Chapter 38

"Angel, hurry!" Buffy said. "We can't miss this girl."

"I know Buffy, I'm driving as fast as I can without getting pulled over. That would really delay us." Angel said.

They pulled up to the bus depot and hopped out. The place was closed. "Great!"

"Let's check the loading area. Maybe she's over there."

They headed over to where all the buses were parked. It was dark and a few people were heading back towards the front. Buffy looked up and saw a hooded robe. She smiled and moved around some buses with Angel beside her. Two stood between two buses. Buffy walked up silently behind one and Angel behind the other. The pair of Bringers between the buses were lifted off the ground by Buffy and Angel and thrown apart. The third Bringer ran away while the two that had been thrown came back for more. One lunged at Buffy with his knife, but Buffy grabbed his hand and stabbed the other Bringer Angel was holding with the knife. The stabbed Bringer doubled over in pain, and Angel kicked him to the ground. Buffy continued to wrestle with the other Bringer, ultimately breaking his neck. She then saw the one who started running away, and called out to him.

"Hey!" She bent to pick up a Bringer's knife at her feet. "Try picking on someone my own size." She hurled the knife at the fleeing Bringer, landing it in his back, and stabbing him through the heart. Buffy and Angel walked up to Rona, who was still cowering on the ground.

"Rona, right?" Angel asked. Rona nodded.

"We just got word you were arriving." Buffy said, helping the girl stand.

"You're them!" Rona said.

"Them is us."

"You know, I thought, uh.. They told me I'd be safe here."

"Right. Well, you are. I mean, you will be.. Safer.. With us around."

"That's good."

"Next time you're attacked.."

"Whoa, whoa.. Next time? You saying I'm gonna get attacked again?"

"Welcome to the Hellmouth." Buffy and Angel said as they led Rona back to the van.

"Nice van."

"It's got Playstation 2 in the back." Buffy said. "Connor wanted one and we figured since a lot of travel between LA and Sunnydale would be going on, why not stick one in for the fun."

"Cool! What games you got?"

"I dunno. I never play the thing. I usually just sleep."

"And I drive." Angel said.

"Wait, who's Connor?"

"Our son." Buffy said.

"How old is he?"

"17."

"And you're how old?"

"21."

"Now how's that happing?"

"Long, long story, but the short version: got taken to a hell dimension when he was a baby where time moves a lot faster."

"Oh."

"You'll get to know everyone pretty quick."

"I heard there was another Slayer."

"Faith. You'll love her too."

"Oh."

"Well, here it is." Buffy said as she opened the door. When she and Angel walked in, everyone looked up at her. "You guys are all still up?"

"Ah! Who needs sleep?" Xander said.

"Everybody, this is Rona."

"Hi. Hi Rona." Everyone said.

"Hey Rona." Andrew said.

"Hey Rona." Xander said, sitting up.

"Um.. Why is that guy tied to a chair?" Rona asked.

"The question you'll soon be asking is, 'Why isn't he gagged?'"

Giles and Anya walked in. Giles looked at the Molly. "Molly, why don't you show our new houseguest where the kitchen is. I'm sure she's hungry after her travels."

"Fair enough. I'm a bit peckish meself." Molly said.

"Bit what as well?" Rona asked.

"That's English for 'hungry.'" Anya said, rolling out another sleeping bag.

"Oh, here I thought 'hungry' was English for 'hungry.'" Rona said, following Molly.

"Everything all right?" Giles asked Buffy and Angel.

"She had a welcoming committee." Angel said.

"So, the First knows potential slayers are making their way here?" Xander asked.

"I must warn the coven to be cautious." Giles said.

"The First's always gonna be one step ahead of us, Giles. I need to know how to stop it. No, not stop it, hurt it. I want to hurt it real bad. Tell me how." Buffy said.

"I-I don't know, Buffy. I've exhausted all the sources I have left with little result. The Watcher's records are still really all we have to go on."

"I made the rounds myself. Tried to dig up anything useful from the demon community." Anya said.

"They're a community now?" Xander asked. "What's next, the Ladies' Auxiliary?"

"The ones that didn't attack me, didn't know anything or didn't talk. Either way, we've got squat."

"Well, squat's not gonna cut it. What about the Turok-Han?" Buffy asked.

"The vampire time forgot?" Xander asked.

"Time may have forgotten him, but I sure won't. We know stakes don't kill it, but anything in those ancient books about what does? Sunlight, fire, germs?"

"So, Giles, with that thing guarding the entrance to the First's crib, how will Buffy and Faith get to Spike?" Andrew asked.

"I really hate to admit this, but he's not wrong. There's no way we'll be able to help Spike until that thing is out of the way."

"Spike? Sorry, I'm confused. He's that vampire who's been killing people, right? He's the one you're worried about helping?" The blonde SIT asked.

"Well, we need him to.. He's the one that's been.. It's complicated, Chloe."

"I'm Chloe, she's Eve." A brunette SIT said.

"It's just, well, we've been talking, and do we have some kind of plan? You know, any kind of plan to keep us from dying?" Eve asked.

"We're working on it." Buffy said.

"There is one avenue that we haven't tried yet.." Giles said.

"Giles!" Anya exclaimed.

"Beljoxa's Eye."

"And exactly what part of town is that avenue in?" Xander asked.

"I told you no." Anya said.

"Wh-what is Botox's eye?" Buffy asked.

"Beljoxa's Eye. It's an oracle type creature that exists in a dark dimension." Giles said.

"Internal vortex more like." Anya said.

"Fun." Buffy said.

"Not really, no."

"The point is, only demons can open the gateway to it." Giles said.

"Excuse me, ex-demon here."

"You're still friends in the fold. Murderous acquaintances, anyway."

"Look, there's no reason to think this Beljoxa's Eye will have any of the answers we're looking for."

"I'll take anything I can get. Anya, please, we're running out of time." Buffy said.

"Spike's running out of time." Faith added, walking downstairs. Her hair was wet and she was in baggy sweat pants and a sweatshirt of Connor's. Buffy eyed the shirt suspiciously. "Don't worry B. Connor let me borrow it. He's in the shower now. Wanted me to tell you."

"Oh, good."

"Ok, this is going to sound parental-ish," Angel said. "But it's time for everyone to get some sleep. I love a great pajama party as much as the next vampire, but we all need sleep."

"You're a vampire?" Rona asked, coming back into the living room in her PJs.

"It's ok." Molly said. "He's a good vampire. Has a soul and everything." She winked at Angel.

Buffy rolled her eyes and grabbed Angel's hand, dragging him up the stairs. "Goodnight everyone."



Buffy woke up and looked up at her still sleeping husband. Her legs were tangled with his and their arms were wrapped around each other's waists. It was amazing that in these chaotic times, they could still find peaceful moments like this. She kissed his chest lightly and his eyes slowly opened and looked down at her. A small smile spread over his face.

"Morning." Buffy said.

Angel looked at the clock. "Almost afternoon."

"Let's pretend. We can say that we thought it was morning so we could sleep longer. Or our clock was blinking cause a ghost unplugged it."

Angel chuckled. "Maybe we should get up. If we don't, I think there won't be a house left downstairs."

"I'm actually looking forward to going back to LA as soon as things calm down."

"Connor is too. There's just too many girls in this house."

"Yeah. Mmm." Buffy stretched in the bed and rolled away. She got up and wrapped herself in her mom's big fluffy robe. "Thanks mom." Buffy muttered as she tried to burrow deeper into the robe.

"I miss her too." Angel said behind her.

She turned. "I don't know how many more of these dreams I can handle Angel. If it's the First, it's doing one hell of a job with the torture. If not.. Let's just say what if it is mom? Really mom. She's been warning me. I don't know what she's warning me about, but I can't just ignore it."

"No, you can't. We'll sort all this out. I promise."

"Come on. We need to grab a shower while it's not overrun with potentials."

Angel nodded and they headed towards the bathroom. After a nice, hot shower, they got dressed and headed downstairs. Andrew was complaining about his ropes itching to Connor, who looked like he really didn't care, Kennedy, Dawn, Molly, Nora, and Chloe were all in the kitchen munching, a few of the girls were hanging out in the basement working out, Willow was on the phone, and Xander was upstairs in Willow's room trying to get some shut eye.

"Mom, he smells." Connor said.

"I resent that." Andrew said.

"You would. Pawn scum."

"Twerp."

"I could kick your ass from here to the seventh circle of hell and back and not even break a sweat."

"Ok guys, cut it out. Angel, let's just untie him. I don't think he's going anywhere." Buffy said.

Angel walked over and started to untie Andrew. "Ow! Watch it! That's my joystick hand." Andrew whined.

"I'm not gonna touch that one." Angel said.

"Ok, listen up, Andrew. I don't exactly know what to do with you, except that we don't have time to babysit a hostage." Buffy said.

"Especially a hostage that's gotten more than a little ripe." Angel said, scrunching his face up at the smell.

Buffy and Connor each made a face and stepped back a few feet away from Andrew. "So, I'm here to tell you, if you try anything, try to run.. Did you ever see the movie Misery?"

"Six times. But the book was scarier than the movie cause instead of crushing his foot with a sledge hammer, Kathy Bates chops it off with.." Andrew stopped rambling when he saw Buffy glaring at him and swallowed. "I'll be good."

"Buffy, word from the underground. Another potential arrived in town the day before yesterday. She's at the Sun Spot Motel, near the highway." Willow said, running in from the living room.

"The day before yesterday? Why are we just finding out about it now?" Angel asked.

"Bringers killed her watcher before he could tell anyone he sent her. If it wasn't for a particularly powerful seer in the coven, we wouldn't even know about it now."

"Ok, I mean, there's still a couple of hours of daylight left. You guys should be safe here. Angel and I'll get her and bring her back." Buffy said.

"All right, retrieving a potential. Let's do it!" Andrew said. Buffy and Angel turned to glare at him. "Or I could just go wash up."

"Please do." Connor said, walking upstairs to hide in his room.



Buffy and Angel ran around to Room 25. "You sure this is it?" Angel asked.

"The clerk said it's the only check-in they've had in a week. Tourism must be down." Buffy said.

"Right in the middle of apocalypse season."

Buffy knocked on the door. "Hello." She knocked again. "It's ok. We're friendly. And we have eyes."

Angel was peering through the window. "Buffy, kick the door down."

Buffy kicked the door in and entered, followed by Angel. They saw a girl lying on the floor, face down in a pool of blood. Buffy kneeled to touch her, and looked back up at Angel.

"She's cold."

"Been dead for days." Angel said, sniffing the air.

Buffy rolled the girl over. "Eve."

"Eve, who's in our house?"

"Oh God." They took off running back to the convertible. Angel gunned it home. They burst through the door and looked around.

"Buffy?" Willow asked.

"What is it?" Dawn asked.

Buffy looked at Andrew who was on her couch. She glared at him and he sat up and wiped off the part of the couch his feet were on. Buffy just rolled her eyes and her and Angel went into the next room. Xander, Connor, Willow, Dawn, and Andrew followed.

"Buffy, basement." Angel said.

They ran down the stairs. "Get away from them!" Buffy said.

"Who? Get away from who?" Kennedy asked.

"What's the problem officers?" Eve asked.

"I said get away from them now." Buffy said through gritted teeth.

"Buffy, what did Eve do?" Dawn asked.

"That's not Eve." Angel said. "Eve's dead."

"I don't-I don't understand." Rona said.

Eve looked at everyone and then smiled cruelly. "Oops! One more down. Oh, well, can't save em all, can ya, Buffy? Thanks for the slumber party, girls. It's been real fun the last couple of nights. I learned a whole lot.."

"Shut up and get out!" Buffy said.

"Or you'll do what? I'll be sending a guest over to visit y'all later on tonight, after the sun goes down of course. Try and make him feel welcome before he rips y'all to pieces. Bye." Eve blinked out of existence.

"I need to go wash up again." Andrew said, running upstairs.

"Everybody upstairs." Angel said.

"What?" Molly asked. "Why?"

"Upstairs now!"

The girls' eyes widened and they walked upstairs and into the dining room with Willow, Connor, Xander, and Dawn. Buffy and Angel stood there for a second, seething. After a minute they walked upstairs. The slayers-in- training were sitting around the dining room table. Buffy and Angel went to stand at the head of the table, and Willow sat at the end opposite them. Connor leaned against the wall next to Xander.

"We should run." Vi said.

"And go where, Vi?" Kennedy asked.

"Annabelle ran. Look where it got her." Dawn said.

"Safer in than out." Buffy said.

"How can you say that? It was here, Buffy, in the house, living with us for days." Molly said.

"And you didn't even know it." Chloe added.

"Well, none of us knew it." Xander said.

"It could still be here. It could be any one of us." Vi said.

"No, the First can only take the form of dead people." Angel said.

"Yeah, well there'll be plenty more of those soon enough. We're dropping like flies here." Rona said.

"Hey!" Buffy said loudly. The girls stopped talking. "Look, I know you're all scared. You know what? I am too, but Giles and Anya will be back soon, and hopefully they will have the information that we need to stop the First. In the mean time, we need to stick together. Ok, we're stronger that way. We cannot afford to fall apart now."

"She's right. Where would the Justice League have been if they hadn't put their differences aside to stop the Imperium and his shape-shifting alien horde?" Andrew asked.

"Don't help us." Angel growled.

"Guys, the sun goes down, and UberVamp's on its way. So a plan would be good right about now." Xander said.

"Will, I'm sorry to ask, but.." Buffy said.

"I know, we need a barrier." Willow said.

"A major one. Something tells me this vampire doesn't need an invite to get into the house. Can you do it?"

"I'll try."

"Try?" Rona asked.

"You heard her." Kennedy said.

"Buff, are you sure about Willow doing the hocus pocus again? I-I mean, last time she.." Xander said.

"Xander, we don't have a lot of choices." Angel said.

"And what if that doesn't work? What if that monster gets through?" Chloe asked.

"Then we'll deal."

"Deal? Fight, you mean. How are we supposed to do that?" Rona asked.

"And with what?" Vi asked.

"With whatever it takes! Right?" Kennedy said.

"Buffy, you fought the Turok-Han, and it almost killed you." Molly said.

"And you're the real Slayer." Chloe said.

"Wh-what chance do we have?" Rona asked.

"Honestly, you staked that thing, and it didn't die." Molly said.

"No, but that doesn't.." Connor said.

"Maybe it can't be killed." Vi said.

Buffy stared straight ahead. *Willow, can you hear me?* Buffy thought. Willow's head snapped up and she looked at her. *Yeah.*

*We're losing them. We can't let that happen. I have an idea. Grab Xander.*

"That mean we shouldn't try?" Dawn asked.

"There's that word again." Rona asked.

"Hey, it's a good word." Kennedy said.

Buffy tapped Angel on the arm and motioned towards the kitchen. They moved into the kitchen. Willow got Xander's attention through mind power and that time Angel heard her. They walked into the kitchen and kept silent, talking through their minds.

*I gotta slay the NeanderVamp to get Spike outta that cave, but I need those girls to see me do it.* Buffy thought.

*I get it, but this isn't the best venue for a smackdown.* Willow thought.

*I know just the place.* Xander thought.

*Where?* Angel thought.

*The science building construction sight. It has a place they can watch from a safe distance and it's big enough to allow Buffy to fight.*

*She's not fighting that thing alone.*

*No she's not. But you're not going in there with me. Faith is.* Buffy thought. *We're the Slayers, the thing that those girls in there could be become. They need to know they can do it too.*

*Buffy..*

*I know you Angel, if it goes bad you'll jump in and play white knight.*

*Always will.*

*All right, the sun's going down and the girls are panicking in there. Let's get them organized.*

They walked back out into the dining room and then called Faith on her cell. She was on her way as fast as she could run. She made it just before the last rays of the sun disappeared behind the horizon. They let her know the plan through their minds and Faith loved it. Things were about to get good.