Original of the Species 2B: The Mayor and the Saiyan: Wilkins Chapter Seven, a Buffy: The Vampire Slayer + Dragon Ball Z Crossover fanfic

Chapter 07

"Doppelgangerland I - Where I End and You Begin'

AN: Ever since two-thirds the way of part 1 I've been itching to get cracking on this chapter after I read a short story on Twisting the Hellmouth called "Outside in'. Despite its bad grammar it's been a great inspiration for this chapter, and the 'The Wish' chapter. So when I finally got around to writing it I sort of went overboard. At one time I had some 119 pages. So, unfortunately I had to chop it in two.

Guest: Thanks for liking this story. And yes, the DBZ gang will make an appearance.

The scene was a dark chapel. Dozens of candles rest on several tall iron candle holders which were strewn around the chamber. On one end stood an altar. Upon this unholy altar sat the high demon D'Hoffryn, supreme demon of all vengeance demons and irreverently known by both friend and foe alike (though never in his face bar by only one individual) as the supreme vengeance pimp.

On a small rug before him a young teenage girl kneeled on the ground prostrated in an act of what appeared to be forgiveness. Once she was known as Anyanka, patron saint of all scorned women and scourge of the men who had scorned them. A demon of once great and terrible power, feared by all who knew her, even her supposed friends, but now reduced to living as a mortal teenage girl. With great fervor and a strong dash of desperation she had been pleading her case to the supreme vengeance pimp.

"Do not ask again," D'Hoffryn said shaking his head after he had heard her case. Clearly her plight had made no impression on him.

"But... but... I...," Anya tried to say but the demon cut her off.

"Your powers were a gift of the lower beings," D'Hoffryn said frowning, "you have proved unworthy of them. You have also proved unworthy of me. You disobeyed my direct orders. You meddled in Sunnydale with no regards to the guidelines of the Golden One. You are lucky you are still alive. In fact I am lucky that I'm still alive."

Anya averted her eyes in shame. She knew what D'Hoffryn meant. She had failed to pay attention to the memo's dealing with the Sunnydale exclusion zone. After her fall from power she had backtracked and read them again. They were written in blood. D'Hoffryn only sent out bloodwritten memos if he wanted his vengeance demons to absolutely follow them 110% to the letter. No ifs, no buts, both to the letter and in the spirit.

"I'm sorry," she said as she tried to grovel one more time, "I was careless, I admit that. But no harm was done. No one noticed, not even the Golden One. And I was robbed of my powers."

"Serves you right for your carelessness," D'Hoffryn snorted as he looked up contemptuously.

Anya shook her head as she just couldn't accept this answer. Once she had been his favorite demon. Dispensing justice as she saw fit with his full blessing, being praised at the yearly office party. The only vengeance demon in history to have received the coveted vengeance demon of the year award a record-breaking 38 years in a row and 379 years in total. She didn't deserve to be so casually dismissed by D'Hoffryn after so many years of dedicated service.

"For a thousand years I wielded the powers of The Wish," she said aggrieved, "I brought ruin to the heads of unfaithful men. I brought forth destruction and chaos for the pleasure of the lower beings. I was feared and worshiped across the mortal globe. And now I'm stuck at Sunnydale High. Mortal. Child. And I'm flunking math."

Anya bowed her head at the shame of it all. The great Anyanka reduced to a struggling high school teenager.

"This is no concern to us," D'Hoffryn said as he made a dismissive gesture, "A fitting punishment for you and a reminder to the others what happens when they don't read my memos. You will live out your mortal life here and die. In a way you should be glad of it, Anyanka. You died horribly in that other reality, remember?"

"No," Anya wailed desperately as she pounded the floor in front of her, "give me another chance. You can fold the fabric of time. Send me back to that place and I'll change it. I won't fail again."

D'Hoffryn couldn't believe what he just heard and shook his head in disbelief. Then his haughty expression vanished and he leaned over

"Do you have any idea what happened after you died?" he spoke softly, his tone a mixture of both curiosity and horror. Sheepishly Anya shook her head no.

D'Hoffryn held up his right hand and a large globe appeared. In it were images of two beings in gold tearing up Sunnydale as they fought one other, the Hellmouth opening and then an explosion that changed the face of the Earth.

"You can't go up against THEM," D'Hoffryn said, his voice betraying his horror of what he had witnessed, "they'd eat you alive, Anyanka. And then they would come after me. Doing nasty things! So excuse me if I don't have much desire to visit that particular reality again. Your time is passed. Live with it!"

Then with a poof D'Hoffryn disappeared, leaving Anya behind.

"No," she wailed in despair, "do you have any idea how boring twelfth graders are?"

There was no reply coming from the now empty altar. D'Hoffryn's silent absence spoke as much volume as if he were still present.

For a moment Anya gave in to her depression of being left out to dry by the being she once considered a father. Then she stood up and shook her fist in anger towards the empty altar.

"I'm getting my power center back," she said defiantly, "and if you won't help me, then, by the pestilent gods, I will find someone who will!"

Inside the Library Giles sat extremely bored behind the study table facing the doors with his arms folded across his chest. On the other side of the table a well tailored, be it somewhat foppish looking, young man sifted through a collection of books which were housed in a box on the table.

"Of course, training procedures have been updated quite a bit since your day," the young fop said somewhat condescending, "much greater emphasis on field work."

"Really?" Giles replied offhand, hardly able to conceal his boredom.

"Oh, yes," the young fop replied, not noticing the veiled sarcasm as he was too busy opening another box full of books, "not all books and theory nowadays. I have, in fact, faced two vampires myself. Under controlled circumstances, of course."

"Well, no danger of finding those here," Giles said ruefully as he unfolded his arms.

"Vampires?" the young fop asked looking up.

"Controlled circumstances," Giles said, then he saw Buffy coming in, "Hello Buffy."

Noticing that somebody had come in the young fop looked up, saw Buffy and gave her a condescending smile.

"Well... hello," he said as he turned around in full this time and gave Buffy a smug smile. Buffy just gave him a quick look up and down.

"New Watcher?" she casually said towards Giles.

"New Watcher," Giles casually answered. The new Watcher took a step towards Buffy and held out his hand in greeting.

"Wesley Wyndam-Pryce," he said trying to sound cheerful. If Wesley had hoped she would return the gesture he could hold out indefinitely as Buffy made no move to do so. Instead she just eyed him critically. Getting the hint Wesley stepped back again.

"It's very nice to meet you, Miss Summers," he said. Buffy gave a slight shrug and walked passed him to get to Giles, all the time never taking her eyes off him

"Is he evil?" she asked cautiously.

"Evil?" Wesley asked perplex.

"The last one was evil," Buffy said, for the first time acknowledging his presence verbally. As she said that Wesley looked up as if he was trying to remember something, then his face lit up.

"Oh, yes. Gwendolyn Post," he nodded, "we all heard. No. Mr. Giles has checked my credentials rather thoroughly and phoned the Council, but I'm glad to see you're on the ball as well. A good Slayer is a cautious Slayer."

Buffy turned her head towards Giles again.

"Is he evil?"

Giles didn't immediately reply as he looked at Wesley wearily with one eye

"Not in the strictest sense," he eventually said.

Either Wesley had decided to ignore the barb or it just didn't seem to get through the dense layers of foppishness surrounding his skull. Instead he walked around the table towards where Giles' Watcher diary lay opened.

"Well, I'm glad that's cleared up. As I'm sure none of us are anxious to waste any time on pleasantries," he said as he flipped through some of Giles' diary pages, then he reached inside his tweed coat and took out a Watcher diary of his own, "why don't you tell me everything about last night's patrol?"

"Patrol?," Buffy asked frowning.

"Yeah, you know," Wesley said as he used his pen to make stabbing movements, "go out and fight the forces of darkness at night."

"We don't do patrols here in Sunnydale anymore," Buffy shrugged.

Wesley looked away for a moment, then he put down his own diary and pen and leaned on the table.

"When I noticed nothing had been written in Giles' diaries I merely suspected careless book keeping," Wesley sighed frowning, "but now I suspect there might be a greater rot at work here."

Buffy wanted to say something to this new foppish Watcher posterboy, but Giles beat her to it.

"We used to run nightly patrols," Giles spoke up, "but more then a year ago we changed tactics. We now rely on informers."

"Informers," Wesley said surprised, "they're hardly credible. Surely they can't be relied upon to replace the time honoured tactic of patrolling?"

"They can if they die for not telling us," Buffy said offhand.

"We run a system whereby we kill ten random demons for every human that gets killed by one of them," Giles said, "or for every failure of them to tell us of any plots regarding humans. It took them a while to get used to it but now they got the message."

"And that works?" Wesley said flabbergasted, "I mean, I know the tactic. Dominance through applied terror. But it has never really worked in the past.

"We seem to be doing alright," Buffy shrugged, "we're still here, aren't we?"

Wesley reached for a chair and sat down as he stared ahead blankly for a moment.

"This goes against everything I've been taught," he muttered dumbfounded.

"You'll get used to it," Giles said ruefully.

Taking the time to use Wesley's moment of distraction Buffy turned towards Giles.

"Giles, will you be coming to Willow's welcome home party this evening?"

"I'm afraid I can't," Giles said and nodded towards the new Watcher, "please give her my kind regards. Oh and before I forget, tell her Snyder wants to see her once she returns to school."

"Lucky her," Buffy chuckled.

"Wait a minute," Wesley exclaimed aloud, "parties?"

"Yeah," Buffy said, "I'd invite ya but we're still not sure if you're evil or not."

"She goes to parties?" Wesley said as he looked towards Giles incredulously.

"I, um, uh," Giles stammered, then he looked towards Buffy, "over the years I, um, learned that a little discretion towards Buffy's social life will work wonders."

"Gee, Giles," Buffy said, "try to contain your enthusiasm. What would the new Watcher think?

"This won't do," Wesley said resolutely as he folded his arms across his chest, "I forbid it."

Buffy looked at Wesley and let out a loud snort.

"Well, you and whose army?" she said defiantly.

"You must understand, Wesley," Giles interjected, "Willow's her friend and she's been gone for over a month. Wouldn't you want to go to the welcome home party of your best friend?"

Wesley glanced towards Giles, then he came around.

"I suppose I could make an exception in this case," he said amiably.

"You'd think," Buffy said snidely but then Giles cut her short.

"Buffy," he said with a look of disapproval.

"You can have your party," Wesley said, "but tomorrow things will change. I must evaluate both you and Faith. There will be some changes."

"There will?" Buffy replied pert.

Wesley paused and looked the girl. She really was the most headstrong and irreverent Slayer he had ever come across. She was also the first one he had come across but that didn't matter. After all, he had studied the histories and biographies of all Slayers of the 2nd half of the 20th century.

"Are you not used to being given orders?" Wesley asked curiously.

"Whenever Giles wants me to do something, he always says 'please'. And afterwards I get a cookie," Buffy said as she did her airheaded Californian cheerleader routine. Then she grinned at Giles who returned a modest smile.

Wesley looked at the two and realized that Quentin Travers had been right. Clearly the two were too close. It also meant he had his work cut out for him. Clearly she still respected the former Watcher, so his best course of action was to establish a good rapport with Rupert Giles. Wesley folded his hands in front of him in an apologetic gesture.

"I don't feel we're getting off on quite the right foot," he said trying to sound a little more humble. Wesley's sudden change of tactic came as a surprise to Buffy, but before she could say anything the Library doors swung open and Faith barged in.

"Ah. This is perhaps Faith," Wesley said as he turned around to take in the new arrival. Whereas Buffy and Giles clearly shared a strong bond from years of working together, Faith as a more recent arrival might be more amenable to his guidance.

Meanwhile Faith stopped cold in her tracks and gave Wesley a critical look over.

"New Watcher?" she asked after finishing her examination.

"New Watcher," Buffy and Giles answered in tandem. Before Wesley could say anything Faith made a dismissive gesture.

"Screw that," she said, turned one 180 degrees on her axis and walked out of the Library, leaving behind a very put off Wesley.

"Now, why didn't I just say that?" Buffy said as she turned towards Giles.

"Uh, Buffy, would you...," Giles asked, nodding towards where Faith had disappeared.

"I'll see if I can get her back," Buffy sighed and walked after Faith, "don't say anything terribly interesting while I'm gone."

As Buffy left the Library Wesley watched her leave. Next both he and Giles reached into their pockets for a handkerchief, took of their glasses and began to clean them.

"They'll get used to me," Wesley said trying to sound confidently. Meanwhile Giles noticed that they were both performing the same action in tandem and quickly put his glasses back on before Wesley could see what he was doing.

"SURPRISE!"

The whole gang was there, including many others, more casual friends, friends of friends and the odd teacher, as Willow stepped through the door of 1630 Revello Drive, soon followed by Belmovekk.

"Welcome back, Will!" Buffy said out loud as she embraced her flabbergasted friend. Too surprised to say anything Willow dropped her suitcase on the floor.

"Guys," Willow tried to say as Buffy squeezed the life from her, "uh…., oxygen becoming an issue here!"

"Sorry," Buffy said apologetic as she let go, "ever since I passed the 5000 mark I seem to break stuff all the time.

"Ain't that the truth," Joyce said with just a hint of exasperation as she stepped past Willow and Buffy carrying a child in one arm, "Look Dawn, Daddy's home!"

"How is my little girl?" Belmovekk said as he took over the baby, "How is my little lady?"

Except for blowing the odd drool bubble Dawn didn't say much. But the Saiyan didn't seem to mind.

"Come," Xander said as he embraced Willow a little more careful then Buffy had and took her into the living room, "let's leave the grownups to talk baby. Cause tonight we're going to party like its 1999!"

"Xander, that was last year," Willow protested but Xander waved her objections away.

"Tell that to the band," he said and pointed towards Dingoes Ate My Baby all set up with their gear in the living room and ready to play, "hit it, you guys!"

"One, two, three, four," the Dingoes drummer ticked off and then the band began to play. And thus the party began in earnest. Willow settled in her familiar position in a seat close to the band, constantly exchanging glances with Oz playing his new guitar. Meanwhile Xander was dancing with a cheerleader that seemed quite interested in him, and Faith was living it up with two football jocks. Buffy meanwhile had her hands full ferrying drinks and snacks from the kitchen and Angel sat in a corner looking ill at ease amidst all of this teenage overload.

Meanwhile Belmovekk deftly carried one child in his arms and another in a portable cradle as he and Joyce went to sit out on the porch to have some privacy.

Dingoes only played a short 5 song set before Oz insisted they take a break. No sooner had Oz put down his guitar when Willow practically jumped on him.

"I missed you," she said and kissed him full on the lips.

"Me too sweetie," Oz said, then his face turned businesslike, "could you….?"

"Uh, sure," Will said and let go.

"Hey, did you hear my new overdrive?" Oz said and pointed to a green pedal on the floor, "it's a real TS-808 tube screamer. It sounds really great with a tube amp!"

"Wow," Willow said impressed. She wasn't really impressed, nor heard the difference between this overdrive and the one he had been previously using. If there was one thing Willow had learned from hanging out with Oz it was that none of the gadgets musicians raved on about, be it new or vintage, mattered that much to the casual non-musician's ear. But if it mattered to him it mattered to her.

"Found it in some pawnshop right here in Sunnydale of all places," Oz said proudly, "and just in time as well. Tomorrow we have to hit the LA club scene again."

"Tomorrow?" Willow said surprised, "But what about us? I thought we're going to hang out and do all kinds of couply stuff?"

"Yeah but, recording deal!" Oz said excited, "that scout is coming again! And this time she's bringing the assistant to the deputy vice-president of new talents with her."

For more then a month Willow had waited for this day. When she could return and see Oz and her friends again. They had mailed nearly every day. For more then a month Willow had the next couple of days all planned out. And now it went all pear shaped. She wanted to say something but was interrupted.

"Yo, Oz," the drummer of Dingoes called and beckoned for him, "we need you bro'!"

"What," Oz said annoyed, "can't you do this without me?"

"Dude, we're having set list problems," the drummer said dead serious, "we need you. You're the set list king, remember?"

Oz looked at Willow and shrugged apologetic.

"Duty calls," he said and kissed her quickly on the cheek," I'll talk to you later."

"Sure," Willow smiled and turned around. As soon as she did her smile faded. Taking a deep sigh she went into the kitchen where Buffy stood. Seeing her friend approach Buffy smiled.

"So how's the magic going, Will," she asked.

"It's sorcery, Buffy," Willow corrected her friend.

"Whatever," Buffy waved dismissively, "so, did you finally learn some useful stuff?"

"Well, I can finally do this," Willow said with a big grin and waved her hand over a set of empty glasses. As her hand passed over each glass it was suddenly filled with punch.

"Way to go, Will," Buffy said proud, "if we need a new bartender we'll give you a call."

"Not funny, Buffy," Willow said not amused.

"Just kidding," Buffy said as she patted Willow on the shoulder, "it's damn impressive. What else can you do?"

Willow ticked the list of on her fingers.

"We've mostly practiced omnificence, telekinesis, what else, um, oh, I almost forgot obfuscation and the basis of shape shifting."

"You've been a busy girl then," Buffy smiled proudly.

"You could say that," Willow echoed, "I'm glad I'm back though. There was this air force major, the blonde one who was here before, remember? She kept dogging my steps the whole time. I was glad that she had to leave."

At that moment Xander entered the kitchen and pointed both index fingers at Willow.

"Hey hey, wazzup!" he grinned impishly as only Xander could, "How's my Will? Did she finally become Super Willow?"

Buffy pointed to the refilled glasses.

"She can teach Tom Cruise a thing about cocktails now."

"That's my girl," Xander grinned as he out his arm around Willow's shoulder, then his face became deadly serious, "could you make me a macchiato?"

"Xander!" Buffy said disapproving.

"Just kidding," Xander smiled as he held up his hands, "I don't even like the stuff."

"Who's your new girlfriend?" Buffy asked and nodded towards the blonde cheerleader back in the living room.

"She's just a friend," Xander said evasively as he looked over his shoulder. As he did the girl waved her fingers at him.

"Looks like she wants to be more then just friends," Buffy smirked.

"I'm afraid so," Xander agreed, "she asked me out."

"You're not happy?" Buffy said surprised, "I thought you had a thing for blondes."

"Only certain ones," Xander sighed wistfully.

"Are you dating again, Xander?" Willow said incredulously, "What about Cordelia?"

Xander shrugged.

"She's not coming back, Will," he said on tone that was way too final for Willow's taste.

"Surely you can't give up on her?" Willow gasped.

"I thought you hated her?" Xander said. Upon which Willow bit her lip. Truth be told she never liked Queen C. And she had been very nasty the last time. But deep down that was just Cordelia expressing her hurt. And she did have her moments. And Xander did love her.

"While I admit you two made an odd couple, you also seemed to fit well together," Willow said, "I'd hate it you two broke up together over that stupid magic fluke."

"The deed is done," Xander shrugged, "I can't force her to forgive me. I can't stay a monk until she changes her mind. I have to move on."

"Says who?" Willow said defiantly.

"The Oz-man of course," Xander said and nodded towards the young guitarist who was preparing to play their 2nd set with his band, "He suggested I get back into the dating game."

"Oh did he….?" Willow said frowning as she glanced towards Oz, who was still oblivious to the trouble he suddenly was in. Then Willow turned to Xander again.

"So are you and miss Cheerleader going to….?"

"I'm not sure, Maria's a nice girl. And she seems willing," Xander shrugged, then he shook his head, "but I'm not into that thing. And she's no Cordelia."

"Good answer," Buffy said as she patted Xander's shoulder and walked into the living room followed by her friends. As they did Dingoes was just about to begin their 2nd set when the front door opened and Joyce stormed into the house angry. She carried one child in her arm, the other in the carrying basket. She was soon followed by Belmovekk who only carried a hurtful look.

"Joyce dearest," he said pleading, "it was only a onetime…."

"Don't you Joyce dearest me," Joyce said storming up the stairs, "you broke your promise. You're not staying in this house tonight."

All eyes turned on the aggrieved looking Saiyan.

"Alright," he sighed, "I will go back to my apartment."

"Oh no you don't," Joyce's angry reply came from above, "you're not sleeping in some comfy bed, mister! You sleep on the porch tonight."

BLAM!

Belmovekk looked truly hurtful as Joyce slammed the bedroom door shut and everyones eyes were upon him.

"Isn't your porch technically still part of the house?" Xander whispered towards Buffy and Willow.

If there was one thing Wesley Wyndam-Pryce had never expected before coming to Sunnydale and which by now he had come to detest wholeheartedly it was the same damn remark whenever he was introduced to somebody.

"New Watcher?"

Not only did it spoke of a tired old joke, which by now was as funny as an episode of 'Allo 'Allo (a TV show that revolved around rehashing tired old jokes), not only was it disrespectful to the age old profession of a Watcher (the real oldest profession known to mankind), it was also symptomatic to the laxness to the secrecy which naturally came with being the Slayer and her Watcher, which absolutely permeated Sunnydale. It was like bloody everybody knew who she was around here. Even the Slayer's parents!

It was standard procedure for a Slayer and a Watcher to live secluded from friends and family. It was even more standard for most Slayers to have been into the Council's care and training long before she was called. Buffy was neither. Having been only found by the Watcher Merrick once she had been called. It was rare, but it happened. It was standard Watcher procedure to make the best of such a situation. Try to nudge the girl into accepting the Council's guidance away from her family.

There had been cases where the girl refused and her Watcher had to make the best of it. Usually those girls never lasted long as they lacked the mental stamina and training to survive. There had even been girls who refused to submit to the council. For the good of humanity and themselves the Council had to arrange for an accident. The Council couldn't allow for a rogue Slayer not living up to her responsibilities. And besides, without training or guidance the girl wouldn't stand a chance once some vampire or demon inevitably learned who the girl was. And knowing what they would do to the girls at least the Council's way was far more merciful.

But that didn't apply in this case, and Wesley was glad for that. As it was a necessary but distasteful matter. While both Slayers were flippant and headstrong they did live up to their tasks. Now all they needed was good guidance. Of which Wesley was sure he would be providing plenty. He even saw a role for the former Watcher Rupert Giles. While it would be taxing to work with his predecessor it would pay off easing the transition. It was probably not what Chief-Watcher Travers had in mind when he sent him here to replace Giles, but some leeway had to be given to those out in the field.

Which was precisely why he and the former Watcher were standing on the porch of 1630 Revello Drive facing the man Buffy had called her stepfather and who according to all reports was the man who had been training her. Whose training had impressed Quentin Travers so much he had stressed Wesley to get to know him better. Who stood there eying him while holding a small infant in his arm and then made that damn remark.

"New Watcher," Giles echoed smugly behind Wesley.

Wesley was still convinced keeping the former Watcher around would pay off eventually, but right now he could turn around and strangle the man.

"Right," Wesley said, trying to hide his annoyance, then he extended his hand, "Wesley Wyndam-Pryce. At your service."

The man known as Belmovekk looked at Wesley and it felt like he was being judged. Not even the famous stare of Quentin Travers came this close. Then the man looked up and stepped aside

"Sorry if I cannot give you a hand right now," Belmovekk said as nodded towards the child in his arms, "but as you can see my arms are quite full."

It wasn't quite the truth as the man looked like he could carry ten infants and still have one hand free. But taking Belmovekk's standing aside as a cue to enter Wesley stepped inside, followed by Giles.

"Master Giles," the man said towards Giles and Giles nodded in return. Closing the door behind them Belmovekk led them into the living room.

"Please, sit down," he said still standing as Giles and Wesley sat down, "you must excuse my poor hospitality but I can offer you little at the moment. As you can see the child refuses to sleep, something which undoubtedly will be made a lot worse by your presence. She is very curious."

As if to illustrate his point the small child was looking at Wesley with small but intense eyes. Eyes with strange dark, almost black irises. Just like her father, Wesley thought. The same almost black iris eyes, hair that already was beginning to grow in weird directions.

"Is that Dawn or Mayan?" Giles meanwhile asked.

"You should know by now, Master Giles," Belmovekk smiled, "after all, you helped out during my absence these past weeks. Mayan sleeps peacefully in the next room. It is Dawn who refuses to miss out on anything. Do you not, little lady?"

The child said nothing but kept her eyes on Wesley.

"Look, mister Belmovekk," Wesley tried to say, then he gave a slight odd look, "is there a first name? It feels sort of weird calling you like that all the time."

"I only have one name," Belmovekk shrugged, "as did my father, and his father before him. And his father's father before that. Should I go on?"

"I get the picture," Wesley said.

"Good," Belmovekk said as he leaned over to Giles and passed the child on to him, "Please, Master Giles, have a care for a moment while I get some refreshments. Here, go sit with Uncle Rupert."

"No need to get anything on my part," Giles said but their host waved his objections away.

"Nonsense, I am in enough trouble with Joyce as it is. If I reneged on my duties as a host she would have me sleeping out on the porch indefinitely."

The child settled in Giles' lap, still looking at Wesley. Wesley leaned over and tried to pet the child.

"Who's a nice little girl then?" Wesley cooed but the child withdrew from his touch. It didn't look scared, it just withdrew deeper into Giles' arms while maintaining its eyes on Wesley. Not knowing what to say being rebuffed by an infant Wesley sat up straight looking as if nothing had happened.

"You must excuse her," Belmovekk said as he re-entered the living room with a tray, on it a pot of tea, three cups and some sugar, "she is not used to strangers."

"Of course," Wesley said as his host put down the tray in front of them on the table.

"I think she even likes you," Belmovekk said offhand, causing Wesley and Giles to glance at each other.

"That's, um, reassuring to know," Wesley said as he took the pot of tea and poured himself a cup. He didn't pour one for Giles however so Belmovekk reached out and poured for the both of them. Once he was finished he reached for the infant and took her back into his arms, allowing Giles to pick up his cup.

"In a way it's strange that you only have one name," Wesley asked as he sipped from his cup.

"What is so strange about it?" Belmovekk shrugged as he settled back into his chair with the child, "For me all those double names are confusing."

"Then I guess you aren't from these parts?" Wesley asked eyeing this strange man carefully.

"Who ultimately is?" Belmovekk smiled amiably, then he looked at the infant, "Who is a good little lady then? Yes you are. Yes you are."

The infant smiled for a moment at Belmovekk, then it resumed its stare at Wesley.

"She's really fascinated by you, Wyndam-Pryce," Belmovekk said impressed.

"I suppose she is," Wesley replied as he drunk from his cup, his eyes lighting up, "Mmmm, this is very good tea."

"My own special blend," Belmovekk nodded appreciatively.

"Then you are a true genius," Wesley said taking another sip, "I could talk about this all day, but unfortunately business calls. And what it tells me is that I should really ask you is where you're from, mister Belmovekk."

"Just Belmovekk," his host smiled graciously, "please, no need to be formal."

"So, where are you from, Belmovekk," Wesley asked again.

"Where do you think I am from?" His host smiled. Not sure what to say Wesley studied the man's face. There were some Asian facial features there but the man lacked oriental like eyes and his skin color was more Caucasian. Maybe there was a subtle Mediterranean influence in there. But the strange hair on the other hand looked more African then Caucasian or Asian. It was next to impossible to place the man and he didn't seem to volunteer any information. Nor had Giles.

"If I had to guess I'd say you're not from this world," Wesley said after some thinking, which caused his host to burst out laughing, "but that would obviously not be possible."

"Indeed," Belmovekk said still laughing, "unless you think I'm some sort of demon pretending to be human."

"My thoughts exactly," Wesley said deadpan. The remark nearly caused Giles to spray tea all over his suit, instead he put his cup down and coughed.

"Of course that would be silly," Belmovekk said equally deadpan, "otherwise I would not be able to father children, right?"

No sooner had he said that as Wesley reached inside his jacket's right pocket and pulled out a cross which he held up towards Belmovekk.

"You think I am a vampire?" Belmovekk said flabbergasted. Wesley looked at what he was holding, then his face turned red.

"Oops," he said and quickly returned the cross to his pocket. Then he took out a gold pendant containing a green gem which he held out towards Belmovekk

"You're wrong about not being able to father children," Wesley said as he looked at the pendant, "demon/human hybridization is quite common. So common in fact most people don't even know it. Which is why some people are more attuned to the super natural. Why some people can see ghosts, heal by touching or talk to spirits."

"Wesley….," Giles tried said but Wesley signaled him to stop talking.

"You may be Buffy's stepfather but she is also the Slayer," Wesley said, "the Council cannot afford to have a demon influencing and possible turning the Slayer against us."

"I do not think I like were this is going," Belmovekk said, his cheerful mood gone.

"This pendant's gem will only change color if you touch somebody who's not human with it," Wesley said and got up. He leaned over and touched Belmovekk with it. As Giles watched with holded breath Wesley held the pendant against Belmovekk for several seconds.

Nothing happened.

"Should something not have changed by now?" Belmovekk asked, a mocking smile returning to his face.

"I, uh, um," Wesley stammered as he withdrew the pendant and sat down on the couch again.

"Pillock!" Giles muttered softly under his breath.

"I think you should leave, Wyndam-Pryce," Belmovekk said coldly as he rose up, "I do not take kindly to being called a demon."

"I..., um..., sure," Wesley said as he got up. As Belmovekk escorted him to the door and opened it he turned around to face his host.

"Look, I, um , I'm sorry if I offended you but I, um, I had to know for sure. No hard feelings, right?"

"Have a nice day, Wyndam-Pryce," Belmovekk said in a tone that stood for no arguments.

"Of course," Wesley said as he tried to scrape together his dignity. Then he turned around and left with his head held high. As he left the porch both Belmovekk and Giles looked through the window until he had gone.

Next thing Belmovekk let himself fall into his seat and began to laugh his ass off while Giles let out a huge sigh of relief. Once the Saiyan had stopped laughing he leaned over backwards in his chair with a blissful smile.

"Where on Earth did they find that idiot?" he asked grinning.

"Watcher's Council nursery school I guess," Giles chuckled, then he turned serious, "I'm still not sure if the Council is serious, he's the Council's attempt at bad humor or that they send him here to punish me."

"Maybe all three," Belmovekk smiled.

"Probably," Giles said, then he looked at Belmovekk seriously, "how on Earth did you fool that crystal?"

"What do you mean?" Belmovekk asked surprised, "You mean that thing was actually supposed to work?"

"The Suvari pendant is a surefire way to test if a person is human or a non-human masquerading as a human," Giles explained, "it can detect the slightest differences."

Belmovekk tilted his head as he thought of that.

"You sure there is no way to fool it?" he eventually asked, "Use magicks, or maybe incompetence of the person wielding it?"

"None," Giles said shaking his head.

"It sort of reminds me what that doctor at the SGC said after she examined me when I returned from the stars," Belmovekk said musing, "She claimed, much to her and my surprise, that I was virtually indistinguishable from other humans except for my tail. She even claimed it made no sense at all, like it was tacked on."

"You always said there are many other worlds containing humans out there," Giles said as he raised a finger up towards the ceiling and beyond, "maybe your race was transplanted there as well?"

"I can assure you that my people are not transplanted humans from Earth," Belmovekk said, "That neither the Goa'uld nor the Ancients put us there."

"There are other modes of travel other then space travel and wormholes," Giles suggested, "maybe magical portals, dimensional gateways…"

"Enough, Master Giles," the Saiyan said waving for Giles to stop, "Let us just leave it at that! A man can grow a headache if he ponders too much of such things. I am not Beldin. He loves discussing such things, me, they only make my head hurt."

"Which is probably just as well," Giles agreed. He had talked to Belmovekk's fellow sorcerer only once telepathically and learned enough of the man to know he was as brilliant as he was annoying. As he leaned over to pour some more tea Giles suddenly realized something.

"Oh my God," he gasped.

"What? Belmovekk asked.

"The Suvari pendant!"

"What about it?" Belmovekk asked, trying to get more information from the shocked librarian.

"How on Earth did Wesley get hold of a Suvari pendant?" Giles asked looking wide eyed.

"I suppose that if you are into fighting the supernatural it might be a useful piece of kit," Belmovekk said, "Do you not have one?"

"No I don't," Giles said ash stricken, "For the Council only has a very few in its possession. They don't hand them out to field Watchers. Only a head councilor or a tactical squad commander has access to them!"

"You do not think…." Belmovekk said shocked as he began to understand what Giles was trying to say.

"No," Giles said shaking his head, "while his father used to sit in the Council, there is no way he could pass that position on to his son while he's this young. And nobody could feign such incompetence and be a tactical squad commander. It has to be Quentin Travers. It has to be him."

"I concur," Belmovekk said, then he looked away for a moment, "but why use such an incompetent fool?"

"Could be Council politics," Giles suggested, "the old Wyndam-Pryce may have retired, he still has some strings he can pull. Being a field Watcher to a Slayer does hold some prestige. If he wants to maneuver his son into the Council it wouldn't hurt his chances if he had been a field Watcher."

"Or maybe his incompetence is meant to put us at ease," Belmovekk said nodding his head, "think about it, a competent Watcher would have us on guard, an incompetent one would have us ignore him and do things we would not have done otherwise."

Before Giles could reply the front door opened and Joyce stepped in carrying grocery bags.

"Hi dear," Belmovekk said as he greeted her, "need some help?"

"Hello Joyce," Giles said.

"Rupert," Joyce smiled towards the librarian, Belmovekk she ignored. Then she went passed them into the kitchen. Meanwhile Belmovekk held up Dawn and smelled her behind.

"If you are done could you please clean Dawn, dear?" he asked, "I think she has shit again."

"Clean her yourself," Joyce replied coldly.

Belmovekk looked over his shoulder for a moment, then he leaned over towards Giles and whispered conspiratorially.

"I am afraid Joyce is still mad with me for getting drunk with Vegeta."

"Well, you did promise her to stop drinking," Giles replied, "and hell hath no greater fury then a woman scorned. So why did you do it?"

"It seemed like a good idea at the time," Belmovekk shrugged, "It was not like it was before. This was purely tactical. Vegeta is a very guarded individual. I thought it prudent to bond with him and rekindle a little of what we share as Saiyans. Alcohol helps to lower his inhibitions. You have to understand, Vegeta was raised by warriors of the Royal Household. He has seen his fair share of carousals and probably knows every dirty warrior's song there is to our kind."

"If I were you I'd stick to that story," Giles replied.

"The opportunity presented itself, what was I supposed to do?" Belmovekk asked. Before Giles could reply Joyce called from the kitchen.

"You should have said no!"

"Oh, come on, Joyce dearest," Belmovekk moaned towards the kitchen, "you can ask Willow, it was a one time thing!"

"I don't care," Joyce said, her head sticking out from beyond the kitchen, "You promised not to get drunk anymore, and you did. So this evening, like the night before, you sleep on the porch!"

Then she went inside the kitchen again and Belmovekk leaned over to Giles and whispered even softer then before.

"Compared to most things I had to sleep on in my life the porch is not so bad."

Giles had to do his utmost not to laugh out loud.

"Women," Belmovekk sighed and looked at Dawn, "Are you going to give your father so much trouble, little lady?"

The child didn't answer. She just smiled.

"Oh dear, you are going to get worse, are you not?" Belmovekk sighed as he shook his head, then he shrugged and looked at Giles, "At least it was worth it. I got Vegeta to sign a paper that declares my children to be real Saiyans. Now they cannot be killed as halfbreeds under Saiyan law."

"Does it matter?" Giles asked incredulously, "I mean, isn't your world and your race..., um..., gone?"

"You never know, Master Giles," Belmovekk said dead serious, "You never know."

Willow sat in the high school cafeteria with her head face down on a table in utter dejection. She was so deep in self pity that she didn't notice her friends approaching until they almost sat down next to her.

"Will, Willow, Willow-'o- the wisp," Xander said cheerfully as he sat down to the left of her, why the flattened face?"

"I had a meeting with Snyder today," Willow said without taking her face off the table.

"Poor girl," Buffy said as she sat down to the right of Willow.

"So what did the hobgoblin want?" Xander asked.

"He wants me to help Percy West with history," Willow said looking up.

"Percy West?" Xander exclaimed surprised, "Percy, 'I've got no long term memory' West? Oh dear!"

"Sounds like you got your work cut out for you," Buffy said.

"I'm not sure he has much short term memory either," Xander mused, "He is fast on the field though. For somebody who's never seen the inside of a gravity gym that is."

"You're getting way too cocky, Mr. Smug Smugnesson," Buffy said defiantly, "for that I'm going to kick your ass later in training."

"Oh, please Buff, I can't hardly wait," Xander grinned, "That is, once baby Watcher has finished 'evaluating' you."

As the two joked Willow couldn't believe what she was hearing. Ever since she had returned to Sunnydale it was like nobody had missed her. Like she was being taken for granted.

"How am I going to teach Mr. No IQ any history?" she said depressed, "His idea of me helping him consists of me writing a paper and him signing his name on it."

Xander looked at her as he stroked his chin.

"Then maybe you should," he said to her surprise. It was so preposterous it made Willow stutter.

"Y-y-y-you c-c-can't b-be serious," Willow gasped aghast, "t-t-that'd be cheating!"

"Think about it," Xander said leaning over, "you've got the B-man's power now. All you have to do is conjure up a paper, have No IQ sign it and you're in the clear. You could do it the hard way but that would be like teaching a rock. It will eat up a lot of your time and still get you nowhere. This way at least it will be over quickly."

"While I share your righteous stance on the sanctity of the academic process I think Xander's got a point here, Will," Buffy added.

"But, Buffy..., cheating?" Willow pouted as she looked from Buffy to Xander for some support for her position. But both shook their heads.

"It's up to you, Will," Xander said shaking his head, "I know what I would do."

"Yeah, but cheating comes natural to you," Willow said, "You already cheated in kindergarten."

"Happy days," Xander grinned as he leaned back in his chair with a dreamy face.

"Look," Buffy said and reached for Willow's lunch, a banana and a packed sandwich, "don't think of it as cheating, think of it as a tactical situation. Here's Percy the banana and here's Snyder the sandwich. And the object is for the banana to make the sandwich think lunchtime has already passed so that way you can eat the sandwich."

"Patton, eat your heart out," Xander sniggered.

"But even if I wanted to 'cheat' a paper, what on Earth am I going to do a paper on?" Willow decried.

"You'll think of something," Buffy smiled confidently, "you're Old Reliable."

Buffy's cleaver remark fell on infertile ground. Or maybe the right description was the wrong kind of soil.

"Oh, thanks!" Willow said sourly.

"What?" Buffy asked taken aback by her friends sudden outburst.

"'Old Reliable'? Yeah, great!" Willow said, still having trouble believing what Buffy had just called her, "'there's' a sexy nickname."

"Well, I-I didn't mean it as...," Buffy tried to say but Willow held up her arms signalling Buffy to stop talking.

"No, it's fine," Willow said looking away, "I'm 'Old Reliable'."

Coming to his friend's defence Xander leaned over towards Willow.

"She just means, you know, the geyser," he said gesturing towards Buffy, "you're like a geyser of fun that goes off at regular intervals."

"That's Old Faithful," Willow snorted in disgust.

Xander looked at Buffy.

"Isn't that the dog that, that the guy had to shoot...?"

"That's Old Yeller," Willow said out loud, throwing her hands into the air.

"Xander, I beg you not to help me," Buffy said to Xander before turning to Willow, "Will, I-I didn't mean it as a bad thing. I-I think it's good to be reliable."

Willow stood up angry and kicked her chair back.

"Well, maybe I don't 'wanna' be reliable all the time. Maybe I'm not just some doormat person. Homework Gal."

Xander looked at Buffy.

"I'm thinking nerve strike," he nodded.

Willow threw her head up and stormed out. No sooner had she taken five steps when she turned around.

"Maybe I'll change my look," she huffed, "or cut class. You don't know."

Her friends gave her surprised looks.

"Uh, Will," Xander said cautiously, "you were away for a month! Don't you think you've cut enough class already?"

Angrily Willow reached for her lunch on the table and touched the banana. It turned into a fiery red apple.

"Maybe I don't wanna eat a banana for lunch anymore," she said defiantly, "maybe I want an apple instead!"

This time Buffy ran after her as Willow stormed out of the cafeteria.

"Will, wait. I'm really sorry...," Buffy said apologetic, but Willow held up her arm signalling Buffy to stop.

"Buffy, I'm storming off," Willow said chiding, "it doesn't really work if you come with me."

"Oh," Buffy said not knowing what else to say as Willow continued on her way. Lost for words Buffy returned perplexed to Xander.

"Well," Xander shrugged, "now you know how it feels for us guys when you do something like that."

Meanwhile a depressed Willow walked up the stairs when an unfamiliar girl suddenly approached her.

"Uh, Willow?" the girl said trying to get Willow's attention. Willow stopped and turned around.

"Uh, hi," Willow replied. The girl gestured to herself

"Anya," the girl smiled trying to put Willow at ease, "I'm sort of new here. Um, I know Cordelia?"

"Oh, fun," Willow replied as she gave a thin smile.

"Yeah. Um, listen," Anya said as she stepped a little closer to Willow, "I have this little

project I'm working on, and I heard you were the person to ask if..."

Willow sighed and rolled her eyes upwards for a second.

"Yeah, that's me. Reliable-Dog-Geyser Person. What do you need?"

Anya made a dismissive gesture.

"Oh, it's nothing big," she said, then she leaned forward and whispered, "just a little spell I'm working on."

"A spell?" Willow said as her eyes narrowed, "What makes you think I know anything about that?"

"Well, there's Amy," Anya said smiling, then her face turned conspiratorially again, "and I did see you do that change the banana into that apple thing."

Willow became suddenly very self-conscious of the red apple she was still holding.

"A spell?" she smiled weakly.

"No worry," Anya smiled, "your secret's safe with me. I dabble in the occult arts myself. Just a little. Nothing harmful."

Willow was about to walk away when she thought that might have been what 'Old Reliable' would have done. But Adventure was now her new name with Dangerous as her middle name. So she stayed and listened.

"I just need a secondary to create a temporal fold," Anya explained, "I heard you

knew a little about magic and seeing how you just carelessly transmutated that fruit I was wondering if... ?"

Go, go, go, go, 'Old Reliable' shouted in her mind, leave, danger, Will Robinson, danger!

Go with her, 'Dangerous Adventure' whispered seductively into her mind. So Willow smiled excitedly towards Anya.

"I might be of some help. Always ready to work some dark mojo," Willow's smile turned almost lecherous, "so, tell me, is it dangerous?"

"Oh, no," Anya said as she shook her head. She could have sworn next that Willow looked disappointed.

"Well, could we pretend it is?"

Classes had finished in Sunnydale High and most classrooms were by now empty.

Except for one.

Inside two girls were present, with a large white plate with a representation of a necklace painted on it on the ground. Facing it Willow sat as she arranged various herbs, bones and candles. Anya meanwhile sat behind a desk and prepared mixtures of sands and powders with a mortar and pestle.

"The necklace was a family heirloom passed down for generations," Anya said grinding, "then it was stolen from my mom's apartment."

"How does the spell work?" Willow said excited. If there was one major failing in Willow it was that she was drawn to magic like a moth to a candle. She liked doing the sorcery she had now begun to master, but the lure of magic, to the despair of Giles whenever he found his magic books raided, just proved irresistible to her.

"Uh, well, we both call on Eryishon," Anya said as she carried her grinded powders and put them in front of Willow and kneeled opposite to her, "the Endless One, offer up the standard supplication, then there's a teensy temporal fold. We hope. Um, then I pour the sacred sand on the representation of the necklace, and Eryishon brings it forth from the time and place it was lost.

"Cool!" Willow smiled excited. Anya nodded and put her hands on her knees.

"Are we ready?" she asked.

"I think so," Willow replied slightly nervous. Anya then took a deep breath and held her hand out, with her palm up, over the plate with the drawing.

"Eryishon. K'shala. Meh-uhn."

Willow now also reached out with her hand, her palm pointing upwards and her fingertip touching Anya's. Then she spoke the words Anya had told her to tell.

"Diprecht. Doh-tehenlo nu-Eryishon."

Next Anya picked up a bottle containing sacred sand with her free hand and held it over the plate.

"The child to the mother," Anya said concentrated. Opposite her Willow took hold of the bottle as well.

"The river to the sea," Willow spoke. Anya now closed her eyes.

"Eryishon, hear my prayer," she said

Willow also closed her eyes. Suddenly a low rumbling could he heard. Next thing a small pillar of energy came into being over the plate and around the hands of the two girls. When suddenly their hands begin to shake Willow opened her eyes, amazed that this spell has turned out to be so powerful. Then her mouth fell open as she suddenly saw scenes of an alternate universe like she was actually there.

A familiar yet unfamiliar looking Sunnydale in the grip of fear. Giles holding up a cross to defend Cordelia from a vampire that looked way too familiar to be comfortable. Cordelia and Giles talking. Then the shock of seeing herself and Xander dressed in leather grabbing Cordelia and vamping out and kill Cordelia. Giles making phone calls and then being saved by Buffy. The arrival of Belmovekk, dressed like she had never seen him before, together with Vegeta. Buffy with the two Saiyans going to the Bronze while Giles performeds a ritual. The threesome finding Angel and going to a factory where a multitude of vampires was assembled together with the Master. Giles stepping backwards in his home as a demon version of Anya grabbed him by the throat. A fight erupting in the factory with Buffy fighting vampire after vampire on her way to the Master. Giles grabbing hold of Anya's necklace. Angel dying as Buffy killed vampire Xander and Oz killed vampire Willow. Giles trying to destroy the necklace as the Master snapped Buffy's neck. Belmovekk and Vegeta going Super Saiyan and killing all vampires. Anya retaking her necklace. The two Saiyans returning to Giles' home with Buffy's body. A fight breaking out over the necklace between the two Saiyans. First Anya died, then Giles as Belmovekk and Vegeta utterly destroyed Sunnydale. The Hellmouth opening followed by the mother of all explosions. Belmovekk taking the necklace of a dying Vegeta and crushing it.

As Willow is lost in the visions Anya turned over the bottle of sand and began pouring it. It sifted through both of their hands and caused Willow to see further visions, again of the fight in the factory. As she saw herself die she sees the Master taking hold of Buffy and about ready to snap her neck. Then Belmovekk transformed into Super Saiyan and the vision stopped cold, bringing Willow back into the classroom, her eyes wide in shock and surprise. The pillar of energy began to fade away and Willow pulled her hand back as she breathed hard.

"That was... W-w-what was that?" Willow said flabbergasted as she got up. Anya meanwhile ignored her as she desperately searched through the sand.

"No, it's not here," Anya exclaimed in frustration, then she began to pound the floor, "it's not here!

Willow had stepped back and put her hand to her chest as she tried to steady her breathing.

"Okay, that's a little blacker than I like my arts," she said still shocked.

"Oh, don't be such a wimp," Anya said annoyed. The ritual that she had pinned all her hopes up just went FUBAR and to have that stupid girl go ballistic was the last thing she could use right now.

Willow pointed towards Anya.

"That, that-that wasn't just some temporal fold," she said weary, "that was some weird Hell place. I-I don't think you're telling me everything!"

Anya closed her eyes to calm herself, then she spoke.

"I swear, I am just trying to find my necklace."

"Well, did you try looking inside the sofa, 'in Hell'?" Willow said indignant.

Anya sighed, then she opened her eyes and smiled at Willow.

"Look, we'll just try it again, and..."

While Anya tried to look as comforting as possible to Willow, all Willow now saw was a girl that looked a little bit to eager for her taste and suddenly 'Old Reliable' drowned out 'Dangerous Adventure's' voice completely. What the hell had she been doing?

"No," Willow said as she took another step backwards, "I-I-I think emphatically not!"

Anya now exploded angrily.

"I can't do it by myself!"

"That's a relief," Willow said as she quickly gathered her stuff, "I'm outta here!"

Anya waved her hand dismissively.

"Fine! Go!" she said angry, then she muttered to herself, "Idiot child."

Willow however overheard that, and she didn't like it.

"Look, m-magic is dangerous, Anya," she said looking back with her hand on the door, "i-it's..., it's not to be toyed with. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have someone else's homework to do."

Alone Anya looked down at the plate. Then she picked it up.

"Nothing!" she wailed as she smashed the plate on the floor.

In an abandoned factory in the old Sunnydale industrial zone it was empty. The place had long been abandoned, although a new sign on the door now proudly proclaimed it to be part of the new Sunnydale business redevelopment zone. Although by the looks of all the other buildings around it it would appear that the new business redevelopment zone was no more successful then the old one.

Suddenly out of nowhere a lone figure sat on the floor and looked around her. Only moments before she was in the fight of her life amidst the mother of all brawls. And then suddenly it was all gone. No more Master. No more machines. No more humans. No more vampires.

"This is weird," Buffy said.

"This is weird," Buffy said again as she walked the Sunnydale streets. It was getting dark quickly yet the streets were still full of people. When she had first come to town the place had been deserted after nightfall, the people cowering in their barricaded homes. Now they were everywhere, shopping, going out, having a good time. There were also demons about, probably even some vamps.

She spotted a Scarran demon earlier in a side alley. Scarrans look humanoid when there's not much light. Not that it would matter cause if you saw one it was usually the last thing you ever saw. They were bad motherfuckers, deadly in a fight, but this one was just scamming ordinary humans playing the shell game. A young couple holding hands while eating ice-cream felt suspiciously much like Nebari demons in human form. The ice cream vendor selling real authentic Italian ice-cream turned out to be a Hynar demon, a straw hat hiding his horns and for the rest he simply wore makeup.

These were all tough demons, demons that always seemed to cause major trouble in Cleveland. Yet here they all acted, for lack of a better word, nice. The Hynar even gave her an ice-cream cone once he noticed her standing in front of his stall.

"I have no money," Buffy said but the Hynar waved her objection away.

"Your money is no good here," he said in a fake Italian accent as he presented her with a pistachio ice-cream cone and whispered, "Slayer."

She nearly dropped the ice-cream on the spot. How did this Hynar knew who she was? How did he know her favorite flavor? Why wasn't he charging her on the spot because she didn't carry any weapons and since when did Hynars give anything? In the demon community their nickname was the Scottish demons. Or Dutch demons depending on the company.

The Hynar looked around to see if nobody could hear him, then he leaned forward.

"I heard a rumor the Eliminati are coming to town," he said and touched his nose trying to look sly, "just doing my duty, Slayer."

"You want a fuckin' medal or something?" Buffy replied gruffly, then she walked away from the dumbfounded Hynar and nibbled from her ice-cream. It was surprisingly good. Maybe it even was real authentic Italian ice-cream.

A car drove by full of hormonally challenged teens and nearly hit her as it took a corner a little bit to wide.

"Hey!" Buffy shouted, "Can't you watch were you're going?"

But the car was already out of range as it stopped at the end of the street, where a familiar nightclub suddenly seemed open for business.

Buffy knew the place only as the described headquarters of the Master, supreme local master vampire. Jeeves had shat bricks when she had said she was going there, but the only thing she had found was one badly injured vampire. And he supposedly had a soul so Tweedledee wouldn't let her kill him. So to say, since she had come loaded to bear and found nothing, that the place was a bit of a let down was an understatement. Still, it was one of the few places she knew in this god-awful town.

Buffy stepped inside the Bronze and was struck by the transformation the place had undergone. Gone was the gaudy vampire interior, the scenes of debauchery, the cages, the corpses. In was gaudy depressive interior, a depressive band playing angsty music and teens with too much hormones coming out of their ears grinding against each other.

It just didn't make any sense.

At first Buffy thought maybe she had been knocked out by the Master in their fight and left behind. After all, she had awoken in that factory in late daylight. It would explain why everybody and everything was gone. But that made no sense. Why would a master vampire leave her behind and alive when he could have killed her? There were of course vampires who liked to play mind games. Her Watcher had once told her of Angelus, the Scourge of Europe, whose MO was all about playing lots of mindgames. Before finally killing his victims. But this Master guy didn't seem to be one who was interested in games. After all, he invented mechanized killing rather then playing games with his victims.

That left one other option open.

Alternate reality.

Jeeves had claimed that reality had been changed. And that if he took away the power center of that fairy and destroy it, reality would change. It would appear he was right after all. Go figure!

But why was she still her old self? Would that also mean that the others were still their old selves? Was the Master still somewhere at large? That strange alien duo of Tweedledee and Tweedledum? Jeeves? Her own Watcher?

If this was indeed some alternate reality then Jeeves was probably her best shot at getting some answers. This place yielded only questions. Buffy turned around and made for the exit.

"It's nice of you to take me out, Xander," The girl said as Xander opened the car door for her. He had just parked his car, an old thunderbird he gotten through his uncle Rory, near the Bronze. Truth be told he had never planned to ask her out again after Willow's welcome home party. But for a cheerleader she seemed nice and when she asked him if they could go out again at school the next day she looked at him with such big puppy eyes he just couldn't say no. Damn those puppy dog eyes! Bane of his existence! Bad puppies!

Maybe the Oz-man was right. There was no sense in staying a monk until Cordelia came to her senses. He had apologized more then enough. Groveled enough for ten men. If that wasn't enough for Queen C., why continue?

Maybe because you love her? a little voice in his head said, because she was the only girl besides Buffy you ever gave your heart to? And unlike Buffy she was willing to take it?

Xander hated it when the voice of reason got competition from his feelings. Shut up! he thought, tonight I'm getting some!

You'll be sorry, that annoying little voice singsonged.

Oh yeah? Well at least I would have done something to really feel sorry about this time, he thought. Great! Now he was talking to imaginary voices in his head as well. Maybe he should ask Willow tomorrow how that Necessity talking in your head thing sounded like so he could check for his sanity.

At least his date looked hot. More then hot in fact. Maria had done a magnificent job on her makeup, looking like an innocent American cheerleader and had left the sluttyness to her clothes. A nice halter top, a hot skirt and high heels. As Xander looked at her he tried to avoid smacking his lips when a thought popped into his head. Maybe he should have her teach Faith some makeup tricks. After all, the junior Slayer did have a bad habit of going way overboard on the makeup.

"Are you admiring the view?" Maria said smiling. Like all girls dressed to impress she knew fully well the effect her outfit had on men.

Xander sucked in a breath of air and shook his head as he tried to not look like the howling love struck wolf from a Tex Avery cartoon.

"Girl, if I was your father I'd lock you in the attic until your 23rd birthday and never let you out," Xander said, suppressing the urge to whistle.

"Only until my 23rd birthday?" Maria smiled as she pressed herself onto him.

"For that I won't let you out until you're 25," Xander grinned.

"Yes daddy," Maria said as she gave a lewd smile.

Great, daddy issues. That just meant a major increase in sluttyness and huge chance of getting some. Good times to be had. For him that was, probably not so much for her father.

What of Cordelia? Xander's conscience tried to say but Xander pushed that away. Technically it wasn't even Xander doing the pushing away, it was Little Xander doing the talking now.

"I want you, Xander," Maria whispered in his ear, "I wanted you since I first saw you."

Technically that was a lie since Xander knew from a fact that he and Maria had enrolled into high school in the same year. Granted he never had much eye for her before but the school wasn't that big. Eventually you got to know everyone's faces. And Xander liked to think he knew it when a girl had the hots for him.

Granted, he had missed the bat on Willow. But he had known Willow for almost his entire life. If you get to know a girl as a friend for that long she tends to become one of the guys. You kind of ignore the fact that she's a girl with girly feelings and stuff. And you don't develop romantic feelings for one of the guys. At least not if you're one of the guys Xander preferred to hang out with. Not that there was anything wrong with the guys who did develop romantic feelings for other guys, just as long as they did it somewhere else. Preferably far away from places which Xander had to use while wearing minimal clothing. Like showers and locker rooms.

Luckily Maria was neither one of those guys, nor one of the guys, so he forgave her little lie. A fine specimen of what he once heard a jock call prime grade American beef. Not that Xander usually thought of women like that, but one's mind made you think some pretty strange things once Junior was standing to full attention.

"Let's do it," she whispered in his ear.

"What? Here?" Xander replied surprised. He liked kinky but his kink did not include doing it in broad view of everybody.

"In the alley, dummy," Maria smiled as she walked past him and went with her finger past his chin before taking his hand into hers..

There had been a time when going into an alley at night was a sure way to die and smart teens knew better then that. Stupid ones of course got killed. Of course thanks to all their hormones most teens were stupid to begin with so vampires were never short of a meal. So despite years of hard learned experience Xander allowed himself to be lead into a side alley by both Maria and Little Xander.

Besides, it was safe now, right? Edict and stuff.

Once they were safely out of view they began to kiss passionately, with Maria pushing her tongue into Xander's mouth. She's most definitely into me, Xander couldn't help but think. It still was a relatively new experience to him. Prior to Cordelia the only girls that thought he was da shit were the crazy ones, the ugly ones and mostly the demonic ones.

Xander stopped kissing for a moment and looked the girl in the eyes.

"You're human right?" he asked wearily for a moment.

"What?" Maria said surprised. Which was good enough for Little Xander and Xander resumed their kiss. Then Maria broke off and leaned against the wall.

"Take me," she said lewdly and then whispered the next part, "I'm not wearing anything underneath."

Thank you, you meddlesome and seeing all Green God! Thank your for the little favors I am about to receive!

Then Xander looked towards his crotch.

"No more dates with the ol' left hand for you," Xander grinned and he resumed kissing her while he fumbled with his pants. He had just undone his belt and zipper when fate stepped in the guise of a fist that came to a very hard and sudden stop against his head.

Xander was thrown back sideways and fell on the floor of the alley, his pants now on his ankles. His date began to scream at the sudden interruption of the love making.

"Now you've done it," Xander said as he did the first thing that came natural in a situation like this. He reached for his pants.

"Tough words for someone with his pants down his ankles," his attacker sneered.

That voice!

Xander stopped groping for his pants and looked up as he saw his attacker for the first time.

"Buffy?" Xander gasped as he saw Buffy standing there.

"You remember me, how fortunate," Buffy smiled coldly, then she turned her head towards Maria who had been screaming her shapely ass off, "Quit screaming you bitch and get out!"

Buffy's cold tone and disdainful look made Maria stop screaming and ran out of the alley as fast as her high heels would allow for.

"Buff, what's wrong with you?" Xander said as he pulled his pants up, "Why did you attack me?"

Buffy ran up towards Xander, took a powerful swing and punched him square in the face. This time Xander was ready for it and he hardly flinched, just his head turned a little.

"Ah!" Buffy cried as she examined her hand which was bruised. Her opponent seemed unfazed by her mother of all punches. He just stood there looking stupid while he tried to fix his trousers.

"Buff," he said, "nothing was going on. Alright, something was going on, just a harmless little fun. But I wasn't forcing her or something, she wanted me to…., this is not some latent jealousy thing, right?"

"Don't you ever shut up?" Buffy said as she saw an old crate standing. She sidestepped Xander and reached for the crate. She tore off a piece of wood and held up her impromptu stake.

"You're staking me?" Xander said bewildered, "Buffy, you're starting to wig me out here."

Buffy said nothing and just swung her stake. Faster then she ever saw a vampire move her opponent gripped the stake with two hands right in front of his heart.

"Can't let you do this, Buff," he said shaking his head. Then he took hold of the stake with one hand and placed his other hand against her stomach.

"YAAAHHH," Xander yelled and let his chi flow from his free hand. The wave of pure chi pushed Buffy backwards and send her crashing against a fire stair, knocking the wind from her. As she fell unconscious to the ground Xander flew a short hop and landed next to her.

"What the hell's gotten in to you?" he said, waiting for her to get up. But she didn't.

Surely his puny chi blast couldn't have knocked her out, right? She was way stronger then him.

Weary of any sudden moves, Xander prodded her with his foot to get a reaction but there came none. Then he kneeled next to her and reached for her neck. Well, she did have a pulse, which was good. But why was she out cold? As he examined her he noticed something odd. She had a little scar on her lip.

Now that was odd.

As he further examined her he noticed her clothes. They were off. The Buffy he knew would never dream of wearing such drab, business like clothes. Always preferring something more fashionable. Alright, it was now officially Wigfest 2000 and Xander began to search through her clothes.

Elsewhere Buffy walked into the Library not happy after having received a late summoning from her new Watcher to make an appearance.

"Ah, Miss Summers," Wesley greeted her amiably. The fop had the arrogance to sit at the head of the table like he was the CEO of a mega corporation. Or some James Bond like villain. All Wesley needed now was a large comfortable revolving chair that slowly turned around so he could face Buffy. And in doing so reveal himself while he gently caressed a white cat in his lap.

Meanwhile Giles had to stand to the right of Wesley, like the bad guy's lieutenant. Be it that he made for a very poor James Bond villainy lieutenant.

"Giles," Buffy nodded, ignoring Wesley, then she pointed to her right eye, "you'd make a better lieutenant if you wore an eye patch."

Giles and Wesley looked at each other not sure what to make of it. Then Giles looked at himself, then at Wesley sitting at the head of the table and he rolled his eyes. Wesley just shrugged and went on with business. He reached for an open book on the table and turned it so Buffy could read it.

"You can come closer," Wesley said as he stood up and pointed to a page in the book, "we had a surprise visitor today who had some disturbing news for us."

"Lemme guess. Short shifty fella, way to much excess skin," Buffy gestured as she walked up to Wesley and his book..

"That's the guy," Wesley nodded, "I must confess, I was surprised to find that demons just walk in here like this is a public library."

"It is a public library," Buffy grinned, then Giles came by her side.

"He was screaming like a little girl," Giles whispered in her ear.

"Ah well," Wesley said as he straightened his jacket, "I must confess, it takes some getting used to working here. But I have to agree as well, it can be useful having access to this network of demon informers."

"Woah," Buffy said pretending to be taken aback, then she smiled, "does this mean the great Wesley deems it worthy to actually endorse our methods?"

"Yes, um, uh, quite," Wesley stammered, then he tried to look dignified again, "well, thanks to our little demonic friend…"

"His name's Clem," Buffy smiled using her most airheaded cheerleader smile, the one that usually drove both Giles and Belmovekk crazy.

"Uh, Clem, yes," Wesley said, shooting just the briefest glance of annoyance at her before continuing, "well, he told us that a vampire cult had come to town."

"They're called El Eliminati," Giles said, "they're a fifteenth century..."

"Fifteenth Century duellist cult," Wesley said as he rudely interrupted Giles and pointed to the page in the book, "deadly in their day. Their numbers dwindled in later centuries due to an increase in anti-vampire activity and a lot of pointless duelling."

Wesley was so engrossed using the book to illustrate his story that he failed to see Giles pretending there was a noose around his neck and he was being slowly strangled. Even to the point of sticking out his tongue. Buffy couldn't help but giggle. Which caused Wesley to look up and look at the both of them suspiciously. Luckily for Giles he managed to look straight faced again in an instant so instead Wesley looked at Buffy.

"I can assure you, Miss Summers," he said frowning, "this is no laughing matter. These vampires became the acolytes of a demon called Balthazar, who brought them to the New World, specifically here."

"No surprise there," Buffy sighed as she looked away, "where else would they go?"

"Which begs the question though," Giles mused, "why have we not seen them before?"

Wesley reached for another book and opened it as he looked for a specific page..

"Before I came here I've researched this town's history extensively," he said flipping pages until he found what he was looking and pointed to it, "they were driven out a hundred years ago. Happily, Balthazar was killed. I don't know by whom."

"And they're back 'cause...?" Buffy asked.

Wesley pointed to an illustration in the first book.

"Balthazar had an amulet purported to give him strength. When he was killed, it was taken by a wealthy landowner named... I don't want to bore you with the details."

"A little bit late," Buffy remarked giving Giles a wink.

"...named Gleaves," Wesley continued, " It was buried with him, and I believe the few

remaining Eliminati are probably looking for it. For sentimental value. In fact, from what this Clem fellow told us they've already found it."

"And you don't think that this, uh, amulet poses any threat?" Buffy asked incredulously, "Because in my experience magical jewellery in the hands of bad guys inevitably leads to problems. "

"Oh no, not at all," Wesley said shaking his head as he closed his books, "Nonetheless, we may as well keep it from them. Miss. Summers, Buffy, our informant told us they're hiding at a packing warehouse at, what was the name again, Rupert."

"Devereau," Giles filled in.

"Devereau, yes," Wesley echoed as he leaned on his books, "Now unfortunately it would seem Faith has chosen this time to go AWOL on us. Her conduct has been noted but unfortunately it means you will have to go it alone."

"That's okay," Buffy said holding up her hand, "me and her aren't really mixey."

"I've heard," Wesley said as he took his hands from his book and stood up straight, "Foolish business. I even heard that the both of you prefer to work with a normal human as a partner. That is a most strange way of doing things."

"Well, I can assure you that Xander is anything but normal," Buffy sniggered, then she looked away and stroked her chin pretending to think, "Come to think of it, neither is Oz for that matter."

"I take it you mean, um….," Wesley said as he reached for a paper on the table, "one Daniel Osbourne? Who suffers from Lycanthropy?"

"Only on a full moon," Buffy quickly added.

Wesley shook his head, then he sat down on the table and sighed

"You know what, Miss Summers. Buffy? Let's see how things work out for the moment. Maybe it's not wise to start changing things overnight."

Buffy and Giles looked at each other in amazement. Just when they figured the fop out he surprised them by doing something sensible.

"Anything else?" Buffy asked.

"I've discussed your training arrangements with Rupert," Wesley said, "and I've met your stepfather. After careful deliberation I've agreed to continue the current arrangement. Since Quentin Travers spoke so highly of what he had seen I will allow your stepfather to continue training both you and Faith. I will drop by from time to time but by en large I will focus mostly on the bigger picture."

Again Buffy and Giles looked at each other.

"How very, um, gracious of you," Buffy said somewhat impressed. This was better then they had hoped for when Giles was fired.

"Well, no need to change what works," Wesley said making a magnanimous gesture, "as I said, I studied the town's history. In the last year alone the death rate has declined from the nation's highest to below average. And as your American saying goes, never change a winning team. Right?"

"I'll..., uh..., tell dad about it," Buffy said, struggling to refrain from laughing when having to call Belmovekk her dad.

"Good. Did he..., um..., by any chance mention anything about me?" Wesley asked suddenly a bit anxious.

"Uh, he most definitely said something," Buffy grinned before walking out of the Library.

"I have to get something from my car," Giles said, "I'll walk with you for a moment.".

When the two had left Wesley sat down in his chair again and folded his arms across his chest.

"And still there's something wrong with that guy," he muttered.

Meanwhile Buffy and Giles walked through the dimly lit deserted school halls.

"Just when you think you figured him out," Buffy said shaking her head.

"I must admit the same feelings," Giles echoed, "while he can be insufferably pompous he does appear to be more pragmatic then I'd given him credit for."

"At least we can continue our training," Buffy nodded, "that is, if he doesn't make to many sudden appearances."

"I'll be sure to give you a call if he's inclined to do so," Giles said.

"I appreciate that," Buffy said. Then she suddenly stopped and gave Giles a hug.

"My," Giles said taken aback, then he returned the hug, "what is this for?"

"Just for being you," Buffy smiled at him, "for sticking around and putting up with Princess Margaret. For just being you."

"You know I could never leave you, Buffy," Giles said, sounding a little choked.

"I know," Buffy said and let go, "now let's go and kill some vamps."

"Will you be going alone or will you get Xander to come along?" Giles asked.

"Xander's on a hot date, remember?" Buffy grinned, "wouldn't be right if I dropped in on him now. Besides, couple of vamps, I've faced worse by myself."

"I still think you shouldn't go alone," Giles said shaking his head, "something's not right here. The Eliminati wouldn't just come here looking for a souvenir. They're up to something. Otherwise Clem wouldn't have given us a warning."

"Okay, okay," Buffy said as she walked to the exit, "I'll drop in on Angel and interrupt his brooding. He'll be my backup for the night. Happy?"

Before Giles could reply she turned around.

"In a non-dating kind of way of course."

She wanted to turn around again and leave but Giles called after her.

"Buffy," he said and pointed to where he had parked his car, then he threw her his keys, "in my car you'll find a pair of scouters."

Elsewhere Buffy awoke to splitting headache sitting in a passenger car seat. She opened her eyes finding herself sitting strapped in an old car. She looked around herself. The rest of the car was empty. The car, some old-timer, was parked on a ridge overlooking the town of Sunnydale below. If she had to guess she was at some make out point for teenagers.

As she looked around again she found the car was not quite empty. On the other side of the windshield, behind the right windshield wiper, sat a small plastic card. Buffy unfastened her seatbelt and reached for the plastic card. As she pulled it back she recognized it, it was a California drivers license. Besides a picture of a by now very familiar face she saw it was made out to an Alexander Lavelle Harris, resident of Sunnydale California.

"Am I supposed to be impressed by a picture from your past life?" Buffy called out unimpressed to her surroundings, but there came no reply.

"Great, another disappearing act," Buffy muttered, it seemed to be happening a lot lately. At least this time she was left at least with some means of transportation. Buffy moved her ass over the stick and handbrake into the driver's seat and reached for the key. There was none.

"Aw crap," Buffy mattered and threw her hands into the air. It never rains when it pours.

"Couldn't you at least leave me the keys?" she yelled out in annoyance.

"And risk you driving off with my new car? No thanks," a voice called from above her.

Buffy looked up and saw her nemesis hanging in the air, his legs folded underneath like he was sitting cross-legged on the floor.

"Har, har, very funny, um…" Buffy said and then reached for the driver's license, "Alexander."

"Please, call me Xander," her nemesis said as he lowered himself until he touched down on the hood, now sitting cross-legged opposite her for real.

"If that's how you want to be called, vampire," Buffy spat.

"Whatever gave you the idea I was a vampire?" Xander asked amiable.

"Because when we last fought in the factory that's what you were," Buffy said gruffly as she folded her arms across her chest.

"Why would we fight?" Xander asked curious.

"Cause that's what vampires and Vampire Slayers do," Buffy snorted at how dense this vamp was, "I'm the Slayer, Buffy the vampire Slayer. You're the vamp, Xander the vamp. And that's how the game's played."

Xander thought this over for a moment, then he shook his head and held up two fingers.

"Firstly, I'm not a vampire," he said deadpan.

"Could have fooled me, Mr. Super Strength. I've never met an ordinary human who could do what you did," Buffy snorted again, then she looked oddly at Xander, "although I've never seen a vampire do what you just did either."

"I take it floating vampires are rare where you live?" Xander said grinning at her.

"The only person I ever saw fly was Tweedledum," Buffy said, "but he don't count. He's from outer space. Or so they claimed."

Xander's eyes lit up.

"Long guy, crazy hair, arms full of tattoos and has a tail?" he said hopeful as he made accompanying gestures.

"Nah," Buffy said, "that's Tweedledee."

Xander chuckled at the creative names.

"I'm sure that's not what he really calls himself," he said. Buffy shrugged and looked away.

"I think he calls himself Belsomething," she said offhand, "really weird guy. Gave me the creeps in many ways. Said he had been looking for me. Like I was the second coming or something. What's your other point?"

"What other point?" Xander asked. Buffy stood up and sat on top of the back of the car seat.

"You know, for a person who has to convince a slayhappy Slayer he's no vampire you're not that smart," she said, "When a person begins a statement by saying firstly they usually follow it by saying 'and secondly'….?"

Xander reached into his back pocket and threw a wallet towards Buffy which she caught.

"Your point is money?" she said puzzled.

"Open it," Xander said. Buffy did and her jaw nearly hit the floor. Inside the wallet was a picture. A picture of herself, minus that hideous little scar on her lip, and she was smiling. Buffy couldn't remember the last time when she had smiled or looked so carefree and happy. Beside her on the picture was that goofball opposite her, and a familiar looking redhead. One she distinctly remembered as that redheaded dominatrix vamp that stood beside that Xander vamp in the factory.

Buffy's first instinct was to say that the picture was false, that it had been faked. But then she realized she might very well be in an alternate reality which meant she could be anything. Even a vampire like this Xander. And then she realized vampires didn't smile like this. They leered. They certainly didn't look this carefree and happy. And the picture did seem to be taken in broad daylight. Another big no-no for vampires.

"You're not a vampire," Buffy stammered, still looking at the picture.

"Hurray for reason," Xander mockingly cheered.

"But this isn't me," Buffy said looking at her likeness on the picture, "I don't know who she is but she…"

"…she's Buffy the vampire Slayer, she's been living in Sunnydale for over two years now and she lives in 1630 Revello Drive," Xander interjected, then he held up another plastic card, another driving license, an Ohio state driver's license this time, "she does not live, and I stress this, on 220 Evergreen Terrace, Cleveland Ohio."

"Jeeves was right," Buffy muttered softly.

"Cool picture," Xander said admiringly as he looked at her driver's license, "I'm sure it's fake though. I know for a fact Buffy can't drive if her life depended on it and you seem to be very much like her. Besides you're listed here as being four year's older then you actually are."

"Yeah, you know," Buffy shrugged, "stupid laws! Unless you're 21 there's no drinking."

"No disagreement there," Xander said as his smile faded and he looked all business, "Who are you really and why are you here?"

It was late in the night in the Library and Giles was sitting behind his desk doing something he had neglected for a while, studying the Gypsy prophecies he had gotten through Belmovekk and Jenny Calendar. Poor Jenny, who still woke up screaming every night in a mental institution somewhere in Europe. Giles tried to keep in contact. He wrote her a letter once a week, called her when she had one of her better periods. It was no chore and according to her doctors the regular contacts helped her. He hadn't however told her of Angel's return from hell, fearing that hearing about his return to the Earth would send her crashing into the mental abyss again.

It was after having written one of those letters again that Giles had decided to whip out the old prophecy again. The thing was the most difficult prophecy he had ever come across, partly because it was probably still being written retro-actively by those strange Necessities. All in all it was quite an enjoyable challenge that Giles sometimes undertook just to pass the time. So what if it was mostly gibberish. All prophecies were to some extent. It helped to pass the time and so what if it was just a waste of time. Thanks to the Edict he had a lot more of it to waste.

But what he had now read in the text was beginning to worry Giles. There were obscure references to a new evil rising. One that was both old and new at the same time. One that could potentially only be stopped by something called the Avatar of the Master, and that time had to be bought. Strange stuff. But despite his best efforts there was little else Giles could find. It would appear that whatever had that dynamic duo spooked still managed to hide itself from them. Now the questions were, was it somebody or something related to that future cosmic accident, or was it something local, something that might derail those Necessities plans?

Giles remembered what Belmovekk had told them of the deal he had made with D'Hoffryn. How he had received three warnings. Two of those had come true. Angelus did turn on them. Something bad did happen on Buffy's 18th birthday thanks to the Watcher's Council. There was still something bad to befall them in this town. Something regarding an unseen puppeteer pulling everyone's strings.

And the more Giles had thought about it, the more it seemed that that was the rising evil. Belmovekk's investigation into the town's police that had come to a sudden dead end, the town's police incompetence, the way Mayor Wilkins III had for years kept a lid on things when what happened here should have been national news. It absolutely reeked of some unseen puppeteer. The question, was he the puppet, or was he the puppeteer?

No, let that fop Wesley run the day to day things thinking he was in charge, Giles thought. Buffy would come to him for the really important things. Faith probably as well. And while Wesley would think he was in charge Giles would concentrate on finding this evil. And through Wesley at least Giles had some means to still access Council records.

As he was studying Giles suddenly heard somebody enter the Library. Giles stood from behind his desk and left his office only to find Buffy and Angel as they were putting their scouters back into the cabinet inside the cage.

"Still working late?" Buffy said as she saw Giles emerge from his office, "Where's Princess Margaret?"

"Probably furnishing his new apartment," Giles chuckled at Wesley's new nickname. Long had he been at the butt end of such jokes. It was nice for once to have somebody else be the target for a change.

"So how were the Eliminati?" he asked.

"Eliminated," Buffy said casually.

"Nothing special," Angel shrugged boastfully, "I kinda expected more of them."

"Well that fat tub of lard had you flying for a while," Buffy said teasing towards Angel.

"Only because we didn't think he could actually be a danger," Angel said defending himself, "How the hell was I supposed to know he was actually Balthazar?"

Buffy gave Angel a stern look.

"Angel, you're practically from the same age," she said, "You were the Scourge of Europe. Surely you heard of the guy."

Typically American, Angel thought as he rolled his eyes. When it comes to anything older then 50 years they all sweep everything into one corner.

"Balthazar was from the 15th century," Angel said, "I became a vampire in the 18th century. Note the difference between those centuries. While yes, technically I might have heard of the guy, it was a bit hard for me to know him since he had crossed the ocean long before!"

"You mean Balthazar was actually still alive?" Giles said surprised. It might explain certain things, he suddenly realized.

"Technically yes," Buffy said looking at Angel, "although I wouldn't call having to spend your every day sitting in a tub of water much of a life."

"But he's dead now, right?" Giles asked as he mind raced to fill things in with what he had been studying earlier.

"Oh yeah," Angel said smiling at Buffy, "my girl here fried him good."

"You say the nicest things," Buffy smiled back and fluttered her eye lashes.

"I must write that down," Giles said as he scrambled to where Wesley kept his diary.

"Funny thing is," Buffy said as Giles rummaged in a drawer, "just before he died he said something that kinda wigged me out."

"What?" Giles said looking up.

"When he rises... you'll wish I'd killed you all," Angel quoted ad verbatim.

That stopped Giles cold in his tracks. His hopes that this Balthazar was the hidden puppeteer was suddenly dashed..

"Oh dear," he muttered as he reached for his glasses and his cleaning cloth. Seeing her now ex-Watcher perform the Giles manoeuvre wigged Buffy out even more then having that dying tub o' lard make his dying boast. Cause then it just sounded weird. Now it would seem Giles actually seemed to know something. Then, as if on cue, Buffy felt Angel wrap his arms around her to comfort her.

"It's okay, Buffy," Angel said, "no matter what, I'll be there for you. Or your friends."

"I don't fucking believe it if I wasn't seeing it with my own fucking eyes," a new voice suddenly said out loud. A very familiar voice.

As Buffy, Angel and Giles turned around they saw Buffy stand there in the door opening. Together with a grinning Xander.

Only it wasn't Buffy, because Buffy was standing there next with Angel in front of the cage. And yet it was Buffy, because she looked 100% exactly like herself. Well, apart from a slightly different haircut, clothes that Buffy would never, EVER, dream of putting on. And as she looked closely she could see that this strange weird twin of her carried a small scar on her lip.

"Talk about being maxi-wigged," Buffy said, unable to believe her own eyes.

"How do you think it's for me," the other Buffy replied, "me, with some vampire all over me. Holding me like we're lovers."

"I have a soul," Angel couldn't help but flap out.

"Still, a vampire!" the other Buffy said frowning, "It's disgusting!"

"Hey," Buffy said defensively.

"It's not natural," The other Buffy said giving Buffy a disgusted look.

"That's what I keep saying," Xander said excited, like he finally had found a kindred spirit.

"Xander?" Giles said as he walked towards the new arrivals, "You know this… this, um, girl?"

"I sure do," Xander said sporting the mother of all smirks as he stepped between the two Buffy's as if he wanted to introduce the two girls, "Buffy, Buffy. Buffy, Buffy."

Xander then pumped his elbow in a victory celebration like he had just made the best joke ever.

"Letterman, eat your heart out," he grinned from ear to ear as the two Buffy's began to stare each other with looks that could kill.

"This is amazing," Angel said as he took a step towards the other Buffy, "It's like suddenly meeting a girl's twin sister for the first time."

"W-w-w-what i-is the m-meaning of this," Giles said as he absentmindedly obsessively polished his glasses.

"Short story, she's from an alternate reality," Xander said looking at the two Buffy's, "and for reasons unknown she ended up in ours."

"Alternate realities," Angel said surprised, "is that even possible?"

"The evidence stands right there, D.B.," Xander said pointing towards the other Buffy, then he turned towards Angel and smirked, "and guess what, in that reality you snuffed it."

Again Xander pumped his elbow like he was celebrating a major victory.

"Don't get to happy, Fly Boy," the other Buffy said never taking her eyes of Buffy, "Cause there you were a vampire and I dusted you, remember?"

"I don't care," Xander shrugged grinning, "at least D.B. here died first. I can live with being the deceased right hand man to the villain."

"I think I have to sit down," Giles said as he put his glasses on before grabbing a chair. Xander turned to Giles.

"No time," he said shaking his head, "We must go to Buffy's house and take her to the B-man."

"She's not coming to my house," Buffy said sternly.

"Why do we need Belmovekk?" Angel said puzzled, then the obvious answer hit on him, "Oh, of course."

"We have to go because it seems that her reality was spawned when somebody, I shall name no names, but she was one of my former girlfriends, made a wish to a certain person, or thing, that grants wishes," Xander said.

"Oh dear," Giles gasped, "What was the wish?"

"Oh, only that a certain somebody would never have come to Sunnydale," Xander replied offhand.

"You mean that if I never had come to this place I would have been her?" Buffy exclaimed and pointing at her opposite.

"Hey, from where I'm standing it looks like an improvement," the other Buffy said, "At least I never necked with a vampire, sis."

"I'm gonna rip your head off," Buffy yelled and tried to jump on the other Buffy but Xander quickly intervened.

"Ladies," he said trying to sound suave as he stepped in between the two Buffy's and put his hands around the both of them, "this is no time to fight or argue. Now that we've all met I say we all go to Buffy's house and meet the only other person who can shed more light on this matter. We'll take my car. To the bat mobile, away!"

"Don't you mean your pimp mobile, Harris," Angel said sneering. Xander turned his head around and sighed.

"You're cramping my style, D.B."

"So tell me again," The other Buffy said as the five of them sat in Xander's car as they drove through Sunnydale, "why do we need to get to Little Miss Priss' house?"

"I heard that," Buffy called from the back of the car, where she sat with Giles and Angel.

"Good," the other Buffy said over her shoulder from the front passenger seat, "then I won't have to repeat it."

"Buffy's, behave," Xander said while keeping his eyes on the road, "otherwise we'll get into an accident."

"Why did you even get a car Harris?" Angel asked curious, "You can fly. Was it only to score with the ladies?"

"Didn't you get the memo, D.B.?" Xander said as he took a corner, "The air force got those flying radar stations that can detect us. They're up there 24-7 trying to pick up those androids. I don't want them to know I can fly. Surely Buffy told you right? Or did it slip when you were accidentally falling onto each others lips again?"

"Ew, Fly Boy," the other Buffy said, "bad mental polaroid!"

"Yeah, well welcome to my world," Xander said as he shot her a brief smile before he drove into Revello Drive, "and in answer to your original question, there are some people there I think you should meet."

Xander halted the car at number 1600 and the group got out to walk to Buffy's house. As they neared the home they could see a figure sleeping on the porch underneath a blanket.

"That's Tweedledee," the other Buffy said as she recognized the sleeping figure, "but why's he sleeping on the porch?"

"He's been a naughty boy again," Xander grinned and knelt next to the sleeping figure, "wakey, wakey, Big Guy."

"Hmmm," the Saiyan muttered drowsily.

"Rise and shine, oh sensei," Xander yelled and the sleeping Saiyan began to stir.

"If you go to Z'ha'dum you will….." the Saiyan said groggy, then he looked surprised as he opened his eyes, "Xander? What are you doing here?"

"Figures," Buffy said to the other Buffy, "I've known him for more then a year and a half and he still refuses to call me by my name, yet Xander….."

"Well, he did stop calling me vampire," Angel said offhand.

"I want you to meet somebody," Xander said meanwhile to the Saiyan who was scratching his hair," Look!"

Belmovekk turned around and his still drowsy look changed to one of pure astonishment.

"Am I still asleep or did I get drunk again last night?" he said flabbergasted.

"Well," Xander said pretending to sniff, "I don't smell any alcohol on your breath but

a breath mint or two wouldn't hurt."

"There are two of them," Belmovekk said, still having trouble to comprehend, "How can this be?"

"Short answer," Xander said holding up two fingers, "She's from an alternate universe where things are a little different and your old friend, the supreme vengeance pimp is involved."

"D'Hoffryn?" Belmovekk gasped surprised, "B-but how?"

"I think you should get your girlfriend," Xander nodded imperatively, "remember, get girlfriend now, freak later."

"I will get her," The Saiyan said and opened the front door and went inside. Within a second his head looked out again.

"How much later?" he asked.

"Go," Xander said as he shooed the Saiyan. As the Saiyan went upstairs to get Joyce Xander turned to Giles.

"When will Willow be here?" he asked.

"She's on her way," Giles said as he put away his cell phone, "five minutes."

"I have a feeling it's going to be a long night," Angel sighed.

"Should be no problem for a creature of the night like you, D.B.," Xander smiled.

Meanwhile the other Buffy began to look uncomfortable.

"If you don't mind I'd rather go," she said uneasily.

"Don't you want to know what's going on?" Giles asked surprised, "Besides, where would you stay?"

"You guys seem to be handling things well without me," the other Buffy said, "besides, if you give me the keys to your place I'll crash on your sofa. I know where it is."

"Oh no you don't," Buffy said wearily, "I'm not leaving you out of my sight."

"You and whose army?" the other Buffy said defiantly. Buffy grinned and stepped back in the garden. Then she spread her arms and concentrated. Two white globes of energy appeared in each of her hands that quickly grew in intensity. The ground began to vibrate softly until Buffy began to float upwards where she hung a meter in the air.

"You too?" the other Buffy said dejected, "I must have crossed over into Bizarro world or something!"

"Quit showing off, Buff," Xander called and nodded towards the front door, "we're going inside."

Xander opened the front door and stepped inside, followed by Giles and Angel.

"You invited a vampire into your home?" the other Buffy said incredulously, "I did cross over into Bizarro world!"

"Just get inside," Buffy said and pushed her, for lack of a better word, twin over the doorpost.

Both Buffy's stood in the hall when a female voice came down from upstairs.

"This better be important mister, or you'll be sleeping out on the porch a lot."

Both girls looked up and saw an angry Joyce coming down the stairs in her nightgown, followed by Belmovekk. Once Joyce saw the two girls and they saw her the effects were…..dramatic?

"Buffy?" Joyce said absolutely gobsmacked. There were two Buffy's standing at the base of the stair. One looked like the daughter she had always known. The other Buffy however looked like she had been to Hell and back and then some. She had a small scar on her lip and looked at her just as shocked, if not even more. Like she had just seen a ghost.

"Mom?" the other Buffy said, her voice beginning to tremble.

"Buffy?" Joyce said as she took another step down the stairs.

"Mom!" the other Buffy cried, her voice now completely cracked as she ran up the stairs and threw her arms around Joyce. Then she broke down and began to cry uncontrollably. Not sure what to do Joyce put her arms around the girl and looked at what she thought was her Buffy in utter amazement. Buffy herself was equally taken aback by the sudden emotional outburst of the other Buffy. Giles, Angel and Xander also came to look what was going, but the only one who was smiling was Xander.

"Don't you just love a happy reunion?" he smiled.

"You knew!" Buffy said to Xander who nodded, "You knew this would happen! That's why you wanted her to come in the first place!"

Xander looked moved at the other Buffy crying in Joyce's arms.

"I thought something like this would happen. Let's give them so alone time. I'll tell all once Will gets here."

Willow rode her bike through Revello Drive towards Buffy's home. She was unsure why Giles had called her this late and told her she should come. But Willow was 'Old Reliable' and she showed up as ordered. Besides, it probably meant a major crisis, for which they probably needed her new sorcery skills, which meant adieu 'Old Reliable', hello Super Willow!

As she rode up to Buffy's home she noticed the lights were on in the living room and Xander's new car was parked in front of the house. Willow rode up the drive way and parked her bike between Joyce's car and the porch. Then she walked up to front door and opened the door.

"What's up guys?," Willow said cheerily and turned left, into the living room. There she saw the whole gang assembled minus Oz and Faith, who were still in Los Angeles of course. And minus that new Watcher of course. Because he was an evil interloper sent from London to take Giles' place. And who needs him anyway? But Giles was there, sitting on a chair. Belmovekk was sitting on the other chair, Buffy stood with Angel holding her with his arm and one of her hands holding his. Which was good, because it meant if they could do that in public it was another step in repairing their relationship. Even Xander stood there and he didn't seem to mind. Good. Strangely they all seem to look at the couch where Joyce sat, with Buffy in her arms.

Uh?

Buffy?

Wait a sec, another Buffy?

Willow looked to Buffy standing with Angel to the Buffy crying in Joyce's arms.

"Strange things are afoot at the Circle K," was all Willow could utter at this surreal moment. At that moment most looked up towards Willow.

"Good," Xander nodded in assent, "our final member has arrived."

"Guys," Willow said flabbergasted, "what's going on here. How can there be two Buffy's?"

"Our glorious leader was just about going to tell us," Buffy said, the one with Angel's arm draped around her.

"Why thank you, Buff," Xander grinned, "I shall strive to be worthy of your sense of grandeur."

"Just shut up and tell," Buffy said annoyed.

"Alright," Xander said, pretending to be intimidated. Then he put his hands together and told them the story as he knew it.

"It all begins, like most stories with a girl. Normally I would say this story revolves around a girl we all know. One that has been chosen. One girl in every generation to, well, yada yada yada. You know the rest. Only this time we would be wrong to thinks so. This time the story does not revolve around our chosen heroine. It revolved around another girl. One who wasn't chosen. Except by me of course."

"Harris, you're such a drama queen," Angel interjected. Xander held up his left hand towards the souled vampire.

"Talk to the hand, D.B., cause my face ain't listening. Now where was I? The other girl, right. Now when Willow and I were at the butt end of Spike's stupid love spell and got caught kissing before we could tell. Which I might add one more time we were most definitely planning to do. Feeling scorned and hurt and most definitely not open to reason our girl met another girl. One not of the human kind. One called Anyanka."

"Oh my god," Giles exclaimed as he recognized the name, "the patron saint of scorned women! She's a vengeance demon!"

Buffy turned to Belmovekk.

"I thought you made a deal with them. No more bad mojo in my town, remember?"

Before Belmovekk could reply Xander continued.

"It matters not, Buff. I'm sure the Big Guy will get to the bottom of this. For whatever reason this Anyanka chose to ignore the agreement and fulfill the wish of one Cordelia Chase."

"It might very well not be D'Hoffryn's doing," Giles said, "the stories of Anyanka's exploits are legendary. She knows no fear for anybody and has been most proliferate in the wishes she's granted. She must have killed thousands of men, caused even more to suffer."

Suddenly a sinking feeling began to dawn upon Willow as Xander continued.

"Now it would appear that Queen C. made a wish. Only one that got her more then she bargained for. It would seem that our universe is even more, shall I dare say, fucked up then we thought? Besides our own it would appear there are many more dimensions. The old cliché that you should be careful what you wish for holds true, because for her wish Cordelia was transported into an alternate universe.

In this universe she found a Sunnydale where the Master was not defeated by Buffy. Instead he ruled the place with an iron fist. Many had fallen to him and his minions. Including me and Will. For it seemed we had become his lieutenants."

For a moment everybody looked to Willow, who smiled uncomfortably as that sinking feeling became a terribly feeling of guilt and recognition. Images of Xander in a leather coat and herself dressed as a dominatrix came to mind.

"What was her wish?" Joyce asked.

"Apparently she wished that you and the Buffster had never come to Sunnydale," Xander said, then he looked aside a bit and scratched his hair, "or to be more precise, that only the Buffster here hadn't come."

"There were times I wished that myself many times," Buffy said, not so sure now that it was so desirable. Apparently it had her 'twin' all up in tears so it probably was bad.

"Be glad you came," Xander said, his cheer gone, "because in order for that little wish to come true Joyce here would need to die."

"What?" both Buffy and Joyce exclaimed. Xander pointed to the other Buffy

"This poor girl here is the end result of a universe in which your parents died, Buff," he said and pointed, "see that little scar on her lip? In her universe Merrick did not find her in time. But Lothos did. Let's just say that when Merrick managed to rescue her, she was the only one he could still rescue."

"He tortured my parents for two days," the other Buffy said, tears still rolling down her cheeks, "and then he turned them. Eventually I had to kill them after Merrick had rescued and trained me."

"You poor thing," Joyce said and took the other Buffy tighter in her embrace, all the while gently caressing the girl's hair, "nobody should be forced to do such a thing!"

"I missed you so much, mom," the other Buffy sobbed.

"Merrick took Buffy into the care of the Council where she became a most, shall we say, efficient, Slayer," Xander continued, "in many ways she resembled Faith, although with a bit more focus on the job then Faith. The Council stationed her in Cleveland, which somehow also has a Hellmouth, as I was shocked to learn."

"Why Cleveland?" Giles asked, more to himself then to Xander, "The Cleveland Hellmouth is nowhere near as active as ours?"

"Why send us a dork like Wesley to replace you?" Xander shrugged, "the ways of the Council are as illogical as women and ten times more mysterious."

"Careful Harris," Angel said softly," you were on a roll there, don't ruin it."

"Anyway, when our Cordelia came to her dimension she wound up with the only person left in Sunnydale who still stood up to the Master, the G-man himself."

"Me?" Giles gasped, "What on Earth could I do by myself?"

"I don't know," Xander shrugged, "but she said that Cordelia told you that things weren't supposed to be like this. That this Anyanka had changed things. That the Slayer and the Saiyan were supposed to be there."

"I wasn't there also?" Belmovekk said surprised.

"Stands to reason, doesn't it, Big Guy?" Xander said, "you were only passing through and stayed because of Buffy. If she wasn't here, you'd probably moved on."

"I suppose," Belmovekk said lost in thought.

"What happened to Cordelia?" Angel asked, "You said she told Giles who told this Buffy. Why didn't she tell these things to Buffy herself?"

"Cordelia was killed shortly thereafter by the Master's lieutenants," Xander replied bluntly, "Which probably meant Willow and me."

"No!" Willow gasped aghast as she clasped her mouth.

"You always had a way with women, Harris," Angel said shaking his head.

"Hey, I didn't do it, it was alternate Xander, remember?" Xander countered, then he continued, "Anyway, the alternate Giles at first didn't believe Cordy but she gave him a phone number. Bulma's number at Capsule Corp. And surprise, surprise, who was there?"

"I'm going on a limb here and say Belmo here," Buffy said holding up her hand.

"Indeed," Xander grinned, "and he wasted no time in coming to the 'Dale. And he brought Vegeta along. Now our alternate Giles also managed to get this Buffy here to also come to Sunnydale. And together they conjured up a plan. That is, the alternate Giles had a plan. He wanted to summon Anyanka, take her power center and destroy it. Hoping it would reverse the effects of the wish. Our girl here on the other hand thought otherwise and decided to take on the Master. The other Belmo and Vegeta tagged along with her."

"Now I get it," Buffy said as she snapped her fingers, "Tweedledee and Tweedledum! She called Belmo Tweedledee, which should make Vegeta…."

Angel began to laugh.

"I'm sure he must have loved it," he said laughing as Xander pushed on.

"Now our girl here pushed on with the Saiyan twosome tagging along until she came upon the Master. Who from her descriptions was about to turn Sunnydale into a modern version of Auschwitz, having created a way to extract human blood on an industrial scale in the old abandoned factory in the old business district. The place was swamped with vampires but she attacked anyway. She killed a lot of them, including me it would seem. Then she faced off against the Master. And that's all she remembered. Next thing she knew she was still in the old abandoned factory only this time in our dimension somewhere around late afternoon."

"Late afternoon?" Willow exclaimed nervously, "you sure about that?"

"I am," the other Buffy suddenly said, her head in Joyce's lap, "I may not have had a watch but I know what time of day it is."

"Oh," Willow said looking away.

"An interesting life indeed," Angel said, then he looked at Buffy, "I'm glad you came to Sunnydale after all."

"So it would seem," Buffy said as she looked at her counterpart in her mother's arms.

Meanwhile Belmovekk stood up and he looked angry.

"I am going to get that son a bitch of a D'Hoffryn and rip that vengeance's pimp's head off for breaking our agreement," he said angry.

"Belmo, calm down, "Joyce said, "you'll wake the kids!"

Belmovekk nearly wanted to plant his fist through a wall when he changed his mind. He turned towards to Joyce and pointed at his head.

"They are already awake, Joyce," he said, "remember, telepathic emotional attachment."

"Kids?" the other Buffy said surprised.

"Come," Joyce said and nodded her head towards the ceiling, "you have two little sisters. Do you want to meet them?"

"I'd like that very much," the other Buffy said wiping away a tear.

"Then come, "Joyce smiled and extended a hand.

"You can't be serious," Buffy said shocked, "Dawn and Mayan aren't her sisters! She's not even from this dimension, remember?"

Joyce stopped for a moment as she smiled at Buffy.

"She's you, honey," she smiled, "it doesn't matter if she's from this dimension or another. She's as much my daughter as you are."

Buffy didn't know what to say to that as Joyce and the other Buffy walked towards the stairs. Then she called after them.

"She's not getting my room!"

"Who would've figured, other dimensions hey?" Willow meanwhile said as she nervously tried to smile.

"It's obvious the plan of the other Giles worked, right?" Angel said looking at Giles, "After all, Cordelia's back in our reality."

"That much is a given," Giles agreed as he rested his chin on one of his hands as he was thinking, "I'm amazed at the amount of magical power needed to punch a hole between alternate dimensions. It's not that easy, you know."

"It does not matter," Belmovekk said angry as he folded his arms across his chest, "if that vengeance pimp has any sense he is punching one right now and hides inside it before I get my hands on him."

"Guys," Xander said holding up his hands, "you're missing the point here."

"Which is?" Buffy asked looking at Xander.

"It's obvious that the other Giles reversed the wish," Xander said pointing towards a calendar, "but unless time between our realities is different this whole wish thing happened months ago. The question we should be asking is who brought her into our universe now? Why she was brought here and why from a particular incident that happened months ago. She's not yet eighteen."

The group looked at each other.

"I hate it when he's right but he is," Angel nodded in agreement, "Somebody punched a second hole through time and space."

"We will know once I get my hands on that double crossing D'Hoffryn," Belmovekk said still fuming with anger.

"That's probably the best thing," Willow quickly added.

"Is it, Will?" Xander suddenly said as his eyes narrowed in on her. Willow flinched and inadvertently took a step backwards.

"What?" Willow said nervously, "Are you saying that I did it, cause that would be strange cause how would I know what had happened if I didn't know anything of what was going on when it was all going on in some strange alternate universe I was no part off and I…."

"Will," Buffy said as she walked up to her friend, "you know something, I can see it now. You only act this guilty if you are guilty of something."

"Everyone else looked surprised," Xander said as he also came forward, "but I was struck that you seemed to recognize things."

All eyes turned to Willow.

"You knew?" Belmovekk asked surprised, but…. how…?"

"I'm sorry," Willow said crestfallen, "I didn't mean to. It was just that earlier Buffy and Xander said I was so reliable, calling me 'Old Reliable'. I don't want to be 'Old Reliable', I wanted to be bold and daring and adventurous. So when I met this girl who said she wanted my help in a little temporal fold spell I may have inadvertently said yes. How was I supposed to know Anya Jenkins was this Anyanka and that the necklace she wanted back was her former vengeance demon power center."

"Slow down, young lady," Belmovekk said gesturing her to slow down, "what did she want and what did she do exactly?"

Willow told them in more details what had happened earlier that day.

"And you say you saw images from that alternate reality?" the Saiyan asked impressed.

"Yes," Willow replied nodding.

"I want to see them," Belmovekk said stepping up towards her, "Show them to me."

"I can't," Willow pouted, "I can't do that image thing you can, remember."

"Then I am going to put my hand on your head and we will join in a telepathic link," Belmovekk said and held up his right hand, "Are you ready?"

"Hey! I want to see them too," Buffy said looking at Belmovekk.

"Count me in as well," Xander said eagerly.

"Then I want to as well," Angel said. Belmovekk looked at the three of them.

"I can only create a telepathic link with non-Saiyans by touching. I must use one to create that link with Willow. Now the young lady has some minor telepathic skills of her own. We have established a link once before. If she were to touch me I am sure she could re-establish that link on her own. That leaves me one free hand. And Angel, with all due respect, my opinion of you has grown considerably but you are still a vampire. And I am not going to allow a vampire access to my mind."

"Eat your heart out, D.B.," Xander grinned victoriously, "That is, if you still had one!"

"Xander!" Buffy said frowning.

"Let us begin," Belmovekk said and touched Willow.

"This is going to be freaky," Buffy said before reaching out and closing her eyes.

Next thing she opened her eyes and found herself standing against the wall of a Sunnydale High classroom. Belmovekk was there, as were Xander and Willow. But Willow was there twice, as another copy of her was sitting on the floor together with a familiar looking brunette in the center of the classroom.

"Told you it was going to be freaky," Buffy said as she the bugged out look on the faces of the others.

"This is weird," Willow agreed, "seeing yourself from a distance."

"Now you know how I felt the last time," Buffy said pointing to the scene.

"Who's the other dude," Xander said and pointed to the opposite side of the classroom. Leaning against the doorpost stood a copy of Belmovekk. Only unlike the Belmovekk that was with them he was dressed in a strange golden armor, and his eyes glowed golden as well.

"He is just an echo," Belmovekk said dismissively, "that was how I looked when I was possessed by that Goa'uld. When I drove him out something remained. He hangs around the edge of my consciousness. Like a mosquito when you try to sleep at night. He matters not."

The three Scoobies looked at Belmovekk, then at the so-called echo who looked at them with interest. Then Buffy shrugged and looked around.

"I guess you added to your collection," she said looking around, "I'm just glad that crazy hunchback's not here. I half expect him to conjure himself up like a rabbit from a hat any time now.

Meanwhile the two girls in the center continued with their ritual.

"She looks familiar," Xander said musing, "I've seen her somewhere. Doesn't she hang out with Harmony's minions or something?"

"Now that you mention it," Buffy agreed. Ever since Cordelia's fall from social grace it was her former number two, the airhead Harmony, that had taken over control of her former clique. And the girl Memory Willow seemed to be performing the ritual with seemed like one of Harmony's lesser minions.

Then the two girls' ritual took off in earnest and a pillar of energy was created between them. The girls closed their eyes and the spectators were transported inside Memory Willow's mind as she began to see the images of the alternate reality. There was no sound though, only images. The bleakness of the other Sunnydale. The other Buffy saving Giles and then for the first time meeting Belmovekk and Vegeta.

"What's with the cowboy outfit?" Buffy asked looking at Belmovekk, who could only give her a puzzled look in answer. Then the show went on. The Bronze turned Rocky Horror Picture Show, Buffy and the Saiyans meeting Angel. The move to the old factory and the fight. Buffy gasped as she saw Angel turn to dust, while Willow flinched as she saw Oz impale her other self on a piece of wood.

"I must get me a leather jacket like that," Xander said just before his double snuffed it as well. Then the fight between Buffy and the Master. All the while interspersed with images of Giles and Anyanka fighting over her locket. Then the Master snapped the other Buffy's neck and she fell to the floor as Super Saiyan Belmovekk killed him as well immediately thereafter. Then Vegeta turned Super Saiyan as well and Belmovekk gasped.

"He can do that?" he said aghast. Then the vision turned ugly as they saw the fight develop over Anyanka's locket between the other Belmovekk and Vegeta, Sunnydale's destruction, Vegeta's death and Belmovekk crushing the locket, reversing the wish.

"Holy shit," Xander said appalled, "You guys ripped half the planet apart!"

"You guys can do that?" Buffy asked Belmovekk and the Saiyan nodded.

"At full power, no doubt about it. Had that blast been directed at the Earth's core it could have very well destroyed the planet."

"Fuck!" was all Xander could say in absolute horror. Then the images restarted again, seemingly from the start.

"Look, it has begun again," Belmovekk said, "she must have scanned the first time looking for the best possible moment to get her pendant back. This time she meant to grab it."

"Then what went wrong?" Buffy asked.

"Stop!" Belmovekk cried and walked inside the vision that was now frozen in time, with Giles about to smash the pendant, "this was the moment she chose. With master Giles about to smash the thing. But if we go to the factory what do we see?

The scene changed. The other Buffy was in the iron grip of the master and just a fraction of a second away of having her neck broken. At the other side of the factory a bright wave of golden chi had begun to spread as the other Belmovekk had begun his transformation.

"Look," Belmovekk said as he now walked in the factory scene itself and up to his other self, followed by the three Scoobies, "This explains what happened. Had she reached for her pendant a little earlier she would probably have gotten it back. Now she failed. Which is for the best I suppose."

"I don't understand," Xander said as he examined the half transformed Belmovekk frozen in time, surrounded by a strange and weird corona of golden chi. But there was also tinges of black in that corona.

"Going Super Saiyan means a radical increase in energy and power," Belmovekk explained and pointed towards the black tinges, "Power that comes within, but not those tinges. I have never seen those before. Those seem to be completely different."

"Maybe you just never noticed as you're too busy with something else?" Buffy suggested, "Like fighting the bad guy?"

"Perhaps," Belmovekk said as he examined the black tinges a little more, "They feel wrong though. Alien."

"Maybe it's that zero point energy you once talked about," Willow said, "The one your colleague, Beldin talked about."

The mere mentioning of his name had Buffy look around wearily.

"What do you mean?" Belmovekk asked Willow, "My power comes from within, not from outside. I would know."

"Yeah, but you're transforming," Willow said pointed to the black tinges, "It's bound to be taxing on anyone's body. What if you're like a car engine, that has to be started. Gas doesn't ignite by itself, Belmo, it needs a spark to ignite first. What if you're drawing on this outside energy first to ignite your own energy?"

"Like the spark plugs in a car engine," Xander said as he smiled proudly at Willow, "That explains why every time he transforms there's this shockwave."

"Exactly," Willow continued, "It means that whatever Anya was trying to do got interfered with when this Belmo transformed, his reaction with dark matter energy caused all sorts of things to go poof in this entire area."

"So..., no magic when Belmo or Goku are about to transform?" Buffy said, looking from Belmo to Willow.

"So it would seem," Belmovekk said and turned around to point towards the Master holding the other Buffy, "and since she was clearly the reason he suddenly transformed it stands to reason that that caused the spell to go haywire and why she was brought into our reality, instead of the pendant."

"So he saved her after all," Xander said as he shook his head smiling, "Still her protector, in whatever reality."

"I wonder if she knows she lost," Willow said thinking out loud.

"Probably not," Xander said as he shook his head, "If she did she never told me."

"Should we tell?" Willow asked as she looked first at Xander, then at Buffy.

"Best if we don't," Buffy said shaking her head, "If she's like me she wouldn't want to know."

"But what of your mother, young lady?" the Saiyan asked, "and the others?"

"Giles needs to know because, well, he's Giles," Buffy said, "I'll tell Angel in my own time. Mom, well, if she were to know she'd probably feel so awful she'd never let her go."

Belmovekk pointed to the death scene.

"You are asking me to lie to your mother," he said, "my betrothed. Does she not deserve to know?"

"Maybe a little later. But not now," Buffy said, then she reached out towards the Saiyan, "I'll tell her when the time is right."

"If you say so, young lady," Belmovekk said and turned to the others, "Do we agree on this?"

The four of them nodded in agreement.

"Good thinking, Will," Xander said smiling proudly at Willow.

"Indeed, you are making good progress," Belmovekk agreed, then his face turned serious, "If only your judgment kept pace at the same rate."

"Sorry?" Willow smiled sheepishly.

Then Buffy spoke up again.

"I've seen enough here," she said, "and it's freaking me out as well. I can do without seeing myself die. Let's go back to the real world."

Then the Scoobies disappeared one after the other as the telepathic connections were broken. But Belmovekk was left behind still standing in the frozen scene. Then from behind the other Belmovekk, frozen in his moment of transformation, walked his own gold clad mirror image.

"Interesting," Amūn said as he admired the frozen Belmovekk and Vegeta.

"Does it have to be now?" Belmovekk sighed annoyed.

"Oh, it does," Amūn said and pointed to the other Belmovekk," Remember what we have learned? Of Gero and his androids? And Anubis? He must know it also. Anubis is out there in his universe as well. Your enemies are there as well. They might even be the same ones we know off here. He must know what we know if he is to stand a chance."

Then Amūn walked over to Vegeta.

"And he has to contend with this shining example of Saiyan kind," the Goa'uld said as he tapped the other Saiyan, "before it's too late. What we know might give them enough common cause to not tear their world apart."

"Do not beat about the bush," Belmovekk said growing annoyed with the Goa'uld spectre, "you talk of sending that poor girl back to her death."

Even though he hoped otherwise the Goa'uld nodded in agreement. Shaking his head in disgust Belmovekk turned away from his own 'evil' twin.

"You disgust me," he said softly

"In war sacrifices have to be made," Amūn shrugged unimpressed, "I feel tears for her story, my friend, but what has to be done needs to be done. Many of my Jaffa died trying to secure your body for me. Not all could be revived. Even more died in the battle against Anubis' forces. Those decisions are never easy. But they have to be taken nonetheless. You were a general yourself. You oversaw the invasion of worlds. You knew not everybody would return and you took the decisions that were necessary. Remember your retreat from the Merathri homeworld? You sacrificed a whole company so the others could escape. She has to go back!"

Belmovekk didn't reply and instead stared at the scene of the Master about to kill the other Buffy. Then he sighed.

"I could so use a drink right now."

It was early afternoon the next day in Willy's bar and the place had just opened when a girl came in and sat down at the bar.

"What a couple of days," the girl sighed depressed, "gimme a beer."

Willy the barman looked up from the newspaper he was reading.

"I.D.," he said deadpan and the girl gave him an incredulous look.

"I.D.," Willy asked again. Now the girl lost it.

"I'm eleven hundred and twenty years old," she said angry as she pounded the bar with her fists, "just gimme a friggin' beer!"

Willy looked at her unimpressed.

"I don't care if you're eleven hundred and twenty years old or just seventeen. I don't care if you're human, vampire, demon or incorporeal. If you're stupid enough to assume the guise of an underage teenage girl then you should have made sure you have an I.D. as well."

Defeated the girl threw her head on the bar and began thumping it with her forehead.

"Just gimme a Coke then," she sighed sullen.

"One coke coming up right now," Willy said, his tone changed from unimpressed to cheerfully helpful. He reached underneath the bar and came with a bottle and a can.

"Bottle or can?" he asked, "Personally I prefer bottle, it seems to taste better for some reason. A can has more though."

"Whatever," the girl said so Willy placed the bottle in front of her.

"You want a glass with that?" he asked pointing to the bottle.

"Do I look like I'm a glass person," the girl said snidely.

"Suit yourself," Willy said holding up his arms. The girl took a swig from the bottle and set it down on the bar. She leaned with one elbow on the bar and used that arm's hand to rest her head on.

"I wasn't always like this, you know," she said wistfully, "Once I was Anyanka, Patron Saint to scorned women."

The mere mentioning of her name had Willy's eyes grow big as saucers, but she didn't notice it as she just continued.

"I dealt out justice to wherever I went. Men would curse my name while women prayed I would cross their paths. And now look at me. I'm trapped in the body of this… teenage girl. I have to go to school and sit and listen to boring teachers telling me the history of things that I made happen. And they have the gall to say I'm wrong when I correct them. If only I had my powers back I'd rip out their hearts and feed it to them. And then there's math. What the hell is that about? Adding and subtracting, that I can understand. But what the hell am I ever going to do with Pythagoras' theorem? It's not like I ever needed it in the eleven hundred and twenty years I stalked this Earth. Are you even listening to me?"

As the girl looked up she saw that Willy had just put down the phone and was looking shifty.

"Just placing an order," he said while giving her a weak smile, "Hey, you want another Coke? It's on the house. After all, I wasn't very nice to you in the first place."

The girl thought about it for a while, then she shrugged.

"Why not," she said, "bottled Coke does taste better but it doesn't last as long as a can, or does it?"

"Kid, there's always a downside to everything," Willy said as he reached underneath the counter for another bottle.

"That's true," the girl echoed, then she finished her first bottle. She was about to accept the second bottle when she hesitated.

"Should I do it?" she asked hesitantly, "After all, that sugar is fattening and I do have this body to look after now."

"Live a little dangerously, Kid," Willy said as he put the bottle in front of her, "besides, diet Coke sucks. It has no taste whatsoever."

"Alright," the girl smiled, "You only live once, right?"

"There's the spirit," Willy said as he tapped the counter in agreement. Then he looked towards the door, "that's fa…. What the….?"

"Who you're talking to?" the girl asked as she put the second bottle to her lips.

"Me," a girl's voice said behind her, a voice she recognized instantly. The girl put down her bottle and thumbed her forehead on the bar's counter in response. Then she looked towards Willy, her eyes blazing in accusation.

"You betrayed me?" she said accusingly, "You called the fuzz on me?

Willy's look of absolute amazement disappeared a little as he held up both of his hands defensively.

"Hey, nothing personal, kid," he said, "but when I have to choose between you and them, it's them in a heartbeat."

"Hello Anya," the familiar voice said, "or should I say, Anyanka?"

Defeated the girl turned around and her mouth nearly fell to the floor in amazement. She had recognized the voice of Buffy straight away so she expected to see the Slayer standing there. She wasn't mentally prepared to see two Buffy's staring angry at her. One looked and was dressed exactly like the Slayer she new. All dolled up fashionably and totally out of place for her role as Chosen One. The other one looked like how a Slayer should be dressed when out on business. Sensible clothes so she could better kick ass. Behind them stood that teen goofball that that ditz Cordelia wanted to punish with that cursed wish, sporting a big smirk. And behind them stood the other one. The one that had D'Hoffryn shitting bricks.

"There's two of you now?" Anya said surprised, "Or did that weasel behind me put something into my…."

And then it clicked into Anya's brain.

"So it did work after all," she said softly.

"You've been a bad, bad girl, Anya Jenkins," Buffy said, her arms folded across her chest.

"Look, I..." Anya tried to say but then the other Buffy swung at her and knocked her out cold.

"You guys talk to much," the other Buffy said as she picked up the unconscious former demon and draped her over her shoulder, then she looked at Buffy, "What?"

"Never mind," Buffy said shaking her head, "couldn't you at least have made a good pun or something?"

The other Buffy shrugged and walked out of the bar. Buffy rolled her eyes and then looked at Xander.

"What are you grinning at?"

"I'm really starting to like her," he said smirking. In response Buffy let out a loud snort

"I'd be surprised if you didn't," she said, "Slayer layer."

"Let us leave," Belmovekk said and turned around, followed by Buffy and Xander.

"Hey, who's going to pay for her Coke?" Willy called out after them.

"Wake up, sleeping beauty," a voice whispered in Anya's ear.

"Not now, Olaf," Anya groaned, "I've gotta headache."

"Wake up, you damn ditz," a more harsher voice said.

"What?" Anya said as she opened her eyes, "Oh."

She was lying on a couch in the living room of a suburban home with its curtains closed and everybody present was staring at her. The Slayer, the other Slayer, that Willow girl, the goofball that Cordelia wanted to punish, the alien from outer space, who strangely enough was holding a child, a blonde older woman carrying another child, a very familiar Watcher and a dark haired man dressed in a leather jacket standing towards the back where there was more shade.

"Oh boy," Anya said as she tried to put on a brave face, "how about those Dodgers, ah?"

Nobody was laughing.

Then the large alien came forward and sat down in a chair opposite her.

"Anya Jenkins, better known as Anyanka, Patron Saint of scorned women," he said sternly, "you not only broke a little rule we have in this place, you also broke an agreement I had with your boss. And if that wasn't enough you used magic that brought forth this girl into our reality. How do you plead?"

"Am I on trial?" Anya asked incredulously.

"Well, let's just say that everything that you say will be used against you," the goofball said grinning.

"Don't I get a lawyer?" Anya asked looking around, "Cause otherwise I take the fifth."

"Why should we give you a lawyer?" the Watcher said, "How many of your victims got due representation before they fell victim to your magic?"

"Uh, because this time it's my ass that's on the line?" Anya countered.

Suddenly an unearthly moan could be heard, then the wall to Anya's left opened into a twisted form of a maw and a demon stepped through. Then the portal closed behind him.

"D'Hoffryn!" Anya gasped surprised, "Have you come to rescue me?"

"Silence!" D'Hoffryn, leader of all vengeance demons and supreme vengeance pimp thundered, his voice augmented by the sound of thunder rumbling in the distance, "You disappoint me, Anyanka. Again!"

"Ahum," Belmovekk said as he impatiently tapped his arm chair, then he turned to Buffy and held out the child he was holding, "Hold your sister for a moment, young lady. And cover her eyes. Joyce, do the same with Dawn. Now that his supremeness, the almighty vengeance pimp, has graced us with his presence I must commit gross acts of violence on him."

"Look," D'Hoffryn said, thunder still rumbling in the background as he held up his hands in a conciliatory gesture, "this is all a most unfortu….ah!"

Belmovekk got up, and gripped his supremeness by his crimson robe.

"You broke our agreement," Belmovekk hissed in the demon's face, "and tone down the thunder. Torak's Teeth! There are small children present!"

"Well, technically, she did it," D'Hoffryn said as he nodded towards Anya, his thunderous sound effect now gone.

"You're ratting me out?" Anya exclaimed wide eyed, "But D'Hoffryn…"

"Your own fault for not reading the memos," D'Hoffryn hissed at her.

"Yeah, but you send out tons of them," Anya said pouting, "after a while you just stop reading them."

D'Hoffryn, still in Belmovekk's clutches, rolled his eyes.

"Ignorance of the rules is no excuse, Anyanka," he said chiding.

"Funny that you should mention that," Belmovekk said, his hand holding a glistering ball of death just inches away from D'Hoffryn's face.

"Look, Golden One," D'Hoffryn said trying to sound calm, "I am not to blame here. I did everything as required. I held up my part of the deal. I sent word to my demons of our deal. It's even in the California zone register."

D'Hoffryn held out a hand and a book poofed into existence. Then the demon opened the book and held it up so Belmovekk could see.

"See? Every vengeance administrator operating in this area is required to sign off on the local rules. Signed in their own blood. Even if Anyanka had ignored all my memos she still would have come across them at this point. Look, here's her name."

"Hmm," Belmovekk said as the fiery ball of death disappeared and he let go of D'Hoffryn to study the ledger. Then he looked at Anya, while D'Hoffryn let out a sigh of relief.

"But I didn't sign," Anya protested.

"Your signature says otherwise, demon," Belmovekk said as he held out the book towards her and pointed to the signature.

Anya looked at the signature, then she looked up.

"That's not my signature," she said.

"Anyanka, it does not bode well if you persist in your lies," D'Hoffryn said as he straightened his robe, "You only make your punishment worse."

"Is this the ledger you are required to sign?" Belmovekk asked pointing to the book, causing D'Hoffryn to blanch. After all, if Anyanka declared the ledger to be a magical fake the Saiyan's anger might turn against him again.

"Yes," Anya nodded and the supreme vengeance pimp let out another sigh of relief behind Belmovekk's back, "but I didn't sign it."

"Your signature in your blood says otherwise," D'Hoffryn said sternly.

"It's not my blood," Anya said, "I didn't sign it."

"Let me see," D'Hoffryn said as he took the book from Belmovekk and studied the autograph, "it seems like your handwriting Anyanka and…."

It was after he had smelled the autograph that the demon looked aghast.

"This blood has been created magically," he said as he looked angry at Anya, "What have you been doing, Anyanka?"

Anya looked away guilty.

"I didn't want to do it at first," she said sullen, "I was a good conscientious vengeance demon at first. I followed the rules. But everybody was doing it, D'Hoffryn. They made fun of me for being such a stickler to the rules. And after a while it did become a chore. So in my 2nd century I gave in and did as everybody else. And suddenly I was accepted. We all cover for each other."

Belmovekk looked over his shoulder at the vengeance demon. Who was studying the ledger, sniffing the autograph again, even going so far as to stick out a long snake like tongue to taste it.

"This is the work of Vankhnesh," he said as he closed the book and looked at Anya, "if she signed for you, then surely she must have informed you of the special rules that apply here?"

Anya shook her head.

"She didn't tell me anything but wished me luck and happy hunting."

D'Hoffryn took a deep breath as his face grew angry. Then he snapped his fingers and yelled, the thunderous sound effect back in action.

"Vankhnesh!"

With a poof the Indian looking vengeance demon appeared in the living room.

"What is this?" D'Hoffryn boomed angry as he pointed to the faked autograph in the ledger, "And if you lie to me I will personally stick you back into that misogynist dimension."

"I signed it," Vankhnesh said without blinking an eye. D'Hoffryn suppressed a curse, then he closed his ledger and held it before him.

"How long has this practice been going on," he asked, the thunder effect gone again.

"Well, let's see," Vankhnesh said as she assumed a thinking pose, "I wasn't there at the time but I heard some of the older demons say it's been going on since before the crucifixion of the Nazarene."

D'Hoffryn suppressed another curse.

"Do you even inform each other of the special rules that apply," he said agitated.

"Of course," Vankhnesh said, "that goes without saying, boss."

"Did you inform Anyanka of those special rules," D'Hoffryn said, giving the new arrival a stringent look.

"I did," Vankhnesh said as she looked at Anya without blinking an eye.

"You lying…." Anya tried to say as she tried to attack Vankhnesh but Belmovekk gripped her by her shoulder and threw her back on the couch.

"She's lying," Anya said angry as she pointed to the other demon, "she never told me anything!"

"Without proof that only leaves her word against yours," Belmovekk said and pointed at the other vengeance demon, "and she sounds more believable."

"This isn't fair," Anya wailed. Belmovekk hunched in front of her.

"If there's any consolation, demon, I am sure many of your victims said the same."

"But I'm not even a demon anymore," Anya cried as tears rolled down her cheeks, "I'm human now. All disgustingly human. I'm even leaking now."

"You broke the rules, you suffer the consequences," Belmovekk shrugged, "do not worry, I shall be swift and painless."

"Belmo, you can't kill her," Joyce said disapproving, "like she said, she's human now. Just a girl barely older then Buffy."

"We talked about this, Joyce," Belmo said looking at his fiancé, "we must do this or we will look weak. If we look weak things will go back to the way they were."

"She's human now," Buffy said, "that's different. We don't kill humans unless we have to."

"Oh, for crissakes," the other Buffy said annoyed, "you guys talk too much! You're a Slayer, sis. Act like one!. We kill bad things. Doesn't matter if they are demons, vamps, humans or former fairies. Let Moe do his job or I'll do it for him."

As if to illustrate her point the other Buffy then reached inside her boot and pulled out a mean looking dagger.

"I can't believe you would do this, Buffy," Joyce said to her alternate daughter. For an instant the girl flinched. Then she put her resolute face back on.

"Well I had to grow up hard and fast without you, mom," the other Buffy said, "and with all due respect, Moe's right. Do it or look weak and suffer the consequences."

"We can't," Buffy said pointing to the two vengeance demons, "It's still her word vs. hers."

"We could kill them both?" the other Buffy shrugged unimpressed.

"People! Of all races, genders and species, please," D'Hoffryn said as he put his hands in front of him, "might I suggest a different course of action?"

"What," Belmovekk said annoyed.

"Instead of all of this bickering of who said what, why not see what really happened instead," D'Hoffryn smiled amiably.

"D'Hoffryn!" Vankhnesh said, her cool suddenly becoming less.

"Be silent!" the supreme vengeance pimp said towards the Indian vengeance demon, "You didn't think you could fool me, or did you, Vankhnesh?"

The room suddenly became dark and changed to an unfamiliar coffee shop, place unknown other then it looked somewhere in America. It showed Anya and Vankhnesh chatting like a couple of good friends while everybody else who had been present in the room stood in the background, behind D'Hoffryn.

"What is this?" Belmovekk asked the crimson robed demon.

"I have folded space and time," D'Hoffryn said casually, "You're looking right at what happened when Anyanka came to California to relieve Vankhnesh of her station. Watch!"

"We should do this more often," Anya said as she finished her coffee and reached for her purse.

"We should," Vankhnesh said as she smiled at Anya, then she handed Anya a set of keys, "Here are the keys to the apartments in LA, Sunnydale and San Francisco."

"Check," Anya smiled as she put the keys in her purse.

"I signed you in at the register," Vankhnesh said, "I trust you did the same for me in Seattle?"

Anya gave Vankhnesh a how could you have asked look.

"That goes without saying," she said, "Anything I should know?"

Vankhnesh shook her head.

"No, not really. There's this wizard in Oakland you'd do well to avoid, then there's this guy in Sunnydale you should give a monthly report to of what you've done and stay clear of the Wolfram & Hart people…"

"Goes without saying," Anya added.

"Oh, and there's this new demon lord in Redding who's extremely territorial. Better stay clear of that one as well."

"Got it," Anya said.

"That's it," Vankhnesh smiled and raised her coffee cup in a toast, "happy huntin' Anyanka."

"Enough," D'Hoffryn's voice said and the scene changed back to the Summers' household living room again.

"I told you she'd lied," Anya yelled as she pointed towards Vankhnesh. D'Hoffryn stepped up to Vankhnesh.

"Why did you do it?" he asked coolly.

Vankhnesh amiable smile turned into a snarl as she pointed towards Belmovekk and Giles.

"They humiliated me!" she said, "I wanted them to be punished for what they did to me! I knew the smug idiot there had caused pain to his girlfriend. And I knew Anyanka could not resist such a case."

"You set me up," Anya gasped aghast, "I don't believe it you bitch! You set me up!"

"Better you then me," Vankhnesh sneered at Anya, "I wanted revenge but I wasn't that stupid to do it myself."

"You set me up," Anya yelled and tried to assault Vankhnesh, only Belmovekk's iron grip kept her in place.

D'Hoffryn meanwhile shook his head dejected, then he sighed.

"You caused me major embarrassment, Vankhnesh," he said coldly, "You brought Anyanka down for your petty desires and made me look bad. Your punishment will be legendary."

"My only regret is that I didn't do it myself," Vankhnesh said defiantly, "Anyanka certainly was creative but ultimately she was too smart for her own good."

D'Hoffryn waved a hand and Vankhnesh disappeared screaming in pain in a column of red fire. Then he turned to Belmovekk and bowed.

"Forgive me, Golden One," he said, "I should have kept a tighter leash on my demons. I can promise you things will change. No more of such incidents will happen."

"Make it so," Belmovekk said gruffly.

"What about me?" Anya complained, "Since she tricked me, shouldn't I get my powers back, right?"

"No," D'Hoffryn said shaking his head, "Vankhnesh will be punished for her trickery. That still does not excuse your neglect and disdain for my rules and procedures. You should have read my memos, you should have signed and read the register. So, as an example to all others you shall remain here, as a human. Do with her as you wish, Golden One."

D'Hoffryn waved a hand and a dark door opened in Joyce's wall. He was about to step through when the other Buffy stood up to him.

"What about me?" she asked, "If I wanted to return, how should I?"

"Buffy," Joyce gasped, "no!"

D'Hoffryn looked at the other Buffy and smiled amiably.

"Why would you even wish to go, child?"

"Because no matter how fucked up it's still my universe," the other Buffy said in earnest, "It's all I know really."

"It's not even a real universe," D'Hoffryn said as he shook his head, "Anyanka did not punch a hole between universes, or create a new one. She made an overlay on this universe. Had she not lost her pendant that was how you all would have lived out your lives."

"T-t-that's i-impossible," Giles said, "if she's w-what Buffy would have been, then how come they both exist?"

"I'm not sure, probably advanced quantum magicks," D'Hoffryn mused, "Once the wish was reversed it didn't quite disappear. For some strange reason it still exists, a bubble in time and space no wider then the few years it took for the differences between this reality to take place."

"Would that not technically make it a real separate alternate universe," Belmovekk asked curious.

"Only if you stretch the definition of what constitutes alternate realities," the supreme vengeance pimp answered, "Right now its more a might have been. A self contained repeating loop in time. If somebody were to kick start it, it could grow into its own separate universe. But why would anyone? It's not a very pleasant 'verse."

"It's still all I know," the other Buffy said earnest.

"Dear child," D'Hoffryn said and pointed towards Willow, "if you so desire then you should ask her. She brought you here. She's the one who can send you back."

Then D'Hoffryn stepped through his portal and disappeared. As did the portal. As everybody pondered what he had revealed Anya began to moan.

"What is to become of me?" she said in a sad tone of voice. That caused the others to look at Anya.

"Are you going to kill me?" she asked. Belmovekk looked around and saw that no one was left in a mood for killing. And to be honest, neither was he.

"Go," he said and made a flick of the wrist, after which the front door opened on its own, "go and never come back."

Anya stood up sullen and walked towards the door. Once she was past the doorpost she turned around one more time. She looked utterly beaten as a tear rolled down her cheek.

"I have no where else to go."

"Frankly my dear, I do not give a damn," Belmovekk said and with a flick of his wrist he let the front door close in her face.