A/N: Hello! ***Waves to readers*** How's it going? I hope your enjoying this story. But I must warn you, this one is actually pretty long… ***blinks at page length*** for my chapters anyway. I hope this doesn't hurt your head. I know that really long chapters bother me a lot because they're sooo good but never ending! Gah!

            To wllw979: Ah the 'is Gambit an empathic?' question. Well, I did some research on this little factoid and all I could find was hints that he COULD be. Either Marvel never gave a direct answer to this fact or I'm not a good researcher :p But I figured that since X-Men: Evo's Rogue is a tough love kinda gal she'll be looking for any reason to prove she wasn't really attracted to Gambit. Thus, she blames his slightly hinted empathy. In my little world, this is how it works.

            To Caltimere: ***grins*** My idea behind the whole Giles/Xavier friendship thing was 'hey, they're both old and know shit right? They MUST be friends!' Really, it's all about putting two and two together to get twenty two and living in a world where invisible people tell you to burn things.

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Chapter Twenty Two- Rescue Mission

                        Buffy waited patiently for the X-Men that Xavier had chosen for the rescue mission to arrive. Or, she tried to anyway. The fact was every second that ticked by another life could be lost.

            But finally everyone was assembling. Ori was sitting on the couch besides Pyro as were Tabitha and Xander on the couch. Kurt, Willow and Beast had appeared thanks to Kurt's abilities. Colossus was sitting in a chair, quiet as can be. Sidney was looking up at Buffy with her calm, cold eyes. Then Lance entered, followed by Kitty then Gambit and finally Rogue. Jean and Scott were preparing to fight. Faith and Buffy made eye contact, and Faith with her Slayer-powers got what was going on and she nodded. Logan stood and went off somewhere. When everyone was assembled, Buffy sighed.

            "I bet you all can guess what's going on." Buffy said with a 'leader' tone that made even Scott jealous, "But I'm going to tell you anyway, seeing as I'm the Slayer. These vampires, they call themselves the Tora-Kone, are working for an evil, evil man named Jake and a demon named Furia. I don't know why, but they're hell-bent on bringing back this ancient demon called Deltoramina who ruled the world after the First disappeared. For reasons I'm not sure of yet, Jake wants to start his hostile takeover here. And you know what that means? That means he wants to kill everyone 'inferior' him. That means humans and half-demons. From what your professor has told me the first humans Jake is getting rid of is everyone who isn't a mutant."

            "Now," Buffy continued, "we've learned that all the surviving humans have been herded into the high school like a flock of sheep going the slaughter house. They've managed to hold the Tora-Kone off for a while, but that isn't going to last long. So, we need to go in there and bring them to safety. Namely here, until we can find a way to get them out of Bayville. Alright, everyone got that? Let's go."

            "Wait." Lance said and Buffy turned to him, "Why should we help them? They haven't exactly been the nicest to us. Maybe this will teach them a lesson."

            "Maybe it'll kill them too." Willow argued, standing next to Buffy.

            "Amanda might ze in zere!" Kurt said heatedly and for the first time let his worry he had been holding for his girlfriend break through.

            "But Avalanche over here's got a point." Scott said and everyone stared at him in shock. Scott agreeing with Lance!? "Would those people in the high school help us? Would they? Why should we help them?"

            "You don't have to." Buffy said calmly, softly, "In fact, you shouldn't have to. I'm not asking you to go. I know that they hate you; they'll probably always hate you. But that's because they're humans, they can't change that. But I'm a Slayer. It's my job to make sure they live and I have to do that. You don't."

            "Me, too." Faith said, "May not be the nicest Slayer on the block, but I have to follow the codes, a habit ya know."

            Ori stood stretched and said, "I'm coming, Buffy. Maybe if we save their red-necks they'll be a little nicer."

            Pyro, Colossus, Gambit and Lance stood, "You saved us from Furia." Lance said, "I guess we owe you our help."

            "I'm like going." Kitty said, "Kurt's right. Amanda could be there."

            "One-Eyed Man always helps the down-trot." Xander proclaimed, jumping to his feet.

            "Pay back time!" Tabitha agreed with a smirk.

            "I will stay behind to work as backup. Those horrid creatures could be planning a counter attack." Beast said.

            "We're going, too." Jean said to which Scott nodded.

            "Alright." Buffy said smiling, "Looks like we got ourselves a team."
            "Do you think we should call ourselves the SBX-Men? You know the Slayers/Scoobies, Brotherhood and X-Men team?" Xander wondered to no one in particular and he earned a smile from every female in the room, as well as glares from certain interested men of the laughing females.

            Buffy shook her head, thankful for Xander, and turned to Sidney, "Sid, I need you to stay here. To dangerous, okay?"

            Sidney lowered her head, feeling useless once more and said, "I understand, Buffy." I just wish I was more useful to you, she thought.

            But Buffy didn't see the hurt in Sidney's eyes as she turned to her new team, "Alright, let's get going. We got some rescuing to do!"

                        Buffy and her team hurried through the woods of Bayville. The Slayer was very thankful that Ori and Pyro came along for the fire they released from their palms helped light the way.

            Finally they stopped on a hill that over looked the football field of Bayville High. Buffy, thanks to her Slayer abilities, could see that the place was swarming with Tora-Kone. But she could also see that they didn't seem able to get into the school. She smiled, humans always found a way to survive.

            "Alright, we're splitting into three teams." Buffy said, crouching down, "Pyro, Ori, Kurt, Scott and Jean, I want you to go the back way. Search the basement, okay? Lance, Kitty, Gambit, Rogue and Faith you try to get in the middle way, okay? Search the bottom floor. Xander, Willow, Colossus, Tabitha and me will check out the top floor. You all know how to kill vampires, right?" Buffy set down her large backpack and handed everyone a stake, save herself and Colossus who carried their weapons.

            "Okay, everyone we'll meet in the football field when we've rounded everyone up." Faith said, taking charge at Buffy's nod, "Now the rules here are simple: if anyone gets seriously injured, deadly I mean, we leave them. This is about to become an all out war, we don't have time to stop and save each other. Got it, yo?"

            They nodded and looked at one another, wondering vaguely if one of them would not come back alive. This could be the final hour. Buffy almost wanted to say 'welcome to my world' but she didn't. They were kids, still young, and maybe she shouldn't be so tough on them.

            "Alright, get going and be careful." Buffy whispered as she watched the groups dart off in different directions. Then Buffy turned back to her own team.

            "Tabitha, Xander tells me you can make bombs. That'll come in handy. Do you think you can blow the door open?" Buffy said, turning to the blonde.

            Tabitha grinned, though her heart was pounding in fear, "No problem."

            They rushed forward and Buffy forced her mind from the other teams. They were strong; they could take care of themselves.

            The A Team crouched behind the brick steps leading to the front entrance of the school. Buffy looked over at Colossus and Xander and they nodded in understanding. There were about five Tora-Kone trying to get into the school, it would be up to them three to get rid of them so Tabitha could do her job.

            "Go!" Buffy whispered furiously and they jumped onto the steps. One of the Tora-Kone wheeled around but Buffy slapped a hand across its mouth and used her scythe to silence permanently. Colossus and Xander followed her example.

            Buffy turned to take care of the last two only to find they had been frayed by Willow. The redheaded witch stood at the threshold of the steps, her hand raised in front of her face and her eyes glowing.

            "Yeah!" Xander rooted quietly as Willow lowered her head, "That's how I like my Tora-Kone. Fried to a crisp and dead as a… well, corpse I guess."

            Tabitha moved forward the barricaded wall and placed her glowing bombs at its foot. Then she and the others dunked behind the brick steps once more just as the barricade blow up. Xander grinned.

            "Wow. Two beautiful women who can blow things up. I get all the luck." Tabitha smiled at Xander, charmed by his easy attitude.

            "Let's go before the Tora-Kone see us." Buffy said grimly and they stepped into the school. Buffy and Colossus then shut the doors of the school firmly shut and made sure no one would be able to get in.

            "Alright wanna start looking?" Buffy asked and they began their search.

                        Faith glanced over at Kitty, Lance, Rogue and Gambit with a slight frown. They had gone over the plan and Faith was not liking it. But then what choice did they have?

            "Okay, let me get this straight. You're going to… what was it? Phase use through this wall?" Faith asked of Kitty in disbelief.

            Kitty, dawnen up in her X-Men uniform, nodded, "It's like the easiest way to get in. Unless you want Lance or Gambit to blow us an entrance." At Gambit's grin, Kitty decided the older man would be more than willing to comply.

            Faith sighed, "This goes against my better judgment, but…" Faith grinned, "since when did I have good judgment? Let's do it, Kitty!"

            Kitty smiled back, "Alright everyone, like grab on!" She felt everyone's hand reach out and place them in her shoulders or arms. She pressed her palms against the brick wall of the school and summoned her power.

            Just as she was about to phase, something hard crashed into her and sent her sprawling into the ground. The Tora-Kone monster was above her, baring its fangs and ready to suck her life out of her small body.

            But then it was the Tora-Kone's turn to be sent sprawling forward into the ground and Lance was on top. He held his stake high and then brought it down. The Tora-Kone howled in pain a moment before disappearing into dust.

            Kitty stood and her eyes widened, "We've like got a problem." Everyone turned to see what she was worried about. What they saw were dozens and dozens of Tora-Kone, all rushing towards them.

            Faith hissed out, "Shit. Okay, everyone, game faces on. This is where the real fighting begins." She grabbed her stake, the one Buffy called Mr. Pointy, and bared her teeth.

            "Dis will be interesting." Gambit said, shifting stake from one hand to another with his trademark smile on his face. Rogue didn't say anything, she just stood still, trembling with rage and fear.

            Lance pushed himself to his feet and stood besides Kitty, ready to defend her with his life. Kitty closed her eyes for a brief second and then she was ready.

            The Tora-Kone released battle cried and lunged. The battle begun…

            Faith raised her stake trying to get as many Tora-Kone as she could. It didn't work out as well as she had planned. The Tora-Kone seemed to sense that she was the Slayer and they dog piled her. Faith was suffocating, the weight of the Tora-Kone destroying her. Her lungs worked for air, but found none. She was being destroyed by vampire bodies.

            Then she felt a hand reach out and grab her own. She was pulled from the dog pile and she was surprised to see herself going through the bodies of the Tora-Kone. Then she was dragging in air and was looking into Kitty's face.

            "We have to like move!" Kitty shouted, pulling Faith away from the dog pile. Faith got her feet and ran with Kitty, just as Lance's eyes rolled to the back of his head and the Earth shook. The ground rose up and the Tora-Kone were buried in ruble. But the three heroes didn't get to rest for at the moment one group of Tora-Kone were killed another moved it.

            Rogue was viciously destroying her enemies. She was skinny and fast so she could dodge the swipes of the vampires, kick it and then slam her stake in for the kill. She didn't know how Buffy or Faith or any other Slayer did this everyday. She was exhausted from taking down only eight Tora-Kone. They were so strong and fast, it was hard to keep herself alive.

            She dodged a blow to the head and raised her stake to destroy her vampire foe. She was too busy killing her enemy to see the other Tora-Kone sneaking up on her from behind. But Gambit saw it.

            He blew up the enemy he was currently battling and rushed towards Rogue. Gambit grabbed her arm and jerked her to him just before the Tora-Kone killed her. In the same movement, his placed his stake directly in the vampire's heart.

            Rogue, even though she should be the most thankful person alive, pushed at Gambit and glared at him, "I could've handled it."

            Gambit shook his head and answered, "Whatever you say, mon chere."

            Then Gambit turned back to the Tora-Kone and used his fingers to blow one of them up. He grinned, "Dis ain't so hard." he said moments before the Tora-Kone he had tried to destroy stood up and lunged at him.

            "We need to get inside!" Faith cried above the battle.

            Rogue didn't hear her, she was watching as Gambit and his Tora-Kone enemy rolled in the ground. Gambit tried to reach out for his stake for the blowing-things-up scenario wasn't working, but the Tora-Kone was on top and was overpowering Gambit. Any moment he was going to die, by some horrible vampire-means.

            Without thinking about what she was doing or the fact that she claimed she hated Gambit, Rogue jerked of her glove on her left hand and rushed forward. Just as the vampire was about to sink its teeth into Gambit's neck, Rogue reached out and touched its forehead.

            Immediately both Rogue and the Tora-Kone howled in pain. The Tora-Kone because all of its strength was leaving it and Rogue because she was seeing, living all its horrible, bloody memories. Unable to keep up the contact, Rogue pulled away. As the Tora-Kone collapsed, Gambit pressed his stake into the vampire's chest. He jumped to his feet and caught Rogue as she fell.

            "Chere?" Gambit said softly, lifting Rogue up from under her armpits, "Rogue?"

            But Rogue didn't say anything, instead she choked on sobs. She was seeing everything the Tora-Kone had did everything.

            A mother and child in San Francisco… the tiny child screaming, the mother begging for mercy…

            A young man's paling skin as his neck was cocked to one side… the screams cried as the vampire feasted…

            An old woman swinging a cane in hopes of defending herself… the soft snap of her neck as the vampire killed…

            A young woman, a Slayer, raising her stake to kill… a sword plunging into her stomach… wide eyes, a limp body, another Slayer dead…

            Jake smiling down at the Tora-Kone, "One Slayer down a whole bunch more to go. Ya don' good, vamp. Lord Deltoramina will be most pleased…"

            So many screams… so many dead people. Men, women and children. That Slayer girl. Their screams and faces swirled into Rogue's head, overwhelming her…

            "STOP IT!" Rogue shouted, sobbing, "No more. No more, please!" She pressed her hands against her ears in a vain hope to stop the screams.

            A voice above her, Gambit's voice, "Rogue! Rogue, stop screaming!" She tried to obey, but she couldn't. He didn't see them, those people, that Slayer. He didn't hear the screams, but she did and there was nothing to do to stop them.

            The screams where too much, too much to bare. Rogue dragged in a breath and felt her body go limp, felt herself give way. She fell against something solid and hard and warm. She smiled despite her pain and slept.

            "Gambit!" Faith shouted, watching as Rogue collapsed into his arms, "Get her out of here. We're going in!" With that Faith turned and grabbed Lance's arm and then placed her hand on Kitty's shoulder. She pushed the Shadowcat to the brick wall and dragged the Avalanche along. Kitty summoned her powers and they phased into the wall.

            Gambit looked down at Rogue who, though asleep, was trembling in his arms. Her fingers were clasped firmly across her head and she was moaning, big tears streaming down her face. She shook her head fiercely and tried to block out whatever horrid thing was in her mind.

            Growling in his throat, he lunged to his feet and raced back into the woods. He prayed that the Tora-Kone would forget about him and Rogue. Once he felt he was deep enough in the woods, he rested against a tree with Rogue's head propped up against his shoulder.

            Rogue moaned, her lips parting, and she began to shiver violently. A spasm of coughs raked her body and she started to weep.

            "Come on now, chere." Gambit said, Rogue's cries twisting his heart, "It'll be over soon. It'll pass." But Rogue didn't seem to hear him, she just kept on shivering.

            Gambit settled Rogue in his lap and took off his lower-calf long brown trench coat and wrapped her up in it. Even with his coat wrapped around her, she still shivered. It wasn't the cold outside that forced the tremors on her body, it was the cold inside.

            For a moment, a moment that would haunt her for the rest of her life, Rogue almost lost herself to the demon the Tora-Kone had been. For a split second she wanted to sink fangs into an innocent. She wanted blood. Fearing for whoever held her tight, she tried to jerk away but she was immobile.

            "Not dis time, ma petite." Gambit said, holding Rogue tightly to him "Wait until it passes. Stop fighting."

            Rogue sighed and went slack. Whatever had been ripping at her soul had passed and now the warmth, the light, was wrapping itself around her. For the first time since she was little, the young woman formerly called Marie let herself fall into bliss… and Gambit was there to catch her.

                        The earth shook with tremors and there was a loud explosion. Ori turned her head towards the sound and frowned. Team C was standing in front of the doors leading into the gym, in the back of the room. Besides her, Kurt, Pyro, Scott and Jean all looked worried.

            "Sounds like the other aren't having much luck." She muttered, "They've already started fighting. Should we go help them?"

            Scott shook his head, "You heard what Buffy said as well as I did. The mission is getting inside. We don't stop for anyone, got it?"

            Pyro nodded grimly and turned towards Scott, "So how do you want to enter?"

            "Jean?" Scott said, raising an eyebrow at the redheaded young woman.

            Jean's eyes narrowed as she raised her hand. Suddenly the entrance to the gym flew open by some unknown force.

            Ori grinned and slapped Jean on the back, "Power to the women!" She proclaimed and Jean offered her a smile.

            "Ah, guys," Kurt called facing the direction opposite the door, "I zink we zave a problem." And he pointed.

            Ori turned and her gold eyes widened, "Uh-oh." She whispered, "That would definitely be a problem."

            Tora-Kone, dozens upon dozens of them, were rushing towards them. Their faces were in full vamp form and they looked very blood thirsty. Ori backed away from them and her back pressed against the door.

            "Looks like we're going to have to do a little fight before we can save everyone, mates." Pyro said, looking very pleased with this turn of events.

            "Everyone get ready!" Scott shouted as the vampires lunged. He nodded to Jean, who raised her arms and replaced the gym walls in attempt to keep the Tora-Kone from entering the building.

            Jean took to the sky, her hair whipping about her face as if fire itself. She raised her hands, her eyes burning, and dozens of vampires were held firm in the air. Scott raised his goggle-covered eyes and blasted them through the heart. The dust from the Tora-Kone's destroyed bodies floated to the ground like snow. Jean reached out both of her hands once more and created a force-field around the C Team in order to buy time. Her teeth dug into each other and she knew she wouldn't be able to hold out very long.

            As for Ori, she and Pyro were making a great time. She used her gold flames to hold the vamps still and Pyro burned them to ashes. The grins on their faces matched as the fire rose and the vampires burned.

            "Ah, beauty, mate!" Pyro cried happily, allow more flames to flow from his palms, "Beauty!"

            Ori looked over at him with a primeval grin on her face. With a shake of her head she told Pyro, "You're enjoying this way too much." A Tora-Kone rushed towards her only to find itself burned by golden fire, "But then so am I!"

            Kurt was taking down as many Tora-Kone as he could. He used both his tail and his stake to take down the vampires. As he plunged his stake into a chest, his tail reached and wrapped around another until he could turn and finish off his enemy. He did this over and over again, and it was having a very good affect, but Kurt realized there was just too many. The vampires just swarmed and swarmed, like locus. He was already exhausted from the constant teleporting and dodging and killing.

            Above him, Jean was fighting a losing battle. She couldn't keep all the Tora-Kone out with just her mind. They pounded at her force-field and tried to break it. Their pounding fists echoed in her head, making her dizzy. Please, please, please, Jean prayed. She wasn't sure what she was praying for, but she chanted it over and over again in her head. It made her stronger, but not much.

            Scott glanced up at Jean and saw her internal struggle. There was no why she could hold out for much longer, he knew. He could see from the way her body twisted and she cried out that she was losing her powers. They needed to get into the school.

            "Ori! Pyro!" Scott shouted as he blasted another Tora-Kone, "Make us another opening."

            Ori and Pyro, the fire-bringers, nodded. They rushed up to the gym doors. A plan forming in her head, Ori allowed her hand to catch gold fire. She turned to Pyro, who looked drained. He looked back at her and said wearily.

            "I've got no more fire left!" He shouted to her, "I can't create fire!"

            Ori frowned and then said, "Then manipulate mine! I'll release it and you control it, got it!?"

            Pyro nodded and Ori turned back to the door. She placed her golden hand on Pyro's and released her flame. As the wild flames rushed out of the golden girl's palm, Pyro's muscle went taunt as he controlled them. His eyes, under his protective goggles, blazed with Ori's powers. He shaped her golden fire and forced it to bang into the door, only the door, and not catch anything ablaze. Once their work was done, a large smoldering hole replaced the locked doors.

            "We make a good team, luv." Pyro told Ori as they gave each other exhausted smiles. At Scott's nod, they hurried into the building.

            "Kurt! Jean!" Scott shouted as he made his way to the gym door, "Get inside!" As he reached the door, Kurt popped in front of him, but Scott was suddenly aware Jean was not with them. In horror, he turned and saw Jean was still trying to hold up the invisible wall.

            "JEAN!" Scott shouted, "Get out of there! Damnit, Jean, move!"

            Jean was vaguely aware of Scott calling her. She wanted badly to obey him, but something inside of her wouldn't allow that. She couldn't lower her arms, couldn't stop releasing her power… all she could do was be drained. Losing all of her powers, Jean's eyes rolled to the back of her head and she started to fall to the floor.

            "Kurt!" Scott cried at the blue boy as he watched his powerful beloved fall into the swarm of rushing vampires, "Get her!"
            At his side, Kurt's eyes narrowed and his disappeared. Within in a few seconds, he was back at Scott's side, though this time Jean was in his arms. Her eyes were closed and her breathing ragged and shallow.

            Scott dragged Jean out of Kurt's arm and hugged her to him. Jean's eyes fluttered open and she looked up at him with a tired smile.

            "I'm fine." She assured him when Scott opened his mouth, "Put me down." Though he didn't want to, Scott obeyed Jean and planted her on the ground. For a moment, Jean swayed but Scott was there to make sure she didn't fall.

            "Um… guys… maybe we should move, ya?" Kurt said and Ori and Pyro looked back to the hole. The Tora-Kone, now given an opening, rushed into it.

            "God," Ori cried exasperated, "does it ever end!?"
            "I don't think so, luv." Pyro said, dragging Ori away. To Scott, Jean, and Kurt he called, "Don't you think we should run now, mates?"

            Scott, Jean and Kurt looked at the two like they were crazy. Pyro muttered something like 'good point' and the C Team collapsed into a heap on the floor. The Tora-Kone rushed past them but didn't take notice of them.

                        Buffy stalked the darken halls of the school, Colossus at her side. She looked over at him and almost sighed.

            "No sign of the humans." She murmured to him, "Do you think they went cannibal and ate each other? It's happened before." She told Colossus.

            "Buffy, do you have use the 'c' word?" Xander groaned, half-joking, "You know that I'm still not over Hannibal. Every time I'm eating meat I just hear the words: 'hello, Clarecce."

            "Hello, Clarecce." Colossus said in a very good impersonation of Anthony Hopkins. All of the other people around him stared in wonder and, in Xander's case, horror.

            "How do you do that?" Willow asked in awe, "That is so cool. If I could make my voice do that I could probably get Xander to sacrifice himself to the Goddess."

            "That is an amazing talent." Buffy agreed, smirking.

            Xander shuddered, "Oh my God. You cannot be serious! How come I have to get stuck with Mr. I-can-impersonate-all-the-scary-voices-of-people-in-horror-movies? Life isn't fair!" he cried.

            Tabitha shuddered next to him, "I hated that movie, too. It gave me the creeps. Anthony Hopkins is one freaky dude!" she agreed with Xander.

            "Finally!" Xander cried in pure rapture, "Someone who understands. Don't you think The Ring was the scariest move ever? I was afraid to turn on my TV for days! Freaky girl popping out of it trying to strangle me in the most horrible ways!"
            Tabitha shook her head, "That was horrible, but I hate the Blair Witch Project even more. I couldn't sleep after that for days!"

            "Ohhh," Willow said with wide eyes, "I loved that movie! I had to watch it over and over and over again…"

            "And I had to be with her every single time." Xander mourned.

            Tabitha looked at him in horror, "How can you stand being her friend? She likes scary movies!"

            Xander shook his head, "I don't know. Maybe I don't have any other options." He grinned over at Tabitha, "Wanna be my new friend?"
            "Sounds good." Tabitha said with a smile, "We can go see comedies like Anger Management."

            "Or Daddy Dar Care!"

            "How about the Lord of the Rings?"

            "Yeah, but what about the Matrix Reloaded and Revolutions?"

            Willow frowned at Tabitha and Xander and said in mock-sadness, "I've been replaced. Xander how could you? I thought what we had was special!"

            Buffy shook her head at Colossus, "You think after all we've been through they would've grown up. And yet, here they are, acting like little kids arguing about their favourite movie."

            Colossus chuckled, "You have to admit, Buffy. The fact that they're still like this after all they've been through it amazing."

            "Yes, amazing and annoying."

            Then out of nowhere, Buffy heard a scream. Her Slayer instincts kicking in, she rushed forward. Colossus, Tabitha, Xander and Willow nipped at her heels. Colossus held his sword in a fighting pose, Xander clutched his stake as did Tabitha and Willow was already whispering her chants.

            But the five comrades didn't wonder into an enemy. They skidded to a halt and looked at the people before them.

            Faith…

            Kitty…

            And Lance…

            "What the…?" Buffy trailed off, "What are you doing here, Faith? I though I told you to check the bottom floor. This is the top of the school in case your directional skills have suddenly gotten bad." The Slayer snapped.

            "We've got a problem." Faith said, ignoring the prissy tone of Buffy's that would've normally got on her nerves.

            It was then that Buffy noticed that neither Gambit nor Rogue were with them. Dread welled in her stomach, but she didn't ask about them. There would be a time, later, for that. For now, things had to be done.

            "What happened?" Colossus asked for Buffy, also not mentioning Rogue and Gambit though he noticed their disappearance from the B Team same as Buffy did.

            "We were like attacked!" Kitty exclaimed, "Rogue got hurt and Gambit had to retreat."

            Though the card-dealer had gone against her orders, Buffy was relieved that the two of them could be alright. At least their fate wasn't set in stone. She prayed they had escaped to safety. Back to the Institute.

            "And on top of that," Lance said in an angry tone, "the Tora-Kone some how managed to enter the building. That loser Scott probably messed up and gave the Tora-Kone an opening."

            Buffy groaned, "Great. Just great! And give it a break with the 'loser Scott' thing, alright? It's giving me a headache."

            Then she heard a loud crash and a human scream. Buffy turned and ran; this time three more people followed her. Lance had been right the Tora-Kone had somehow managed to get inside the building. The Slayer could hear their howls of animal fury and she shuddered despite herself.

            But she was a Slayer so she kept on going.

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            Ooooh, a cliffhanger! I know how all you people hate them. ***grins*** So who was that scream? Who are the survivors of Bayville? How will Buffy save them? What is Logan doing exactly? Any guesser? Find out in chapter twenty three High School Horror where the rescue mission is concluded! Until then, R&R!!!

                        "My grandmother started to walk a mile a day when she was sixty. She's now ninety and we don't know where the hell she is."

                                    -Lizzy Rebel