Disclaimer: All BtVS characters belong to Joss Whedon and Co. The original ones are mine.
Distribution: Sure, just let me know where it's going.
Buffy had spent the last two days watching the training and talking with Willow. Her L.A. story had kept Buffy, Giles, and Xander rapt. So much had happened, so much had changed. Who would have believed Cordelia would become some kind of heavenly being? Or that Wesley Wyndham-Pryce would be a dangerous demon hunter? The last time she'd seen him he was whimpering on a stretcher after the Mayor's aborted Ascension.
Now Buffy was getting a bit stir crazy. She decided to go out by herself. Get some alone time. She didn't start with any destination in mind, just walking. Eventually her walk brought her to Willy's Place. That was good, maybe someone would know Spike's whereabouts. She went in and scanned the room. And in the corner by the bar she saw the very object of her search, with a vampire. A female vampire, who leaned close to Spike and whispered in his ear. And to think, while she had been worrying about him he had been out drinking with...with another woman. No, not another woman, just a woman. A vampire woman.
Setting her jaw Buffy spun on her heel and strode out, bumping into a man standing just behind her. She didn't even look at him.
Jezeil turned to watch Buffy leave, a smile playing around his lips. Then he went and joined Lenore and William.
"Has Willy given us the good vintage?" he asked Lenore.
"Naturally. Here's a glass for you. What shall we drink to?"
"To us, of course."
Lenore looked into her husband's eyes and cocked an eyebrow. Her expression clearly said, "You're looking smug. Why?"
She heard his voice in her mind answer, "I just love it when a plan comes together."
The next night came much too soon for Buffy's liking. She had tried to convince herself that everything would be okay. But that vision she'd been given kept replaying in her mind. Was that what was coming? How could they stand against such an army? No matter how she tried to think otherwise she knew that many of the Potentials would die. She had Faith now and Robin was pretty good in a fight but they couldn't carry the whole battle. As an added bonus Spike hadn't returned yet, perhaps he never would. She knew the others thought that The First had taken him over. She couldn't tell them the truth. Couldn't take the pity and the "I told you so" looks they would give her. Perhaps Spike had decided to do as she asked, go back to his old evil self, completely. She might even have to kill him. That thought caused her more problems than she would have expected. As unwilling as she was to it to admit it to herself she cared about him, a lot. Cared about his progress towards being a good man. She could hardly bear the thought that he was lost. But there was no use dwelling on it. There were more important things to think about.
There was only an hour now until midnight. They had all tried to get some rest but sleep did not come easily. Now as they were walking to the high school, each one with a weapon, Buffy tried to empty her mind. Let instinct take over. Willow and the Coven had determined that the attack would likely come at the football field. A nice open space at least.
They arrived at the field at a quarter of midnight. She spread her troops out, trying to make sure that her best fighters were spread around. Again she wished Spike had returned. She could use his strength now. But at least they had not heard of any vampire related deaths. And Willow was probably right about the taste of the magic. But that begged the question: who else was casting spells?
Then Buffy got a nice surprise. Riley and Sam Finn came walking across the field toward her She hugged them both, glad they were there but sad that they had put themselves in danger.
"What are you guys doing here?"
Sam replied, "We heard something big was happening. And after what's been going on in L.A. we thought we'd better come and help."
"I'd say you're just in time for the party. Grab a spot."
Riley hesitated but decided not to tell Buffy about Spike and his new friend. She had enough to worry about.
Slowly the clock ticked around to midnight. Just as Buffy was beginning to hope it was all a mistake a rift began to open in the air at the 50-yard line. And out of the rift came demons covered with armor and carrying swords. Two dozen, three dozen, four. Anya appeared at her side.
"They're Atala demons. Mercenaries for hire. Magic won't work. They're impervious. It can even make them stronger. Oh, and you can only close the rift if they are going back through it."
Buffy turned to her. "Thanks."
Anya shrugged. "Just doing my part. What has an ex-demon got besides information?"
"That's a pretty good thing to have. Go tell Willow about the magic thing."
Anya ran off toward Willow and Buffy turned her attention to the demon army. They assembled and faced her pitifully small force. Taking a deep breath she started forward when a wind began to blow. It was like a storm, whipping her hair and rattling the trees. A bolt of lightening struck the field on the home side of the 50-yard line followed almost immediately by a crack of thunder. She blinked and there on the field was a group of people, of beings, she corrected. Along with humans there were vampires, demons and even a werewolf. What really caught her attention was Spike. He stood to the left of the man who seemed to be the leader. A sword was strapped across Spike's back and he lookeddifferent. She couldn't quite put her finger on it.
Riley appeared at her elbow. He said, "I didn't want to tell you before but I saw Spike with that guy in the front of the group. He seems to have joined a new gang. I'm sorry but..."
"I know. I shouldn't have trusted him."
Anya and Giles came running up; Anya was smiling from ear to ear. "It's going to be okay. That's Jezeil," she said pointing to the leader of the group.
"Jezeil?" exclaimed Giles. "The sorcerer?"
"Yes. The most powerful sorcerer who ever lived. He'll take care of that army."
Buffy grabbed Anya's arm. "You said magic wouldn't work."
Anya pulled away and answered, "It won't, but he knows that, better than anyone. He'll have an answer though. He always does. "
Buffy turned to watch the two groups who were meeting on the field.
The leader of the demon army faced the newcomers. "I should have known you'd be here."
Jezeil stepped forward. "Of course. Who else?
"Now, as they say ever so charmingly here in America," he said as he pulled a sword from the scabbard on his back. "Let's rumble."
The two groups met with a clash of weapons. Buffy and her friends temporarily forgotten. She watched the fight, increasingly impressed with the newcomers' skills. Behind her she heard Andrew's voice.
"They're just like the Justice League."
Buffy found herself smiling. She looked for Spike in the melee. He and Jezeil were back to back at the center. They looked as if they had been fighting together for years, their teamwork like a dance.
What was it that was different about Spike? It was making her a little crazy. Out of the corner of her eye she saw her friends enter the battle. Raising her chin she ran into the group, her own sword at the ready.
Soon she found herself fighting beside Spike.
He turned to face her and said, "Duck."
She dropped to one knee and he swept his sword around to decapitate a demon. When she rose back up he winked at her and turned to fight another opponent.
He'd winked at her! She barely managed to parry a blow that would have ended her thoughts. She forced her attention back to the fight.
Buffy was pleased to see that the SIT's seemed to be holding their own. They had formed a group so they could protect each other. Of course they also had Faith right beside them.
Buffy's momentary reverie was interrupted when a demon knocked her to the ground. He raised his sword high then brought it swinging down. But the blade was blocked, halfway through its arc, by a double-bladed weapon. The demon was pushed back and swiftly killed. Buffy looked up at the vampire she'd seen at Willy's. The vampire extended a hand down but Buffy ignored it and rose unaided.
"Thanks," said Buffy as she brushed herself off.
Lenore's mouth quirked in a smile. "You're welcome Slayer."
But then she looked away, her head cocked on one side as if she was listening to something. Without another word she turned and ran off.
Buffy looked around and caught her breath. In the space of a few moments everything had changed. More demons had poured out of the rift and now Buffy's troops were surrounded in a tight ring. A ring that was getting smaller. She saw that so far no one was down but it was only a matter of time. Even Faith was falling back, unable to deal with the great numbers attacking. On the other side of the field the Hamatra were fairing better. Buffy wasn't surprised, they were obviously veterans, warriors all of them. They had formed their own ring with Jezeil at the center. They were pushing out, expanding the ring as if to give him room. He sheathed his sword, lowered his head and held his arms out, palms down. Was he about to do a spell? Anya had said it might make the Atala stronger!