AUTHOR'S NOTE Look at me, posting another chapter less than a week since the last one! Go me. Hehe. Anyway, not much to say, just hope you enjoy!

DISCLAIMER Don't own anyone.

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Chapter Sixteen: In Which Willow Takes Control

Willow didn't take down the barrier during the strained conversation. Illyria, still unconscious from the electric shock, leaned limply against the wall where Mole had put her. Buffy, Willow, Angel, and Spike clearly had the power now, as Logan, Max, Alec, Mole, and several other transgenics gathered around them.

"Now, your first question was what are we?" Buffy stated. She paced at the edge of the barrier. "But I guess what you should ask is what are you?"

"We know what we are," Mole said. "We're – "

"You don't know what you are," Buffy interrupted him. "But I do. You're supersoldiers. You've been bred for combat, special ops, reconnaissance, the works. You're part human, part animal. And that's not all. You're part demon too."

"I told you to stop saying that!" Max growled.

"Max, let her talk," Logan spoke up. Max gaped at him, angry and hurt.

"Manticore is part of something called the Watcher's Council. They're dedicated to controlling the demon population in the world and keeping the humans safe."

"This is bullshit," Max said and turned to leave. Alec caught her and shook his head.

Willow had caught Buffy's arm. "Buffy, they don't know about any of this." She nodded to Angel and Spike. "Maybe we ought to show them?"

Buffy sighed. "Fine. Boys?"

Angel and Spike walked toward the barrier, which faded and soon disappeared. "We're not going to hurt you," Angel said. "But we have to make you understand."

"Hold on, kids," Spike said.

Their faces began shifting. Brow ridges extended, eyes glowed liquid yellow, and sharp fangs gleamed. A low growl escaped Angel's throat.

Alec jumped up. "Holy shit!"

"That's it!" Max shouted, pointed. "What's with the yellow eyes?"

"And fangs," Logan pointed out calmly.

"You've just met your first vampire," Buffy said. Angel and Spike shifted back to human visages and rejoined the girls. Willow left the barrier down, but Max and the other didn't notice. They were still staring at Angel and Spike.

"Bullshit," Mole finally said.

"Vampires and demons are real," Buffy snapped. "You've heard of the supernatural? Well, vampires are just one of the many kinds of otherworldly creatures that most of you don't know about."

"I hate that term," Angel grumbled.

"What?" Buffy asked impatiently.

"Otherworldly," Angel replied. "We were here first."

Max put up her hands. "What the Hell are you talking about?"

"Demons were here first. The Earth belonged to us," Angel explained. "The world was our Hell. Immensely powerful beings called Old Ones ruled over lesser creatures. Illyria is an Old One. Or, she is the spirit of an Old One reincarnated in a human host and we drained most of her power." Angel's dark eyes turned sad as thoughts of both Fred and Wesley crept in. He continued anyway. "I think that answers your second question too. But then humans came along and the demons fled. A demon bit a human and mixed their blood, thus creating a vampire. He fed on another and another and soon vampires were a part of the world."

"And demons and vampires living among humans spelled trouble," Buffy added. "Since they aren't the nicest things." She glanced over to the two vampires. "Sorry guys." Spike and Angel shrugged.

"If vampires are so bad-ass, why are you hanging around two of them?" Alec asked.

"We've got souls now," Spike said.

"A normal vampire doesn't have a soul," Willow said. "But Angel and Spike are special cases."

"Angel and Spike?" Max repeated. "Not too bad ass names."

"Would you prefer Angelus?" Angel asked. "I doubt you would."

"Or William the Bloody?" Spike added.

Max glared at them. "No."

"So that answers some of your other questions too, I think," Buffy said. "All vampires have yellow eyes when their true faces emerge. The bullet didn't kill Angel because bullets don't kill vampires."

"They do hurt like Hell," Angel added ruefully.

"And you saw Spike eating a rat because he was desperate for food." Buffy continued. "You know what Illyria is. Willow is a very powerful witch. And I'm the Slayer."

"And we're supposed to know what that is?" Mole asked.

"Once humans realized that they were in danger from the demons, a group of men gathered together to create the Slayer. 'Into every generation a Slayer is born," Buffy recited. "One girl in all the world, a Chosen One, one born with the strength and skill to hunt the vampires, to stop the spread of their evil.' Lucky me. I'm Buffy Summers, the most recent in a long, long line of Chosen Ones."

"So you're a superhuman as well," Logan mused. "That explains why you fought Max so well."

Buffy shrugged. "I'm supernatural, she's science. And I happened to know about your little party at Manticore because the Watcher's Council sent me here from the year 2004 to stop you from blowing the place apart. I got here too late."

Max laughed. "Right. Sure. 2004."

"Oh come on!" Spike gave her a look. "You believe everything about demons, vampires, and the Slayer, but don't believe we came from 2004?"

Max opened her mouth as if to argue, but closed it when she realized that everything else was pretty out there too and she believed all of it. "But the vampire thing you proved. Can you prove the time travel?"

Willow grabbed Angel's wrist. "Hey!" Angel protested.

Willow ignored him. "Look at this watch. It's a 2004 model. The Pulse would have wiped it out completely." When no one moved, she added, "Come on! Look!"

Logan approached her slowly, despite Max's cry of "Don't go near her!"

"They're right," he said, a little dazed. "This watch wasn't made after 2006. If they were in the United States, there's no way it would have survived the Pulse."

"So what if they weren't in the US?"

"We were," Angel said very quietly. "Do you think a 250-year-old vampire would lie?"

No one spoke for a very long time. "That explains the date on the poster too, I guess. How did you get here?" Logan finally asked.

"Something called a Time Turner," Willow explained. "It's used by witches and wizards in England."

Buffy sighed in frustration. "This is getting me nowhere!" She turned to Max. "I'm sorry. You're probably really nice and everything, but I do have a mission. Once it's done, I can go back home."

Max cocked an eyebrow. "Bring it on, Slayer girl."

"Stop!" Willow jumped between them, her eyes black once more. She conjured a bright ball of light that spread to pin Buffy against one wall and Max against another. "There won't be any fighting! Buffy, the Council was wrong in sending us to kill Max and you know it. I know you want to go home, but we'll find another way. And you Max, you and your transgenic friends shouldn't be so hostile to people who could help you." Her eyes faded again to normal. "Now we're going to sit down calmly and work through this." She glanced apologetically toward Buffy. "'Cept you Buffy. You and Max stay where you are."

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The Answer to the Last Trivia Question(s)

1. Buffy got in touch with her beginnings in season five when she went out into the desert to talk with the First Slayer (I don't count Restless, because she was fighting her beginnings, not getting in touch with them) and also in season seven when she met with the Shadow Men.

2. Willow used that spell against the Knights of Byzantium in "Spiral."

Today's Trivia Question(s) Are:

Who else did Angel complain to about the term "otherworldly," giving the same explanation that demons were there first?

Who explained the Buffy, "Bullets don't kill vampires. They hurt them like Hell" originally?

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Review Responses

Perfect Darkness Good job on the questions! No, the Watcher's Council isn't working with the Familiars. Now they want the transgenics to succeed in their battle, so they want the Familiars dead. That's why they've decided to help Holden. I was thinking William Holden when I named Holden, but maybe you're thinking Marcus Hamilton from Angel season five?

LittleDrusilla Yeah, it was only a matter of time before Willow and Illyria really showed everyone who was boss! They get to play around more in upcoming chapters too.

Gylzgurl You got the first question right. The spell was used against the Knights of Byzantium to stop them from getting Dawn in season five.

Skylar Good job and I'm glad that you're enjoying the story.

Anna You got the first one and you're pretty close on the second one. Glory wasn't there, but ended up getting inside the barrier when they let Ben in to help Giles.

Big mak Thanks, I'm glad that you like the story! And good job on the trivia questions.

Slash-a-holic I couldn't leave Max and company with the upper hand for TOO long. I love Dark Angel, but BtVS has a special place in my heart. (Awww…)