Truth And Consequences

by Nodakskip

Xander gets infected by that telepathic demon in ‘Earshot’ instead of Buffy, and Sunnydale is never the same again afterwards.

2. Chapter 2

Title: Truth And Consequences(2/2)

Date written: Mon7 Feb 2005

Author: Nodakskip and Starway Man

E-mail: theopkew. The Angel and Buffy the Vampire Slayer characters are copyright Joss Whedon, UPN, WB, Mutant Enemy, Kuzui, Sandollar and probably a whole lot of other people as well. Parts of the fanfic are taken from transcripts of the relevant BtVS episodes, and so those segments belong to the writers in question. We won't be making any illegal profit from this story; all we're hoping is for some feedback here.

Category: Action, Adventure, Alternate Universe, Angel/Buffy crossover

Main characters: Ensemble

Continuity: This takes place during BtVS seasons 4-7, and Angel seasons 1-5.

Symbols: " " denotes speech, ( ) specifies thoughts, and # # indicates phone voice.

Rating: Overall R, with mostly PG-13 parts.

Summary: Xander Harris has been drafted by the Powers That Be as their Champion, and the world will never be the same afterwards.

Part Two: Consequens

"Hey, Tara, this is probably crazy...but Spike got me to thinking. This spell we did...it's having consequences, isn't it?"

(Alexander Lavelle Harris, BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER)

A place outside space and time. June, 1999

A lone being sat at an ornate table made of dark oak. He looked male, and around 40 years old. Anyone who saw him would think he was an ordinary higher being, if such a thing even existed.

But he was not, for he was far more than that. His name was Lucas, and he was one of the highest beings imaginable - in all the numberless different dimensions that existed. In fact, to best describe it - he was someone with all the responsibilities of a god, yet none of the perks.

To explain what was currently going on with him, one needs to understand that the fact is - nature abhors imbalance.

Left and right, up and down, there must always be a symmetry of sorts. Thus, for everything holy there is something unholy; and vice versa.

Since before the Old Ones were done walking the Earth, there had roamed a three-ply 'entity' known as the Wolf, Ram and Hart. And with the emergence of humans as the dominant life form on the planet, these three lower beings set into motion their plans to tear apart from within all that was best in humanity; and eventually destroy it.

And so, the other side had to respond.

It is an age-old custom in this universe, to fight fire with fire. And thus, three gods known as Osiris, Yama and Mictlantecuhtli - the Egyptian, Hindu and Aztec gods of death - came together, and this trinity set their own plans into gear.

Lucas put in order several folders in front of him, as the chairs on the other side of the table started to fill up - when their occupants answered his summons. And after the last one to arrive - who was a Greek goddess, in fact - sat down, the senior higher being spoke. "I'm sure all of you have questions."

"Yes, Lucas," Liva, a female higher being said. "We don't normally meet on this plane. It is...rather out of the way. Also, why is Hecate here?"

"We are meeting here," Lucas told them, "because this place is so far out of the way, as you put it, that the Powers That Be will not know of our gathering."

This caused a look of confusion to pass among the faces of the other higher beings. Marcus spoke the question in their minds, "For quite some time now, we have been working with and alongside the Powers That Be. Why would we not wish them to know what transpires here, if it affects them?"

Lucas conceded the point. "It is true that the Powers were created to watch over what we did not always have time for, the protection of the earthly plane. However, recently the Trinity has taken a good, hard look at the Powers - and they do not like what they have seen."

An image appeared over the surface of the wood table. An overhead view of Sunnydale, California. "What you see here, is the town located over what was previously the active Hellmouth for the human plane," Lucas said. "And you all know of the plan the Trinity had for the champions of that city?"

"Yes," Gabrielle replied. "That the group of mortals that had banded together to fight the darkness with the vampire Slayers, would split to create two teams of champions in different cities. Then they would rejoin after many years, to create a new order of Light."

"Correct," Lucas said, as the image vanished. "That was the plan. And it was passed on to be implemented in what we thought were the capable hands of the Powers That Be. We have learned though that the plan has been corrupted by many, including the Powers themselves, for their own ends."

"Meddling with a plan created by the Trinity?" Liva asked, shocked. "Who would have the audacity to even attempt it?"

"As I said. Many," Lucas informed her. "Some among the Powers themselves, the hellgod Glorificus, the exiled Power, and most troubling - the First Evil..."

With a wave of the higher being's hand, the table showed other images. "This is Buffy Summers, the vampire Slayer. It was preordained that she was to die twice. The first brief death that would create the second line of Slayers, and then her final death. However, a bargain between Glorificus and the First Evil would change all that-"

The image flashed to May 8th, 2001. Those gathered around the table watched the future battle against Glory and the race to save Dawn, the Key, at the top of the tower. They watched, as Buffy jumped to her death. And they saw too the death of Ben, the man who had been born to be the physical prison of the hellgod.

"Why would Glorificus agree to a deal that resulted in her death?" Bethany asked, as she spoke for the first time.

"She'll think that it'll all end better for her," Lucas answered. "In fact, she will actually believe that she's completely pulling the wool over the First's eyes."

"Well - Glory is a hellgod, after all," Hecate reasoned. "And their human forms are okay in the looks department, but as for brains...well."

Lucas kept going, as more images were shown; this time, during the October of 2001. "The witch Willow Rosenberg would subsequently use her powers in a way that she should have known not to. But then, when humans believe that a friend is in need - they do not often think with their brains."

The image showed the inside of Buffy Summers' coffin as her rotted corpse regressed back to her full body, and she took in a sharp breath of air.

"With the return of Buffy Summers to the land of the living," Lucas said, "it would, to quote a mortal phrase, all go to hell. She will believe that her friends had pulled her not out of Hell, but Heaven. Even though she will not understand it, resentment would grow from that moment on against those friends - leading Buffy into the arms of William the Bloody."

"Impossible!" Marcus declared, having heard of that particular vampire. "A champion of the Light would not willingly fornicate with a soulless demon! The ensouled one, yes, but-"

Lucas titled his head slightly, as images of Spike appeared. In each he was fighting demons and other vampires, and soon he was shown fighting side by side with Buffy Summers.

"There are some within the Powers That Be who wish to impress the Trinity. Enough to become one of us, perhaps. To that end, they decided to create their own champion in the vampire commonly known as Spike. They would even go so far as to give him his soul back-"

"They believe he can do a better job than the one called Angel?" Liva demanded. "It is possible, I suppose. But that vampire has had a soul for a century of human time, long enough to know what it means to carry such a burden. To just give a demon a soul in order to turn him good right away, that would drive the vampire in question insane - would it not?"

"Spike's addition to the forces of Light causes problems, as well as solves them," Lucas replied vaguely. "In time, he would become the only one that Buffy Summers trusts. According to the plans of the Powers, she will turn her back on those who stood by her. She will even promise a mortal man named Wood that she will allow Spike to kill him, after he fails to gain revenge for his mother's death at Spike's hands."

"Interesting. But was William the Bloody not to meet his death after the event with the Gem of Amara?" Gabrielle asked.

"He was," Lucas admitted. "However, in the new plans, he escapes that death. And that escape would lead him to be captured by the group known as the Initiative. They were to place a device in his brain that will hurt the demon, if he attacks any humans. Thus making him only able to work with the Slayer, against his own kind."

"A human electronic device?" Marcus asked. "How could such a simple thing of that nature tell the difference between a human, and a non-human?"

"That I do not have an answer for, at least not yet," Lucas commented.

The table came to life again, to show another set of images. The relationship of Tara Maclay and Willow Rosenberg. Willow's attempt to erase Tara's memories - and then after Tara's death, her murder of the killer. Also, her almost ending the world.

"It's truly horrifying," Hecate said, as she watched the image of the black-haired über-witch. "She is to eventually be one of the most powerful white witches ever to walk the Earth. But now my disciple would become forever tainted by the darkness, taking out Osiris himself? No wonder it would all go to hell! Willow would succumb to something even greater than the darkness in her fellow witch, the one called Amy Madison..."

"Well," Liva said, shaking her head. "At least the 'one who sees' has not been too greatly affected by all these changes in the plans. He will still save the human world, with the love he had for his oldest friend."

"Actually..." Lucas said. "He is amongst the most heavily affected. The one who sees was supposed to become one of the most well-respected and powerful mortals within the new order of Light...and yet now..."

The images now showed a quick group of flashes. Each showing how much more marginalized and forgotten the mortal Xander Harris would become. Until his death in the year 2008, when he attempted to save the life of a vampire Slayer under his care - and said Slayer turning against the new Council, when Xander's death was seen not as the tragic fate of a hero trying to save her...

But rather an example of what happens to a normal mortal, who ventures into a world that he has no business entering.

It was sad but true that Harris was destined by the Powers to become largely forgotten, in the new Council's history. And after less than 50 years, no record of him at all would exist in any of their archives.

"He is not alone," Lucas said with a gesture. "Many others like Cordelia Chase, Wesley Wyndam-Pryce, Jonathan Levinson, Winifred Burkle, Allen Francis Doyle...the list goes on and on. I could inform you all of each of their new destinies, but that would take more time than is permissible; because..."

The table came to life one more time, to show events that had recently happened within the earthly plane.

"...from the unpredictability of chaos - it was Xander Harris and not Buffy Summers who was recently infected with an aspect of this demon, that you see before you. And now, the youth is leaving the Sunnydale group to venture out on his own."

"Can this be allowed?" Gabrielle asked, unsure. "He has his role to play, as do they all."

"True," Lucas commented. "But all those roles in Sunnydale are now voided, as the Hellmouth there was closed - when I implanted a certain idea in Rupert Giles' mind."

"You did what?" Liva demanded. "But Lucas, Sunnydale figures greatly into both the old and the new plans!"

"Yes, it did," Lucas admitted. "However, when the Trinity discovered the sheer extent of all the changes to their designs? They decided that the only way to make sure events returned to almost as they'd been planned to happen...was for the Sunnydale situation to be removed from the board completely."

Getting up, Lucas grabbed the folders and placed one in front of each person present as he walked behind them. "All of you have been given an important assignment, for it is vital that you do as instructed when the time comes. And know that the Trinity wished us to wait till now to act, after the Powers That Be had forced the mortal Xander Harris into taking the vampire Angel's place in Los Angeles."

"Why is that?" Bethany inquired.

"Because the Trinity considered that human to be a perfect candidate for the job," Lucas told her. "And while the Powers' reasons for doing it might be selfish, that matters not in the long run."

The realm of the Powers That Be. The same time

"You have done as instructed?" the head Power That Be demanded of the balance demon, as he appeared in their realm.

"It's done, yeah..." Whistler said, with seemingly no care regarding the matter. "I gave that teenage twerp his unwanted upgrade, already!"

"Good," a female Power said with a smile, as Whistler vanished. "No doubt that will teach him not to interfere with our plans..."

"Your plans?" a voice asked out of nowhere.

A hush fell over the Powers That Be, for they all knew whose voice that was. "You honor us with your presence, Lucas," the head Power said quickly.

"I am not so certain," Lucas said shortly, as he showed himself. "The recent events within the earthly plane - they have caused the Trinity to look more closely at how their plans were being implemented. And I have to tell you, they did not like what they learned...but then of course you knew that already - didn't you?"

Before any of the Powers That Be could defend their actions, Lucas continued. "The Trinity is busy with other matters for the moment, as the Senior Partners - may they be forever cursed - are up to something. Thus I will deliver their verdict upon all of you later, when it is reached. But for now, I am to tell you that the people on this list..."

They all watched, as a paper scroll appeared in the higher being's hand. "...are no longer under any jurisdiction of yours. Neither are any of the beings that come from them, or join their battles later on."

6305 Westminster Place, Sunnydale, California. Late June, 1999

The Greek goddess Hecate appeared in the empty bedroom of Willow Rosenberg. She then immediately went to the wire cage on the dresser. Opening the cage, she held out her hand and compelled the seemingly-ordinary rodent to climb on.

With the rat now resting on her open palm, the goddess waved her hand; and in a flash of light, one Cordelia Chase appeared. The brunette looked around in confusion for a few moments, not even bothering to take out the electric toothbrush from her mouth.

"Whaaa-?" she tried to say, but the word came out garbled.

Hecate created a bowl and a towel for the young woman. "Use these, child."

Cordelia took the offered items, while trying to get some distance. She quickly spit out the toothpaste from her mouth, and wiped the leftovers away with the towel. Her mounting terror grew though when as soon as she placed the items down, the bowl and towel vanished as if they had never been there.

Also, the battery-operated toothbrush vanished from her hand as well. And unbeknownst to her, reappeared in its holder on her apartment sink.

"Who the hell are you?" Cordelia demanded. "And why in God's name did you bring me to this bitch's bedroom?"

Hecate used her powers on the girl to calm her down. Then she sat the former princess down on the bed slowly, so as not to upset her. "It has come to my attention that you will be in need of a friend, Cordelia Chase."

"Lady, I don't need-" Cordy started to say but was silenced by the goddess.

"You are leaving your home, such as it is, to start another chapter of your life. And the way some have planned it, it will be a relatively short life at that. However, we are now changing this," the goddess said calmly. "And your changing role has allowed me to alter the fate of one of my daughters."

Cordelia's eyes went wide, when the rat was shown to her. "Oh my God, Amy!" she yelled. "Look, lady, whatever you think you're going to do with her..."

"My name is Hecate. And I would not harm her, Cordelia," Hecate informed the teen girl. "She, like her mother, has the possibility for great darkness. Amy Madison must learn to respect magic, before her powers consume her."

"Whatever..." Cordy tried to act unconcerned, but failed miserably.

"My plan, at first, was to keep her in this form for another human year. So that the young novice will learn that she cannot simply do spells at her whim, without paying a steep price for that. But with the new plan some wish for, Amy will remain in this form for much longer. Therefore...I am bending the rules slightly."

Hecate lowered her hand to the bed, and allowed the rat that was formerly Amy Madison to crawl on its surface. Then she waved her hand; and the human Amy, fully naked, appeared on the bed next to Cordelia.

"What's going on?" Amy yelled, looking around in fright. "What - why am I naked, and here with...Cordelia Chase!"

Before the taller girl could make a snide remark of any kind, Hecate spoke. "Amy Madison, you have been imprisoned in the form of a rodent for several months. It was meant as a punishment, as well as for you to learn a lesson."

"Punishment? For what!" Amy yelled angrily, forgetting that she was nude. "What the hell did I do? They were going to burn me alive at the stake!"

"While the intentions of those people were dark, my daughter," Hecate said lightly, "the townsfolk were under a spell at the time. Buffy and Willow's own mothers helped light that fire; which is surely something that no real mother in her right mind would attempt-"

"WHO ARE YOU?" Amy demanded, cutting her off.

"She calls herself Hecate," Cordy replied, not knowing who exactly that signified.

Amy's eyes instantly went wide though, as the Greek goddess continued on. "You knew that there were mitigating circumstances, but still your thoughts were of revenge and death after you escaped that bonfire. Had I allowed Willow Rosenberg to restore you to your human form that night, the one called Rack would have later incited you to commit murder."

Amy looked away in shame, as she grabbed a pillow to cover herself. "I just, I could feel the flames...I just reacted to what they..."

"Dark thoughts lead to dark hearts, and whatever you do comes back upon you three-fold," Hecate told her protégé. "Know that you could still become like your mother, who stole your life and attempted to destroy you."

Real tears formed in Amy's eyes. "No! I, I'd never do that! Killing someone just to be a brain-dead cheerleader-"

Again, Hecate used her powers to stop the comment Cordelia would have made. "I have decided to allow you a slight reprieve." She looked at both teenage girls. "You two will be good for each other..."

A bright flash filled the room, and when it was over the human Amy was gone. However, there was no rat on the bed; there was now a small kitten. An American Shorthair breed of cat, with grey and black stripes on top and white fur covering its underside and paws.

Still silencing Cordelia, Hecate leaned down to be at eye level with the female feline. "Amy Madison, during the day - you will live and grow in this form. When night falls - you may resume your human shape, if such is your wish, till the sun rises again. I grant you also the gift of human awareness, during your time in animal form. And remember, I will be watching you."

A small collar appeared around Amy's feline neck. As well as a Pet Smart ID tag with a tracking microchip imbedded in it, just in case. The goddess Hecate picked up the kitten, and gave her to the still-mellow Cordelia.

The former cheerleader held the cat up, as she read the tag:

Amy

Property of Cordelia Chase

Lost Pet ID NS45303Q

Not wanting to deal with the loud complaints that the human girl would doubtless issue, Hecate used her powers to simply make Cordelia accept the arrangement. Because like it or not, the former cheerleader needed a friend; and for sure, at this point in her life, the brunette teen would never admit to any such thing.

Hecate then just transported them both back to Cordy's apartment, across town. That taken care of, the goddess removed the empty cage from the room.

She was about to leave to mentally suggest to Willow that Amy was safe and no longer under her care, when the goddess remembered something. "Ah, yes, mustn't forget that. After all, the girl isn't going to be making much money for a while..."

Using her powers one last time, the goddess created several plastic gift cards in a small case, and sent them to the top of Cordelia Chase's suitcase. One for the store Petco, for cat supplies and food; and several more for grocery stores around the Los Angeles metropolitan area.

The West Winds apartment complex, Phoenix, Arizona. The same time

The young intern known as Ben walked into the small one-bedroom apartment, after a hard night's work at the hospital during the graveyard shift. All he wanted was a short bit of rest, without worrying about the possibility of waking up somewhere in a dress - like he had over the weekend...

But he wasn't hopeful about the odds of that happening.

It frightened him greatly just how much control Glory now had over their timeshare of a body. And to be honest, deep down - he just wanted it to be over. Ben knew that the event which his so-called sister was waiting for, her chance to go home, was nearing. And he was finding it harder and harder to keep caring what the consequences for the world would be.

Even if that meant his own death...

"A dark weight has settled upon your heart."

Ben spun to face the source of the voice in his home. He was expecting one of Glory's demon lackeys; but what he got was a beautiful, redheaded, human-looking woman.

"I am Liva," the higher being told him. "I serve the gods Osiris, Yama and Mictlantecuhtli."

Ben noticed how the word 'hell' was not spoken in those titles, as being the host for Glorificus had made him well aware of the difference. "What do you want with me?"

"I am here to do this..." the woman said, right before Ben doubled over in pain.

His screams were mixed with female screams, as his body began to blur. Then another body started to stick out from Ben's side. Over a full two minutes, the form clearly became that of a blonde-haired young woman. Both forms then fell to the floor, as the separation was finished.

Glory, being a god, was the first to recover. "Whoa, that was a rush!" She looked over to her side, and only then saw that Ben was lying to her right. "Awesome!" she cried. "I'm finally free of that damn meat bag!"

Glory then turned to the higher being. "Don't know why you did it, babe, but I have to at least say thanks. I mean, before I kill you-"

"You will not kill anyone ever again, Glorificus," Liva told her.

"And why...irk!" Glory stopped mid-sentence, as she felt something strange starting to happen.

Frozen, she floated encased in a pillar of green light before she felt the pain. The light silenced the hellgod's sudden screams, as her body glowed red and the separation process began again. Only this time, the two items that were left were two orbs of color.

One a deep crimson shade of red, and the other pure white.

The hellgod essence, and the human soul that had been used to mask Glorificus's location within the earthly plane, were finally disentangled. Liva then watched, as the red light faded away as it was destroyed. The white-colored soul stayed suspended in the shaft of light, but then it vanished as well.

For the plan was that the soul was needed elsewhere, in the future.

With that task completed, Liva picked up the unconscious doctor and moved Ben to his bed. She laid him under the covers and lightly kissed his forehead, "Rest now, mortal. When you awaken, you will be free of your burden. And you may resume what is your greatest desire; to help the weak and sick of your kind."

Sunnydale, California. The next day

At 8:30 am, right on the dot, Cordelia looked around her now-bare home. Her belongings, what few she still had, were already on their way to her apartment in Los Angeles.

And that place was even worse than this one! Well, whatever. Only her basic personal items were still here in Sunnydale, and they were now packed in her car.

As Cordy surveyed the dingy apartment she had been renting after her father had been imprisoned and her mother left town, the young woman absently stroked the back of her cat. "Hard to believe, isn't it Amy?" the teenager asked the feline, the acceptance spell still in full effect.

"This time last year, I thought I'd be leaving Sunnydale to go to college - after convincing Xander to come with me. Well, guess one out of two ain't bad; and he's finally leaving Buffy and Willow behind! Took a splash of demon blood for him to figure out that he was just a burden to them nowadays, but what the hell - whatever works, I always say..."

Leaving the keys for the apartment and its mailbox on the empty kitchen counter, she closed the door and carried Amy outside. Cordy then walked to the car, and opened the passenger side door. Amy instantly jumped down onto the cushioned seat, the feline quickly making herself at home.

Cordelia then went around to the drivers' side, and got in as well. "Well, Amy," she asked. "Ready to see what the big city has to offer?"

Feline Amy meowed from her spot, before she curled up farther into the seat and went to sleep.

"Goodbye, Sunnydale!" Cordelia yelled, half-sad and half-happy, as she started the car and they drove away. "Hello, Los Angeles!"

The Hyperion Hotel, Los Angeles, California. September, 1999

Marcus watched from the hotel's upper balcony, as Bethany easily defeated the Thesulac demon. Once it was dead, she began a cleansing ritual - while he went to free the old woman Judy's soul, and send her to her rightful place in the afterlife.

And then somewhere close by in the city, the half-demon called Allen Francis Doyle got a vision - about a new home, for him and his friends...

Former campus of UC Sunnydale. October 1st, 1999

"I can not believe this!" the soldier called Forrest Gates told his teammates. "We get the big sales pitch about being the best of the best, fighting the forces of..." he made air quotation marks with his fingers, "...darkness...and then a bunch of high school kids sent them all packing, before we even got deployed here?"

"Keep it down, man!" Graham Miller quickly told him. "We're still undercover!"

"Oh, come on! Who the hell's going to hear us?" Forrest gestured around, not seeing anyone even within shouting distance. In fact, the main center of the college was completely deserted. "You know as well as I do that our people are the only ones still here. And that the entire friggin' town is empty, man!"

"Any idea what they're going to do with it?" Graham wondered. "I mean, how many times has an entire town's population just up and left?"

The man named Riley Finn shrugged. "Well, after we go through it all and make sure all the demons and occult artifacts are removed, both above ground and below..." He stopped and looked at his friends. "Word on the grapevine is that the government is planning to do a compulsory legal acquisition, and use it as an urban battlefield simulator. Since it's a lot cheaper than to make one from scratch."

"Guess that makes sense," Graham said with a minute shrug. "All they'd have to do is just throw up a fence around it."

"I actually heard though, a cult wanted to buy the college," Riley said, making his teammates look at him sharply.

"You mean a 'virgin-sacrifices-to-Satan' type cult?" Forrest asked.

"No," Riley said. "Just your plain old, 'we hate the government and our leader is a god who's going to take us all away on a spaceship' kind of cult."

"Is that before or after they all drink the Kool-Aid?" Graham joked, before his pager went off. He looked at the screen, and let out a heavy sigh. "Damn. C'mon, Forrest, we gotta go back to help Angleman."

As his fellow undercover Marines left, Riley decided to make a patrol run around the perimeter of the campus. But when he got to the front gate of the college, he stopped. As parked along the curb was a brunette girl, yelling at her car.

"You stupid piece of useless, rusted metal!" she yelled, kicking one tire. "I should never have bought used!"

"Are you alright, miss?" Riley asked her.

Anya Jenkins turned to look at the man. "Finally, a relatively useful male!" She stepped aside to let him see her car. "My tire struck something sharp, and now it's all flat!"

"You're all worked up like this, just over a flat tire?" Riley asked her, surprised.

"No!" she said, upset. "I came back here to find someone, but he's just up and left like everyone else. He didn't even leave me a note - the nerve of the man! I ought to tear out his septum..."

"Okay..." Riley said, not wanting to go there. "Do you have a jack and a spare?"

"Oh, yes! Right..." Anya replied, pressing the trunk button on the key remote.

Riley went over and was about to take out the spare, when he decided to take off his jacket first. And unnoticed by him, Anya then took a very keen interest in his muscular arms.

( His hands seem to be of above-average size as well. Hmmm, and didn't Halfrek once say that that's a good indicator for a large penis? ) the former vengeance demon thought to herself.

Riley set the spare tire down, before he started to jack up the car. And Anya definitely seemed to enjoy the show. ( Well, now, he does seem to come from good breeding stock. And all of the indicators from Cosmo say he's got adequate-sized equipment to give me many orgasms. Plus I did come all this way... )

The now-human woman was suddenly glad she had decided not to wear a bra today. Which was the day she'd thought she would resume her amorous relationship with the one and only...Blayne Mall.

But since he, like all the other men in town had run for the hills, she could make do with this male specimen in front of her...

Anya let her hair out of the ponytail it was in, and quickly arranged it around her head and shoulders. And for good measure she unbuttoned her top two buttons, and pulled her top down just a bit.

Riley suddenly felt Anya very close to him, as he was removing the fasteners from the flat tire. From his place on one knee he looked over, and was very surprised. The girl he'd just met was now mere inches away from him. Finn could easily see down her top, her hair now framing the girl's face in a very pleasant way...

"Now," Anya said in a very sexy voice. "After you're done with this physical labor, I can repay you for your kindness. I have condoms, and I hope that you like the color black..."

When Riley's face showed his astonishment at her obvious come-on, Anya giggled inside her head. ( He looks so cute! If he gives me at least three orgasms tonight, I might just keep him. A good, well-trained male is so hard to find in the mortal world! Plus, I need someone to try that trick with the velvet handcuffs that I saw during that movie at the Fresno hotel... )

The law offices of Wolfram and Hart, Los Angeles, California. The same time

"Mind telling me why you just barged your way into my home last night, and now this meeting with my attorney?" the vampire named Russell Winters asked the young man leaning over him.

"Sure, Russ..." the teen paused, as the office clock hit 2:30 pm. "Oh, I can call you Russ, right?"

Then without waiting for an answer Xander Harris continued, "You see - thing is, I don't like vampires. That was strike one for you. Then you terrorize and stalk a girl I recently met, and almost kill her. That was strike two. But then, you tried to make a snack out of my ex-girlfriend last night! And trust me, ya lousy bloodsucker, that's for damn sure strike three!"

The vampire calmly set down his pen and legal pad. "Am I supposed to be afraid of you, little man?" Winters asked politely. "Am I supposed to beg you for mercy now?"

"No."

"Then why the big speech?" Winters wanted to know. "You must know by now that you can't even touch me. As Mr. MacDonald just said, I will never be accused or convicted of any crime. And you sealed your fate, just coming in here-"

"Whoa, back up. Because I never said that I was going to try to get you arrested, now, did I?" Xander asked the vampire, before he lashed out and grabbed him by the shirt with both hands. Lifting Winters clean off the ground.

And instantly heading over to the windows, despite the vampire struggling with all his demonic strength. "I got something else in mind-"

"Get security in here, NOW!" Lindsey yelled at a low-level lawyer.

"Too goddamn late!" Xander whispered, as he used his Primal strength to hurl Winters through the necro-tempered glass.

Harris watched from the ledge, as Winters screamed while he fell. Then he quickly burst into flames, and dusted. ( Good riddance, one less Nosferatu in the world... )

With a smug look, Xander walked back over to the stunned Lindsey. "You know, I could make a joke here. A lawyer working for demons, but then I'm just not into that sort of thing anymore..."

Harris left the stunned man in the room, rounding the corridor as he came face-to-face with the law firm's security force. "You guys better get in there!" he told them, acting like a concerned visitor. "I think Mr. MacDonald is throwing a fit!"

Not knowing who he was, the lead guard just nodded to Xander as he and his men rushed past. Harris then let a small smile reach his lips as he got into the elevator with a tall blonde woman, who was wearing a very short skirt.

"Hi. You're not Mr. Thomas's son, are you?" the blonde asked him, as the elevator started to descend.

"Nope," Xander told her. "Just passing through. I had to, uh, drop someone off."

"Oh," she told him. "Sorry, I'm new and I've been looking all over the building for the guy. But that's the work of a secretary, I guess; finding the client's son, who's most likely making out with that redheaded temp I heard he was flirting with yesterday..."

"I see," Xander said. He checked her name badge before telling her, "Some free advice, Megan? You may want to try looking for another law firm to work at. See, I just don't like the people that this place does business with."

"What?" the woman asked, but was cut off by the polite ding of the bell. Xander only nodded to her, as he left towards the front entrance.

A short while later

At a hastily-arranged interdepartmental meeting of the evil law firm, the Special Projects division of the LA branch of Wolfram & Hart had just finished finalizing the plans for killing the executioner of Russell Winters...

When all of a sudden, the man called Marcus Hamilton walked in through the door.

"Sorry to interrupt," he said politely to the group of lawyers, who were seated at the table. "But I'm afraid this meeting's been cancelled. You may now all return to your regularly scheduled activities."

"Who the hell do you think you're-" one of the younger, less experienced lawyers started to say.

Marcus twisted his neck, and the lawyer fell dead to the ground. As the other attorneys drew back in fear, the liaison to the Senior Partners then said in that same polite tone, "As I was saying? You need to understand that Alexander Harris is now not just a concern of this branch of the firm. The Senior Partners, in accordance with prophecy, have instructed me to tell you that they don't want him dead; rather...dark."

"May I ask why?" the man called Holland Manners replied.

"Apparently, Mr. Harris has taken over the role that would have been played by the vampire with a soul, called Angel. As such, he's now the one who will play a pivotal part in the upcoming apocalypse. Ladies and gentlemen, I'm afraid the fact is that you're all expendable; but he isn't."

Insect-like demon dimension. December, 1999

The appearance of Lucas was noticed instantly by the being with the head of a human woman, and the body of a giant spider-like insect. "What is one of your kind doing in this realm, higher being?"

"I am following my orders, woman," Lucas said abruptly, before he looked towards a seemingly-empty corner of the chamber. "Show yourself, demon."

The silver demon known as Skip shimmered into existence, in a waft of black smoke. "Uh, this isn't what it looks like-"

"Who I associate with is none of your business, higher being!" the so-called Power said forcefully.

"Normally, it would not be," Lucas said with great contempt. "However, I know precisely why you are associating with this...mercenary."

"Uh, we were just going to watch the Lakers game-" Skip lamely tried to bluff.

"Oh, is that all?" Lucas demanded. "And here I thought you had planned to manipulate the mortal named Cordelia Chase into becoming the host for your employer's essence, so she can be reborn into the human world. Thus making the young woman in question nothing more than a comatose shell, that will die within a year."

"How do you know this?" the creature that Lucas knew would have been called 'Jasmine' demanded, at once.

"How I know matters little," Lucas told her. "That the Trinity I serve knows of it matters greatly."

If Skip could have crapped in his pants, had he been wearing any, he would have. "You mean, Osiris and his buddies know that-?"

"Yes," Lucas told them both. "They also know that Cordelia Chase would only be the first to fall victim to your plans."

"Victim?" Jasmine cried angrily. "She will become my mother! The savior of humanity!"

"You wish only to consume humanity, while it worships you," Lucas said, as his face grew dark. "And you would dare style yourself as a deity-"

"I am one of the Powers That Be!" the insectile woman raged. "I'm the appointed guardian of the human race! A few billion human lives over the eons, along with my mother and father, are but a small price to pay - for them to know peace everlasting!"

"Did you think that I didn't know how you have been exiled from the ranks of the Powers, demon?" Lucas raged back. "Even the Trinity was staggered at the amount of death you wish to inflict. They are also stunned that a being they helped create would bring about such death in the first place!"

"Humans kill millions of their own kind in every war," Jasmine responded. "And despite their titles, the Trinity do not stop that-"

"Because that is humanity's evolution," Lucas countered. "They must see death, to know the value of life." The higher being looked at both of them. "The punishment has been decided. Both of you are hereby anchored to this realm-"

"Now wait just a minute!" Skip shouted. "I don't belong here!"

"You do now," Lucas said with a sneer. "And to make sure neither of you can attempt to activate your plan via others...you are sealed within this very cave."

"NO!" the former Power screamed.

"You will both remain in this place, for a period of no less than two billion earthly years. One for each death you wished to cause," Lucas informed them. "Your only company will be each other. And fight all you wish, for you will know neither comfort or death till then."

Skip tried to teleport out, but he was only gone for a second. And when he came back, his armoured skin was badly singed. "I warned you. There is no escape. Enjoy the fruits of your labour," Lucas told him cuttingly.

And then he vanished.

"Wait, please!" Skip yelled. "I'm just the hired help!"

Vanderbilt suite of the Plaza Hotel, Manhattan, New York. January, 2000

The Watcher named Robson, who had been destined to become guardian to a potential Slayer named Nora, closed his bedroom's doors to the outside suite. Five teenage girls, who were now all his charges, were playing around in the jacuzzi whilst watching some American television.

Going to his desk, he opened up his briefcase and pulled out the blessed rune most high-level Watchers carried. Placing the rune on the desk phone, Robson quickly incanted the necessary spell.

The phone glowed slightly, before returning to normal. And after placing the rune back where he got it, the Englishman quickly dialed the overseas number.

The rune was a necessary precaution. All phone calls of any kind - land-line, cell, or computer uplink - were automatically blocked from any outside eavesdropping by the Council. That, however, did not mean someone inside the Watchers headquarters couldn't listen in.

And this report, Robson didn't want Quentin Travers to know about.

#Franks,# his friend said as he picked up the phone in London.

"It's Robson."

#I see that you're using the rune,# his friend said. #Do you finally have something to report?#

Robson got right to the point. "Yes, I've found the Slayer. Faith LeHane, that is."

Only silence came from the other end of the line until Franks finally said, #I see. Is she dead, then?#

"No," Robson said. "Honestly, I did consider it. But it seems she's performing her duty to the best of her ability, sanctioned or not - and she's doing it rather successfully at that, I must say."

#Still. She's gone openly rogue and defied the Council,# Franks responded.

"Yes..." Robson admitted. "However - everyone knew she was damned unstable, right from the start. We also knew that she wouldn't respond well to authority-"

#She responded to Linda's authority rather well, as I recall.#

"True," Robson said. "But given her past, it was rightly decided that this Slayer would respond better to a female Watcher, rather than a male one."

There was an annoyed pause. #Oh, very well then, don't kill her. But what exactly is she doing?# Franks asked.

"Well, I only followed her for two days," Robson answered. He opened a folder in front of him with several pictures. "But both nights, she patrolled her adopted city with admirable tenacity. And Lord knows, Manhattan does have need of this Slayer's services."

#But without a Watcher to guide her?# his friend asked. #How long can she last?#

"Possibly, quite a while. I did see Faith and her companion destroy five demons and vampires at once," Robson said.

# Her companion!# Franks demanded. #Someone's helping her? Who?#

"A young woman, a witch it seems," Robson said, as he held up a photo showing a girl with dirty-blonde hair invoking a fire spell. "I've only learned her first name so far, Tara somebody. It seems she's going to college at NYU, since her first choice for higher education recently closed down-"

#How powerful is this particular witch?# Franks interrupted, wanting to know. #Could she aid the Slayer against us?#

"I honestly don't think so," Robson answered with a shrug. "I'd say she's slightly above a novice on the magical proficiency scale, maybe Level 5 at the most. Mostly, I just saw her cast low-level spells. So I suggest we wait till the time when Faith does expire, and then attempt to recruit this Tara - after her powers grow a bit."

#Noted. What's their precise relationship with each other, in your opinion?#

Robson held up another photo, taken with a very good zoom lens. It showed Tara with her back against an alley wall with Faith pressed against her, and they were clearly making out. "Well...I would have to say that they, ah, seem to be more than just friends."

#What about money?# Franks suddenly wondered. #Is someone bankrolling them? Because rogue or not, a Slayer needs to do something in that area to survive...#

"It's alright," Robson said reassuringly. "From what I've learned, Tara gets money for her schooling through some student loan or another. While Faith works at Scores as a bartender."

#Scores?#

"It's a rather high-class strip club in this city," Robson replied.

#Oh dear God!# Franks exclaimed, completely scandalized. #Don't tell me that the Chosen One is moonlighting as a stripper, for a bunch of useless drunk colonials?#

"No, no!" Robson quickly replied. "Actually - I heard one of the chaps at the bar asking when she was going to go on stage, as a matter of fact. But our girl Faith told him right away that she just tends the bar. It was a natural mistake - her work clothes are rather revealing, but not nearly as bad as they could be..."

#So, what do you intend to do next?#

Robson shrugged. "Attend to my charges, of course. And if the Slayer ends up in a position where she needs our help to prevent the apocalypse, assist her in any way that I can."

Section B "Local news" of the Courier-Journal newspaper, Louisville, Kentucky. The next day

Local Couple Have a Miracle Child by Howard 'HoJo' Johnson, syndicated columnist

It began very much as a traditional fairy tale always does. Local residents Peter and Jamie Olsen married five years ago, straight out of college. And both wanted to start a family right away, but they soon discovered the unpleasant news.

Because of a rare medical condition, it was thought that Jamie could never have children. The couple tried unsuccessfully for years, until what everyone is calling the miracle child was born to them last night.

The newborn infant, weighing 8 pounds 3 oz, was named Connor Olsen. Doctors still have no idea how the couple was able to conceive their child, but apparently that matters very little to his ecstatic parents.

"It's amazing," Dr. Martins commented about the new family. "I was sure that short of adoption, those two would never receive the baby they wanted so badly. But then little Connor came along..."

The roof of the Hyperion Hotel, Los Angeles, California. January 25th, 2000

Shortly after lunchtime Cordelia turned away from the ledge overlooking the city skyline, to see the man advancing towards her. "Hey."

"Hey," Xander replied back, as he joined her on the ledge. "You know, I told you that you could take a few days off..."

The secretary-slash-actress snorted. "And do what? Sit at home with Dennis and Amy, thinking how yet another man I was dating nearly killed me?"

Cordy then instantly wished she hadn't said that, as soon as it came out of her mouth. "Sorry, I didn't mean-"

"Don't be. I haven't forgotten what I did then, so why should you?" Harris told her, looking at the cityscape.

"No..." Cordelia said hesitantly. "Look, Xander - you, Doyle and Tina saved my life. Plus, you never actually wanted to hurt me; that thing with the rebar was an accident. To lump you together with what Wilson had planned for me...that's just not right. So I'm sorry for what I said."

"It's okay, Cor," Xander told her with a shrug.

"No, Xander, it's not..." she whispered, before she hugged him tightly. "Damn it, but I meant nothing to him!" Cordelia cried on his shoulder. "That slimeball was going to let those demon babies burst out through my stomach, just so he could get filthy rich!"

"He can't hurt you anymore, Cordelia," Xander told her, as he rubbed her back soothingly. "I won't let him." He tilted his head towards the door to the hotel's interior. "We won't let him, or anyone else, ever do that."

Cordelia looked up at Xander with pure warmth in her eyes. "I know. For a time last year, I didn't think you cared anymore. But now, for sure, I know you'll come for me. You'll always come for me."

"Always," Harris replied simply. "That's what friends do for each other."

She wiped her eyes. "Friends. You know - there were some days, before I met up with you guys, where I thought that I'd never, ever have real friends again. Xander...I know you didn't like it how that demon guy made you come here to LA, under those circumstances. But I have to say, right now, I really want to send him a thank-you card for it!"

"Can I still kick his ass, after you give it to him?" Xander asked. And it was not a joke, as the Zeppo was nowhere to be found nowadays. The constant attention from Wolfram & Hart had seen to that, after Doyle had had an idea to set up a detective agency as a front for what they did...

"Oh yeah, and I'll even hold him down for you!" Cordelia said with a smile, before she got serious. "Xander, can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

She moved back, and propped herself on the ledge. "Do you think...Xander, do you think I could ever become like Wilson?"

His shock was clear. "Cordy, how could you ever even think you'll become like that asshole?"

She just sighed. "It's not the first time today I've wondered. Remember those guys at that frat house with the big snake, during junior year? They fed live teenage girls to that thing, for God only knows how long, just to get rich. And now, Wilson and his friends used me and those other girls as demon baby makers..."

Cordy pulled out a folded letter from her back pocket. "I got a letter from my mother today, and she goes on and on how she's trying to snare this rich man she recently met. And I find myself wondering, just how far would she go to get the lifestyle back? How long can she or I live poor?"

"Well, first off, I wouldn't exactly call you poor nowadays - not with the job here, and all the commercials you've starred in," Xander told her. He then moved closer to her, "And do I think for one minute that you could turn into those 'people'? No, no I don't."

"Thanks," she said quietly.

"Xander!" Tina called, as she ran to them from the stairway exit. Seeing the two so close, the woman said hesitantly, "Uh, sorry to interrupt you guys, but Doyle just got a vision. A demon's going to attack this old couple tonight, in the alley behind that new taco joint in West Hollywood-"

"I'm on it," Xander said, as he started for the roof access door - before he turned around. "Cor, if you want to talk some more about this when I get back-"

"Thanks," his friend said again. "But I'll be fine. Now shoo - go do your Batman-ish superhero imitation thing..."

After he left Tina turned to Cordelia, "Sorry, hope I didn't ruin whatever you two had going there together-"

Cordelia turned to her best friend. A much better best friend than Harmony Kendall had ever been. "It's okay, I just wish we could have done something about Wilson. He almost murders me and six other women, and we can't do squat to him?"

"Yeah," Tina agreed with her friend. "Somehow, I don't see this becoming a 'Ripped from the Headlines' episode of Law & Order..." The blonde's head picked up, "Wait a minute. Could that Wesley guy do something?"

"Wesley?" Cordelia asked. "As in Wesley the Watcher, from Sunnydale? Forget it. He's not only a lousy kisser, but the only thing he can do properly is point Buffy and her stake in the right direction and say, 'Go, Slay-gal, go!'"

"Only reason I ask is, because Doyle said Xander called Wesley this morning."

Cordelia had to shake her head. "Doesn't matter. Because no court in existence will ever accept that they tried to kill us by giving birth to demon babies!"

"No offense, Cordy," Tina said with a sudden grimace. "But I'll never get what you see in the guys that you date. Okay, they're rich and good-looking, but they're all losers! And you just don't strike me as someone who'd settle for that kind of guy..."

Tina missed the look on her friend's face, when she mentioned the men Cordy had been going out with were all rich. "I guess it's just habit, Tina," the brunette then answered. "Growing up, Xander was the only guy who wasn't loaded that I ever tried to date. And look where that got me!"

"Maybe I'm out of line suggesting this..." Tina started. "But you and him started out a tad rocky, when all four of us started working together. Though nowadays you seem to be pretty close, even closer than you say you were in high school? So have you ever tried..."

"...asking Xander out on a date?" Cordelia finished for her. "I've thought about it more than once, and I know he wouldn't try to hurt me nowadays. Well, he didn't try to hurt me last time either, it just worked out that way! But honestly, I just don't want to risk what we have now."

Cordelia quickly checked her watch. "I've got to grab Amy from downstairs and take her over to the Grooming Salon over at Petco, she's way overdue. Want to tag along?"

"Why not?" Tina shrugged, as they headed for the stairs. "But seriously, I don't know how you can live with a human girl that turns into a cat..."

Cordelia laughed a bit. "As opposed to you having a half-Irish Brachen demon for a boyfriend?"

"Doyle is so not the same thing!" Tina indignantly told her friend, as they left the roof.

Los Angeles, California. A week later

From the top of an apartment building, senior Watcher Carl Brothers watched the group of men as they walked to the SUV of Wilson Christopher. "Is that all of them?" he asked his second.

Bryce checked the faces against the list and photos in front of him. "Yes sir, that's all of them. No civilians."

"All right," Carl spoke into his radio. "The entire group. Go!"

Brothers and his second-in-command watched silently, as a dark van suddenly appeared and pulled to a stop right in front of Wilson and his friends. The young men started shouting at the driver, when the side door pulled open to disgorge eight men in black with guns.

Wilson and his friends were quickly forced into the van. And once they were all in, the men reloaded into the vehicle and it took off down the street.

Carl turned back to Bryce. "Radio the jet, and tell them to be ready to take off as soon as we're there. I want to be back at the Mexico office as soon as possible."

"Yes, sir."

A monastery in the Czech Republic. September 1st, 2000

"I do not understand," the head monk told Gabrielle. "If the Beast is, as you say, no more. Then why must we perform the spell to make our charge flesh and blood?"

Gabrielle looked patiently at the monks. "I know this puts the Key at risk; that it puts in danger the very item that you and your predecessors have protected for centuries. I can only give you my word that it is for the greater good, and that the Key will survive."

The lead monk looked to the others of his Order, one of which was his only son. "Very well. I do not understand, but that is not unexpected. It is not our place to understand everything."

"Thank you," the higher being told him.

"No thanks are necessary, for it was your order that entrusted mine with the Key in the first place," the holy man responded.

They all moved to a room with several magic talismans arranged in a circle on the floor. As the monks took their places and begin chanting in a dead language, Gabrielle phased out of local time and space. She had her own position to take, and role to fulfill.

Timing, as always, was everything.

After several minutes of chanting, a nearly blinding light filled the circle. The monks kept their eyes closed as per the ritual requirements, so they were not affected. Thus, none of them saw the green light pulse and move up to the roof of the room, only to vanish before it made any contact with the ceiling.

"Did it work, Father?" the most junior monk asked, as everyone opened their eyes.

"I believe so, my son," the abbot spoke. "I pray on all your mothers' graves that it did-"

"It did work, monk."

They all turned to see Gabrielle appear on the other side of the room. In her hands, she could hardly contain the ball of green light known as the Key. She quickly moved over to its ancient holding case, and set it inside.

"Yet again, I do not understand," the chief monk said to her. "You say it worked, but you have returned the Key?"

"They Key is not what was important in this instance," Gabrielle told him. "What matters is that the ritual was performed at the same time and location, as it would have been."

"As it would have been?"

"Yes," Gabrielle responded, turning towards the cleric. "Had Glory been coming for it."

Glenville High School, Cleveland, Ohio. October, 2000

"Hi, Mom!"

Dawn Summers jumped into the front seat of the Jeep Cherokee, after classes were over for the day. She then adjusted her skirt, before dutifully putting on her seat belt.

"Hello, honey," Joyce said to her 14-year-old child, as they pulled away from the curb. "So how was school today?"

"Ugh. Please - school is school, Mom!" the youngest Summers woman responded. "But Misty invited me around to her birthday sleepover this weekend. Can I go Mom, can I - please?"

The realm of the higher beings. June, 2002

Lucas, Gabrielle, Marcus, and Bethany walked side by side, discussing everything they had done for the Trinity. "I must admit, that I do not totally grasp the significance of all the events we have adjusted," Bethany said.

"Nor should you," Lucas told her. "Only the Trinity knows all the outcomes resulting from our work. Know, however, that we have given our champions a new lease on life. So many need not die for no reason, so quickly."

"But what of the vampire named Spike?" Bethany asked. "With no access to Sunnydale to retrieve the Gem of Amara, or an Initiative to place a chip in his head...what will become of him?"

"He is a wild card in all this," the most senior higher being admitted. "And he has free will, just as the humans do. However, I suspect that Spike will meet his end soon enough. As it was always destined, his consort left him for another demon. He may seek out his grandsire, and attempt to blame him for that. It has been in his nature thus far, to blame others for things that have happened to him."

Gabrielle considered something else. "And with the non-empowered potential Slayers joining Buffy Summers in Cleveland, she will train them - with no pressure from the First?"

"Correct," Lucas told his fellow higher being. "As the potential Slayers fight alongside the Slayer's group, she will learn to respect and train them as equals. As they will train the others that will follow."

"But what of the one called Caleb?" Marcus asked. "Will he still destroy the Watchers Council?"

"That is something that was always part of the Trinity's plans," Lucas said. "Sometimes, all one can do is burn away the bad to make room for the good. Just as the Watchers did centuries ago, to form the Council that now reigns."

"Then..." Marcus said. "If I may inquire, what of the human soul taken from Glorificus?"

"It'll turn up soon," Lucas answered. "The Trinity has sealed away the rogue Power and the demon calling himself Skip - but they wish to close off that particular threat forevermore, without question. And we all know that there is only one way to make sure that Cordelia Chase never becomes the mother of that so-called Jasmine..."

Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California. March 24th, 2003

"AAAAAAAGGGGGH!"

The scream filled the room, as the doctors and nurses tended to the mother-to-be. "This is all your fault, Harris!" Cordelia shouted from the bed, as she grabbed Xander's shirt and pulled him towards her. "I should never have let you touch me, you son of a bitch!"

"I love you too. And you were the one who said that you were still on the pill-"

That answer caused the pregnant woman to pull him nose to nose with her. She growled, "You're blaming me for this? I swear - you're never going to put your hands on me EVER again!"

"Fine. But Cordelia, this is no one's fault," Xander said. Gently, he was able to dislodge her hand from his shirt.

Harris then placed her hand in his as the nurse said, "Okay, Cordelia, we need you to keep pushing-"

Cordy did the breathing thing, before she let loose another push. "AAAAAGGGH!"

Xander was very thankful for his supernatural strength right then, when Cordelia clamped down hard on his hand as she pushed again. "Come on, sweetheart, you can do it!" he said to her.

"Shut up, you dweeb! You're not the one trying to squeeze a damn watermelon out of your vagina!" Cordy screamed.

He looked sympathetic. On the inside though, Xander had to smile; as the fact was that the former couple had already been well on the road to getting back together again, before the night they had finally made love. The impending baby had just sealed the deal, so to speak.

"Come on, Cordy!" Xander told her again. "Breathe!"

"I AM breathing, you dimwit!" the blond-streaked brunette yelled again, before she started to follow along with him. "He, He, He, Hoooo. He, He, He, Hoooo. He, He, He, Hoooo..."

"And push, Cordelia!" the nurse called.

"AAAAGGGGGH!"

"The baby's crowning, I can see the head!" the doctor called out.

7th floor Waiting Room. 10:25 pm.

The entire group looked up, as the large wooden doors electronically opened.

"Xander!" Tina called, as she ran to her best friend's husband - as of three days ago. As in the end, Cordelia had decided that there was no way in hell she was going to have a baby out of wedlock. "Well...?"

Xander looked over all his friends. "Mother and baby girl are doing great!"

"Yes!" Tina exclaimed, as she hugged him.

"Yo, congratulations boss man!" Charles Gunn said, as he shook hands with Xander before Winifred Burkle hugged him.

All the rest of his friends including Doyle, Lorne, David Nabbit, Kate Lockley, and even Megan Cassidy - the former secretary Xander had rescued from a Pockla demon clinic - congratulated the new dad as well. "Man, I'm telling you guys - we've seen a lot of strange things, over the last four years. But I've never, EVER gone through anything like that," Harris told them in complete wonder.

"At least you didn't faint," Megan told him jokingly.

"I almost did!" Xander responded, in his own distinctly blunt and honest way. "You know, when they asked me to cut the cord..."

He looked at Ms. Burkle, whose presence was the result of an impromptu trip to Pylea - that to this day, still remained a nightmare for Doyle. "I'm glad you talked me into videotaping it, Fred. If I didn't know where the cameras were...I wouldn't have known." Then he added, "Uh, anyone want to tell Cordelia I had it taped?"

"You didn't tell her?" Tina screeched.

"I was going to!" Xander defended himself. "But hey, then she went into labor!"

Gunn winced. "You're on your own there, dog."

"So what time did the little bundle of joy arrive?" Lorne asked eagerly.

"Around 9:50 pm," Xander told them all. "Weighing 7 pounds 5 ounces, and 20 inches tall..." He went over to the water fountain, and took a quick sip to soothe his dry sore throat. "And sorry, but I gotta get back in there. They're going to move us to our own room soon."

The realm of the Powers That Be. The same time

"I must say, that was surprising," one of the Powers said, as they watched the birth of Ashley Jesse Harris.

"Agreed," another spoke up, who was a male Power that had been demoted after Lucas's last visit. "Cordelia was not to see, or speak to Alexander again for the rest of her life. Let alone marry him and bear his child!"

"That was your alteration to the Trinity's plan, was it not?" a female Power asked. "In the original scenario they stayed good friends apart, only to become best friends when the groups reunited in England."

"Yes," another female Power said. "For some reason, you would have had Cordelia speak only to the one named Willow instead. I must admit that the choice of her communicating solely with the witch she once referred to as the 'boyfriend-stealing skank'...is something not easily understood..."

"Oh, come on!" the male Power replied. "She's Willow, all cute and spunky!" He changed the image on the viewer to the Cleveland Slayer compound, to show Willow practicing some fighting moves with the potential Slayer named Vi. "Everyone loves her!"

He then mused, "I bet she could have her own group, eventually. Maybe even her and Spike?"

The newly-appointed senior Power spoke to him gently. "Perhaps it is time for you to step away from viewing the human realm. Lately, you seem to have become too...attached."

The junior Power looked towards his senior immediately. "Can I at least still change Angel into a puppet?"

Glenville High School, Cleveland, Ohio. December 31st, 2003

Joyce stood at the back of the decorated gymnasium, watching her daughters and the others dance. Buffy was over by the stage talking to her current boyfriend Patrick, her second ever since breaking up with Angel back in 1999.

That was one of the reasons said vampire wasn't anywhere to be seen. Joyce thought for a moment that maybe he was off doing his own celebrating somewhere, but that thought left her head as soon as it had come.

She knew exactly where Angel was. Out on patrol, so that Buffy could have this time away with her friends and boyfriend.

Dawn was dancing with Mark, a nice boy who was in her home room. The younger Summers girl constantly swore that Mark was not her boyfriend, but a mother could tell. And it did Joyce's heart good to see that Dawn had found a decent young man to be with, at least for tonight.

Even if right now, her youngest was dancing a little too provocatively with him...

The potential Slayers Annabelle, Vi, Molly, and Nora were present with their boyfriends as well. And the one called Kennedy was with a lovely young redheaded woman, that she'd been seeing for a few months. The middle-aged mother couldn't see them, but she was willing to bet that Buffy's best friends Willow and Oz were also somewhere in the crowd, dancing the night away as well.

They all had gone through so much in the last few years, ever since coming to this new Hellmouth. However, Buffy often tried to joke it off by reminding her mother that they'd had only three near end-of-the-world events.

And one of them had been beaten very easily. Plus, the potentials were more than picking up the Slaying slack these days.

Actually, the only thing the eldest Summers woman didn't like to dwell on was her health scare. Joyce had decided to get a full checkup on a whim, upon the move to Cleveland. Her new doctor had found something, and ordered a few more tests. They had then found the tumor just in the nick of time; the doctors had said if they'd found it just a few months later, it would have been too late for anything but surgery...

Joyce had had to take it easy for months after that. Thus her working at a gallery, and not owning one. Though the place she worked at now was very upscale, and something she could never had achieved in her own little shop in Sunnydale.

The woman met people from all over the world, these days. In addition, her salary level and her dashingly cute as well as single co-worker made up for any feelings of loss over her own gallery back in California.

"Joyce?"

She turned to see Giles offering her a glass of punch. "Oh, thank you Rupert."

"Don't tell me you plan to spend the entire night over here, holding up the wall? It's already ten o'clock!" the Englishman said to her.

"No, it's all right Rupert," she told him. "New Year's Eve has sort of lost much of the appeal it once had for me, in my youth."

"Nonsense!" Giles replied, taking back the glass from her hand and setting it on the nearby table. He held out his hand, "Would you do me the honor of having this dance?"

"And miss the look on my children's faces, as we dance circles around them?" Joyce asked with a laugh, as she took his offered hand. "By the way, did I ever tell you that you look very dashing in non-tweed attire?"

The converted apartment suite of the Hyperion Hotel, Los Angeles, California. February 5th, 2004

"You want to invite your parents over?" Xander asked his wife that night, somewhat surprised. "Ah, but Cordy, you haven't talked to them in HOW long?"

Cordelia briefly looked away from her playing 11-month-old daughter to answer. "Xander, it is their granddaughter's first birthday."

"Sure, but you don't see me inviting my so-called family for the occasion," he responded. "You sure them meeting Ashley is your only reason?"

"Well..." Cordy looked down. "You know how they didn't approve of our wedding, or me having your kid..."

"Thus, the no talking to them," Xander said with a shrug.

"Yeah," Cordelia said, looking back at Ashley - who was giggling at the feline version of Amy on the play rug. "But there's a part of me that still wants my family to be proud of me, even after everything that's happened. I know you've been able to act like Harris's don't exist anymore, but I just can't give up after a few fights."

"Well, fine, if it means that much to you..." Xander sighed.

"Thanks, sweetheart!" Cordy said with an instant smile and quick hug. She then kissed her husband hungrily, and there was an intense make-out session before the couple drew apart. "And just wait till they see how successful we've become. I mean, we have TV stars coming to us these days! Even if they are from the WB!"

Cordelia then got up and picked up Ashley. "You must be hungry by now, princess..." Looking down at her feet she told the cat, "And Amy, why don't you change? I haven't seen your face in a week!"

When the cat seemed to pout, Cordelia responded sternly, "Amy?"

The cat meowed once, before it left towards the hallway that held Amy's bedroom. "Honestly!" Cordelia told Xander, who walked with her to the kitchen. "Sometimes I don't know which one of them acts more like a child, Ashley or her!"

It had in fact been over nine months since the young witch had been released from her geas, by the goddess Hecate. She had been free to resume her normal human life, fully. But very surprisingly, that wasn't what the Madison woman had wanted...

The deep friendship formed over the years between Cordelia and her cat had made Amy very...well, content. So she'd told Hecate that she liked the current state of things, and asked the goddess to not lift the spell on her fully.

It was firm in Amy's mind that she now belonged with the Harris family. As a member of it while in her human form, and as a beloved pet in her animal one. And of course while Xander had been stunned to hear that, Cordelia had pretty much just accepted it - as she'd always seemed to do with anything regarding Amy.

The young mother got it when her friend had said that she loved living as a member of a family. Her wounds from what her mother Catherine had done to her still hurt, more than she would ever admit. And Cordelia and Xander had assured her that Amy would still be considered a Harris to them, even if she was no longer a cat.

Amy, though, had made up her mind. She'd told Hecate that she wished to remain the family's familiar, at least for some of the time. The goddess had been rather surprised as well; so she'd asked Amy why she'd come to that decision.

The witch had told her that it was soon after Ashley was born. Her feline self had quickly begun to sleep in the baby's nursery, and like any other cat would have done, Amy had become fiercely protective of the newborn member of her family.

Also, Amy had argued that she wasn't a cat completely. She had been spending time as a human as well; the young woman had gone out into the world with Cordelia and the others, many times. She'd even had her own dates, here and there.

"It's not like I'm chasing male tomcats around the block!" the witch had said, and then grimaced at the thought.

She'd also pointed out that the time she spent in cat form, didn't seem to count in human time. Amy still looked as young as she had during senior year. And these days, she constantly had to redo her hair and makeup to make herself look older, when necessary...

If Amy only spent five hours as a human per day, she only aged five hours. In fact - she had freaked Xander out more than a bit, when she'd told him that she wanted to keep her age down so that she could still be with the family, when Ashley had her own kids for her to watch over. And given the way the spell was working, Amy might live for a very long time...

In any case, Hecate had decided to grant her free reign over the spell. Now Ms. Madison could change between her two forms at will, and at any time of the day or night.

In the end, it had seemed to satisfy everyone. However, when Amy hadn't reverted back to human at all during the following month, Cordelia had begun ordering her to change...

Xander had trouble thinking how he was going to explain all this to the group from Cleveland, when they came for Ashley's birthday. He still cringed at the reaction that Faith had had, when she'd heard about it...

The dark Slayer's group had been in town for a prophecy, about six months ago. And Faith had thought it was some kind of weird animal fetish thing going on! Both Cordelia and Amy had gotten way upset over that remark. And it had taken Tara, Faith's longtime girlfriend, to calm things down...

In the end though, Cordelia had silenced any unease that Xander had. She easily separated the cat Amy and the human Amy, and made sure Xander did as well. Feline Amy was the family pet that loved to play with their baby girl. Human Amy was a member of the family, and worked for Xander at 'Shadow Knight' Investigations downstairs.

"Hey there, angel..." Amy cooed, as she came into the kitchen.

She had quickly dressed, since the woman was always naked when she reformed her human body. She now wore a pair of blue jeans and a light-colored cashmere sweater. Amy quickly went to sit next to Cordy, as she started to feed Ashley the baby food. "Who's a good girl..."

Xander lightly touched his wife's shoulder. "I'm going downstairs to see how the guys are doing with the Bristow case. Those assholes at Wolfram & Hart have been too quiet lately-"

"Hey, I told you not to swear in front of the baby!" Cordelia said with a glare, looking up at him. "Oh - and have Tina come up, would you? I need to know when exactly she wants us over this weekend, to help paint her new place."

"Sure..." Harris told her, as he left.

But as Xander came down the steps to the lobby, he heard a voice he didn't think he would ever want to hear again. "But I'm her best friend!"

"Really?" Tina said coldly, to the blonde woman in the lobby.

"Harmony!" Xander asked, surprised. "I thought you moved to Miami, after graduation!"

The blonde Ms. Kendall turned around to see Harris walking over. "Oh thank God, Xander!" She ran over and gave him a hug, before he could stop her. "Your hired help was being so rude to me!"

Xander took a second to detect the human woman's heartbeat and smell, before he replied. For as said, the last time he had seen her was before the battle at Graduation. And only after confirming her status did he mention, "Well, to be fair to her, we haven't heard from you at all in five years..."

"Oh!" Harmony said, looking chastened. "Right. Sorry, guess I got so busy with law school..."

"Law school?" Xander asked, shocked.

"Of course!" Harmony said, matter-of-factly. "Once I saw the movie, I said to myself; 'Harmony Kendall, if Reese Witherspoon can do it, you know you can too!"

"Well, good for you," was all Xander could think of to say. "So, what are you doing in LA?"

Harmony switched to gossip mode, much to Xander's dread. "Well - my boyfriend Roger, he's only the son of the third richest man in Miami? He had to go out of the country on a trip with his father. You know, to learn the ropes of the family business. He won't be back from Columbia for over a week, so I thought I'd take advantage of the school break to head over here and see my old best friend already!"

"Ah. Right," Xander said with a hidden grimace. "Well, Cordelia's upstairs with Ashley..."

"Who?" Harmony asked at once.

"Our daughter," Xander informed her. When Harmony's eyes betrayed her surprise at that news, Xander held up his hand to show his ring.

"You married Cordelia?" the blonde ditz asked, surprised. "Wow...uh, no offense Xander, but I would have thought she'd have had you buried in hot tar by now!"

"Yeah, well, we still have our moments," was Xander's succinct reply. "I'll call her and see if she can come down." ( And I swear, Cordy is not going to like this... ) the husband and father thought, as he went behind the counter to the wall intercom.

Outside the Hyperion Hotel. A bit later

The vampire waited.

He was good at that, these days. He had been watching his targets from the roof of the 'King of the Juice Bar' for two days. And he had seen several people going in and out of the old hotel, over the last 48 hours.

"Unbelievable!" he said to himself, as the soulless demon took a drag on his cigarette. "The Slayer's idiot sidekick now fancies 'imself a bloody demon hunter? What a joke..."

The undead creature known as Spike growled at the mere idea that the human could be any threat to him. Because he had easily taken the little wanker out back in Sunnyhell, when he'd tried to force the redheaded witch to cast that bloody love spell on Dru! ( The crazy bint... )

But alas, his mad Drusilla was no longer his, which fact had stung William's unbeating heart greatly. And given how she was now going from demon to demon...

Spike vamped out, and growled again.

Because Harris had been a part of their falling out. Not a big part, granted, but a part nonetheless.

Drusilla had gone on for months how her 'kitten' had had his heart torn out by the Slayer and the witch. There had been details that Spike hadn't wanted to hear, instead of visions of a laughing Buffy all around her childe; and Dru had spoken that Xander would come to her one day...

But this vampire was now going to make damned sure that that wasn't ever going to happen. And then he was going to head on over to the new Hellmouth, to take out Angelus and his bitch of a Slayer - like he should have done years ago!

During his time watching, Spike had seen the whelp and his woman playing with their nauseating offspring in the small garden outside the Hyperion. And the British undead could not for the unlife of him understand how a waste of space like Droopy Boy could marry, let alone impregnate, a scrumptious piece of arse like that...

He had snuck onto the roof of the hotel and watched through the bathroom skylight, as the wife had taken a long hot bath. She'd never known he was watching her wet naked form, as she read her stupid fashion magazines...

That was why Spike knew he could definitely have some fun with the former cheerleader.

And he would too, but first he had to do one thing that he had learned from his dear old ponce of a grandsire. Take away everything that she held dear, and drive her as mad as his Dru was. He would leave enough clues to make the fraud of a demon hunter think he was after him, and the sodding git would go off on a wild goose chase while he snuck in and grabbed his prize...

Oh, of course he wouldn't turn the loudmouthed Prom Queen right away. A piece of fruit was best served fresh, after all, and it would take time to break her. Even his short time of watching had shown Spike this one's temper and independence.

Her screams would be more erotic than watching her bathe had ever been. He would tape it all, too. Then send the tapes to Harris, and let him watch as he sired the woman - as well as send her after him...

And as luck would have it, tonight presented a golden opportunity to set it all in motion. That bloody pathetic group of employees had all gone home for the night. Then Spike smiled with glee, as he watched his target couple leave with the blonde that had showed up a few hours ago.

Hyperion lobby. A few minutes later

From the check-in counter, Fred looked through the window into the office containing the small crib. She had gladly said yes when Cordy asked if she could baby-sit; on account of she had to catch up on some of her own work, and she was the only other person who lived in the hotel anyway.

The banging on the front door caused her to quickly move to the front of the lobby. She saw a mildly attractive man through the glass, "I'm sorry sir, but we're clos-"

"Please, you have to help me!" the peroxide-blonde guy cried out in a British accent. "There are these...things after me! Something weird's going on with their faces, they-they have fangs!"

( Looks like Xander and Cordy are getting out of that dinner tonight, after all... ) Fred thought, as she quickly unlocked the door. And since only the upper floor of the hotel was a private residence, Spike was able to come right in. "Thank you! I don't know what I did to piss those, uh, people off..."

"It's all right, calm down," Fred instructed as she relocked the door. "Did they say who they were? Did you get a name?"

"No!" Spike said overdramatically. "They just called me a walking Happy Meal! And yours was the only place I could see with any lights on..."

"Okay, just calm down," Fred told him, as she turned her back and went for the phone. "I'll call my boss, and he...mmph!" She tried to struggle as the white cloth covered her mouth.

"That's right, luv, just go to sleep," Spike told her smoothly. He held her firmly, as her eyes rolled back and Fred went limp. The vampire then dumped her onto the round couch. He subsequently shrugged, and on a whim lifted up the Texan girl's shirt.

"Not bad," William said to himself. "I might keep ya alive till morning, at that. But fer now," he purred, looking through the open door to the office. "I need to 'ave meself a little snack..."

She had been exploring in the corridors off of the lobby, when she first smelled it. ( Cigarette smoke? ) Feline Amy thought, horrified. ( But no one's been allowed to smoke in here, ever since Ashley was born! )

As she was nearing the lobby, she smelt other things. Leather, and very bad cologne. As well as the stench of death that her cat nose could easily pick out. ( A vampire? )

Amy Madison bolted, as fast as her four legs could carry her.

Spike flipped on the lights, as he swaggered into the office. And as he reached the crib, the little girl inside started to cry. "There, there, nibblet...it's alright, Uncle Spike's 'ere!"

He yanked off the cover off the child. "Now then," he said, as he scratched his chin. "How many pieces do we want to leave you in for your mum and dad to find, hmm?"

"Vampire!"

Spike spun to back to the door. "Well, this is interesting," he said mockingly.

For standing in the office doorway was a naked teenage girl, with some sort of a collar around her neck.

"My, my. Gotta admit, I didn't know the whelp was into that sort o' thing! Still, I should 'ave figgered you as his type. You like havin' the bad man control you, then? Well, after I'm..." Spike trailed off, as her eyes turned completely black.

Amy raised her palm at him, and Spike found himself floating a foot off the floor. "Bloody hell! You're a witch? Where'd you come from?"

The former cat didn't answer, as she backed out into the lobby. And as she did so, the vamp floated out of the room with her.

"Now look, I'm sure we can come to some sorta...oy!" Spike yelled at the girl, as he floated higher up. "Lemme go, little lady, and I might just let you live," he tried to bluff.

"Vampire," Amy said, with a hollow voice that seemed to echo. "The goddess warned me that I might be consumed by the darkness. But it doesn't control me as it might have..."

"That's great, pet," Spike said, looking at the black-eyed girl. "Don't have a clue what you're buggerin' on about, but I get it that no one likes to go to bloody Darth Vader these days-"

The witch continued as if he hadn't spoken. "The love of my companions have taken most of the darkness from me." A cruel smile came to her lips. "I only unleash it when my family is threatened!"

Spike looked around frantically, as he felt the sudden warmth. "What are ya...no!" He screamed as his legs burst into flames. Hovering in mid-air, Spike tried to swat out the flames. "Okay! I get it! I won't ever go near the little bit again!"

"Yes," Amy said, in that hollow voice that sent shivers down his spine. "You won't."

The fire then quickly spread to the rest of his body. And Amy just stood there, listening to his screams. She prolonged it slightly; it took over two minutes for the feared English vampire to finally turn into ashes. The fire then vanished, as soon as William the Bloody did.

With another flick of her hand, a wastebasket flew from behind the counter to right below the floating dust cloud. A mild gesture released the dust, causing it to fall perfectly into the trash. Then the basket floated back over to its original spot.

And that was that. Nearly 124 years of murder and mayhem, over and forgotten in an instant.

The witch looked to the still form of her friend on the couch. "Awaken," she said to Fred, before she walked back to the office.

When Amy neared the crib, her eyes returned to their natural state. Her face lost its cruel sneer, when she looked over the top of the crib. "Hey there, Ashley, it's okay..." she cooed to the baby. "The nasty man is gone now." She picked up the baby, and started to gently rock her.

Fred met her at the office door. The brunette woman was holding her head, "Oh...Amy? What happened?" she asked, as the physicist saw the redheaded woman naked and cradling little Ashley. "Where's that guy who came in just now?"

"Gone," Amy said, without looking up. Her eyes stayed on Ashley's, as the child finally calmed down. "Fred, call Cordy and Xander. Tell them to get back here, they'll want to know what's happened."

"Right," Fred said, still unsure of what had happened, but then she stopped. "Uh, do you smell something burning?"

"Just. Call. Them," Amy said sternly.

Fred ran over to the phone on the closest desk. And Amy walked over to the round couch and sat down, as she stroked Ashley's soft hair. "No one hurts my family..."

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The same time

Below the equator, it was an entirely different world.

It was summer here, instead of the dying winter in the northern hemisphere. And the vampiress called Drusilla was enjoying communing with nature and the stars...

When she started to hear the whispers in her head.

Dru fell down in a faint, staring at the moon as images began to appear in her undead brain.

The unmistakable seal of the Circle of the Black Thorn. They who were the direct instruments of the Senior Partners, in this world.

The slaughter of all the members of the Black Thorn, and the Wolf, Ram and Hart becoming enraged enough to send an army of demons against her kitten and his soldiers for that.

Then another army coming to the kitten's aid. Led by that horrible Slayer who would have taken away her William. As well as that other nasty temptress Slayer, the foul-smelling blonde witch, the wicked redheaded witch who had lightning flying out of her fingers, the bad doggie who loved her, and worst of all...the Angel-beast...

A clash of the titans. The demons getting massacred.

The puppy, the kitten and the Angel-beast getting empowered by that unspeakable trio from up above, thanks to the redhead, to directly fight the Wolf, Ram and Hart - who were now defenseless, from their own arrogance...

The triune beast laying dead. And - oh! Her Daddy was no longer her Daddy! Shanshu, shusan, shih tzu...

( No, no, no! It mustn't be like that! ) "My precious Spoike is dead! Dead, dead, dead he is!" Drusilla cried out, as she got up.

"That's true enough, luv," a male voice said from behind her.

Dru whirled around, but the insane undead wasn't fooled for a moment by the perfect image of William the Bloody.

"Still, don't worry. Pretty soon, ducks, we'll make 'em ALL pay for that," the First Evil said, with a genuine smile upon Spike's lips.

Drusilla instantly clapped her hands in delight.

The End...

For now.