Very Unbeta'd.. Very informative.And you think the end is near, but there
will be several chapters to explain Sam and Ashton's trip to Akoshta. Until
then.. Enjoy.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Written Out
Buffy yawned and stretched when she woke to an early afternoon on the pallet. Today Sam had very few chores, but she'd insisted Buffy rest while she run her errands that morning. So happily, the blonde slayer had rolled over and enjoyed the rare occasion to lounge.
Eventually though, she had to get up and ready for whatever the day held. The fact that the crystal was still out there held by some unknown person weighed heavily on her mind. That and the fact they had heard nothing of it yet.
Something about the entire situation with the Tomar had been nagging at her most of the night, but she couldn't seem to wrap her head around whatever it was that kept pulling her mind back to, well, she wasn't sure. Something she should be seeing.
After gathering breakfast, Buffy sat at the small table and found herself going through some of the books Samantha had in her collection on a shelf above the counter. At first, they looked like every other old book she'd ever seen, and assumed they were demon, and vampire tomes. On closer inspection, she found they were novels. The Grapes of Wrath, Great Expectations, The Time Machine, My Brother Sam, and the list went on.
One caught her eye. It was a book she remembered reading, or was at least supposed to have read, at UC Sunnydale. The Hunchback of Notre Dame. While she leafed through the pages, she wondered if she'd ever get back into school. By now she was surely off most the classes lists.
She decided to concentrate on the book instead, and found herself well into the second chapter when Sam burst through the door holding a thick envelope. "Buffy! The crystal. it's the talisman." The excited slayer exclaimed as she rushed in and shut the door.
Buffy sat up and laid the book down slowly and looked up confused. "What?"
Sam took of her jacket in a whirl, hanging it up and settled down quickly in the seat across from Buffy at the table. In an instant the elder slayer had the contents of the envelope spread across the tabletop. She read the note sent to her by the watcher.
The short letter was a simple hello, and to 'be safe'. 'Will see you soon', and 'good luck' from Emerson. The other papers, the drawings and charts, were what were of interest. Sam set the note down and pulled the paper holding a hand drawn representation of the talisman to the top of the pile. "This is what the talisman should resemble." She quickly explained and waited for Buffy's reaction.
Even in the ink drawing, Buffy couldn't deny it was the crystal. The power center was shadowed in lines, but it was easy to see that the stone contained something other than its crystal core. "That's it." Buffy said nodding. "The crystal was what they needed." She crinkled her brow as a the clues came together in her head. "That's why."
Buffy stopped herself from saying it, but she knew now what Quentin had in mind. To offer the evil of Sam's time the opportunity to do what they had come here to.
Sam waited for Buffy to finish her statement, and Buffy saw it. "I'm sorry. That tidbit, I really don't think I can tell you. It has to do with a watcher. And as much as I would like to change that aspect of the future."
Sam nodded. "I understand." She looked back at the drawing, then to Buffy. "At least now we know what the vampires were up to when they sent it back here." Sam smiled half heartedly. "We still have the same problems though. If we could just find out where they are hiding."
Buffy shook her head. "We couldn't follow them. Not with Dru hanging out. She might sense Spike. Maybe I could try to find her. I know her MO And if she sensed me, she'd just think it was a slayer." Buffy tried to formulate a plan. "Then we can hit them before they activate the vortex."
Sam listened as she went through the notes of the watcher. She wanted to go home, even for a little while. At least when this was done she could visit. But then what about Ashton?
Now things were getting more confusing, and she didn't want to have to go back to hiding and sneaking. It wore on her more than she'd like to admit.
Her thoughts took her minds as she flipped past the pages of notes, right past the diagram that resembled a tunnel with a crystal at each end.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Spike flipped over on the couch, trying to avoid getting up. There wasn't a living soul around, just the sleeping vampire, and the former vamp didn't want to sit around quietly waiting for him to wake.
But the couch had an annoying spring that wouldn't stop digging in his thigh. Soon he was forced to rise, if only to save his leg. A sigh and one swig of the water stored in a ceramic jug later, Spike was bored. There was too much to do, too much to be done, and just waiting drove him up the crumbling walls surrounding him.
He looked across the room to the vampire still sleeping the sleep of the dead on an old mattress covered haphazardly with blankets. A check of the air and his extra senses told him it was after noon, but not close to dusk.
The peroxide blonde slumped back into the couch, careful to avoid the annoying spring, and picked up the duster still laying over the back of his former bed.
For the second time during the trip he went in search of a small velvet bag. Deft fingers undid the tie and he let the small collection of jewelry spill into his hand.
There they were, his only tie to his human past, intermixed with a few items from his first vampiric kills. It wasn't much, but they were his only true connections to a time he would never see again. Not unless another insane vortex swallowed him up and sent him there next.
He half smiled at the idea and picked up one of the rings. Small and feminine, the gold band wrapped around itself in the form of a twisted rope. In the bundle that represented a knot a tiny emerald sat. Only a quarter carrot, but it shone brilliantly surrounded by the twisted gold. He set the ring back in his palm and picked up another. It was a band, no more, no less. Gold and thick and sturdy like the man it was meant for.
"What's that one?" A thick Russian accent asked.
Spike was visibly surprised, jumping a little, then shot the dark vampire, who was standing and looking over his shoulder, a glare. "Give me a bleedin' 'eart attack." He cocked an eyebrow at the vampire who walked around to the seat. "Sorry. Just wondered how deep in your thoughts you were."
Spike nodded and looked back at the ring. He remembered and shook his head. "Was my fathers."
Ashton nodded. "So you killed your family, and took it? A memento?"
Spike's first impulse was to be pissed off. The accusation disgusted him. But he had to remember. The man was a vampire, and most vampires did just what Ashton has suggested. "No mate. Actually died with this on me."
Ashton looked more closely at the ring, then at the hands of the man holding it. "As what, a bracelet?"
Spike chuckled. "Right good imagination, but 'snot what I meant. Head it with me." He said sliding the ring on his finger and chuckling again at how wrong the size was. "Father was, well, robust, you might say. Large, like you." Spike said waving an uncaring hand at the vamp. "Was upset when I took to books, and didn't grow another foot."
"So why did you have your father's ring. Did you steal it?" Ashton asked interested.
Spike shook his head. "He died, just a year before I did. My mother gave it to me. It was supposed to be 'is wedding band. But the times. he never did wear it. Probably the only thing 'e an' mother never came to terms on." Spike studied the band again then looked up. ""Course this was before a man's band was regular." He concluded the explanation.
Ashton nodded. "I see."
Spike set the ring in his palm again then picked up another females ring. This had a diamond held in a plain setting. Another ring was attached to it. "Here's my mother's ring. "Ate to admit it, but took it after she passed." He set the ring down.
"What about the other. The emerald?" Ashton pointed to the first ring Spike had eyed.
The former vampire smiled and plucked out said ring holding it so Ashton could get a better look. "Was my sisters. She died just after her 16th birthday. Three years before father. Plannin on giving it to the Bit this Christmas." Spike frowned. "If I'm there to give it to 'er."
Ashton watched the animated smile fade into a frown.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dawn stood beside Michelle with Christian and Richard ahead of them in line at the coffee shop. They'd been sent out for refreshments after the first few hours of research that morning. Demons were easy to come up with, but the fact was simply that, even picking out species known often to be part of the order didn't shorten a list, it just added more suspects.
The younger Scoobs had head aches, and too much nervous energy. So what was the solution? 'Go get coffee.' Dawn crossed her arms. "The more I think about it, the more confused I am."
Michelle cocked her head to the side. "What?"
"Well Zeek wants the portal to stay shut, but here we are looking for the thing that will open it. And at the same time another arson last night, which means there is no crystal. And Hello, can I please add that I can make us one happy talisman, raring to go upon request."
Richard turned his head enough to respond. "And you can not do it. Not without notification to the Witches."
Dawn frowned, then smiled. "Why do I need them. Christian can do it."
He spun when the suggestion was made. "I can not!" He said shaking his head. "I will not."
"You can so." Dawn wined lightly. "You made the doorway, this would be a cinch. You heard Zeek, the magic isn't even hard."
"That isn't the point. You can't expect me to-to bleed you." He said grimacing at his own whispered words. "It's too much."
Dawn paled at the way he said it. "It's not like you'd be trying to kill me." She defended herself. "It'd be like giving at the Red Cross." She feigned a smile.
"It's much more Dawn," Richard cut in. "not just a pint. Remember how you felt after? Tara said you could barely move."
Dawn remembered how weak she'd been. It hurt everywhere. The only reason she'd been able to move was fear. "But-"
"They're right." Michelle interrupted. "And it is a moot point, Willow promised that if they couldn't find the one used by Sam, she would allow you to do it."
Dawn let her shoulders slump. "I know." She looked back into the worried faces of her friends. "I just hate waiting to see if we can find it. Not when we have what we need to do it ourselves."
"There is a bigger problem with making another." Christian frowned while he spoke. "If we did find out the other survived, and we make sure the Tomar are unable to open the vortex, then they will have two stones ready for the next chance, not just one."
"I know, you are all right. I'm now shutting up." Dawn said with a finality.
The group placed their order and walked back to the magic shop with drinks for all in their hands.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Xander stood by the window at the front of The Magic Box standing watch while Willow typed away. Tara looked on, still shaking her head. "I thought we agreed you would only use your powers for good."
"Yes." Anya agreed from over Willows other shoulder. "I believe that forging documents of this type can be penalized by law."
Willow typed away, the moved her mouse to be sure the placement of the heading was correct. Then typed again. "Well, anyone else have an idea on how to make sure Buffy doesn't get booted from all her classes? She's been gone all week, and all we've been able to tell the professors is that she had a family emergency. That leaves two options, Dawn and Hank."
Xander looked back, still watching for the teens who they hoped wouldn't be any the wiser about the elder Scoobs plan. "Yeah, but putting him on his deathbed. isn't that a little over the top?"
Willow gave him a thin lipped smile. "Just be glad I didn't know how to play doctor the right way. Otherwise I wouldn't know what to say."
"Ah, the good old days. All things considering, maybe we should have taken that as a sign." He said nodding to Tara, who couldn't help but laugh a little."
"No." Xander clarified. "I mean, with the brains, not the-the, other stuff." He said motioning at Tara again, then decided to give up when even Anya was laughing. He shook his head looking abashed. "Oh forget it."
"There we go." Willow announced. "One completed form from a secluded hospital in Spain with a complete description of one rare disease , and a request from Buffy that all her assignments be given to either Willow or Tara, because in her absence we are taking care of her very worried, very scared baby sister who only has her sister as family if her father passes."
"You got that all in the note?" Anya asked.
"Well no, but there is feeling behind it. I think." Willow said and began printing.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Giles went over the papers once more and then the Diary of the Watcher. "You are sure you have the correct date?"
Nathan riffled through the pages of the folder looking for the papers he'd taken his notes from. With a hardy smile he pulled out one paper and held it out for the Head. "Here Sir."
Giles took it and placed his glasses back on his face before skimming the shakily written words on the paper. "How can you make heads or tales of this?"
"It does take some getting used to. Most of the pages are quite neat, but a few, I assume taken while watching, are a little difficult to decipher." The young man explained.
"A little?" Giles asked sarcastically, then gave the boy a smile. "I think we have found your problem." He said and laid the page down. He pointed out the numbers written near the bottom. "It seems you've mistaken a 3 for a 5." He explained.
Nathan shook his head at the revelation. "Of course. Then Katarina would not have been the slayer. It would have been. " The boy looked over another set of notes. His brow furrowed when he couldn't find the name.
Giles watched him, now looking past the papers, past the desk and even past the floor. His mind made a connection he hadn't even considered. "The Tomar. Of course!" He leapt up in his seat. "Nathan. Come with me."
The boy knew he'd missed something and stood just as abruptly as Rupert had. "Why? What is it?"
Giles looked back at the scattered pages and began to gather them up. "Get everything. All the notes, and get Audrey. Anyone else that's been helping you with this." Giles haphazardly shoved the pages into the folder then gathered the watcher's diary in his hands. "Everyone is to meet in my office in a half hour."
Nathan snatched his notebooks and the texts he'd brought and scurried to keep up with Mr. Giles. "Sir? What is it?"
Giles glanced back just long enough to see earnest worry in the young watcher-to-be's face. "You said you discounted one of the dates? That is was not possible?"
"Yes sir. With the notes I was able to find that the areas each ritual was performed was devoid of supernatural qualities. In some cases the ritual was found to be impossible to even begin when occurring in places already holding a precognitive quality. And since the next time is congruent with a supernatural location, I had to discount it. Besides, it has not yet happened."
"Supernatural..?" He stopped walking and turned to the young man.
"Yes, Sir." Nathan nodded. "Once near a monastery, another at Stone Hinge."
"And the other?"
Nathan shook his head. "It would be soon, at the Hellmouth. But it is impossible. The only way a vortex could open would be if another was triggered, using the same method. And even then, the dimensional portal would close only to-"
Giles finished the boys words. "To connect to the time the attempt was fruitful." Ripper narrowed his eyes at the young man. He should have mentioned it.
Ripper relaxed. Nathan was right. It should be impossible. Almost no one knew of any other attempt actually opening a portal.
Almost no one.
"Get the others." Giles said instead. "And hurry."
With that the young man was left alone to wonder what was going on, and to gather the other children who'd helped him.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Giles nearly ran to his office. Heads turned wondering what would cause Mr. Giles to pass through the halls in such an undignified manor.
Rupert, however, paid no attention to the onlookers. Only pointing out a few, telling them to gather their work as he closed in on his destination. He slowed when he came towards the secretary who was still sitting at her desk, as she had been the day before.
He nodded at her and walked into his office heading straight towards the only thing remaining after Quentin's departure from the council. The Safe.
He opened it and brought out one small book. A personal one, and one he had kept for many years. Like many books in his personal collection, he had come across it quite by mistake many years ago. It was thought to be lost, like many of the Watcher's books. But the personal diary made by one Crawford Emerson turned up several years ago, along with a vampire's diary, and a slayer's. One had gone to it's appropriate owner, the others had remained in the hands of the young watcher who had found them.
It took many years for Giles to put the story together, but he had managed to find out one of the council's most dirty, and from what Giles had always heard, unknown embarrassments.
Why unknown?
Because until Giles managed to find a request for Ashton's Diary many years ago, he had thought the stories taught of Samantha the Vampire Slayer were true.
Giles flipped past most of the words to the last few pages. Upon it was the entry that, in many ways, changed how he studied his lore, and his view of The Slayer.
"She returned to me. It is unfathomable. The Council thought her dead from closing the vortex, and yet she came and went with all she should need to live her life. I see no reason to alert the Council. Samantha the Vampire Slayer, soon to be Mrs. Emerson, has promised that a quiet life is what she seeks. There will be no ties to ever connect her past to her future, or so she has sworn. I am unsure what she means, but the prophecy of Akoshta has fulfilled itself. For the next in line, their fate will be their own."
Giles closed the book, and ran his fingers through his hair. It all made sense now. The time, the place. It was her only way to return. It would be the only way Buffy and Spike could get home.
For years, the mystery of what happened that night, so long ago, to the slayer was never solved. The man responsible for her was in another country, and the watcher in training had somehow missed the prime moment, but there was one thing Giles knew.
The Vortex had opened.
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Written Out
Buffy yawned and stretched when she woke to an early afternoon on the pallet. Today Sam had very few chores, but she'd insisted Buffy rest while she run her errands that morning. So happily, the blonde slayer had rolled over and enjoyed the rare occasion to lounge.
Eventually though, she had to get up and ready for whatever the day held. The fact that the crystal was still out there held by some unknown person weighed heavily on her mind. That and the fact they had heard nothing of it yet.
Something about the entire situation with the Tomar had been nagging at her most of the night, but she couldn't seem to wrap her head around whatever it was that kept pulling her mind back to, well, she wasn't sure. Something she should be seeing.
After gathering breakfast, Buffy sat at the small table and found herself going through some of the books Samantha had in her collection on a shelf above the counter. At first, they looked like every other old book she'd ever seen, and assumed they were demon, and vampire tomes. On closer inspection, she found they were novels. The Grapes of Wrath, Great Expectations, The Time Machine, My Brother Sam, and the list went on.
One caught her eye. It was a book she remembered reading, or was at least supposed to have read, at UC Sunnydale. The Hunchback of Notre Dame. While she leafed through the pages, she wondered if she'd ever get back into school. By now she was surely off most the classes lists.
She decided to concentrate on the book instead, and found herself well into the second chapter when Sam burst through the door holding a thick envelope. "Buffy! The crystal. it's the talisman." The excited slayer exclaimed as she rushed in and shut the door.
Buffy sat up and laid the book down slowly and looked up confused. "What?"
Sam took of her jacket in a whirl, hanging it up and settled down quickly in the seat across from Buffy at the table. In an instant the elder slayer had the contents of the envelope spread across the tabletop. She read the note sent to her by the watcher.
The short letter was a simple hello, and to 'be safe'. 'Will see you soon', and 'good luck' from Emerson. The other papers, the drawings and charts, were what were of interest. Sam set the note down and pulled the paper holding a hand drawn representation of the talisman to the top of the pile. "This is what the talisman should resemble." She quickly explained and waited for Buffy's reaction.
Even in the ink drawing, Buffy couldn't deny it was the crystal. The power center was shadowed in lines, but it was easy to see that the stone contained something other than its crystal core. "That's it." Buffy said nodding. "The crystal was what they needed." She crinkled her brow as a the clues came together in her head. "That's why."
Buffy stopped herself from saying it, but she knew now what Quentin had in mind. To offer the evil of Sam's time the opportunity to do what they had come here to.
Sam waited for Buffy to finish her statement, and Buffy saw it. "I'm sorry. That tidbit, I really don't think I can tell you. It has to do with a watcher. And as much as I would like to change that aspect of the future."
Sam nodded. "I understand." She looked back at the drawing, then to Buffy. "At least now we know what the vampires were up to when they sent it back here." Sam smiled half heartedly. "We still have the same problems though. If we could just find out where they are hiding."
Buffy shook her head. "We couldn't follow them. Not with Dru hanging out. She might sense Spike. Maybe I could try to find her. I know her MO And if she sensed me, she'd just think it was a slayer." Buffy tried to formulate a plan. "Then we can hit them before they activate the vortex."
Sam listened as she went through the notes of the watcher. She wanted to go home, even for a little while. At least when this was done she could visit. But then what about Ashton?
Now things were getting more confusing, and she didn't want to have to go back to hiding and sneaking. It wore on her more than she'd like to admit.
Her thoughts took her minds as she flipped past the pages of notes, right past the diagram that resembled a tunnel with a crystal at each end.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Spike flipped over on the couch, trying to avoid getting up. There wasn't a living soul around, just the sleeping vampire, and the former vamp didn't want to sit around quietly waiting for him to wake.
But the couch had an annoying spring that wouldn't stop digging in his thigh. Soon he was forced to rise, if only to save his leg. A sigh and one swig of the water stored in a ceramic jug later, Spike was bored. There was too much to do, too much to be done, and just waiting drove him up the crumbling walls surrounding him.
He looked across the room to the vampire still sleeping the sleep of the dead on an old mattress covered haphazardly with blankets. A check of the air and his extra senses told him it was after noon, but not close to dusk.
The peroxide blonde slumped back into the couch, careful to avoid the annoying spring, and picked up the duster still laying over the back of his former bed.
For the second time during the trip he went in search of a small velvet bag. Deft fingers undid the tie and he let the small collection of jewelry spill into his hand.
There they were, his only tie to his human past, intermixed with a few items from his first vampiric kills. It wasn't much, but they were his only true connections to a time he would never see again. Not unless another insane vortex swallowed him up and sent him there next.
He half smiled at the idea and picked up one of the rings. Small and feminine, the gold band wrapped around itself in the form of a twisted rope. In the bundle that represented a knot a tiny emerald sat. Only a quarter carrot, but it shone brilliantly surrounded by the twisted gold. He set the ring back in his palm and picked up another. It was a band, no more, no less. Gold and thick and sturdy like the man it was meant for.
"What's that one?" A thick Russian accent asked.
Spike was visibly surprised, jumping a little, then shot the dark vampire, who was standing and looking over his shoulder, a glare. "Give me a bleedin' 'eart attack." He cocked an eyebrow at the vampire who walked around to the seat. "Sorry. Just wondered how deep in your thoughts you were."
Spike nodded and looked back at the ring. He remembered and shook his head. "Was my fathers."
Ashton nodded. "So you killed your family, and took it? A memento?"
Spike's first impulse was to be pissed off. The accusation disgusted him. But he had to remember. The man was a vampire, and most vampires did just what Ashton has suggested. "No mate. Actually died with this on me."
Ashton looked more closely at the ring, then at the hands of the man holding it. "As what, a bracelet?"
Spike chuckled. "Right good imagination, but 'snot what I meant. Head it with me." He said sliding the ring on his finger and chuckling again at how wrong the size was. "Father was, well, robust, you might say. Large, like you." Spike said waving an uncaring hand at the vamp. "Was upset when I took to books, and didn't grow another foot."
"So why did you have your father's ring. Did you steal it?" Ashton asked interested.
Spike shook his head. "He died, just a year before I did. My mother gave it to me. It was supposed to be 'is wedding band. But the times. he never did wear it. Probably the only thing 'e an' mother never came to terms on." Spike studied the band again then looked up. ""Course this was before a man's band was regular." He concluded the explanation.
Ashton nodded. "I see."
Spike set the ring in his palm again then picked up another females ring. This had a diamond held in a plain setting. Another ring was attached to it. "Here's my mother's ring. "Ate to admit it, but took it after she passed." He set the ring down.
"What about the other. The emerald?" Ashton pointed to the first ring Spike had eyed.
The former vampire smiled and plucked out said ring holding it so Ashton could get a better look. "Was my sisters. She died just after her 16th birthday. Three years before father. Plannin on giving it to the Bit this Christmas." Spike frowned. "If I'm there to give it to 'er."
Ashton watched the animated smile fade into a frown.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dawn stood beside Michelle with Christian and Richard ahead of them in line at the coffee shop. They'd been sent out for refreshments after the first few hours of research that morning. Demons were easy to come up with, but the fact was simply that, even picking out species known often to be part of the order didn't shorten a list, it just added more suspects.
The younger Scoobs had head aches, and too much nervous energy. So what was the solution? 'Go get coffee.' Dawn crossed her arms. "The more I think about it, the more confused I am."
Michelle cocked her head to the side. "What?"
"Well Zeek wants the portal to stay shut, but here we are looking for the thing that will open it. And at the same time another arson last night, which means there is no crystal. And Hello, can I please add that I can make us one happy talisman, raring to go upon request."
Richard turned his head enough to respond. "And you can not do it. Not without notification to the Witches."
Dawn frowned, then smiled. "Why do I need them. Christian can do it."
He spun when the suggestion was made. "I can not!" He said shaking his head. "I will not."
"You can so." Dawn wined lightly. "You made the doorway, this would be a cinch. You heard Zeek, the magic isn't even hard."
"That isn't the point. You can't expect me to-to bleed you." He said grimacing at his own whispered words. "It's too much."
Dawn paled at the way he said it. "It's not like you'd be trying to kill me." She defended herself. "It'd be like giving at the Red Cross." She feigned a smile.
"It's much more Dawn," Richard cut in. "not just a pint. Remember how you felt after? Tara said you could barely move."
Dawn remembered how weak she'd been. It hurt everywhere. The only reason she'd been able to move was fear. "But-"
"They're right." Michelle interrupted. "And it is a moot point, Willow promised that if they couldn't find the one used by Sam, she would allow you to do it."
Dawn let her shoulders slump. "I know." She looked back into the worried faces of her friends. "I just hate waiting to see if we can find it. Not when we have what we need to do it ourselves."
"There is a bigger problem with making another." Christian frowned while he spoke. "If we did find out the other survived, and we make sure the Tomar are unable to open the vortex, then they will have two stones ready for the next chance, not just one."
"I know, you are all right. I'm now shutting up." Dawn said with a finality.
The group placed their order and walked back to the magic shop with drinks for all in their hands.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Xander stood by the window at the front of The Magic Box standing watch while Willow typed away. Tara looked on, still shaking her head. "I thought we agreed you would only use your powers for good."
"Yes." Anya agreed from over Willows other shoulder. "I believe that forging documents of this type can be penalized by law."
Willow typed away, the moved her mouse to be sure the placement of the heading was correct. Then typed again. "Well, anyone else have an idea on how to make sure Buffy doesn't get booted from all her classes? She's been gone all week, and all we've been able to tell the professors is that she had a family emergency. That leaves two options, Dawn and Hank."
Xander looked back, still watching for the teens who they hoped wouldn't be any the wiser about the elder Scoobs plan. "Yeah, but putting him on his deathbed. isn't that a little over the top?"
Willow gave him a thin lipped smile. "Just be glad I didn't know how to play doctor the right way. Otherwise I wouldn't know what to say."
"Ah, the good old days. All things considering, maybe we should have taken that as a sign." He said nodding to Tara, who couldn't help but laugh a little."
"No." Xander clarified. "I mean, with the brains, not the-the, other stuff." He said motioning at Tara again, then decided to give up when even Anya was laughing. He shook his head looking abashed. "Oh forget it."
"There we go." Willow announced. "One completed form from a secluded hospital in Spain with a complete description of one rare disease , and a request from Buffy that all her assignments be given to either Willow or Tara, because in her absence we are taking care of her very worried, very scared baby sister who only has her sister as family if her father passes."
"You got that all in the note?" Anya asked.
"Well no, but there is feeling behind it. I think." Willow said and began printing.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Giles went over the papers once more and then the Diary of the Watcher. "You are sure you have the correct date?"
Nathan riffled through the pages of the folder looking for the papers he'd taken his notes from. With a hardy smile he pulled out one paper and held it out for the Head. "Here Sir."
Giles took it and placed his glasses back on his face before skimming the shakily written words on the paper. "How can you make heads or tales of this?"
"It does take some getting used to. Most of the pages are quite neat, but a few, I assume taken while watching, are a little difficult to decipher." The young man explained.
"A little?" Giles asked sarcastically, then gave the boy a smile. "I think we have found your problem." He said and laid the page down. He pointed out the numbers written near the bottom. "It seems you've mistaken a 3 for a 5." He explained.
Nathan shook his head at the revelation. "Of course. Then Katarina would not have been the slayer. It would have been. " The boy looked over another set of notes. His brow furrowed when he couldn't find the name.
Giles watched him, now looking past the papers, past the desk and even past the floor. His mind made a connection he hadn't even considered. "The Tomar. Of course!" He leapt up in his seat. "Nathan. Come with me."
The boy knew he'd missed something and stood just as abruptly as Rupert had. "Why? What is it?"
Giles looked back at the scattered pages and began to gather them up. "Get everything. All the notes, and get Audrey. Anyone else that's been helping you with this." Giles haphazardly shoved the pages into the folder then gathered the watcher's diary in his hands. "Everyone is to meet in my office in a half hour."
Nathan snatched his notebooks and the texts he'd brought and scurried to keep up with Mr. Giles. "Sir? What is it?"
Giles glanced back just long enough to see earnest worry in the young watcher-to-be's face. "You said you discounted one of the dates? That is was not possible?"
"Yes sir. With the notes I was able to find that the areas each ritual was performed was devoid of supernatural qualities. In some cases the ritual was found to be impossible to even begin when occurring in places already holding a precognitive quality. And since the next time is congruent with a supernatural location, I had to discount it. Besides, it has not yet happened."
"Supernatural..?" He stopped walking and turned to the young man.
"Yes, Sir." Nathan nodded. "Once near a monastery, another at Stone Hinge."
"And the other?"
Nathan shook his head. "It would be soon, at the Hellmouth. But it is impossible. The only way a vortex could open would be if another was triggered, using the same method. And even then, the dimensional portal would close only to-"
Giles finished the boys words. "To connect to the time the attempt was fruitful." Ripper narrowed his eyes at the young man. He should have mentioned it.
Ripper relaxed. Nathan was right. It should be impossible. Almost no one knew of any other attempt actually opening a portal.
Almost no one.
"Get the others." Giles said instead. "And hurry."
With that the young man was left alone to wonder what was going on, and to gather the other children who'd helped him.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Giles nearly ran to his office. Heads turned wondering what would cause Mr. Giles to pass through the halls in such an undignified manor.
Rupert, however, paid no attention to the onlookers. Only pointing out a few, telling them to gather their work as he closed in on his destination. He slowed when he came towards the secretary who was still sitting at her desk, as she had been the day before.
He nodded at her and walked into his office heading straight towards the only thing remaining after Quentin's departure from the council. The Safe.
He opened it and brought out one small book. A personal one, and one he had kept for many years. Like many books in his personal collection, he had come across it quite by mistake many years ago. It was thought to be lost, like many of the Watcher's books. But the personal diary made by one Crawford Emerson turned up several years ago, along with a vampire's diary, and a slayer's. One had gone to it's appropriate owner, the others had remained in the hands of the young watcher who had found them.
It took many years for Giles to put the story together, but he had managed to find out one of the council's most dirty, and from what Giles had always heard, unknown embarrassments.
Why unknown?
Because until Giles managed to find a request for Ashton's Diary many years ago, he had thought the stories taught of Samantha the Vampire Slayer were true.
Giles flipped past most of the words to the last few pages. Upon it was the entry that, in many ways, changed how he studied his lore, and his view of The Slayer.
"She returned to me. It is unfathomable. The Council thought her dead from closing the vortex, and yet she came and went with all she should need to live her life. I see no reason to alert the Council. Samantha the Vampire Slayer, soon to be Mrs. Emerson, has promised that a quiet life is what she seeks. There will be no ties to ever connect her past to her future, or so she has sworn. I am unsure what she means, but the prophecy of Akoshta has fulfilled itself. For the next in line, their fate will be their own."
Giles closed the book, and ran his fingers through his hair. It all made sense now. The time, the place. It was her only way to return. It would be the only way Buffy and Spike could get home.
For years, the mystery of what happened that night, so long ago, to the slayer was never solved. The man responsible for her was in another country, and the watcher in training had somehow missed the prime moment, but there was one thing Giles knew.
The Vortex had opened.
