Ok, things to point out. In the last chapter I added a line that was purely
inspired by a review from Haley Teague about every watcher saying Dear
Lord. Cuz well, they do. LoL.
More below.......
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connected
The band made their way through Sunnydale's downtown to the small shop Zeek ran. Inside, they waited for signs of movement across the street. They didn't know if the Tomar were there now, or on their way, but they knew the ritual would begin at any moment.
The plan was laid out. Michelle, Willow and Sam would take point, with Xander Tara and Christian behind. Dawn, Anya, and Richard were to hold back and make sure no demons were able to escape with the crystal in one piece, and to be sure Zeek didn't accidentally get sucked into the portal.
That is, if it worked at all and Buffy came back, hopefully with an annoying former vampire. Or at least that's what Xander had added.
Each took turns, watching from behind the cardboard display of the green haired pierced punk in the window, since the sun had set. Looking for any hint of movement behind the still soaped out windows.
"What do we do if they don't come back?" Dawn asked from behind a rack of leather pants, gripping a sword.
Anya turned from her position leaning on the wall beside her. "She will Dawnie. Otherwise Sam wouldn't be here. She and Spike had to have left then." Anya glanced over to the woman sitting on the stool beside the glass counter. "Right?"
Sam, who'd been studying the jewelry in the case, wondering why in God's name someone would pierce THAT, looked over to Anya, then to the worried sister. She had hoped no one would ask this particular question.
The slayer, so long out of retirement, rarely thought of those days, only the mission that had come from it, and the deal made. She wouldn't allow The Powers to come out on top in this one. Too much had been sacrificed by so many, like the one sent to her time. It was time to make some changes, and bringing back Buffy was the only chance she had. Any of them had.
"I don't know if she went through. I assume, but I didn't see."
Willow stepped forward from the window. "What? Y-you don't know?"
"Of course she knows." Xander said chuckling. Then he glanced over to Sam. "You do know." He tried to state, but ended up asking.
"Shhh." Richard hushed them and turned around looking through the glass. "Someone just went in the ally."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The green demon, short and obedient, walked back from the hotel to the vacant shop. After a brief check of the area, he knew all was in place and went into the ally and through the back entrance.
As soon as he entered, they were upon him. The others of the order had been waiting for him, and first among them was the demon, large and red, who would perform the ritual. "Do you have it?"
His question was answered with a bony green hand held high. And there it was. What they had sought for centuries, all at once was here. And ready for use.
With a gaping smile and a steady hand, he plucked up the stone and set it on the map with the time and place, namely here and now, clearly written in ink.
The large creature stood and motioned for the others to get into formation. He was soon surrounded by his brethren. Tall hairy demons, scaled plump ones. A vampire scattered every now and then, and the green little frogman who had finally found their way. The talisman itself.
The red demon, a Multor demon, gave the green being a respectful nod. He owed the small thing and knew it. Once the motion was returned, he turned his large body and picked up the crystal, holding it up for scrutiny.
He turned it over in his hands, looking for a particular area on the surface, then picked it up with his other hand and sliced into his own palm. When the brown liquid began to pool in his cupped hand, he started.
"With my blood, pure and true, I find my way back to you. My home, my life, my domicile. Lost in this place, my body not defiled. Return me!"
At his last proclamation, he tipped his hand letting the blood flow downward through the air to the cement floor.
His gold eyes watched the blood pool on the ground.
At first, there was nothing. No sign that anything had happened at all, not until the blood began to move. It traveled in and around itself at first, glistening back what little light filtered in. It seemed to be searching for the place the vortex should open. Then the shine was no longer a glimmer. It slowly began so shine of it's own volition, like quicksilver, mercury.
So entranced by the change, the leader did not here the low chanting. They were simple words. 'Allow it'. But spoken in the languages native to each demon. The blur of words created a thrum of noise with intermittent clicks and hisses.
One by one the crystal was handed off, and each demon sliced it's palm and allowed a drop of their own blood to enter the swirling puddle in the center of the storefront.
The last, the short green creature, took extra care than most in his words when the drops fell from his palm. "Allow it."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ashton led the way as Sam and he followed the Tomar into the ally several paces behind. Sam was aware of the demons ahead, and was careful to keep herself as far back as possible, but within leaping distance of Ashton in case they were discovered earlier than anticipated.
The dark vampire held up a hand halting their course when a scent came to him. "Blood." He said quietly over his shoulder. "Demon. They've started."
Sam nodded and they waited. Waited it seemed for more time than they'd suspected they would. Ashton related what he heard to the woman waiting beside him against the slick brick walls lining the alleyway. "They are all cutting themselves."
"It's about to open then." Sam surmised. "Once enough demons of this plane give permission, the vortex will open." She looked over her shoulder. "Buffy and Spike should be here soon. We should go in."
"Wait Sam. We must hold until the portal is formed." Ashton closed his eyes, listening, feeling, tasting the demons ahead of them.
Sam stilled herself as much as possible and reached out with whatever senses the calling had brought her and felt the tingle of vampire beside her, the enclosure of atmosphere that came with residing on earth, and the energy of demons ahead.
All familiar feeling that were part of her reality. All soothing, letting her know what it is to exist in a life like hers. The next feeling she got was why there was a life like hers. "Ashton?"
"Samantha?" He looked back at her again.
"It's begun."
He grimaced, and vamped out. "Let's go."
With no more than that the pair rounded the blind corner that led to the dead end they'd found themselves in only days before. In the area a cramped heard of beasts waited. In the forefront of the group was the leader, and the seer who'd led them. Beside her was her childe, and the crowd surrounding them. All demons, all ready to enter the glowing vortex seemingly painted into the walls. For the dripping of the blood on the cobblestone had left a trail from the ground to the wall as it climbed high and into the face of the structure.
Now, what had moments before, or days ago, been patterned with lines of red and brown brick was a light of utterly unbelievable brightness. It glowed so deeply that, in the ally at least, daylight seemed upon them. But Daylight was different here. Different because the sun they're days had revolved around glowed eerily red. The crimson swirled with black pits interlaced in the power of the flowing glow.
"Oh my God." Sam whispered loud enough to be heard.
Several demon heads turned to see who'd interrupted the moment to see two figures dressed in black from head to toe, including the hair pulled back.
A giggling voice was heard over the growls. Dru clapped wildly. "The game! Oh, the game!"
Dustin's young vampiric eyes hadn't seen much in his unlife, but in a house with a vampire with a taste for them, he had no trouble seeing who was now among them. "Slayer." He growled out.
He had no time to be proud of his observation, be fore he had chance to act the other demons in the group had begun the attack.
Sam and Ashton stood at the ready, she with a sword in her hand and stakes hidden on her body. He armed with his fists, a dagger and a force inside him, pushing him to complete this task if no other.
They let the group come at them, attacking one by one. At first it was easy, taking them out as the untrained beasts took turns. Ashton not being their main target, found himself easily defending himself while helping Sam with the few demons who's size made killing more of a chore.
Sam was caught from the front, from the left, from the right. She turned and wielded her sword with accuracy. Swiping high to sever a head, and low to knock other attackers off balance for greater leverage.
The two fought in unison as demon after demon attacked. On instinct and the rush of a battle, they moved side by side, pushing their way further into the fray.
Halfway though, and nearly to the portal, They saw the couple. The ones that must be kept distracted while Spike and Buffy arrived.
The brunette vampire pulled his insane mistress alongside until he was face to face with the Slayer. "And here I thought you were on the other side of the ocean."
Sam raised her sword and gave the vamp a menacing glare. "You have outdated information."
"So it seems." He said before leaping forward.
Ashton twisted the neck of another demon and spun for another attack when he saw Sam fighting with a vampire. One who's moves were of a childe training to be a master.
He had to be young, but he seemed to have learned many fighting styles. Unless the host had them before he was turned.
Sam was fending the vampire off, so Ashton headed forward, passing the giggling, clapping Dru unnoticed. She was too busy cheering on her escort to care about another vampire among them.
Sam saw Ashton rush past charging the demons still completing the ritual.
The Multor demon, now holding the crystal drenched in demon's blood of all kinds, finished the chant. "A doorway, open for always, and always free for us. The Ones borne of this world and that. For those to travel here, and for travel home. We give our blood in sacrifice, to rule this plane."
When he finished he held the stone high allowing it to feed the vortex with the power needed to complete the vortex's final stage.
The red swirling reached out a line of dark light towards the stone and connected with the marble of churning blood inside. From there a white light streamed toward the cyclone of light on the wall. It mixing in with the random flow and soon black, red and white were cavorting within the portal.
The hulking demon smiled at what was left of his group. As always had been his way, he cared not for the deaths of the demons around him, only of his success. To those who still stood he said simply. "It is done."
"All done?" A voice called from above.
The Multor spun and looked above at the two blondes, also clad in only black, standing above on the ledge of the roof. The voice was of the female. "Because if you are, then we can get this over with real quick."
"Who are you?" He yelled up at the woman. She smelled almost vampiric, but that was all he could read of the seemingly human female. And the male beside her matched the same deduction.
"They are with us." A deep voice said from behind him.
The leader spun to find a vampire snarling at him. He glared back at the vampire, who for some reason, was fighting with the humans and the slayer. "You are too late. It is finished."
Her heard footfalls behind him and spun again only to find the blondes now on the ground waiting for a fight. It was sure to come with the other demons still standing behind their leader.
And at once, as before , the fight began. Buffy punched and kicked past and around demons before slicing off their heads. Spike, always having enjoyed a good old fashion neck snapping, chose that as his best mode of attack. Get them down and spin 'em round.
Ashton just fended off the demons blocking the vortex, hoping the two could get through.
The lead demon tried to back away from the fight. He was loosing ground but once the path was cleared again, he had every intention of leaping through and to his home.
Sam was being pushed back. Somehow this vampire was adept with not only sword-fighting, but hand to hand. She'd dropped her sword once already,. And her grip was beginning to fail once again as the cut from her hand dripped blood onto the hilt of her sword.
"You'll have her soon." Drusilla still coaxed him on.
Sam ignored the crazy woman. She could act as distraction until Buffy and Spike went through the doorway. But she wanted it to be soon, because even she knew something was wrong. She should be winning this fight easily. The last few days all lead to this moment. She was tired, and wanted to sleep. But not in death.
As these thoughts went through her head, the sword fell out of her hands, clinking on the ground. She looked back to see that she was out of sight of the others.
Buffy and Spike looked at the carnage created and to the portal.
"You ready?" Spike asked.
Buffy looked up and furrowed her brow at the sight of the red, black and while flow of light. She shook her head. "No."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"How long?" Richard asked Zeek.
The shopkeeper looked across the street to the window. "Shouldn't be too long. I'll know."
The Watcher nodded and turned back to the window.
Michelle twirled her stake in her hands. Something she'd seen Xander trying once, and decided it relieved tension. Keeping her hands busy helped. "So exactly how will you know?"
Zeek stood up and went to the door without answering. He pulled on the door and when it wouldn't open he punched the doorknob right through The door.
Willow got up quickly. "That answers that question. The portal is open. Time to go."
They all followed Zeek except for Tara and Willow who began a chant in Latin. When the chant was finished, Willow called out. "Restrain!", and Zeek stopped on the other side of the street just outside the ally.
Xander hefted his ax and looked to Michelle and Sam. Willow ran up beside them and Willow began another chant for a protection spell. Tara recited the same words, and they headed into the ally, leaving Anya, Richard, Zeek and Dawn on the sidewalk.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Spike looked down at Buffy. "No?"
"Look." Buffy pointed to the vortex. "The color. It's not right."
Ashton ran to them, separating himself from the few tired and leftover demons within view. "Go!"
Another demon leapt up and grabbed Ashton but he flung it off with ease.
"We can't. Portal's goin' to the wrong place. Still the door they wanted, no to our time." Spike explained.
As he finished the red oversized leader of the Tomar came from behind Ashton. "I told you, it was done." And swiped at the vampire's head with it's heavy fist.
Ashton staggered a moment before shaking off the blow. Once he saw his attacker he came out kicking. The demon fell back with every blow egging Ashton along with every step he gained.
Buffy and Spike stayed back. They were down to only a few demons and the ones left were either too injured or confused to attack anymore.
Blow after blow the vampire pushed the demon back out into the blind corner, the one Sam was fighting behind now.
The blondes watched as Ashton kicked the creature one more time, and the bundle of red flesh fell to the ground, loosing his hold on the crystal. It tumbled from his hand and onto the ground.
Ashton leaned over and picked it up, then turned to show the pair waiting by the now changing portal. He pointed to the brick wall. "Look!!"
Buffy and Spike spun just in time to see the green creeping into the glow, and the black recede. It happened more with ever convulsion of the light.
Buffy turned to see Ashton holding the crystal once again. He gave them a nod.
With a gentle smile to a man she knew she'd never see again, she turned to the one coming with her.
Nothing was said, only a look and the two ran full force to the lights and leapt in.
The moment they passed through, They disappeared and the vortex was gone, leaving the bricks.
"Ashton!!!"
Time moved in slow motion when he looked behind him at the woman on the ground, a vampire over her with her own sword.
The Vampire held the sword high and plunged it into the woman struggling below.
Dustin looked down at his handy work, then was interrupted by feral roar coming from further in the ally. He looked up to see a Vampire he barely recognized, then in an instant he knew. It was the vampire from the pub. He'd not seen it before, but it was the same one.
Large and strong, and too much for him. Without thinking he grabbed Drusilla and headed out of the ally with all the preternatural speed he could muster.
Ashton didn't give chase. He ran to the woman lying barely alive, bleeding from the wound cut into her stomach. He stopped, sliding on his feet and dropped to his knees beside her. "No. No it can't be. " He tried to soothe her and held her head. "Sam. You can't die. You have to live."
Sam's eyes rolled open for an instant. "Ashton? Love?"
He pushed the loose strands of hair that had freed themselves of the bun she always wrapped her hair into when a fight was coming. For the first time in centuries he would swear his face was flushed. Heated somehow and felt the cool tears drip down his cheeks. "Always."
She reached up shakily and tried to wipe a tear from his eye, but her hand couldn't make the journey. It dropped down on her chest and she stopped breathing.
"Wha-?" Ashton shifted her so she could lay her head on his lap. "Sam? Come back to me. It'll be ok. I still have the flat. I'll take care of you, and you'll get better. Everything will be ok. You're going home. Remember. To the Watcher?"
He traced the lines of her cheeks and jaw. Running cool fingers over her skin. "Sam? You can't leave." He begged her. Knew he could convince her, but she, as always was being stubborn. "Come back to me. I can't do this without you. Not now. I'd give anything-"
A Flash of green light engulfed the pair for an instant. When it dimmed, the empty ally held one unconscious demon, and a green little creature who'd backed into the shadows.
The frog-like demon shuffled to the leader and shook his head then shrugged. "Well, he didn't kill ya. That's a plus."
The bony green hands traveled through the air to the short demon's head and placed a black derby upon his crown. As his hand fell, his skin turned info a more human color, and the rags that hung from him took on a bright yellow hue, and smoothed into a jacket. Black slacks and a silk shirt with every color of the rainbow finished the look.
Whistler straightened his collar and looked back at the brick wall, then to the starry sky. "You know, it was one little mistake." He smoothed the lines of the jacket's arms. "A lot of trouble just cuz I wasn't as delectable as a red head." He looked back at the sky. "Who is?"
He began walking out of the ally. "Yeah. I know. I'm not done yet." And as he strode he faded until all that was left was the unconscious Multor.
Ok, things to point out. In the last chapter I added a line that was purely inspired by a review from Haley Teague about every watcher saying Dear Lord. Cuz well, they do. LoL. Also, that's about all we are gonna see of the scoobs, including Buffy and Spike, for a chapter or so. I'm gonna doa little walk through of Sam and Ashton's visit and history before we get to the 'Home Coming'. Also, Whistler isn't done and expect cameos from a fallen friend. or two.
More below.......
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connected
The band made their way through Sunnydale's downtown to the small shop Zeek ran. Inside, they waited for signs of movement across the street. They didn't know if the Tomar were there now, or on their way, but they knew the ritual would begin at any moment.
The plan was laid out. Michelle, Willow and Sam would take point, with Xander Tara and Christian behind. Dawn, Anya, and Richard were to hold back and make sure no demons were able to escape with the crystal in one piece, and to be sure Zeek didn't accidentally get sucked into the portal.
That is, if it worked at all and Buffy came back, hopefully with an annoying former vampire. Or at least that's what Xander had added.
Each took turns, watching from behind the cardboard display of the green haired pierced punk in the window, since the sun had set. Looking for any hint of movement behind the still soaped out windows.
"What do we do if they don't come back?" Dawn asked from behind a rack of leather pants, gripping a sword.
Anya turned from her position leaning on the wall beside her. "She will Dawnie. Otherwise Sam wouldn't be here. She and Spike had to have left then." Anya glanced over to the woman sitting on the stool beside the glass counter. "Right?"
Sam, who'd been studying the jewelry in the case, wondering why in God's name someone would pierce THAT, looked over to Anya, then to the worried sister. She had hoped no one would ask this particular question.
The slayer, so long out of retirement, rarely thought of those days, only the mission that had come from it, and the deal made. She wouldn't allow The Powers to come out on top in this one. Too much had been sacrificed by so many, like the one sent to her time. It was time to make some changes, and bringing back Buffy was the only chance she had. Any of them had.
"I don't know if she went through. I assume, but I didn't see."
Willow stepped forward from the window. "What? Y-you don't know?"
"Of course she knows." Xander said chuckling. Then he glanced over to Sam. "You do know." He tried to state, but ended up asking.
"Shhh." Richard hushed them and turned around looking through the glass. "Someone just went in the ally."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The green demon, short and obedient, walked back from the hotel to the vacant shop. After a brief check of the area, he knew all was in place and went into the ally and through the back entrance.
As soon as he entered, they were upon him. The others of the order had been waiting for him, and first among them was the demon, large and red, who would perform the ritual. "Do you have it?"
His question was answered with a bony green hand held high. And there it was. What they had sought for centuries, all at once was here. And ready for use.
With a gaping smile and a steady hand, he plucked up the stone and set it on the map with the time and place, namely here and now, clearly written in ink.
The large creature stood and motioned for the others to get into formation. He was soon surrounded by his brethren. Tall hairy demons, scaled plump ones. A vampire scattered every now and then, and the green little frogman who had finally found their way. The talisman itself.
The red demon, a Multor demon, gave the green being a respectful nod. He owed the small thing and knew it. Once the motion was returned, he turned his large body and picked up the crystal, holding it up for scrutiny.
He turned it over in his hands, looking for a particular area on the surface, then picked it up with his other hand and sliced into his own palm. When the brown liquid began to pool in his cupped hand, he started.
"With my blood, pure and true, I find my way back to you. My home, my life, my domicile. Lost in this place, my body not defiled. Return me!"
At his last proclamation, he tipped his hand letting the blood flow downward through the air to the cement floor.
His gold eyes watched the blood pool on the ground.
At first, there was nothing. No sign that anything had happened at all, not until the blood began to move. It traveled in and around itself at first, glistening back what little light filtered in. It seemed to be searching for the place the vortex should open. Then the shine was no longer a glimmer. It slowly began so shine of it's own volition, like quicksilver, mercury.
So entranced by the change, the leader did not here the low chanting. They were simple words. 'Allow it'. But spoken in the languages native to each demon. The blur of words created a thrum of noise with intermittent clicks and hisses.
One by one the crystal was handed off, and each demon sliced it's palm and allowed a drop of their own blood to enter the swirling puddle in the center of the storefront.
The last, the short green creature, took extra care than most in his words when the drops fell from his palm. "Allow it."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ashton led the way as Sam and he followed the Tomar into the ally several paces behind. Sam was aware of the demons ahead, and was careful to keep herself as far back as possible, but within leaping distance of Ashton in case they were discovered earlier than anticipated.
The dark vampire held up a hand halting their course when a scent came to him. "Blood." He said quietly over his shoulder. "Demon. They've started."
Sam nodded and they waited. Waited it seemed for more time than they'd suspected they would. Ashton related what he heard to the woman waiting beside him against the slick brick walls lining the alleyway. "They are all cutting themselves."
"It's about to open then." Sam surmised. "Once enough demons of this plane give permission, the vortex will open." She looked over her shoulder. "Buffy and Spike should be here soon. We should go in."
"Wait Sam. We must hold until the portal is formed." Ashton closed his eyes, listening, feeling, tasting the demons ahead of them.
Sam stilled herself as much as possible and reached out with whatever senses the calling had brought her and felt the tingle of vampire beside her, the enclosure of atmosphere that came with residing on earth, and the energy of demons ahead.
All familiar feeling that were part of her reality. All soothing, letting her know what it is to exist in a life like hers. The next feeling she got was why there was a life like hers. "Ashton?"
"Samantha?" He looked back at her again.
"It's begun."
He grimaced, and vamped out. "Let's go."
With no more than that the pair rounded the blind corner that led to the dead end they'd found themselves in only days before. In the area a cramped heard of beasts waited. In the forefront of the group was the leader, and the seer who'd led them. Beside her was her childe, and the crowd surrounding them. All demons, all ready to enter the glowing vortex seemingly painted into the walls. For the dripping of the blood on the cobblestone had left a trail from the ground to the wall as it climbed high and into the face of the structure.
Now, what had moments before, or days ago, been patterned with lines of red and brown brick was a light of utterly unbelievable brightness. It glowed so deeply that, in the ally at least, daylight seemed upon them. But Daylight was different here. Different because the sun they're days had revolved around glowed eerily red. The crimson swirled with black pits interlaced in the power of the flowing glow.
"Oh my God." Sam whispered loud enough to be heard.
Several demon heads turned to see who'd interrupted the moment to see two figures dressed in black from head to toe, including the hair pulled back.
A giggling voice was heard over the growls. Dru clapped wildly. "The game! Oh, the game!"
Dustin's young vampiric eyes hadn't seen much in his unlife, but in a house with a vampire with a taste for them, he had no trouble seeing who was now among them. "Slayer." He growled out.
He had no time to be proud of his observation, be fore he had chance to act the other demons in the group had begun the attack.
Sam and Ashton stood at the ready, she with a sword in her hand and stakes hidden on her body. He armed with his fists, a dagger and a force inside him, pushing him to complete this task if no other.
They let the group come at them, attacking one by one. At first it was easy, taking them out as the untrained beasts took turns. Ashton not being their main target, found himself easily defending himself while helping Sam with the few demons who's size made killing more of a chore.
Sam was caught from the front, from the left, from the right. She turned and wielded her sword with accuracy. Swiping high to sever a head, and low to knock other attackers off balance for greater leverage.
The two fought in unison as demon after demon attacked. On instinct and the rush of a battle, they moved side by side, pushing their way further into the fray.
Halfway though, and nearly to the portal, They saw the couple. The ones that must be kept distracted while Spike and Buffy arrived.
The brunette vampire pulled his insane mistress alongside until he was face to face with the Slayer. "And here I thought you were on the other side of the ocean."
Sam raised her sword and gave the vamp a menacing glare. "You have outdated information."
"So it seems." He said before leaping forward.
Ashton twisted the neck of another demon and spun for another attack when he saw Sam fighting with a vampire. One who's moves were of a childe training to be a master.
He had to be young, but he seemed to have learned many fighting styles. Unless the host had them before he was turned.
Sam was fending the vampire off, so Ashton headed forward, passing the giggling, clapping Dru unnoticed. She was too busy cheering on her escort to care about another vampire among them.
Sam saw Ashton rush past charging the demons still completing the ritual.
The Multor demon, now holding the crystal drenched in demon's blood of all kinds, finished the chant. "A doorway, open for always, and always free for us. The Ones borne of this world and that. For those to travel here, and for travel home. We give our blood in sacrifice, to rule this plane."
When he finished he held the stone high allowing it to feed the vortex with the power needed to complete the vortex's final stage.
The red swirling reached out a line of dark light towards the stone and connected with the marble of churning blood inside. From there a white light streamed toward the cyclone of light on the wall. It mixing in with the random flow and soon black, red and white were cavorting within the portal.
The hulking demon smiled at what was left of his group. As always had been his way, he cared not for the deaths of the demons around him, only of his success. To those who still stood he said simply. "It is done."
"All done?" A voice called from above.
The Multor spun and looked above at the two blondes, also clad in only black, standing above on the ledge of the roof. The voice was of the female. "Because if you are, then we can get this over with real quick."
"Who are you?" He yelled up at the woman. She smelled almost vampiric, but that was all he could read of the seemingly human female. And the male beside her matched the same deduction.
"They are with us." A deep voice said from behind him.
The leader spun to find a vampire snarling at him. He glared back at the vampire, who for some reason, was fighting with the humans and the slayer. "You are too late. It is finished."
Her heard footfalls behind him and spun again only to find the blondes now on the ground waiting for a fight. It was sure to come with the other demons still standing behind their leader.
And at once, as before , the fight began. Buffy punched and kicked past and around demons before slicing off their heads. Spike, always having enjoyed a good old fashion neck snapping, chose that as his best mode of attack. Get them down and spin 'em round.
Ashton just fended off the demons blocking the vortex, hoping the two could get through.
The lead demon tried to back away from the fight. He was loosing ground but once the path was cleared again, he had every intention of leaping through and to his home.
Sam was being pushed back. Somehow this vampire was adept with not only sword-fighting, but hand to hand. She'd dropped her sword once already,. And her grip was beginning to fail once again as the cut from her hand dripped blood onto the hilt of her sword.
"You'll have her soon." Drusilla still coaxed him on.
Sam ignored the crazy woman. She could act as distraction until Buffy and Spike went through the doorway. But she wanted it to be soon, because even she knew something was wrong. She should be winning this fight easily. The last few days all lead to this moment. She was tired, and wanted to sleep. But not in death.
As these thoughts went through her head, the sword fell out of her hands, clinking on the ground. She looked back to see that she was out of sight of the others.
Buffy and Spike looked at the carnage created and to the portal.
"You ready?" Spike asked.
Buffy looked up and furrowed her brow at the sight of the red, black and while flow of light. She shook her head. "No."
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"How long?" Richard asked Zeek.
The shopkeeper looked across the street to the window. "Shouldn't be too long. I'll know."
The Watcher nodded and turned back to the window.
Michelle twirled her stake in her hands. Something she'd seen Xander trying once, and decided it relieved tension. Keeping her hands busy helped. "So exactly how will you know?"
Zeek stood up and went to the door without answering. He pulled on the door and when it wouldn't open he punched the doorknob right through The door.
Willow got up quickly. "That answers that question. The portal is open. Time to go."
They all followed Zeek except for Tara and Willow who began a chant in Latin. When the chant was finished, Willow called out. "Restrain!", and Zeek stopped on the other side of the street just outside the ally.
Xander hefted his ax and looked to Michelle and Sam. Willow ran up beside them and Willow began another chant for a protection spell. Tara recited the same words, and they headed into the ally, leaving Anya, Richard, Zeek and Dawn on the sidewalk.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Spike looked down at Buffy. "No?"
"Look." Buffy pointed to the vortex. "The color. It's not right."
Ashton ran to them, separating himself from the few tired and leftover demons within view. "Go!"
Another demon leapt up and grabbed Ashton but he flung it off with ease.
"We can't. Portal's goin' to the wrong place. Still the door they wanted, no to our time." Spike explained.
As he finished the red oversized leader of the Tomar came from behind Ashton. "I told you, it was done." And swiped at the vampire's head with it's heavy fist.
Ashton staggered a moment before shaking off the blow. Once he saw his attacker he came out kicking. The demon fell back with every blow egging Ashton along with every step he gained.
Buffy and Spike stayed back. They were down to only a few demons and the ones left were either too injured or confused to attack anymore.
Blow after blow the vampire pushed the demon back out into the blind corner, the one Sam was fighting behind now.
The blondes watched as Ashton kicked the creature one more time, and the bundle of red flesh fell to the ground, loosing his hold on the crystal. It tumbled from his hand and onto the ground.
Ashton leaned over and picked it up, then turned to show the pair waiting by the now changing portal. He pointed to the brick wall. "Look!!"
Buffy and Spike spun just in time to see the green creeping into the glow, and the black recede. It happened more with ever convulsion of the light.
Buffy turned to see Ashton holding the crystal once again. He gave them a nod.
With a gentle smile to a man she knew she'd never see again, she turned to the one coming with her.
Nothing was said, only a look and the two ran full force to the lights and leapt in.
The moment they passed through, They disappeared and the vortex was gone, leaving the bricks.
"Ashton!!!"
Time moved in slow motion when he looked behind him at the woman on the ground, a vampire over her with her own sword.
The Vampire held the sword high and plunged it into the woman struggling below.
Dustin looked down at his handy work, then was interrupted by feral roar coming from further in the ally. He looked up to see a Vampire he barely recognized, then in an instant he knew. It was the vampire from the pub. He'd not seen it before, but it was the same one.
Large and strong, and too much for him. Without thinking he grabbed Drusilla and headed out of the ally with all the preternatural speed he could muster.
Ashton didn't give chase. He ran to the woman lying barely alive, bleeding from the wound cut into her stomach. He stopped, sliding on his feet and dropped to his knees beside her. "No. No it can't be. " He tried to soothe her and held her head. "Sam. You can't die. You have to live."
Sam's eyes rolled open for an instant. "Ashton? Love?"
He pushed the loose strands of hair that had freed themselves of the bun she always wrapped her hair into when a fight was coming. For the first time in centuries he would swear his face was flushed. Heated somehow and felt the cool tears drip down his cheeks. "Always."
She reached up shakily and tried to wipe a tear from his eye, but her hand couldn't make the journey. It dropped down on her chest and she stopped breathing.
"Wha-?" Ashton shifted her so she could lay her head on his lap. "Sam? Come back to me. It'll be ok. I still have the flat. I'll take care of you, and you'll get better. Everything will be ok. You're going home. Remember. To the Watcher?"
He traced the lines of her cheeks and jaw. Running cool fingers over her skin. "Sam? You can't leave." He begged her. Knew he could convince her, but she, as always was being stubborn. "Come back to me. I can't do this without you. Not now. I'd give anything-"
A Flash of green light engulfed the pair for an instant. When it dimmed, the empty ally held one unconscious demon, and a green little creature who'd backed into the shadows.
The frog-like demon shuffled to the leader and shook his head then shrugged. "Well, he didn't kill ya. That's a plus."
The bony green hands traveled through the air to the short demon's head and placed a black derby upon his crown. As his hand fell, his skin turned info a more human color, and the rags that hung from him took on a bright yellow hue, and smoothed into a jacket. Black slacks and a silk shirt with every color of the rainbow finished the look.
Whistler straightened his collar and looked back at the brick wall, then to the starry sky. "You know, it was one little mistake." He smoothed the lines of the jacket's arms. "A lot of trouble just cuz I wasn't as delectable as a red head." He looked back at the sky. "Who is?"
He began walking out of the ally. "Yeah. I know. I'm not done yet." And as he strode he faded until all that was left was the unconscious Multor.
Ok, things to point out. In the last chapter I added a line that was purely inspired by a review from Haley Teague about every watcher saying Dear Lord. Cuz well, they do. LoL. Also, that's about all we are gonna see of the scoobs, including Buffy and Spike, for a chapter or so. I'm gonna doa little walk through of Sam and Ashton's visit and history before we get to the 'Home Coming'. Also, Whistler isn't done and expect cameos from a fallen friend. or two.
