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Title: Akoshta: Ulterior Battles

Author: Kaylorin

Beta Read by: RogueAngel

Synopsis: Buffy and Spike have been thrown through time and must prevent any changes in the past. Meanwhile, in Sunnydale a new Slayer arrives with an entourage and is slowly introduced to her new life.

Rating: R

Distribution: Fine with me, make sure it's the final edited copy, and let me know where it's going. My e-mail is bsdance@comcast.net

Disclaimer: BtVS and AtS are the property of other people. Some have lots of money. Lucky them. I however own the characters I have made up such as the sisters of Akoshta, Michelle, Christian and Richard. As well as Samantha the Vampire Slayer and Ashton the Vampire.

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Commencement

Audrey walked up to the young man hunched over his notes in the communal den of the libraries. "Nathan?"

The disheveled boy looked up at the girl standing beside the long table waiting for a response. "Audrey, hi."

She looked over the scattered books and papers covering the tabletop then back at him. The soon-to-be-Watcher was usually well-groomed. Never a hair out of place with his glasses always firmly at the bridge of his nose. Right now his short sandy blonde hair pointed out in every direction, and she wasn't sure how much longer his glasses would balance at the end of his nose.



She crinkled her own nose and began to worry. "Is everything alright?"

Nathan looked back at the stacks of notes and smiled up at the computer wiz while pushing the spectacles that had somehow traveled during his research back into place. "I am making a bit of a mess here, aren't I?" And he began to straighten out the texts and notebooks as he rambled. "It's just that there are so many references, and some of familiar Slayers, but the timeframes do not match. It all seems quite jumbled."

"Well, maybe this will help." She brought out a yellow disk and laid it out on the table. "It should help you pinpoint the location of specific stars and give you dates and times for the positions of the ones you are looking for."

He picked up the disk and stood smiling then walked to the nearest computer. Audrey followed him, shaking her head in bemusement. "You do know you have all year to complete this?"

He sat and slid the disk into the drive. "I know, but this is such a puzzle."

"In what way?" she asked and watched as he went through the program typing away, setting up the perimeters for the searches.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He shrugged. "I'm not sure. Some of the events described are apocalyptic, but I could swear I've heard of a few of them before. From classes, you understand?"



He paused as she nodded. "But the years are so far apart. They could not be the same Slayer, even if she lived as long as Buffy. I believe many notes are copied notations of Diaries accounting other Slayer's battles."

"Well it's not unusual for Watchers to go over notes of Watchers of the past. Several battles fought are similar, even repeated. Elements must be in place, but several of the disasters the Slayer prevents happen more than once in history." She scanned the star charts passing by on the screen and began to understand... "And some have to do with the placement of the heavens. I see."

He nodded at her quickly, only taking his eyes off the screen long enough for the motion before turning back. "Exactly. Some events occur over and over; it's only the Slayer that can stop the completion of whatever that event is. One noted often throughout the folder's contents is a ritual performed by the Tomar, complete with descriptions of Slayers in battle against the completion of it. The ritual itself is done by the stars."

"So some of these notes, you believe, are ones taken to use. To compare the older Slayer written of, to the one the Watcher was currently, well, watching. He was trying to see what she would do? Possible tactics?" She looked at the computer, flipping quickly through star charts. "And you hope to find which Slayer by finding this event in the past hundred years?"

"That is what I am hoping. The folder is no older than that. I am sure," he said and watched the screen change over and over displaying several formations of stars.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Xander stood back and looked over his handiwork. The room was all put back together, and he still had to laugh at the entire thing.

Here he stood in Buffy's bedroom, shared with a guy that he'd hated, and still enjoyed disliking from time to time.

The soundproofing was done. The room was put back into the order he'd found it in, with trinkets belonging to both blondes scattered throughout the room. There was just one final thing to do.

With a huge smile, Xander crouched down and opened the lid of his toolbox. He smiled at the box inside, not bothering to hold back the chuckle. An assortment package, filled to the brim with condoms of different colors.



The brunette guessed which side of the bed was Spike's and hid them under a pillow.

Well he couldn't not do something funny. After all, if Spike and Buffy got-

When Spike and Buffy got back, he'd have a lot of lost time and unused quips to toss at the blonde man who was his only testosterone friend.

A sad look came over his face, and Xander shut his toolbox before heading out of the room. He took one final appraising look and turned off the light before closing the door to the empty room.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Anya smiled at the woman on the other side of the counter and handed her the bag holding several candles and a rudimentary book on vampires. "If you'd like more books about demons, we have a wide selection," she pointed out.



"I saw that," Sam said and looked behind her at the shelves and back to the shopkeeper. "But I think this is all I'd like today."

"Very well," Anya answered and handed the woman her bag. "Please come here when you'd like more candles then."



"I will. Thank you, dear." Sam returned the smile and walked out the door.

She'd gathered enough information in the last hour to confirm this time. Buffy was definitely gone, and her friends were working on a way to get her back.

It looked as though there was another Slayer, and they were preparing to have a memorial that evening for one that had died.

Faith, she remembered. Buffy hadn't made much mention of her, but Sam hadn't pressed the issue.

What mattered was that Sam was right on schedule. If all worked out the way they should, she would be able to help bring Buffy and Spike back.

She was suddenly very excited and scared in ways she hadn't been in years.

It was a wonderful feeling.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Quentin waited across the alley for the Slayer and the female demon who was with her. They had left more than an hour ago, alone. The vampire and the other demon were nowhere to be seen.

The clues pointed to only one thing. The vampire was involved with the events coming. And the demons that had shown up suddenly were part of the Tomar.

What he couldn't understand was why Sam hadn't killed them yet.

Surely she would.

As many immoral acts as she had played out, her focus had always been towards saving the earth. Even her infatuation for the dark vampire hadn't hindered that in her.

Perhaps, he thought, she was infiltrating the group. With the help of Ashton, she may be able to do it. And with inside information she could better prepare.

He jotted down his thoughts amongst the others and looked back up to see the foursome walking towards the Hook and Claw.



The men seemed tired, and the women were apparently hurried. Two pairs were what they were now, the men sticking together, and the women leading them to the entrance.

All four disappeared inside. So Quentin settled in the shadows across the street and waited.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mike saw the foursome enter and walked as swiftly as he could behind the counter. Soon a glass appeared on the bar in front of Ashton as the dark vampire sat. "You need to hurry. Hemphry has been waiting for you."

"She has?" Sam asked worriedly. "What's going on?"

Mike whispered as he leaned in. "Demons. All new. They walked in about 20 minutes ago, and she's been picking up on things all night."

"We need to go," Buffy said, standing up.

"You can't," Mike said.

Spike stopped holding his head and looked at the old man. "Why not?"

"That many demons? One of them is going to be able to tell she's a Slayer. Sam, too. The regulars don't pay much mind. They don't bother her, she doesn't bother them. Least not here. But new demons might not take so kindly to them," Mike quickly explained.

"S'up to us then," Spike said to the vampire.

Ashton looked back at Spike plainly. "If I can smell her on you, they will be able to as well."

Spike looked towards Buffy then to Ashton. "What then?"

"I'll go in," Ashton said as he set down the empty glass.

Mike quickly took it and set it aside to be washed. "I'm afraid so."

Sam turned back to him, now looking sorrowful. "Are you sure?"

"It will not matter. The chance that one of them will know me on sight is slim," he answered, seeing the fear in her face.

Sam nodded, hoping the best, and knowing that even if she asked him not to go, he would. In all likelihood, he was right. No one in the demon world had seen him, that were not locals, in so long they wouldn't know he was shunned. The odds were that none of the straggling demons below would give up his identity. They usually ignored him.

Ashton gave the others all a quick nod and left through the front as any other patron would.

Spike watched the man saunter out. "The Shunned. Walkin' into a roomful. Ought to be interesting to say the least."

Buffy whipped her head around. "You know his title?"

"Well yeah," Spike said, motioning at the door. "Dru tol' me about him. Musta been about..." His eyes widened. He felt cold all over. More than he ever had as a vampire.

Spike tried to swallow and croaked out, "Oh shit."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Richard ran up the stairs leading to his room. He stopped short and yanked the key from his pocket before turning to see the door next to his open and a woman look out. She was familiar. He thought she was the woman who'd visited the shop earlier.

She turned her head to him and gave him a nod before closing the door again. It was her, he decided.



He ran in the door, finally able to get the archaic key to turn.

The Watcher grabbed a book, newly bound in brown leather, and ran back out, locking the door behind him. "Got it!" he exclaimed as he ran back down the steps and climbed into Xander's car.

In moments they, and the other occupants of one of the few vehicles in use in the Scooby gang, stepped out.

Dawn held a bag and walked behind Christian, looking somber, while they followed Xander and Richard up to Tara's and Willow's apartment.

Upon entering, as usual without knocking, they saw Willow and Tara moving the table normally used for meals along a wall right in front of a window facing the east. The stars shone down brightly in the early evening, even with the bright lights of Sunnydale fighting for control.

Anya stood up from the couch. "Did you get everything?" she asked and walked towards Xander.

"Yeah. I think we're covered." He took off his jacket as did the others, and hung it on the coat-rack.

The furniture was slowly moved piece by piece out of the way so the room was clear of the couch and the living room held standing room only. The table now held a candelabra with five stems, two black candles on either side of a white one. In the center of the table sat the ceramic urn holding the ashes of their fallen friend.

Willow lit the candles one by one as Dawn, Christian, Anya, Xander, Michelle, Richard, and Tara lined up in a semicircle, all facing the picture window reflecting the fire of each candle's wick like a mirror when their flames caught.

When the last candle glowed, Willow moved to her place beside Tara. The blonde witch opened her mouth to begin and was interrupted by a knock.

Everyone looked back to the door. It was Xander who walked to the door. "Must be that Zeek guy. Didn't want to say anything, but he said he'd come," Xander explained, then opened the door.

The green-haired man stood there, looking nervous. "Hey, man. Am I too late?" he asked, a little out of breath.

"Nah," Xander said and stood back, a motion inviting the manager in. He nodded and came in, thinking of the small nameplate it had taken him all day to get.

He'd ordered Faith's, but it would be at least a week till it came in. So instead of yelling at the supplier for something most likely not under his control, he'd called every Body Shop within a 50 mile radius, and after three hours of phone calls and a two hour drive, he found it.

The only nameplate from a Body Shop employee with the name Faith. He smiled at it again. Apparently it was a joke for a girl who never wore it. Somehow that made the unused item even better.



He walked in and stood beside the long-haired brunette at the end of the line, giving her a small smile, then looking back at the candles. They were about to begin.

Tara cleared her throat and started again. "Goddess of all. Of above and below, of those lost, and of those found. Of present and past, we call upon you to guide a soul lost to us, and entrusted to you. A warrior of the innocent, of the people. One lost for a time, but found. Take her to your bosom, and let her rest."

The white candle standing above the others held a flame that leapt high for an instant, then calmed. Tara looked over to Willow and smiled before turning forward. The couple walked to the table. The redhead set down a stake, one that had set on the shelf that held her more prized possessions. Faith's version of Mr. Pointy.

Willow took a deep breath, then started. "Faith. What can I say? You and me, we don't have a lot in common, except we both thought we'd take a peek at the wrong way to go. In a big way." She raised her brow to accentuate the statement, then went on.

"But we both got a chance to make it better. To help, and to learn to control the powers inside. I feel like a piece of us has gone missing. Something I didn't figure I'd feel for you." Again she chuckled, then felt the tear slowly creep down her cheek. "I wish you had more time. I wish you had the time we all should. I will honor you by making sure I don't make the same mistake twice," Willow finished resolutely, then swiped at the lone tear, now dangling from her chin.

She felt Tara's fingers lace through hers and squeezed the comforting hand lightly.

The two ladies stepped back, allowing Michelle and Richard to step forward.

This time it was Michelle speaking. "My sister. Or at least in ways. I understood the importance of the Slayer my entire life and, until recently, never thought of myself as more than someone to work for the greater good. To help the Slayer fight evil in all forms." Michelle studied the candle in the center. The flame seemed to still itself when she spoke. "Now I find myself in a place I never would have guessed. As the tool I was supposed to be helping. Not become. Something I may not have taken so well if it weren't for Buffy. And with that in mind, I wish I could have known you. To see you fight. Hear your jokes." She grinned and looked over to Dawn who had shared some of the more colorful memories of the fallen Slayer. "Or your stories." She smiled at the candle as it danced "I will always keep my duty in my heart, as I believe you would have. In that I will honor your spirit, Slayer."

Richard took that as the end of her speech and set down the diary set aside for his first charge. It had only one entry at the moment, but it fit the need. A representation of her spirit. A new beginning for a Slayer, and what Faith had hoped for.

They both looked at the item as it sat accompanied only by the wood beside it and took a step back in line.

Xander walked forward with Anya at his side, arms intertwined. He began with a cracking voice, but soon spoke evenly. "Jeez, Faith. And just when I was getting used to you being around. I mean it takes me awhile with the ones who try to kill me," he said and shook his head at his ill-timed humor. "Sorry. It's just.What do I say? A Slayer, dying? Not something that gets any easier. Especially ones you cared about." He hadn't lasted as long as Willow. The tears streamed freely down his face, but he kept going with a squeeze from his wife.

He cleared his throat, and went on after a few tries. "It's just that, we all got to see so many sides of you. I don't mean the evil stuff. I mean the fight-hard Slayer. The friend Faith. The girl, the person. I think you and Anya might have even gotten along, eventually. You're both a little, well, different." He chuckled and smiled through the salt water. "Now that I think about it, I really think you would have." He lifted up the small five by five inch frame in his hand and set it down beside the leather bound book. "It's us, all at the wedding. I know you weren't there, and I know it makes no sense but things have been weird, amazing, strange, freaky and wonderful since that day. You know?" He grinned back at Anya, who'd helped him figure out what he wanted to say earlier. He liked a lot of the same things about both women. Honest to the point of pain sometimes, but something he needed. And knew it.

"I tried to figure out how to honor you, and decided that honoring Anya was the best I could do. Like a guy would have you. Like you deserved. Like we all do," he finished. And noticed he was no longer crying, but smiling.



Dawn finally nudged Anya, reminding her that stepping back was part of the ritual. Once the couple was in place, Dawn stepped up with Christian.

Dawn was already crying. She didn't try to hide it, just wiped her face with the back of her hand and went on. "I won't lie. I was so-o mad at you. For like the longest time. But it wasn't just because you went the way of the black hats." She sighed and stared at the framed picture. Xander and Anya were in the center. Willow stood on the other side of Xander with Tara. Buffy was behind him with Spike on one side, and Dawn on the other. "It was because you came in and made mom think there was hope for Buffy's future. It was because you sat and talked to me about makeup and boys. It was because after the insane summer, things were getting back to normal. Or at least normal for us."

Dawn looked down at the object in her hand. Everyone else's representation seemed to have an important meaning. Faith's stake, a new Diary, even the wedding picture in a 5x5 frame had a strange, but personal meaning. Slow hands finally set the gold charm bracelet down on the table. From the chain hung one tiny trinket, a cross.

"I bet you thought I didn't have it anymore," Dawn said, the hint of a smile penetrating her tears. "I know, it never really happened. But most of my memories are built by what would have happened. I remember it. I remember you trying to tell me that being the Slayer was the wildest and craziest gig ever dreamt up. That Buffy had problems for a good reason. You tried to tell me I shouldn't be pissed, but I was. Then you showed up on Christmas and this was in the package from you. For some reason that's when I got it. Not that I ever really will get it, but I think some part of me understood that you and Buffy," Dawn looked down the line to Michelle who just smiled back sympathetically, "and Michelle do what you have to, because it's who you are, and what you have to deal with. Even after all that happened, inside you still got that. You made the hardest choice and came back to it."

Dawn looked again down the line and smiled back at each familiar face. Xander and Willow, there from the time the Summers clan moved to Sunnydale. Tara, she was newer but seemed so much like family Dawn had trouble remembering her not being here. Anya, too, although she was a little harder to get used to. Now Richard, Michelle, and even Christian. They all fought, but without a calling. They did it simply to be a part and to try to help.

Dan looked back to the flames of the candles and realized they wax had not burned down. The candles were still strong and tall. "The only thing I can promise and honor you by is to stay. To try to learn and help. I want to make that choice, too." Dawn said, nodding a little and smiled back at the group.

"I think that would honor her memory," she heard Christian whisper. She smiled back at him and wiped the last of her tears before stepping back with the other.

Without missing a beat, the stranger stepped up to the table and set down the nameplate with FAITH etched on the surface.

Xander turned to see what the man, who was probably more than confused at some of the statements, would say about the woman he's only known for a few days. The others were equally curious, all but one.

The man with a crown of green looked at the urn, something the others had all but ignored.

"Faith," Zeek began, "I don't have a big speech. Sorry, but I can say that I'm gonna miss not knowing you. I know you were more than just a girl in town. Things were bad at some point, and you were going to make 'em better. That much is sure. It's a shame that you won't get the chance, but at least you know you made an impact. You are remembered by all these people. And me. I hope it's enough," he said and smiled a little at the urn, then at the people behind him all nodding in approval.

Zeek took a few tentative steps back and waited.

Tara finished the short ceremony "Faith, we offer you to the goddess of all and beseech her to allow your spirit joy beside her. In her arms and in our hearts you will remain." Walked up to the table and blew out each of the black candles, but left the white one burning.



The blonde witch turned around facing the group. "We need to leave the other candle. It will burn on its own."

"Well then," Xander looked between Willow and Tara. "That's it?"

Anya studied her hands and looked over to Zeek, then back at her hands.

"We have some books we can go through." Willow offered the brunette. "You know, for um..." She looked at the green-haired man who just seemed to be standing there. "That problem we are having."

Xander saw where his best friend's eyes had darted to. "Oh, the uh, problem." Somehow doing research with a stranger mulling around wasn't the best choice. And not now.



Dawn turned to the stranger. "It was real nice of you to, you know, come here. I mean, you didn't really know Faith."

Zeek gave the girl half a smile. "Yeah, but when Xander came in and told me what happened, and that she didn't know too many people in town."

Dawn nodded, understanding. "Well, it was cool of you."



Zeek shrugged. "I got to close the store early, too," he said, half joking.

"Still," He heard a familiar feminine voice come and looked behind the teen to see one of his best customers. Anya walked to the two and continued. "I think Faith would have been very pleased that you would come. And you brought her name tag. A very good representation of who she wanted to be. A useful part of society," she finished with a bright smile.

"It took forever to find, but I think it was worth it," Zeek explained.

"What do you mean? Did she not have one?" Anya asked.

"Well, no. They take time to get in after ordering. I had to drive four cities away to get it."

Anya looked perplexed. "Why didn't you just transport yourself? Or are you still limiting yourself to a human existence? Not that I knock it in any way," she clarified. "But I can think of more than once when transportation would have made things so-o much easier."

"Wait?" Dawn asked, just now catching Anya's words. "What? Transport?"

"Oh yes." Anya continued, not seeing Zeek's eyes widen.

He had planned on telling the group only if they asked him if he was curious about what they had said in the service. More than one mention had been made to Faith's calling, but revealing one's true nature in this group could be dangerous.

"D'stol demons can transport. Of course Zeek's only part demon, but that's a major trait."

"Demons?" Xander echoed and walked to his wife's side. "Who's a demon?"

Willow and Tara stepped up to the group, looking at each other then back at the stranger.

Zeek shook his head and looked back at Xander. "I am. Well partly. My dad is human, mostly, but my mom is D'stol."

"Yes. A very rare demon for this dimension," Anya said.

Xander looked back at her. "You knew?"

"Well, yeah. I mean, I found out," she stated, not offering an explanation. She decided to give one when Xander's face didn't change, still waiting.

"Look," Zeek said instead, "she heard me talking on the phone to one of my brothers and recognized the language."

Michelle and Richard looked back at Christian. All wondering if this was normal or not. Spike was one case, yes, but did demons often come and "hang out," as it were, with the Slayer and her friends?

"O-okay," Xander said, "and what, you're a good demon?"

That's when Willow eeped. "D'stol! I know that one." She looked inside herself and the stores of information she'd acquired over the years. "You're an interdimensional demon. One that usually can travel from one dimension to another easily." She studied him with a critical eye before finishing her statement. "But not this one, so how?"

"My family, well my ancestors on that side, they did something centuries ago that allowed them to come here. They thought getting back would be easier, but since no one really knew much about this place, the information was wrong."

"So you got stuck?" Dawn asked.

Zeek looked over the faces all stating at him. "Not me. Them," he corrected, hoping he was doing the right thing. "My family is scared, and when Faith walked in, I knew who she was. I knew she was the Slayer, and I'm sorry, but I really needed her help. I was planning on finding a way to ask." He stopped and looked back at Anya. "We need the Slayer to stop it, or we'll have to go back. Even me."

Anya shook her head. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Zeek looked back at the blonde who had performed the ceremony. "You do, don't you? The time for the convergence?"

A confused look was the response he received.

He looked over the group, confused "But, all the arsons. And I know a vortex was opened. I could feel it that night. Just a few days ago. It wasn't the same, but the pull was there. Someone has found it. The way to connect it all." He scanned the faces again.

Dawn was the first to make a connection. "The vortex?"

Willow was second. "What 'It'?"

Then Christian. "Connect it all?"