CHANCE
NOTE: I own none of the Scooby gang because they belong to mean old Joss.
A/N: This story is almost done and I know we're all going to miss it. I liked the reviews I've gotten and I'd love to have more before this is over. Thanks.
CHAPTER 18
Buffy, Angel, Fred, Gunn, Spike, and Giles, the ones who had run into Buffy's room, all stared stunned at Buffy's bare bedroom floor. Autumn and Connor had not only been sucked into a hole but they had willingly gone.
"What's going on?" Everyone turned to see that Jeff had appeared at the doorway. They all just moved passed him, heading downstairs. "Wait a minute." Jeff went after them. "I repeat, what's going on? Where's my sister?"
Willow stood at the foot of the stairs along with Wesley. "What happened?" the red haired witch asked.
"Ridhor, Autumn, Connor, jumping into hole, very stupid," Buffy replied vaguely, when she reached the bottom of the stairs.
"Oh," Willow nodded as if she understood. She turned to Wesley. "Did you catch any of that?"
Wesley just shrugged.
Fred walked down and stood next to Buffy. "The demon showed up again. Then Autumn and Connor, willingly by the way, went with him."
Jeff pushed his way pass the adults. "Oh, sure. You explain it to her," he said, pointing a thumb at Willow.
"What now?" Gunn asked the group, his axe swung over his shoulder.
"We have to try to find them," Angel replied to Gunn in an "obviously" voice.
Wesley slowly removed his glasses. "What do you mean they went willingly?" he asked Fred.
Buffy cut in before Fred could answer. "She means they jumped into the hole like those kids did in... in... well, some movie in which kids jump in holes. That simple."
"Well, I could try a locator spell," Willow volunteered.
"I know how you can find them," Spike piped up. He gestured towards Gunn. "Ebony here took a chunk off of the big beastie."
Willow went up the stairs towards Gunn. "Well, can you show me big beastie's big chunk?"
Gunn nodded with a smile and led the way to Buffy's bedroom.
Autumn and Connor's bodies shot through what felt like a long, hot never ending tomb of wild colors that disappeared before you got a good look at them. They crashed landed with a scream on a cold floor.
"That was worse than the Incredible Hulk roller coaster at Disney World," Autumn moaned, sitting up on her knees.
"Autumn!" The red head looked over at Maggie.
"Maggie," Autumn smiled, rushing over and giving the blonde a quick hug. "Oh, thank God you're OK."
"Tell me that you..." Dawn said to Autumn then looked down at Connor. "And him have come to save us?"
Autumn looked around and realized that she and Connor had arrived in a prison cell. "Uh, that was the original plan."
Dawn groaned whiningly and slumped down on the bench.
Connor stood. "Where are we?" he asked, glancing around.
"Well, this prison is coed," Maggie smiled. "Can't be that bad." The other three teenagers gave her a funny look. "What? I used to go to an all girl school and I've been stuck in here with Dawn for like forever."
They all sighed deeply then heard what sounded like footsteps approaching the cell's bars. A tall, thin figured, blonde woman appeared at the front of the cell, dressed in a showy outfit.
Autumn's eyes grew a few sizes as she realized whom it was. "You! You're—"
"Your father's bitch?" the woman cut her off. "Yeah, I know. I go by Mal."
"This is impossible." Autumn's mind raced. "My father is not only cheating on my mother but he's cheating on her with a woman that's trying to kill me?"
Mal smirked. "Girl, your father's only use was me getting closer to you. By the way, I wouldn't be so relieved. Your dad bought my whole seduction thing hook, line, and sinker.'
Autumn glared. "You've ruined my life and you don't even care? Plus you're going to kill me?"
Mal thought about it. "You know that's a good point." She smiled brightly. "But not good enough. Sorry, honey, but if I don't kill you and take all your pretty blood then I can't have my own demon clan." Mal mock pouted. "So sad. Anyway, ciao." She turned and walked off.
Autumn grabbed the bars and tugged at them angrily. "You are such a valley girl, you... you... hoochie!"
"Hoochie?" Dawn questioned.
Autumn turned around and looked at her. "You try thinking up an insult on the spot like that."
As the sun rose at about six in the morning Willow was putting the finishing touches to a spell she was writing up. She sat at the coffee table with Jeff, Fred, Gunn, Xander, Angel, and Buffy all buzzing around.
Willow looked up at the small gathering with a smile. "I have it!"
Her exclamation brought Giles, Wesley, and Spike all into the living room.
"Three Brits all in a row," Jeff commented.
"You found it?" Buffy asked, going around the table towards Willow.
"Yep," Willow replied with a smile. "Now who's coming for the big rescue mission?"
"I am," Buffy, Angel, and Spike all seemed to volunteer at the same time.
"So am I," Jeff said.
"No, you're not," Spike told him quickly.
"Yes, I am," Jeff countered firmly. "That's my girlfr- Um, that's my sister. I have to help. Besides I was here first. I can go if I want to."
Angel had to admire the kid's fast persistence. Connor would just whine or battle his way into doing something, mostly just for the rush and the joy of fighting of it all, not because he cared.
"Who else?" Willow asked.
"I have to save Margaret," Giles replied simply.
Willow nodded and looked around the room at the others.
"I'm in," said Gunn, twirling his axe around a little.
"Watch that thing," Xander cautioned. He sighed. "I guess I have to go, too. Without Autumn around there really is no point in superhero debates."
"I should go," Fred said mostly to Gunn. "I mean if something happened to Autumn I'd feel kinda guilty. I did say nothing would happen to her."
"That's my girl," Gunn smiled at her. "Good lookin' out."
Willow looked over at the only Brit who hadn't said anything. "Wesley?"
Wesley nodded. "I'm in."
"Great. Come on, guys." Willow moved to the middle of the living room floor, holding the piece of rotting flesh Gunn had cut off from the demon. "This is one of the spots where the ridhor appeared. Everyone circle me while I do the chant."
The room did as they were told and formed a circle around Willow, who immediately began reading the spell she wrote. As soon as the words were said the piece of flesh Willow held seemed to glow brightly and form a large hole, swallowing all of them.
Back at the prison cell Autumn and Maggie sat next to each other, huddled up in a corner, while Dawn and Connor sat on the bench. Dawn sat as far away from Connor as she could because, honestly, even though she had just met the boy, he was annoying her to tears.
Maggie looked over at Autumn, who seemed to be pretty gloomy. "Hey, don't worry, Autumn," Maggie tried to console. "It's all right, isn't it? I mean your father didn't know she was using him."
Autumn shook her head slowly. "It doesn't help anything, Maggie. He still cheated on Mom. That was his own choice. It doesn't matter what Mal was trying to do because my dad still did what he did."
"Hey." Autumn looked over at Dawn. "Maybe things will work out."
Autumn fell silent, not really listening to her. After a moment she turned to Maggie. "Uh, Maggie, I wanted to tell you... about earlier—"
"It's OK," Maggie cut her off with a smile. "I understand."
"Friends?" Autumn smiled back.
"The very best," Maggie replied.
"Knock it off," Connor said, rolling his eyes in disgust at the mushy moment.
"Don't worry, Connor," Dawn soothed. "Maybe one day you'll have this thing known as a friend."
Connor scowled and turned his head away from all three girls.
"I still don't understand it," said Maggie. "What
does she want with us?"
"Willow explained it," Autumn stated. "She said Malfoy, my father's tramp, is
out for our blood."
Both Maggie and Dawn looked alarmed.
"You care to explain that a little?" Dawn asked Autumn.
"Well, she's this old demon thing," Autumn tried to clarify. "She wants all of our blood mixed together so that she make some type of clan."
"Hold it," said Maggie. "This bloody twit wants to slice us open and drain out our juicy fillings?" She thought about something. "Now I know how a jelly donut feels."
Connor looked at them again and stood up. "I won't take this sitting down!" he said boldly. "There has to be a way out of here, anywhere."
"There's only the vent," Dawn said. "We tried it but it only goes one way."
"See this is just plain stupid," Autumn proclaimed, standing up. "We all have some type of power or special ability thing going on yet we can't use it."
"I don't," Maggie muttered sullenly.
Autumn knelt down to her. "Yes, you do. Maggie, look, I don't know how to explain it but we're like two halves of a whole."
Maggie looked confused. "What do you mean?"
Autumn sighed and tried to think of a way to explain it all, which was hard since it confused her as well. "We're kind of linked. You can sense evil and I can stop it, half slayers." Maggie looked at her in disbelief. "It's true."
Maggie smiled brightly. "Half slayers, together?" Autumn nodded with a smile of her own. "Oh, my God..." Maggie couldn't believe it.
A/N: Next up AI and the scoobies show up and the battle for Autumn, Maggie, Dawn, and Connor begins. (But, honestly, who cares about Connor?) Please review, everyone!