Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters. The characters all belong to their respective studios and creators. I am just borrowing them for my story.

Author's Note: This story is set after the end of season 2 of Roswell (after Tess has already left) and in the beginning of season 6 of Buffy, the Vampire Slayer- after Buffy and Spike have gotten together, but before Willow was addicted to magic and before Willow and Tara broke up. Also, Giles hasn't left yet. Sorry for the confusing time lines, but this worked best for my story.

A/N 2: Wow, it's been a long time since I have worked on this story. As always, real life is too demanding for me to get in a lot of writing time. Also, thanks a lot to my wonderful reviewers- you all are wonderful and reading your reviews simply makes my day. And thanks for reading this fic. Thank you all.

Chapter Fifteen – Fears From Shared Dreams

Isabel Evans was disturbed. She had shared a very strange dream last night with Buffy Summers and she had no idea what it really meant. As they were leaving the Magic Box the previous night, Isabel had seen Buffy drop a ponytail holder and she had quickly scooped it up. Dreamwalking always worked better with a picture of a person, but a personal item (especially from someone with an aura as strong as Buffy's) would usually work. She had been curious and she had wanted to figure out what kind of situation she and the others were getting themselves into. She knew Buffy knew something she wasn't telling.

So she had grabbed the ponytail holder and pocketed it, resolving to try to dreamwalk her that night. She hadn't been prepared for what she had found.

When she had woken up, she had been even more confused. What she had witnessed them fighting could only have been aliens, but who it was, she wasn't sure of. She knew it was probably Kivar and the skins, but they had many enemies and it could just as easily have been another group.

And what was with those weapons they had? She had never seen anything like it. Watching Spike in Michael's body deflect the blast with his powers gave her hope, though. That means that at least if they could figure out how to do that, they would have some defense.

Another thing that had bothered her was that the Spike in the dream knew they were aliens and was encouraging Buffy to figure out what they were. What did they mean by her senses? How could she sense they weren't human? She had known there was more to Buffy than what met the eye, and though she was more sure of it after dreamwalking her, she still didn't know what it was. And the fact that she was close to figuring out they were aliens scared her. The battle scared her also. If they truly were supposed to fight another alien group with these scoobies (and Isabel had a sinking feeling they were), they would need to know their secret, if only for their own protection. After all, how were they supposed to fight these aliens if they didn't know what they were? And that thought scared her even more.

After the dream, she had awoken to find Liz sound asleep and Maria gone. She knew she had to find Max anyway; he needed to know this information.

It was with these thoughts that Isabel found Maria crying quietly into Max's shoulder in the snack area. She hated to interrupt, after all with what Maria was going through she needed to let the emotion out, but this was important, so she did.

"Hi guys," she said quietly.

Max and Maria looked up quickly and Isabel softly smiled at them. "I hate to interrupt, but I have something really important to tell you."

With that Isabel proceeded to tell them her dream. When she was through, the three had sat in silence for a few moments.

Max finally spoke up. "You're sure she wasn't just having a random dream," he asked bleakly.

Isabel shook her head. "No, this was too real for that. I'm wondering if she might be some kind of psychic or something."

"It's possible," Maria agreed. "Though they do all seem to know something they aren't telling us."

"What I'm worried about," Isabel said hesitantly, "Is that they may need to know our secret if this plays out like the dream showed."

Max glanced at her quickly. "They may know our secret regardless. I'm not sure how long we can keep Spike from it, if he hasn't figured it out already, and then he may tell them."

"He might not, though. We all know how he didn't want to practice with Michael's powers in front of the rest of them, especially Buffy," Maria said.

"That's true, but I think we need to be prepared for any eventuality," Max continued. "We should just feel the situation out as we go along and then go from there."

The others nodded their agreement and the three (each of them knowing that they wouldn't be able to go back to sleep) continued to talk about the situation until the morning, before each went back to their room to change.

All of the Podsters had then met back at the shaded snack area to have a quick breakfast before getting in the van to head back to the Magic Box for more research. During breakfast, Isabel had filled the rest in on her dream and the group had come to the same conclusions that the three had the night before. They would just monitor the situation carefully and be prepared to do what was needed.

When they arrived at the Magic Box, they had been pulled inside by a group of government looking types. The suits had quickly herded them into a corner. Max, Isabel and Michael had shared a look and in that look decided to wait before acting. Each of them was prepared to use their powers to defend themselves and the rest of the Podsters if need be, but if this group didn't know their secret, they didn't want to expose themselves without reason to yet. So they would wait and see.

This was the reason was Isabel was currently extremely nervous. The suits were just keeping them there, in the corner, and not doing anything. They appeared to be waiting for something. Isabel looked around and realized everyone else was there, everyone except Buffy, that is. Perhaps they were waiting for Buffy.

It was at that moment that Buffy came in. She took in the situation and her mouth opened in surprise. Her face then contorted in anger and she looked to Giles. Isabel saw him only shrug back. Judging by the anger, Isabel guessed that they knew the suits- they knew the suits and didn't like them.

Isabel wasn't sure if that made her feel better or worse.

It was then that the one who seemed to be the head suit spoke up.

"Well, Ms. Summers, so good of you to finally arrive. We have been waiting for you for a while, so that we could begin. But then as I remember correctly, you always did have a penchant for tardiness," the head suit said, smiling evilly at Buffy.

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Wow, I know I'm bad to do that and not get to the Council's reason for being there, but that will happen next chapter. Anyway, thanks for reading.