A/N: Okay, here we go again. This is a slightly longer chapter then I've been normally putting out so bare with the grammar, okay? Other then that no side notes so enjoy!

            To A Watcher: Did you ever notice how we always want Andrew to die but when we think about long and hard we realize that we don't because he's so funny? What's up with that…?
            To Dreamweaver: You thought this is dark and violent? Okay, note to self, do not make the story any darker as originally planned!

            To wllw979: Wow, you reviewed twice! You're so kind! Okay, so principal not eaten and Andrew not hurt. I'm disappointing you, aren't I?

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Chapter Twenty Five- Strange Visitors

                        Buffy was still fuming about Andrew's unwanted arrival when they finally reached the Xavier's Institute, but she didn't let her emotions get the better of her. If she was to handle the tension between the students of Xavier and the Bayville high school students then she'd need to be emotionless.

            And she had been right. While Buffy had been out rescuing the Bayville residents, Xavier and Beast had taken up the task of explaining what was happening to the younger students.

            Now they all stood in the main 'community' room. The younger students of Xavier, a girl named Amara, a boy named Sam, another boy named Bobby, a younger boy named Jamie as well as a boy named Roberto, stood off to one side of the room with the other Bayville residents on the opposite end of the room. In the middle stood Buffy and her team. Logan and Storm stood next to Xavier in the back of the room. Andrew was sitting on the couch, playing with buttons on his camera, totally unaware of the confrontation at hand.

            "This is going to be fun." Buffy heard Logan mutter to Storm and she whipped her head around to glare at him.

            "I can already feel the headache starting, B." Faith muttered, messaging her temples. Buffy sighed in agreement.

            "Will," she said to her redheaded friend, "see if you can make them act civilized around each other. Actually, all of you help her. These guys look really thick-skulled. It might take all of you to soften them up."

            "Where are you going?" Tabitha asked as Buffy walked towards the door.

            "To see if Gambit and Rogue got back here alright." Buffy answered and left the room. As she walked down the carpeted hall, she heard heavy feet follow her. She turned and watched as Colossus moved up to her.

            "I want to come with you." Colossus said as Buffy opened her mouth, "I worry for Gambit. He is teammate and I want make sure he is okay."

            Buffy nodded, understanding.

            "Besides," Colossus said seriously, "I do not want to be in that room when your Willow tries to make those people get along."

            Buffy looked over at him again, looked over at that serious face, and burst out laughing, "I've never met anyone like you! Are you serious about everything you do? Even your damn humor?"

            "I was not being humorous." Colossus pointed out.

            "I know. That's what makes it so funny!" Buffy said, shaking her head with a chuckle. Colossus just blinked at her, but then he began to smile at her and her antics. Buffy couldn't help but smile back.

            But the spell was broken as Sidney, her skin even paler then usual and her silvery hair limp around her face, walked over to them with her head lowered. Buffy reached out and took Sidney's arm, feeling very worried.

            "Sidney?" Buffy asked, "What's wrong? Are you sick?"

            "It's… it's Rogue." Sidney said in a soft, weak voice, "Gambit just brought her here, but there's something wrong with her. She won't wake up. It's almost as if she's gone into a coma…" Tears welled up at the corners of Sidney's eyes.

            "Take me to her." Buffy said and Sidney nodded weakly. The young woman led the Slayer and her teammate down the hall to another small room with a bed in it.

            On the bed was Rogue, her face pale even without her makeup, and her body drenched in a cold sweat. She thrashed in the bed, as trying to escape some horrid dream. Holding her gloved hand in his semi-covered one was Gambit. As a whimper escaped from Rogue's lips, Gambit brushed away white wet locks from her face.

            "Come on now, ma petite." He told the girl, "Wake up."

            "What happened to her?" Colossus asked in shock and Gambit turned his head to look over at the three new comers to the room. Sighing, he turned back to the girl on the bed.

            "She touched a Tora-Kone without her glove. Once she did, she became unconscious and now I can't wake her up." Gambit said.

            Buffy closed her eyes and pressed her two fingers to her eyelids, "She can absorb people? Memories and stuff, right?" Buffy asked without opening her eyes, "To know what goes in a vampire's mind. That's not something every person can handle. I don't even know if I could."

            Gambit's back stiffened, "She'd handle it. Because she is very strong."

            Buffy moved forward to examine Rogue, "At least she doesn't have any wounds. Just the mind thing. I'll talk to Willow; see if she knows a spell that will help."

            "You do dat." Gambit muttered unhappily.

            Buffy turned to Colossus, "Let's go see our resident witch." She told him and left Sidney and Gambit to grieve.

            When Colossus and Buffy arrived in the room where Willow was, not much had changed expect now Lance and Kelly were arguing. Kitty was looking annoyed and Scott was moments away from losing his cool, held back by Jean. Amanda was shouting at Duncan with Kurt at her side to defend her. Ori and Pyro were arguing with a bunch of non-mutant people, and Faith was trying to cool some hotheads. Xander and Tabitha seemed to be trying to ignore the arguments. In the middle of all the arguments stood Willow, her face red and she looked like she was about to collapse. Amara, Bobby, Sam and Roberto were arguing with the young humans Buffy had rescued. Andrew still sat on that couch, fiddling with his camera.

            In the back of the room stood Professor Xavier, Logan, Storm and now Beast. All of them were studying what was going on. All of a sudden, Buffy started to get annoyed. With her teeth gritted she moved towards the center of the room.

            "All of you," Buffy shouted but no one listened, "SHUT THE HELL UP!" That caught their attention and the noise died down.

            Eyes blazing, Buffy started, "You're all pathetic. Don't you get it? Your town is under attack by the supernatural, your world's in danger, you could all die and you're still letting you differences get in the way of helping one another? How can you all be so stupid? This is war here. War as in a fight for your life. You can't let your past differences get in the way here. It could cost everyone their lives. Is that what you really want? To die? I'm doing all I can to keep you all alive, but I can only do so much. If you want to die fine but if you want to live help me help you. Live with one another. I'm not asking you two start to making tea dates and all that, but act civilized around each other. This isn't about humans verses mutants anymore it's about good verses evil."

            When she was done everyone in the room, except the four in the back, lowered their heads in shame. Though, many weeks later, no one would admit that the Slayer had been right, in that moment she was. And it made it all the worse.

            "Beast," Buffy said, her voice soft now. She was exhausted physically and mentally. Having to deal with this was not making her feel any better, "please help them get to their rooms."

            "Of course." Beast said, awed by Buffy's speech. She knew had to strike a cord, "Alright everyone! Let's get rested up. Follow me."

            Everyone walked past Buffy, not daring to look into her blue eyes. Buffy sighed and pressed two fingers to her temple. She wanted to sob, but she was didn't allow herself the cry. She needed to be calm, cool until she was in bed. Then she could curl up and let her tears flow, but for now she was still the Slayer.

            Faith walked by Buffy, not noticing the tired look in her leader's eyes, and said, "Good job, B. Never could've handled it like that." She walked by Buffy, just as tired as everyone else, but better at hiding it.

            Xander and Tabitha walked by and Xander, the One Who Saw, noticed the look in his leader's eyes. He opened his mouth to ask what was wrong, but Buffy shook her head. Thinking his friend could handle herself, he continued his chat with Tabitha.

            Willow moved past her long time friend, knowing something was wrong and knowing there was nothing she could do, when Buffy called softly, "Will, I need to talk with you. Find Sidney for me, k?"

            Willow nodded and then moved out of the way.

            Then Buffy just stood there, trying to get the tight muscles in her arms and shoulders to relax but finding she couldn't. She was dead on her feet, moments from collapsing.

            But then Colossus placed a hand on her shoulder and the Slayer felt herself began to feel better, "You should sleep."

            "I will." Buffy answered, "Nothing would please me better then good sleep, but I have things to do first. I'll sleep in a bit. Now, you get to bed." Colossus sighed and moved from the room.

            Buffy stood alone for a few moments, taking in the silence. It had been a while she had ever felt this alone before. It felt good, but at the same time she wanted to run from the room, wake everyone up, and surround herself with the noise.

            I've been spending to much time around the New Slayers, Buffy thought to herself as she moved out of the room as well.

            When the Slayer moved down the hallway to the room where Rogue was, she ran into Willow and Sidney who were speaking in deep voices.

            Willow turned when she heard Buffy and looked at her wearily, "Sidney told me about Rogue, Buffy. I think that she's trapped in the mind of the Tora-Kone. If the vampire had survived the battle all we would've had to do was take the Tora-Kone and I could've destroyed his mind with magick. But, Buffy, Gambit killed that vampire. This means that Rogue was trapped in its mind when it died, she's still there. The mind was destroyed… only the body was."

            "What do we do, Will?" Buffy asked, resisting the urge to close her eyes.

            "I need things." Willow said, "To do a release spell in order to free Rogue's mind. From what I got from Beast, the only witchy store around here is pretty far away. Right on the edge of Bayville. That's like five miles away."

            "I'll get it, Willow." Buffy assured her and walked away, leaving both Sidney and Willow to stare after her.

                        Buffy slept until the next night. She was too exhausted to do anything more then sleep. Not even her growling stomach could jar her from her coma-like sleep.

            Her room was dark, the curtains pulled over the glass to block out the eerie unnatural darkness, and anyone who stepped inside it would think it the grimmest room they had ever seen. The bed in which Buffy slept was queen-sized and thick, black covers were wrapped around her body.

            Buffy was shivering from a nightmare. Sweat, cold and slick, slide down her forehead and her blanket was drenched in it. Her wild mane of blonde hair was thrown about her face from her constant thrashing.

            Buffy was standing on the battle field, trembling from fear. She was moments away from running but her feet seemed stuck to the ground.

            Around her were the mutants, as well as Willow, Xander, Andrew and Faith. They all were engaged in battle. Their stakes and swords and powers burning with energy. They didn't seem to notice their leader standing before them, with that look of confusion on her pretty young face.

            But then someone, Colossus, moved towards her and took her arm, "Buffy! Why aren't you fighting? We need you!"

            "What's going on?" Buffy whispered, "When did this happen? Why is this happening?"

            "Buffy-" Colossus began but suddenly, to Buffy's horror, a sword burst from his stomach. As his eyes rolled to the back of his head, Colossus collapsed to the ground. He lay there dead and Buffy could do nothing but stand there.

            "No…" Buffy whispered helplessly.

            "Ya think ya can stop meh!?" Jake demanded, laughing at her. Rage boiled in her veins but Buffy still couldn't make herself move, "Ya are weak, Slayer. Ah am strong. Ah will make ya friends and comrades bleed, and ya'll have ta watch. And then Lord Deltoramina shall rise and it'll all end."

            "No." Buffy whispered again, she looked at Jake with horror on her face.

            "Yes." Jake pressed, "No matter what ya do, it will never be enough. Ya will always come up short, Slayer."

            Then somewhere, somewhere far away, there was someone calling her, "BUFFY! Buffy, wake up! We've got a problem, Buffy!"

            Buffy raised her hands and pressed them to her ears as Jake began to laugh, "NO!" She shouted in helpless fury.

            "No." Buffy whispered as her eyes fluttered open.

            There was pounding on her closed door, "Buffy!" Willow's voice called, "I know you're really tired, but we really need you. Something's come up."

            Buffy groaned and pushed back her wet covers and sat up. She wore her skimpy silk black boxers and shirt. Her hair was mattered to her neck and forehead. Willow's poundings increased with every second.

            Wondering what could possibly be the problem, Buffy moved to the door and swung it open. Willow smiled at Buffy sheepishly, but there was a tired look to her eyes.

            "What is it, Will?" Buffy asked, still half asleep, "Is Rogue alright?"

            Willow nodded, "She's fine. She happens to be a deep sleep right, now. No more thrashing though it probably won't last long. That's not the problem."

            "What is it then?" Buffy asked, yawning.

            "You'd better come see for yourself." Willow said and grabbed Buffy's hand. She turned and dragged the Slayer down the hall.

            Buffy recognized the path they were taking. She knew it would lead to where Professor Xavier's main computers would be. She wondered why Willow was dragging her to there, but didn't say anything for she was too tired.

            They entered the room and Buffy saw Beast, Logan, Storm and Xavier in the room, all staring at one computer.

            Logan turned and eyed Buffy, "I see our sleeping beauty has finally awakened." he said sarcastically. Buffy glared at him though it wasn't as potent as she would have liked being that she was still tired.

            So to help her glare she said testily, "Bite me. I was tired."

            "That is understandable." Beast said, shaking his head at Logan, "You have been under a lot of stress and it seems that it will only get worse."

            "What have we got there?" Buffy asked, noticing the figures on the computer screen, "Relatives or something?"

            "We don't know." Answered Storm, "They showed at out gates about five hours ago. They've taken down all our defensive weapons yet they do not launch a full out attack on the Institute. They're just standing there."

            "They just stand there…?" Buffy repeated and stepped towards the screen. She stared at it for a moment before blinked. Then she turned and stormed out.

            "Where are you going!?" Xavier called.

            "To welcome our guests." Buffy answered and grabbed her scythe that was propped on the table besides the door.

            Buffy rushed up to the main living of the house. They all stared at what they saw. Buffy may have looked amazing in her skirts and shirts, but she looked like sex goddess in the black silk boxer and tank top she was wearing.

            Buffy didn't spare the drooling boys a glance, mutants and non alike, as she rushed towards the door. Kitty, who has been chatting to Jean, stood and rushed towards the Slayer, the physic at her heels.

            "Buffy?" Jean asked, "What are you doing? There's something dangerous out there!"

            Buffy glanced at the two females over her shoulder, "I'm well aware of that. I'm going to meet them. They could be friend or foe." With that said, she turned and opened the door to leave.

            "Come on." Kitty said and dragged Jean to follow Buffy.

            Buffy turned to the girls as they exited the mansion, "I didn't want you to come." She told them and Kitty shrugged.

            "We're here for backup if you need us." The Shadowcat answered.

            Buffy groaned, but instead of lecturing the two girls she charged forward. The three women rushed towards the front of the school where the group of figures stood. As they near, Buffy saw the glint of swords and prepared herself for a fight.

            Finally they reached the figures and Buffy halted. Standing before them were both women and men, demon form and human form, and leading them was a woman in a tight brown dress that reminded Buffy of an Amazon. Her hair was black and braided and she had a dark cape slung around her shoulders. Her eyes blazed green and a long, deadly sword swung at her hip.

            "Buffy Summers?" The woman questioned.

            "Yeah?" Buffy said calmly as her braced herself. Besides herself, Jean and Kitty went stiff.

            "My name is Shibita." she said, "And I am a half-demon. I and my followers are running from Jake and his army of Tora-Kone. After he took over Bain's Hell, he's been killing off all half-breeds. It will only take a matter of weeks before Jake has full control over all Hell. We've come to join your cause."

            "My cause, huh?" Buffy repeated with a smirk, "Well, this is a first. Never had demons, even half-demons, fight with me. Not this much anyway. I'm touched."

            Shibita face twisted, "This is no time for jokes, Slayer. I wish I could just ignore this, you have killed too many of my people, but I have no choice. I need your help."

            "Don't they all?" Buffy muttered, and rested her scythe on her hip, "So you and your people are willing help me fight? Well, we'll win for sure now."

            The half-demon leader chose to ignore what Buffy said and continued, "But my people are not all I bring you, Slayer." When Buffy raised an eyebrow Shibita smirked, "Here they are."

            From behind Shibita's people moved the young women. They were humans and there were seven of them. They were short and tall and their hair colours ranged from gold to black. They had to be only in their mid-teens and they were all very skinny, as if they had not eaten in a while. Buffy's eye widened.

            Slayers…

            "You're Slayers." Buffy whispered and Kitty and Jean looked at her in surprise.

            "How many of you are there?" Jean asked.

            "Tons." Answered a girl with burnt orange hair. Her eyes were smoky gray and she could only be an inch shorter then Buffy herself, "My name is Dana. Over there is Charlotte, Ana, Bridget, May, Hannah and Nicola. It's an honor to meet you, Miss Summers."

            Buffy looked over at the Slayers one by one, "You're all Slayers? You all came here with the demons to help me."

            "We had no choice." Answered the girl name Charlotte with a scowl, "We are being hunted by Jake's men as well. Coming to you was the only chance at survival we had." She threw her head back and her mink hair flew.

            Buffy frowned and decided she didn't like this Charlotte girl very much. Dana, looking horrified, elbowed Charlotte in the ribs.

            "Charlie…" Dana said helplessly, "This is Buffy Summers! She's like… the Mother of all Slayers. She's our Mother Eve!"
            Buffy looked at the girl with the enthusiastic eyes and felt touched by the innocent she saw, "Dana, I'm no Eve, but I am a fighter. Shibita, you and your people are welcome here. And as for you Slayers, you will be training under me."

            "That's great!" Dana chirped while all the other Slayers scowled, "I never was really trained. My Watcher was killed before he could meet me. It'll be so cool to be trained under the great Buffy Summers."

            Buffy smirked, "As well as some really powerful mutants." She motioned to Kitty and Jean.

            "You guys are mutants!?" Dana cried with glee, "This is so kick-ass awesome!"

            Buffy rolled her eyes and moved back to the Institute. This was going to be fun.

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                        Okay, done! So we've got some knew characters introduced. We have Shibita the half-demon and seven new Slayers. What's gonna become of them? Find out by reading onward! Stay tuned for chapter twenty-six, Things That Make Us Great, pretty much a break-chapter before the action starts up again. Everyone settles in life with the Slayer and Buffy comes up with a plan to remove the civilians from the Institute while keeping them alive.

                                    "I can resist everything except temptation." –Oscar Wilde

                                                -Lizzy Rebel