could be called. It could be a girl on the other side of the world or it could be the girl you beat up every day at the end of the street. That uncertainty kept many demons in hiding, especially if you consider the Council policy of kill first, ask questions never. You didn't want to expose yourself because even if you were safe today, there was no guarantee you would be safe tomorrow. In fact, many demons wanted to keep the Slayer alive. It sucked for the demons in her part of the world, but at least everyone knew where she was. Not that it's much help nowadays, when you can get anywhere in the world in a day."
"So you take away the Slayer," Giles theorized, "and suddenly the demons that were trying to hide suddenly come out into the open. That could be catastrophic."
"What I don't understand is how one little change can affect everything so dramatically," Daniel said.
"That is the beauty of chaos," Ethan said lovingly. "Chaos is not making a single decision and hoping for a one certain outcome. Chaos is everything that comes after. Events you have no control over, never even imagined or dreamed about, tied to one single decision made days, months, or even years beforehand."
"How can one choice affect everything so much?" Faith asked. Tara and Anya looked to Giles curiously.
"Just imagine, for a moment," Giles told them, "if Hank Summers had never arrived at that party, or had never seen his daughter at the party." He looked at Joyce abruptly. "But he was there. He was a guest where his daughter was the entertainment. Did he?"
"No," she quickly stopped him. "When he saw Buffy he lost his nerve."
"But he went to the party knowing fully well what type of party it was," Giles insisted. Joyce nodded. "I'll kill him!" Giles exclaimed. From the horrified looks on everyone's faces, Joyce could tell he wasn't the only one.
"But he didn't," Tara said weakly, her face paling.
"Only because he saw his daughter," Anya said irritably. "As long as it was people he didn't know he was fine using them. Double standard much."
"I'm gonna hurt him," Faith proclaimed.
"No you're not," Joyce countered. "You are going to do what I'm doing and hate him. I hate him more than I've ever hated anyone, but I am also grateful. Because no matter what his intentions were when he went to that party, he ultimately did the right thing and spoke up."
"Besides, "Ethan added, "if he was the one who broke the secrecy spell, he will be punished for the rest of his life in one way or another." Joyce looked slightly happy at that.
"Anyway," continued Giles, "imagine if he never informed. The Ring would continue in secrecy. They managed to impregnate Buffy, and she would have born triplets, thus fulfilling the hardest part of the prophecy, all without us knowing. They could have twisted the prophecy for their own ends before we even knew there was a prophecy."
"Which is what happened in Willow's world," Veronica pointed out. Giles nodded.
"Correct," Giles said before adding, "but let's look at it on a more personal level. If the police hadn't gotten involved, Buffy would have never been wounded. Joyce would have never found her in New York. She wouldn't have brought her or her children home. Without them coming here, there would be no upswing in demonic attacks. Faith and Daniel wouldn't visit nearly as much, either to thwart the attacks or simply to visit Daniel's family."
"Okay. I get it," Faith said. "One different decision and the world is totally changed. But why didn't Willow, who is the most thorough person I've ever met, take all this into consideration?"
"Because they didn't know about the Prophecy," Veronica told her. "If Buffy never came home, The Ring wouldn't have put a bounty on her head. We wouldn't have shut down The Ring to stop them, and we never would have raided their headquarters and found the complete Codex and the Prophecy. The only person on the light side who even knew of its existence would be bound to secrecy and therefore unable to warn us."
"A mistake I will make sure we do not make again," Albert said solemnly. "If London was one of the Voulard's first targets, and I can see that being strategically sound, the only copy of the Prophecy would have been destroyed in the first wave. By the time Willow began researching it, I expect all she had to go on was here say and rumor."
"She had no idea how central Buffy was to the Prophecy," Giles concluded, "or how fundamentally changed her world would be by rescuing her from them."
"So when she made her small change," Veronica theorized, "and saw how much her world changed she had to go into self protection mode. The first step was making sure her future was secure. Willow had to lose her soul. And the easiest way was for Buffy to be turned."
"So she gathered up a coven to cast her true nature spell on Sunnydale," Giles added, "hoping in the confusion Drusilla could turn Buffy. When that didn't work she began draining magicians so she could personally come and make sure Drusilla turned Buffy. And when that didn't work she used Dawn's power to bring her version of Buffy from the future hoping we wouldn't know it was an alternate and Willow would try to restore her soul."
"Which almost worked," Albert added. "If you hadn't been able to communicate with the Slayer her plan would have succeeded." Albert gave an approving nod to his son. "But where does she go now?"
"We have an idea," Wesley said, barging into the house. Cordelia, Fred, and Gunn followed him.
"That was quick," Giles said. "Spike just barely called you."
"We left after the first call," Wesley said. "Our special circumstance is too precarious to leave anywhere near Wolfram and Hart."
"The mysterious problem you hinted at on the phone?" Giles asked. Wesley nodded. "What is the problem?"
"I doubt I could describe it in any way that would make it believable," he told them. "Suffice it to say, you need to see to believe." He turned to Joyce. "Spike mentioned you recently upgraded your security and Angel would need an invitation to both the grounds and your home?" She nodded. "They are waiting just beyond the gate."
"I'll go," Tara volunteered. "I can at least get him inside the gate. Then you just have to invite him inside the house." Joyce nodded and Tara left the room, Gunn and Fred accompanying her.
"So your idea?" Giles asked Wesley. He shook his head.
"Not yet. You won't believe me." Giles sighed but let it go.
"So now that the fang gang is here," Faith spoke up, "is that enough to take on B?"
"No," Anya deadpanned. "She might find two Master Vampires amusing, but as soon as she gets bored you are toast. And a handful of humans are nothing more than an annoyance, no matter how good of fighters you are. We need real numbers."
"I hope you don't mind," Veronica started uncertainly, "but I've put out a call for help. They said they should be here soon."
"Who?" Joyce asked. Her question was answered by a knock on the door. She glanced at Veronica curiously as she went to open it.
"Ms. Summers."
"Riley," she smiled brightly as she stepped back to allow Riley and another young lady enter. "How are you doing?" she asked as she led them back into the front room and the rest of the gathered group.
"Living the dream," he said as they entered the room. "Faith. Daniel. Veronica." He nodded a greeting before turning to Giles. "Mr. Giles." He inclined his head respectfully.
"Riley," Giles smiled at him, reaching out to shake his hand. Riley smiled in relief as he grasped it.
"Hi everyone," he greeted the rest of the Scoobies. "I'd like you to meet my wife. Sam."
"Wife?" Dawn asked, getting home from school and just walking through the door. "You break Buffy's heart, leave without saying goodbye, and think you can just waltz in here with a new wife like nothing has changed?"
"I'm sorry Dawn," he said sincerely. "Leaving like I did was cowardly, but I was in such a dark place I knew if I didn't leave right then and there that I would be dead soon. I wish I had said goodbye though." He took a couple of steps toward her. "Can I get a hug?" She eyed him icily.
"We'll see," she simply replied. He nodded as she went upstairs to put her school things away. He turned back to Giles.
"The squad leaders are outside. There's a car with some demons waiting by the gate. They said they're friendly and you knew they were coming, but my guys are waiting just in case they're lying."
"We know," Giles told him. "Tara's on her way to invite them in now." He nodded, looking around the assembled group before asking.
"So where's Buffy?" Joyce burst into tears, Veronica quickly gathering her up in her arms while Giles pulled him to the side and explained the situation. After hearing everything Riley stood taller. "On behalf of the US military, we'd be happy to help."
"Thank you Riley," Joyce said, once she had gotten herself under control.
"Will this be enough?" Faith asked again. Anya looked thoughtful.
"This might be enough humans," she said, "but we could always use more. But we definitely need more demons." She turned to look at Giles. "I have a crazy idea."
"What?" he asked, but she simply shook her head.
"Not yet. Let me get the kinks worked out first."
"Do whatever you have to do," Joyce told her. She dabbed her eyes with a tissue just as Tara entered the house. She looked extremely pale. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing's wrong," she quickly reassured her, "but you won't believe me if I tell you. Lorne and the vampires are waiting right outside."
"Vampires?" Joyce asked, her confusion breaking through her grief. "There are two?"
"Maybe Angel brought a friend?" Giles suggested, shooting a look at Wesley as they headed to the foyer.
"You could say that," Wesley said cryptically. Intrigued, Giles wrenched open the doors to the house. A white panel van was sitting in front of the door, surrounded by military men. Lorne waved from the driver's seat, but they couldn't see behind him. A heavy curtain blocked out the sun and all the windows were covered.
"Hey there sweet cheeks," Lorne greeted form the front. "Angel's in the back of this little love nest. Be a doll and let them know when you're going to pull the curtain. That gives them time to cover up." With that he opened the door and headed into the house. Bemused, Joyce and Giles looked at each other before climbing into the van. They called out a warning before pulling the curtain but couldn't help the sound of shock coming out of their mouths. Angel sat in the back right next to a heavily pregnant Darla.
Xander groaned as he slowly came to. He tried to remember what happened, then sat upright quickly as memories of the attack came back to him. Too quickly, he realized as his headache worsened, and an intense nausea assaulted him. He rolled to the side and vomited until his stomach was empty. Then after a few more minutes he opened his eyes slowly, trying to figure out where he was.
He was in a long box. The floors and walls were vibrating around him and every so often he could feel bumps from the road. "I'm in a semi trailer," he realized. There were a few holes drilled into the side to allow for airflow, and through them some weak, murky light was let in. As soon as his eyes adjusted, he started looking around. "Buffy?" he called quietly. He knew she was there when they were attacked but hoped beyond hope that she had somehow managed to escape. His hope was dashed when he saw her crumpled form in the opposite corner. "Buff?" he called quietly as he carefully moved toward her.
She was still unconscious. He hoisted her into his lap, checking her breathing and pulse before reassuring himself she just had to sleep it off. He remembered they drugged her, but he simply got hit upside the head. He massaged his head lightly as he studied their cage.
A metal pole went from floor to ceiling in the center of the trailer. They were each chained with the chain looped around the pole. That gave them some movement, but not enough to reach the door. There was nothing else in the truck. After a few minutes, when he felt stronger, he got up and tried to knock out the pole or pry the chains off, but he eventually conceded it was useless. Unhappy, he sat down to wait. And wait. And wait. And wait.
The murky light had nearly vanished by the time Buffy woke up. She looked around in a panic until she saw him. He opened his arms and she immediately crawled into his embrace. "It will be okay," he reassured her. "I'll get us out of here." She nodded, completely trusting him. "I don't suppose you can send a message to Giles?" She just sighed. "Didn't think it would be that easy."
Night had completely fallen by the time they stopped. He got to his feet, ready to leap at the first person who opened the door when he heard movement outside. He prepared himself as he heard the door to the trailer being unlocked, but all his preparations were in vain. As soon as the door opened a bright light blinded him. For a few minutes he couldn't see anything, and by the time his sight returned the door was closed and locked again. He winced as he slowly made his way back to Buffy, then stopped when his hand felt something new.
"What's this?" he asked himself as he crawled back towards her. The bright light still surrounded the truck, letting in a weak light. "Looks like they don't want us to starve," he told Buffy, showing her the pre-made sandwiches and water bottles inside the paper bag. "You have your choice of turkey or chicken salad." Buffy looked at him doubtfully. He sighed. "I don't trust it either but we don't have much of a choice. We need to keep our strength up." She nodded.
Xander carefully unwrapped the sandwiches. It didn't look like they had been tampered with, but, despite what he said, he was throwing them out if anything seemed off. He examined the turkey sandwich intently, even taking a small bite out of it, before he passed it on to Buffy. She waited until he did the same to his own sandwich before they both started eating. "Not too bad," he exclaimed after the sandwiches were gone. He turned to the water bottles, relieved to see the seals hadn't been broken. "At least they haven't messed with the water. There's two bottles for each of us. Let's drink one now and save one for later." Buffy nodded. He uncapped one and handed it to her before opening his. The long day and lack of water had taken its toll on each of them. Within seconds they had drunk nearly half the bottle. "Refreshing," Xander commented as he took another drink. It wasn't until the bottle was nearly empty he realized something was wrong.
He started feeling weird and the world was starting to go dark. He looked over at Buffy when her nearly empty bottle slipped from her hand and rolled towards him. She blinked a couple of times before collapsing in a heap. Xander crawled toward her, checking her out the best he could, before rolling her into recovery position. He managed to lay down on his side. "At least it's not a blow to the head this time," he thought as his world went black.