A/N: Hello all you wonderful people, you! Here's chapter twenty coming at ya. Boy, we've reached chapter twenty already? Seems to be goin fast don'tya think? All this week I'm studying for my mid-terms so writing these fics have been hurting my head. That's why the next two chapters will in parts… I'm too exhausted to write the full chapter! :P Anyway, enjoy!

            To A Watcher: Munchkins are very scary. You now the Wizard of Oz? Yeah, every time I watch it I usually cower behind my pillow when Dorothy talks to the little people. Or I scream.

            To wllw979: ***grins with glee*** glad you like the couples. It just came to me. I was like: 'hey, why not put Buffy and Colossus together?' And on you question, yes Scott can destroy the vampires with his eyes blasts (whatdya call them again?). I think I wrote that in on one of my chapters back more, but I zone out when I write so I do remember.

            To Willowliz: I was pretty sure Warlock meant man witch but I knew you could be right so I pulled out my ever-so-handy-dandy dictionary ***struggles under the weight of 2,000 page book *** and looked it up to appease you and my sense of curiosity, which is an evil red demon crackling in my ear.

                        àWarlock (wôr/ lok), a male witch; wizard. n.

                        See? That was taken right from my hand-dandy dictionary. I am right. But don't feel about being wrong. Think of it this way: you have made me feel better about myself by letting me tell you you're wrong and I'm right. Doesn't that make you feel better?
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Chapter Twenty- Returnings Part One

                        Colossus awake with an aching head and muscles in a great deal of pain. He realized that sleep didn't do the sore muscles any good; it just let them get worse. Let them absorb the pain and pain there was.

            Colossus went to sit up and try to soothe his aching muscles when he felt the soft weight pressing against him. A smile, unbidden, tugged at his lips. Buffy Summers was not the woman you would expect to be the Slayer.

            She was so petite and even more so against him. Her body was womanly and her face heart shaped. How could this woman be the only thing stopping the world from being destroyed? It seemed impossible to him.

            Buffy sighed deeply and buried herself more closely to him, trying to drag in his warmth. Her hands clutched at his shirt and her legs were pressed against his.

            Suddenly, he didn't want to move. He wanted to snuggle close to the Slayer and just sleep for days and days. And as his eyes began to get heavy he realized what a possibility that was.

            Colossus's mind was drawn back to the wild kiss he and Buffy had shared when they had first returned to Earth. Sure, he was almost positive she didn't think any more of it than as a primitive need to feel. He could relate. In Hell, he had felt so tired, drained, dead. Then he had literally been tossed back to Earth and it had seemed almost unreal. Kissing the Slayer had eased that doubt from his mind.

            And it had been great, to say the last. He wondered where Buffy had managed to find the time to learn to kiss so well. Then as a heat coiled in his stomach, he decided not to allow his mind to focus on that.

            For a few moments more, Colossus allowed himself to simply lie still, looking down at Buffy. She was such a pretty thing; it was hard to imagine her sacrificing herself for the good of the Earth, though he had no doubt she would.

            Buffy's sigh of awakening broke Colossus's train of thoughts. Quickly, before she awoke to an awkward situation that he probably wouldn't be able to explain, he shifted so she slid gently to the floor.

            Just as Buffy's back landed on the floor, her eyes fluttered opened. She looked up at Colossus lazily, her lids half-closed over her big blue eyes. She stretched like a content cat and sat up. She was silent for a moment as she took in deep breaths in order to wake up. She found that she didn't want to awake up. She wanted to stay half-awake and stare at Colossus. Enjoy the rough and handsome planes of his face.

            But Buffy rarely got what she wanted.

            Groaning, Buffy sat up. Her whole body was aching, from both the battle, sleeping on that couch, and being forced back into Earth. Either way, she wished she could sleep.

            Buffy eyes moved to the window and then widened, "It's still dark out! Did I only get a few hours of sleep?"

            "No." Colossus answered as he looked at the clock, "We've been asleep for ten hours. The sun just isn't coming out."

            Buffy frowned, "Odd. I don't have a good feeling at this no-show sun. I think Jake and Furia are behind it. We should go find the others since they're not here. I want to make sure they're all okay."

            Colossus nodded, understanding, "Do you know where they are?"

            "Probably with the X-Men. After all, Jean and Scott joined our fight right before it began so if they got away I'm pretty such they'd head there. For the safety." Buffy explained, falling back into the role of Slayer.

            Buffy stood and stretched, forcing her aching muscles to work properly. Colossus did the same thing, though since Buffy was the Vampire Slayer she had an advantage. As Colossus tried to get the blood in his body flowing, Buffy moved over to the kitchen table to grab her scythe. She grabbed Colossus's sword in the other hand. In the back part of her mind she wondered why they had not spoken of their kiss yet, but that was for another time. She was a Slayer and thus her duty was put first. Romance would always come second.

            "Do you know where this Institute is located?" Buffy asked Colossus, making sure she had her back to him, "I don't want to be walking around with the Tora-Kone. We'd be like sitting ducks."

            Colossus looked out the window and watched the vampire figure stalk the night, hunting for the innocent. Sighing, he said, "I know where it is. I probably can get us there without being noticed either. But we'll have to move quickly."

            Though Buffy's muscles ached in protest, she said, "Sure no problem." What she really wanted to do was curl up and the couch and sleep forever.

            The scythe hummed with power beneath her fingertips and Buffy felt a little better. That was why she enjoyed her weapon so much. It had a power that seemed to always revive her. She knew it worked the same way with all other Slayers, but she liked to think that the scythe had chosen her. She always felt the dim power glowing in Colossus's sword. She swore she could feel it vibrate beneath her fingers.

            Colossus moved to the door and opened it. The lights in the hallway were dim and probably needed to be changed. It added eerie shadows to the room.

            "Reminds me of Sunnydale." Buffy muttered as she stepped into the hall.

            They slipped out from the apartment complex and into the eerily dark streets. The only light was coming from the streetlights on the sidewalks. That didn't do much but it was enough for Colossus to navigate by. Because of all the Tora-Kone prowling the streets they decided to take the woods.

            Buffy tried her best to watch where she was going, but because it was so dark she keep tripping on roots sticking out from the ground. Luckily, she managed to steady herself every time she started to trip so she didn't crash into Colossus.

            "I wish Ori was here." Buffy murmured unhappily as her feet squashed in the mud, "Her gold fire could sure come in handy right about now."

            "We're almost there." Colossus answered.

            "How do you know where the Institute is?" Buffy wondered, "After all, weren't you and the X-Men enemies? I didn't think enemies knew where each other were located. Did you come over to the Institute for tea and cake every Saturday? Differences be damned?"

            Colossus looked over at Buffy, not sure whether to be amused or insulted. Buffy smiled innocently, titling her head to one side to consider him. Colossus shook his head and looked forward. He squinted his eyes and believed he saw lights up ahead.

            "I think we're here." Colossus said just as they broke through the forest.

            Buffy looked at the mansion and glowered, "Why don't I get a mansion to hang out in? I defeat the First, the Prime Evil, and what do I get for it? A dingy apartment and more evil to fight. The work of a Slayer is never done."

            Colossus smiled as they headed towards the gates of the Institute. Buffy frowned at them and knew they were locked.

            "Not exactly opening arms of welcome to the weary traveler, are they?" Suddenly she smirked, "But, if I went through what they went through, I don't think I'd be too happy to meet a strange visitor. How are we going to get over? Doesn't look like there is a doorbell."

            Just as Buffy was saying that, Colossus turned to his metal form. He raised his hands and broke the gate. As he returned to normal, Buffy nodded.

            "There's one way to do it." She muttered, "Shall we go?"

            They hurried to the door and stood in the protective light of the porch. Buffy rested her scythe and the former Bain's sword against her legs as Colossus raised a hand to bang on the door.

            Xander's face, pale, was the first thing that greeted them. All at once, his face lit up and he threw open the door. Grinning, Buffy threw herself into his arms, the weapons she held clattering to the guard and picked up with Colossus's left hand. Xander squeezed her as if he was afraid she'd disappear again.

            "Buffy!" He cried in shock and delight, "You're alright! You're okay! How did you survive?"

            "Xander!" Buffy cried in mock anger, "You thought I was dead!? How could you!? I'm the Slayer duh! You can't kill me by throwing measly rocks on me. God, don't you know me after all these years?"

            "You have to come in and tell everyone you're okay. We've been so worried! Especially Willow." Xander said, pulling Buffy in.

            Buffy turned and took Colossus's hand. Colossus, who had felt like an outsider in their embrace of friendship, looked surprised that the Slayer had remembered him. Buffy titled her head knowingly and pulled Colossus into the light.

                        The reunion of the Slayer and her friends was one the occupants of the Institute would not forget. There were lots of tears, mainly Willow, lots of bad jokes, mainly Xander, and lots of remarks about hoping Buffy had died, mostly Faith. But everyone could see that every member of the Scoobies were happy to have Buffy back.

            Jean, Scott, Kitty, Kurt and the Brotherhood, Colossus now included, stood off to the side, feeling a little uneasy about interrupting the embracing. But Kitty could hardly contain herself, the minute Buffy broke away from her friends and turned to them she threw herself into the Slayer's arms.

            "I thought you had died!" Kitty cried unhappily.

            Buffy was touched that the young woman cared so much and ran her hand through Kitty's hair, "Hell-kitten, I'm the Slayer. I'm always okay. No worries."

            "That's my line." Came Pyro's voice as he and Ori walked down the stairs to the hallway where Buffy was having her reunion. Ori was still weak from her wound and had spent most of the day recovering her strength.

            "Knew you weren't dead." Ori said with a shrug.

            "How do you feel, Buffy?" Willow asked, "After all, you spent a day in Hell. Aren't you tired?"

            "Yeah, but first I'd like to meet this Xavier guy first. You know, get the low down of what goes on and if he's willing to help." Buffy said.

            Faith grinned, "God, will you ever let the commander attitude drop? I think Scott over here is getting jealous." she motioned to the young man behind her.

            "Hey!" Scott shouted, insulted. Jean chuckled and lopped her arm through his. Scott blushed and shut his mouth.

            Buffy smirked. Boy, she was gone for a few days and Faith and the others were making nice with the X-Men. Even the Brotherhood seemed to be behaving civilized around the X-Men, though Lance and Scott were occasionally shooting glared at one another.

            "Ah, Faith." Buffy chirped, whipping a fake tear away, "You made friends! I'm so happy! And all this time I though you were anti-social."

            "Buffy, I'm so glad you were alive." Came a soft voice from behind Buffy, "Eve told me that you were alive, but sometimes you can't trust her."

            Eve, unseen by everyone expect Sidney, glared at the ghost-talker but didn't say anything because Jack was keeping his eyes on her.

            The Slayer blinked in surprise when she saw the gothic girl, Rogue, standing by Sidney side. They seemed to have entered together.

            "So ya're the one Sidney's been sayin is the Slayer?" Rogue drawled in her sassy Southern voice, "Ya don't look like a big super hero."

            Buffy grinned at the young girl, "You'd be surprised. Big things come in small packages."

            Gambit, ignoring Buffy's comment, said to Rogue, "Glad to see you're still your not angry anymore, mon chere." Buffy raised an eyebrow as Rogue's heated glare was aimed at the Brotherhood member. Willow and Xander gave her their 'we'll explain later' look.

            If Buffy had been at the Institute when Rogue and Gambit had met she was have been amused by their reactions to each other.

            Gambit, totally at ease in his enemy's home, strolled up to Rogue and casually put his arm around her shoulders, careful not to make skin contact. He had met Rogue twice before and was well aware of her powers.

            "Good to see ya again, mon chere." Gambit drawled and the other people in the room, X-Men and Brotherhood, blinked, "Been a while."

            Rogue jerked her eyes up to Gambit and they narrowed to an angry glare, "Why did they have to come here? Ah don't think this was a good idea." Then, without waiting for a reply, she stormed out of the room not to see Gambit again until Buffy returned.

            Sidney, immediately taking a liking to the gothic girl, turned away from her teammates and ran after her to introduce herself. Rogue and Sidney had been inseparable ever since.

             Buffy hadn't been there, but she had been involved in a few romances herself and she could tell something was going on there. Instead of embarrassing Rogue, which was what she'd probably do, she turned to the X-Men.

            "So, Scott seeing as how I'm not dead mind if I talk to your leader? Kinda want to talk to him and explain the situation. Learned a few things down there." Buffy said, placing picking up her scythe—which Colossus had handed back to her when they had entered the house—and handing it to Faith who placed it on the coffee table.

            Lance in a disinterested voice said, "He's right behind you, Buffy."

            Buffy spun around and found herself looking down into the calm eyes of a bald man in a wheelchair. She was about to say hi when her attention was drawn to the man besides the wheelchair bound leader. What had her the most surprised was the sharp daggers he had coming from his knuckles. And he did not look happy.

            "Ah, and he would be?" The Slayer mumbled, wishing she had her scythe.

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                        Ooooh, Logan (our favourite wolf guy… uh… thingy) is finally introduced to the plot. Aren't ya'all happy? Since Logan has the all I'm-a-good-guy-with-bad-guy-attitude going there he's gonna clash with our goody-goody Slayer! Yay clashing! So stay tuned for Returnings Part Two where Buffy and Faith share some words with Logan and Buffy learns of the non-mutant survivors of Bayville! Until then REVIEW! Please?

                        "Before you judge a man, walk a mile in his shoes… after that, who cares? He's a mile away and you got his shoes."

                                    -Lizzy Rebel