Disclaimers: Mutant Enemy and Joss Whedon own it all. I'm just doing this for fun, and hopefully entertainment
Reviews: Welcomed and appreciated
Tara parked her car and disembarked, Anya close on her heels.
"Xander said they went through a tree. Please Tara, we need to save Xander." Anya had been alternating between anger and weeping uncontrollably since she called Tara to help her and Tara was fastly becoming impatient with the ex-demon. She understood Anya had lost her loved one, but she needed to exert some sort of control until they knew what they were up against. On the way to pick up Anya, Tara had seen dozens of seemingly zombified citizens heading towards the warehouse district where a tower was being constructed. Obviously this is where that god Willow had told her about was holding court and building an opening to her dimension. She had the where, now she needed the how and the who to help them avert an apocalypse and hopefully rescue Xander.
Spying a large oak tree at the end of the block, Tara headed for it while removing a small pouch from her bag, opening it she shook out a small amount of dust and blew it at the tree.
"Took you long enough." Spike's eyes raked over the voluptuous blond standing in front of him.
Ignoring his obvious leer, she spoke up. "We…we need to see W…Willow. Please." Her large eyes were beginning to fill up with the frustration and helplessness she was feeling.
Anya pushed her out of the way. "We need Willow! Now! She needs to save Xander. My Xander."
Spike laughed. "And I care…why?"
The large door behind Spike opened allowing a lovely young woman to exit. "And who are you?" She turned to Spike, "And what the hell are you doing?"
"Just protecting the palace princess." Jerking his head at the two women. "These two are looking for Willow."
Buffy turned back towards them. "What do you want with Willow?"
"Oh god. Are you Buffy? Please! You have to help us. They took my Xander. You have to save him. Please." Anya was bordering on hysteria as Tara pulled her to stand behind her.
"Pl…Please, we believe Glory's minions t…took Xander. We know where she is, Glory I mean, and we need Willow's help." Tara was nervous and her stutter was acting up.
"So, they just came in and took him. I tried to get him to run, but no. He had to try to prove that he wasn't just a useless appendage to your little band of vigilantes. So he tried to stand up like a man. And just look where it got him. Taken to that bitch hell god. And it's all your fault." She looked pointedly at Willow and Cordelia. "You could've pretended he was an asset, god I always do and it always makes him feel better. Would it have hurt?" She turned to Tara. "She's the only one I can really count on."
Tara looked up at Willow and Cordelia. "We saw them building a tower." She looked around the room. "Where's Dawn? If she did get any information out of Xander she's going to know where we are."
"She's still here with her mom. Guess we should get moving." Willow got up and went to Anya. "I promise Anya, we'll get Xander out, he'll be fine."
"Bloody hell. Would you all just stop? The boy is probably already dead, well brain dead anyway. You won't do him a spot of good if you go out there and get yourselves dead as well." Spike had heard the conversation between the women and was sick of listening to their fantasy world.
Buffy had gone to get Angelus and the two of them had walked into the room in time to hear Spike's proclamation with Joyce and Dawn on their heels.
"God no." Dawn leaned on her mother for support. "She has Xander? This is all my fault, isn't it?"
Spike shrugged. "Well, yeah niblet, of course it's your fault. It is you she wants."
Willow cast him an evil glare. "No Dawnie. None of this is your fault. It's all that stupid hell bitch." She looked over at Joyce. "Sorry."
"No, please Willow. I agree with you 100. She's a hell bitch." Joyce held on tightly to her daughter.
Willow looked over at Buffy and Angelus. "Tara knows where Glory is. Maybe we can go and get Xander?"
"Are you serious? Do you really think I would let Buffy endanger her life over that boy?" Angelus was angry. "She said she'd do her best for Dawn and that is it." He walked out of the room, not sure he'd be able to control his anger.
Buffy shrugged. "That is what I said. And as much as I hate to say it, Spike is probably right. Xander's brain has got to be mush by now."
Dawn began to cry as Joyce tried to comfort her. "He may be fine Dawnie, we just don't know yet." She cast an angry look at Buffy.
"Hey, don't look at me like that. It's not my fault. AsI recallXander had the art of running down pat. It was his decision to go against type and play the hero."
Spike cocked his head to look at his grand-sire. Angelus was simmering and that never boded well for him. "So, it's true? Slayers retain their souls if they're turned. That's what this whole thing is about, isn't it? She didn't stay with you because she lost her soul, she stayed because of you." He looked at his grand-sire. "God man, what is it about you that brings out such bloody devotion?"
"Shut up Spike. I'm not in the mood for your inane ramblings. I need to end this thing and soon. Find this so-called god and wait 'til she turns back into the boy then kill him."
"I am not your little bitch to do your bidding Angelus. Why the fuck I'm still around evades me at the moment…"
"We both know why you are still around Spike. You have no where else to go and despite everything, we are family." He stood up and approached his grand-child. "Now be the good boy and…" There was a loud crash that had both vampires running down the stairs.
"Hold it right there. I know you're vampires and all, but I'm a god and believe me you are no match for what I can dish out. I mean, I have no problems making you suffer, but you have nothing I need so really, what's the point? I just had a mani-pedi and it'll get ruined if I have to deal with you." Glory smiled as she dropped Xander to the ground and reached for Dawn. "And I do have what I came for. You are all so naughty keeping my key from me. Lucky for me you have a friend with all the answers. He sang like a little birdie before I even sucked his brain."
"Oh god, Xander." Anya fell to the ground and cradled Xander in her lap.
Glory rolled her eyes. "He's not dead, just a little…stupid. Well, stupider. I gotta get going. People to kill and worlds to dominate." She looked back at the vampires. "Have fun while you can guys, your kind just won't fit into the new world order that's a comin'" She turned and walked out the hole in the wall she had made with Dawn, followed by several of her minions.
The rest of the group was in a shambles. Willow was nursing what looked like a broken arm while Cordelia attempted to help her. Tara was wincing as she tried to get up off the floor. Joyce's head was bleeding and Anya was trying to calm a very agitated Xander. Buffy was leaning against a wall taking in the whole scene while her own wounds were beginning to mend. Angelus walked up to her and took her hand, leading her upstairs.
He sat her on the edge of their bed. "So, what happened?" Angelus looked closely at his mate.
She shrugged. "Glory found us. Guess I shouldn't have sent Xander home."
"That's it? All this bullshit. You choosing them over me and all I get from you is she found us?"
"Well, what do you want me to say? That I couldn't stop her? That she's stronger than me?" She looked back at him. "And I didn't choose them over you. I just wanted, no I needed, to try and save her." She let her head drop. "And I failed."
Angelus turned his back on her, shaking his head. "This is ridiculous Buff. We had, we have the perfect life and you are letting them ruin it. I should just kill the lot of them right now and end this." He headed towards the door.
"Please Angelus. No. Please. I want our life back. I didn't choose them, I chose you. I love you. I just…I just need…" She couldn't articulate her feelings because she wasn't sure what they were.
Angelus fell to his knees before her. "Fuck it Buff. What have you done to me? What have I let you do to me?" He shook his head and grabbed her hand, pulling her behind him down the staircase.
"Okay. We end this tonight." He looked at the group. "Any ideas on how to kill a god?"
Tara cleared her throat. "Well…I seem to recall…" She turned to Anya. "Doesn't Mr. Giles have the Hammer of Thor at the magic shop?" She looked at Buffy and Angelus again. "It may be a start."
