The Dark Years

Part Ten- Reunions

Posted: September 20, 2004

Disclaimer: see first chapter.

Author's notes: I am so sorry for the long wait. If you haven't read my bio in awhile, the only thing I've been able to update, I am currently without Internet at my house. I check my email every couple of days, either at school, or babysitting, which is where I am now. I am fortunate to baby-sit for some very nice people! thankfully, I once again have internet! Email took up most of yesterday, though, sorry!

We are now nearing the end of this story. There are a maximum of three updates left, probably only one or two. If you want to give me suggestions on how to end this thing, I would do it now.

Oh, I've figured out why they've taken my dividers, doesn't support such characters, so I've found new ones! HURRA! But those don't work either...grr! Hopefully these will work!

They do! YAY!

:P :P :P :P :P

"Nothing," Willow reported, "But they are wearing the necklaces, so as soon as they come back to this plane, I'll know."

"Thanks, Will," Buffy said, her voice tired.

"We'll find them," Angel murmured from behind her.

" I can't do this, the agonizing worrying, and waiting, and thinking the worst," she murmured, "I can't just sit here."

"We'll find them," he told her again, wrapping his arms around her shoulders, "The good guys always win, and we are they. We'll find them."

Diana entered the living room, where the group had moved to, "Rach, Josh and Myles are upstairs, asleep, and the older kids are set in the kitchen, reading, drawing or writing," she told them, headed towards Connor. She leaned against him, and he wrapped his arms around her. None of them were as young as they wanted to be, "You're stinky," she murmured, and Connor squeezed her slightly.

"So, what do we do now?" Piper asked from her seat on the couch. Her two sisters were on either side of her, and Leo was behind her, his hands resting supportively on her shoulders. "We can't just sit here. I can't just sit here," she jumped up, "Anyone want anything? Food, drink? Something, anything?"

"Sit down, sweetie," Paige pulled her back onto the couch.

"You've gone above and beyond hostess. Just relax," Phoebe told her, wrapping Pier's right hand in her own.

"I can't relax. If I relax, then-then I'll lose it. I-I can't just sit here, or-or else-" she bit her lips closed, and squeezed her eyes shut against the tears.

"Shh, sweetie," Phoebe wrapped her arms around her sister from one side, and Paige did the same from her side.

"It's ok to cry," Ashley told her from her place on the floor, almost lost in the texts she was going through at a fevered pace, "We'll understand." She looked from Piper to Buffy. There were murmurs from the others, agreeing.

"No, I can't, I'm the slayer."

"No, you're the grandmother. Family comes first," Angel told her.

"Does it?" she asked, glaring at him. He looked away first. In her anger, she had almost forgotten her tears.

:P :P :P

The three girls froze.

"Kill them," the First ordered Joyce. She withdrew her blade, and placed it to Grace's throat.

The tears came silently. She hadn't even told her grandparents how much she loved them today. She hadn't told her sisters how much she looked up to them. She hadn't said thank you to Grams, for taking care of them all these years.

"I love you, Mommy," she whispered, as the tears splashed onto the woman's arm.

For a moment, she was free. She didn't know where she was, or what she was doing, but for the first time in 13 years, how she knew how long, she didn't know; for the first time, she was completely herself. Her green eyes lost their black tint, as she remembered exactly what was going on.

"What's taking so long? Kill her already." The girl in her arms was limp as she looked to the vision of the crazy vampire.

She looked down at the blond girl in her arms, and her two struggling sisters, one with a tint of red in her hair, and she almost gasped at the pain the realization caused her. Her grip slackened just a bit before she tightened it again.

"Hold tight, Grace," With the lightening speed of the slayer, she slid the blade along her throat, before releasing the girl to sit, stunned, on the black floor. She shot out her arm, releasing a rope of fire that hit the two demons, now standing without a shield. Faith and Melinda, once realizing Grace was safe, orbed to their sister's side.

"What? NO!" The First stares in shock as things started to go wrong.

"Why don't we try it my way?" Joyce said, in the First's ear, sliding the blade across the demon's throat. "Don't ever come near me and mine. Ever again." She could feel the evil leaving her, just as the First lost her strength, and her strength over Joyce, and she used her vile powers once more, for the last time, setting the mess of demon ablaze. She watched it, fascinated, as it burned.

Her daughters rushed to her, crying, and for the first time since she had been kidnapped, she embraced her girls, her face wet.

"You're so smart, and beautiful. I love you! I love you, I love you," she murmured through her tears as he clung to them for dear life.

"I love you Mom," all three of her precious girls said as one, a symphony to her tired ears.

She smiled, wiping away Faith's tears, "Let's go home, my precious girls," she sniffed, wiping her own tears away.

:D :D :D

"No, I have to be strong. I won't cry," she said, sniffling, trying to fight her tears. She heard a small pop.

"They're back in this plane!" Willow cried, "They're-"

"Here." She stood as blue orbs started to congregate in the middle of the living room, right over the coffee table. She kicked it out of the way as Piper stood. Everyone moved back slightly, to give them room.

When the four figures became solid, Buffy cried out, her knees collapsing on her.

"Mommy!" Joyce cried in relief, rushing to hug her mother.

"Joyce!" her sisters cried, tears streaming down their faces as they rushed her.

"I love you guys!" she cried, trying to embrace her mother and sisters at the same time. Tears streaked her face as she helped her mother up. She felt someone help her, and she looked up into his brown eyes, "Daddy," she breathed. He grabbed her and held her body against him tightly. She couldn't breathe, but she cried in relief as he held her.

"Well, bits, ya did it. I'll be damned," Spike grinned like a Cheshire cat as he hugged the three teenagers. Joyce rushed over and hugged Piper, then Leo, Phoebe, Paige, and everyone else in the room. All the women were crying, and Leo, Connor and Spike were as well. A couple of the others looked misty eyed.

While she was hugging everyone, Andrea had left the room.

"Joyce, I'd like you to meet Joshua, my son," Andrea showed her the barely awake baby.

"Aw..." Joyce hugged her sister again. Then the other kids were introduced, and it wasn't long before she was in tears again, "I-I missed so much!" she turned to her three girls, "Especially you three. I-I'm sorry!" she hugged them tight, crying into their hair.

Then someone orbed in behind Joyce.

"Wyatt," she breathed, without letting go of her girls.