Chapter 3

"Alright I'm done chapter 3! Hurray. I'm gonna try and put more Erik in the next one. And no worry's this wont turn out to be a Buffy/Erik story. I want to get Chritine around real soon. Plz Review it makes me feel oh so special!

"So you say Buffy fell through one of these portals?" A distressed Giles asked as Riley sat in a shocked state at the table in the magick box. The entire Scooby gang gathered around.

"We were fighting, there was a vamp and then a demon. It attacked me and Buffy and the vamp fell threw a portal. That's the last I saw her. The demon attacked me, I got out of the way just in time and managed to stab it. It died and when I got up the portal was gone…. Buffy was gone" Riley said the last part almost silently. The truth of what had happened starting to settle in.

"So then we open a portal and go get Buffy back."

"Xander, I don't think it's that easy. I mean there's hundreds if not thousands of places Buffy could be."

"Willow's right. We need to determine which one Buffy is in. Then we can work on getting her out." Giles pointed out, already deciding which of his books would be most useful.

"And in that time my sister could die" Dawn said. The first words she'd spoken since she heard the news. Everyone was silent, the horrible truth hanging over them.

"That's bullish. Buffy's strong. She's the slayer, she'll be just fine." Spike said from the outside of the group.

"Quite right Buffy will be just fine until we can get her out. In the meantime we need to figure out where Buffy has gone."

"Well that's easy" Anya piped up in her always-upbeat voice. "All portals or really anything that requires a lot of magic leaves residue. A sort or blueprint. All you have to do is find where the portal was and read them."

"Are you sure hun?" Xander asked. As always he was amazed by her sudden bursts of knowledge that came up on occasion.

"Of course I'm sure. I used to travel to different dimensions all the time when I was still a vengeance demon. Even created a few of my own I might add. Oh I remember this one woman, she wished her husband into an eternal sea of fire. You'd be surprised to know how few fiery hell's there really are. I had a hell of a time trying to find one. And of course then I had to…"

"Anya please, this isn't the time" Giles cut in. "Riley I imagine you recall the place that the portal was" at Riley's nod Giles continued. "Alright, Willow Tara go with Riley. See if there's some spell you can perform to find out where she went. Anya, Xander I want you to start researching, try to find a way to open a portal. Anything that could be helpful."

"What about me?" Dawn asked.

"It's getting late Dawn you should go home, get some rest. You can come back in the morning to help"

"But she's my sister!"

"Come on little bit I'll take you home." Spike said holding the door open for her as Dawn reluctantly followed.

"You get used to it. The way they treat those who aren't part of their little group. The only way you get in is if you're shagging one of the members"

"She's my sister. I have to get her back" Dawn whinned

"You will, you don't need them. I mean look at them. Friends of the slayer, other than that they're nothing special. They think their Buffy's guardian angel or something. The point is you'll think of someway to help Buffy and you'll do it with out their help."

They arrived at the Summer's house and stopped in front of the door. Dawns mind was already forming plans. "Your right Spike thanks."

Dawn hurried inside and ran up to her sister's room, pulling out Buffy's phone book she grabbed the phone and began to dial the L.A number.

XXX

"That Creature, he is gone?"

"Yeah, they tend to do that when they die." Buffy said still eyeing the strange man in front of her. 'Well he's human… I think. That's definitely a plus. So this isn't an all demon dimension. Good to know.'

"Who are you? What was that?" Erik asked still in shock over what he'd just seen.

"That? That was a vampire. You have heard of them right?"

"Yes I have, but how? Who?"

"My names Buffy Summers, and you are?"

"Erik. How did you?"

"Kill the big bad that almost ate you? It's rather a long story. In short I was chosen by some higher thing to fight evil, vampires demons, werewolves ect. I have enhanced ability's that make this possible, extra strength, fast healing things like that. So while were sharing, mind telling me where I am?"

Erik looked her over curiously. How was it that this girl had heard nothing of the opera ghost and yet was in his lair and knew not where she was?

"You are beneath the opera house mademoiselle are you so thick as to not remember from where you've come?"

Ignoring the rude comment Buffy decided to ask more questions

"Yes and where exactly is this opera thing located." The question definitely seemed odd to Erik. 'She must be out of her mind'

"Paris mademoiselle"

"Paris as in Paris France?" 'Maybe I was just moved. Sure Paris may be a little far from California but its not another world far'

"Yes that tends to be where it is"

"Great! So when you say beneath the opera you don't just mean a basement do you?"

"No I do not"

"You wouldn't happen to know how to get out of here would you?" Erik was silent he'd come here to kill the intruder but he hadn't been expecting a girl. He had never killed women, and certainly not one who'd saved him. No need to start now.

"Yes I know the way out." He replied after a long silence.

XXX

The way he had regarded her gave Buffy the creeps. 'There's definitely something off about him. And it's not just that mask'

Erik started to walk off in the opposite direction that Buffy had been heading. She eagerly followed. 'Not like I have much of a choice here. I have no idea how to get out'

"If I could just get to a phone that'd be great" she called up to him.

"A what?"