Chapter 25: Vallhalley of the Dolls Pt 2

Buffy and Piper sat on chairs as Mist magically reads them.

"Well?" Freyja asked

"She's Valkyrie." Mist said pointing at Piper. "But it's not pure. Deep inside I sense –"

"Witch?" Kara asked.

Mist nodded, "Yes."

"I told you. They came with the other witches. They both have to be one, too." Kara said.

"But it's very faint. I could barely read it." Mist said.

"And the other?" Freyja asked.

"I'm a daughter of Sineya, just as you are." Buffy said before Mist could respond. "My family left the island a millennia or more ago and became the first of the Potentials that would become the Slayers."

"She could be lying," Mist said. "I do sense witch in her."

"My soul is one that was reincarnated," Buffy said. "In my previous life I was her mother. She and her sisters refer to me affectionately as such since I have the memories and powers from that life."

"Which means you stayed behind primarily for her," Freyja said. She looked toward her fellow Valkyries. "They could be of value to us." She pointed to Piper. "She wouldn't be the first witch to convert. And if she has, then we've gained a powerful sister." She pointed to Buffy. "A lost sister to return home, who is not only a Slayer but a witch as well would be a powerful sister." She looked to Buffy. "But if it is just a spell and she nor you are truly one of us, then we'll use both of you to lead us to the others. After all, we can't have anybody know where to find us and risk what we do, now, can we?"

"What about the warriors who followed the others? Aren't you concerned about them being exposed?" Kara said.

Freyja shook her head, "They're well trained. They'll know how to avoid it. Besides, hopefully they'll find the witches and take care of the problem for us. What do you think about that?"

Piper stood up. "I think that if they don't, we will."

Buffy let out a sigh as she too stood up. She wondered what she had gotten herself into?

Later on the bank of the waterfall pool, Freyja and Mist attend to Piper and Buffy as Kara ran up to them.

"Freyja, I need to speak with you." Kara said as she eyed Piper and Buffy warily. "In private."

"You can speak freely." Freyja said.

Kara nodded, "The warriors who followed the witches - they've killed civilians."

"What?" Mist asked.

"Innocents?" Freyja asked.

Kara shook her head, "I don't know. But they turned off their locators.

"What does that mean?" Buffy asked.

"They're trained to do that when the final battle between good and evil begins." Freyja said.

Kara nodded, "We have to stop them."

"But how can we? We have no way of finding them in the city." Mist said.

"Mom and I are from the city. We can help you find them." Piper said.

Buffy looked to Piper with a glimmer of hope that somewhere buried deep the real Piper was struggling to the surface. For how else could she explain why Piper had just called her mom.

Freya and Mist turn to look at Kara who appeared that she must reluctantly accept Piper and Buffy's help.

In San Francisco police officers snap photos of a crime scene. In a nearby alley, a vortex opened and Piper, Buffy, Kara, Freyja and Mist stepped out. The vortex closed behind them. They walk out to the mouth of the alley and saw the police investigation.

"This is the last place they were before they turned off their locators." Kara said.

"Why did they do this? This is not what we're training them for." Freyja asked.

"Maybe they were confused by all the evil in the city. It's everywhere." Buffy said. "Though at least they didn't wind up on the Hellmouth."

"Thank goodness for small favors." Mist said. "How will we find them before they hurt anybody else?"

"Mom or I could scry for them." Piper offered.

"You mean like a witch can?" Kara asked distastefully.

Neither Piper nor Buffy said anything.

"What do you need?" Freyja asked.

"Something of the warriors'. The knife." Buffy said.

Freyja held out her hand and the knife disappeared from the victim's body and reappeared in her palm. "Anything else?"

"Well!"

They turned around to see a Biker walk out of a bar.

"Hell's bells. What have we got here? Ha ha ha ha! What, is there a Xena convention in town or something?"

Kara stepped forward. "On your knees," she ordered.

"Excuse me? I got a better idea. How about you get on your knees instead?"

With a wave of her hand Kara forced the Biker magically to his knees. "Who are you to speak to us that way?"

"Kara." Freyja warned

"You don't command us. We command you!" Kara said as Piper stepped forward and pushed her arm down freeing the Biker. She spun on Piper. "How dare you!"

"This isn't Valhalla," Piper explained as the Biker stood and ran back into the bar. "You don't have dominion over men here."

"Then how do you train them? How do they take orders?" Freyja asked.

"We don't train them. In most countries of the world men and women are treated equally. And even then society has always been patriarchal." Buffy said. "Valhalla to my knowledge is the only matriarchal society in the world."

The Biker returned with reinforcements, about a dozen other bikers from his gang. He spread his arms out as if in challenge to the Valkyries. Mist, Buffy, Piper, Freyja and Kara stared at the group, unperturbed by their numbers.

"You know, I have an idea of how we can blend in better," Piper said.

Moments later Buffy and Piper settled themselves on a motorcycle. They were now dressed in leather and jeans. Piper put on her sunglasses and glanced over at the other girls and Buffy. Leading the way, Piper and Buffy rode off.

Behind them, they leave the dozen members of the biker gang tied up and subdued.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

At a chop shop the Warriors had just killed more men. The Swordsman turned to look at the entrance when he heard the Valkyries' rode into the warehouse. The Warriors lined up side-by-side, preparing themselves for another fight.

"No, wait. It's me," Freyja said as she got off her motorcycle and removed her sunglasses. She stepped toward the Warriors as the rest of the Valkyries followed her. "You're making a mistake. This is not the final battle. We've come to take you back to Valhalla."

"What do you think?" Swordsman asked his fellow Warriors.

"I think the enemy wears many masks," the Magi Warrior said.

Giving out a loud battle cry, the Warriors raised their weapons and charged toward the Valkyries. Buffy, Piper, Mist, Freyja and Kara moved to fight the Warriors.

Buffy and Piper moved toward the Swordsman, while Freyja and Mist moved toward the Magi while the Kara climbed up to the catwalk to tackle the Barbarian.

The Barbarian picked Kara up and threw her down off a catwalk onto a car below. He jumped off following Kara down.

Buffy quickly jumped onto the car, grab the chain and rode the pulley toward the Barbarian just as he pulled out his sword to finish Kara. Buffy kicked him in the back and knocked him off of the car. She landed lands on the car in the spot where he once stood overlooking Kara.

Buffy reached down and helped Kara to her feet.

"Thank you, sister," Kara said gratefully.

Buffy and Kara turned to face the Barbarian as he got to his feet.

"I got him," Kara said. "Go help, Piper."

Buffy nodded as she turned and raced back toward her daughter as the Swordsman charged Piper. She hit him, knocking him onto the nearby car. She grabbed a tire iron. He swung Piper and Buffy as they back flipped out of the way. The Swordsman swung at them and they blocked the blow.

Buffy spun around and with a roundhouse kick to the Swordsman's abdomen, she knocked him down. He jumped up and pressed the attack.

At the back of the chop shop Paige, Phoebe, Paige and Dawn orbed in. They noticed the fight in front of them as Buffy kicked the Swordsman in the groin.

"Ooh! Way to go, Mom." Phoebe said as Paige tapped her shoulder and glared at her. "What? You know how good mom is."

"Phoebe's right," Dawn agreed. "Buffy has been doing this longer than you guys. She knows how to fight dirty."

Piper and Buffy finished off the Swordsman by knocking him out.

Piper spotted Phoebe, Dawn and Paige and started toward them. "I'll take care of them," she called toward Freyja, Kara, Mist and Buffy.

"Piper," Buffy whispered as Piper walked by her. "They are your sisters and your aunt."

"Reversal spell! Reversal spell!" Phoebe whispered.

"Spell was cast," Dawn said. "Now make it pass. Remove it now. Don't ask me how."

Nothing happened.

Piper swung her arm and sent Dawn into the wire cage behind her. Dawn hit it with enough force that she was sent crashing to the ground.

Phoebe was tempted to quip at her aunt. But decided it would be better not to as she saw Buffy running toward Dawn. She turned back to see Piper advancing on her and Paige.

"Dawn?" Buffy said as she knelt next to her sister who was not only knocked out cold but bleeding from a head wound. She picked her sister up.

"Ok, Piper, I know why you would rather be one of them," Phoebe said. "It's because you don't want to feel pain. But you have to feel the pain, because if you can't feel the pain, then you can't feel the good stuff either, you know? Right?"

Piper whirled around and kicked Phoebe sending her to the ground.

"Piper," Paige said as Piper hit her knocking her to the ground.

Buffy picked Dawn up in her arms as she watched Phoebe and Paige stand up just Piper began to advance on them again. "Piper Penelope Halliwell!" she said. "They are your sisters. You already lost Prue do you want to lose Phoebe and Paige as well?"

Piper stopped and looked towards Buffy and Dawn.

Outside, tires screeched as a police car pulled up outside the warehouse. Darryl got out of the car, gun drawn and ran into the warehouse. He raised his gun. "Police! Drop your weapons!" he called.

Behind Darryl, the Swordsman had regained consciousness as he stood. The Swordsman took out a knife and prepared to throw it at Darryl.

"Piper. Mom." Phoebe called out.

Piper watched as the Barbarian threw the knife at Darryl's back. She raised her hand and froze the knife. The Swordsman stared at the knife, surprised. Darryl slowly turned around and found himself staring at the knife in mid-air. He glanced at the Swordsman.

Taking the opportunity to show the Warriors that they were who they said they were, Freyja touched her pendant and opened the vortex. "Now do you believe me?" she asked as the Warriors nodded. "Go. Get in."

One by one, the Warriors ran into the vortex.

"Buffy, Piper, let's go." Freyja said.

"Mom, Piper, don't go." Paige and Phoebe said.

Buffy looked at her daughter and then her sister.

Freyja noticed that Buffy held Dawn and walked up to the Slayer. "Special?" she asked.

"My sister," Buffy answered. "She needs healing."

"We can do it, sister," Freyja said as she and Buffy rushed toward the vortex.

"Piper." Kara called out as Piper turned to look at her. She motioned for Piper to follow her, Freyja and Buffy. "Hurry." Piper ran and followed Kara, Freyja and Mist into the vortex.

Buffy looked at Phoebe and Paige, "Remember you have to find a way to bring us home," she said as she followed the others into the vortex with Dawn.

"Did we just lose not only mom and Piper, but Aunt Dawn also?" Paige asked.

Later Buffy watched as Freyja healed Dawn. "She is powerful, sister," Freyja said. "Not only does she have magic like you, or the Key, but she is also uncalled."

"Dawn's a Potential?" Buffy asked.

"She is," Freyja said.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

At the Manor Phoebe, Paige, Chris and Leo discussed how to get not only Piper and Buffy back but Dawn as well.

"There's got to be a way to get Piper out of there. I know it," Phoebe said.

"Unfortunately, Aunt Dawn's reversal spell didn't exactly help Piper remember who she was," Paige said.

"What do the Elders think?" Phoebe asked.

"They think it had to be a Demon who stuck Leo in Valhalla," Chris said.

"But they're not sure," Leo added.

"Still, it's their leading theory."

Paige glared at Chris and Leo. "Guys, this is about Piper, Mom and Aunt Dawn."

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

In the Valkyrie's cave, Dawn looked around and then down at herself. She saw she was now dressed just like the Valkyries. She looked up as she saw Buffy approach her. "Buffy, what's going on?"

"Apparently, sister o' mine, you are like me," Buffy said. "You just have yet to be called."

Dawn's eyes went wide. "You mean I could become a Slayer?"

"If you want," Buffy said as she held up a Valkyrie pendant.

"Won't that make me a Valkyrie?"

"You are already a Valkyrie, sister, just like Buffy. You were born one, just as all daughters of Sineya are." said Freyja as she entered the cave. "That pendant has been modified especially for you. It will activate your latent powers, all of them."

"All of them?" Dawn asked confused.

"Freyja believes you may even gain access to the Key," Buffy said. "That you may be able to control it."

Dawn's eyes went wide. She thought about it, what it meant if she could control the Key. That if she had control that no one like Glory could use her to open a portal against her will ever again. She nodded toward her sister who smiled and placed the pendant around Dawn's neck.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

"The Elders believe your new power is key to helping save Piper," Leo said as he looked toward Phoebe. "Which in turn and will bring Buffy and Dawn home with her."

"My new power?" Phoebe asked confused how that would help bring any of them home. "How do they figure? All it's done is make things worse."

"There's a reason you received it, and they - we believe it's to help save Piper," Leo explained. "So what exactly did you feel the last time from her?"

Phoebe sighed. "Ah, not much."

"And yet you said you felt something familiar - little things," Paige reminded her sister.

"Well, I mean, obviously I felt pain..." Phoebe said and then she realized what Piper had felt when she had saved Darryl. "...and desire ... to help."

"Ok, well, she helped Darryl, and that wasn't with her Valkyrie powers." Paige said. "That was with her Charmed powers."

"The witch within must still be alive," Chris said.

"And that's how you're gonna reach her," Leo added.

"But how?" Phoebe asked. "I mean, just because I could feel some glimmer of Piper's feelings doesn't mean she can. She's completely cut off from them."

"Wait. Wait. Wait. Hold it," Chris said as he remembered a particular spell in the Book of Shadows. "Isn't there a spell in the book that allows somebody to feel what you feel? Which, in this case would be Piper feeling what you're feeling Piper should be, did that make sense?"

"Um, frighteningly, it did," Paige said. "What about that spell I used on Cole last year, the one to make him sense whether or not you loved him? I could reword it for Piper."

"Actually, that's worth a shot," Phoebe said.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Later in Vallhalla Piper, Dawn and Buffy walked along a path on the island as Paige and Phoebe step out from the foliage directly in front of them.

"What are you doing here?" Piper asked.

"We're here to take you all home," Phoebe said as she glanced at them. She saw that Dawn was now dressed just like Buffy and Piper and the other Valkyries. She wondered if her aunt had converted.

Piper glanced at her mother and aunt who stepped aside. She then looked back Phoebe and Paige as she swung her arm sending Paige to the ground.

Phoebe geared up to face Piper as Piper swung and she absorbed the blow.

"Whatever you're going to do, you need to do it now, before you're discovered here," Buffy said.

Piper swung again and again and Phoebe again and again absorbed each blow.

Phoebe swung her arm and sent Piper backward with the force of her own power. Piper readied herself to swing again at Phoebe, but Phoebe beat her to the punch as she sent backward again.

"Mom's right. Now, Paige," Phoebe said

"Open Piper's heart to reveal that part which only Phoebe feels. Send it back from whence it came, but don't protect her from the pain." Paige said.

Yellow orb lights came out from Phoebe's chest and rapidly moved to and entered Piper.

"Sweetie?" Buffy asked as she and Dawn moved beside Piper. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Freyja, Mist and Kara approaching and surrounding them.

"No! Wait." Piper said having seen the Valkyries also.

"Did they harm either of you?" Freyja questioned.

"No. They helped me." Piper said.

Buffy smiled and nodded, "They haven't hurt us, sisters," she said as she, Piper and Dawn moved in front of the Valkyries.

"Mom, Aunt Dawn and I know what you do here. We understand its purpose, so you can trust that your secret is safe," Piper said. "But I think it's time for us to go home. Right, Mom? Aunt Dawn?"

"Right, Piper," Buffy and Dawn agreed.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Back at the Manor Paige and Buffy walked down the stairs and saw Chris cleaning up a mess in the living room.

"Hey, Chris, what are you doing?" Buffy asked.

"Wow, Paige. You look amazing. So do you Buffy, as always." Chris said.

Paige smiled, "Thank you. Um. Leave it. I'll help you clean it up tomorrow."

"So will I," Buffy said.

"It's ok. I don't mind. It's the least I can do." Chris said.

Paige looked at him quizzically, "What do you mean, the least you can do?"

"Oh, you know, for fighting with Leo." Chris said.

"He attacked you?" Buffy asked,

Chris sighed, "Don't worry about it. Yeah, I know. Like I said, it's cool."

The front door opened and Phoebe walked into the house. "Hi."

"Hey. Guess it didn't go that well with Jason." Paige said.

Phoebe shrugged, "Well, I went all the way down there to talk to him, and then I figured maybe it wasn't such a good idea that I even see him, at least not until I can control my new power."

"Judging by how it's been going, it might be just a little bit." Paige said.

"I know, but what am I supposed to do? I'm gonna have to figure out how to use it sooner or later. And until then, I'm just gonna stay away from horny men." Paige said.

Buffy laughed, "Good luck. Talking about men I probably ought to let Sam know I'm okay."

"At least your new power helped save Piper," Chris said as he looked at Phoebe. "That's got to be a good thing, right?"

Buffy sighed, "Yeah. It won't help Piper with what she's going through, though. Believe me I know it's why I went with her after the Titans and why I stayed with her in Vallhalla."

"We figured that was the reason Mom." Paige said. "It just hit too close to home for you after everything you've been through. Sacrificing yourself for Dawn. Angel and Riley leaving you. Your divorce from Victor. We understand why you did it."

"At least Piper's going through it now. And that is a good thing." Phoebe said. "The same thing goes for you Mom. At least you're starting to put those feelings behind you."

"I know." Buffy said.

"Well, I'm off to see Oscar." Paige said as she turned to rush out the door.

"Whoa. Wait," Chris said obvious confused. "Oscar the dog?"

"Yeah. He's having a bit of a tough time adjusting," Paige said. "I don't really want him roaming the streets by himself, especially since I'm the one who rescued him. You know, I was having trouble with the whole idea of that temp agency thing. But I'm kind of digging it now. It's all right."

"Wait, wait. About Oscar—" Phoebe started.

"Bye." Paige opened the door and left.

Phoebe turned and headed into the kitchen.

"Did Dawn get the pendant?" Chris asked.

"You knew about that?" Buffy asked.

"I'm from the future, remember?" Chris said. "Of course I knew. I also knew she was at least at this point in time an uncalled Slayer. By my time she had been called. You yourself told me when she was called and how."

"She's dead in your time isn't she?" Buffy asked.

"Yes. Wyatt kills her because her power rivaled his and Elizabeth's," Chris told her. "If we can prevent them from going evil then she won't die. Then she might be able to fulfill her destiny."

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Upstairs Piper was in her room sharing a moment with Wyatt, who was sitting on her lap as she played with him. "Who is it?" she asked as she heard someone knock on her door.

"It's me." Leo said called from the other side.

"Come in," Piper said with a sigh. She watched as Leo opened the door and walked into the room. "Hi."

"Hi." Leo said.

Piper put Wyatt's rattle down and stood up with her son. "Want to hold him?" she asked.

"Are you kidding?" Leo asked as Piper handed Wyatt to him. "Oh, he's gotten so big."

Piper smiled, "Yeah."

Leo put Wyatt down in the playpen next to his sister. "Look out. Whoa. Yeah," he said as he turned back to Piper. "Look, Piper, I ... want to say I'm sorry for taking away yours and Buffy's feelings."

"Leo, you don't have to apologize to either of us," Piper said. "Mom and I know that you were just trying to help us. We do. And it wasn't your fault you weren't around to take the spell away."

"Well, it's somebody's fault," Leo said. "And I want to find out whose. The other Elders want me to stick around until I do to make sure nobody's targeting us again."

"So you're still an Elder, then." Piper said with a sigh.

Leo nodded, "Yeah."

Piper walked past Leo to look out the window. "Um, I need to ask you a favor," she said.

"Anything." Leo said.

"I need some space from you. I mean, who knows?" Piper said as she turned back to look at Leo. "This might actually turn out to be a good thing for me in the long run. I might be able to live some semblance of a normal life, not being married to an angel." Leo chuckled sadly. "I get why you have to leave, Leo. And I understand that you can't ignore your calling. But I do have to deal with it somehow - with being alone ... with being a single mother ... and I can't really do that with you hanging around the house. I'm sorry. Leo, please ... I need this."

Leo turned around and knelt down to look at Wyatt and Elizabeth. "I won't be far," he told his children. He stood and looked back at Piper. "You deserve a normal life, Piper. I really hope you find it." Piper nodded as he orbed out.

Piper took a couple of steps forward and stood in the middle of the room, her arms crossed protectively in front of her.

"Piper?" Dawn called from the hallway as Piper turned to look at her aunt. She saw that Dawn still wore the pendant even though Dawn no longer wore the Valkyrie outfit. She would ask about that later. She motions for her aunt to come in. "You okay?"

Piper shook her head, "No."

"I know how it feels to lose someone," Dawn reminded her niece.

Piper looked at Dawn and nodded. She knew out of her sisters, her mother and her aunt. The only person that might have an inclination of what she was feeling was her aunt. Yes Paige, Phoebe and Buffy had lost someone; for Phoebe it was Prue, for Paige it was her adopted parents, for Buffy it was her mother. For Dawn though the loss had been more profound. For Dawn like herself lost someone she loved. Yes their love was different. Hers was for the man she had married while Dawn's was for her sister who had sacrificed herself for Dawn. Piper knew that the circumstances around both losses were different but she also knew they were at the same time the same. She slowly walked toward Dawn who pulled her in an embrace and held her as she cried into Dawn's shoulder. And while Dawn tried to comfort her, her tears came as well.