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: This never seemed to go quite right, but since I'm so late in posting, I decided to just go ahead and put it up. More necessary exposition... sigh...

Chapter 17 - More Unwilling Disclosures

The Roswellians shared another suspicious look. "What plans for the Earth," Sheriff Valenti asked.

Travers ignored this question. "Why are you in contact with humans, sharing your secret? According to what we learned from the Skins, this goes against your mission of returning home."

Isabel shot him a full 'Ice Princess' look and grabbed both Liz and Maria's hands. "Sometimes you just have to trust people." Both girls smiled at her, knowing how much Isabel had changed and that she now fully accepted them into the group.

"Highly irregular."

"What plans for the Earth," Sheriff Valenti repeated annoyed.

"Fine. Their plans for the Earth are basically to destroy it and everyone on it, including your highnesses," Quentin replied shortly.

"What? But how can Kivar do that?" several people asked at once, with variations on the phrase.

Once quiet had been restored, Travers continued. "Now that Kivar has his heir, he no longer feels he needs the Royal Four. You all can be killed, including his precious Vilandra, as his power has been assured and you only pose a threat as you one day might find a way back."

One of the other council members picked up the thread. "He is also tired of Earth and thinks it has caused him too much trouble, as it is harboring his enemies, so he has decided to get rid of the whole planet. As it would take several years for them to get here by ship, the quickest way would be for them to destroy the planet using something on Earth. That something would just happen to be the Hellmouth..."

"The Hellmouth! Oh, God," several people again voiced.

"How is he going to get the Hellmouth," Buffy asked. "Especially if he's not here. He's not, right?"

"No, girl, he's not. As to how he's going to 'get' the Hellmouth, we have no idea. We do know, though, that with a power source as volatile as the Hellmouth and the alien technology, it could very well be the end of Earth."

Max had been thinking, "I'm not sure what this Hellmouth is, but it could be one of the Skins here is going to activate it. There could still be several here, for all we know. We don't know how much time their husks have left."

Travers gave a short nod. "From our information, it most likely will be an attack on the Hellmouth by the Skins, though we are not sure what they are planning to do exactly. What we do know, is that for this to work, both those who protect the Hellmouth and the Royal Four would have to be distracted–"

"Hence the body switching," Giles cut in. "It has certainly had us distracted."

Travers gave Giles an irritated look. "Quite right. While you have not been paying attention, though why you should even bother with that vampire when it is your clear duty to slay it, several Skin units have been on the move and we think they are heading here." He turned to look at both groups and the Scoobies (minus Xander) shot him looks ranging from irritated to dirty. "On to defense. All of the aliens have special powers- Zan has the ability to heal and create shields, Rath has the ability to blow things up, and Vilandra has the ability to dream walk people- literally enter and control people's dreams if she so chooses."

Buffy looked suspicious at this comment, remembering her very unusual dream.

"All of them can of course, manipulate molecular structure to a certain degree and both Liz Parker and Kyle Valenti should be developing their powers soon," Travers continued.

"Why should they be developing powers," Giles asked as Michael once again asked how they could know this.

"One question at a time. They should be developing powers because both were brought back from the brink of death by Zan and in so doing, they were changed. As to how we know this, apparently Ava was very free with information when she returned to Kivar."

The Roswellians all looked angry again, but Buffy cut in before they could. "So what happens to Michael's powers since he and Spike have switched? Michael seems to have inherited the demon, so does Spike have his powers?"

"Yes, he does," Max answered heavily. "We don't know if he knows what they are, but it is with Michael's powers that he killed that demon."

The Scoobies all looked at Spike. "Why didn't you tell us this," Giles demanded.

Before Spike could answer, Michael jumped in, "What exactly is a Hellmouth and why are you the protectors of it? I thought you were a crime club..."

Travers once again looked highly irritated. "What is it with you and questions, boy? You do not need to know who these people are- your only concern should be stopping the Skins from ending the world and that is up to you alone."

Max sighed, "He's right Michael, it is up to us, but how are we supposed to fight with Michael... like he is?"

Buffy shot a glare at Travers. "We'll help you fight of course. We're supposed to, based on the dream I had last night."

"What dream," Giles asked, while Isabel asked, "How can you help us? You don't even know what you're up against."

"I'll tell you about the dream later, Giles," Buffy answered. "As to how we can help, we've been fighting to keep this planet going and averting apocalypses for the past six years."

Willow and Xander both nodded agreement. "It's what we do," Xander chimed in.

"Why is it what you do," Liz asked.

"That is none of your concern," Quentin cut in.

The Roswellians were all irritated. He was willing to divulge every detail of their lives to the group, but was not willing to share about how he was connected to the other group. Arrogant.

'The Council was still playing its stupid privacy games while the world was possibly going to end,' Giles thought with disgust.

"It's because I'm the Slayer," Buffy answered, looking angrily at Travers.

"What's a Slayer," Maria asked.