Chapter 24 - Preparations and company
Pegasus Galaxy, Atlantis,
It wasn't long after Buffy's phone call with Sam that she run into Andrew, surprisingly she was actually happy to see him. Andrew while having gone bad once had at least never betrayed her trust, unlike some of her old friends. It surprised her while she loved her friends and had thought to be over this there were still some leftover resentment she had towards them. The two of them caught up with Illyria after they were done checking on Pike and were checking on the unconscious slayer they had captive.
"Andrew, you remember Illyria, right?" Buffy asked.
"Yeah, wasn't she separated from Fred's body?" Andrew asked.
"Dawn released her, she's here to help us while I'm helping here adjust to live amongst humans." Buffy told him.
Illyria cocked her head as she observed Andrew then looked at Buffy.
"Andrew Wells, it's fascinating to meet an Old One." Andrew told her.
"You sound like Giles." Buffy observed.
"I am a watcher now." Andrew pointed out.
"I know, so what do you think about this slayer? Think we can undo the damage Evil has done to her?" Buffy asked him.
"I think so. We did help Dana after all. I don't know what we can do for Pike though. The spell I used will prevent him from using magic but unless someone can get through to him like Xander got through Willow when she went bad on her magic I doubt there is much we can do but strip him of the magic." Andrew told her.
Illyria broke her silence "There is something different about you. But I cannot pinpoint the energy inside you. Your slayer and Key energies are making it difficult to read you."
Buffy looked at Illyria wondering what she meant before saying "Maybe it's that demon essence source I've now got inside me. You did say there was a change inside me before, a kind of strength. Maybe that's what you're sensing."
"Perhaps, I am unsure. You have become difficult to read." The old one replied.
Buffy smiled taking it as a compliment "You've always been difficult to read yourself." She told the demon king.
Illyria gave her a tiny amused smiled "That is true." She stated.
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Pegasus Galaxy, Atlantis,
Colonel Everett looked out over the balcony trying to calm himself over how that annoying tiny blond had humiliated him in front of General O'Neill and how O'Neill had taken her side over his, a military officer.
With a flash a white light Colonel Everett took a couple of steps back. "Sumner?" he asked as he saw the man he knew to be dead standing a couple of feet away.
Inside Ford looked at the Colonel having a conversation with no one.
"What's he doing?" Ford asked no one in particular.
McKay looked at Ford and followed his gaze to the window where outside Colonel Everett was talking with…no one. "He's cracked. Maybe it's the stress of the Wraith arriving in 3 days. I know I am stressed. I'm trying to find out as much about Atlantis's defenses as I can with the Zed PM in place we can actually power the shield. Problem is we can't keep the shield up for eternity."
"Can't we start those engines up and fly the city somewhere else where the Wraith won't find us?" Ford asked.
"Well yes, technically that is possible. However instead of just one Zed PM we would need three to power up the engines and there is no way Atlantis's engine can outrun the Wraith Hive ships in who are travelling in hyperspace. Why don't you let the thinking part up to me, mm?" McKay replied with sarcasm and annoyance.
Ford glared at the scientist who ignored him and went back to his instruments.
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Pegasus galaxy, Earth's upgraded Goa'uld mother ship,
Faith was bored. Who knew traveling in space could be so boring. Sure Willow and Giles were both still fascinated by the technology of this space craft. Ever since they ripped it off from Osiris SGC and the Slayer Watcher council had been studying it. Earth's Cleveland Hellmouth had been left under guard by Vi and Wood while Dana was handling things with Haley on the Goa'uld front.
Willow, Giles, Xander, Kennedy and some military personnel from different countries who were also involved with the Stargate program as well as Faith herself were all on board the Goa'uld space craft onwards towards Atlantis to help Buffy fight the Wraith attack that was to happen soon.
But all of this could not help with Faith's boredom, she couldn't get along with the old scoobies ever since how they reacted to her story about Buffy. It put things in perspective for Faith. After the events of the First Evil Buffy and the scoobies rarely worked together. Sure Buffy had been there to help rebuild the Council but she rarely was in contact with any of them. Only Dawn had been with Buffy, well she and Andrew.
Faith had never really given it much thought as to why but it had become clear around the time of the latest apocalypse. Buffy had not forgiven any of them for their betrayal, for kicking her out of her own house. Well that wasn't exactly true, Buffy had forgiven Dawn. But only because she was her sister, her blood. Her last real family. Andrew hadn't been there so she had no problem with him.
As for Faith herself, well they hadn't had much contact either. But things hadn't been weird or uncomfortable around them whenever they met. They had just both been really busy, there was a bond between the two of them. Faith knew this for sure because she had felt it when Buffy had died briefly.
Buffy and she were the only one who understood what it meant to be chosen as the slayer. To face the danger alone. In a way they were like sisters. In truth Faith didn't know for sure if Buffy blamed her for her friends betrayal, but judging on her memories the past few years she was almost sure Buffy didn't.
And now Faith was on her way to help her sister slayer, knowing the Wraith attack was coming because of her own dreams. Still surrounded by all these military people and scientist along with another slayer, a powerful witch, Xander who had control over fire and ice and a watcher she felt alone, isolated. She had no interest to interact with the scoobies, if she sparred with Kennedy she was afraid she would kick her spoiled arrogant ass back to Earth and since she was in a real relationship with Robin Wood she could not have sex with any of the hotties on board.
Faith sighed and decided she would instead do some Tai Chi Buffy had thought her when she had been helping out with an apocalypse about a year or so ago.
Faith had been wrapped up in her movement of the Tai Chi exercise that when the Ship suddenly dropped out of hyperspaces she only just managed to keep herself from falling by pure reflex. She made her fall into a backwards flip and jump before landing on her feet.
'Why the hell did they drop out of hyperspace' Faith wondered as she made her way to the command center to find the scoobies, Kennedy and some military personnel already there. Look out of the front window she was almost to stunned by the sight to react. But slowly a smile spread on her face.
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Pegasus Galaxy, Atlantis, Buffy's and John's quarters,
Buffy lay down, her eyes closed in pure concentration as she focused the green energy inside her. She had felt it was stronger now than it was last, like Dawn had once let her know.
The Green mystical energy from the Key was now miles above her, above the planet she was on, in space the energy had formed a gigantic green portal. A Goa'uld mother ship began to move from the center of the portal. Once it was all the way through the portal closed and the green mystical energy shot down to the planet.
Buffy shot up on her bed with a gasp as the green energy reentered her and she felt her body hum with power. she looked around the room, noticed everything that was there was a greenish color. It took her a few seconds to realize she was glowing green. Closing her eyes she let out a breath calming herself and turning the power she felt humming around and inside her to a slower hum until she had put it back into its dormant state inside her.
Opening her eyes Buffy saw everything in its normal colors, she smiled. After a while she said through the comm. set "Help is here." She then slowly got to her feet and began to walk towards the control center.
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Pegasus Galaxy, Atlantis, command center,
Buffy strolled in casually with a smile on her face. "When are they arriving?" she asked Weir, her father and Sheppard who were all there.
"They should ring in about…" Weir started then when rings formed in the center of the gate room she stopped, then she added "…now."
"Faith!" Buffy yelled and hurried over to her sister slayer only to be suddenly flung backwards by "Willow?" Buffy asked confused.
Guns were immediately raised at the redhead or former redhead since her hair turned white and all guns suddenly flew out of the hands of the soldiers "Stop!" Willow commanded.
Sheppard had his handgun out and aimed it at Willow "What the hell are you doing!?" he demanded to know.
Buffy was about to stand up to demand the exact same thing when she was suddenly throw backwards and held against the wall.
"Release my guide witch!" a cold angry voice sounded.
The white witch turned her eyes towards the approaching blue demon.
"Illyria" Giles said then a blast of flames was suddenly thrown at the blue demon who only took the blast so the normal humans behind her wouldn't.
Xander switched to his other hand and a blast of ice was about to be thrown at Illyria when suddenly the world went dark.
"What the hell do you guys think you're doing. We're fucking guests here and you guys want to fight!?" Faith demanded to know after she knocked Xander out.
"Buffy is evil. I can feel the darkness oozing out of her, around her. She's consumed by it." Willow explained shooting Faith and angry glare.
"I'm not evil!" Buffy yelled.
"Don't bother lying Buffy. I can feel it inside you." Willow told her.
"So what? I've got some darkness inside me. You do too and you're controlling it. You probably have more than me inside of you anyways." Buffy told her.
"You will release my guide now, or I will extinguish your pitiful life now witch." Illyria's voice commanded.
Willow glance at Illyria and before the blue hand could catch her thoath she sent the former god backwards and pinned her to the wall next to Buffy.
A shot was fired and Willow held up her hand and the bullet bounced harmlessly against a force field. She looked at the dark-haired man who had fired at him and he suddenly dropped the gun as she had used a spell to heaten up the weapon.
"Stand down Willow" Jack O'Neill tried to disarm the situation but before he could do anything else the room shook and both he and Sheppard were blasted backwards.
"I will not calm down until I have killed the evil in Buffy." Willow's voice boomed.
"Can't let you do that red." Faith said and charged the witch.
Willow basted her back with a burst of lighting. "I never liked you anyways Faith." Willow said before aiming both hands at the slayer and sent out a burst of lighting only to have it bounce of a force field.
"Stop this Willow. Regain control of yourself." Andrew Wells told the witch as he walked towards Faith his hand outstretched as he maintained the force field.
"You, you think you can stop me from destroying evil?" Willow asked laughing.
"He doesn't have too." A voice said and Willow looked to see her former best friend now with pitch black eyes.
"So you show your true colors at last." Willow said with a smile.
"I was telling the truth before. I control the darkness until I decide to let it out like now. You think you're so powerful that you can do whatever you please. Please, you may have power over magic but that is nothing compared to the power I wield." Buffy's dark voice sounded as she was suddenly in front of Willow before the witch could even contemplate what had happened Buffy had punched the white witch sending her flying backwards.
"My so called friends." Buffy said and easily blocked Kennedy's weak and pathetic attempts to attack her.
"Willow isn't friends with evil beings. Unlike you who tends to screw them." Kennedy told Buffy.
Buffy laughed "You were always an arrogant one. To think you deserve my power. The black eyes focused on the girl who then suddenly collapsed "Unworthy you are of such a gift. You might have had potential to receive it at one time but it is obviously long past." She turned to the now black-haired Willow with black eyes and black veins on her face.
"What did you do to my girlfriend?" Willow asked angrily.
"I took back the power that was given to her by your spell witch. She didn't deserve it." Buffy watched amused as Willow's eyes widened for the moment "yes, because of a Goa'uld inside me that my slayer side mutated I now have access to the power of the old one where the slayer power comes from. The power of a God is at my disposal. But I am not vain, corrupt or going to destroy the world. The only think I destroy is things that threaten me and the people I care about. Which no longer includes you, or you Giles. And Xander too.
"All three of you have known me longest from everyone here yet you all betrayed me, let me suffer when I was hurt and blamed me for your petty problems when I had bigger things to worry about or deal with. You ripped me out of Heaven for your own selfish reasons. You didn't even check to make sure I was in hell. You just only thought of yourself and your own problems. Like the money that my mother left me. I die and come back to see that you all spent it. I have to slay demons and flip burgers to support my sister and what did you pitch in Willow? Did you even pay rent? No but you did continue to eat the food I bought with flipping burgers. It never occurred to you to get a job as well to help out since it was your fault the money was gone in the first place. I should have left Dawn in Anya's care, at least she knows how to handle her money." Buffy's dark cold voice told the dark witch.
"You're not Buffy, just some evil thing possessing her. Your words do nothing to me. Buffy wouldn't say those things." Willow told her.
"Of course not. I'm too good of a person to throw that in your face. But right now I'm every dark bit of Buffy. I am still her, You just only saw this side of me against the bad guys." Buffy told her.
"Yeah Buffy had black eyes fighting the bad things on the hellmouth." Willow said sarcastically.
"Of course I didn't stupid witch. You're supposed to be smart, use your brain. I back then, didn't have all this power to tap into. I do now. What you didn't think I was tapping into her lighter self when I went to kill Faith? Did you?" Buffy asked.
"No, but this is boring." Willow replied.
"Very well." Buffy said and was suddenly in front of Willow hand at her throat. The veins on her face had disappeared and her hair was turning back to normal as were her eyes.
"Illyria" Buffy called and the blue demon was immediately at her side. Buffy released willow who dropped to the floor unconscious and placed her hands on the blue demon. The iced over blue eyes widened briefly as she felt the power from Willow flow into her.
Buffy's eyes turned back to the green color they always were when she said "Wow, didn't all see that coming."
"What?" Buffy asked when everyone looked at her oddly.
"What the hell just happened?" Faith asked her.
"What did you do Buffy?" Giles asked at the same time his tone angry.
"I summoned my darkness to take out Willow. She's stripped of her magic and I placed all her power in Illyria. Oh and I uncalled Kennedy as a slayer. She's not even a potential now. Just a girl. An arrogant annoying girl at that." Buffy commented.
"You ok baby?" a concerned Major Sheppard asked her.
Buffy smiled at him and put her arms around his neck. "I should be asking you that." She commented.
"I'm fine." John replied with a relieved smile.
"I think I can sense you better now with the Witch's power. The something that was different about you. Different about you since yesterday. I believe I have figured out what it is now." Illyria old them.
"I had sex?" Buffy blurted out then suppressed a blush and hid her face in John's neck who had a smug look on his face.
"It was consequence of sex with your mate." Illyria replied then casually added "You are pregnant."
Buffy pulled away from John and stared at Illyria, her eyes wide with shock as she stared at Illyria "I-I I'm what now?" she stammered.
"You are with child. Congratulations" Illyria repeated calmly like nothing was wrong.
"N-n-n-n No no no no, I can't be pregnant. I'm the slayer. In two days time a army of Wraith are coming to kill us all. I broke my giga pet. I can't be pregnant. Tell me you are joking. This is a joke right, you've finally developed a sense of humor?" Buffy asked.
"I am not, you are carrying the child of your mate. Are you not happy? It will be a strong and healthy baby." Illyria stated then went through her shells memories to find out what a giga pet was.
"You're We're going to have a baby. I'm going to be father and you a mother." John told her then a smile broke out on his face as it sunk in. "I'm going to have a baby." He laughed and spun Buffy around.
"Baby?" Jack asked as he had just come too. Buffy you're pregnant?" he asked as he headed down towards his daughter.
"I guess I am." Buffy said as the news still hadn't really sunk in yet.
"I will do my best to protect your child as well as I will protect you and your mate." Illyria stated.
Buffy just sat there nailed to her seat as the news began to sink in. She was going to have a baby. A smile settled on her face. "I'm having a baby." She said and kissed John who responded eagerly. Applause sounded all around the couple and Buffy hugged John before letting him go and hugged her father.
Giles stood there unsure what to do and completely ignored by everyone…not everyone as he noted that…this man that got Buffy pregnant was keeping an eye on him he watch him whisper something to Buffy who whispered something back.
John nodded and stepped away from his pregnant girlfriend and walked over to Giles. "Are going to come quietly or do you want to do this the hard way?" he asked him.
"Depends on what your plan is?" Giles asked him.
"I wanted to throw you and your friends in the brig but Buffy decided that was too harsh since this was apparently a misunderstanding on your part. She's too good of a person to punish you for what you, Willow, Xander and I'm guessing Kennedy just did. Although she should given the way you've treated her the last couple of years. If you hurt her one more time I will ignore what Buffy wants and make you three disappear. She'll get over you eventually." John warned him.
Giles seemed to think on what he had just said, good let him think he wasn't all that interested what the older man had to say. He only gave them this second chance for Buffy's sake. From all that he heard from her and other sources they didn't really deserve this chance since it would be more than likely be only time before they screwed up again and hurt Buffy yet again. That would be the last time, John vowed. Buffy was carrying his child. He loved that woman and damn it when this things with the Wraith was over he was going to marry her. No one was going to hurt the mother of his unborn child while he had anything to say about it.
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Pegasus Galaxy,
The rest of the day Buffy and John prepared for parenthood and of course the upcoming battle. Oddly enough Buffy had asked Faith to be Godmother and life expectancy of a slyer is short, though Faith has never died as of yet Buffy arranged Illyria to be second Godmother. John had asked McKay to be Godfather. Buffy feared that decision but allowed it knowing Illyria and Faith would undo any of the damage caused by him.
Pike and the troubled slayer Azumi were sent by Buffy Portal express to Slayer Watcher Council headquarters in London, Earth. Andrew joined them for a few minutes before returning through Buffy's portal. Willow and Kennedy were still unconscious while Xander had woken up with a dream of Anya disappointed in him by not trusting Buffy enough. Anya owed Buffy after all for rescuing her soul along with Tara's. Xander hadn't said a word since he woke up and seemed to be thinking. Giles had been ashamed of his earlier distrust of Buffy and co and had been asking to talk with Buffy for the past 2 hours but had yet to receive a reply.
The Wraith Hive ship drew closer stopping occasionally for feeding on human inhabited planets.
In Atlantis one man prepared his trap for Buffy Summers. The annoying woman who had cost him this position and embarrassed him in front of a General.
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Pegasus Galaxy, Atlantis, Wraith attack day,
"Death, kill, they deserve to die, you must hurt them before they'll hurt you again. You must hurt them until they are no longer able to hurt you. Use my power let it all go, don't try to control me again just let it go and everything will be alright for you." A dark voice came out of the dark shadow filling a young woman's senses.
Buffy Anne Summers (O'Neill) looked around the torch lit cave she was standing in. 'Well at least it's not that desert again.' Buffy thought to herself as she looked at the dark shadow that looked like some sort of floating snake only it didn't seem to have any mass, it only consisted out of darkness. It reminded Buffy of her trip through the portal meeting the Shadowmen who wanted to re-bond her with the slayer essence making her less human.
"Who are you? Are you some manifestation of Evil in my dreams now?" Buffy asked.
"I walked the Earth before Evil existed. You know who and what I am. I am power, I am a part of you, you always tried to hide from everyone. Until you showed so recently your true feelings. But you still held back, controlled part of the power you possess. Didn't let go."
"You're that darkness. The Slayers essence infused mutated thing that's inside me part of me, with my own darkness.." Buffy said to it.
"Yes, I am your darkness, infused with the essence of the slayer I can tap into the power of the original Demon or Old One that the power of a slayer comes from. I am part of you and part of the Slayer Demon." The darkness told Buffy.
"Why are you here? I my dream I mean? You know I'm not going to let you out." Buffy told it.
"You summoned me here. You want me here." The darkness told her.
"I really don't." Buffy replied.
"You say that yet your subconscious tell me differently. You want to protect your daughter." The darkness stated. "You will do anything to keep him safe and deep down you know that you will need me for that."
As the darkness was talking Buffy felt her body being shaken by something.
Buffy's eyes snapped open to see her worried boyfriend looking down at her.
"Hey there? You ok?" John asked and Buffy nodded "You were having a bad dream…or was it a vision?" he asked.
"It was something…not sure what exactly. I guess what, we're having a baby girl." Buffy told him smiling at him.
"Your dream told you that?" John asked smiling as his mouth went to her stomach and he began to kiss it causing her to giggle.
"Yes." Buffy laughed out and pulled him upwards rewarding him with a passionate kiss before pulling back "Not that I'm complaining but why are you here? I thought you were going to finish the preparations with my dad?"
John smiled and kissed her "We finished 20 minutes ago. I thought I'd come find you. See how both my girls are doing. John told her.
Buffy smiled and pulled him on top of her on her bed kissing him for being so concerned and caring about her and their baby.
About an hour later Buffy and Sheppard were having breakfast together, surprisingly Buffy noticed Illyria having a conversation with McKay at another table.
"So you gonna tell me what that dream was about?" John asked her knowing it was still bothering her.
Buffy looked at him pasting a reassuring smile on her face "It's nothing, really. Just a weird slayer dream with no future mentioning, well aside from the gender of the baby. Anyways it was a nice change from the past slayer dreams I've been having."
"Past slayer dreams?" John asked.
"Prophetic dreams I've had before. Really weird and no longer of relevance since I already defeated the threats they were about." Buffy told him.
"Maybe it has something to do with that fact that you died again. It could have reset your slayer visions or something so you're having them all so you can get back to the ones relevant now." John told her.
Buffy smiled at his insightful theory. "Maybe, I should probably ask Andrew or Giles about it. Or ask if Faith has been having dreams too."
John nodded then said "About Giles…"
"I know I should talk to him." Buffy told him.
"He's been asking to talk to you. I haven't told you because I think you're under enough stress as it is. With the baby coming, these dreams, the coming fight, I'm worried about it being too much for you and the baby." John told her.
"I'm not made out of glass suddenly John. I am still a slayer. But it's sweet you worry." She told him and leaned over giving him a brief kiss.
"Please stop the smooching until I can get some of my own." Faith said as she joined them.
"You still with Robin?" Buffy asked her.
"Yeah, God I miss having sex with him." Faith told her sister slayer.
"I'm sure he does too…only with you." Buffy replied.
"God know I would if I were that far away from you." John told her causing her to blush.
"You've got a fine good-looking man there B." Faith told her.
"It's a good thing I don't have to worry about you trying to steal my boyfriends anymore." Buffy told her smirking.
"Oh B. your honey may be good-looking but he's got nothing on Robin." Faith told her.
Buffy laughed "Let's just agree to disagree on that one."
"Sure B. so how are you feeling about the little one?" Faith asked.
"I had a dream, it's a girl." Buffy said beaming at her sister slayer.
"No shit. That's great B. congratulations. What did you dream about?" Faith asked.
"Cave, slayer demon. No future mentioning or cryptic messages. Not really relevant. I've also been having these slayer dreams I've had before you know. Like the one that warned be about the Gentlemen and the box they stole our voices in." Buffy told her then asked "You been having dreams too?"
"Well I did back on Earth. I had a few about Goa'uld threats and these weird bald guys wielding staffs. They've got some serious mojo. But we haven't encountered them yet. I think they're part of a future problem that is going to happen when the Goa'uld aren't much of a threat anymore. I haven't had any dreams on your Wraith." Faith told her.
"It seems like we're never done with fighting for Earth." Buffy commented tiredly then covered it up and said "I'm gonna see Giles now. You're going to command or coming with me?" she asked John.
"Weir is expecting me in 15 minutes. I could ask if I could come-" John started.
Buffy cut him off "No you go. I can handle one old man."
"I'll come with you B." Faith offered or well more stated.
"Thanks." Buffy told her sister slayer and she gave John a quick kiss goodbye before the two headed off to see Giles.
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