NW

Buffy moaned and writhed in bed. She didn't know how much longer she would be able to take it. It was just so much! Her hand hit Spike's back and he grunted. Then suddenly she burst out, "Ahh!"

"Wha…!" Spike said groggily as he woke up, sat up in bed, and looked around wildly for the person who made the scream. (A/N: Get your mind out the gutter…they ARENT having sex! - you people!  ) He saw Buffy screaming next to him, still asleep. He grasped her about the shoulders and held her tight and tried to wake her up. "Buffy! Buffy!"

She thrashed out of her dream and sat up in bed almost knocking Spike in the forehead. Then she saw him and wrapped her arms around him, "Oh Spike! It's horrible, like even worse than the other demons that I have fought!"

"What is?"

"I dreamed about my home again and I saw what was happening. It's not good. The scoobies captured this demon thing and it told them, and me, about Asrakana."

"Asrakana?"

"Yeah she's this god/demon thing that wants to rule the world."

"Oh…" Spike considered it for a moment, "What!"

"Yeah. It's a problem."

"Asrakana you said?" Giles asked rubbing his glasses furiously.

"Yep!" Buffy leaned against Spike, her head on his shoulder, "I also heard how to do the spell, and that the other Scoobies are taking care of that. So that's one less thing to worry about. We just need to find out who this 'Asrakana' is!"

"Ooh!" Willow called out, "I found her!"

Willow held up a dusty book of legends that looked old enough to be from prehistoric times. It was entitled, "Legendes of Ancient Tymes" Willow had been flipping through it for over half an hour before she had stuck gold. She showed the rest of the group the engraving of Asrakana. She was depicted in human form with long flowing hair and power radiating from her. She was also surrounded on either side by two twin demons that were the ones that had attacked in each world. The caption read: Asrakana the Supreme Ruler of the Universe with Thrakk and Tharl, her two enforcers, on either side.

"Well they have names now." Spike commented. "That's a start."

"Does the book say anything else about what we need to do to prepare to fight her? Since that seems to be the road that this Asrakana is taking." Buffy asked.

Willow skimmed the page again and looked back up at Buffy, "It's going to take more study, the book is written in several different languages."

"Well while Willow and I work on that," Giles sat beside Willow, "You can all patrol in case another demon shows up. Besides that, there isn't much to do."

"Okay Giles." And the three of them turned and left the library.

several hours later

"Got it!" Willow yelled and stood up quickly.

Buffy looked up from sitting on the floor with Spike, "What did you find?" She got up and smoothed down her pants and ran a hand through her hair.

"All we have to do, since we're not the ones performing the spell is create a circle that is in tune with the other dimension." Willow looked thrilled with this revelation.

"Well that's all well and good Red, but how does one go about doing that?" Spike stood behind Buffy.

"Actually Spike, it's quite simple," Replied Giles, "The basic theory is that we just need something or someone from the dimension we are trying to open a portal to. So for us that would be Buffy. Now the only way that we are going to be able to create enough psychic energy for the others to connect properly is that we all have to concentrate our own life forces and commune together to create a beacon."

"Like one of those blinking dots on a radar screen!" Willow interjected.

"Yes," Giles sighed, "Like a blinking dot."

"So let me see if I got this straight," Xander piped up, "We have to all meditate in this circle with Buffy as our link to the other dimension. That way the others can find our energy and make the portal."

"Right!" Giles smiled at him.

"Okay… let's do it." Xander started to rush to get supplies, Giles called after him,

"It's not for another 2 days Xander."

"Right."

SW

Giles paced back and forth across the room. Buffy wondered if hewould eventually start wearing a hole in the floor with his insistant walk.

"The first thing we must do is prepare defensive spells against Asrakana." He cleaned his glasses and placed his hankerchief back in his pocket. "Since she now knows that we are aware of her presence we must have constant vigilance, she may mount her attack at any moment."

Xander stared, "You mean this second I could die?"

"If you must be so negative, then yes" Giles sighed. "Willow I want you to look up strong defense spells that can cover individuals as well as large areas. I want to be extra sure that when our Buffy returns to us, "he smiled kindly at the other Buffy, "that she will be fully protected."

"Of course!" Willow was more than happy to help.

"So Giles," Buffy looked carefully at the older man, "Am I just going to sit here on my butt for the next 2 days waiting for this woman god person to attack me?"

"Well I would suggest that you stay with someone who can defend you, most likely she will go after you when she attacks. If you are disposed of early, then there is no one to rally the forces."

"That means I'm getting everyone dinner, how's Chinese sound?" Xander piped up from the corner, trying to spin the situation around after realizing they could die any second.

"Sounds great Xander. Thanks." Buffy looked at him gratefully.

Asrakana glared angrily into her scrying bowl. Her beloved Thrall was dead, chopped to pieces by his own axe. And now she had to dispose of Thrak. It had been grave loss and she ran her hand swiftly through the water disrupting the image of the Scoobies researching her.

Since regaining her powers she had made herself more at home in her "home", soon to be a prison that she would leave forever. She sank into a backless chair and tucked her blonde hair behind her ear. Crossing her leg she tapped her foot impatiently. The room was lavishly furnished with furs and draperies in an early Roman style and contained piece of armor and maps of the world with an outline of her original empire. She had to be patient to regain her land.

With her magick coming back to her by stages, she was nowhere near full power. By Saturday and the alignment of the planets all her power would be restored to her and she could properly attack. Unfortunately, due to Thrak's betrayal, that would be the day that the Slayers would attempt to switch back. She would have to be vigilant. She stood back up and returned to her bowl. She summoned the picture of the diligent Scoobies,

"Aww look." She thought to herself, "They're making a spell." She scoffed and shook her head, which is until the picture faded as they chanted the words of the spell. Enraged she attempted to force her way into the scene but the spell that they had cast held. She threw all her energy and power against it but it did not crack, it only pulsed her energy back at her creating a shock wave that threw her unconscious to the floor.