Come Heaven or Hell
Part 3: Promises made and broken

Xander woke just before sunrise, long before anyone else. He could see Belldandy asleep next to him, but was careful not to wake her as he quickly got dressed and snuck out into the courtyard.

The open-plan style layout of the former Buddhist temple allowed Xander to slip un-noticed by anyone but Kuroneko, who followed him at a distance.

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"A goddess?" Glory paces back and forth across the abandoned warehouse, fuming; "You sent my Key to a town were a goddess lives?" She turned to look at the monk, "Did you really think that would stop me?"

"You will not find the Key." The monk insisted, having long since given up curses and insults, waiting only for death to claim him.

"You seam to forget something." Glory's face changed, the demon markings on her forehead and cheeks glowing, "I'm unsealed: I have no restrictions on my powers while on Midgard. I could destroy this entire dimension, and there is nothing Hild or even the high and mighty Lord Kami could do to stop me."

"They will protect the Key."

"We shall see."

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"So, I take it you got your memory back." Mara hung by her ankles from a tree, dropping down just in front of Xander, "How do you feel about Belldandy now?"

"My feelings for her are unchanged." Xander's eyes narrowed, "Why are you trying to split us up?"

"I told you that Belldandy and I go way back, and that's the truth: I was once Urd's best friend, back before she went all respectable on me…"

"Do I hear the worlds smallest violin playing somewhere?"

"You still trust her, after all she did to you?"

"It wasn't her fault; she had no way of knowing what would happen…"

"You truly believe that the daughter of Lord Kami wouldn't know there would be repercussions for her little holiday?"

"A small price, and one I was more than willing to pay…"

"But she lied to you. She didn't come here by chance: she chose you, hoping that you'd somehow remember."

"But I didn't." Xander strode off down the street towards the Mall, "But I have a promise to keep."

"Human beings." Mara rolled her eyes, "There's just no helping them…"

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"Do we have to go in there?" Spike stood at the bottom of the ladder that lead up to the manhole cover outside Willie's Bar, "I'm not exactly Mr Popularity in there these days…"

"And why not?" Urd asked.

"Well, for one thing they know that I've been neutered. And secondly they've seen me hanging around the Slayer too much…"

"We need to know just what we are dealing with: anything that can hurt a Goddess First Class like Belldandy is a serious threat to all of us."

"Well then maybe I could go in on my own, maybe put the word out that I'm looking to join up with someone planning the next apocalypse…"

"Spike, if I didn't know better I'd say you were ashamed to be seen out with me."

"Well it's bloody obvious who's in charge out of the two of us: you're not exactly the minion type."

"I am no-ones minion!" Urd snapped, "And considering just who my parents are, you should feel flattered that I allow a mere Vampire to be seen out in public with me."

"Yeah, but I have a reputation to protect: you don't earn a name like 'William the Bloody' over night."

"Stick with me Spike, and you'll have all the reputation you can handle." Urd had a dangerous look in her eye, "The first dozen rounds are on me…"

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"Skuld, have you seen Xander?" Belldandy had a very worried look on her face.

"No, and what's more, I don't care." The younger goddess didn't even look up from her latest project, "I've never understood what you see in him."

"I love him. He has a pure heart and limitless companion…"

"He's only human."

"Sometimes 'only human' is all that stands between the world and destruction. You underestimate him."

"Yeah, well, I somehow doubt he could defend you from this Glory that Urd told me about." Skuld looked round, "He's protective, and one day he's going to try and protect you from something he can't stop, and it will get him killed."

"You're the Fate of the Future; you tell me."

"You know I don't like to read the future of people I know Belldandy…"

"Skuld, I need to know what you see."

"I've already looked; I can't see anything. Xander is coming to a crossroads in his life, and the desertion he makes now will effect everything that follows."

"I was afraid of that: Mara's returned his memories."

"Ok, what exactly does that mean?" Buffy stood in the doorway with Faith and Willow, "What did you do to Xander?"

"I made a mistake, a long time ago." Belldandy looked genuinely upset, "I never meant to hurt anyone."

"What did you do to Xander?" Buffy stepped forward, advancing on Belldandy with a dangerous look in her eye, "Tell me!"

"It was a long time ago, back before Skuld was even born: I was young, and decided to come down to Earth, to see what it was like. No one should have been able to see the gate open, but one young boy did."

"Xander?"

"Yes; there's something about him that defies understanding. Maybe it's because he's so selfless, maybe it's because he's destined for great things. What ever, he saw the gate and decided to investigate, as any five year old would. He found me here, in the temples garden."

"He never said anything to me about it." Willow looked surprised.

"He didn't remember." Belldandy looked down, "It was against the rules for me to visit Earth before I received my goddess licence. When father found out I was down here, he recalled me and insisted that Xander's memory of the four days I'd been down here."

"YOU ERAISED HIS MEMORY?" Buffy looked ready to hit Belldandy, "Are we all just plaything to you?" She pushed the other woman up against the wall, "What gave you the right to do something like that?"

"I told her to." Xander stood in the other doorway, his un-notices arrival sending everyone into silence, "I didn't want her to get into trouble because of me, so I told her to erase my memories."

"Xander, she's been lying to you, to us all, for almost two years." Buffy protested.

"Yeah, even I can see B's point." Faith shrugged, "It's a major breach of trust…"

"It doesn't concern any of you; it's just between Belldandy and me." Xander looked Buffy in the eye, "I love you like a sister, but you ever touch Belldandy like that again, as much as it would pain me, our friendship would be over."

"I was only trying to protect you…" Buffy suddenly realised what she had done, "I didn't mean to hurt her."

"This is not a situation where I need any of you to protect me." Xander shook his head, "Now if you don't mind, I'd like to talk to Belldandy, alone."

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"I'm only going to ask you one more time." Glory held the demon she had captured up against the wall with one had, "Who are they?"

"The Three Fates." The demon gasped, "Daughters of Lord Kami himself. They say that the eldest is also the daughter of Daimakaicho Hild…"

"So the roomers are true?" Glory snapped the bemons neck without a second throught, "The daughter of Lord Kami and Daimakaicho Hild. Intresting…"

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"I think I may be a little drunk." Spike sat at the bar, his head resting next to an empty bottle of scotch, "I think I may be very, very drunk."

"Lightweight." Urd down yet another glass of sake, "I can't believe no one here knows who this 'Glory' is."

"Obviously new in town; give it a day or two and you can bet that she'll make a name for herself."

"We should get back." Urd put the empty glass down, "Barkeep, the bill."

"It's been taken care of." Willy started to collect the small mountain of glasses and bottles, "It's not everyday a place like this gets a celebrity like you visiting."

"Celebrity?" Urd looked at the human.

"Everyone knows that you're the daughter of Daimakaicho Hild, why do you think no ones tried to eat you or pick your pocket." Willy smiled, "You're welcom here any time you like."

"You'll probably live to regret that." Urd stood, suprisinly stead on her fet dispite the amount she'd drunk, "Come on, time to go."

"Can't, daylight." Spike mutterd, "I'll stay here to later."

"You realy think I didn't take that into consideration?" Urd remobed one of her rings and handed it over, "Here, this should help."

"What?" Spike looked at the ring, than sat bolt upright, almost falling off his stool, recogniton having the same effect of a good nights sleep, several cups of black coffee and two asprin. "The gem of Amara? Angel destroyed it in L.A…"

"He destroyed a gem of Amara: they are quite common in Asgard." Urd winked, "I can't exactly have my minion catching fire every time I send him out for more sake, now can I…"

The front door exploded inward.

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"Xander, about what happened." Belldandy followed her fiancé out into the garden, "I know that I should have told you when I first arrived, but my father would never have permitted it. I came dangerously close to braking the rules when I took this case anyway: goddesses are not supposed to grant wishes for people they already know…"

"Belldandy; I'm not angry with you." Xander smiled as he took her hands, "Like I told the others: it was my decision to have my memory erased. Even then I wouldn't do anything that would get you into trouble."

"But Buffy was right…"

"Buffy is just being her overprotective self: she doesn't like it when something happens that she can't understand or fight. And considering her main reaction to the unknown is to try and stab it through the heart with a wooden stake, it's probably for the best that I turned up when I did. Though I doubt that Buffy could do you any permanent harm, it would ruin our friendship, and your father may not take it so lightly."

"He's going to be angry that you've got you memories back."

"Than if necessary you can block them again. But one thing he can't change: I'm going to keep my promise."

"Xander…"

"I promised I'd get this for you, and that's one promise I intend to keep." Xander handed over a small box. Belldandy opened it slowly, tears welling up in her eyes as she opened it.

It was a simple ring; the sort of thing that a small child would like because they think it makes them look all grownup. The silver plating was well done, and the semi-precious red stone in the centre sparkled in the noon sunlight.

"I promised I'd buy it for you after we saw it at the fair." Xander smiled, "It took me all morning to track one down."

"Thank you." Belldandy smiled, slipping it onto one of her fingers, "You have no idea how much this means to me…"

"Oh please; you're making me feel ill." Mara stood on the gatepost, rolling her eyes, "Out of respect for our past friendship, I tried to make this as painless as possible. But you've forced me to take drastic steps."

"Mara, don't…" Belldandy looked stricken.

"To late." The Demon smiled, "I invoke the Judgment Gate!"

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Glory stood in the shattered doorway, looking at the startled bar patrons. Her eyes narrowed when she saw Urd.

"You!" She pointed at the other goddess, "I want a little word with you…"

To Be Continued…