Greetings and Salutations.  Okay, guys, this ones a bit longer than I'd meant it to be, but there's a lot in it. Enjoy.

Seattle.

"And that's it." Max said, finishing her story.

"A sword?" Alec said sceptically. "Out of a firebird? You sure you haven't had too much to drink?" Max gave him a dirty look.

"No, Alec, I'm not you." She said. Logan winced slightly before cutting in.

"Well, I'll use those descriptions you gave me, and see what I can find." He said. "Meanwhile, we have a bigger problem to tackle." Max nodded, looking over at Joshua. The dog man looked back.

"Joshua can go home." He said.

"No way, big fella." Max said. "They'll be watching out for you. We'll have to find somewhere else to stash you for a while." Max looked out the window.

"Max?" Logan walked over to her. "You alright?"

"Yeah." She said, careful not to get too close. They still had that virus to think off. "This thing with that girl, it seems…familiar. Like I know it somehow." She shook her head. "Maybe its nothing." She headed for the door. "I'll see if I can find somewhere for Joshua to stay."

"Take care." Logan said.

"Always." She said with smile, then walked out. Logan looked over at Alec. The transgenic sat for a moment.

"Alright, alright." He said, getting to his feet. "I hope I can at least make a buck out of this." He grumbled as he left.

Buffy moved down the street carefully, Connor not far away. So far, they had run in to twenty vampires, and they had only been at it for an hour. "And I thought the Hellmouth was supposed to be busy." Buffy muttered. "This is more activity than I got in a week barring an Apocalypse, but even then, twenty in an hour? Is there some meeting we don't know about?" Connor chuckled.

"Do you always talk this much?" He said. Buffy shrugged.

"Only when I'm nervous." She said. "What's wrong not living up to your expectations?" Connor thought for a moment. He hadn't even seen that last vamp, but Buffy had. She had sent her sword flying over his shoulder; spearing the vamp before it knew what was going on.

"Not that." He said. "I'm used to hunting in silence."

"I take it you never went patrolling with Xander then." Buffy said.

"Thankfully, no." Connor chuckled. "He was bad enough as friend. I don't want to know what he was like patrolling. I'll leave that experience to his unfortunate Slayer."

"His Slayer?" Buffy asked, a look of disbelief on her face. "Don't tell me…"

"'Fraid so." Connor said. "They've made him a Watcher." Buffy shook her head.

"At least the poor girl's getting treated better." She said. "Though she may be suicidal, dealing with his sense of humour." She spun suddenly as Connor's phone beeped. He fished it out.

"Message from Willow." He said. Buffy's face brightened instantly. "She's in England, but she'll be here as soon as possible." He made a face. "She's bringing her team."

"Team? Willow has a team?" Buffy said.

"Yeah." He nodded. "If you can call them that. Spike, Dru, that Riley guy and her lover, Blade."

"Riley's…wait a sec." Buffy looked at him, confused. "Blade and Willow? What happened to Tara?" Connor shrugged.

"I'm not really sure." He said. "All I know is that not long after the Pulse, there was this accident, and she died." Buffy covered her mouth.

"Oh, God. Poor Willow." She whispered. "How'd she take it?"

"Not well." Connor said. "Truth to tell, we almost lost her. If Xander hadn't snapped her out of it, there's no telling what might have happened. Even after that, she was withdrawn, distant. Blade arrived not long after that, and took her under his wing. A year later…well, I don't think I need to explain the rest. I'm sure you get it."

"Willow and Blade." Buffy said sceptically. "Gotta admit, I never saw that one coming. When I met Blade, he seemed…not Willow's type. All quiet and, well, kind of like Angel."

"Which I'm sure you enjoyed." Connor said playfully.

"Actually, I was quite happy with Logan by that time." She winced slightly at the thought of her lost love. "Why couldn't he wait just a few years? We could've gotten our happily ever after. Sure, a bit late, but still…." She clenched her fists at her side. "When I get my hands on that smug son of a bitch, I'm gonna pummel him into the ground." Connor grinned as the phone beeped again. He checked it.

"Hmm?" He cocked his head side ways. "I don't know this one. Who's Oz?" Buffy stared up at him.

"Oz too?" She said. "You kidding? Oz is coming?" Connor nodded.

"Yeah. He says he's bringing his... mate." Connor kept reading. "Too long in Australia, I guess. Hang on. 'Everything under control.' What's that mean?" Buffy grabbed the phone.

"'Everything under control.' Could that mean he's finally found a cure or something?" She muttered.

"Okay two things." Connor said. "One; let's get moving and two; cure for what?"

"Oz's a werewolf." Buffy explained as they headed back to Connors flat. "Or at least, he was when he left Sunnydale looking for a cure. When he says mate, he could be talking about a girlfriend. You know, like a wolf mates?" She handed the phone back to Connor. "Sounds like he has some control of the wolf. I just hope it's better than last time."

"Last time?" Connor said cautiously.

"Think the Hulk." Buffy said. "He lost his temper and went wolfy during the day."

"Oh." Connor said. "Do you have any normal friends?"

"Well there's…no wait, he's a Watcher now. Um…" She smiled sheepishly. "Not that I can think of." Connor laughed as the phone beeped once more.

"Speaking of whom." He said, checking the message. "Xander's on his way, with his Slayer. He asked what took you so long." Buffy laughed.

"He hasn't changed, for which I'm glad. I could use some laughs." Buffy looked around. "This place is so depressing. I wish Giles were here. I could use some fatherly guidance."

"Yeah, I understand that." Connor said. "I met him once, before he died of a heart attack."

"A heart attack?" Buffy stared skyward. "Everything he went through and he dies of something like that." A tear fell from her eyes. "Why do I feel so alone?"

"Hey." Connor said. "Don't be like that. Xander and the others are on there way here and so's Joyce. We'll all stand by you and get you home. Trust me." Buffy looked over at him.

"Your a lot like your father, you know that?" Connor grinned.

"What, good looking?" Buffy grinned wickedly.

"Well, I was thinking broody, but that'll do." She ran of, Connor close behind her.

"Hey!"

Logan looked at the computer screen. One of the descriptions Max had given him weren't so hard to figure out, he was one of Logan's contacts. The other wasn't so easy. It had taken him a while, but he had finally found something. A picture of a girl who had gone missing seventeen years ago. He reached for his phone. He needed to make a phone call.

Connor and Buffy made it inside just as the phone rang. Connor picked it up. "Yeah?" There was a moment of silence. "Hey Logan. What's the boss want this time?" Connor watched as Buffy stiffened slightly. He shook his head, and she slumped into a chair. "Yeah, I'm lis…" He stopped, his eyes still on Buffy. "A firebird? I don't… Yeah, okay…all right, I'll explain later, but only to Eyes Only, no one else, not even you. It's personal. All right, thanks. Okay, bye." He hung up. "Shit."

"What's up?" Buffy asked.

"Someone saw that little pyro trick with your sword." He said. "He reported to a guy I do some work for, a cable hack called Eyes Only. That was the guy that usually passes on the missions to me. Eyes Only want's answers."

"And this has what to do with him?" Buffy asked.

"He investigates conspiracies, weird happenings, that sort of things." Connor explained. "He checked out a description and came up with the old police case file on your disappearance."

"They reported it?" Buffy asked. "Did they all lose the ability to think when I disappeared?"

"No, your father showed up the next day and reported it." Connor said. Buffy groaned.

"Not a peep from him and he pops up out of the blue at the worst possible moment." She said. "My life sucks."

"Yeah, but then, everyone's does at some point?" Connor said. "Any way, we'd better get some rest. We got a lot to do tomorrow."

"Hey, Jubes? What's she like?" Joyce asked as the Blackbird streaked through the air.

"Well…" Jubilee said, thinking a moment. "She's strong, but not just physically. She win a battle of the wills with anyone, Logan included. She's smart, good in a fight, but…" She looked at her young friend, the girl that was like her sister. "She is a good friend, not one to back down if she knows, or even thinks, she's right. In other words, a lot like you." Joyce sat back in her chair.

"Where do you she's been all these years?" Jubes turned back to the controls.

"I don't know." She said. "From what Dawn said, Belasco used the wrong name when he tried to kill her. I don't know what, but it was enough to screw the spell. She also said that Buffy was full of the Phoenix Force, so it's possible that those factors may have just…sent her here. I'm not sure though." Joyce looked out the window.

"Belasco better stay in whatever hole he's hiding in." She growled. "'Cause when I get my hand on him…" She clenched her right hand, the Witchblade revealing itself.

"You may have to wait in line." Jubilee said with a grin. "Your mom will want a shot at him too. I know Angel and Kitty do."

"That creeps real popular." Joyce said.

"As popular as the plague."

Connor watched as the police walked into the warehouse. "Welcome to the party boys." He muttered. He went back to the skylight, watching the proceedings as the cops walked up to the suits waiting within. Ordinarily, he'd just be getting proof on this sort of thing, but this was kind of personal. The cops had just evicted some friends of his under the instructions of the suits, who worked for Wolfram &Hart. Connor wanted to know why. He watched carefully as the money exchanged hands. "Go time." He said, throwing the rope through the skylight. The brick on the other end beaned on cop. Connor grinned as he slid down the rope. On less scumbag to worry about, he thought as he landed among them. He took the cops down first, and then went after the W&H guys. Normally, he wouldn't have tried something like this alone. But then, he wasn't alone.

He was reminded of that when several of the guys went flying backwards without being touched.

"Do you always let the bad guys surround you like that?" Buffy said as she nailed two guys with a roundhouse kick. "What did your dad teach you?"

"I could have handled it." Connor said confidently, dropping two more.

"Whatever." Buffy said. "Oh, and duck." Connor hit the ground as Buffy launched over him, taking the last of the hired muscle. "And not a demon in sight. What, they're asking too much?" She saw the Wolfram & Hart guys heading for the door. "Freeze." She said. The two lawyers froze in there tracks. "Here." Buffy said, pointing at a spot in front of her. The lawyers were surrounded by a flaming orange glow and floated over to her.

"Cool trick." Connor said, walking over to her. Buffy grinned at him, and then turned her attention to her prisoners.

"Do you know who I am?" She asked. The lawyers remained silent. She reached under her jacket and pulled her sword out, holding it in front of her. She held it so the flat of the blade was facing the two layers, the Phoenix glowing bright at the tip. "Do you know who I am?" She repeated. The older of the two gulped.

"Dragon Slayer." He said. "He told us he'd…" Buffy eyes lit with flames.

"Who told you?" She said. In the background, Connor could here a raptor's cry. "Answer my question." Buffy said coldly. The older gulped.

"Belasco." He breathed. "He promised you were out of the way." Buffy stared at him.

"Why did you want everyone out of the building?" Connor asked.

"A client wanted the land." The younger said. "I don't know why."

"What client?" Connor said.

"I can't tell you that." He said. "Client confidentiality."

"Then we do this the hard way." Buffy said, reaching out with her mind. "There is no client." She said after a second. "They have something in mind. Them and Belasco." The older looked over at her. How had she gotten that information? How was she holding them like this?

"Then it involves Kitty." Connor said. He didn't need to say anything else. Buffy turned back to the lawyers.

"Spread the word." She said. "Tell your 'clients' I'm back. Tell them what I can do, and what I did. Tell Belasco that he can't kill me, and that I'm coming for him. Finally, tell your bosses that if they even think about touching Kitty, I will reduce they're building to a smouldering rubble. With them in it. Understand?" They both nodded. "Good. Leave." They disappeared.

"Where'd they go?" Connor asked.

"I sent them outside." She said. Connor noticed she was a bit tired. "It takes a bit out of me, but I can handle it." Connor nodded.

"Come on." He said. "Let's get out of here. You need to rest." Buffy turned to him.

"No offence but could you not do that." She said. Connor looked at confused. "Act like Angel. It doesn't help."

"I'll try to remember that." Connor said with a grin as he helped her out to his car.

Max watched as they got back into the car. She had heard a disturbance in the warehouse as she had passed after a delivery. Seeing the two from last night walking out, one of them totally exhausted, piqued her interest. On investigation, she found a pile of unconscious grunts, as well as a couple of cops. There were also two guys in suits just outside the back door trying to recover from…something. Neither of them had a mark. "So, you wanna tell me what that was about?"

"That's…" The older guy looked up and stopped. "I mean it's nothing. A misunderstanding. Nothing more. Excuse us." Max watched as they walked out. Well that was interesting, she thought reaching for her phone. She pressed the quick dial number for Logan.

"A saw our mystery couple again." She said, heading for her pushbike. "They beat up some cops, a couple of suits and their bodyguards."

"Any idea who the suits were?" Logan asked.

"Nope, they took off real fast." Max answered. "Funny thing. They seem real nervous when they saw me."

"Connected to Manticore?"

"Maybe. I'll check it out and hit you back."

"Right, I'll check some things out on my end see what I can find." Logan said. "By the way, I've got something on the female. She went missing about seventeen years ago. Thing is, she hasn't aged a day."

"Say what?" Max filed that away. "Logan, there's something real familiar about this. I think…I've heard of this. I just wish I knew where, or the full story."

"Glad I've still got a little money left." Jubes said as she put her remaining cash in her pocket. "I thought they were going to take everything for that bribe."

"Like you don't have enough." Joyce said. "Let's move it." She was anxious to see Connor again, not to mention the prospect of meeting her mother. Just thinking about it gave Joyce butterflies. She just hoped she didn't stuff it up. She would give anything to make this work.

She followed Jubilee to a nearby building. "I've got a car stashed nearby." She said as they headed into the garage. Inside was an old black Tranzam. "Open the door, Joyce. I'm going to see if this works." She sat in the drivers seat, pulling a key out from under the car body. "Please work." She whispered, turning the key. The engine roared to life after the few tries. "Yes." She said. Joyce grinned as she sat in the passenger side.

"Nice car." She said. "Let's roll."

Buffy looked out the window. This time, this world, it was so different to what she was used to. So much chaos. At least I won't get bored, she thought as Connor walked in. "How was your meeting?" Connor sighed.

"I had to tell him everything." He said. "I'm sorry, he's so bloody…"

"It's alright Connor." Buffy said. "As long as he isn't going to put me on television." Connor winced.

"You saw one of the transmissions." Buffy nodded. "Well, I've got more bad news. He wants to meet you, as close as he can come to meeting a person, which'll be through a transmission." Buffy rolled her eyes.

"I'm beginning to miss being secret identity girl." She groaned. "When is this meeting?"

"Tomorrow." Connor said. "But I've got some things to do for him tonight, so…"

"I got it." Buffy said, grabbing her sword. "Solo patrol. No sweat, I'm used to it."

"I'm really sorry." Connor said. "What I'm doing is real sensitive. Some…"

"Connor, settle down." Buffy said. "It's alright, honest. I've been on enough solo patrols back in Sunnydale. I can handle it. Go topple some crooked cops or something." Connor grinned. One thing you could say, she had a comment for every situation.

"Alright. Just be careful. Things are a bit more hectic here than what your used to." Buffy smiled and headed out the door.

Running straight into Joyce.

Buffy recognised her straight away from the photo. Even without it, she would have known her daughter. She had Logan's eyes, piercing and serious. Her blonde hair was cut to her shoulders and tied back out of her eyes. Buffy felt her breath catch in her throat. "Joyce?" She breathed. Joyce stared at her for a moment, and then recognition seemed to dawn on her face. The girl reached into her pocket, producing a photo. She looked at it, then at Buffy's face.

"Oh my…" She breathed, dropping the photo. Buffy bent over and picked it up. It was a photo of Logan, her and their baby girl. Buffy's hand began to shake.

"It is you. Joyce." Buffy wrapped her daughter in her arms. Joyce responded in kind, barely able to whisper one word.

"Mommy?"

         Whoa, give me a minute. Okay, that's better. Things seem to be moving along well, but how will the two Summers girl handle things on their first patrol together?

Stay Tuned.

Doc.