Title: Illusion of Reality 2?

By: David A. Knapton

E-mail: Don't know let's go with 12A/PG-13 for now.

Disclaimer: I own neither the characters from Buffy or Voyager just the idea!

Feedback: If you want, I like it but it's not vital for me to continue my stories.

Notes: This is something that had been bouncing around in my head for several days; I needed to get it out before it did too much damage! I am now in a position to continue this story now so I thought I'd repost the first three parts again.

Pairing: As the two shows.

Notes: Set after BtVS episode 'Into the woods' but before 'The Body'. Voyager is set after Starfleet have made contact with them. Oh I've decided that Dawn and the gang already know she's the 'Key'.

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Xander was just descending the ladder when he heard the shop door open, on seeing it was Buffy he smiled then he saw what was coming in behind her dropping the book he carried he shouted a warning, "Buffy look out there's a demon behind you."

If this had been any other group of people, they would have dismissed his shout as a bad joke, but this group knew the truth, as one they jumped up ready for action.

Buffy smiled as she saw their reaction, "Its okay guy's they know something about Glory," she saw them relax slightly, although they still eyed them warily, she pointed at them, "This is Tom and his girlfriend B'Elanna, she's a Kleenex or something!"

"I'm a Klingon... I'm not a demon... I'm not even from this planet," stormed B'Elanna her anger rising.

"Yes well sorry..." Giles began to say.

"Wait what do you mean your not from this planet?" said Xander.

"Look we'd rather not go into that," she said before turning to look at her companion, "In fact we should not even be talking to them."

"B'Elanna I don't think the Prime Directive really applies in this situation! Either this is another dimension or we are still on the holodeck and the program has gone wrong. Either way we are going to need these peoples help," Tom argued.

"What are you two talking about? If you don't want me to start getting testy I suggest you tell us everything," stated Buffy ideally playing with Mr Pointy.

"Ok we'll tell you what we can, although we are no experts on what is happening here," said Tom.

"Very well won't you have a seat," said Giles gesturing towards the table.

"So what do you know about Glory... What is she?" asked Willow sitting back down.

"Well as I said I'm no expert, let's see first she's a god..." began Tom.

"What!" asked Xander jumping up.

Tom could see shock in all their faces, "Yes a god, but not really!"

"Would you like to clarify that statement!" asked Giles.

"You sound like a certain Vulcan I know," smiled Tom, "Look I'm not sure how much of what I can tell you you're going to believe or even understand."

"Well living on the Hellmouth for years I think we can at least hear you out," smirked Giles.

"Ok perhaps I'm starting in the wrong place," he was quiet for a moment collecting his thoughts, "Ok about a month ago our starship was pulled through a space anomaly, we found ourselves in the year 2001. While there we monitored all forms of communication including television. When we got back to our own time, I decided to check out some of the programs to see if any were of use for recreational proposes;" he stopped for a moment looking into their eyes trying to assess what their reaction may be! As he continued. "One of the programs was about a group of people battling demons... called Buffy the Vampire Slayer..."

Tom never thought anyone could move so fast, in a matter of seconds he found himself lifted from his chair and pinned against the wall; "Are you trying to tell us, our lives and all the pain and heartache we have endured over the years is for someone's pleasure?" said Buffy between clenched teeth.

"Buffy," said Giles in voice that would brook no argument, "Let him go. Now."

Buffy lowered him back to the floor before stepping away from him; Tom got the feeling she wanted to hit him. "Not exactly! Until about three hours ago none of you were real."

There was silence for almost a full minute before it was broken by female laughter coming from behind the counter, as everyone turned to look in that direction a teenage girl with long straight hair stood up still laughing.

"What's so funny Dawn," asked Buffy a slight edge in her voice.

"Welcome to the club," she saw a certain amount of confusion on their face, "Now you know what it feels like."

"Of course you're supposed to be the Key," said Tom remembering her part in the story.

"Yes I guess we do don't we," grinned Xander, Dawn couldn't help but return it.

"Alright shall we sit down and talk about this rationally," suggested Giles.

They had just sat back down when a middle age man appeared by the side of the table seemly out of thin air. Buffy and the rest of the gang preparing for battle while Tom and B'Elanna had smiles on their face somewhere between amusement and relief.

"Doc what are you doing here?" asked Tom walking over to him before turning to the others, "It's alright this is a friend from our ship."

The Doctor raised an eyebrow at Tom's statement that he was from the ship; "Lieutenant Paris it appears you decided to break the Prime Directive. As for what I am doing here the Captain sent me to assess the situation and decide on the best course of action."

"Doctor what happened? Are we still on the holodeck or is all this real," asked B'Elanna.

"Well as hard as this maybe to understand we are on the holodeck and all this is real," the Doctor could see the confusion on everyone's face, "Shall we sit down this will take quiet a while." After seeing them begin to take their seats he turned to Dawn who had stayed by the counter, "You better join us as well Miss Summers this involves you as much as anyone."

"How do you know my name?" frowned Dawn.

Looking around at all of them before returning to face Dawn he smiled, "I know all of you and up until the present situation occurred I knew what was going to happen to all of you."

Dawn smirked this was getting very interesting, for almost a week now she had been sunk into a pit of despair after learning the truth, 'except it wasn't a week ago,' she reminded herself none of them existed before three hours ago. Now this man said this involved her, as she went to take her seat next to Buffy she smirked at her knowing exactly what her sister was feeling, she had been feeling it herself for a week.

"What do you mean you did know what was going to happen to us?" asked Willow while instinctively seeking out her girlfriend's hand, feeling the need for the simple contact for reassurance.

"Well first of all I think I should explain how this all happened before going into what would have happened and what we need to do to resolve our present dilemma..."

"Wait a minute Doc, a minute ago you were accusing me of breaking the Prime Directive, now you're proposing to do the same," interrupted Tom.

"Yes Mr Paris but the difference is I have all the information that you did not when you broke the Directive and the Captain gave me leeway to determine what needed to be done when I got in here."

"Why are you on your own anyway?" asked B'Elanna.

"Because of the barrier that Q erected around the holodeck, it can only be passed by energy, any flesh and blood creature passing it would be permanently transformed into a hologram," answered the Doctor.

"Q!" frowned Tara, "What's a Q?"

"The Q are a very powerful race if not the most powerful in this universe from what I have learned lately. Now if I may continue!" asked the Doctor looking around, at their nods he began, "Just under three hours ago Voyager, our starship," he clarified seeing the question on their faces. "Was struck by an unknown form of energy, this turned out to be a creature the Q call a Varon trying to enter our universe, from what the Captain could find out, the Varon's try periodically to get through subspace, but the Q channel them to the edge of our universe were they are destroyed.

"Somehow, and Q would not elaborate, one got pass them and was about to enter where the ship just happened to be, he managed to channel it onto this holodeck before trapping it with the barrier." The Doctor looked around at all of them, "There are two things you all need to know, we have to kill the creature that the Varon is trap-in in this program or the Q will destroy our entire galaxy and that we have less than seven days to do it."

"If the Q want the Varon destroyed why don't they do it in here and by the way how exactly are we supposed to do it?" asked Tom.

"The Q would have to remove the barrier to get at the Varon and that would allow it to fully enter our universe, as for how we can destroy it, as I understand because the Varon is at present part of the original program anything that happens to the creature that the Varon is in will also kill the Varon. Which brings up several other points, so that we would be in a position to kill the Varon the Q gave all the entities in the program self-awareness, to all intense and purposes making them living, breathing creatures. The other point is that there are no safety protocols at the moment so you and Lieutenant Torres can be injured or even killed, as can I as I am at present part of this program."

"Ok I can except most of that, I don't understand most of it but what with living on the Hellmouth I've seen some weird stuff, but why have we got only seven days to kill this creature and more importantly how do we find it?" asked Buffy.

"Well Buffy the reason that we only have seven days is that the barrier that is protecting the universe and trapping the Varon here is being supplied the energy it needs by Voyager, that energy will be exhausted within seven days. As for how we find the creature, Q told me before I arrived here who the Varon is part of, although they are unaware of it, which should give us an advantage," explained the Doctor who left it hanging for a moment assessing what their reaction would be.

"So who is it?" asked Xander.

"It's...

Fade to black

To be continued