Chapter Summary: Buffy, after being attacked by her Vampire hunting team, falls prey to a poisoned dart that sends her mind spiraling into the 'what could have been'; meanwhile, Willow and Tara make their presence known while Giles and Irene Ironton face off… again.

Chapter 8

Real Life

x-x-x-x

"Elizabeth? Honey, are you okay?"

Buffy slowly glanced around, from the bright fluorescent lights that hummed slightly. Her eyes dropped down to the tall man with a head of messy black hair and warm, twinkling hazel eyes. Behind him was a white wall with a simple picture of a fruit bowl. Somehow, it seemed familiar to her. Frowning, she turned her attention to her left. A woman with shoulder-length red hair and warm green eyes smiled lovingly at her. But she was not as familiar as another redhead in Buffy's life, one with brown eyes and a shy nature. Turning her attention back in front of her, she saw the most familiar face of all. Her brother was sitting on her knees, bouncing slightly as Buffy stared oddly at him.

"I… I'm not sure," she said, glancing down at her arms before turning her attention to the redheaded woman. "Am I supposed to be okay?"

The woman glanced at her husband, tears sparkling in her vivid eyes. "We didn't think you'd pull through this, Elise. We didn't think you were going to make it." Bending down, she wrapped her arms around Buffy. Buffy held her back, closing her eyes as a strange sensation swept over her… I'm actually hugging my mother…

"Harry, would you mind getting the others?" the man asked, turning to clasp his son's shoulder. "I think they should know she's awake."

"How… how did you know?"

"Oh, your vitals were returning to normal," Lily Potter replied, sitting on the edge of her daughter's bed and smoothing back her golden hair. "The doctor informed us that you were easing back. We didn't ever think you would… we were so worried about you."

"But you're a fighter, just like us," James Potter replied, bending down and taking his daughter's bandaged hand. "Even four months blacked out…"

"Four months," Buffy marveled, sinking back onto her pillows. "What happened?"

"You… you don't remember?" James asked, sending Lily a quick glance to hold her silence. "You were shot."

"I was shot," Buffy deadpanned. "I don't remember being shot."

"In the head."

"Lily," James hissed, turning to glare at his wife.

"You were working undercover for your father's unit," Lily replied evenly, sending James an equally strong look. "Things went down and you were shot."

James' eyes darkened as he turned to the sunlight pouring in through the windows.

"What happened… exactly?" Buffy murmured.

"You don't need to know," James replied, his voice muffled as his back was to her.

"Yes, I do," Buffy retorted, sitting up despite her mother pushing her back down. "Mum just told me I was shot in the head!"

"And don't you think I live through that night after night?" James asked, rounding on her. "Don't you think I see you there, dying in my arms, night after night? Talking about it won't bring these months back! I didn't know if you would ever wake up."

"James, please, you're upsetting her," Lily said, angrily standing up. "None of this was her fault!"

"I don't blame her!" James muttered, throwing his hands in the air, stalking across the small room. Buffy watched him go calmly.

"You blame yourself," she realized, blinking down. "But you shouldn't."

He looked over at her, his eyebrows rising. "Oh? And how would you explain that?"

"Because I must have did something wrong," Buffy reasoned. "I screwed up. Something happened and it was my fault and because of that—"

"You were covering Black," James said gently. "He fell, you covered him, you paid. If I had been a little quicker, I would have taken that shot. I should have—"

"—done nothing, Dad," Buffy replied, shaking her head. "Please… I'm right here. I'm alive and I… I don't remember anything about what happened or where I was before that or—"

"The doctor told us there might be a chance you wouldn't remember the incident," Lily said softly. "He told us that you might not live through it at all."

The door opened again and Harry stuck his head around the edge. "Is everything okay in there?"

"Everything's fine, son," James replied, running a hand through his messy hair and smiling wanly at his son. "Who've you got?"

"Well…" Harry held the door open and another figure stepped through. Buffy eyed him cautiously as he stepped into the room. Harry closed the door behind him, a slight look of awe on his face.

A moment later, Buffy forgot everything as the tall, dark-haired figure rushed her, throwing his arms over her shoulders and drawing her into a crushing embrace that left her breathless. "Hello," she gasped as he released her.

"You have no idea," he stammered, grabbing her hands hastily. "I mean… to see you alive! You had no idea… my parents and I, we've been so worried… no news for months! And suddenly…"

"Here I am."

"There you are," he murmured, lifting one of his hands to touch her face. It felt so warm there that she wanted to cuddle into it, but he moved it to her hair and brought his face to hers. Their foreheads touched. His hand moved down her back, as though making certain she was really there. A moment later, his arms tightened around her again and she found her face smashed up into his chest.

"Yes, I'm still here," she muttered, her voice completely muffled.

"I know you are… I just had to make sure you weren't going anywhere."

"Not now I'm not," Buffy said dryly as he pulled back, looking deeply into her eyes. "I'm staying right here. I think I like it here."

"Are your parents in the waiting room?"

"Yes," the young man replied, a bit breathlessly. "They're waiting for word."

"Come on, Harry, Lily," James said, gesturing to the door. "Let's give them a few moments of privacy. They haven't seen each other in months."

"It must have felt like an eternity," Lily breathed, wrapping an arm around her son's shoulders. "Let's go find the doctor and give him the good news."

As soon as the door closed, the man turned back to her, his dark eyes flashing in concern. "Are you sure you're all right?"

"I'm okay," Buffy said, leaning back against the pillows. "At least, I'm physically okay. I just… I have no memory of this place or of what happened or…" She gave him a rather ashamed smile. "I don't really remember you."

"They told us it might happen," he said, running his thumb over her bony cheek. "They told us you might not remember much of anything before that… that night." His eyes wore a slightly wounded look. "But I guess I was hoping that you would remember me."

"I'm sorry," she said, glancing away. "I'm trying… really, I am."

"Don't you dare feel guilty," he said, his eyes flashing as he turned her face back to his. "They tried to kill you and you're feeling guilty because they robbed you of your memories?"

"I just feel so helpless… I know my family because I've seen them… but when I look at you… it's like I don't feel any of that familiarity at all."

He looked sad as he stood up and moved away from her bed. "I'll admit the past few months have been hard. My parents… they really don't understand the way things were between us. They thought you were a distraction, but you're not. They were always on me about that Bitsy Potter. But all you had to do was smile… like that smile, right now." Buffy glanced down, her smile sliding from her face. "Then you got shot and things changed… you became a hero in the public's eye. They aren't the smartest people, but they understand what it's like for their only son to lose his heart to someone so willing to give her life to save someone else's."

"I just wish I could remember that night… and how it used to be."

"You will," he said. And then he smiled. "I don't think you'd have it any other way. You have your father's stubbornness in you… not to mention his desire to be a hero."

"I don't want to be a hero," Buffy whispered. "I just want to remember."

"I'll help you remember," he said, sitting down next to her. "I'll do whatever it takes so that you remember who you really are. And I'm going to start by telling you about you and me, the early years."

"I think I'd like that," Buffy said, a smile returning to her face.

"Well, it all began in the summer about four years ago… it was at Harry's birthday party, the day he turned thirteen…"

x-o-x

Outside, in the living world, Buffy Summers was cold to the touch. No matter how much magical intervention there was, there was no pulling her out of the coma she was in. Giles removed his hand from her cheek and rose, turning a hostile look on Irene Ironton. The cold iron woman was perspiring profusely under his intense visual scrutiny and cleared her throat uncomfortably.

She then said the words he would later make her pay for.

"There's nothing more I can do for her."

x-o-x

"So… is everyone here usually this hostile?"

"Not really," Tara Maclay replied, ducking underneath a branch as she and Willow Rosenberg strolled one of the many on-campus parks. "I mean, there's s-some. But it's just a farce, I-I think. There are a couple of us that they target, but its r-really just two or th-th-three."

"The rest just play follow the leader?" Willow frowned, folding her arms to her chest.

"Immature, I k-know," Tara replied, wincing. She turned to glance at Willow as the two stepped on the cobblestone path. "What about y-y-you?"

"I dabble," Willow smiled. "I mean, I can do a few basic charms… float a pencil, call upon two elements."

"All wandless?" Tara questioned curiously.

"Yeah. It really isn't hard."

"I know. I kind of dabble myself."

"Really?" Willow asked, glancing at the other girl curiously. "What have you done?"

"A few m-m-minor charms… I can float and c-c-call upon the elements. I can also d-do a few minor convergence ch-charms and call into other d-d-dimensions."

"Wow," Willow whispered softly under her breath.

"It really isn't anything," Tara replied hastily, tucking a lock of blonde hair behind her ear.

"No, really…" Willow said, shaking her head. "You've got me impressed. I didn't know… I mean, other than one of my best friends who can apparently do magic, you're the first Wicca I've met."

"R-Really?" Tara asked softly.

"Yeah. I mean, I would love to be able to call upon fire, but the last time I tried that is when I was on my bedspread. Let me tell you, that caused a bit of a problem with the smoke alarm and my parent's sprinkler system. My parents just figured I was pulling some sort of teen rebellious streak after they got me shipped off to England. I mean… wow… listen to me ramble." Willow saw that Tara was looking at her, smirking in amusement. "I tend to ramble when I get nervous."

"What d-do you have to be so n-nervous about?" Tara asked as the two women stopped near a set of swings. She walked over and sat down, smoothing her long skirt as she saw Willow curl her arm through a chain and sank onto her own rubbery seat.

"Just… everything. I'm not the kind of girl who just picks up and leaves for freedom. I chose this because I knew I'd like it here."

"You mentioned a close friend… does she go to school in England?"

Willow hesitated, wondering how much she should divulge. "She used to."

"Oh," Tara replied, glancing away. "I'm s-sorry if this makes you uncomfortable."

"It really doesn't," Willow said honestly. "It's just… it's hard for me to talk about. She's just gone through a lot and it makes me feel kind of, you know, normal."

"And she can do magic?"

"With a wand."

"A w-wand?" Tara asked, her eyebrows lifting slightly in surprise as she began to drift back and forth on her swing.

"Yeah," Willow replied. "Her… it's a family trait."

"Her entire family was m-magical?"

"Well… yes."

"That's… well, my Mom could do m-magic too."

"Really."

"Yeah," Tara smiled again. Willow leaned on the bar as she watched Tara swing lazily back and forth. "I w-wonder if my mom knew her p-p-parents."

"I wouldn't know. Her parents died a long time ago. She didn't even find out she was English until last year."

"No," Tara gasped, her feet suddenly dragging on the ground. "That's terrible! H-How did they die?"

"You'd have to ask her that," Willow mumbled. She really didn't like talking about Buffy.

"I don't exactly know your fr-friend."

"She's in Bulgaria at the moment," Willow sighed, kicking at the ground. "She's… she's…"

"It's okay."

"No, it's really not. But let's not talk about that. Let's talk about school. What's your major?" Willow felt herself blush all of a sudden. Of all the things to talk about, she chose to talk about their majors?

"Oh, it's h-history. And yours?"

Willow pondered her thought for a moment as she continued to swing lightly. "I want to teach," she replied, staring hard at the ground. "I want to make a difference to kids, you know?"

"What subject?"

"I like science," Willow grinned. "Of course, if magic could be an actual topic at school…"

Tara started giggling all of a sudden. As she cupped her hand to her mouth, she blushed prettily. "Could you imagine all of the s-s-schools they'd burn down?"

"The parents protesting…"

"It'd be a r-riot," Tara sighed, dramatically leaning against the pole. After a moment, she added, "We should practice sometime."

"What?"

"Magic… we could practice, you know. I could show you h-how to safely call f-fire."

"Really?"

"Really."

"You would do that?" Willow, for some reason, felt humble.

"Yeah. It'd be my pleasure."

"I'd like that."

"Me, too."

x-o-x

"How is that?"

"I like it there… thanks," Buffy said, smiling up at the figure as he turned her wheelchair away from the sun. They were in the hospital's courtyard hours later. She felt relieved to be in the cool, fresh air despite the fact that her parents were hovering like angry worker bees. Her eyes surveyed his rather nice backside as he walked around her to sit on the edge of the fountain. "It feels good to be out here again."

"I know what you mean," he said, leaning closer to her as a group of nurses and patients strolled by. "I'm not particularly fond of hospitals."

Realizing what that meant, she looked down. "I'm sorry you've been stuck there for so long."

"No… I don't… it wasn't your fault," he said, glancing up at her. "Don't you blame yourself for this, Elise. This wasn't your fault."

"Apparently it was the fault of the guy who shot me, right?" Buffy grumbled under her breath.

"Well…"

"This is awkward," she commented, tipping her face to the light.

"I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable," he said earnestly, snatching her hand back again. In the three hours they'd had together, he hadn't really let go of her. "I'm just… I needed to get out of there and after such a long rest I figured you could use the sunshine."

"I can," Buffy replied, shrugging. "I like the sun."

"I like the way the sun shines on you."

"Now that's borderline disgusting."

"Ah, Harry," he said, grinning at Buffy's brother who was approaching them. A tall, dark-haired man in a policeman's uniform stood on his other side. "And…"

"Sirius Black," Harry said, gesturing to the man standing slightly behind him. Seeing the apprehensive look on Buffy's face, he added, "Do you remember him?"

"Not in the least," she replied, glancing curiously at the older man. "Err, sorry."

"He's Dad's partner," a third voice piped in. This one was decidedly juvenile and female as a smaller figure with dark brown hair and brilliant blue eyes suddenly appeared next to Harry, snapping on chewing gum and looking bored and haughty. "They've only known each other since they were six."

"Oh," Buffy said, looking at this new man in a different light.

"It was his life you saved," her companion said.

"Forgive me for making an awkward moment even more uncomfortable," this Sirius Black said, stepping forward and looking down at the girl in the wheelchair. "How are you feeling?"

"Surprisingly well," Buffy said, offering a shy smile. She smiled more brightly at the brown-haired girl. "Hi, Dawnie."

"I would have appreciated it if they'd pulled me out of school when you woke up instead of sending him," here she indicated Sirius Black, "to tell me that you were awake and dragging my sorry rear over here."

"It was all for the best," Harry argued, glaring at his youngest sister. "Boy, are you a right pain in the—"

"Oh, I implore you not to finish that sentence," James Potter said, appearing over his son and youngest daughter's heads and grinning broadly at his daughter and her companion. "All right there, you two?"

"So much for having a private moment," the young man bristled. "Your family is quite annoying there, Elise."

"Even if we were annoying, at least we're loveable," Lily joked as she pulled Dawn away from Harry. She looked like she was about ready to start pulling out his hair as she always did when the thirteen-year-old got disgruntled. "If was quite nice for you to take her outside here. Even if this isn't the most pleasant weather, at least it'll be a different view than those four white walls."

"That's for damned sure," James muttered, taking Lily's waist and glancing pointedly at his other two children. "Harry, Dawn… let's go… and if you could give us a moment, too," he said, glancing back at the two men near his daughter. "I think Sirius wanted a moment alone with her."

"Well… all right. I'll go find my parents and tell them to go home," the young man replied. Standing up, he brought Buffy's hand to his lips before disappearing back towards the hospital. After a hurried goodbye, Buffy watched her parents, her brother and her sister leave the hospital grounds.

Soon, she felt a shadow fall across her face. She blinked up as Sirius Black took the man's abandoned seat next to her.

"You have no idea how it feels knowing your best mate's daughter saved your life."

Buffy couldn't speak. Not only did she have nothing to say, but she wanted to know what happened and was perfectly willing to let these events unfold.

"The heist was there, but it had turned sour. They realized that I was an officer and they were going to kill me. But you, acting on your training officer's orders, decided to watch the heist. When it went down, you jumped in and took the bullet."

Buffy blinked at the raw emotional current in the man's voice.

"I caught you when you fell," he said in a low voice. "I don't remember much except you were bleeding to death. The… perpetrators were able to escape. The others wanted to go after them, but your father… he wouldn't leave your side. Even when they told him to let you go… he wouldn't. I don't think I've ever seen a father more devoted to his daughter." He gave Buffy a significant look. "I know I haven't been grateful that your father has let me into his personal life… but now…"

"Please, you don't have to," Buffy said quickly, glancing at the anguish on his face.

"But I feel that if I'd been stronger…"

"My dad would have lost his partner," she said in a thick tone. "And that would have hurt him."

"More than watching his baby girl dive into a massacre?" Sirius asked incredulously, looking at her. "I don't suppose anyone has told you what the local media has said. Even some of the papers in London have gotten wind of this."

"Gotten wind of what?" Buffy asked in a tired voice.

"You're a hero, Elise," Sirius said earnestly. "You saved an old man's life by risking your own. And I realize that while it can make you incredibly popular, it wouldn't sit well with the Commissioner. You know, your boss and the one who actually tells you that you'll make it at the end of all this training."

"All what training?" Buffy asked, confused.

"Oh…" Sirius suddenly looked ashamed. "I keep forgetting that you don't remember… how much don't you remember?"

"Pretty much everything," Buffy admitted sadly. "I only remember bits and pieces. I can't even remember…" She flailed a helpless hand.

"You don't remember his name?" Sirius asked quietly. When Buffy shook her head, he laughed and ran his hands over his eyes. "I keep forgetting what a blast like that can do to a person."

"Apparently, it robbed me of my memories… I feel… oblivious."

"Don't you dare—"

"Blame myself? Of course not… it'd be far easier to blame the guy who shot me," Buffy said blithely.

Sirius gave her a long, hard look. "No, but it would be far easier to blame him instead of your own instinct. But it goes beyond that. This is the harsh reality we live in, Elizabeth. This is real life."

"I know, and I get that, but…"

"Having a nice chat?"

Buffy glanced up at the young man now standing in front of them. His hands were on his hips and his angry eyes were directed at Sirius. The older man quickly stood up and frowned slightly. "I'd best be going now… I have a shift this evening. Are you sure you can take care of her?"

"I believe I can." His voice was as cold as ice. His eyes were steely and he wasn't looking very kind and sweet at that moment. "I think you better get away from her."

After Sirius had awkwardly left, Buffy glanced at the vacant space up to her before staring at the figure towering above her. "Why did you do that?"

He looked at her, his nostrils flaring for a moment before looking away. "I'll tell you later," he muttered under his breath. "I don't feel like explaining it now. But every time I see that man I want to rip him limb from limb. I'm only cordial when your family's about."

"Now I feel safer," Buffy said sarcastically.

"How about we return you to your room?' he asked, getting behind her and pushing her wheelchair for the ramp. "As much as I'd love to stay with you this evening, my parents have a benefit tonight and I must go. Such is the way when your father is like mine is."

"I don't remember him," Buffy said bluntly, dropping the hint that he should explain.

"Hmm… looks like me, but older, far less dashing."

Buffy giggled despite herself. Imagining an older figure Sirius's age pushing her wheelchair was amusing, especially if they were using a cane.

"That sounds like the Elise I used to know," he said, pausing as they reached the doorway. He leaned down, hugging her from behind. "You have no idea how much I've missed you these past four months."

Buffy patted his arms, the light fading from her eyes. As much as she longed to say how much she missed him, how could she when she could not even remember his name?

x-o-x

Even as a hard rain fell outside, Giles sat under the porch roof, staring at the wildlife around the residence. He hadn't moved in some time. He really didn't want to.

Hearing footsteps behind him, he turned to coldly regard Irene Ironton. "I'm not interested in anything you have to say," he said curtly.

"I have done far more than apologize for my actions," Irene replied softly. "But I—"

"Bloody hell! It isn't your actions that you need to apologize for! Those actions were the direct result of those two boys' training! They shot my Slayer and because of that, it is likely she will never see the light of day again! She will never see her brother or her friends again! And I am leaving it to you to explain to the great and famous Harry Potter why his sister is dead!"

"But she isn't dead yet. She's not going to die unless—"

"You don't understand, do you?" he objected, rounding on her. "You have no idea how important that girl is to the rest of us. You saw her as a liability… you and your bloody Ministry! I've never condoned their actions. I've never agreed with their ways. But sending her out here only to have your vampire hunters kill her…"

"I would have never agreed to send her out here if I knew that she was being targeted as such," Mrs. Ironton snapped, flaring up.

"And I know you're telling the truth because…"

"How do I know that you weren't sent here to kill Miss Summers?"

"Because she has been my Slayer since I arrived in Sunnydale more than three years ago," he retorted angrily, turning his back on her. "I would never hurt her."

"Never?" Irene said softly, stepping up to his side. "Just like you would never inject her with a potion to make her powers wane… you know, sedatives and muscle relaxants?"

Giles' felt his breath catch in his throat as he turned to glare at her. "How dare you… you stupid woman! I was with the Watcher's Council then!"

"And now they're dead," she replied crisply. "It seems like such a shame to waste your talent on a dead art."

"What would you call your job?" he demanded. "You send kids out to this forest to die! Do you call that training?"

"I only do what is mandated to me by the Ministry of Magic," she replied, her lips twitching. "As you would do well to remember."

"I am not part of your bloody Ministry," Giles retorted. "If I were…"

"You would be labeled a dangerous creature, certainly," she said with her humorless smile. "As your Slayer surely has."

"This isn't a game anymore," Giles sighed. "This is Buffy's life we're talking about here. She's dying and your stupid trainees are to blame. If she dies, I will see that you and your team are persecuted to the very extent of the law." His eyes darkened and a wicked smile came to his face. "Buffy has friends, powerful friends. If they knew that you were responsible for her death…"

He walked away then, leaving Irene Ironton lost in her thoughts.

x-o-x

Willow had just returned from dinner that night when she felt a sudden instinct, as though something was terrible wrong, but she just couldn't place it. She blinked at the ceiling for a few seconds as she cleaned up her dinner plate. Something, somewhere, was very wrong…

x-o-x

"Flight one-nine-eight-six to London England, now boarding…"

Faith took one look at her boarding pass and slipped her passport back into her shoulder bag. Heaving it onto her shoulder, she glanced one last time around the New York airport before handing off her boarding pass and walking down the long tunnel. She was almost there. She could taste the freedom.

She felt something prickle on her arm as she walked and stopped, causing passersby to plow into her. After muttering a quick apology, she turned and pulled up the sleeve of her black top. The Dark Mark was barely visible under her skin, but it was far more visible than it had been yesterday. Cursing under her breath, she jogged the rest of the way down the corridor, eager to get on board. The sooner she got to the other side, the better she would feel.

x-o-x

Harry glanced up from his Defense Against the Dark Arts essay as Hermione walked back into the common room. She was surrounded by the other seventh year Gryffindor girls who dropped on either side of her, giggling. He watched as she laughed along, but he could tell she was holding back. He felt guilty that their friendship couldn't have lasted despite their short relationship. The guilt was beginning to wear on them both, he thought. And then their eyes met. He found himself looking back down at his essay and grimacing. He just wished he could repair the damage in their friendship, despite the feelings that lingered on both sides.

x-o-x

Deep in the depths of a small cavern, Lord Voldemort swept in graciously, followed by three of his most devout followers. He paused at a small table, his fingers leaning down to lovingly caress a small box. He then lifted it into his hands and turned to the first Death Eater behind him. "Lucius, my slippery friend," he rasped, his eyes narrowing as he noticed Lucius's docile expression. "You will need this."

His face held casual interest as he opened the box and glimpsed the contents inside. His face sobered as he pushed the box lid shut. "Very well, my Lord."

His gaze turned to the second Death Eater, who looked alive despite her gaunt face and pale expression. "My dear Bella…"

"It has begun, my Lord," she said cautiously, turning to face him and bowing her head slightly. "It is as you asked. There will be panic in the beginning."

"As I have foreseen," he replied humorlessly, his red eyes gleaming. "The others?"

"Are totally compliant to you, my Lord."

"My dear." Unnaturally long fingers reached over to clasp her shoulder. His eyes then turned to the third Death Eater. "Your recovery has been well?"

"Very well," a curt voice replied. "It has gone far smoother than anticipated." He paused. "I thank you for your… assistance, my Lord."

"It was well earned," Voldemort replied. "Do you understand your role?"

"Yes," came the pleasant reply. "I will be working most closely with Bellatrix Lestrange on this… project. I hope in the end…"

"As death is your specialty," Voldemort replied calmly, "I expect perfection."

"All will be perfect, my Lord," he said, bowing slightly to the Dark Lord. "All will be perfect."

x-x-x-x

Next Chapter: Faith returns to England. Buffy continues to hover between life and death and lives in a dream state. And if things couldn't get worse for the government, they now have those pesky Death Eaters about…

Comments: After about seven month's hiatus, there is yet another chapter of this story! I finally decided to finish this story before I take on any other projects, mainly out of guilt. That and my outline for this story was pretty incredible. I didn't find it until ten months after moving into my apartment. Suddenly, a week ago, it was there, in a box, just waiting for me to pick it up. I really didn't want to abandon this story, but the first part took a lot out of me... the fact I could write almost 350,000 words (taking out the tens of thousands of reviewer comments and spoilers) in a few short months was incredible. I only hope this story can exceed such expectations. I think I've become a better writer than I used to be, but I'll leave the judge of that up to you, the wonderful fans. The other crossover, "Dance", is being rewritten completely, so that's the only reason that story hasn't been updated. I only have about eight chapters done, so only half to go!

Reviewer Comments: Although I can no longer leave little bits for the nice reviewers, I'm still going to take the time to thank you all. So… thank you!