Springfield January 18th 2008 8:12 am

Buffy poked at her oat meal in the school cafeteria. She was still pretty shaken up by the phone call from the night before. Add to that that she was told today was the day she would die. She just shook her head. "Can't let it get in your head."

"Can't let what get in your head?" Faith plopped down at the cafeteria table across from her chewing on a pop tart and drinking a Dr Pepper.

"Pop tarts and a soda for breakfast? You eat like a 10 year old."

"Come on stop dodging my question. What got in to Buffy's head? I always thought of that as my sort of thing."

She just shook her head. "It's nothing really."

"Well I have been looking for you I got a favor to ask."

"Why do you only look for me when you want something?"

"OH come on don't' be like that."

Buffy sighed. "What do you want Faith?"

"I don't have a lot for natural full blood family left but I actually have a cousin who is passing through the area and I really would like to spend some time with them. I need someone to cover for me though"

"Faith I don't know I "

"Come on Buffy. You are the one always talking to me about the importance of family and my cousin Brian I haven't seen him in 10 years. Do this for me and I promise I will owe you."

"It's not that I don't want too."

'Than please help me. I mean you are the only one I trust enough to lead my squad. Besides I promise you it is going to be the easiest night ever."

Buffy furrowed her brow and crossed her arms. "Sell me on this easy night."

"It's just a vampire nest. Sasha has already done all the homework. We know how many vampires there are. We know where in the building they likely to hide. Top to bottom you should be in and out in under an hour and than the rest of the night is yours. Hell I'm practically giving you a gift. I mean if you take your usual squad out you will be in at 2am. You lead mine I bet you that you'll be back by Midnight."

Buffy closed her eyes and got that rumbling feeling in her gut. "Faith."

"Family Buffy come on now Family."

She sighed. "Okay fine. But you owe me."

Faith jumped up and grabbed her forehead kissing it. "I love you."

"Yeah yeah."

"You know you are the best right."

"So Sasha did all her homework on this place?"

"She is the best watcher under the roof."

"Don't let Giles hear ya say that." She pushed her oatmeal away. "But tell Sasha I want to touch base with her before we check this place out."

"You don't trust her?"

"Never said that. I just believe in checking all angles. It is what make me The Best." She just tossed her a smirk.

"Fair enough." Faith stood up grabbing her soda and pop tart. She walked away from the table. "Gotta bounce but thanks again Buffy."

"Hey Faith this nest, do you know where it is?"

Faith bit her lip trying to remember. "I think it's a warehouse. Something like Buxton Machine shop. Talk with Sasha she knows all the details."

Buffy closed her eyes and could feel her stomach clench. "Yeah thanks."

She left the oatmeal behind and made her way to the Watcher's branch in the building. Sasha Coleman was one of the newer Watchers in the Council but like Faith said she was one of the best. She was former Cop out of Chicago. The way the new council worked was so different from when Buffy started. The watcher was in a van with enough tech gear so any vampire trying to sneak up didn't stand a chance. The slayers working the field were equipped with body cameras and ear pieces so they could communicate with the watcher in the van.

Buffy stood outside Sasha's office. She knocked gently on the door. Sasha opened the door greeting Buffy warmly. "Buffy, I was told you might be stopping by."

"Faith asked me to cover for her tonight. We haven't had a lot of chance to work together and."

'And you want to know what we are up too? Do your due diligence and make sure I'm not totally incompetent."

"I don't mean any dis respect."

"Come on in. It's fine. If I was in your place, I'd be doing the exact same thing."

Buffy sat down at the chair across from her desk. "So fill me in about tonight?"

"Buxton Machine Shop." She turned her lap top to Buffy. "I was able to pull up the blue prints off of the city website. We know the majority of the nest is living in the welding shop. It's far enough in to the building they feel safe from any potential window access. "

"How many vampires are in there?"

"Can't give you exact numbers but our research says on the light end 12 on the heavy 20."

"Why are we going in at night? I mean if we are talking vampires."

"You want to do a day operation?"

Buffy bit her lip. "Is it possible?"

"We are on the docks and you are going to potentially have a certain amount of foot traffic."

"I get the idea that we are this secret covert op that is supposed to work in the shadows but if I have to choose secret and covert or safe and alive."

Sasha turned the laptop around and quickly punched in a few keys. "So the sun is going to be out and high today. If you really wanted to make a move on this."

"It's last minute I know but do you think we can get everything together in time to turn this night op in to maybe an afternoon Op?"

"Let's make it happen." Sasha looked at her watch. "What do you say we shoot for 2pm go time."

"Works for me."

"I'll send out the alerts to all the slayers."

Buffy stood up and turned to walk out the door. She paused as she reached for the doorknob. "Hey Sasha. Just curious. Those blueprints you showed me, any idea how updated they are?"

"The building hasn't been used in 20 years so they are a little outdated but it's the most recent available. You got concerns?"

Buffy shook her head. "Nah I'm sure its fine."

It surprised Buffy how fast time could go by when you were truly dreading it. Her mind was racing about the phone call. Was this some sort of spooky omen? If it was did changing the plans from night to middle of the day change things enough to save her? Was changing the plans the reason she didn't make it out alive. It was enough to drive you bat shit crazy. Which when you were about to charge in to battle that wasn't the place you wanted to be.

The van pulled up a few blocks away from the warehouse. It was close enough that the girls would be able to communicate with Sasha in the van but far enough away that it shouldn't give any of the vampires a heads up of the Slayers arrival. As Buffy jumped out of the front seat she scanned the building. On the side of the building was a fire escape. Tina one of the slayers caught Buffy staring at the building. "What are you looking at?"

"Just working battle strategy in my head." She turned and opened the cargo doors on the van. "Let's weapon up and get this over with."

All of the girls geared up. They looked more swat squad than teenage protectors against dark forces. Sasha was running the final checks on the earpieces and body cams. Buffy was taking the lead so she jumped in the back of the van. "Everything okay?"

Sasha pointed to the monitors. "We are all online or green light any other cool go phrases you can think of."

Buffy just nodded. "Okay lady in the van. Keep us safe." She jumped out the back end. "Alright we all have our positions and assignments. We are running teams of 4 today. I am leading team A. Tina you got B, Val you are C and Tina D. Keep the mic chatter down. We don't want to tip off anyone we are here. I want this to be a simple in and out. Faith sold this to me saying it shouldn't take more than an hour."

Sasha reinforced everything Buffy said. "I'll keep you aware the best I can. Stay safe."

The four squads all took off in separate directions of the building. Buffy stood at the south end of the warehouse ready to enter through the business office. The three girls following Buffy were well experienced and Buffy felt confident enough in their abilities. As they walked through the office it was obvious the vampires turned this place in their own private crash pad.

The floor was littered with beer cans, garbage and the occasional t shirt or sock that had been left behind from the victims. Suddenly the mic cut in. "C squad East End 3 down and dusted."

Buffy opened the door up to a back hallway. It lead to the main floor and was where the intel said the largest portion of the vampire nest was. She held her hand to the door knob and whispered to them. "Be ready."

She stepped out in to the main floor to find it completely empty. She walked hesitantly in to the room but it was empty. "Something isn't right." Just than they heard the floorboards above them creaking. Someone one floor up was walking. Lisa pointed up and stepped to Buffy.

"I think we are off one floor."

Buffy scanned the room. "Okay we take the far stair well up and approach from behind. Let's keep our path clear the way we came though so if we need to bail we go out the way we came in."

They all nodded in agreement. As Buffy led the way across and over the floor than up to the next floor she pushed open the fire door. The room was dark. All of the windows that were so abundant a floor below didn't have the same issue. This rooms only window was painted black. Buffy stepped in to the room "It's way to dark in here. I'm not liking this."

Buffy reached for the utility belt on her pants pulling out a small light. As she turned it on to get a better look at the room she froze. As the girls moved deeper in to the room the loud slam of the fire door locked behind them. Suddenly a light turned on in the center of the room and Buffy suddenly realized what they walked in to. "Oh shit."

It had to be at least 12 vampires just on this floor. They were now awake and moving and looking at the 4 girls in the room as a real viable threat. Buffy hit the button on her mic. "Sasha we got a problem. We need back up NOW." Tina took out her stake ready to fight but stopped. She tossed it straight at the only window in the room. Sunlight poured in to one part of the room.

Buffy nodded at Tina. "Good idea." She ran over standing in the sunlight with the others making their way next to her.

Sasha chimed in "Buffy I got teams working to get to you."

Tina answered back. "We got vamps in front of the door we came in through."

Buffy shook her head. "Okay girls we got this. We Fight." She pulled out her stake ready to face her destiny. They all nodded in agreement.

4 against 12 had the odds stacked against them but Buffy had faced worse. As the girls charged in to battle Buffy gained some confidence in the first vampire she staked. He was slow and dumb. It wasn't much of a challenge. But she didn't have much time for pats on the back as she felt a fist coming in to contact with her face.

As the girls fought they covered each other's back. Sasha barked at them. "B squad can't get to you. Hallway access is blocked off by debris and a collapsed floor section we are trying to find another way to you."

Buffy staked another vampire and snapped back. "Can't talk. Kind of busy. Just give us a way out."

What started as 4 against 12 was now 7 on 4. Buffy kicked one of the vampires off her as she saw Lisa getting grabbed and pinned down by two of them. Before the vampire could even bare it's fangs Buffy jumped on it's back and drove the stake home. Dusting another.

Lisa head butted the vampire on top of her and used her power to jump back to her feet. Lisa just smiled. "If you assholes couldn't take us when it was 12 on 4 on how do you feel about your odds at one on one."

Just than a metal chain could be heard on the floor crashing against the cement. It was the sound of the metal chain hitting the floor as the cargo bay door opened to a whole other side of the room. Behind the door were too many vampires too count.

Buffy turned to Lisa. "Sweetie that is why we never ask questions like that."

Tina shook her head. "We gotta bail. Too many of them."

Buffy barked at the mic "Sasha Exit strategy NOW."

Sasha typed back "Okay got it. Far west side of the building enter that room and down that stairwell will take you back to where you got in."

Buffy closed her eyes thinking. She kept hearing the voice from the phone. "The warehouse plans were out of date. You wanted to keep moving up but the voice in the van told you there was an exit a floor below. The fire escape on the building was just one floor up" Buffy ripped the ear piece out of her ear. "FOLLOW ME NOW."

She ran to the stair well. Tina looked at Buffy confused. "But Sasha says."

Buffy yelled. "SASAH IS IN THERE AND I'M HERE NOW. I'm not dying in this building today."

The slayers looked at her reluctant but followed her lead. Buffy ran with everything she had up the stair well and to the next floor. The girls were on her tail with the vampire practically nipping at their heels. As they arrived on the third floor Buffy found a wooden door. She charged at the door with everything she had breaking through in to what looked like a mail room. She scanned the room quickly and pointed as the girls filed in to the room they slammed the door shut pressing there back against it. Buffy quickly pushed a desk against the door as potential barricade.

Tina barked at them. "What now. You trapped ups in here?"

They could hear the vampires pushing against the door trying to get in. Buffy picked up an old broken chair and looked around the room "I think." She spotted her salvation. She swung the chair like a golf club against the room only window. She stuck her head out and spotted the fire escape. "Get your ass out there NOW."

Buffy ran back to the desk bracing herself against it. She could feel it budging as the vamipre's tried to get in to the room. Tina was the first, with Lisa close behind.

Debbie looked at Buffy. "Come on."

She nodded "Get out. I am right behind you." She felt the desk pushing against her.

With no more words Deb climbed out the window and started climbing down the fire escape. Buffy knew she couldn't hold on much longer. She let go of the desk and ran for the window diving out head first. As the vampires filled the room they were unable to chase after her as the light from the widow filled that part of the room.

As Buffy climbed down the ladder of the fire escape she put the ear piece back in. "Sasha this is Buffy. A squad is clear. EVERYONE Pull Out now. All teams back to the van."

Sasha repeated the commands. "You heard her. Abort the mission. Repeat Abort Mission."

Just like that the girls fled from the warehouse. Buffy jumped off the ladder backing up from building and soaking all of it in. One by one the girls showed up back at the van. All of them a little worse for wear but no one hurt too bad.

Buffy just looked at the warehouse unable to blink. "Holy shit." She couldn't help but laugh.

Sasha looked at her confused. "Buffy you okay?"

She laughed hysterically. "I'm alive." She threw her hands up as if she had defeated death. "YOU HEAR ME. I am ALIVE. Not today!"

The slayers looked at Buffy confused as if she was losing it. Sasha stammered "What happened in there. You went silent and."

Tina stood behind Buffy. "No disrespect but Buffy did her own thing and that own thing saved our lives."

Erica was one of the slayers over hearing the conversation. She stepped forward. "Consider yourself lucky. We crossed that same path and it was a dead end. We had to double back coming in."

Sasha stood there stunned. "How did you know. I mean where did you get your intel?"

Buffy breathed in deep and sighed. She was still soaking all of it in and wasn't listening to a thing anyone said. She just laughed. "I'm alive."

Springfield October 12th 12:30 PM

Willow sat across from her friend at the restaurant as they waited on their meal to arrive. She sipped at her wine while he nursed at his beer. "So Xander how are things holding up?"

"Holding up?"

"I mean financially"

Xander just laughed. "Isn't it considered rude to ask about a man's finances."

"Xander you aren't working and this is me showing concern."

He shook his head. "You don't need concern. I'm doing okay. I have just enough construction experience to make myself someone you might want to hire."

"Might want to hire?"

"I keep just busy enough. Plus I had money stored away. I'm not rich but let me set your mind at ease. You don't have to worry."

"Well money isn't my only concern for you."

"You can stop that right there. I am fine Willow." He let go of a deep sigh and reached out and took his beer in hand. "Willow it's just." He raised his glass to his lips ready to take a sip but stopped. His brain felt like it was on fire.

"You okay Xander?"

Xander pinched the bridge of his nose. "I'm fine I just." He pulled back from his chair for a second. He put his head down and rubbed his temples. He had never felt anything like this before. He rubbed his temples. "I oh God this feels so."

"Xander what's wrong?"

He took a deep breath and looked up at Willow. "Buxton Machine Shop?"

"What?"

He stood up. "Buffy didn't die at Buxton Machine shop. She got out."

"What the hell are you talking about Xander?"

He looked at Willow "What the hell is Buxton?"

He stood up and paid for his beer and meal. "Hey I have to go."

"Go where?"

"I'll explain later. I really got to go."

He ran out to his car. It was like his brain was working over time. He had new memories. Memories that weren't there before. He drove home just wanting to get some answers. As he ran in to his house the phone was finally powered up. He stepped to the table and bit his lip. He slowly reluctantly picked it up.

He whispered to himself. "What the hell is going on?" He flipped open the old phone and opened the texting function. His response was one word. "Buffy?"

He waited for what seemed like eternity. Finally the phone buzzed a simple response. "I'm Still Here"

Before he could even react the phone buzzed and rang out. This time it was ringing. Xander just swallowed the lump in his throat "What the hell. Might as well just roll in to this insanity." He pushed the answer button and held the phone to his ear. "Buffy is this really you?"

"Oh God Xander. How the hell is this possible?"

"If I had a 100 lifetimes I'm not sure I could explain this."

Buffy sat on her bed in her room at the school dormitories. "So what date is it? I mean where you are?"

"It's October twelfth twenty eighteen."

"Holy shit you are 10 years ahead of me."

"Something like that." He let out a deep groan. "Buffy I would call this strange but that seems like an understatement. I mean I have these two time lines in my head. Some are still unloading and taking shape in my head. I remember how things were but now I also have this new one with the way things are."

"Xander you are the reason I'm alive. Once again. Every time I am in danger you are always there to pull me through in a pinch. So in your future now? I mean am I there?"

He rubbed his head. "Buffy it's so fuzzy right now. It's all taking shape but I think it's going to take me some time to put it all together."

"Well talk to me. I mean tell me about the future."

Xander just laughed. It had been 10 years since he spoke to her but it was as natural as anything. He pulled out the chair from the table. "Tell you about the future? Oh God where do I even start? We all have flying cars and we take all of our meals in pill form now."

"Stop."

"I've seen back to the future enough and remember Doc Brown and his whole message about not screwing with the space time continuum"

"Little late for that. Fine just tell me about you. 2018 Xander who is he. Kids family? What is going on?"

"Oh God not even sure where I'd start"

"How about" knock knock knock. "Wait someone is here"

"Here? Where is here?"

"I live in the dorms." Buffy heard a familiar voice from the other side of the door.

Xander knocked on her door anxious. "Hey Buffy are you there?"

She just laughed. "You are interrupting yourself."

Xander closed his eyes and remembered. "I remember that night. After Buxton I was worried and I came to check on you."

"Xander hold on one second. I'm going to go answer him or you or what ever." She quickly put the phone down and went to her door. She opened it "Hey Xander what's wrong?"

"Really? What is wrong? You almost bit it in some warehouse and I come to you to check in and make sure you are okay and all I get is What's wrong."

Buffy stepped aside so he could step in the room. "Well I'm fine. You can put all that worry down."

"Well I still want details. Oh and Pizza. I am going to hit Gino's for some deep dish. Grab your coat it's my treat. I want full story of everything that went down."

Buffy thought about it for a second. "I am hungry."

"Good let's go."

She looked at the phone "Can you give me 10 minutes? I kind of am talking to someone on the phone?"

"Who is more important that deep dish? Is it Angel or Spike"

"Come on. I told you I would go. Just give me 10."

"Okay fine. I'll be in the lounge."

"Be right there I promise."

As Buffy closed the door she went back to the phone. She picked it up and laughed. "So you wanted to know who I was talking too."

"Believe it or not I kind of remember that conversation."

"Man this is bizarre."

"You know I forgot how jealous and stalkerish that guy could be."

Buffy just laughed. "That guy? You do know you are that guy."

"Oh I am so much more than that guy. I like to think I've changed and grown."

"Really so you are different now?"

He rubbed the back of his head trying to think. "That Xander Harris was so devoted or committed to you I think he would have set his head on fire if you asked him."

"Oh and this Xander is so different."

"Maybe not. I just." He sighed. "I think back to the way I was always on you like a puppy looking for any sign of affection."

"Affection? That was all left behind in High School."

"Or you were so perpetually blind to it. I used to think that you knew how I felt but you were just so kind to not call me out on it."

"Hey hey hey. I knew nothing. You should have spoke up."

"Would I have had a chance?"

"Anything is possible."

"Buffy I. I really like talking to you. I've missed you."

"Hey I'm still here."

"I know. It's just I don't know how long this magical phone thing is going to hold out. If tomorrow, I wake up and it's gone I want you to know how much you mean to me."

"How is it that you always know what to say just when I need to hear it most."

"It's my super power."

"Well as for the phone I promise I will keep trying it as long as it works. "

"And I promise I will always be there to answer."

"Speak to you soon"

Xander hung up the phone and just sighed. "I love you."

Buffy put the phone in her pocket and walked down the hall to find Xander waiting in the lounge. He had his back to her and she stood there thinking about what she just learned. Did this Xander still have a thing for her. She bit her lip thinking about it for a second. "Xander."

He spun around at her and smiled. "Pizza time?"

She just nodded "Pizza time."

He walked along side her. "So tell me about Buxton."

Across town one of the slayer's Buffy worked with that day but back on patrol in the field. Tina was helping clear out a small nest in the vampire. They were almost done and ready to leave. In the distance perched behind a tree a man stood observing them with binoculars. To say he gave off a creepy vibe was an understatement.

"You fucking bitches. You are so arrogant and cocky. You know nothing about real power. Well I'm going to make sure all of you get wha" But his thought was interrupted by a vampire from the shadows grabbing him. The man scowled "Get off me."

The vampire bared his fangs angry and pressed on him. "Shut up I am hungry."

"No get off me. I'm not" Before anything else could be said the vampire exploded in to a cloud of dust.

Tina stood over the man. "You okay?"

He looked at her disgusted. "What?"

Tina offered him a hand to pull him up off the ground. "What are you doing out here this time of night."

He shoved her hand away. "I don't owe you any explanation."

"Yeah that sounds like appreciation for ya know saving your life. You know you are lucky. If I hadn't been here you'd be dead."

"I'd mind my own if I were you."

"What ever." Tina walked away whispering. "What a douche."