Chapter 10

"We found the prophecy. I was so surprised by your previous phone call that I forgot to mention it to you. It says: In hate. In love. In war. Between light and dark. There are two who are both. One fades in Death. Mourning comes. One fades to Ashes. The Mouth of Hell shall once again be in the Valley of the Sun. I don't know if that will help you any, but at least we have it." Giles tried to sound optimistic.

"Yeah. I'll tell Buffy about it, maybe something in it will remind her of something in the dreams she's been having. Anyway, on our side of California, there's not much to say. Although the town is here there doesn't seem to be anyone actually in it. Just buildings and streets, not even a vampire or two. Nobody but us. Buffy wanted to check out the cemeteries tonight. Tell ya' what we find tomorrow. Bye." Angel hung up the phone just as Dawn came in.

She spoke hesitantly, "Buffy says that they don't remember me as much as they should. Do you? I mean do you remember me being annoying and interrupting your kissing Buffy? Do you really remember me? Or am I just a personified thing of energy to you too?"

Angel led her to the swinging chair on the porch, "I remember you. My favorite memory was sneaking you out and getting an ice cream cone. Do you remember that? You had been complaining about me sneaking into Buffy's room and stealing her away to 'do dirty things.' So, one day I snuck into your bedroom—without Buffy—and took you to the ice cream shop. And you told me…"

Dawn interrupted smiling, "I told you that I knew you were just doing it to shut me up about you sneaking into Buffy's room, but that as far as bribes went ice cream and chocolate were good enough for me." Dawn reached across the chair and hugged Angel, "Thanks." She smiled and kissed him lightly on the cheek before heading towards the kitchen for breakfast.

Left alone for the first time since showing up in Sunnydale he quickly stood and left the slayer's home.

Glory stood on the top of the tower, "That bitch! That short little bottle blond bitch! She will suffer. Her and her precious little sister-key."

Adam stood on the scaffolding a few feet back from the hell goddess, "You speak of the slayer?"

"Yea. What of it?" Glory dared him to answer incorrectly; she wanted to beat something up.

"She has upset my plans as well. She is very unpredictable."

Glory smiled viciously, "You want to…hurt her?"

Adam nodded his head once, "I would like to cause her much pain."

"Good." She waved at him to follow her as she began her descent, "But first…I need a new outfit."

The Master stood on the stage at the Bronze and spoke to an imaginary audience, "I could have had it all. Ruled the Hellmouth. Lived in style and pleasure. My every need, want, and lust immediately gained. But for her. That girl. That insufferable little girl. She had to go and kill me. How's that as an act against your betters."

He stepped down the stairs at the side of the stage, joining his invisible throng of admirers, "Aah, but she is only a girl and how can that be? A mere girl. She would make a wonderful vampire. Don't you think so Angelus?" He twisted suddenly to face the side entrance, where his beloved grandchilde stood.

"I always thought so." He leaned casually against the door frame, "But she's changed since you last saw her. It's been close to 10 years since she 'ground your bones to make her bread." He grinned as he quoted Xander.

"Than you will tell me what has changed. What is different? Where have all the people gone?"

Glory entered through the front door, "That's what I'd like to know. Where are my admirers? Where are the men I control with a mere smile in their direction? Where are the shopkeepers who bring me shoes and dresses?"

Both Angelus and the Master went on guard as the stranger stepped closer, "Who are you?"

"Glorificus." She stated—as if they cared what her name was, they wanted to know what she was.

Angelus dug through the soul's memories for the mention of someone called Glorificus, "Glory? The Hellgod?"

She smiled broadly, "You've heard of me?"

"You killed Buffy."

"I . . . did?"

"No…"Angelus dug through the memoriesof the souled one attempting torememberthe visit from the red-headed witch, "Giles killed you, but it was too late. The portal was open. Buffy jumped into it to close it. She died."

"You mean, the bitch is already dead?"

The Master, too, looked at Angelus, upset that he hadn't mentioned this earlier.

"Na. Buf's alive. The witch revived her. Tore from heaven if you can believe the words of a certain distressed blonde that we all know and hate."

The mayor walked in wiping his hands with a white handkerchief, "That girl ruined my ascension. Can you believe the gall of the 5 ft 2 blonde who barely even passed high school? In my day we wouldn't have let her out of the kitchen."

"Wilkins, nice to see you here. Seems we're having a convention of the big bads of Buffy's life. Who are we missing?" Angelus looked over the growing crowd of bad guys. "I remember something about a cyborg demon named…Adam? And…Willow of course. Can't forget the cute redhead, can we now? And The First. It's not a party without The First."

Cordelia stomped her foot, "No that's me! It's not a party without me!"
All the bad guys glared at each other, they weren't meant to act as a team; they were solo creatures. They were the ones with minions, they did not get there hands dirty until the very last fight. But here they were. Only Angelus knew what had happened such each of them died. Only the Master had ever killed Buffy. Only Glory had ever remained undefeated.

"Work together?" Mayor Wilkins smiled the same way that he always smiled, false sincerity showing from every inch of his body.

Unwillingly they all nodded there head in consent. Agreeing that the cause—Buffy's death—was worth a little teamwork.

TBC