Warnings and disclaimer in Chapter 1. Enjoy!

"Hey Buff," Xander started when the first trickles of water reached their room. "I just want you to know that I love you. I've always loved you. And none of this is your fault." He looked her in the eye, wanting to convey his thoughts completely. He figured they only had a few more minutes before the ship sank and he didn't want her to think he blamed her in any way when they died.

The scuttling went perfectly. After the explosions, the ship started sinking evenly, no listing to one side or pitching forward or backwards, and very little warping of the steel hull. It was a perfect demolition, and Xander was happy generations of sea life and hordes of divers would have this perfect sunken treasure to explore. Then the water reached them and he was thrust back into reality. He tried to break free once more, but the chains held even against his imminent death. So he did the only thing he could. He made sure he didn't have any regrets before he died. He glanced over when he didn't get any response and nearly cringed at the sight. Her eyes were open and radiating a power that he had never seen before. "Buffy?"

"No," she said simply. She started struggling with her setup and he realized he wasn't seeing his best friend, but the Slayer. He watched in amazement as she slowly moved her feet underneath her and pushed, raising the wooden plank off the hooks. She took one step to where the key lay then kicked it towards Xander before collapsing in a heap. Xander wasted no time. He flung his homemade rope, catching the key on the first try and reeling it in. It was slippery in his hands and he fumbled for a few seconds before he got his chains undone. He wasted no time getting to his feet and running to Buffy. The water was already over his ankles when he reached her side.

Fortunately, she collapsed in such a way that her head was still above water and she didn't drown. But that could change quickly if he didn't get out of here. He stopped just long enough to make sure her pulse was steady before he pulled her over his shoulders in a fireman's carry. "I'll get the board later," he promised her unconscious form, "but we gotta move now before we go down with the ship." The water was already halfway up to his knees.

He quickly made his way toward the door, surprisingly grateful for the smiley faces marking the way. He was worried they would get him all turned around or lead him deeper into the ship and into a trap, but he had no choice but to trust what the detective told him. It took him longer than he wanted getting through the door and passageway to the main corridor. He eventually just sidestepped. It was the only way he could maneuver the plank Buffy was nailed to down the narrow hall, but eventually he made it to the large main corridor. He stopped in the hall, looking left and right before he saw the next smiley face. He followed them and nearly shouted in joy when he saw the door to the outside. He pushed it with his hip, but it didn't open. The hull had warped after all.

"It's okay," Xander said, speaking more to himself than anyone else. "I'm just gonna put you down to open the door." The water was almost to his waist. He lowered Buffy into a sitting position, surprised to find her awake and watching him. He knew immediately that the Slayer was gone. Instead of power her eyes showed nothing but trust. She believed he would get her out.

As promised, the door wasn't locked. It only took a few minutes for Xander to force the hatch open. The guardrail was a few feet away. He was dismayed to see it was already completely underwater. They didn't have much time. He ran back inside and grabbed Buffy. He pulled her into his arms and headed back outside. "Dingy. Dingy. Where's the dingy." He searched the side of the boat. He almost gave up when he saw the dingy torn to shreds, the only casualty of the explosions. He looked at the girl in his arms. "Do you trust me?" She nodded and he climbed over the guardrail and started to swim.

It wasn't as bad as it could have been. The wooden plank Buffy was nailed to acted like driftwood, giving them more buoyancy than Xander was expecting. Xander laid Buffy down on her back, his arm around her chest as he pulled her through the water. Buffy tried to help, but there was nothing she could do except encourage Xander with her eyes. Xander did all the heavy lifting, getting them far enough away so they weren't sucked down with the ship. He didn't stop swimming until he stopped feeling the drag. "Mind if we share this?" Xander asked, draping his arms around the plank so it supported him too. Buffy smiled at him before everything caught up with her and she fell unconscious. Xander tried to stay awake, but his body was beyond his breaking point. "Just a little break," he promised her, "then I'll start pulling us to shore. I just have to catch my breath." The world went dark around him.

Willow glanced around in confusion. A second ago she had been confronting her future self and now she was suddenly in a strange room with no idea how she got here. Wait. Maybe not as strange as she first thought. She looked a little closer and recognized one of the apartments she used whenever she needed to attend her quarterly meetings in San Diego. She wasn't the only programmer to work from home, or even halfway across the country. The company owned a small apartment complex on their property, able to house the various tech gurus who flew in for their in-person meetings. The different divisions would rotate their quarterly meetings so that there was always enough room for their employees. She vaguely remembered hearing some of the units were being renovated from the last time she was here.

"Thank the Goddess nobody's in it right now," Willow murmured under her breath as she tried to find anything that could help her. She quickly began pulling covers off the furniture. She found the TV first, relived when she turned it on and it worked. She changed the channel to the local news, but realized it was still early afternoon and the news wouldn't be on for hours. She muted the TV but left it on as she continued her search. "Yes," she exclaimed in triumph when she found the phone tucked into one of the drawers. She plugged it in and dialed home.

She tried the Summers house first, knowing most likely everyone would be gathered there during the crisis, but the phone couldn't connect for some reason. She then dialed her home number. It rang and rang. She was about to hang up when finally someone answered.

"Hello?"

"Andrew?" she asked in confusion. "Why are you answering my phone? Where's Tara? What's going on?"

"Willow?" Andrew asked happily. "It sure is good to hear your voice. Or is it really you?" His voice changed from relieved to suspicious. "How do I know it's you? Maybe you just tricked us into thinking you faded away and really turned into energy and jumped into the phone line? Maybe this is still your evil, future twin."

"Andrew," she protested.

"Oh, for crying out loud." Willow heard a scuffle on the other end of the line as Andrew tried to keep hold of the phone while someone else demanded it. Finally, Andrew relented. Willow was never happier to hear Veronica. "Willow? Is that you?"

"Yes," she nearly cried. "What happened?"

"We just defeated Buffy the vampire and The Crimson Witch," Veronica said tiredly. "We theorized that they abducted you and placed you inside a mystical prison and hoped that with their defeat you would escape."

"Your theory is right," Willow said. "The last thing I remember is confronting them about Buffy and Xander's abduction, and then I'm suddenly in the firm's apartment in San Diego."

"San Diego?" Veronica asked. "That's not too far. I'll arrange a flight back home in no time." She started issuing instructions to Andrew.

"How much time has passed?" Willow asked, disrupting their discussion.

"What?" Veronica asked distractedly.

"We were nowhere near ready for that final confrontation, but you say you beat them. That takes time to set up and prepare. So how long have I been imprisoned?"

"Over three weeks," Veronica admitted.

"Have you found Buffy and Xander?" Willow asked. Veronica sighed.

"Not yet," she reluctantly admitted. "We think The Crimson Witch was cloaking their whereabouts. Hopefully, now that she is gone we'll be able to track her again."

"They've been missing three weeks?" Willow screeched. "There isn't time for me to come home. We have to do a tracking spell now. Is Tara there?"

"Yes," she admitted, "she's here but she's groggy. Fighting Dark Willow really took its toll on her."

"She fought me?" Willow asked in concern. "Can I talk to her?" All was quiet for a few minutes before Tara came on the line.

"Willow," Tara said tiredly. "It's so good to hear your voice."

"Are you okay?" Willow asked her girlfriend.

"Just a little tired," Tara told her, "but I helped save a bunch of people, so it's a good tired."

"I'm so sorry you had to go through that," Willow told her, though realistically she knew there was nothing she could have done to help. "I wish I could have been there."

"You're here now, that's all that matters," Tara said, before turning serious. "Veronica said you wanted to try a tracking spell?" Willow nodded. "You know we've been trying with no luck."

"They seem to work better when we cast together," she told her girlfriend. "But only if you're up for it."

"It's a simple tracking spell," Tara joked. "How hard can it be?" Willow smiled into the phone.

"I love you," she said, grinning goofily.

"I love you too," Tara responded before turning serious. "Will it work with you so far away?"

"The distance shouldn't be a problem as long as we cast over the phone and our magic combines," Willow told her. "The theory should be the same whether we're in the same room or the same state. The only thing we'll need differently is a map big enough to show you and me."

"A map of the state of California should work," Tara said, sounding much more energized than before.

"Agreed." Willow looked around the bare room. There were no workmen in sight so it shouldn't be a problem to borrow it for an hour or two. "I'll need to get a map and some supplies. Luckily, I know right where to go."

"I need to get supplies too," Tara admitted, "but before we go do you have the most important thing for a tracking spell? Something belonging to Buffy?" Willow searched her pockets and pulled out the doodling pencil she picked up at the abduction sight.

"Yes," she said solemnly.

"Okay," Tara responded. "Andrew's going for a map now. Get you things and call back at The Magic Box. Does thirty minutes give you enough time?"

"Yes," Willow said, checking her pockets for money, "but don't be surprised if I call earlier just to hear your voice."

"I'll be there," Tara promised.

"They've left the containment area." Joyce looked up from the kitchen table. She had been trying to help the twins with their workbooks but found her thoughts scattered and disjointed. Eventually she just watched as they worked, holding on to Alex like a security blanket. She squeezed the baby tighter as she watched Albert Giles, the Chancellor of the Watcher's Council, pick up a crayon and start coloring with Billy. Billy was more interested in eating the crayon, but with Albert's help he finally managed to draw on his paper. He squealed in delight before trying to eat the crayon again. Albert switched the crayon to a teething toy, which he could chew on to his heart's content. He looked over at Joyce. "There was an explosion in the compound. All the surveillance gear is offline. The vampire heard the explosion and went running. That's the last we have of them."

"Riley and his men?" Joyce asked, hugging the baby closer. Albert shook his head.

"Lots of casualties," he told her. "Some fatalities. They are beginning triage to save those that can be saved." He looked down for a moment before facing her again. "He reported they weakened her as much as they could. Faith and Daniel joined the fight right before she bolted. They were able to chase, Spike too. That's the last they saw of them." Joyce nodded, squeezing the baby even tighter.

"Hey babydoll," Lorne said, coming closer to the table. He reached out and pried the baby from her strong fingers. "Let me take her before you squeeze so hard she pops." Joyce relaxed her grip and let him pull Alex away. Lorne started to walk back and forth, gently rocking the baby so she didn't wake up. Sparky and Dash looked up when Lorne came closer. They practically growled at him when he took the baby. When he slowly meandered away they rose to go after him.

"Stop!" she ordered, putting her hands on each of their shoulders and forcing them back in their seats. The elder Giles looked at her understandingly. "Is there anything else you have for me?" He smiled, strained as it was.

"It's still going according to plan," he told her. "Only the venue has changed. I trust our team to be able to adjust to current conditions."

"I still hate this plan," Joyce said. Albert nodded his head. "How about Darla?" Joyce asked, motioning upstairs with her head.

"Still nothing," he told her. "My son is preparing a spell that will hopefully counter whatever magic is protecting the fetus, at least long enough to deliver the baby."

"How's that going?" Joyce asked, genuinely interested. Albert shrugged.

"The screaming has stopped." Joyce chuckled slightly. "I better get back up there." Joyce nodded, watching his retreating form until it was just her and the kids in the room. She watched Billy chew on his teething ring before circling the table so she could face the older twins.

"We need to have a serious talk," she started. She watched as they started to deflate, pulling into themselves for protection. "You're not in trouble," she quickly added. They stopped, looked at each other for a minute, and then looked back at her.

"What's wrong?" Dash asked.

"You are being awfully rude to Lorne," Joyce told them in a disapproving tone.

"He's a demon," Sparky spat out.

"True," Joyce agreed, "but he's also never done anything to hurt you or to deserve your obvious hatred." She sighed. "I know you were given to demons and I know they mistreated and hurt you, but that's no reason to hate every single one just because they were born differently."

"But he's a demon," Dash argued.

"He had no choice in that," Joyce told them, "just like you have no choice who your parents are." She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "In this family, we don't judge people based on what they are. We judge them based on what they do. There's a lot of interesting, friendly demons who might surprise you if you give them a chance."

"Oh yeah?" Sparky challenged. "Like who?"

"Spike." Sparky's face fell at Joyce's answer.

"But Spike can't be a demon," Dash challenged. "He's to cool." Joyce laughed.

"Spike is a vampire," she told them, "who is trying to be a better man."

"But he comes and plays Frisbee and pirates and dinosaurs with us," Dash said. "He can't be a vampire."

"What about Anya?" Joyce asked. Sparky gasped. "She's a demon who's trying to do better. And there's Daniel."

"Daniel?" they gasped at the same time. Joyce nodded.

"He's half demon. His father is a demon but his mother is human. He tries very hard to reject his demonic side and embrace his humanity." She let them think about that for a few minutes. "You'll meet a lot of demons in this town, maybe some of them you won't even know are demons. Maybe one of them will be your new best friend. Maybe one of the will be your High School rival. But if you never give them a chance, you'll never know. Do you understand what I'm saying?" They looked at each other.

"We'll understand," Sparky said. "We'll try to give them a chance."

"That's all I ask," Joyce said, coming around the table and pulling them into a fierce hug. "I love you both so much," she said, kissing them on the top of their heads before letting go.

"How will we know if a demon is good?" Dash asked curiously. Joyce didn't even need to think about it.

"Listen to your instincts," she told them. "And if anything or anyone makes you feel uncomfortable come straight to me. Or Rupert. Or any of your aunts or uncles." The twins looked at each other again.

"Okay," Dash said.

"We'll try," Sparky added. Joyce nodded, knowing there wasn't anything more that she could do. She went to sit down again when a pounding started at the door. She ran into the living room just as Wood opened the door. Veronica rushed in.

"It's over," she announced. "The vampire and the dark witch are dead. We've won." Joyce closed her eyes in relief. She was about to ask about everyone when Veronica continued. "Willow called. She's safe in San Diego and out of whatever prison The Crimson Witch put her in. She and Tara are preparing to do a locator spell to find Buffy and Xander."

"Where?" Joyce asked, routing through her purse for her keys.

"The Magic Box," Veronica said as she followed Joyce back out the door, leaving Wood to tell the others the good news.