TITLE: Watered Wine
AUTHOR: Gaeriel Mallory
RATING: PG
FANDOM: BTVS/X-men
DISTRIBUTION: The Haven, TTH. Anyone else, just ask.
DISCLAIMER: Buffy and related characters are the property of Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy, Inc. The X-men and related characters are the property of Marvel comics.
CONTINUITY: Buffy - Up to Season six. This story takes place in the year 2005. X-men - comics. It's pretty vague since I don't really remember much of it, so forgive any inconsistencies.
NOTE: Thanks for all your reviews. Please bear in mind that I am experimenting with stuff. This part takes place about a month after part one. Thanks to everyone who reviewed. Rosie, sorry, but no 'ships. Just plain, straight out fic. ;)

"To succeed you must add water to your wine, until there is no more wine." Jules Renard, Journal

Part Two - May 2005

March 2003

Buffy had not called the police that night. She had sheltered the renegade mutant in her house, letting him sleep on the couch. If she had been asked, she would not have been able to tell why she had done such a thing instead of turning him in. She still did not know.

After Magneto had regained his strength, he had taken the two of them to the White House, traveling across the continent with his power keeping the two upright in the magnetic fields. When they had landed on the White House lawn, the Secret Service had poured out of the doors, shouting and pointing guns at the pair.

Magneto had simply held out his hand and the guns were ripped from their owners' grips to pile near his feet. After that, they were able to make their way to the oval office unhindered. Getting the president to believe their story was harder.

"You expect me to believe that demons are trying to take over the world?" President Ross snorted in amusement. "And you're a wanted man, Magneto. What makes you think that we'll believe you?"

Buffy had slammed both hands down onto the desk and glared at Ross. "Because if you don't," she told the president levelly, "then all humanity is lost. We're your only hope to keep that from happening."

"He's a mutant! One of the traitors. He has no love for humans." Ross pointed at Buffy's companion.

Buffy snarled as she reached across the desk and grabbed Ross by the collar. "Listen to me, you idiot! We're on your side."

Magneto had placed a restraining hand on the Slayer's shoulder. "It is no use. They'll listen soon enough."

And they had, after the first concerted vampire attack on the city of Chicago. It was the first city to fall the first of many.

May 2005

Magneto was shaken out of his reverie by a hand on his arm. He looked over and smiled. "Charles. To what do I owe this pleasure?"

Professor Charles Xavier, leader of the mutant team known as the X-men, smiled back at his old friend. "Hello, Erik." He moved his hoverchair over so that he was able to share the view out of the window with the other mutant. "So the newest graduates from the X-Academy have been sent to join the war." He sighed.

"Seems like it's been forever, hasn't it, Charles?"

"How much longer will this madness go on?"

"I of all people am the last to tell you that. After all, I started this war, didn't I?" Erik Lensherr Magnus, known to the world as Magneto, looked out the window of the mansion and sighed.

"You could not have known that this would have happened. No one could have predicted this."

The two friends, once enemies on two opposing sides and fighting together once more, stared out over the peaceful landscape. The cultured green fields and forests presented a picture at odds with the conflict going on at other points of the country.

In Los Angeles, the souled vampire known as Angel strolled into the Hyperion Hotel where he had his headquarters. Behind the desk, a sandy-haired man wearing glasses looked up from his book. "Angel! How was the raid on Wolfram and Hart?"

The vampire grinned. "We got 'em. Every single one of those lawyers is currently on their way to a federal tribunal to be charged for treason." He threw himself onto the round orange couch in the lobby and sobered. "And not a moment too soon, too. We found some plans in their basement. They were planning to cast a city-wide spell that would have resulted in the deaths of all adult humans."

"Good lord." Wesley closed his book and leaned against the counter and breathed deeply. "Do you know how close?"

"Tomorrow night." Angel did not dare to think how close they were. If they had waited two more days for the raid... He changed the subject. "Any word from Cordy?"

"None." Wesley sighed. "One hopes that her plea to the United Nations will not fall on deaf ears. We need all the help we can get if we're going to win this thing."

"They've ignored us before. Why would they listen this time?"

The former Watcher looked at Angel with somber eyes. "Because they have to. We must trust in Cordelia."

Cordelia Chase adjusted the skirt of her suit and looked at her companions. "Ready as I'll ever be," she told them.

Jean Grey smoothed her hair and nodded at the other woman. "How about you, Hank?"

The blue furred mutant smiled. "I must admit, I have never addressed such a prestigious group before but I think I can handle it." Dr. Henry McCoy, known to friends as Hank, and Jean had met up with Cordelia at the United Nations headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. Their job was to try and gain international help, either economic or military.

While the three waited to be introduced, they stood off to the side. Cordelia studied the two. Jean looked normal, with red hair a shade darker than Willow Rosenberg's. Hank, however, could be picked out of any crowd as being different. He was covered from head to toe in blue fur. His outward appearance might have scared some, but Cordelia noticed the intelligence and warmth in his eyes. "So what's your story?" she asked curiously. "Why did they send you two?"

Jean smiled at the younger woman. "We're part of the X-men. Professor Xavier thought that we two would be the most eloquent in getting out point across."

Cordelia nodded and went back to nervously fiddling with her outfit.

"What about you, my dear?" Hank asked kindly. "Why would you have been sent along?"

"I'm a Seer. I fought with the Slayer while in high school and then after high school, I moved to LA and worked for Angel. He's the souled vampire," she explained. "I don't really know why the government thought I would be useful here, other than the fact that Angel recommended me."

The speaker introduced them and the three walked onto the podium. Jean was the first to talk. She walked up to the lectern and started explaining the plight of the United States.

Hank had to restrain Cordelia from leaping onto the nearest representative. "Those arrogant assholes!" she hissed. "Not their problem? Afraid of retaliation? What a load of bullshit!"

Jean grasped the other woman's arm and steered her out of the main room and into a small hallway. "I understand how you feel. But there's nothing we can do."

"So what? We go back to the States and tell the president that we failed?" Cordelia slumped back against the wall and sighed. "They're all counting on us."

Hank rested a hand on the Seer's shoulder. "Come on," he said gently. "Let's go back to the hotel and rest. We're flying back tomorrow."

Cordelia allowed the two mutants to guide her out of the United Nations headquarters. She cast one last baleful look at the building before getting into the taxi after Jean.

Buffy stretched as she surveyed the group of mutants that she had trained for the past month. They had turned out well better than she had expected even. She had talked with General Thompkins and Scott last night over possible postings for each one. Scott had finally managed to persuade the general that it would be better to let the X-men coordinate their movements to where they would be most useful.

The Slayer smiled at the teenagers as they boarded the jet. Today was graduation day and they were headed back east to where the X-men were based. Even she did not know where that was, only that it was somewhere in New York state.

Scott, once more in blue and yellows walked over to his cousin and hugged her. "Thanks for everything," told her. "And you be careful. I expect to have a family reunion once this war is over."

Buffy grinned. "You can count on it." She waved as he walked up the ramp and stepped back as it retracted after him.

After the Blackbird had left the hanger, she picked up the duffel bag lying at her feet and headed through the base to the entrance. Xander was already waiting for her there, a bag thrown over his shoulders as well. "Ready to get out of here?"

Buffy nodded and the two walked into the hot desert air. A jeep was waiting for them and they tossed their bags into the back. Xander started the engine as Buffy double-checked their water supply to make sure they had enough to last until they reached civilization again. They pulled out of the base and turned west, back to Sunnydale.

On the Blackbird, Scott sat in the pilot's seat and entered the coordinates for the mansion in Salem Center, New York. Once entered, the plane would take them there automatically without need for active piloting unless in an emergency.

A soft thud in the copilot's seat caused him to swivel around. "What is it, Jubilee?"

The Asian teenager shrugged and popped her gum in her mouth. "I just wanted to see if you were all right."

"Of course I am. Why shouldn't I be?"

"I dunno. Something about your long lost cousin being on the front lines of this war. Aren't you scared something's going to happen to her?"

Scott sighed and turned back to study the controls. "We all knew the risks going in," he told her quietly. "Whether we're mutant, human, or Slayer. It's war. There's always a chance that we might not make it."

"But-"

Scott cut her off. "I understand your worry, but I assure you. I'm fine. Buffy's strong. If anyone can get through this, she can." He fiddled with an instrument, pretending to be busy even though both knew the plane was already in autopilot. He stared straight ahead until he heard Jubilee get up and rejoin her friends. Only then did he allow himself to slump in his seat.

Jubilee, for all her young age, was incredibly astute in some ways. Scott thought back to the last time he had seen the California branch of his family in its entirety. Aunt Joyce was still alive and had just moved to Sunnydale after the divorce. He was visiting and helping them get settled in. He smiled as he remembered the sisterly bickering between Dawn and Buffy.

Please, God, just... just let them both survive this.

The Summers house had long been abandoned and the Scoobies had taken up residence at the military base in Sunnydale instead. Buffy and Xander were greeted at the entrance by a familiar red head that jumped into the car after the guard had let them past. The two smiled at their friend. "What's up, Willow?" Buffy asked.

"We took back Seattle. Ran those bad demons right outta town."

Xander grinned. "Well, hurrah for good news. That should be a nice morale booster. God knows we haven't had many lately."

"I think the tide's turning," Willow answered. "We got word from Angel just yesterday that they finally shut down Wolfram and Hart."

Buffy almost cheered. Instead she hugged the witch tightly. "That's great! It's about time, too."

"Yup. No more demon worshipping lawyers."

"Any word on Faith's team?" Buffy asked.

"They reached New Orleans yesterday." Willow waved at the soldier at the edge of the vehicle lot. "They'd be planning their assault on the enemy base even as we speak."

Xander parked the vehicle and the three friends got out. "So," he spoke up. "What's new in Willow land?"

She shrugged. "Oh, same old, same old. Giles has been doing his research thing while I try and coordinate the gang."

"Good old Willow." Buffy hugged her around the shoulders as they walked. "So have the higher ups finally let you into the classified files?"

"They realized that they might as well, since I had already hacked into them." She grinned impishly. "So, you guys ready for a shower and food? I think the mess is still open."

Xander groaned. "You just said the magic words. Lead the way. I don't know if I'll ever get the taste of dust out of my mouth."