Author's note The older Buffy will always be called Anne from now on.

Thanks for Sigma for the beta

Chapter 5-

Anne [Buffy] couldn't say anything as she was overcome by terror. Markus was tall and well-built with eyes like blue ice. Toivo looked kind and chubby, but looks are deceiving. He was anything but kind. They were both willing to die for Angelus, and she knew without doubt that they would get her back.

"I'm not going with you" she managed to say, her voice trembling from fear.

Markus smirked; he looked taller then she remembered. "It's not your choice."

By this time, the Scoobies were right behind her. Willow stepped forward, putting a supporting hand on Anne."Anne...what is going on here?"

Anne glanced at her, fright evident in her face, "They are…"

"Vampires" interrupted Buffy as she stepped forward to block the huge vampires.

Toivo looked surprised for a moment, but quickly recovered, "Slayer, we have no business with you or with this world. We just came for the girl."

"Really? Geez, I'm so disappointed. Here I was thinking we could fight a bit, with me kicking your sorry ass, but you're too dumb to even do that!"

As Markus growled, Anne smiled briefly at the memory of being witty and strong, but her smile quickly disappeared as she stepped out of the house, trying to protect Buffy. "Don't, Buffy. I can handle this".

Buffy snorted, "Yeah. Like you did before?"

Anne opened her mouth for a second, but quickly closed it. After all, it was the truth. Markus grabbed for Anne, but Buffy stepped in front of her. "YOU ARE NOT TAKING HER ANYWHERE. SHE STAYS HERE!"

Markus growled and changed into game face, his eyes glowing golden, as he spoke to Anne, ignoring Buffy,"You have no choice in this, Mistress. Come with us and no harm will be done to your friends. Angelus is waiting for you. He's was furious to find out you were missing...if we fail to get you back, he will be here with all his army. I am sure you don't want that to happen!"

Buffy smirked as she got into an attack pose,"I'll be the judge of that!"

"Stay out of this!" Anne whispered to Buffy, then she turned back to the vampires, "I will go with you as long as you don't harm my friends."

"No" Buffy gasped, "you can't…Buffy…Anne…fight back damn it!!! You're the Slayer, so slay!"

Tears were forming in Anne's eyes. She couldn't explain it to them...it was so different from anything they'd ever experienced. It didn't matter what she did. Eventually Angelus would win again, even in this world."I have to go."

"Like hell you do" snarled Angel. He hoped this girl could help them keep Angelus from coming and, besides, there was no way he'd send anyone to Angelus, mate or not.

Angel and Spike changed to their game faces, Giles and Xander grabbed some weapons, Willow frantically searched for some protection spells, and Anya got Dawn inside, out of the way.

"As you can see" Buffy smiled, "we won't let you take her."

"Stop it," begged Anne, then hesitated and lied,"I want to go."

Buffy frowned, completely puzzled, "Are you crazy? You want to go back to him?"

"Y-yes"

"No, you don't. If you're me, then you're lying Anne…you hate him as much as I do".

"It doesn't matter," she muttered.

Suddenly, Markus grabbed Anne and yanked her to his side, moving quickly away from the group toward a cemetery. Buffy tried to kick him, but Toivo countered, sending her to the ground. She, Angel, and Spike prepared to charge the two, when five more vampires suddenly rushed them. Standing back to back in a small circle, the trio tried to figure out a strategy. "Ok, Angel, take those two. Spike, take the two over there, and I'll take care of the others," whispered Buffy.

She could see Anne just standing still in Markus's arms, not fighting or trying to get away, but she didn't have time to think about it right now. "Buffy," Angel whispered, "go on my mark. You, too, Spike."

"Right" Spike nodded and they all charged.

They fought hard, but the vampires were tougher than any they had faced before. Markus left with Anne, once the trio was properly distracted, and soon they reached the deserted part of a cemetery. Anne hadn't spoken up till now, but she suddenly broke the silence,"How are we getting home?"

She didn't even notice that she had called that hell of a future her home. "Don't worry mistress, I'll get you to Angelus in no time." Markus held her gently now, not wanting to upset Angelus by leaving any marks on her gentle skin.  Anne sighed heavily, not resisting at all, although she felt a bit guilty for leaving her friends to fight alone.

As they stopped walking, Markus pulled out something that looked like a red bracelet with shining stones and slipped it on his arm. Watching him make some kind of gesture at thin air, Anne was surprised when a portal appeared.

"Let's go," he urged, but she hesitated for a second, wondering if she could still changed her fate. Markus looked at her,"You'll never get away from him."

"I…"

"Buffy!" Someone was suddenly beside her...it was Dawn, tears slipping down her cheeks.

"Dawn," whispered Anne, "what are you doing here?"

"I…I followed you here…please don't go…don't leave me again…you promised." She sobbed brokenly, not being able to stand the thought of losing her sister again, even if this Buffy was different.

"Dawn," begged Anne, "please leave, I have to do this…I love you…"

"No" screamed Dawn. All the anger that had built inside her burst out accidently opening another portal behind her, red like fire, hot like hell.

"Dawn…" gasped Anne, "what's happening?"

Markus looked confused as well, this girl managed to open a portal by herself? How? Then he remembered the stories about her being the Key. If it was true, then she had opened a dangerous hell dimension. Shoving Anne to the ground, he leapt for Dawn, who raced away, screaming. Anne sat in shock as her sister screamed for her,"Buffy…help me…"

"I can't…" she mumbled brokenly, "Dawn…I told you to leave, I…"

Markus returned with a struggling Dawn in his arms,"I have to kill her, Mistress. I'm sorry, but she's a threat to us…"

As his fangs reached Dawn's neck, Anne suddenly stood. She wouldn't watch her sister die...not again! Never again!

She hit him hard, knocking away from Dawn. Quickly spinning in a powerful kick, she sent him flying...right into the portal Dawn had opened. As Markus disappeared, she saw pure terror in his eyes. Then the portal closed, and Dawn ran to Anne, holding on to her tightly as they both fell to the ground, crying.

*

Buffy, Angel, and Spike had finally managed to defeat all the vampires, including Toivo, but as they turned to head back to the house, Willow rushed to their side,"Dawn's gone!"

Spinning quickly, they headed in the direction that Markus and Anne had gone, hoping to find Dawn alive. Skidding to a stop when they saw the two sisters on the ground, crying, they just stood there, unwilling to interfere. As the rest of the Scoobies arrived, they formed a small cluster and just watched the two.

Dawn was crying, "I am sorry Buffy…Anne…I need you…we all need you…don't leave me again!"

"I will never leave you again…I promise, Dawn…" Anne sobbed as she clung to the taller girl, "I won't let you die…"

"Don't leave…" whispered Dawn, pleadingly.

Ann smiled between her tears "Never, Dawn…I thought I was saving all of you…protecting you, but I was wrong."

"Dawn!" Buffy and Giles hesitantly approached the two girls as Anne got to her feet.

"It's not over," muttered Anne bitterly, "far from over…the next visit will be Angelus and his army and the voice of Venum…"

"What?" Giles asked, unbelieving, "are you sure, Anne? The voice of Venum?"

"Yes" she almost whispered, "I am sorry…I brought this on you."

"What?" Xander looked puzzled, "what are you talking about? What is the voice of Venum?"

"You don't want to know," Anne said, tonelessly.

"Yes, I do!" Buffy snapped, "I think you owe us, since we saved your butt…"

"Technically," started Xander,"we didn't..." he trailed off, when Buffy turned her glare to him.

Angel cleared his throat,"Buffy, she is you...you don't have to be so harsh with her."

"Don't tell me what to be," She snarled.

"Children!" Giles raised his voice, "Stop bickering! What we are about to face will make the battle against Glory seem like child's play."

Buffy and Angel stopped arguing and looked almost afraid. "Great", sighed Anya, "why am I always here when it's the end of the world?"

"Giles," Willow tried to calm everyone down, "what is the voice of Venum?"

"It's a powerful legend that foresaw a new era for the vampire kind. The voice of Venum gives them a chance to walk in daylight."

"That means…" Willow stopped.

"Yes," sighed Spike, "we'll be facing an army of vampires who can go out anytime they want to."

Everyone looked at each other, a familiar sense of doom hanging over them. "Great" spat Buffy,"Just great."

To be continued

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