Chapter Four

"I'm sorry, Dean," Sam said, brokenly. Dean's reply was interrupted by a brilliant white light shooting up from the ground.

"Sammy, let's go!"

The light grew brighter, blinding the brothers.

"Dean, he's coming!"

The room filled with light, as the boys ran to the door. It slammed shut and locked, trapping Sam and Dean.

A high pitched sound caused them to drop to their knees, as everything flashed white.

"What the hell?!" Dean asked, looking around the plane.

"I don't know!" Sam replied, panicked.

The intercom crackled over their heads " Folks, quick word from the flight deck. We're just passing over Ilchester, then Ellicott City, on our initial descent into Baltimore—"

"Ilchester? Weren't we just there?"

The intercom was interrupted by a brilliant white light shooting from a building beneath them, the force of it causing the plane to go off tilt.

People are thrown from their seats, screaming, as the oxygen masks drop down.

"Wow! Did you hear about that terrorist attack in Maryland?" Josh asked from behind his news paper.

"Are you kidding? Jesus! In the past couple of days there has been nuclear testing, a hurricane, earth quakes and an outbreak of swine flu! What next?" Carla exclaimed.

"The world is really going to Hell," Josh agreed, putting down his newspaper and reaching for his coffee. "What you reckon, Miss Summers?"

Buffy had met with Carla and Josh for brunch and hadn't been paying attention to a word they said. She was power eating her nails while bouncing her knee up and down.

"Okay sweetie, no more coffee for you," Carla laughed, taking away Buffy's coffee.

"Huh? Oh God guys, I am so sorry. I haven't heard from Dawn or any of my friends for about a week and I'm starting to freak"

"Look, I can understand with everything going on that you might be worried, but if something happened they probably would of called. They might just be busy," Josh said, reaching over to grab her hand, trying to reassure her.

Yeah unless there's a giant apocalypse going on and they are too busy dying to call.

"Yeah, you're probably right," She said, distractingly.

Buffy had never gone a week without hearing from her friends. Never. She'd atleast get her weekly newsletter from Andrew, but now? Nothing!

Even Spike had been avoiding him. He usually met up with her for patrol once or twice a week, but she hadn't seen him in days.

Josh was still looking at Buffy with worry, "I am going to kill myself for saying this, but how about some shoe shopping?"

Buffy answered with a huge smile.

Later that night, after two hours of patrol, Buffy decided to give up and go home, finding Spike sitting on her doorstep.

"We need to talk."

Buffy's heart dropped into her stomach.

"How could you keep this from me?!"

"Love, I only just found out myself."

"And how long has the gang known? Days? Weeks? Dawn goes missing and no one calls me? She's my sister!"

"I know, pet, I know. "

"No you don't know." Buffy replied angrily. "What happened?" She spat out.

"Lil Bit went on a routine requitement. Never came back. They think she was nabbed at the airport."

"But why?"

"Not sure, love. Something big is happening, real big."

Buffy had been pacing the living room, trying to think. "The earthquakes, and terrorist attacks. All of it," she said to herself, "It's connected, isn't it?" She said, looking up at Spike.

"Yeah." he replied reluctantly.

"One earthquake is sign of a huge apocalypse, but all of this? This isn't good."

Spike just sat silently, watching Buffy pace her living room.

"But why Dawn? She isn't a Slayer, she isn't a witch, and she can't even be used as a Key anymore."

"My bet? Nibblet was a swirling ball of energy. Power like that could be used, if you know how."

"Wow, thanks for the happy news," Buffy said, sarcastically, trying to keep the tears back.

Spike grabbed Buffy to stop her pacing, looking into her eyes, "We will find her. We always have."

Buffy nodded, reluctantly. "Pack your bags, Love, we're going to Cleveland. We'll figure it out."

" I just spoke to Spike, they're on their way," Faith said, taking a seat at the war table.

"We shouldn't have brought her here," Willow said, sadly.

"We couldn't have stopped her if we tried," Faith replied.

"Buffy needed to know, and at this point, we can use all the help we can get," Xander explained.

"This isn't right. Buffy shouldn't be coming back," Willow complained.

"Red, like it or not, Buffy has to be here. No doubt Dawnie has been kidnapped to get her attention. We need Buffy to get her back."

"I know, I just wish it wasn't true." Willow agreed, disparagingly.

"Can't believe I'm back here," Buffy mumbled under her breath.

Worrying about Dawn had almost made her forget about the last time she had been to the Slayer Institute.

The last time she was here, she left for good. She left to forget about Slaying. To forget Dean.

And now she was back. Because her sister was missing.

"Typical," Buffy grumbled.

"What's that, Love?"

"Nothing, just talking to myself."

"Well that's never a good sign," Spike tried to joke. Buffy cracked a small smile to humour him.

They walked through the main entrance into the lobby. "Ms Summers! It's so great to see you! You too, Mr Spike."

Buffy managed a small smile, "Hi Tiff, it's good to see you too."

Tiff's smile broadened, "Everyone is waiting for you in the war room."

"Thanks, I'll talk to you later."

Buffy and Spike travelled to the War Room in silence, noticing the solemn atmosphere.

"Looks pretty dead in here," Buffy commented.

"All this recent demon activity means overworked Slayers."

They arrived to the War Room to find all the Scoobies sitting around the table, talking quietly.

The door clicked closed, causing everyone to look up.

"Buffy" chorused through the room, with differently levels of happiness and worry.

"Hey gang," she supplied back.

"Buffy, we're so sorry," Willow started.

"Sorry for what? You didn't kidnap Dawn..Did you?" Buffy joked, sitting at the table.

"We're sorry for calling you back here. For not protecting Dawn."

"This isn't your fault, Wills. Really."

"Right, well, even with the terrible happenstance, it is still good to see you, Buffy."

Buffy smiled at her friends, "It's good to see you too Giles, all of you."

"The gang together again." Xander joked.

Buffy chuckled, but sobered quickly, "So what's going on? Fill me in here."

"Nothing good, I'm afraid," Giles replied, "We have had reports that it seems that this apocalypse is much more extreme than all previous apocalypses we have faced."

"Yeah, the whole bible schtick. Spike filled me in."

"Yes, well. We have been advised that the terrorist attack in Ilchester was actually part of a demonic ritual. A ritual to release Lucifer."

"Lucifer? Like the Devil, Lucifer?" Buffy asked incredulously.

"Preciously."

Buffy just sat shocked.

"I know this is a lot to take in, but it seems to be true."

"What has this got to do with Dawn?"

"At this point, we don't know. Other than an increase in demon activity and supernatural signs, we haven't seen anything that would indicate Lucifer's release."

"We got the girls out, looking for signs and askin questions, but so far we got squat," Faith explained.

"So far, we know some hunters were involved, but we don't know who, and we don't know why." Xander added.

Hunters. Of course.

"Okay, so what can I do? I'm here to find Dawn, so what's the what?"

"Buff," Faith started hesitantly, "We need all the information we can get, and if some hunters were involved, Bobby might know something."

"Yeah," Buffy agreed carefully.

"I'm headin out there tomorrow, did you wanna come?"

Buffy stilled, feeling awkward and sad. She wanted to find Dawn, she would do anything to get her back, but the thought of going to Bobby's, it scared her.

She never went there with Dean, but she knew just seeing Bobby would hurt.

But she knew what she had to do.

"Yeah, yeah I'll go."

After a five hour flight, Faith and Buffy were in their rental car on the way to Bobby's salvage yard. They arrived in the late afternoon and sat in the car for a few minutes checking out the piles of destroyed vehicles.

"Neat place," Buffy said, clenching her hands in her lap.

Faith noticed, and leaned over to hold one of Buffy's hands in her own. "B, I know this is hard, but this is what we gotta do."

Buffy nodded, giving Faith a reassuring smile. Slowly, she got out of the car and walked to the door, with Faith close behind.

They knocked on the door, and waited.

After a couple of minute, they heard grumbling and movement on the other side, the door swinging open violently.

"What the bloody he-" Bobby stopped mid sentence in shock at seeing Buffy and Faith.

Buffy and Faith were more shocked.

"Oh god, Bobby, what happened?" Buffy exclaimed, looking down at Bobby in his wheelchair.

"Demon. What else?" He replied, going back into the house, indicating for the girls to follow.

Faith and Buffy took seats at the dining table, with Bobby parking his wheelchair in front of them at the table.

"What you two doing here? It's been almost two years."

The girls looked at each other, before replying, "We need help," Faith replied.

"Course you do," Bobby said dryly.

"We wouldn't of come if it wasn't important," Buffy commented.

"Ah don't mind me, I've turned into a bitter old man," Bobby said apologetically. Softer, he continued, "you two are always welcome."

The girls smiled in appreciation.

"What you need? I'll do what I can."

"More than anything, we need information. Someone has taken Dawn, and we think it has to do with Lucifer being released," Buffy explained, getting straight to the point.

"You know about that, huh?" Bobby replied, carefully.

"We know the basics, but we need to know more. We heard some hunters were involved. Do you know em?"

Bobby hesitated before answering, not wanting to give everything away.

"Yeah I do. And so do you. Sam was there. He survived, just."

Buffy sighed, "Of course a Winchester is involved," she muttered.

"I don't get why you think it has something to do with Dawn going missing. From what I heard, the girl is a bit of a trouble magnet."

"You're not wrong, but the timing is linked. Dawn went missing the day of the ritual."

"But she's just a girl, why would Lucifer want to take her?"

"She's not just a girl. She was originally a ball of mystic energy. If she fell into the wrong hands, we're talking major issues," Buffy explained.

"Alright, I'll keep my ear to the ground and see if I hear anything. In the mean time, I know where Sam is."

"Remind me again, why we couldn't fly?"

"The next flight wasn't until tomorrow and was way off course. Settle, B, we're almost there."

"Yeah, like nine hours later," she grumbled.

Faith laughed, "Look B, I know you're nervous but if Sam is caught up in this stuff, he might need our help."

"I never should of stopped helping him," she admitted quietly.

"What are you talkin about?"

"Sam. I should of stayed with him when Dean died. He just lost his brother and all I could think about was my pain. He's obviously in deep stuff, and I just bailed."

"B, don't think like that. You chose your path and Sam chose his, and that's it. You dealt with it the best way you could."

"I guess," Buffy agreed half heartedly.

"Really, Buff. I saw Sam after Dean died. He was a one man hunting machine. There was nothing you could of done to help."

"He could of died! He's only human!"

"And you could of died too, what good would it have done? Trust me, Buffy, the best thing you did was move to New York. I love having you back, don't get me wrong, but you needed out. Big time."

"I know, I know. I just can't help but think."

"Well quit thinkin, we'll be at the coordinates in 30 minutes. It's game time."

They parked the car at what looked like a war zone and started walking around.

"What the hell happened here?" Faith said, looking around.

"Nothing good."

They walked for twenty minutes before finding anyone. They were walking around the corner of a trashed building and almost ran right into two blonde women.

"Woah there ladies, can I help you?" The eldest woman asked with a slight southern twang to her voice.

"We were about to ask you the same thing," Buffy replied.

"This place is looking a bit trashed," Faith added.

"Nothing we can't handle," the younger one replied, a bit defensively.

"Look, we're not looking for trouble," Buffy said, arms up to show she meant no hostility.

"Now that's okay, what are you looking for? My name is Ellen, this is my daughter Jo."

"I'm Buffy, this is Faith." They noticed the look the two women shared. "You know us?"

"Know of you," Ellen replied, "If you were looking to help out, you're a couple hours too late."

"Actually, we're looking for Sam Winchester. Do you know him? Tall, hunk of a man?" Faith asked.

Ellen chuckled, "Yeah, we know him. You'll find him on the other side of town."

"Thank you," Buffy replied, pretty much jogging to catch Sam before he left.

*********************************************************************************
Sam and Dean sat at the picnic table, Dean holding up War's ring.

"So, pit stop at Mount Doom?" Dean asked, in a lame attempt at a joke.

Sam sat quietly, not sure what to say.

"Dean-" He started to say after a long pause.

"Sam, let's not."

"No, this is important. I know you don't trust me," Dean looked away awkwardly, confirming the truth, "Just, now I realise, I don't trust myself either."

Dean looked up, confused.

"From the minute I saw that blood, only thought in my head...and I tell myself it's for the right reasons, my intentions are good, and it, it feels true, you know? But I think, underneath, I just miss the feeling. I know how messed up that sounds, which means I know how messed up I am. Thing is, the problem's not the demon blood, not really. I mean, I, what I did, I can't blame the blood or Ruby or...anything. The problem's me. How far I'll go. There's something in me that," he breathed out harshly, "scares the hell out of me, Dean. In the last couple of days, I caught another glimpse.."

"What are you trying to say?"

"I'm in no shape to be hunting. I need to step back, 'cause I'm dangerous. Maybe it's best we just go our separate ways"

Dean sat for a couple of moments, considering.

"Maybe you're right."

Sam scoffed, "I was expecting a fight."

"The truth is I spend more time worrying about you than about doing the job right. And I just, I can't afford that, you know? Not now."

Sam nodded, "I'm sorry, Dean."

"I know you are, Sam."

Sam went to move from the bench, when he saw something over Dean's shoulder that made him stop.

"Oh god."

"Sammy?"

After Sam didn't reply, Dean whipped around to see what he was staring at.

"Buffy." He whispered, climbing from his chair.

There she was, all 5'3" of her. Blonde, petite, beautiful and here.

"Dean?"