Chapter 4
In a dark alley in Los Angeles, California, a portal opened and Buffy Summers flew out of it. She landed on the ground hard and the portal closed once she was out. Buffy stood up and brushed herself off. She looked around her and realized that she was in L.A. "Okay, this is weird, better let Angel know." She said to herself as she left the alley. Back in Sunnydale Giles and the others were upset.
"You let her get sucked into a portal!" Giles yelled at Spike.
"I didn't let her do anything. I tried to help; besides she's the Slayer, she can take care of herself." Spike told him.
"That may be so, but we don't know where she was sent to. It could be dangerous." Spike smiled and patted Giles on the back.
"You worry too much Rupert. I'm sure she's fine." Xander wasn't convinced.
"Yeah, right, Spike. You may put on a brave face, but I'm not falling for it. You're just as worried about Buffy as the rest of us." Xander told him. Spike rolled his eyes.
"Me, worry, I don't think so mate." Xander was still not convinced, but he let it go. Willow ignored them.
"Giles, do you think she'll be okay?" She asked.
"I don't know. We just have to hope that she'll find a way back from wherever she is." He told them, no one knew what to say after that. Back in L.A. Buffy found the Hyperion Hotel which Angel was now staying at and went inside. She walked in to find it deserted. When she went further in she heard Angel's voice. She saw him talking on the phone and waited until he hung up.
"I love what you've done with the place." Angel turned around, startled at the familiar voice.
"Buffy." He said. "When did you get here? I didn't even know you were coming." He said as he hugged her.
"Neither did I." She replied as she hugged him back. They let go.
"How did you get here?" He asked her.
"Well, it's funny actually, would you believe that I got here through a portal?" Angel looked confused.
"A portal? How did that happen?" She shrugged.
"I was just patrolling when this portal opened and sucked me in, then I ended up here, thought I'd stop by." Angel still seemed confused.
"How is that possible? I'm sure the kids that got sucked into the portals ended up somewhere else, since this is where they started opening up." Buffy shrugged again.
"That's what I don't get, but I'm guessing that if this Allison girl is responsible for the portals, then maybe she's losing control of them. Maybe she opened two at the same time in Sunnydale and L.A. and instead of me getting sent to wherever she is, I got sent here." Angel nodded.
"That makes sense, I guess." He told her.
"I better let Giles know that I'm here so he doesn't worry about where I was sent to. Spike saw me get sucked in so I'm sure he told them, can I use your phone?" She asked.
"Yeah, Spike saw you, why was he with you?" Buffy rolled her eyes.
"Don't get me started." She said as she picked up the phone.
"Thank god you're alright!" Giles exclaimed on the other end of the phone.
"Yeah, I'm gonna stay here for a bit, see what I can find out. How's Dawn?" Buffy asked him.
"She's fine Buffy; we'll look after her until you get back." He told her. "Do be careful." She smiled.
"Always." She said as she hung up. She went back to where Angel was. "They didn't get back yet?" He shook his head.
"No, they went to go talk to Allison's parents over an hour ago and they're not back yet." Buffy saw the worried look on his face and she knew how close he has gotten to them.
"I'm sure they're fine." She told him. Angel just nodded and waited. A few minutes later Cordelia and Wesley walked in with another man that Buffy didn't recognize. Cordelia stopped when she saw Buffy.
"Buffy, long time, no see." Cordelia said, then Wesley came up behind her and noticed Buffy was there too.
"Buffy, what are you doing here? Is everything alright?" Wesley asked. Buffy nodded.
"Yeah, I just decided to drop by. It's good to see you guys again." Buffy told them. The other man just stood in silence until Angel introduced him.
"Buffy, this is Charles Gunn. Gunn, Buffy." He said introducing them to each other. Buffy stuck out her hand
"It's nice to meet you." Gunn shook her hand.
"You too, I've heard a lot about you. She's cute Angel." He said to Angel as they dropped their hands. Buffy couldn't help but smile at that. Angel didn't seem that amused, he got right to the point.
"What did you guys find out?" He asked.
"Well, the parents were very shaken up. They didn't wanna talk about it much, but I think they said enough. They said that Allison has always been a loner. She doesn't really have any friends and she always hangs around by herself at school. Some of the kids used to tease her and called her a freak, stuff like that. Anyway, Mrs. Potter said that Allison recently got into black magic and always talked about creating her own world, where things could finally go her way. Mrs. Potter just figured that it was all in her imagination and never really believed in any of that stuff. Well, about a month ago they got into a fight about it and Allison ran off and never came back. The police looked everywhere for her and so did her parents, but they never found her. That seems kind of weird for a 15-year- old with no money. I mean, she couldn't have gotten far, but they never found her, it's almost as if she just disappeared." Cordelia told all of them.
"So, she could have created this world and somehow managed to open up portals to suck other kids into it. Does that make sense?" Angel asked. Everyone was quiet until Buffy spoke up.
"She's lonely. Obviously she's been a loner for a while and my guess is that she created these portals to bring other kids to her world so she wouldn't have to be alone. She doesn't realize it's wrong. She probably figures that the kids would want to stay there. If she created the portals that lead to her world then she can create a portal to lead the kids back here." Buffy said.
"Somehow, I don't think she's just gonna let them leave. Someone would have to go in there and get the kids out, somehow convincing Allison to let them go." Gunn stated. They all looked at Buffy.
"Hold on, just because I'm the Slayer doesn't mean that I should get all the hard jobs." She told them.
"Buffy, I know this could be dangerous, but you're good with kids, and if anyone can get through to Allison, it would be you." Angel told her. Buffy sighed.
"Yeah, you're right. It should be me. So, we just wait until another portal opens what fun." She said sarcastically. Then she looked at Angel. "If Giles calls, don't tell him where I am. Somehow I don't think he'll be too happy if he knew." Angel nodded and they all left the hotel. Back in Sunnydale everyone was in the magic shop and they were all quiet, hoping that Buffy would return safely. Tara saw Dawn sitting by herself and sat down next to her.
"How are you doing Dawny?" She asked. Dawn looked at her and shrugged.
"I'm okay; I just wish Buffy was here. I know she's in L.A. with Angel and I'm glad that she's not lost somewhere else, but I'm still worried." She smiled. "It's funny; Buffy is usually the one worrying about me." Tara smiled and put her arm around Dawn.
"I'm sure Buffy is fine. She'll find a way to save those kids and come back." Dawn felt a little better. In L.A. the others were looking for a portal and they weren't having much luck.
"We have been looking for what seems like forever and I'm not seeing a portal." Buffy said. Everyone just stared at her. "What? I happen to be a very impatient person." Angel smiled when he looked ahead and saw something open.
"Would that be it?" He asked as he pointed to the portal opening in front of them. Buffy nodded.
"That would be it. Okay, you guys get back, the wind is pretty strong and you wouldn't want to get sucked in." They did as she said. Buffy went towards Angel and kissed him gently on the lips and after a few seconds she pulled away. "Wish me luck." He smiled at her.
"You won't need it." He said as she jumped into the portal.
In a dark alley in Los Angeles, California, a portal opened and Buffy Summers flew out of it. She landed on the ground hard and the portal closed once she was out. Buffy stood up and brushed herself off. She looked around her and realized that she was in L.A. "Okay, this is weird, better let Angel know." She said to herself as she left the alley. Back in Sunnydale Giles and the others were upset.
"You let her get sucked into a portal!" Giles yelled at Spike.
"I didn't let her do anything. I tried to help; besides she's the Slayer, she can take care of herself." Spike told him.
"That may be so, but we don't know where she was sent to. It could be dangerous." Spike smiled and patted Giles on the back.
"You worry too much Rupert. I'm sure she's fine." Xander wasn't convinced.
"Yeah, right, Spike. You may put on a brave face, but I'm not falling for it. You're just as worried about Buffy as the rest of us." Xander told him. Spike rolled his eyes.
"Me, worry, I don't think so mate." Xander was still not convinced, but he let it go. Willow ignored them.
"Giles, do you think she'll be okay?" She asked.
"I don't know. We just have to hope that she'll find a way back from wherever she is." He told them, no one knew what to say after that. Back in L.A. Buffy found the Hyperion Hotel which Angel was now staying at and went inside. She walked in to find it deserted. When she went further in she heard Angel's voice. She saw him talking on the phone and waited until he hung up.
"I love what you've done with the place." Angel turned around, startled at the familiar voice.
"Buffy." He said. "When did you get here? I didn't even know you were coming." He said as he hugged her.
"Neither did I." She replied as she hugged him back. They let go.
"How did you get here?" He asked her.
"Well, it's funny actually, would you believe that I got here through a portal?" Angel looked confused.
"A portal? How did that happen?" She shrugged.
"I was just patrolling when this portal opened and sucked me in, then I ended up here, thought I'd stop by." Angel still seemed confused.
"How is that possible? I'm sure the kids that got sucked into the portals ended up somewhere else, since this is where they started opening up." Buffy shrugged again.
"That's what I don't get, but I'm guessing that if this Allison girl is responsible for the portals, then maybe she's losing control of them. Maybe she opened two at the same time in Sunnydale and L.A. and instead of me getting sent to wherever she is, I got sent here." Angel nodded.
"That makes sense, I guess." He told her.
"I better let Giles know that I'm here so he doesn't worry about where I was sent to. Spike saw me get sucked in so I'm sure he told them, can I use your phone?" She asked.
"Yeah, Spike saw you, why was he with you?" Buffy rolled her eyes.
"Don't get me started." She said as she picked up the phone.
"Thank god you're alright!" Giles exclaimed on the other end of the phone.
"Yeah, I'm gonna stay here for a bit, see what I can find out. How's Dawn?" Buffy asked him.
"She's fine Buffy; we'll look after her until you get back." He told her. "Do be careful." She smiled.
"Always." She said as she hung up. She went back to where Angel was. "They didn't get back yet?" He shook his head.
"No, they went to go talk to Allison's parents over an hour ago and they're not back yet." Buffy saw the worried look on his face and she knew how close he has gotten to them.
"I'm sure they're fine." She told him. Angel just nodded and waited. A few minutes later Cordelia and Wesley walked in with another man that Buffy didn't recognize. Cordelia stopped when she saw Buffy.
"Buffy, long time, no see." Cordelia said, then Wesley came up behind her and noticed Buffy was there too.
"Buffy, what are you doing here? Is everything alright?" Wesley asked. Buffy nodded.
"Yeah, I just decided to drop by. It's good to see you guys again." Buffy told them. The other man just stood in silence until Angel introduced him.
"Buffy, this is Charles Gunn. Gunn, Buffy." He said introducing them to each other. Buffy stuck out her hand
"It's nice to meet you." Gunn shook her hand.
"You too, I've heard a lot about you. She's cute Angel." He said to Angel as they dropped their hands. Buffy couldn't help but smile at that. Angel didn't seem that amused, he got right to the point.
"What did you guys find out?" He asked.
"Well, the parents were very shaken up. They didn't wanna talk about it much, but I think they said enough. They said that Allison has always been a loner. She doesn't really have any friends and she always hangs around by herself at school. Some of the kids used to tease her and called her a freak, stuff like that. Anyway, Mrs. Potter said that Allison recently got into black magic and always talked about creating her own world, where things could finally go her way. Mrs. Potter just figured that it was all in her imagination and never really believed in any of that stuff. Well, about a month ago they got into a fight about it and Allison ran off and never came back. The police looked everywhere for her and so did her parents, but they never found her. That seems kind of weird for a 15-year- old with no money. I mean, she couldn't have gotten far, but they never found her, it's almost as if she just disappeared." Cordelia told all of them.
"So, she could have created this world and somehow managed to open up portals to suck other kids into it. Does that make sense?" Angel asked. Everyone was quiet until Buffy spoke up.
"She's lonely. Obviously she's been a loner for a while and my guess is that she created these portals to bring other kids to her world so she wouldn't have to be alone. She doesn't realize it's wrong. She probably figures that the kids would want to stay there. If she created the portals that lead to her world then she can create a portal to lead the kids back here." Buffy said.
"Somehow, I don't think she's just gonna let them leave. Someone would have to go in there and get the kids out, somehow convincing Allison to let them go." Gunn stated. They all looked at Buffy.
"Hold on, just because I'm the Slayer doesn't mean that I should get all the hard jobs." She told them.
"Buffy, I know this could be dangerous, but you're good with kids, and if anyone can get through to Allison, it would be you." Angel told her. Buffy sighed.
"Yeah, you're right. It should be me. So, we just wait until another portal opens what fun." She said sarcastically. Then she looked at Angel. "If Giles calls, don't tell him where I am. Somehow I don't think he'll be too happy if he knew." Angel nodded and they all left the hotel. Back in Sunnydale everyone was in the magic shop and they were all quiet, hoping that Buffy would return safely. Tara saw Dawn sitting by herself and sat down next to her.
"How are you doing Dawny?" She asked. Dawn looked at her and shrugged.
"I'm okay; I just wish Buffy was here. I know she's in L.A. with Angel and I'm glad that she's not lost somewhere else, but I'm still worried." She smiled. "It's funny; Buffy is usually the one worrying about me." Tara smiled and put her arm around Dawn.
"I'm sure Buffy is fine. She'll find a way to save those kids and come back." Dawn felt a little better. In L.A. the others were looking for a portal and they weren't having much luck.
"We have been looking for what seems like forever and I'm not seeing a portal." Buffy said. Everyone just stared at her. "What? I happen to be a very impatient person." Angel smiled when he looked ahead and saw something open.
"Would that be it?" He asked as he pointed to the portal opening in front of them. Buffy nodded.
"That would be it. Okay, you guys get back, the wind is pretty strong and you wouldn't want to get sucked in." They did as she said. Buffy went towards Angel and kissed him gently on the lips and after a few seconds she pulled away. "Wish me luck." He smiled at her.
"You won't need it." He said as she jumped into the portal.