Authors note: Forgot to say, PtL time line is just after Season 3. I'm making PtL three days ahead of Buffy.
*****
"The Phoenix rises from the ashes. Let it be known - we are undead."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

San Francisco Legacy House
Angel Island

Dr. Derek Rayne, Precept of San Francisco Legacy House, Biological
Anthropologist and former University professor looked around his
assembled team. To his left sat his head of security and ex-Navy seal,
Nicholas Boyle. Next to him, Head Researcher, computer expert and fellow
physic Alexandra Moreau. Dr. Rachel Corrigan, Medical physician and
Psychiatrist of the demon fighting team, sat on the table twirling a pen
in her left hand. It was to her, that the Precept directed his question.

"How is her progress?"

Rachel shook her head in bewilderment, rather than in dismay.
"Astounding; to say the least," She slid off the table and walked around
it to her precepts other side, talking as she went. "For a start, her
physiological self shows a deep trauma of many attacks. Shooting, fire,
drowning and hanging. The X-rays even showed a sliver of wood lodged in
her heart."

Rachel looked around at the confusion and shrugged. "I know. I know.. It
had to be a mistake. But by the time we had another set of the x-rays,
the obstruction was gone. In fact, that could be said for the marks and
wounds as well. Impossibly her body remains free of scars, bruises or even
blemishes."

"Cool, the teenager got a secret wrinkle cream." Nick quipped. Rachel
smiled indulgently, but continued unfazed. "Maybe. But you saw her when
Phillip brought her in. Her entire body was scorched from her head to
toe. Now; her skin is as smooth and healthy as a babies! The only
testament that she was ever in a fire, is that her whole body is devoid
of hair, though that will restore later." Rachel came to stand in front
of them all, her fingers still nervously playing with the pen.
"She's.... remarkable." she uttered breathlessly. "We found traces of
dynamite under her nails, which was what probably came from a
construction site where the explosion happened. And would explain the
broken bones and cartilage. And I'm certain, I haven't even scratched
surface."

Derek frowned. He didn't like remarkable things that could endanger
those he cared for most, and these people were the ones he cared for.
"That sounds extremely *unscientific* Doctor," he challenged, curious
for what she wasn't saying.

Rachel raised her eyes sharply to meet the hazel eyes of her precept.
Even after all the supernatural/paranormal events that she has seen and
been a part of, Rachel was still very skeptical of believing in such
things. She had been at times, openingly antagonistic towards her
precepts 'outerwordly/demonic' explanations for everything that went
wrong. Until now. Rachel stood her ground. "I haven't come to the tests
yet. Her biology is obscure, but always in an unusual flux of repair.
Her regenitive ability is unestablished - off the scale on any
scientific level." Rachel slumped into a chair resignedly. "I'm
completely at a loss. If I wasn't such a skeptic, I'd swear she was
someone Mulder would run into."

Alex and Nick grinned, much to the chagrin of their Precept. "Where is
she now?" he questioned.

"We moved her this morning from the infirmary to Phillips old room.
Phillip will be staying with Nick tonight. Right?"

The security chief nodded. "That's if I can drag him away from playing
mother hen."

Derek narrowed his gaze. "Make sure you do, Nick. I want him in my
office as soon as possible - he has a lot to explain."

Phillip's paternal instinct was on speed dial of late. He slept in a
chair beside her bed and didn't let anyone but Alex and Rachel near her.
The obvious deep bond between them, both a concern and intrigue.

Derek had questioned whether Phillip would ever return to the Legacy,
after choosing his faith and his sleepy Ireland parish above the demonic
war The Legacy fought in obscurity. All that changed when he received a
distressed call three nights ago. And frankly, Dereks curiosity to who
she was, was peaking every moment. Besides his 'sight' showing him a
myriad of confusing and damning images, something he had never felt with
others, there was a extraordinary signet on the sleeping Jamaican beauty
- almost pious.

"What-else do we know about her?" He asked, severing the dark thoughts
scrambling into his minds eye.

"She doesn't exist," Nick offered helpfully, placing an extensive folder
in front of his boss. "Not in any recorded history that we know of
anyway. I've dug up Birth, marriage and death records all the way back
to the 18th century and nothing. Her fingerprints..."

"Whoa!," Alex and Rachel groaned in unison. "How did you get her
fingerprints? Phillip would have killed you, if not myself or Alex"
Rachel growled disapproving.

Nick shrugged in way of apology. "The time when Alex was in the computer
room and you needed a hand to lift her up.. her hand touched the
stainless steal tray.."

Rachel scowled. "The one you were so eager to
take out and renew?"

"Three guesses who put him up to it," Alex gruffed, turning towards the
now sheepish Derek. Both men knew better than to obstruct or hinder
either Alex or Rachel when it came to the ones they loved. Instead he
met their steely gazes and kept his voice even and level. "That is no
way to speak to your precept, ladies." Letting the last warning sink in,
he turned his attention back to the Ex-Seal. "You were saying?"

Nick quickly reported his findings, trying to avoid eye contact with
both women. "Unfortunately, it's the same results. Police files, CIA,
FBI - everything from small towns to Metropolitan abyss. She isn't in
any system this side of technology."

Derek stood abruptly. "Nick, get Phillip in here now."

"Can't this wait, Derek?" Alex asked worriedly, standing before her
leader anxiously tumbling a carved silver box in her hands.

Derek raised a quizzical eyebrow in her direction. "No, it cannot." he
reprimanded gently. "It's been 3 days since he brought her here. I think
we're all entitled to hear the full story." He watched the dark Creole
young beauty, frown in comprehension. He let his words take affect,
before continuing. "And you, of all people, should know better than
question my motives, when it comes to the safety of this house."

Alex felt the unmistakable sting of a rollicking coming on. All that was
missing of that sentence was a "... young lady. Now go to your room."
Placing the box back on the shelf, it was her turn to raise an ire, she
was as equally as immovable when it came to her friends. Most of all,
for the man, Derek had called to his office today.

"He is in no physical state for an inquisition," she warned, her eyes
darkly menacing, before softening with her next words. "Whoever she is,
she has to be really special..."

".. she is." Phillip answered softly, surprising them all, as he came
into the office behind them. He looked terrible and very pale, although
he made an effort to not show it.

Phillip made his way over to Alex and kissed her lightly on the cheek.
"Alex," he whispered huskily in greeting, feeling her draw him near for
support. "Don't worry," she whispered against his ear, *he's* been
warned." Phillip smiled and squeezed her hand in thanks, as he went to
the seat opposite Derek, smiling at Nick and Rachel, and wearily sat
down. "Derek." he acknowledged the older man behind the desk. "You
wanted to see me?"

"How is she, this morning?"

Phillip and Alex were thrown off kilter. They expected the full
inquisition, since this was the first time he managed to get Phillip to
stay still to answer his questions. "She's doing a little better,"
Phillip responded hesitantly, wondering when the other shoe was gonna
drop. "Actually, she's on her own at the moment, I was wondering..."

Rachel and Nick were both on their feet before he could finish. "Don't
worry, we'll take care of her." Rachel smiled warmly at him, as they
made their way out. Phillip sighed in relief, turning his attention back
to the remaining two. Derek wasn't one to beat around the bush.

"It's good to have you home, my friend." Derek began, the obvious
tenderness in his voice reflected in his eyes. "I just wish it was on
more happier circumstances than the young ladies..." he frowned at his
own statement before quickly continuing. "I dislike having to call her
'young lady', does she have a name?"

Phillip grinned, there was that shoe. "You're having trouble finding her
in the records, Derek?" the young man chuckled. "Kendra... that's all I
know her as, so don't press me for another. She never gave it. I never
asked."

There was only one mystery in this house, and it had always been their
unfathomable Precept Mr. Rayne. Now there was another, and they didn't
even have a second name? Alex came to sit beside him, her inquisitive
nature taking over. "Very 80s. Where did you meet?"

He fought with what to tell them. He didn't want to lie, but he couldn't
tell them the entire truth either. Slayers and their mentors were
sacred. Their lives were secretive and meant to stay that way. But
Phillip knew he could trust Alex and Derek. He had to tell them
something. Carefully, he chose his words.

"I first met Kendra at the Vatican in Italy a few years ago. She was
researching Demonology in the original chronicles..." Phillip stalled,
his eyes looking deeply into the inky soulful deep of Alex's eyes and
knew he didn't have to play this game out to the bitter end. "You know,
don't you?"

Both mens gazes turned to the Researcher, who nodded in reply. "My
grandmother rang me the eve you brought her to the house. Grandma Rose
knew who Kendra was, and some of who she is now. As I have for some time."
Alex's eyes fluttered closed, summoning the memory
from long ago "The nightmares I have been having lately..."

"... Kendra has become something more than ever was intended."
~~~~~~~
Nick watched her sleep, or the facsimile of it. She lay in a tight ball,
twisting with the nightmares of some unknown horror. Nick called out to
Rachel, who was busily else where. There was something about her that
made him feel.. what was the word? *Wiggy* would be a good term. As he
came closer, her eyes fluttered. He reached for the 9mm tucked away in
his shoulder holster. As security and researcher, he didn't stay alive
by being unwary. The dark angel was about to make an appearance.

Kendra woke up cold, wrapped in terror as penetrating as the darkness
that swallowed her. The memory creeps back as she holds her breath,
listening for a heart-beat. "Where am I?" she asked of no one in
particular. Nick responded instinctively, gathering his alertness in
case of trouble. "It's all right. You're safe. Lie still, you need
rest."

Her clouded mind, heard something, perhaps a name of her protector?
"Who?"

"Angel.." Nick was mid response when he was abruptly slammed sideways
off his feet and brutally flung across the room. Nicks body was thrown
against the wall, his bones slightly crunching on impact. The attack was
so fast he never saw it coming.

Her initial movement made her head throb like thunder, she tried to get
out of bed, her muscles screaming inside her body. With a groan, holding
her head together with both her hands, she slowly righted herself to
stand. Ready as always, for the next attack.

~~~~~

The noise upstairs alerted the others to the commotion. Alex, Derek and
the now wide awake priest bolted toward the foyer steps leading up to
the bedrooms. Suddenly Nick came tumbling down the stairs backwards, and
Alex ran to him. Rachel followed Nick under her own steam, backing down
the stairs hands raised in submission. When Rachel reached the end of
the stairs, Derek put a protective arm around her waist and pulled the
Doctor into his arms. All eyes turned to her, the familiar dark skinned
beauty following in the wake. Her body coiled like a spring, a suddenly
dangerous entity. If not for the fact she wore Dereks PJ top, which
reached her knees, and made her look like a fragile kid playing dress
up, Derek would have shot her down already.

Kendra took in the surrounding group. The one she had knocked down the
stairs, was about 28years old, lean and mean. The 9mm that he pulled on
her, showed he had tactical and assault training. From what little she
saw of his moves, she guessed Naval or Army brat. There was also
something else.. it was a disagreeable aura around him. Her eyes
narrowed pointing in his direction. "Ya got de mark of de Nosferatu..
but ya ain't been taken - yet." Her gaze slid to the dark haired woman
kneeling beside him. The shock of meeting the dark angels eyes briefly
turning her knees to jelly. She was kindred. Creole or Haiti.. borne of
Aeons and the blessed. Early 30s, beautiful, dark mocha skin and around
about 6ft. She was also lean, but the aura off her was different, and
the same as the man she tended to. Her accusing direction now lay upon
Alex "And he got *your* mark on him, huh?" Kendra looked more like a
cornered and frightened child, than the leader and exalted Phillip knew
her as. She leaned heavily against the railing struggling for breath.
"Dis primogen vampire been busy, non?" She breathed heavily.

A movement on the stair, made her focus on the next. She heard one of
them call her Rachel. She was in her early 40s. Blond and blue? eyed. If
Barbie ever grew up, she would probably look like her. There was also
something else.. she was good this one. Maternal maybe. A doctor too, if
the perfume, on the bandages were anything to go by. Her gaze slid past
to the man opposite.

The images and feelings she had were intoxicating. The power he held was
enough to numb all her senses and throw her off balance. He slowly came
forward, hands raised in supplication to show he held nothing in them.
Her eyes touched his with confusion, a slight recognition sparking a
memory. "Father Callaghan?," she whispered in hope and her own shameful
humiliation, before falling heavily onto the stair. He gathered her
carefully in his arms, trying not to hurt her as he pulled his coat off
and wrapped her up inside it. Her voice was low and defeated, and it
tugged at his soul like a Spanish guitar. "Who am I?"

Phillip, pulled her closer as her head rested on his shoulder. Alex's
premonition and words came back to him, and he understood why he was
sent to The Legacy in the first place. Whether by fate, or free will, or
prophecy.. he knew where he finally belonged this time. "I don't know,
lass." he replied tenderly, soothing her brief sobs away. "But I say we
stick around to find out. Aye?"

***
End chapter 3