Disclaimer: I do not own Marvel Cinematic Universe, Buffyverse or anything else you may recognize
Thank you to everyone who has favorited, followed or reviewed this fic so far.
And I'd like to thank Brainstorm Sorcerer for his help with a certain scene.
Also, I forgot to say this, but Bucky has his look from 'The Falcon and the Winter Soldier' here, it suits him.
Have fun.
Chapter 9- Power unlocked
Rona and Vi were walking through the cemetery nervously, holding stakes, being as quiet as they could be. Something behind them stepped on a branch and made a cracking sound, and the girls turned to look.
It was Spike—in vampire visage. He punched Rona to the ground. Vi tried to stake him, but Spike caught her hand and grabbed her, and twisted her arm behind her back. He put his arm around her throat, growling and went to bite her neck.
Vi screamed. Spike stopped before biting her, looked up, and let his vamp face fade away. Vi squeaked with fright. Still holding her, he looked up, and talked to people in front of him. "OK, these two are dead. Why?"
Rona stood and dusted herself off. "'Cause the black chick always gets it first?"
"Ow!" Vi told Spike.
"So you die and tell jokes about it? What is this, a girl scouts team?" Natasha asked Buffy, who herself wasn't pleased by Rona's behavior.
"What was that, Rona?"
Rona said. "I'm dead because he's a vampire. I don't have slayer strength, slayer speed—i-it wasn't a fair fight."
Spike held his arms to Vi's neck. "Vi, do you think I care about a fair fight?"
Vi tentatively said. "No, no sir. You don't play by the rules, and I have learned a valuable lesson of some sort." Spike twisted her arm behind her back. "Ow!"
"OK, Spike." He let Vi go who walked up to Molly and Kennedy.
"As a former assassin, I've learnt not to make fights fair, just go in for it", Bucky told the Potentials. "The Vampires will."
Faith told them all. "No Slayer strength, but with skills too, you can do wonders." Faith thought of Matt as she said that. "So take this seriously."
"Yeah, because seeing a bunch of idiots", Felicia gestured to the other Potentials (minus Natasha and Jemma), "making fools out of themselves isn't my idea for a fun night."
"Who are you calling dumb?" Kennedy asked, marching to her.
"Well, you", Felicia shrugged.
"I don't see you doing any training here", Kennedy scoffed.
"Well, professional thief, held off the Bringers four times", Felica sighed sadly, as she had lost her uncle one of those four times. "I have better experience than you do." She scoffed. "And I hate this crap." If she wasn't a Potential, her uncle would be alive.
"So you thought you held them off and that makes you better than us?" Kennedy asked her.
"At least I have a reason to think I'm better than you lot, you are useless and still think you're better", Felicia mocked Kennedy, who was enraged.
She tried to throw a punch but Felicia threw her fist faster, hitting Kennedy's face, dazing her, then elbowed her gut in a spin motion, and swept her feet from under her, taking her down.
"So, lesson is, don't mess with professional thieves", Felicia quipped.
"Felicia, get in line", Buffy said, pulling her back, while Bobbi picked up Kennedy and pushed her back.
"You, just don't talk to anyone", Bobbi said to Kennedy, who glared.
"I guess I am not the most annoying person on your list anymore", Hunter quipped to Bobbi as both chuckled.
"Well, in spite of the flaws, I believe some lessons were learnt today", Simmons spoke up, watching the whole thing too.
"Yes, like some fighting tips, right?" Fitz asked.
"Some learnt, others never do", Bucky said, subtly gesturing to Kennedy, and Natasha nodded in agreement.
Buffy told them. "Don't fight on his terms. Your gut's telling them to run, run. OK? Regain the higher ground. Make the fight your own. Spike, what did your instincts tell you to do just then?"
Spike told her. "Hunt. Kill."
Buffy walked in front of the girls. "Come at me." Spike raised his eyebrows and smiled a little. "Full speed." She said to the Potentials. "He needs to kill to live. That tells you everything you need to know."
"So fight to survive", Natasha spoke from experience.
"This is gonna be good", Faith smirked with folded arms.
Spike growled and lunged at Buffy. She ducked, and he ended up lunging face-first into a headstone. He fell to the ground, lying flat on his back, and Buffy straddled him, holding one hand to his throat and pointing a stake above his heart with the other.
"Instinct. Understand his, but trust yours. You were chosen for a reason."
"Still trying to figure that one out", Felicia groaned.
"Look, I like it as much as you do, kid, but right now, your best bet to survive is with us", Natasha told Felicia.
"To be honest, the Black Widow being a Potential makes the rest of us feel small, since she's Black Widow, an Avenger, we're just random girls", Vi said. "And Agent Simmons is a SHIELD Agent, while Felicia is a professional thief, I don't see a pattern."
"Because there is none, so best to do with what we've got", Faith advised her.
"Yes, we will have to make do", Simmons sighed.
Later
"Thank you, for keeping me here, I don't really deserve it, but thank you", Curt said to Peter and Dawn while drinking a glass of water.
"Don't say that, Professor, you are a victim too in all of this", Peter assured him with a tap on the shoulder
"Yeah, we'll take care of you and find out what it wants with you", Dawn told him. "Just stay put."
"Don't have much of a choice in that", Curt sighed. "And I'll try not to go green."
"Yeah, that'd be appreciated", Peter agreed as both he and Dawn walked out together, and downstairs, and saw Felicia sulking on the stairs.
"What's the matter?" Peter asked.
"Just, this", Felicia groaned. "Would have been better if I just made away with my money."
"Well, they'd still come after you, you are safer with us", Peter assured her.
"Yeah, at least things aren't too bad", Felicia said, giving Peter a sultry look, making Dawn clutch her fists.
"And its best to keep it that way", Dawn told her pointedly, as Felicia chuckled, while Peter was oblivious to what had happened.
"I think all of us should get to school", Peter told Dawn, and she nodded, as he walked out to his home to get ready, and Dawn walked upstairs to do the same.
Felicia groaned. "Here I thought I was done with schools, what with a higher calling and all that."
"Well", Fitz came up to her with Simmons. "If you study well, you might end up in high places."
"Like you two?" Felicia asked.
"Something like that, perhaps even better, that could be your higher calling too, you know?" Simmons said. "Maybe you were called because being a thief isn't all you have."
They walked off as Felicia considered.
Later, as Willow, Tara, Bucky, Natasha, Fitz, Simmons, Bobbi, Hunter, Xander and Anya were discussing stuff, there was a knock on the door.
"I'll get it", Willow said, and opened the door to reveal Matt. "Oh, Matt?"
"Hey Will", Matt greeted as they shared as hug.
Tara walked to Faith, who was in an online college class, having earphones around her, and shook her shoulder.
"What?" Faith asked, taking the earphones off as she looked up.
"Look", Tara gestured to Matt and Faith's eyes widened.
"Oh boy!" Faith shot out and rushed to him, the two kissing each other happily. "Oh I heard things were going to crap in LA, I was worried."
"Well, I'm fine, mostly", Matt said with a crack of his neck as they hugged each other. "How are you?"
"Five by five, mostly", Faith said as they parted and walked in, holding hands.
"Hey Matt", Natasha greeted with a wave as Matt sat down amongst them.
"Hi", Matt greeted back and sensed who else was here. "So, why are you guys here?"
"Well, Black Widow and Agent Simmons are both Potential Slayers", Xander revealed, surprising Matt.
"Oh!" Matt said before asking them. "So, should I congratulate you or not?"
"Not sure yet", Simmons confessed.
"The guy with the knife that came at us, it was one of the many who are hunting Potential Slayers", Faith told Matt.
"But you are a Slayer, so why would it come after you?" Matt wondered before realizing. "So you can get here."
"Bet it didn't count on us lot to show though", Lance quipped.
"Yeah, I think this thing is going down", Matt said as all shared chuckles.
Anya started. "So, you want anything? Tea, water, condoms-"
"Nope", Matt said as all groaned.
"Actually", Faith had a sultry look as she leaned in to Matt's ear and whispered. "Maybe we can do it on B's bed."
Both of them burst into laughter at her suggestion as Bobbi said. "So, is there any reason for you to visit?"
"Yeah, considering how bad LA is, doesn't seem like a social call", Tara had to agree.
"If you're asking us to help out there, we have our hands full here", Bucky told Matt with a sigh.
"Not that", Matt said, then took a deep breath and revealed his reason. "I want to unlock the Devil."
A beat.
"Have you gone crazy?" Bobbi finally asked.
"Yes, this is a mess, Matt", Fitz agreed with him. "What has gotten into you?"
"You serious?" Faith asked him. "Like, real serious?"
"Yeah", Matt nodded. "Our enemy is too strong, only with the Devil can I beat it."
"First time you went to Mephisto it didn't end well", Faith reminded Matt of what had happened. "And he might not be in the mood after Abaddon turned out decent."
"Yeah, it's too risky for us all, especially you", Tara agreed with Faith, concerned for Matt.
"Look, I wouldn't do this if there was any other choice, but there is none", Matt told Faith and the rest sadly. "I have to do it. And I believe I have an understanding of Mephisto now, so I can count on some things."
"I don't think you can ever understand people like that though", Willow confessed what she felt about it.
"He's…..not gonna come here, is he?" Xander asked with a gulp.
"No, he has got nothing against any of you, just me", Matt assured.
"Well, good for us", Anya muttered.
"What you are proposing though, its pretty risky", Natasha told Matt, tapping his shoulder. "Be careful."
"Yeah, and if things go wrong, try to look for a way out", Bucky added.
"Look mate, there is crazy, and there is you", Hunter tapped Matt's shoulder, and laughed. "And I like it."
Matt laughed too as Faith asked him. "Are you sure about this?"
"I am", Matt confessed with a nod.
"Then I'm with you", Faith said, the two of them grasping hands as they smiled at each other.
Willow then got a call and walked off. "Wait." She walked off to get the call just as the door opened and Buffy came in.
"Hey guys", Buffy greeted before noticing the new arrival. "Matt?"
"Hi", Matt greeted her as they shared a hug.
"You here for-"
"A little help in meeting someone, I won't be long", Matt told her and she nodded.
"Gotcha."
Willow then arrived and said. "We have some news."
At night- Matt, Buffy, Willow, Tara, Faith, Peter, Dawn, Bucky, Natasha, Fitz, Simmons, Bobbi, Hunter, Xander and Anya were gathered together as Buffy asked. "And she's sure?"
Willow confirmed. "Positive. Althenea said the seers located another potential Slayer here in Sunnydale. Someone that already lives here."
"And she hasn't been wrong so far from what I know of her", Tara added. "This girl is here, and its not Felicia."
Buffy sighed. "Oh, God..."
Anya groaned. "All these girls flocking to town, and this one's already here and under our noses?"
"Life has a sense of irony like that", Faith quipped.
"Getting your lessons, huh?" Matt asked as they shared a chuckle.
Xander asked Willow and Tara. "Wait, the seers couldn't find out her name or, like, her address or anything? Am I getting the definition of seer wrong?"
"This is why I'm not a fan of cryptic stuff", Natasha muttered. "And I say that as a spy."
Buffy told the rest. "I was gonna take the girls out tonight with Peter, a little show and tell, but maybe now I shouldn't."
"I don't think you should worry", Bucky assured her. "We can scout around for the Bringers." He turned to the rest. "What do you say?"
"Fine by me, I'll do it", Bobbi shrugged.
"Yeah, let us all head out then, right?" Hunter asked.
"So, you'll hunt and kill Bringers?" Buffy inquired.
"If we find any, sure", Fitz confirmed to her.
"It will be hard, considering their skills and magic, but we will get some", Simmons assured her.
"Thanks guys", Buffy said gratefully.
"No problem", Natasha assured.
"Good luck", Matt said and they nodded.
"And you have our number, if you need anything, call us", Bobbi told the rest.
"Come on, guys, let's go", Bucky said as they left to do what they had said they would.
Willow then said. "First, me and Tara have to help out Matt."
"Yeah, and when that's done, we'll do the spell to find that girl tonight", Tara assured Buffy. "All right?"
"Yeah, they're right, we shouldn't skip training, everyone outside of Felicia does need some", Peter pointed out.
"So, we'll handle it", Dawn assured Buffy, who nodded.
"Let's go then", Peter said as he and Dawn shared a kiss.
Spike came in and said. "They're ready." He waved to Matt. "Hey Devil boy."
"Hey Spike", Matt said as they shook hands and shared a hug, and then Spike, Buffy and Peter walked down.
"So, you ready to do this?" Faith asked Matt, Willow and Tara.
"As ready as I have been for anything", Matt told her as they shared a kiss.
"Well, time to do this", Tara said to Willow.
"Yeah, let's hope it goes well", Willow agreed with her.
Matt, Willow, Faith and Tara sat in a circle together, in the middle of a symbol that the Witches had drawn up. Faith was there to provide her Slayer energy to Willow and Tara to keep them safe from anything potentially lethal, and it wouldn't harm her.
Xander, Dawn and Anya watched as Anya muttered. "I'm glad not to be part of that one."
"Hope they're fine", Dawn said in concern.
"They'll be good", Xander shrugged.
Willow and Tara chanted together with closed eyes.
"Spirits of air, sand, and sea, converge to show us the Devil's glee. In the wind, we send this rhyme. Bring Devil to Devil, before our time."
And then a bright light glowed from the circle, slowly encompassing Matt as Willow, Tara and Faith fell down, knocked out.
Matt was in Mephisto's Dimension again, the stench overwhelming and getting to him, and then up above on his throne sat Mephisto, who Matt could see due to what kind of being he was.
Mephisto let out a laugh and told Matt. "I knew you would come."
Matt was not in the mood for games this time, as it was urgent.
"I want you to unlock Abaddon's power for me", Matt told Mephisto immediately, and Mephisto scoffed, now standing up, the impact from that alone sending Matt falling to the ground.
"You insolent human! You think you can make demands of me just like that?!"
And then he took his true form, of a giant Demon with a long, slithering tongue, like a snake, and red fur.
In a flash, he smacked Matt hard, sending him flying off and crashing through a wooden column, and Matt fell down, groaning in pain.
Mephisto landed before him and gloated. "I can end you and everyone you care about by simply willing it."
Matt gritted his teeth and spat out blood. "But that won't help you get what you want, would it?"
Mephisto grabbed Matt by the face and hurled him towards the wall, making Matt grunt in pain as part of the wall shattered, and Matt fell to the ground.
Matt tried to stagger up when Mephisto lifted him up by the throat.
"I am the only living Murdock."
Mephisto slammed Matt's back on the wall, cracking some of it.
"If I die, Abaddon dies too."
Mephisto slammed Matt's back on the wall again, shattering it and now holding Matt over lava.
"I can always create more children."
Matt coughed out blood and pointed out to Mephisto. "You have waited 300 years for this spawn. You had expectations for him. You're not going to end it like that. Abaddon is still a Demon. He may not be evil, but he has the power to destroy and slaughter if he decides."
For a minute, no one spoke.
Then Mephisto's lips curled into a smile.
"Perhaps you are more Devil than I gave you credit for."
He put Matt on the other side, so he was no longer over the lava, and threw him down as Matt gasped and coughed.
Mephisto was back in his normal form and said. "Do not bother me again."
And then Matt was sent flying off.
Matt gasped as his eyes opened, and in that moment Willow, Tara and Faith woke up too, still having made the circle.
Faith grasped Matt's hand. "You okay?"
His wounds healed within seconds, the bruises fading and cuts closing themselves, and even bones mending.
"Looks like you are", Faith realized.
"What happened?" Tara asked him.
"I looked the Devil in the eye long enough until he blinked", Matt simply told her.
"So, did it work?" Willow inquired.
Matt and Faith both grasped each other and helped each other up, with Willow and Tara doing the same as Matt told them all. "I'm going to find out."
And with that, he walked off into a spare room.
"Well, that's that", Xander commented. "So, about the Potential-"
"Yeah, we'll do that now", Willow told him.
A while later, Willow and Tara sat in front of the lit fireplace, having ingredients laid out, and Faith, Dawn, Xander and Anya were also in the room.
They chanted, tossing ingredients into the fireplace as an orange haze emanated from there, and all in the room coughed while wrinkling their noses.
Xander groaned. "Oh, good God, what is that smell?"
Anya covered her nose with her hand. "I'm fairly sure that's the smell of a hardboiled egg being thrown into a fire."
"Yeah, we all saw that", Faith agreed. "Hope Matt's too busy meditating to realize it."
Willow covered her mouth and nose with her hand. "The smell will lead us to the potential."
Xander quipped. "Or some poor soul who ate too many chimichangas."
"No, Potential", Tara assured him. "She'll also be lit with an aura, so we will recognize her."
The orange haze from the fire had gathered in the center of the room, making a mass of glowing light. Willow, Tara, Faith, Anya, Dawn and Xander were standing in a circle almost, and the light was moving around in the middle of their circle.
Dawn wondered. "Is it supposed to be shimmying all over like that?"
"It takes time to charge up and go", Tara explained.
"I think I should air this place out though", Dawn said as she went to the door to open it.
Suddenly, the mass of light congealed and forms into a solid beam and headed straight for Dawn.
"Dawn!" Willow and Tara called out together.
The light hit Dawn with such a force that it picked her up and pinned her to the door. The light went straight into her, then she dropped to the ground, her chest still glowing orange. Somewhat disoriented, Dawn looked at Willow, Tara, Faith, Xander, and Anya with wide eyes.
Willow stared at Dawn. "I think it worked."
Faith muttered. "Kiddo, you're chosen."
Dawn collapsed at the door as Tara went to her side. "Dawnie, you okay?"
"She just found out she was chosen, okay is not the word I think", Faith commented.
Dawn stood and walked to the living room, the others following. "Maybe y-you did it wrong? Was it a-ambiguous in any way? Did you maybe say potential sailors? 'Cause I-I do like the water."
Willow confirmed to her. "We did it right."
Xander stared at her. "Wow, she—you're a potential. You could be the next Slayer."
Dawn's eyes went wide. "Whoa." She went to sit on the sofa.
Anya knelt in front of her. "Wow, it's like one second you were this klutzy teenager with fake memories and a spider-boyfriend, and then—then suddenly you're a hero, a hero with a much abbreviated lifespan."
"Anya, giver her space", Tara said and Anya moved back, and she said. "We have to think about what this means, okay Dawnie?"
"I-I can't think about this", Dawn stood and paced. "It doesn't fit in my head."
Willow was certain though. "A Slayer. Makes sense, I guess. Remember that thing about they share the same blood or whatever?"
"Didn't think it was blood related to be honest", Faith told them.
"She has to die", Dawn sat on a chair. "I mean, if I was ever the Slayer, it would mean she died."
"Actually, not her", Faith said, and pointed to herself. "I have to die."
"Oh!" Dawn's eyes widened. "Sorry."
"What do we do?" Xander asked.
"I've got to call Buffy and Peter, they'd be excited", Willow went to her phone.
Xander blocked her way. "No, we can't. They didn't' take their cell phones."
Dawn stood up. "Wh-wha-what happens now."
"Maybe you should sit down and think", Tara suggested gently.
"I-I cant. I-I need to know what happens to my life", Dawn was panicking.
"Hey, kiddo", Faith grasped her by the shoulders. "Whatever happens, we're with you. Besides, you are better-trained than most of those girls other than Felicia, so you don't have much to worry about, okay?"
Anya added. "Right, we also have to protect you from the, uh, eyeless guys, the ones with the sharp, sharp knives."
"Bringers."
"It's OK, we won't let them touch you", Willow assured, holding hands with Tara.
Dawn was worried. "What if they saw the spell?"
"Saw the spell? Dawn, they can't see flashcards. Big ones", Xander assured her.
Dawn was upset. "We did a big orange powerful spell. What if they sensed it? What if they're on their way?"
She stood up. "This-this is too much for my head again." She ran upstairs. "I can't. I—I need to be-"
"What's going on?" Curt asked as he arrived. "Can anyone fix the microwave?"
"For your second question, we will soon", Faith told him. "For your first, Dawn is a Potential Slayer."
Curt's eyes widened. "Oh! Well, that's…nice or not?"
"She is freaked, the poor girl, she is wondering what happens now", Tara said, worried for Dawn, hoping she wouldn't do anything reckless.
"Basically, now all is changed for her", Xander sighed.
From the door to her room, Dawn listened to the others argue downstairs.
Willow said. "Someone should go find Buffy and Peter. They must know."
"We have to think more about this though. Slayers usually have short and brutal lives", Tara said before saying to someone who undoubtedly Faith. "No offense."
"None taken, I'm surprised I lasted this long, though I'm happy about it", Faith told her.
Xander's voice said. "Dawn doesn't want us telling them yet."
Dawn walked to her mirror and stares while listening to the others talk downstairs as Willow said. "Dawn's state of mind isn't the best currently. She's in shock."
"To be fair, so are we", Tara replied to her. "Something chose her."
Dawn muttered. "I'm chosen."
She then opened her bedroom window and climbed out.
Matt was meditating, concentrating, trying to get into his own head, and eventually, it worked as all went dark.
Blinking his eyes as light returned to the world, Matt rubbed his eyes to be sure.
He could see.
Part of him wished he didn't. It was Fogwell's Gym, albeit everything was bathed in a red light. Matt walked from the lockers to the window. The sky was red instead of the calming blue he remembered. Then the Daredevil moved his eyes around the gym, and even though he didn't have eyes, he knew this wasn't Fogwell's that he often trained in. The equipment didn't seem as old, and the bags weren't as beat up.
Matt laid his hand on a bag; one he remembered his dad often working on for training. This was the Fogwell's of his memory, when he could still see.
It was the same when he stepped out the building to the streets, everything is as he remembered as kid, despite how everything has changed back in the real world. No people, no animals, just a city bathed in red.
But where was Abaddon? Could he be…, Matt turned his head towards the direction of a place that holds a deep meaning to his heart.
Clinton Church.
Matt saw, with eyes that could see, the same holy place where he heard the prayers, thinking that God let him hear so he may one day answer. It was also the same place he had returned after five years in Hell. Right now, Matt's purpose was here again, sitting on the pew in front of the alter. Looking up with a tilted head at the statue of Jesus on the crucifix, just like the last time he was here, at least in the real New York.
Matt walked closer to the Devil, who finally turned his gaze away from the cross to his human host. Slowing his pace, Jack and Maggie Murdock's son stared straight into the fiery-red eyes of the Murdock family Devil.
Abaddon himself had stood to his feet and walked to meet Matt halfway. Unlike before with Maggie, Abaddon stared straight at Matt, not with curiosity, but something else that he could not identify. All this time, fearing and dreaming of what he actually looked like, Matt could only say this, the real deal was something else.
Dawn was walking down the street alone, arms crossed and looking at the ground. Then she heard someone approaching down the sidewalk. She looked up. It was Amanda walking toward her.
"Hey."
Amanda greeted her. "Hey, Dawn. Whatcha doing?"
Dawn shrugged. "Uh, just walking. You?"
Amanda replied. "Um, yeah, just walking too. K, well, have a good walk. I guess I'll see you Monday morning?"
"Yeah."
They walked past each other, still going in opposite directions, then Amanda turned to Dawn. "You all right?"
Dawn told her. "Sure. Just walking, you know?" She looked closely at Amanda's face. "A-are you all right?" She pointed to her own forehead. "You've got a thing."
Amanda touched her forehead, finding a bloody gash near her eye. "I guess I— I had a bit of a— It's been a bizarre night."
Dawn asked her. "What happened? Who did that to you?"
Amanda bit her nails. "Uh, nobody...exactly. I don't think you'd exactly believe me."
"Try me."
Amanda finally confessed. "I-I was at school late because of, you know, Swing Choir, and I tore my sweater, you know, the striped ones we wear. So I went to Home Sciences to sew it up."
"Uh-huh."
"And by the time I was finished, the place was empty, so it was all echoy and lonely. And then there was this guy—or thing. And it was—it scratched me, and I kinda dodged it, and it kinda hit its head."
Dawn inquired. "What kind of thing?"
"I don't know. It was messed up. In the face. 'Round here abouts", Amanda ran her finger between her brows, and down the bridge of her nose.
Dawn realized what it was. "And when it scratched at you, did it—was it scratching with its teeth?"
Amanda asked her. "Is it real? Was it really a vampire? I bet you think I'm crazy."
Dawn assured. "I—I believe you."
"Well, cool", Amanda then told her further. "The thing is, after it hit its head, I kinda freaked out. I trapped it in a room, and it's still there, and now I don't know what to do."
Dawn assured Amanda. "It's OK. This is totally dealable. Don't worry"
Amanda sighed. "Well, I was thinking of getting your sister."
Dawn asked. "You know something about my sister?"
Amanda shrugged. "Well, I've heard people talking. A lot of 'em think she's some kind of high-functioning schizophrenic. But I also heard that maybe—like, maybe she could help with this kind of thing. Do you think we should go get her?"
Dawn decided if she was chosen, she should act like it. "She's out. I'll take this one."
Dawn and Amanda climbed into the school through classroom window. Dawn pulled a muscle as she climbed over the window ledge and yelped, rubbing her back. "Whew. I think I strained something. Maybe something I'll need later in life. Uh…"
"Come on. The vampire's upstairs. Are you spooked out?" Amanda asked.
Dawn assured her. "No. I'm all right. I-I can do this. It's mostly instinct. I think."
As they walked out, the window slammed shut. Dawn and Amanda walked out into the hall as Amanda asked Dawn. "So, if he scratched me with a tooth, am I—I'm not gonna turn into one, am I?"
Dawn shook her head. "Uh, only if he slashed open one of his own veins and led you to drink deep of his blood."
"Nope."
"Good", Dawn sighed. "You're lucky he didn't hurt you way more than that."
"Right. He can do that", Amanda stopped walking and turned to Dawn. "So, I was thinking... we don't have to kill the vampire, do we?"
"What?"
"Just suppose he got out and was maybe like encouraged toward the gym while the marching band was playing because the way they look down on the Swing Choir. It might be, you know, funny."
Dawn stared in disbelief as Amanda chuckled. "I'm just saying."
Dawn and Amanda then walked up to a classroom door, and they both stopped and stood in front of it.
"Well, he didn't break down the door, anyway."
"Yeah", Amanda asked. "Can they do that?"
Dawn explained to her friend. "They're very strong and, although they feel pain, they don't hold back because of it."
Amanda commented. "Guess you're some kind of monster expert too?"
"Let's just say it runs in the family", Dawn took a deep breath and then tried the doorknob; it was unlocked, and the door swung open. "I thought you said it was locked." She peered into the classroom.
Amanda was confused. "It was. It was here."
Dawn walked inside. "Amanda, it got out."
Amanda walked inside too and wondered. "Where'd it go?"
Dawn told her. "I dunno. But we have to get out of here."
Right as Dawn reached to close the door, the vampire dropped from the ceiling and rushed her. They struggled over the door as she tried to shut him inside the room. Ultimately, they wrestled the door off its hinges, and Dawn and Amanda ran away.
Dawn and Amanda ran down the hall, away from the vampire. They went down the stairs and headed for an exit door, but it was locked. They turned to try a different route, but the vampire had already caught up to them, blocking them from escaping.
Dawn looked around, and spotted the fire extinguisher. She ran up to it, breaking the glass cabinet with her elbow, and reached in for the extinguisher canister.
Amanda asked her. "What are you doing?"
Dawn fussed with the extinguisher mechanism. "I can't remember, does it have to be upside down or right side up to work? Which is it?"
The vampire approached before Dawn could figure out how to work the fire extinguisher, so she hoisted up the huge metal canister and swung it at the vampire's head, knocking him down.
He got up, and Dawn hit him again, throwing the canister at him where he fell. Dawn and Amanda ran down the hall away from him and headed back upstairs.
"I'm not going to beat around the bush. You know why I'm here." Abaddon narrowed his eyes but nodded his head. Releasing an anxious breath, Matt finally asked the question. "Will you help to save our friends?"
The three-century old Devil turned away, showing his back and wings to the human. "Not ours. Yours. Have nothing." His voice seemed to shake the room, deep, dark, and having the power to petrify and command demons and humans, if his appearance wasn't enough for that matter. Yet there was a tone of depression, a sadness that Matt understood all too well.
"You've been part of the Murdock's a lot longer than I have." Matt tried to appease him.
Abaddon grunted and made to walk away, his wings spreading. "No choice."
"You always had a choice." He did not shout, but the Devil stopped in place, yet refused to turn. "You could have been everything Mephisto said you were," Abaddon growled at the name but did nothing else. "Death and destruction personified. The literal Devil's Spawn. He who would bring judgement day."
Abaddon growled louder at each word, until finally whirling around and flashed in front of Matt, golden teeth bared. Yet Matt never flinched.
"Mephisto was wrong."
Those words took Abaddon aback, making him step away from his human host.
"You helped us in Pylea." The Devil lowered his gaze to the floor. "Rescued Connor. Kept me safe for five years." Abaddon moved himself onto a pew but did not move his eyes. "You saved the Multiverse. If that doesn't make you good, I don't know what will."
"Not good." Matt walked closer to the mumbling Devil, until he took a seat on the pew across from Abaddon. "Monster."
"No, you're a Murdock." Abaddon raised his eyed and stared at Matt in disbelief. Hie eyes wide and mouth open, lost for words. "You are a part of me, unconventional as this is. We're family, Abaddon."
He looked at Matt, his eyes not believing what was said. It made him all the more human in Matt's view.
Dawn and Amanda were running down the hallway at top speed. Dawn found a classroom, and opened the door. "In here!"
Dawn went into the room, followed by Amanda, then shut the door. "Help! We need to barricade this!" Amanda grabbed a lab chair but Dawn shook her off. "Too small."
Dawn went for the 4' wide by 6' tall filing cabinet, and started pulling it toward the door. Amanda went to help push. "Too big."
They finally got the filing pushed up to the door, and with their backs against it, they sank to the floor as Dawn ordered. "Stay down."
Amanda asked. "Think we're safe?"
Just as the words crossed her lips, the vampire started trying to break into the classroom. He growled at the door, opening it a little and pushing it against the filing cabinet.
Dawn and Amanda tried to hold the cabinet against the door to keep the vampire out.
"Amanda?"
"Yes."
"Listen."
"I'm listening.
"We're gonna get out of this. Both of us. Alive", the Vampire tried to get in. "Alive! You believe me?"
Amanda said. "I believe you."
"Good. 'Cause I got a plan."
And then Dawn said. "OK, this plan of mine, I'm not guaranteeing it'll work."
Amanda shrugged. "Better than mine about him eating the Marching Band. Besides, your plan will work."
Dawn pointed out. "In case you haven't noticed, I don't know what I'm doing here."
Amanda told her. "You're getting it done."
The vampire finally broke through the glass on the door, sending a shower of shards onto the girls below. They got up and went away from the door as the vampire knocked over the cabinet and entered the classroom.
After a pause, Abaddon spoke. "Not Abaddon." The Devil then growled as a dark look crossed his face. "His name. Not me."
"Okay, not Abaddon." Matt nodded in understanding. Mephisto was the one who named him. Matt wouldn't want a name given to him by the Hell Lord either. He thought for a minute, trying to think of what to call his inner Devil, before it finally clicked. "What about Adam?" Not Abaddon looked at him curiously. "After the first man. Just like you are the first of your kind. The first you."
The Demon mulled the name in his head, sounding it out, thinking of it, before looking back at Matt. "Adam. Murdock."
The whole thing, helping a dark, demonic being, walk onto the side of good, it was something Matt was beginning to cherish. He stood up before his new demonic counterpart and extended his hand. "I need your help."
The newly christened Adam looked at the hand, then back to Matt, looking at him with his penetrating gaze. Mephisto's rogue spawn then stood to his feet, towering over Matt before his grasping the human's hand with his charred red fleshed one.
"Yes."
The vampire was stalking Dawn between the chemistry lab desks. She backed up as he approached, and ducked between the desks. Amanda was cowering quietly in a corner.
Dawn grabbed a lab chair and pushed it toward the vampire, who was undeterred. Dawn grabbed an empty flask and threw it at the vampire; it broke on his head. She threw another empty flask, but he kept coming.
Then she found another flask with something in it, and threw it at him; it broke on his chest and now there was smoke coming from his body. As he flinched and inspected himself, Dawn ran to the front of the classroom where she grabbed the flagpole with the California state flag on it.
She struggled to break the flagpole in half on the edge of a lab desk, but finally did splinter it. She left the part that the flag was on and started swinging the jagged wooden pole at the vampire a few times.
Willow knocked on Dawn's door. Tara, Faith, Curt, Xander and Anya were standing behind her.
Willow called out. "Come on, sweetie, open up."
Tara's eyes widened. "She's not there."
"What?" Faith asked. "Where did she go?"
Curt opened the door with his hand, and they entered, seeing it empty.
"Crap", Anya said before noticing the open window. "Double crap."
Xander sighed. "Gone. We got to find her before the Bringers do."
Willow looked at Tara and said. "Let's go find her, she could be in trouble. And find everyone."
"I'm up for it."
They turned to see Matt there, looking a bit disheveled but fine.
"What happened?" Faith asked, walking to him as she stroked his face.
"It worked", Matt revealed with a smile as he stroked her face back, and she smiled as they shared a kiss.
When they parted, Faith said. "Congratulations."
Dawn managed to push the Vampire back when Bringers burst in through the classroom's exterior windows, and there were many of them.
The Bringers walked past Dawn and went straight for Amanda.
Dawn screamed. "No! You don't want her!" The Bringers hoisted Amanda up by the arms and Dawn's voice softened as her expression melted. "You want me..."
Amanda's face was one of sheer horror as two Bringers had her by the arms and a third came at her with a knife. Dawn stood and lighted a gas jet on one of the tables nearest the Bringers, causing a brief explosion and knocking them down.
She then picked the jagged broken flagpole. "Amanda!"
Amanda ran away from the Bringers toward Dawn. The girls quickly ran out of the room into the hallway.
They got to the top of the stairs as Amanda asked. "What were those?"
Dawn decided to encourage the actual special one instead. "Amanda, listen to me. Remember when you said I was special? Well, I'm not. But the thing is, you are. This is your battle, Amanda."
Amanda shook her head. "No, I can't."
Dawn assured her. "You can! You've got to. Look, I've got your back, but this is something you have to do. It's something you were born to do." The Bringers had found them and were approaching from the other end of the hall; Dawn handed Amanda the flagpole. "Here, this belongs to you."
Amanda reluctantly took the flagpole fragment from Dawn.
From the bottom of the stairs, Peter saw Dawn and Amanda talking. He climbed halfway up the stairs and called below him. "Guys, up here."
As the Bringers came toward Amanda, she used the flagpole as a staff, knocking them down and defending herself quite well.
Buffy charged at the Bringers, smacking one down with a stick, and then two more before leaping and kicking one away, then slammed it on another's head, taking that one down too.
She then kicked one's gut, taking him down, and smacked another away before grabbing another and spin kicking another's chest, sending him off.
Buffy then threw that one off before ducking to avoid two of their blows and smacked both before kicking them both away.
Faith smacked one and elbowed him away before grabbing another's arm and spin kicking another away, then slammed the previous one down.
She blocked another's blow and threw him down before grabbing another's foot who was trying to kick her and threw him down too.
Bobbi punched one, then grabbed another with her stave before tossing him down.
Hunter had the other stave and smacked one's abdomen before throwing him down, then hit another's elbow before grabbing him by that to toss him down. A third tried to kick but Hunter trapped his foot between stave and hand, and tossed him down.
Another tried to attack but was smacked down, and then he grabbed another Bringer and threw him off before ducking to avoid another's blow and pushing him off, and then he smacked another Bringer down.
One tried to kick with a leap but Hunter smacked his foot hard, taking him down too.
Bobbi smacked one's abdomen with her stave and kicked him away, before smacking another out, then hitting another's head, and then smacked another away.
As one more came, she smacked him out and in a spin motion, smacked another out too. Then she kicked another's feet from underneath him and spin kicked two down.
Faith smacked one out and kicked another away, then grabbed another while kicking one and smacking another, and then she threw off the one she'd grabbed while smacking another out. She then kicked another away.
Buffy kicked one away before kicking another, and then blocked a third's swing before kicking his foot, taking him down. She then kicked another on the face, throwing him off too.
As another came, he was kicked on the throat and out. One more came but got a spin kick to the face and was out as well.
Natasha leapt up and kicked a Bringer away, and then kicked another before sweeping one's feet from under him, and then kicked another. One came at her and she dodged his kick before knocking him out.
Another came at her but got a knee to the gut, and then she grabbed another's foot while he was kicking and elbowed it, followed by his face, taking him out too.
Another tried to kick but she grabbed his feet and flipped him over her head, taking him out. She then kicked another, then spin kicked another, and blocked another's punch with her foot and kicked him out too.
She then pushed another down and grabbed another's foot as he kicked, twisting it as he fell. She grabbed another's foot as he kicked and pushed him down before elbowing another's head and punching another's gut.
She then leapt with a kick, taking one out, and wrapped her feet around another's head, taking him down as she rolled away, and getting up, rushed another with a leap and kicked him out while elbowing another's head, getting him too.
Bucky was walking to some more Bringers. He wondered why so many were here for one girl, then realized they were probably anticipating them all too, so they had brought many.
One charged him but Bucky ducked and got on his other side, and threw him down, and as another attacked, Bucky elbowed his face, taking him out too.
A third attacked but one kick sent him out. Another came but Bucky just grabbed his head and slammed him into a wall, taking him out.
So far, he had not used his metal arm at all. One more charged him but got a knee to the chest, and another was thrown down and got a knee to the back of his neck.
Another charged but Bucky grabbed his throat and hurled him away. One more came, but Bucky grabbed him by the back of the neck and brought his face on his knee, taking him out too.
As two more charged, they got the metal arm and were out, as he kicked two more out, and elbowed another, then took another out with the metal arm. One more leapt at him but was tossed to the other side and taken out.
One tried to kick but Bucky grabbed his foot and tossed him away into a corner, taking him out as well.
Bucky then grabbed another's arm as he tried to stab him and hurled him into two more, then elbowed another out and took another out with his metal arm.
Two more charged him but he leapt and kicked him out and swept the next one's feet from under him. He then elbowed another out and took another out with his metal arm.
He then decked another's gut with his metal arm and kneed another's face, and both were out.
One tried to punch but he put his metal arm in the way, breaking the Bringer's hand as Bucky tossed him away.
Peter rushed 2 Bringers and with a leap, kicked both out, then flipped and spun in the air, kicking another out, then elbowed another in a spin motion.
Some surrounded him but he fired webs, tying two up and spinning, hurled them into the rest, taking all out.
Some more charged but he leapt over their heads. He then leapt to the wall and sticking on it, kicked three away easily. "Bet you wish you could do that."
He then kicked another away and as more charged, he ran up the wall and flipped to the other side, taking another out, and spin kicked another out too.
Two more charged so he ran up the wall again and leapt to their other side as they ran into the wall and got hurt, and he kneed another out before webbing those two and throwing them into some more.
One more charged but Peter tripped him so hard in a spin motion he was sent flying through the air and crashing to the ground.
In the chemistry lab, Spike rushed in, holding up a Bringer, and tossed him down, shattering a chair. Matt and Xander ran in behind him.
Matt blocked one Bringer's blow and decked his abdomen before tossing him to the corner. He then blocked another's blow and struck his throat, and in a spin motion, kicked his feet from under him, taking him down.
Another charged him and grabbed him but Matt elbowed his back, then tossed him into the wall.
Spike blocked another's blows and punched him down, then kicked another's feet from under him, and spin kicked his face, taking him out.
He then blocked another's blows and decked his chest before grabbing his throat and slamming him onto a table, shattering it.
Spike blocked another's kick with his knee and spin kicked his face, throwing him down, and slammed his foot on his face, killing him.
Xander saw some coming at him and threw down a shelf of chemicals in their path. He then blocked one's blow and punched him away onto a table of chemicals, and slammed his head on it multiple times, taking him out.
He then picked up a chair and used it to hit another Bringer, throwing him down, and then brought the chair down on him, knocking him out.
Matt blocked another's blows and ducked to avoid a kick before spin kicking him out.
A Bringer tried to kick Spike but he grabbed his foot and slammed him into the pillar, taking him out. He then blocked another's blows, elbowed his face, and turning around, grabbed his head and flipped him over onto a table, taking him out too.
He then ducked to avoid another's blow and kicked his chest, taking him out too.
One more ran at Spike over a table and leapt but Spike grabbed him and hurled him away.
Matt blocked another's blow and kicked him away, then blocked another's blow and grabbing his hand, smacked his face and twisted his arm, taking the knife.
In a spin motion, he blocked the next blow and stabbed the Bringer's shoulder with his knife, throwing him off. The next charged but his feet were sliced and as he went down, Matt stabbed his shoulder, taking him out too.
Matt threw the knife off as another Bringer charged with a knife but Matt blocked and in a spin motion, snatched the knife and sliced his feet, taking him down too.
Xander was nearby, a Bringer having grabbed him in a chokehold as another rushed him and grabbed his waist. Xander elbowed that one's back a few times.
Matt threw the knife as Xander elbowed the one who'd grabbed him in the chokehold, staggering him back in time as the knife hit his back, and Xander used the opportunity to throw him off.
He then flipped the other one down and threw a shelf over his head.
Spike rushed through the lab, grabbing and hurling another Bringer away. One tried to kick him but he blocked with his knee and kicked him down, then kicked his chest, throwing him off.
One more charged him but Spike elbowed his face thrice and he was out too.
A Bringer tried to kick Spike but he grabbed his foot and slammed him down on his head, and crushed his face with his foot.
Matt leapt onto a big table, running over it, and leapt as a Bringer slid at him. They turned to face each other as Matt blocked his blows and flipped him down.
He got up as Matt spin kicked him away and out. One more charged him and Matt punched his face, kneed his chest, then decked his gut and chest, and punched his face twice, before sweeping his feet from under him in a spin motion as he was out.
Fitz and Simmons together kicked away a Bringer each, then blocked one more each, as Fitz kneed the one against him and threw him down, while Simmons elbowed another away.
Fitz then got behind another and kicked him on the back of the knee, taking him down, and knocked him out.
Simmons raised her wrist to block another's blow, then decked his neck, and his chest, and his gut, putting him down, and kicked him out.
As two more charged, Fitz spun and elbowed his face while Simmons slid and kicked the other's feet from underneath him.
Dawn and Felicia were side by side as the latter suggested. "Maybe we should get over our differences right now."
"I'd like that", Dawn nodded in agreement as both kicked a Bringer each.
Felicia then kicked another and spin kicked another off, then flipped to avoid another's strike and punched him away.
She then rolled away to avoid two more's strikes and with a leap, kicked both out, then landed and flipped up.
Felicia then dodged swords from two more and spin kicked one away before leaping and kicking the other away too.
Dawn was down but kicked that one on the face, knocking him away, then rolled away and got up, grabbing another's foot as he kicked, and punched his face thrice, taking him out.
She then spin kicked another, and then kicked another one away.
Dawn then elbowed another away before grabbing another and pushing him off.
Amanda defended herself admirably with the flagpole before ultimately pinning the vampire against the wall and staking him with it.
Buffy walked upstairs to the last Bringer that was still around and broke his neck, with the others gathering around soon enough.
Amanda turned to them, confused and perturbed. "OK. One minute I'm in Swing Choir, and the next— Spider-Man? Daredevil? Black Widow? White Wolf? What the hell's going on? You tell me to come to you with problems. Turns out, a vampire attacked me. Problem. So I go to your house, and when I get there, this orange cloud hits me. And now Avengers and Spider-Man and Daredevil are here!"
"Calm down, kid, you did well", Faith told her and turned to Felicia and Dawn. "You two as well."
They nodded with smiles before Dawn revealed. "She was at the doorway."
Amanda rambled. "And I don't know if you're into the drugs, but that's not my deal, all right. That cloud hit me, and I got a little dizzy and discombobulated."
Dawn told the rest of them about Amanda. "It was Willow's and Tara's spell. She's the potential Slayer."
"Why are there so many Bringers for just one though?" Buffy wondered.
"I think they were for us, but they were still too few", Bucky shrugged.
Later
Matt was outside the house, his stuff packed up, with Faith on the door. "So I guess you have to go back to LA now."
"Yeah, they need me", Matt told her with a sigh. "And this place needs you."
"Well, they do have 2 Avengers and 4 SHIELD Agents", Faith shrugged as they chuckled.
"Yeah, but you were drawn here for a reason too", Matt pointed out and she nodded. "Good luck."
"You too, both of you", Faith told Matt as he smiled at who she was referring to, and she added. "And if there's a problem, call. I'll come."
"It goes both ways", Matt assured Faith as they shared a loving kiss on the lips for a minute, and then parted. "Goodbye."
"Goodbye", Faith said as they waved at each other and Matt was off.
Next morning
The other Potentials walked out of the room, with Buffy walking to a corner to discuss more stuff with the Scoobies, Avengers and Agents of SHIELD.
"Hey", Peter sat next to Dawn.
"What's up?" Dawn asked him.
"Well, those Potentials, other than Natasha and Jemma who are an Avenger and SHIELD Agent respectively, it's a harsh gig for them", Peter told her. "Pretty bad for them."
"They will handle it", Dawn sighed.
"Yeah", Peter agreed as he sat next to her. "But none of them know how that people like us have value too."
"What do you mean?" Dawn asked.
"Well, you and I, we are both younger ones", Peter pointed out to her. "I was with the Avengers for a bit, you are with the Scoobies. Both of us have ideas, we contribute, but we don't get what we feel we deserve, of course I have powers, but point stands, you know?"
Dawn looked at him as Peter revealed. "I saw what you did last night."
"Yeah, I-" Dawn shook her head, embarrassed. "I guess I kinda lost my head when I thought I was the Slayer."
Peter told her. "Yeah, but when you found out you weren't, you gave it up to Amanda. And still, you were there, you fought."
"Your point being?" Dawn asked.
"Neither of us were chosen, I have powers, but I could have just used them to play football instead", Peter explained to Dawn. "We fight, because we want to stop bad things, and we can. So when we don't, the bad things happen because of us. We volunteered. And you did it without powers, so that makes you extraordinary."
Tears welled up in Dawn's eyes as she smiled at Peter, and they shared a loving kiss.
"Come on", she held out her hand as she and Peter walked off to see Kennedy trying to hit on Willow.
"Come on, your bed, will be fun", Kennedy offered but Willow walked off, uncomfortable, and joined Tara who was outside, not having seen Kennedy trying to hit on her girl.
"Kennedy", Dawn called out as Kennedy turned to her. "You hit on Willow again, I will magically put you to sleep and-"
"When you wake up, you'll be hanging upside down with no pants", Peter finished, both glaring at her, as Kennedy paled, realizing they were serious.
She raised her hands and walked off, as Peter and Dawn shared a conspiratorial smirk.
Since I brought in Matt, I brought the action with him, and turned the final fight into an action set piece, and all of it was taken from various martial arts films, thanks a lot to Brainstorm Sorcerer for all the fight scene suggestions.
And thank you to him for help with the Mephisto and Abaddon/Adam scenes as well.
So Matt shall go back to Angel Season 4, while this one continues too.
Kennedy shall get some more in next chapter but that's it.
Hope all enjoyed and see you all next time with another chapter.