Complement

by Michele D

This is the first fanfiction I wrote. I began it in 2000 & completed it in 2002. I will mark it complete once all chapters are up. I'll be posting a few chapters at a time. Just a heads up, it is long. Starts in the future that only lives in my head (Prologue). Takes place right before & during Judgment (Part I).

20. XIX – Sounds of Silence

XIX – Sounds of Silence

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Faith almost dumped the bike when her cell phone suddenly started vibrating against her breast. She pulled over quickly, and plucked the phone out of her sports bra. At the time it had been the only place she could think of to put it where she knew without a doubt that she would feel it vibrate, because she sure as shit wouldn't have been able to hear it ring while she was riding the bike. 'Not too bright Faith,' she thought to herself.

"Faith we're okay! Faith?" Buffy voice rushed out to her over the phone before Faith even had a chance to say hello.

"Byousureyou'reokayDawn'sokayeveryonesokay..." Faith paused catching her breath, calming herself. "I... I... god... I was so scared for you, for Gamin. Are you really okay?"

"I am now. Now that I hear your voice, I miss you baby. God I wish you were here."

"I miss you too. I'm already on my way there. I ah... took Wesley's Harley." Faith smiled when she heard Buffy chuckle softly, "Want to tell me what happened this morning?"

"Well we were all, Willow, Tara, Dawn and I, we were at Tara's dorm room eating, talking..." As Buffy told Faith what happened that morning, she could hear Faith mumbling quietly. She knew that Faith was off on one her tirades. She could see it in her mind's eye, Faith pacing around the bike, throwing her free hand around gesturing, and mumbling to herself under her breath. It comforted Buffy in an odd sort of way.

"...if that truck hadn't come along I don't know what would have happened. I don't even know if I could have kept Glory at bay long enough for Dawn to get away, Faith..."

"We'll figure out something B. Don't worry I know we will."

"This is different Faith. This isn't a chaos demon, or the Master. We were made, called, chosen whatever the fuck you want to call it, to slay, defeat those things. Glory's an ex-god. It's like the difference between slaying a fledgling and Kakistos, only imagine that Kakistos was a million times stronger. You understand what I'm saying Faith?"

"Yeah B, I do..." Only once since Faith had been called, had she felt this type of deep down soul wrenching to the marrow of her bones fear, it was that fear that had made her run from Kakistos to Buffy in Sunnydale. And now for the second time she felt that type of fear.

"They don't understand. No one else can understand, only you can... This is the first time I've been afraid of anything I've had to face... I can't beat her... I can't beat Glory, Faith... I don't know what to do... what can I do."

"I don't know... B... I wish to the goddess that I did... Between Giles, the Scoobs, and us we'll figure out a way to take that bitch with the bad-hair down."

Buffy silently prayed that Faith was right. "You're right... How about you get back on that bike now, 'cause the sooner you get moving again the sooner you'll be here, with me. I'll call you if anything changes... For now we're going to stay here at Xander's and Anya's. Be careful on the bike please."

"I will, I promise. I miss you B. I can't wait to be with you, see you, hold you." Faith felt a little weird saying that given the situation with Glory, but fuck it, they were Slayers, since when had their lives even been remotely close to normal.

"Me too Faith... Me too..."

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Buffy stared out the window of Xander and Anya's apartment, her eyes scanning nervously for Glory and or any of her minions. Wishing that it would be Faith she saw roaring up on Wesley's Harley, but she knew even if Faith drove a hundred miles per hour that she couldn't make it here that quickly. She had finally gotten control of her fear, but just barely, hearing Faith's voice on the phone only a few seconds ago had a calming effect on her.

Buffy's mind was racing a mile a minute, between yesterday and today she knew without any doubt that physically she could not beat Glory. Hell she could barely even hurt her, and the fear, which she thought she had conquered, began to nibble away again at her gut. Almost immediately she felt Faith surround her with calm, soothing thoughts, and Buffy leaned into those emotions, she idly listened to the conversation going on around her and participated half-heartedly, while her mind still worked on a plan. She finally spoke when she made her decision.

"We can't fight her."

"W-well not yet, no, but..." Giles started, but Buffy cut him off.

"Not ever. She's too strong, Giles. We're not going to win this with spells or stakes or yanking out uranium power cores. She's a god and she's coming for us. So let's not be here when she starts knocking."

They all stared at her in surprise. Run? Buffy never ran from anything, not ever, not even the Master, not even after she found out the Prophesy said it was her destiny to die.

"Run away?! Finally a sensible plan."

"That's not what she meant." Xander told Anya, before looking at Buffy and asking her, "Is it?"

Buffy was fried, tired, scared and she hadn't a clue what to do. One thing she knew for sure was they couldn't beat Glory, not right now, and she doubted if they ever could. "We can't stay here. Glory will kill us off one by one until there's nobody standing between her and Dawn."

"Buffy, we all understand the severity of the situation, but there must be another way."

"No! We stay - we die! Show of hands for that option?" Buffy's voice was harsh, bitter and laced with a little bit of defeat. The room was still, the silence so loud it hurt her ears. "All right. Nobody goes home, nobody tells anyone we're leaving. We grab whatever supplies we can and that's it... we're gone."

"Cool. Won't have to study for that geometry test." Dawn tried to keep the fear out of her voice. The fact that her sister was scared and willing to run, frightened her more than facing Glory.

"What about wheels? I don't think everybody's gonna fit in the Xan-mobile."

"Just get your stuff together. I'll take care of it."

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"B..."

"Yeah, baby. We've got a plan..."

"What?"

"Run..."

"Sounds good to me. I've had a lot of experience at it." Faith laughed, but it was a sad laugh, because the truth was, she did.

"We need to get as far away from here as possible. There's that motel about an hour from here on the highway. It's a lot like the one you stayed at here in Sunnydale, you know the one I'm talking about?"

"Fraid so."

"Head there, get a room, get some rest. We'll meet you there or if you're not there when we get there we'll meet somewhere in-between. Faith don't come back here, it's too dangerous. Promise me Faith. Promise me you won't come back here and try and take on Glory by yourself." Buffy closed her eyes and concentrated on Faith, on what she was feeling from Faith. She was afraid that Faith would do exactly what she just asked her not to do. Would do it because she wanted to protect them, because she loved them and both of them knew it.

"I promise B."

"Swear to me Faith. I couldn't handle it if something happened to you."

"I promise. I swear I won't go after Glory." 'At least not right now,' Faith thought to herself. She heard Buffy's sigh of relief. Nope. Faith wouldn't go after Glory now, she would wait until they could both kick the bitch's ass together, she wouldn't deny Buffy that satisfaction.

"Okay. Then I'll see you in a while. Be careful..."

"You too B."

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Buffy returned to her post at the window again after she got off the phone. She stared sightlessly out into the street, her arms wrapped tightly around herself, and a slight slump to her shoulders. She was tired, she was scared, she felt very alone and wished again for the millionth time that Faith was here with her.

As they saw her turn back to the window, a little rough around the edges, isolated from them, a little bit of the hope they had been clinging to that they would all get out of this in one piece, died.

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Ben had changed into his own clothes, his body hurt from whatever had been inflicted upon Glory. One of the many perks of sharing a body with an ex-God. He made his way downstairs and was greeted by one of 'Her-Fucked-Up-Royal-Highnesses' minions. Although this one looked like the rest, 'she' was female. The minion, Gronx, Ben remembered, chatted with him, trying to get any information she could out of him. Slowly his anger rose until he couldn't contain it any longer.

"Glory! Her name is Glory. And she's your god, you little scab. Not mine."

"With all due respect and fear of sharp objects, you exist, sir, only because of her divine greatness."

"You mean her divine failure, don't you?" Ben was rewarded with an angry glare for his last comment. He got up and started pacing, still talking, "I didn't ask for any of this. I just want to be normal."

"We play the hand we're dealt."

"Nothing's mine, is it? This body, this life. It's all infected. The only thing I've ever cared about she's taken away from me." Ben paused when he saw his medical bag sitting on the end table. "You know why I wanted to become a doctor?"

"Flattering drawstring pants?"

"To be close to people. To witness their lives and their deaths. To be there, alongside them, a part of everyday humanity." Ben laughed bitterly and sighed, sitting again. "Or maybe it was the drugs." He got up again and walked past Gronx, she rose and followed him.

"Drugs, sir?"

"Find the right combination... keep her buried where she belongs..."

"Impossible! Her magnificence can never be fully contained! She is a perfect, all-encompassing light... one you should feel honored to be bathed in."

"Oh yeah, I'm thrilled. Especially with the part where she gets her Key back and I cease to exist."

"True, this oh so appealing form... will by necessity be shrugged off..."

"Not if I get to the Key first."

Gronx was stunned; she didn't think he had it in him. The boy was changing; she would need to tell Glory of this. "And if you did? What then?" She softened her tone before continuing, "But could you do it? Take a human life ... with your own hands?" She didn't miss the way Ben squirmed a little, as if he were fighting his own internal demons. She softened her tone a little bit more 'til it was almost cloying. "Oblivion is such a small inconvenience in the service of a deity. Accept your fate. I mean, you said it yourself. This life was never really yours anyway, was it?"

"It doesn't matter how I came by it. It's mine." Everything about him became darker, as if a part of Glory now existed within the part of their shared body that was just Ben's soul. "And I plan on keeping it."

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They had rescued their brother-in-arms from the hospital. Checking him out of the Psych Ward, the same ward where Tara had been kept overnight after Glory had brainsucked her. In fact, the nurses and the Doctors had been whispering amongst themselves over the influx of mental patients with the same symptoms. Dante and the other knight took their freed brother, Orlando, out to the woods where the rest of their brothers waited.

Impatiently he watched and waited for them. He was a very large man, his face weather beaten by the years. Numerous scars covered one side of his face forming an intricate spider web. There was a tattoo on his forehead like the others; only his was bigger, more ornate, signifying the mark of a commander. His name was Gregor, and he was the General in command of the Knights of Byzantium, Knights whose sole purpose in life was to destroy the 'Key'.

Gregor spoke briefly with Orlando, offering him the comfort of one soldier to another. He turned and began walking away. He stopped abruptly, turning back to Orlando when he heard him say, 'All shiny. Pretty little Key.'

"The Key? You've seen it?!"

"Pretty little shiny girl..."

"The monks. They've made it human." Gregor practically spit it out, putting it all together.

"We know the Slayer is protecting the Key. If what Orlando says is true ..." Dante looked at the General while he spoke and saw that he had already put two and two together.

Gregor turned around facing the woods. "Prepare to advance," He yelled to the twenty plus men mounted on horseback at the edge of the woods. "We end this. Now." There wasn't the slightest hint of mercy in his voice.

Xander and Faith would have agreed that the Knights looked like something straight out of a slightly warped Camelot.

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They were driving along the outskirts of town in Spike's beaten, rundown Winnebago. It was dim and gloomy inside of the Winnie with all of the shades drawn. Tinfoil covered the windshield, reflecting the light back out. A small hole had been made in the tinfoil so Giles could see where he was going. After the initial protest by the others over Spike even being with them, which Buffy squashed by saying he was the only one right here and now, besides her, who stood a chance of protecting Dawn from Glory, they had all settled in.

Buffy was in the back of the camper, listening to them as they bickered like brothers and sisters. As odd a group as they were...

A hacker, a computer genius, who was also a powerful Witch in her own right, her best friend. A friend who chose to stay and fight the good fight, even though she could have gone far away from here. Did it because it was right, did it because she wanted to. A Witch whose powers grew stronger every day, a Witch whose first love was a Werewolf, a Witch who was now in love with another Witch.

Another Witch, with a pure heart, who had sacrificed herself to keep the 'Key' safe. Who had sacrificed herself to keep them all safe. The Witch who was in love with the other Witch.

A 'Watcher', a man of books, of learning, the scholar, an anchor in the storm. Who once had come close to belonging to the dark side, a Witch in his own right and a man who had been and still was like a father to them all.

A twelve-hundred-year-old ex-vengeance demon, who had become human and found a family, a place, and love with another among them.

Her sister, who wasn't 'really' her sister, who was the 'Key' in human form. Sought after by a 'god' who wanted her 'Key' and by Knights who wanted to destroy both the 'Key' and the god. A 'Key' that cried real tears, bled real blood, felt love, and gave love in return. A 'Key,' who was her sister, real or not. A 'Key' that was as real to them as they all were to each other.

A mere human who had a heart of gold, and more courage than all of them put together and a soul so pure that even an ex-vengeance demon could love it.

A vampire with a chip in his head that kept him from killing but could not make him be good or love, they were things he had proven and done on his own. Making her wonder if he really didn't have a soul, or if it had been merely 'sleeping' and had been forced awake after the chip had been put in his head.

A two-hundred-plus-year-old vampire with a Soul. Who had been her first love, who sought redemption, who sought peace, who had helped to save the other half of the Chosen Two, and had found a kindred spirit there.

The other 'Watcher' who had learned that doing things by-the-book was not always the best way. And now worked with the vampire with a soul and had become more than just a 'Watcher'. He had become a force to be reckoned with in the war for good.

The ex-high-school-cheerleader, who had learned there were more important things in the world than money. Whose pain-wracked visions helped to save the innocent, helped the vampire with a soul find his redemption, helped those who could not help themselves.

A street kid who had been fighting the good fight before any of them and now fought with them. Finding a place in the light, and like the other mere human had a pure heart and soul, and courage enough to rival the best among them.

Then there was her, one of the Chosen Two, who had started out as the 'Chosen One' and now would not have it any other way. The protector of them all, a force for good, a force against evil, a woman whose first love had been a vampire with a soul, a woman in love with another woman.

Lastly, there was the other of the Chosen Two. A woman had been told her whole life that she was a mistake, was second best, and not loved, but had proven them all wrong. A woman who stood, like her, for all that was good, a force against evil. The woman she was in love with and who loved her in return. She was a shining bright light in the darkness, and the keeper of her heart and soul.

...they were a family, her family, just like she was theirs.

Buffy looked out the rear window of the Winnie hoping to see a Harley flying down the road towards them, but all she saw was that they had left the outskirts of town, and had just turned onto a highway.

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Buffy could hear Tara in the main cabin of the Winnie becoming agitated.

"All the light... gone."

"No, baby. It's still light outside. Shh ..." Willow voice was soothing, comforting, and ineffective.

"...dark... all dark ..." Tara continued to chant growing more agitated.

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In the Psych Ward of Sunnydale General Hospital, the patients began to stir. They all had the same glazed look as Tara, they were sweating, their bodies glistening palely, sickly in the hospital's harsh fluorescent lights. They were fidgeting against their restraints, murmuring softly to themselves, to the empty air. Murmuring to an exiled 'god' perhaps?

"Dark."

"All dark."

"Soon."

"Dark."

"Soon..."

"Soon... soon," murmuring together, over and over again.

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In Glory's apartment, the human-rat-like minion Gronx had drawn mystical symbols upon the floor in blood. Lit black candles formed a circle around the symbols. Gronx and Murk sat across from each on the edge of the circle of candles. Gronx cast Runic Stones into the circle. She looked intently at them, her face becoming rapturous.

"It's coming! ...The signs are in alignment. Soon victory will be in our grasp. All we need do is seize the moment... and squeeze until it bleeds." Gronx her pointy teeth flashing, smiled a very dark smile.

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They were on a dirt road that ran through the desert, surrounded by miles upon miles of nothing. In the far off distance the mountains rose up out of the ground, the peaks hidden by cloud cover, they beckoned to her, promising safety. She let the blind drop back into place throwing the rear cabin of the Winnie back into its previous gloomy mood. She leaned against the wall as she sat on the bed, she was tired, she had nothing left, she was spent, physically and emotionally. Buffy turned her head when she heard the door slide open, and saw her sister peeking in smiling at her shyly.

"Hey. I think Anya's gonna try to cook. Wanna come watch the tears and recriminations?"

"Maybe later," Buffy voice was listless, she smiled weakly at Dawn.

Dawn looked at her sister, who seemed so defeated, so bone weary tired, she turned to go, then hesitantly, softly, she said, "Thank you."

"For what?"

"You know. Pretty much... everything."

"Yeah. I'm doing a great job." Buffy's tone betrayed her feelings of incompetence.

"You are." Dawn tried to convey with those two words, that she believed in Buffy even if Buffy didn't believe in herself.

"I'm the Slayer. The Chosen one, well one of the Chosen One's of the Chosen Two, all mythic and defendery. Evil Nasties are supposed to flee from me, not the other way around."

"You're not fleeing. You're... moving at a brisk pace."

"Quaintly referred to in some cultures as the Big Scaredy Run Away."

Dawn sat down next to her sister, she looked her in the eyes, her expression was serious, her voice sincere. "It's the most amazing thing anyone's ever done for me."

But Buffy wasn't sure that she believed that anymore. Maybe now she understood why Slayers didn't have a long life span. The weight of slaying had taken its toll on her, making her feel years older than she actually was. "It just... keeps coming. Glory... Riley... Tara... Mom..." Buffy barely managed to get the word Mom out, she still felt like there was something she could have done. Still felt her Mom's loss, like it had only happened yesterday.

"I know," Dawn's voice was soft, soothing, as if she were the older sister, not the other way around. "But there's a bright side."

"There is?"

"Yeah. At least things can't get any crazier, right?"

They both jumped as an arrow came flying through the window less than a second after Dawn had finished speaking. It lodged in the wall close to Buffy's head. Dawn looked at it in shock, her first thought was that it had just missed her sister. Buffy turned looking at Dawn, a smile, more of a smirk forming on her lips; she was a little amused by this, sort of.

"You know this is your fault for saying that."

Dawn shot her sister a look not finding the humor in her remark.

Buffy pulled aside a corner of the blind and saw about twenty Knights on horseback, they were a few hundred feet behind them but closing fast. Buffy let out a sigh and rose quickly, she rushed into the main cabin, Dawn right behind her.

"Giles!" Buffy yelled.

"I see them," he told her grimly, as he glanced once again at the side view mirror.

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Faith was pacing round and round the small hotel room. Patience was not one of her many endearing traits. She had made it to the hotel in record time. Now she had to wait. Wait and wonder, because she couldn't call B. Because B didn't have a cell phone, in fact none of the Scoobs had one. Something Faith decided was going to be rectified as soon as possible, even if it meant she had to use her last penny doing it!

She had been trying to block sending her anger, her fear, to Buffy. Instead, she had been concentrating on sending only her strength, comfort and love to Buffy. She could feel the sadness, the weariness that Buffy was feeling, and she understood it, understood it because she was a Slayer too. She remembered a word that described what it was that Buffy was feeling and what Faith had felt for most of her life. Ennui, it meant world-weary, and sometimes being a Slayer did that to you.

Faith stopped pacing the minute she felt it. It was an adrenaline rush, and Buffy was having one, there was trouble. But this time she didn't feel any fear. Calmly she laid down on the bed and just let herself go with it, sending her energy, strength, and encouragement to Buffy. The Slayer in her calling out to the Slayer in Buffy, cheering her on.

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General chaos ensued seconds after Buffy and Dawn busted into the main cabin of the Winnie. Buffy got Dawn down and under a table as arrows from the Knights riddled the Winnie.

Fucking pointy flying wooden sticks! Hate them! Hate them! Bloody fucking HATE them!

"Weapons!?" Giles yelled to everyone and anyone, after an arrow pierced the side of the Winnie just missing his head.

"Hello! You're driving one!" Bloody stupid Watcher!

"Don't hurt the horsies!"

"We won't." Buffy yelled - 'Rightttt, Will, whatever you say! - she leaned down and whispered in Giles ear, "Aim for the horsies," and Giles did swerving the Winnie hard to the left.

They were being bounced and tossed all over the Winnie as it sped down the bumpy dirt road.

Xander felt the nausea rising up in him again. Oh shit, he was going to be sick! "Did we shake 'em?" He asked jaw clenched, trying not to vomit. He jumped half a foot when a broadsword pierced the roof inches from his head.

Everyone dove for cover as the Knight on the roof started thrusting the broadsword through the Winnie's roof in random spots. Everyone except Buffy, who yelled out needlessly, "Stay low! Watch out for..."

Spike lunged for the sword, grabbing it a second before it would have stabbed Buffy in the head. She ducked but she knew that if it wasn't for Spike she might be dead right now. He hung onto it for dear un-dead life, hissing in pain through his teeth. He continued to hold it as it sliced his hands, even as the Knight tried to pull it free.

"Now might be a good time for something heroic." Spike hissed at Buffy.

Buffy scanned the roof and spotted the hatch. Shit, she was too short to reach it! "Xander! Hatch!" Xander was lifting her up to the hatch almost before she had finished speaking. She smiled, feeling Faith cheering her on, feeling Faith wishing that she was there. Some things change, some things stayed the same, and Faith always did like a good fight. Buffy punched out the hatch and scrambled up onto the roof.

She sneaked up behind the Knight, as he pulled his sword free, and Spike screamed bloody murder from the pain. The Knight saw her shadow as she crept up behind him; he swung his sword at her. Buffy ducked and backed away as he swung at her again, lowering her center of gravity, she swept his feet out from under him. She came down on top of him, blocking another thrust of the sword, popped him and the sword fell from his hand. She hit him with a few left and right crosses, finally he managed to block her and get in a punch of his own. They wrestled, he managed to kick her in the head and Buffy felt herself falling over the side of the Winnie.

Fuck me!

She grabbed onto the railing, hanging there, another Knight approaching her on horseback. The Knight on the roof crouched low pulling back his arm to punch her. She sent him flying as she kicked upward, and then vaulted herself back onto the roof. They stood facing off against each other. Using grappling hooks another Knight began to climb up onto the roof; Buffy ignored him, concentrating instead on the one standing in front of her. She punched him hard, following up with a spinning roundhouse kick, sending him sailing off the roof screaming. She felt a 'Yay B!' come to her from Faith.

She turned and faced the two Knights who had crawled up onto the roof. One had an axe, the other a morning star. Feinting at the one with the morning star, she hit the other Knight with a fist-hammer punch, following up with a front-thrust-kick at the Knight with the morning star. Then hit the first Knight with a spinning roundhouse kick, ducking and turning she took a blow on her back, and returned the blow with a fist-hammer punch. Steeling herself she back-flipped, then hit them both with a double jumping-front-kick to the face.

Bending down fast, she picked up the broadsword the other Knight had dropped and began twirling it. The Knight swung the morning star at her; she blocked the swing with the sword and the chain from the morning star wrapped around it. Using that, she yanked the Knight towards her. The Knight with the axe tried to come up behind her, and she back-kicked him away from her. She spun the Knight with the morning star around using the sword and using a knee-strike, she kicked him in the stomach at the same time she let go of the sword and sent him off the roof of the camper.

She turned ducking, as the axe whistled harmlessly over her head, she hit the Knight in the chest with a hard kick. She grabbed the hand with the axe, and then hit him with a four-knuckle punch. She turned slightly hearing another Knight climbing up the side of the Winnie, the Knight with the axe grabbed her from behind. Swinging down she hit the hand holding the axe. Screaming in pain the Knight let go of the axe, which Buffy caught before it could hit the ground. Spinning she swung the axe at him, he barely ducked in time. She let go with a knife-edge kick, sending him too off the roof. Turning quickly she threw the axe at the Knight just topping the Winnie, it slammed into his chest knocking him from the ladder.

Buffy stood, her breathing rapid, erratic, hard. She looked down the road behind the moving Winnie and saw that it was empty. She had defeated all of the Knights. 'Yay me!' she thought as she tried slowing down her breathing. It felt good to have finally kicked some ass, instead of getting her ass kicked!

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Faith was lying on the bed, pillows propped up behind her. Her eyes were moving rapidly behind her closed lids, almost as if she was asleep and dreaming.

"Ye fucking ha! Ride em' cowboys!" She mumbled to the empty room. Now that was weird, how was it that she knew there were horses... and... Knights? It seemed that their odd echoing was expanding, she was still feeling Buffy's emotions but she was also getting vague impressions too. It was weird, sort of. It was like the echo she was getting was not only what Buffy felt but also of what Buffy felt when she saw a horse and Faith couldn't explain it. These new types of 'echoes' were forming a sort of pattern. And Faith was getting the feeling of what a horse was rather than actually seeing it through Buffy's eyes, and her mind was creating the image for her. She couldn't read Buffy's thoughts but she was sort of feeling them now too. It was almost like watching an odd sort of cartoon in her mind. Whatever it was, she just went with it, not questioning the connection anymore.

"Woo Hoo! You go B! Kick their asses!" Faith yelled out like a little kid.

Buffy was kicking some serious ass, and loving every minute of it, and Faith felt it. The adrenaline rush, blood pumping hard and roaring in your ears, the satisfaction that came with executing a move perfectly, the way your body moved gracefully and sensuously, muscles tightening, flexing, stretching, reacting without thought, letting just pure instinct take over.

Faith threw a right cross then a left cross at the empty air. Then she kicked out, sweeping imaginary feet out from under the ghost in her head. Her actions a second behind what Buffy was doing, it was almost like being there with her. Ut-oh, there were two of them now, but Buffy wasn't sweating it, and neither was Faith. Damn but she wished she was there!

It was over as quickly as it started. Faith could almost feel the wind whipping through her own hair. She felt the satisfaction that Buffy was feeling, and she smiled knowing that some of Buffy's self-confidence had been restored, she sent B that smile.

That was wicked cool. You rock B!

Damn but she was hungry! And how fucked up was she? 'Cause she felt horny too, even though she really hadn't fought. Then again she couldn't be all that fucked up, 'cause Buffy was feeling that way too.

Always knew B, that slaying made ya hungry and horny!

The Chosen Two, one in the hotel room, the other standing on top of the moving Winnebago, realized they were both feeling the same way, they smiled in sync, and savored the moment.

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It was quiet inside of the Winnie, Giles glanced in the side view mirror and saw that there weren't any more Knights behind them, he gave a sigh of relief.

He glanced back over his shoulder at the Scoobs and asked, "Everyone all right?" He returned his gaze to the road smiling slightly it appeared that they were all, for the most part, no worse for the wear and tear. His eyes opened wide in surprise and horror when he saw what or rather who was coming right at the Winnie.

A Knight on horseback was heading straight for them. The Knight raised his arm and tossed a spear right at the front windshield, Giles twisted the wheel trying to avoid the spear as it came hurdling at him. It shattered the windshield and impaled Giles before he could get out of the way. He slumped over the wheel, passing out, and the Winnie went careering recklessly down the road out of control.

The Winnie veered off the road, bouncing, and lurching over potholes; it hit the loose gravel hard and began to tilt, starting to tip over.

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Buffy was standing on the roof of the Winnie. [Faith shared Buffy's enjoyment of the wind blowing through her hair and their shared arousal from the fight.] She was struggling to stay on her feet and the roof of the Winnie, as it swerved sharply, hitting potholes and jostling her. [Faith felt the confusion roll over Buffy, and her struggle to stay on the roof.]

Buffy leaped off the roof. [She felt Buffy's sensation of flying through the air.] Buffy landed hard, rolling, until she finally sat up, turning to look at the Winnie down the road from her. [Faith got 'echoes' of pain, and a jarring in her bones, as Buffy landed hard on the side of the dirt road.]

Buffy watched as the Winnie careened out of control and tipped over, skidding in the dirt on its side. [An 'echo' of fear for Dawn, Giles and the Scoobs streaked through Faith, and she shuddered in horror with Buffy, and felt as Buffy leaned into her seeking her strength.]

'What the fuck just happened?' Both Slayers thought in sync.

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They limped away from the wrecked Winnie, Buffy and Xander supporting Giles between them. They made their way as quickly as possible to the abandoned gas station in the distance. With the exception of Giles who was losing blood and unconscious, everyone was fine, suffering only a few bumps, scrapes and bruises.

Spike kicked open the door, he felt a lot like a piece of bacon left on the fire a tad too long, the blanket he was holding over his head had offered only minimal protection from the sun's rays. Xander and Buffy gently laid Giles down on one of the counter tops. His stomach covered in his own blood.

There were three connecting rooms, and an out of order pay phone. The service garage off to the side was boarded up, as well as all the windows in the station. However, it was possible to peek outside by looking through the narrow gaps between the boards that had been put up haphazardly.

Willow cast a healing spell on Giles at Buffy's half-spoken request and was able to slow down the bleeding, but she was unable to stop the bleeding completely, the damage was too extensive.

Buffy peeked out through one of the gaps in the boards scanning the barren landscape nervously. She turned away from the window, and walked over to check on Giles. Snapping at everyone who got in her way, she was on her last leg, she was overloaded and the responsibility for getting them all out of this alive weighted her down like never before.

Please... Please... don't let me lose him too...

Buffy couldn't even wrap her mind around the thought of losing the man who had been more of a father to her than her own. She felt as the tears began to well up in her eyes, and before she had a chance to shed them, the shit hit the proverbial fan again.

Everyone dove for cover as flaming arrows came flying through the boarded up windows, everyone except Xander, who risked sneaking a peek out one of the gaps.

"We got company... and they brought a Crusade!"

"Willow!" Buffy yelled, as she heard the sound of axes hitting the walls, as the Knights rushed the gas station.

"I'm working on it!" Willow yelled back, grabbing her spell book and desperately paging through it.

The agonizing sound of wood as it splintered filled the air. The walls trembled with the force of the Knights attack. They gained entrance into the gas station through the now broken down office door. Buffy felt the adrenaline coursing through her, Slayer-Mode kicked in, and she began throwing punches and kicks, knocking the Knights that came at her out of commission. Vaguely she heard Spike scream in pain after hitting and taking out one of the Knights.

"The Key!" Buffy spun around and saw Gregor. His broadsword raised and poised to strike Dawn.

Quickly Buffy grabbed a mace from one of the fallen Knights and hurled it at him, striking his sword hand. Gregor dropped his sword as the pain ran straight from his hand and up his arm, he turned and looked right into the eyes of the Slayer, and if looks could kill, he knew he would be dead. He charged at Buffy and she punched him hard in the face, knocking him into a beam, a smile of satisfaction on her face as she watched him fall to the floor unconscious.

There were too many of them, they were smashing chain mailed hands through the rotten boards of the abandoned gas station. Xander thought almost hysterically to himself that it was like a warped version of 'Camelot Meets the Night of the Living Dead'.

"Enemies, fly and fall...circling arms, raise a wall!" Willow chanted, her eyes once again glowing black with an unholy light. She raised her arms and the near equivalent of a nuclear explosion, exploded out from around her, out through the walls, flinging and throwing the Knights backwards like dolls.

Willow's nose was bleeding, and she casually wiped away the blood with her sleeve, acting as if it were an everyday occurrence. She brushed off their concerned inquiries as to her well-being, more concerned about the two clerics outside chanting, trying to punch a hole in the energy barrier she had put up around the gas station.

Spike walked over and looked down at Gregor lying unconscious on the ground, massaging his temples. "So. What's the story with these role-playing rejects?"

Her voice hard, Buffy said, "Let's find out."

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Faith was going crazy, getting vague impressions, she knew Giles was hurt badly and silently she prayed with Buffy that he would be all right. She was pacing around the room trying to control her own fear, not fear for herself, but fear for them. She could feel how tired Buffy was, how bone weary, how defeated she was starting to feel, her world was reeling, and Faith was frustrated and angry with herself for ever leaving. Fuck! She should be there! Instead, all she could do was try to send Buffy her energy, her strength, her love, support and every other fucking emotion she could think of to try and uplift her.

Then the adrenaline rush hit her and she knew Buffy was fighting again. Unable to just stand there and do nothing, she began punching and kicking at imaginary enemies. Had the Chosen Two been able to see each other, they would have seen that they were executing the same exact moves, in perfect synchronicity with each other.

Faith turned and felt a moment of fear, for... for... Dawn, followed by a murderous rage, and then she was bending picking up an imaginary weapon and hurling it. She threw a punch, and then felt the adrenaline rush leave her. She felt a nervous calm come over Buffy, and sighed in relief knowing that they were all safe, at least for a little while.

Then unable to contain her own fear and rage she pivoted and put her fist through the wall, relishing the pain, and cursing herself again for not being there.

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Buffy, Dawn, Xander and Spike looked at Gregor who was tied to one of the lifts that were used to raise the cars. Gregor was glaring at Buffy and she was glaring right back.

"You sure Scarface here can habla the English?"

Buffy kept her eyes on Gregor when she answered Spike, "He understands me. Don't you?"

"You were warned we would return, Slayer."

"Took you long enough." Looking at his tattoo she asked him, "You supposed to be some kind of chief?"

Not breaking eye contact with Buffy, he glowered at her, trying to intimidate her. "General."

It didn't work, she stared him down and sarcastically asked; "In charge of what? Getting captured?"

"You do not frighten me, child." Turning his gaze away from Buffy, he locked eyes with Dawn. Dawn squirmed, frighten by the look he was giving her. "The instrument of chaos will be destroyed..."

Within a second Buffy was on him. [Faith felt Buffy's control slip and rage well up in her.] Buffy grabbed Gregor roughly by the face, twisting his face back hard to look at her. "Look at her that way again, and she'll be the last thing you ever see." Buffy snarled at him.

"As I was told. You protect the Key of the Beast." He snarled back.

Buffy backed away from him. [Buffy was struggling to regain her composure and Faith surrounded her with calming thoughts.]"It's not that simple."

For the first time Buffy saw something other than hate on his face. Gregor's face softened and he looked at Dawn with something that was almost akin to the concerned eyes of a father.

"Yes. The Key has been transformed. Given breath. Life." He continued telling Buffy sadly, "Yet this makes no difference. The Key is the link. The link must be severed. Such is the will of God."

Buffy quickly looked at Dawn out of the corner of her eye and saw how scared she was. [Faith felt Buffy get upset.]

"She doesn't remember anything about being this Key everyone's looking for! All she remembers is growing up with a mother and a sister that love her. What kind of god would demand her life for something she has no control over?" Buffy waited for him to respond, when he didn't she softly told him, "We're not your enemy. Tell your men to stand down."

Gregor hesitated but a second before answering her, "No."

"It's not her fault! She's human now!" Buffy yelled! [Faith felt it as Buffy lost her composure again.]

"The Key is too dangerous to be allowed to exist... no matter what form it has been pressed into."

Buffy moved closer to him menacingly. [Echoing waves of anger rolled over Faith, and she knew whatever was happening was not good, not good at all.]

"I'm not going to let anyone..." Buffy trailed off as she heard wailing coming from the other room from Tara.

"Buffy!" Anya yelled.

'Now what?' Both Slayers thought in sync.

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Tara raged in the gas station.

Orlando raged outside of the gas station.

The patients raged at Sunnydale General Hospital.

All whispering, yelling out 'Time... it's time... it's time..."

Tara broke free from Willow scrambling for the door, clawing at it, falling to her knees, sobbing.

Dante pulled Orlando tightly into his embrace, and slipped a dagger into Orlando's heart to stop his pain. And Dante saw the moment of sanity in Orlando's eyes before he died.

The patients at Sunnydale General Hospital broke free of their restraints, knocking the nurses aside. They made their way out of the hospital into the night.

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Giles was barely conscious, but he felt Buffy gripping his hand fiercely. [Buffy was struggling to keep from falling apart into tiny little pieces, and Faith silently cursed herself again for not being there. She did the only thing she could; she visualized surrounding Buffy with her arms, with her love.]

"I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"We should have stayed. If we had, none of this..."

"Don't," Giles paused for a brief second, his face etched with pain. "What you did... w-was necessary... what I've always admired."

"Running away?" Buffy smiled at him.

"Being able to place... your heart... above all else." He paused again taking a pained breath. "I'm so proud of you. How far you've come. You're everything a Watcher... everything I could have hoped for ..."

'Everything a father could hope for...' He thought to himself before he drifted back into unconsciousness.

Buffy continued to cling to Giles hand after he passed out. [Faith's own bone deep sorrow joined that of Buffy's. She could feel Buffy struggling to find answers, struggling to figure out what to do. She smiled when an echo of calm determination come to her from Buffy and she knew Buffy had made her decision.]

"Willow," Buffy waited for Willow to look up at her, "Open a door."

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Car lights shined into the gas station and they all turned their head towards the door when they heard the car screech to a halt outside. The Knights surround the car their weapons at the ready, and Ben's eyes flickered with fear. Taking a deep breath, he squashed down his fear, grabbed his medical bag and got out of the car.

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They all watch him worriedly as he examined Giles. It was Xander they had to thank that Ben was here, Buffy had been making very little progress in getting the Knights to allow help to come for Giles until Xander had stepped in and reminded them of the 'Rules of War', and that they had their General, Gregor.

Buffy had tried to use the phone a second time to call Faith, but it seemed that the spell Willow had cast to get it to work was a one shot deal. Willow had tried casting the spell again for her but it hadn't worked. Had she not been so worried about Giles she might have thought to have Ben call Faith for her. Then again, maybe it was for the best, because Faith would have wanted to come here and there was no way she could have gotten past the Knights outside. And Buffy wasn't going to put Faith in danger too, no matter how much she wanted her here.

She purposely tried to block Faith from knowing that she was only about fifteen minutes down the road from the abandoned gas station. Buffy could have run to the motel without breaking a sweat if she wanted to, and she desperately wanted to.

Buffy hovered close to Giles as Ben finished applying a fresh dressing to Giles wound. They talked, Buffy trying to explain away the weird version of Camelot outside, while Ben just seemed casually to brush it off. Had she been in a clearer state of mind she might have wondered at his casualness of the completely weird situation like any other normal person. Instead, she focused on Giles holding his hand, watching his chest, making sure he was still breathing. When she was sure that Giles wasn't going to stop breathing she wandered into the back where they were keeping Gregor and heard the tail end of Spike and Xander's conversation.

"Could make a run for it. Use General Armor-All as a shield, get to the doc's car and..."

"Great plan. And while all the hacking and slashing is going on, what are you going to be doing? Throwing migraines at 'em?"

"Look, we stay here, we all die. At least this way some of us might..."

"No!" Buffy cut Spike off, the man and the vampire turned to look at her. "We're all going to make it. I'm not losing anyone." [Faith felt Buffy try to sound confident, but there was an additional echo of underlying fear and denial too. And Faith had a funny feeling that whoever Buffy was talking to would be able to hear a little of it in her voice if they just listened. Faith also realized that as this day had progressed the echo which was how she now referred to this new connection, had been getting stronger, broadening and she knew that Buffy was beginning to realize it too. Faith opened herself up totally to it, and just let herself feel all that Buffy was feeling, was doing.]

Buffy stared at Spike; he stared back and then dropped his gaze. "Check the supplies. See if anyone's hungry." She watched them as they left and turned back around when she heard Gregor's amused laughter, and moved closer to him.

"Dissension in the ranks. Seldom the harbinger of glad tidings."

Something snapped and Buffy raised her hand swinging it... [Fuck! Buffy had lost her control again! And Faith's own hand rose up swinging, slapping the ghost face of the Knight in front of her. 'Easy B' Faith sent to her.]

"Shut up!" Dispassionately Buffy watched as the General spat out blood, not caring that he was 'human' and that she had just physically hurt him. She felt Faith surrounding her with her love, her strength, enveloping her, almost as if she was here holding her in her arms, and mentally she leaned into that touch.

Gregor looked at her with pity, with sadness. "Poor, frightened girl. You've no idea what you've gotten yourself into."

"Then why don't you fill me in?"

"Would it make a difference?" Gregor locked eyes with her. He saw the desperation in her eyes for a brief second. Maybe, just maybe he thought to himself he could make her understand why they needed to do this, maybe he could reach past the human weakness in her that saw the 'Key' as her sister, and not what it really was. Make her see that while the 'Key' may be in human form, nothing about it, or what she remembered about it, was real. "What do you know of the Beast?"

"Strong. Fast. Hellgod."

"From a dimension of unspeakable torment."

"A demon dimension, I know. There were two other Hellgods that ruled with her, weren't there?"

"Along with the Beast, they were a triumvirate of suffering and despair, ruling with equal vengeance. But the power of the Beast grew beyond even what they could conceive - as did her lust for pain and misery. They looked upon her, what she had become... and trembled."

"A god afraid?"

"Such was her power. They feared she would attempt to seize the dimension for herself, and decided to strike first. A great battle erupted. The very bowels of Hell trembled as the war of the gods spanned a thousand years. In the end, they stood victorious over the Beast... barely. She was cast out, banished to this 'lower' plane of existence, forced to live and ultimately die trapped within the body of a mortal, a newborn male, created as her prison. Her own living Hell."

"Wait... male?"

"That was her punishment. To finish an ageless existence buried deep inside the flesh tomb of a normal average human man. A man that would grow, age, and eventually die, like all the rest of us. That is the Beast's only weakness."

Buffy nodded at Gregor. [Faith felt as an of understanding of something dawn on Buffy... but she didn't know what it was for.]

"Kill the man, and the god dies."

Gregor nodded and smiled at her, thinking he was getting through to her. "Unfortunately the identity of the human vessel has never been discovered."

"I don't understand. I've seen Glory. Not a whole lot going on in the hairy chest department."

"You have seen a glimpse of the true Beast. Her power was too great to be completely contained. She's found a way to escape her mortal prison for brief periods before her energies are exhausted and she's forced back into her living cell of meat and bone."

"What about me?" Dawn asked from the doorway of the garage, Buffy turned to her. "What about the Key?"

"Dawn..."

Dawn looked at her sister, she may be scared, but one thing she had learned from Buffy was not to let fear rule you, not to let it stop you from doing or asking the hard things or questions. It was and still was one of things Dawn admired in her sister, Giles, the Scoobs, and, over the last few weeks in Faith. Especially Faith who Dawn knew had spent a good part, if not most of her life ruled by fear, and had managed to conquer it and turn her life around. "I want to know."

Buffy looked at her sister and she had to admire her. The kid was tough; as she looked at Dawn, she saw the determination and the fear. And Buffy knew it was a face that she herself had worn many times, and so had Faith. Dawn, like them, was refusing to let her fear make her run or back down. Proud of her sister Buffy turned back to Gregor and waited for him to answer her. [She felt the pride Buffy was feeling for her sister, and oddly enough for Faith herself.]

"The Key is almost as old as the Beast itself. Where it came from, how it was created - the deepest of mysteries. All that is certain is that its power is absolute. Countless generations of my people have sacrificed their lives in search of it, to destroy it before its wrath could be unleashed."

"But the monks found it first."

"Yes. And hid it with their magicks." Gregor voice was bitter when he spat out his answer to Dawn's question.

"Why didn't they destroy it? If the Key's as dangerous as you..." Gregor cut Buffy off before she could finish.

"Because they were fools! They thought they could harness its power for the forces of light. They failed... and paid with their blood."

"What do I do? What was I created for?"

"You were created to open the gates that separate dimensions. The Beast will use your power to return home and seize control of the Hell she was banished from."

Buffy and Dawn were stunned. Then Buffy laughed. [Stunned relief, relief was good, and laughter, that was good too. And Faith smiled.]

"That's it? That's Glory's master plan... to go home?"

"You misunderstand. Once the Key is activated, it won't just open a gate to the Beast's dimension... it's going to open all the gates. The walls separating realities will crumble." [The amusement and relief faded and Faith thought, 'What now?'.]

"Dimensions will bleed into one another. Order will be overthrown and the universe will tumble into chaos. All dark. Forever." He paused and turned to look at Dawn. "That is what you were created for."

A feeling of devastation crawled over Dawn's skin. Oh God, please no!

[Echoing waves of devastation and despair came at Faith. Then she felt as Buffy reached out for her, seeking her love, her strength, and Faith gave them to her, leaning further into the feel of Buffy being inside her.]

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Buffy walked through the doorway looking for her sister; she was sitting at a table with her back to the door. There was something so lost, so alone about Dawn that it made Buffy's heart hurt.

"Dawn."

"You think it's true... what he said?" She said it softly not turning around. Buffy sighed, and moved to join Dawn, sitting down next to her. They looked at each other, looked for answers.

[Faith could feel Buffy struggling, looking deep inside herself for an answer, and not finding one.]

"I don't know."

"Destroyer of the universe." Dawn paused trying to calm herself, holding back the tears she desperately wanted to cry. "Guess cutting school doesn't seem so bad now, huh?"

"It's not you... You know that."

"But it's in me, isn't it? It's inside me... What are we going to do?"

[Uncertainty, worry, and concern for... Dawn? Yes, Dawn. Faith could feel as Buffy surrounded Dawn with her love. She closed her eyes and visualized her love for both of them, expanding it to surround them, to enfold them in it, just like Angel had taught her to do. And she prayed silently that not just Buffy, but Dawn would feel it too.]

Buffy pulled her sister into her arms, and rested her cheek against her head and promised her softly, "I won't let anything happen to you, Dawn... I promise." [I promise too, Gamin.]

Dawn leaned into her sister, taking comfort in her strength, in her love, and didn't think it was odd that she felt like Faith was there with them too.

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Gregor looked the doctor over carefully as he cleaned his surgical equipment in the sink. He wasn't a part of this little rag-tag group of the Slayers, maybe he had a chance with him.

"You!" Ben froze. Did the General know who or what he was? "You are not a part of this, are you?"

Ben relaxed, and suppressed the sigh of relief. "Just a friend of the family"

"And would you die for them?" Ben turned around and faced him. Gregor smiled at him, though it was more of a grimace. "Because that is what your future holds if you align yourself with the Slayer and her misguided people."

"It's my life. I'll do what I please with it."

"It's not just your life. Unimaginable legions will perish, including everyone here." Gregor lowered his voice, continuing to speak to Ben as if they were co-conspirators, "You can stop this. You can save all their lives... by ending one. The little girl. The Key. Destroy it, and the will of the Beast will be broken. She will fade, a distant memory... and this madness will end."

Ben turned his back to Gregor; he was thoughtfully considering his words. This might be his only chance to destroy the 'K... to destroy Glory, and be free of her, free to live his own life. He had to wonder if someone up there liked him, otherwise why would it have been him of all people that Dawn had let slip that she was the 'Key'. Him that Buffy had called for help.

That had to mean something. Didn't it?

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Dawn watched Giles, he was still unconscious. She saw that he was in pain, could hear it in his labored breathing. The concern, the love for Giles was written clearly across her face.

Ben approached, he quickly scanned the room, he was alone with Dawn. He chatted with Dawn about Giles condition, while he checked Giles pulse.

"You don't know what's happening." Dawn told Ben softly, her eyes still fixed on Giles.

"I don't have to." Ben moved behind Dawn over to his medical bag. He took a hypo out and began to prepare it as he continued to talk to Dawn. "I just know that sometimes terrible things happen to good people. It shouldn't, but... it does. And it's nobody's fault." Ben turned away from his bag, the hypo poised; he saw that Dawn's back was still to him. He slowly approached her from behind, his face unreadable, as his mind warred with itself. His voice softened as he continued speaking. "That's just the way life is," he paused but a second when he reached her side, then moved past her and gave Giles the shot and watched as the older man's face relaxed.

"Is that going to help?" Dawn looked at his back and saw him stiffened; worry began to etch her face. "Ben?"

The hypo dropped from his nerveless fingers. He felt the terror, the panic start to overwhelm him, freezing him to the spot. Glory was coming, forcing her way out.

'Oh god NO! Not now! Not now you fucking bitch! Gotta get out of here!' and that thought broke his paralysis. He turned quickly and went tearing into the garage bay where Gregor was tied up. Dawn followed him, right on his heels.

"You have to let me out!" He pleaded in a voice laced with panic, with terror.

"Ben..."

"You don't understand! I got to get out! Open a door! NOW!"

Spike and Buffy rushed in and looked at the terror stricken Ben.

"What happened?"

"I don't know! He just freaked out!"

"LET ME OUT!" Ben was frantic.

"Okay, W-Will, open a..."

Buffy was cut off by Ben's wordless scream of agony. 'Nonononononononotoolatetoolate', he thought, and could only get out an agonized cry of 'NO!' The change came over him quickly, quicker than ever before, and they all stood there in shock, in horror, at what they were seeing. Buffy pushed Dawn behind her, and took up a fighting stance. An echo came to her, and Buffy could have sworn it was Faith's voice in her head saying, 'What the fuck's happening?'

Glory stretched, surprised for a second, and then quickly took in her surroundings. She smiled evilly in delight. "Well what do you know! Little Ben finally did something right."

"The Beast!" Gregor was genuinely terrified for the first time in his life. His voice trembled and his body quickly followed.

"Hey! It's Gregor!" Before anyone could move, Glory grabbed an old rusted hubcap off the workbench and flung it at Gregor like a Frisbee. It sliced through the air, and buried itself into his chest, his spinal cord stopping it from slicing him completely in half. Gregor's eyes showed only a second of surprise, then the light died out of them, and his body slumped forward as he died. "Now it's not."

Screaming bloody murder, Spike launched himself at Glory, Xander half a step behind him. Glory whirled and backhanded Spike across the chest, sending him flying into Xander, knocking them both into the wall a few feet away, where they slid down to the floor.

Hearing Tara whimper in fear, Willow's eyes flashed black, the unholy light glowing from them once again. She lowered her head and closed her eyes, and began to chant in Latin.

Buffy propelled herself at Glory with brutal force, while Spike and Xander tried to untangle themselves from each other and regain their feet. Without a thought, Glory swatted at Buffy like she was no more than just an irritating fly. The force of Glory's hit lifted Buffy off her feet, flinging her backwards. Airborne, she crashed into Willow, sending them both slamming into the wall. Both women bounced off the wall and landed painfully in a heap on the floor, Buffy's leg twisting under her.

Glory smiled, turned and looked at Dawn. She laughed at the fright she saw on Dawn's face. She moved quickly, and grabbed Dawn by the hand and started dragging her. Anya rushed forward and grabbed Dawn's other arm, effortlessly, Glory pulled Dawn free of Anya, and started running towards the door.

"Buffy!" Dawn screamed, the terror thick in her voice.

Buffy struggled painfully back up to her feet, and watched in horror as Glory crashed through the door taking her sister with her.

Glory's headlong rush into the night was stopped as she slammed into Willow's barrier. With a look of contempt, she sneered, "Yeah right!" Swinging her arm Glory's fist smashed into the barrier, punching a hole in it. Energy cracked from around the edges of the hole as it started to close almost immediately. Not wasting any time Glory pulled Dawn through the hole with her.

Buffy ran out of the smashed door in time to see Glory pulling her sister through the hole. Running as fast as she could, she dove at the hole not making it in time, and collided painfully into the now closed barrier.

"Dawn!" The Chosen Two yelled together in anguish, one from the parking lot of the abandoned gas station, one from inside the room of the run-down rattrap motel.

To the sound of the Knight's battle cries, mixed with sounds of the dying, Buffy turned and ran with a slight limp back into the abandoned garage. She used the pain to keep herself from total panic, as the image of her sister's terror filled face threatened to overwhelm her.

"Willow!" Willow raised her head looking at Buffy when she yelled; her eyes were already glowing darkly with the unholy light. "Get it down! Now!"

"Hear... hear my plea... circling arms protecting me..."

Buffy turned around again running outside; the barrier crackled and disappeared before her eyes. Skidding to a halt, she slowly limped forward, her mind rebelling at the horror she was seeing around her. Scattered around her were the broken dead bodies of the Knights of Byzantium and the clerics. Buffy choked, forcing the bile back down.

Xander, Anya, Willow, Tara and Spiked rushed out from the building behind Buffy. They all slowed, then stopped as they too stood staring in horror at the carnage around them. The sight even made Spike feel sick, and the thought that the 'thing' responsible for doing this now had Little Bit made him reel with terror. Something he had not really felt in over a hundred years.

"We have to..." Willow trailed off, not even sure what it was she wanted to say, not yet able to even form a coherent thought.

Buffy slowly kept walking forward, her mind almost numb, her world reeling, she turned her head when she heard the dying gasp of the Knight called Dante; 'The Beast.'

Xander and Spike stood deathly still and staring, both frozen with shock. Tara whimpered and buried her face in Willow's shoulder; the whimper broke Spike out of his daze.

"The car! Get the keys!" Spike pointed at Ben's car, the motion of his hand released Xander from his daze, and both rushed towards the car.

Buffy stood still, her eyes wide with shock; unable to accept what she was seeing, what had happened. Willow, Tara, and Anya moved forward towards her. Buffy's knees threatened to give out on her, her eyes filled with tears, she failed, she let them all down, and Glory had her sister. 'DAWN! I'M SORRY! OHGODNO!' her mind screamed. Her promise to her sister meant nothing; she has failed her totally, completely.

"Buffy! Buffy, we have to find Dawn. We... We can't let Glory..."

Buffy knees finally gave out and she fell crying, sitting down hard on the ground. Her mind shutting down, as a deep down to her bones fear settled in, hurling her down a dark tunnel into the abyss of her mind. Away from all of this... away from the carnage around her... the harsh reminder of her failure. She let herself fall into the darkness, welcoming the coldness of its absolute blackness. She was tired... afraid... without hope for the first time in her life... and helpless in the wake of all that had happened.

"Buffy? Buffy!"

Willow walked towards Buffy, bringing Tara with her. Her concern for the blond-haired Slayer was quickly turning to fear over what was happening to her best friend.

"Buffy...You have to get up... We need you..." Willow looked down at Buffy and saw the silent tears that ran down her face, and watched as the light slowly faded from Buffy's eyes. "Buffy, please! Buffy..."

The silent tears continued to fall from Buffy's now empty, dead eyes, and Willow's voice began to fade... As the reality of losing, of failing her sister slammed into Buffy again, sending her tumbling over the edge that she had been teetering on, into the dark, cool, calm of the open arms of complete silence and darkness...

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"DAWN!" Faith screamed out into the empty room again, her gut twisting in fear, her body shaking in terror. She hadn't felt this kind of terror or helplessness since she was a child.

"SHUT THE FUCK UP IN THERE YOU CRAZY BITCH!" Came a yell from one of the rooms next to her.

"FUCK YOU ASSHOLE!" Faith screamed back putting her fist through the wall again.

She was reeling, her mind in a tailspin. In the last five minutes, she had gotten so many different echoes from Buffy that she felt dizzy, disoriented. They were coming at her so hard and fast that she was powerless, unable to block them. The only thing she knew for sure was that Glory had Dawn, and that she had failed them.

She tried to calm her erratic breathing and concentrate, she began to focus, trying to find her center, and then the wave of desolation, the despondency, hit her like a blow to the stomach, doubling her over. Tumbling over it was the helplessness, the hopelessness that Buffy was feeling. The utter absolute failure Buffy felt at losing Dawn. They called out to their sisters that had lived inside of Faith for so long, awaking them again, the weight of them bringing Faith to her knees.

She felt as Buffy started to slide down the dark tunnel, one that Faith was all too familiar with, and cried out for Buffy to come back hoarsely. Afraid for her, afraid of what Faith knew lay in the darkness Buffy was descending into. Then Buffy's bone-deep fear and sorrow joined forces with the despair and anguish and they crashed into Faith, joining with her own escalating emotions.

She too hadn't kept her promises. Her promise to Buffy to kept Dawn safe no matter what. Her promise to Dawn. She had failed like she always failed, and Faith felt herself following Buffy down that tunnel, welcoming the darkness, the silence, the numbness, that she knew existed there, and her silent tears joined that of the keeper of her heart and soul.

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Gronx and Murk were packing. They talked about Glory in low tones, grumbling under their fetid breath about her and her many possessions. She yelled to them from the other room, letting them know that she could hear them. They scurried quickly into the other room, bickering and blaming the other on their way. She glared at them; they bowed to her in supplication, in fear. Hitting, and pushing each other, stopping immediately when Glory waved a hand at them bored with their behavior.

"Guys - I'm not gonna kill you. Not in the mood... What do you think that's about?" A look of confusion crossed her face.

"In mercy does your power lie?"

Glory looked at Gronx like he was an idiot, which she thought to herself he was, all her minions were, they did serve a purpose though.

"No, brainless. In torture, death and chaos does my power lie. So tell me. Why am I not popping your head like a zit right now?" She looked to them for an answer and all she received was openmouthed stares, and dumfounded expressions. Did she honestly think that they would know? Righttttt! "Maybe I'm just hungry."

"Yes! We shall fetch a ..."

"Nah, I'm not hungry." She began pacing, the seamstress minion, who had been working on her ceremonial robe following behind her. "Uhhh! I'm just a little tight in this skin, is all. I've been waiting an eternity - well, twenty-five human years - and it all comes down to tonight."

"The portal shall open."

"And the Great Glorificus shall return."

"To the Hell I came from. Where I'm gonna rain down more super-sized portions of slaughter, mayhem, and bloodshed than you scabs can even dream about." She flopped down ungracefully onto the sofa, a look of confusion again on her face. "So how come I ain't happy?" The minions looked at her even more confused than before. "I got everything I ever wanted. Still - something's off." She raised her hand, twirling, stretching her wrist as if it were stiff. Looking up, she turned her head and asked, "I don't know... What do you think?"

Bound and gagged, tears silently falling, terrified, Dawn stared back at Glory.

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They were still at the abandoned gas station, Spike had managed to hotwire Ben's car, but no one moved to get in. Giles was thankfully conscious, in pain, but sitting up. Buffy was sitting on the floor, hands in her lap, her eyes empty, staring at nothing, catatonic, still shrouded in her silence.

Willow had been trying repeatedly to reach Buffy, calling her name, and getting no response. They needed to get out of here, it had been almost a half an hour since Glory had taken Dawn. Still they sat or stood, staring at Buffy waiting for her to move.

Xander and Spike started arguing over what was wrong with her. Spike having had enough already, roughly grabbed Buffy by the shoulders shaking her, trying to snap her out of it. They look at him with skepticism, he was scared, and he was pissed that he was scared, but he wasn't about to let them know that. He grabbed Buffy again, and shook her even harder, still no response. Taking a deep breath that he didn't need, Spike pulled back his hand and slapped Buffy hard across the face, and then immediately grabbed his head in pain.

GODDAMN FUCKING BLOODY CHIP!

Xander grabbed Spike and shoved him away from Buffy screaming at him, "Are you insane!? We could be dealing with neurological damage here. You want to kill her?"

"We've got to do something! I can't just sit here watching. You waste time with kid gloves. I'm willing to
gamble when all's said and done... Buffy likes it rough." Spike was on the edge of total panic.

Xander turned and punched him in the face; they began to go at it.

Willow raised her head, her eyes not quite black, and said one word in a quiet hard voice, "Separate."

Some unseen force pushed Xander and Spike back, away from each other. They were freaked and stared at Willow, as did Giles and Anya, they all waited for an explanation from Willow.

Standing still, she turned her head and looked at each of them. This was not the Willow they all knew. A little bit of the unholy light still glowed in her eyes as she glared at them. When she finally spoke, her voice was calm, determined, intense, and soft. "Buffy's out. Glory has Dawn. Sometime real soon she's gonna use Dawn to tear down the barrier between every dimension there is so if you two want to fight, you do it after the world ends. 'kay?" While she had phrased it as a question, there was no mistaking it for one, she was telling them, not asking. Neither wanted to try to find out what would happen if they decided to test her.

Spike glared at Xander. Xander ignored Spike and moved away from him and joined Giles and Anya at the counter. Willow waited until everyone was still again before she continued. "Alright. First, we head back to Sunnydale. Xander'll take Giles to a hospital. Anya's looking after Tara, and Spike... you find Glory. Check her apartment first see if she's still there. Try anything stupid like payback and I will get very cranky." She paused and looked at each one of them again. "Everyone clear? Or do we have questions?"

There was long pause, they were scared of her, and a part of Willow was relishing that fear. Anya slowly, cautiously, tentatively raised her hand.

"Anya."

"Um... w-what will you do?" Okay, maybe not a good idea, Anya thought after she spoke.

"I'll help Buffy."

"Okay, then."

"The world is spinning." Willow moved over to Tara, her expression her mannerisms, her voice immediately softened. "The world is spinning. Straight, to the new day. Big day, big big day ..."

"Shh, shh..." Willow gently told Tara, who began whimpering. Spiked moved closer to them, hesitant, afraid of the redhead that he always had thought was cute, but timid.

"Uh, Will?... Now, uh, don't turn me into a horned toad for asking, but... what if we come across Ben?" Spike was confused when they all turned and looked at him like he was stupid for even asking Willow that.

"Nothing, I don't think a doctor's what Buffy needs right now."

"Well, yeah. 'Specially not one who also happens to be Glory." Now he was sure they were looking at him like he had two heads, in fact they all looked confused too.

"What do you mean?"

"You know... Ben is Glory." Spike enunciated slowly, getting a little frustrated and confused himself.

"You mean... Ben's with Glory?" Willow was frowning at him, wondering what game Spike was up to now.

"With in what sense?"

"They're working together?"

"No no. Ben is Glory. Glory's Ben. They're one and the same." Spike grounded out between clenched teeth.

Bloody stupid humans!

"When did all this happen?"

"Not one hour ago! Right here, before your very eyes! Ben came, turned into Glory, snatched the kid, and... phht!... vanished. Remember?" Spike was practically squeaking by the time he finished. They were all staring at him with the same blank stare that both Buffy and Tara now shared. Uncertainly he asked them, "You do remember?" He paused squinting at all of them, wondering if they had gotten into Ben's medical bag. "Is everyone here very stoned?" They continued to stare at him with that same confused, blank look, like he had been drinking some drunk person's blood. Now he was bloody annoyed! "Ben! Glory! He's a doctor. She's the Beast! Two entirely separate entities, sharing one body! It's like a bloody sitcom! Surely, you remember!"

Nope! He could see they still weren't getting it. Spike had to force down the urge to slap Xander silly when he started talking to him like he was a two-year-old. "So you're saying... Ben, and Glory ..."

"Have a... connection..." Anya finished for Xander.

"Yes, obviously. But what kind?" Giles mused aloud.

Suddenly it was like someone had turned on the lights in Spikes head, he laughed and nodded to himself. "Ah! I get it. Very crafty. Glory's worked the kind of mojo where anyone who sees her little presto-chango instantly forgets. And yours truly, being somewhat other than human, stands immune."

"So... Ben and Glory... are... are... the same person?" Willow was still frowning, not sure if she had it right or not.

"Glory can turn into Ben, and Ben turns back into Glory." Xander's voice was low, awed, as he were speaking about finding 'Noah's Ark'.

"And anyone who sees it instantly forgets."

'Score one for the ex-vengeance demon!'

Spiked nodded and put his finger on his nose, and pointed his other hand at Anya as if they had been playing a game of charades. "And a kewpie doll for the lady."

"Excellent." Giles paused and looked at all of them. "Now. Do we suspect there could be any kind of link between Ben and Glory?"

They turn and looked at Spike expectantly, forcing air out of his lungs that he didn't have he just sighed very loudly, and rolled his eyes, he really wanted to growl at them, but he didn't want to get stuck out here in the middle of fucking nowhere.

Stupid bloody humans. Fucking stupid fucking chip!

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Willow grabbed Tara's hand, Xander and Anya supported Giles between them, and Spiked picked up the deathly still Slayer. They walked out into the night, all acutely aware of the missing member of their road trip crew and of the silence that hung heavy and thick in the air.

While Faith, all alone in the run-down rattrap motel, eyes empty, was on her knees, ensnared in the tunnel of her own absolute darkness and silence.

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Hello darkness, my old friend, I've come to talk with you again. ~ Because a vision softly creeping, left its seeds while I lay sleeping. ~ And the vision that was planted in my brain still remains within the sound of silence.

- Simon and Garfunkel

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