Chapter 52
Disclaimer: I own nothing. I claim no rights to any television show, movie, or book. I write for fun not profit. All television show, movie, and book characters are owned by their production studios, television stations, and authors. No copyright infringement is intended. Again, I write for fun not profit. I am not getting paid for this. This goes for all chapters past, present, and future.
In an old train station In the Africa's Democratic Republic of Congo two slayers, Sally Sparrow, Kathy Nightingale, and Gwen Cooper landed from their ordeal with the hurricane like portkey. While everyone else handled the experience with little annoyance about their new forced hair style, Gwen Cooper backed away from the rope like she just discovered it was poisonous.
"What the hell just happened? Where are we? What have you people done? She yelled clutching her broken hand."
Kathy looked toward her ex-friend and answered her questions in order. "We traveled by magic, which is real by the way."
"We seem to be in Africa, judging by the giraffes I can see on that distant hill top." Sally said looking out the door.
"And G.C. seems to have saved our lives. You're welcome by the way." Kathy finished.
"That's bullshit. We're in Wales." Gwen said.
Just then Harry Potter came through the door.
"I'm very sorry I wasn't here for your arrival. Welcome to the Guardian Council Academy's branch here in Africa's D.R.O.C. is anyone in your party injured in any way?" He asked.
"I think she is." Kathy pointed to Gwen as she was no longer willing to call her a friend.
"Is something wrong with your hand miss?" Harry asked rhetorically seeing the blood.
"What the bloody hell do you think? My fingers have been crushed by that b*#ch." She said pointing at Sandy who simply smiled and waved. "You might be able to tell because they're pointing in unnatural direction and by the blood running down my arm." Gwen finished angrily from the pain and fear.
"Please walk this way and you'll be seen by our Medwitch." Harry said.
"By your med -What?" Gwen asked not moving at all.
"Just follow me please." Harry said.
"Just hold on why should I trust any of you?" She asked
"Listen, you're in Africa now. You can leave here in the condition you're in now but if a predator smells that blood you're going to be a tasty treat for them if you don't bleed out first." Sandy explained.
"I'm not bleeding that badly to bleed out." Gwen said in a huff.
"Fine, get out. Go. You're a menace anyhow. You can only solve crimes when ether me or Kathy plop them onto your lap" Sally said.
"Why would we be in Africa anyway?" Gwen asked after a pause.
"It's the only place that hasn't been touched yet. But even we are having earthquakes." Harry explained.
"You're having quakes here too?" Sally asked.
"Yes, we can't let anyone into the buildings yet for fear that they will get injured when the next quake starts so, we have set up a nice tent village at the bottom of the hill you can stay in for the time being." Harry explained and turned to Gwen. "Won't you let our people treat your injury? "
"Fine, I've got to do something with it, the pain is becoming unbearable." She said.
"Come this way." He said as he led her behind the ticket counter where Katie Bell was set up.
/Scene Break/
At Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry in Scottland Minerva McGonagall and Filius Flitwick were finishing off and old bottle of fire whisky she had been saving for a special occasion when they felt a rumble under their feet. They moved to the window overlooking the grounds. Filius levitated himself onto the windows sill. They didn't see anything at first, just a fox tearing into a white rabbit for its supper. Minerva wondered if it was one of the centaurs Dawn Summers had transfigured.
"There! Above the trees!" Filius said pointing.
It was barley visible at first but as it climbed higher there was no mistaking what it was. The wall of water was violently pushing everything out of its way as it marched inland and it was approaching with astonishing speed. It would hit the castle in less than twenty seconds now. Filius turned to Minerva. Seeing they were at the same height he reached out and put his arms around her and said. "Goodbye my dear friend."
Minerva was stunned at first but retuned the hug and closed her eyes as tears streamed from of them. "Goodbye Fil…"
The wall of water crashed through the window, and stones from the castle came crashing down upon them. The wave covered the castle and left nothing in its wake but a watery grave.
/Scene Break/
The scene was repeated in many places in England.
In Ottery St. Catchpole in Devon Moll and Ron Weasley came out of the burrow to investigate what all the rumbling was they were met with a wall of water that took out the whole property before they even got the chance to look around. All they felt was a cold slamming sensation and their lives were at an end.
/Scene Break/
In a political prison just outside and under Cardiff Wales a prisoner the government claimed too dangerous to be on the loose. Toshiko Sato was on her seventh year of her lifelong sentence. To get here she had been blackmailed to steal plans from the government and assemble the weapon the plans were for. They told her that they would kill her mother if she didn't do as they said. The sonic device was never supposed to work but Toshiko was able to understand where the flaws were and fix them as she built it. The government felt she was too smart for her own good and left her to rot in this hell hole. She didn't care. She did what she felt was right. Her mother was safe and that was all that mattered. . In another reality Toshiko Sato life would have been the same and landed herself here but would have been given a chance to redeem herself by a man from an organization call Torchwood . However, Torchwood didn't exist here so, Toshiko fate was sealed.
The rumbling caught her attention she looked up to the very small window she could never reach when all of the sudden water pushed through it. She was pushed back into the wall where she hit her head. Her cell filled up quit quickly and her last thought was that at least her mother was safe before losing consciousness and drowning without waking.
/Scene Break/
At Number 4 Privet Drive, Little Whinging, in Surrey Vernon and Petunia Dursley came out of their house looking for trouble along with their neighbors when they felt the rumbling. Vernon was ready to give someone a piece of his mind when he noticed the wall of water bearing down upon them.
With a purple face, Vernon yelled at the top of his lungs. "This has to be the work of those bloody wiz…"
And just like that they're lives ended.
/Scene Break/
In Crawly Emma and Dan Granger walked out of their house. Emma was quite frightened because she had a feeling that she had been wrong about Hermione now that she could feel the rumbling. She wondered if it was wrong to fear that she was wrong more than she feared her own death. When Dan saw the water wall he said.
"I should never have listened to you. Now my daughter will think I hated her when I died."
And then they're lives were done.
/Scene Break/
Just outside of the Ministry of Magic the Minister of Magic Kingsly Sackelbolt had just left the ministry to get a bite to eat. His ever present assistant Percy Weasley was asked to joined him to go over some figures. Percy enjoyed working through meals. It made him feel more important when he couldn't take time for the simple things. As they walked down the street the ground rumbled beneath there feet.
"Are the muggles up to something sir?" Percy asked.
Shack could only shrug. That was until he saw in the distant a tidal wave headed for them.
"Good god, you father was right."
Percy was unsure what he was talking about and he had yet to notice the wave. He looked to Kingsly who took a quill from his pocket and tapped it with his wand and said "Portus."
It was then Percy noticed the landscape in front of him changing from the approaching wave of water.
"Grab hold, Weasley!" The minister of a dying domain said.
Percy did and Kingsly activated it and they were gone just as the wave washed over the ministry building.
/Scene Break/
The majority of the wizarding world knew nothing of the ongoing disasters across the pond and was now happening here in the U.K. and neither did Arthur Weasley half an hour ago, that was until he got a call on his new cell phone issued to him by the Guardian Council. When he was told he went pale. It took him a full minute to register what he was told and another to figure out what to do next. He wrote a quick letter to his sons Bill and Charlie in Romania and Egypt and sent them two port keys to the Congo. Hopefully they would receive them in time. He took the fob from his watch and said a password to activate a portkey by remote that he had given a friend.
"Forgive me Donna." He whispered saying a prayer for her.
He then grabbed his things from his surroundings and pulled out his own portkey said his password and disappeared from England to head to Africa.
/Scene Break/
In Cheswick England Donna noble had just got out of the shower. She never noticed the ring with a large jade stone on her finger that had been placed there months ago by a man she could never remember. She wrapped a large white towel around herself and slipped on a pair of flip-flops she uses for after bathing. She grabbed her watch to see how much time she had before she had to be out the door.
All of the sudden she felt a pull behind her navel and she was being tossed into the air like she was caught in a hurricane. What else could she do but hold on to her towel and scream.
/Scene Break/
Back in Africa in the Democratic Republic of Congo Xander was gathering more blankets for the refugees outside. As he approached the storage closet he was astonished to see someone arrive by port key.
Donna noble landed on her ass in an enormous building. Her first thought was that it was a mall but there weren't any shops. She picked herself up off the floor making sure here towel was still tightly fastened around her when she noticed a man standing there looking at her with a stunned expression on his face.
"What?" Donna Noble said.
"Huh?" Xander said.
"What?" Donna repeated. "Who are you?" Donna asked with authority.
"But…" Xander said still trying to figure out what was happening.
"Where am I?" Donna demanded.
"What?" Xander asked finally realizing he was being spoken to.
"What the hell is this place?" Donna said starting to get angry.
"Wait …What? You can't do that. I wasn't… this isn't even a designated arrival space.
You should be at the train station. That is…This is just wrong.. "Xander stated.
"Tell me how I got here. I demand you tell me right now, how'd I get here?" Donna growled.
"With a portkey obviously." Xander told her.
"What?" Donna asked
"A portkey." Xander repeated.
"What?" She asked again.
"Portkey." Xander said again.
"The what?" She asked.
"It's called a portkey." Xander clarified.
"That's not even a proper word. You're just saying things." Donna said.
"Well then you tell me. How did you get in here?" Xander asked.
"Well, obviously when you kidnapped me. Who was it? Who's paying you? Is it Neris?
Oh my gosh! She's finally got me back. This has gotten Naress written all over it."
Donna said hysterically.
"Who the hell is Neris?" Xander asked.
"Your best friend." She replied.
"Who are you anyway?" He asked
"Donna Nobel as if you didn't know." She replied.
"I seriously didn't. My name's Xander by the way."
"Oh, is that the name kidnappers are calling themselves these days?" She asked rhetorically.
"Hold on wait a minute. What are you dressed like that for?" Xander asked.
"I'm going ten pin bowling, what do you think, Dumbo? I was just getting out of the tub. I was about to get dressed. I was supposed to go to a wedding shower when you…I don't know…drugged me or something." Donna said accusingly
"I haven't done anything." Xander said proclaiming his innocence.
"I'm calling the police on you. Me and my mother, we're going to sue the livening backside off ya." Donna said.
Donna then pulled her hand back and let it fly forward striking Xander's face with a resounding Slap!
"What was that for?" He asked cradling the side of his face.
"Don't even think of trying to look down my towel." She said.
I can swear to you I had no intention of doing that. It didn't even cross my mind.
"Why not?" Donna asked. Then her eyes widened at what just came out of her mouth and said "Never mind. Forget I asked." With that she walked out of the bank.
She was across the street and at an angle when she looked back and saw the actual size of the bank from the outside. She was stunned and ran back to the bank to look inside again only to find the same cavernous space. She backed away and Xander was there to see the horror on her face, as she slammed the door and tried to run from the place.
"Donna!" Xander yelled after her. He was able to catch up with her easily as she was only in a towel.
"Leave me alone I just want to go home."
"Come back to the bank." He said.
"No way. That building is too… weird."
"It's bigger on the inside that's all."
"Oh!... That's all? She said as she looked at her watch. It's ten past; I'm going to miss it."
"Can't you phone someone, tell them where you are? Like the wizard that made you the portkey."
"And how do I do that?" She asked.
"Haven't you got a cell phone, oh sorry, it a mobile where you come from right?" Xander corrected.
"I'm in a towel. It doesn't have pockets. Who has pocket? Have you ever seen a towel with pockets? What were you expecting me to say to the sales clerk? Oh, one thing I forgot to say was give me a towel with pockets."
Just then Arthur Weasley came down from the train station
"Donna, oh thank god you made it. I was worried there for a moment when I didn't see you at the train station. I'd forgotten that I set that portkey for the bank instead of the station. I was never supposed to do that. It's very dangerous portkeying into an expanded space." Arthur explained.
"Yes, we'll need to talk about that later Arthur. You can take care of your friend. Just watch out she's a bit slap happy." Xander said as he moved off to render aid to others.
"Oy!" Donna yelled at him.
"Yes, she gets that from her mother I'm afraid." Arthur said to him before he was out of earshot remembering how hard Donna's mother hit him.
"Who the hell are you and what are you talking about, hold on don't I know you?" Donna asked.
"Oh, yes, of course. One moment please." He said pulling out his wand and pointing it at her. All of the sudden Donna felt her memories surface. Memories she didn't even know were missing.
"What the hell!" She said as she organized her thoughts around the recovered memories.
"Arthur, how could you do that to us, to me?" Donna asked.
"As I told you it was against the law to tell non magical people about the wizarding world. I risked everything in telling you and you told another non magical."
"It was my mother, and she didn't even believe me."
"Yet, she was still going to stir up trouble that would bring up questions that couldn't be answered without revealing more about our world. The whole situation would have been a nightmare."
"Well, I don't care anymore you and I are no longer friends or family. And I don't want to meet any of my other relative's ether. Not if my memories are at risk."
"Yes…well it would seem my family may no longer be amongst the living."
"Wait… what?" She asked stunned.
"The reason you're here is because I just saved your life. Just before you were brought here a gigantic tidal wave hit the shores of the UK and the land mass slid into the ocean. England no longer exists. All the people you see around you…all the crying you hear are people from all over the world that were brought here. They're survivors; they're refugees as their homelands have been destroyed". He said just as Susan Bones approached.
"You expect me to believe that?" Donna asked in disbelief.
"He's telling you the truth miss." Susan Bones told her. "Many of the people are very distraught because as they left they witnessed the disasters as they portkeyed away. It was very horrific. I got out of there just as my family home was swallowed up by the earth. I could never believe that my home could be undone like that. My home was a fortress. It survived many wizard and goblin wars and now it's just gone."
"If you don't believe us go ahead and talk to the others around here." Arthur suggested.
"And how am I to do that. If you haven't noticed I'm in a towel." Donna said in irritation.
"Oh, I'm sorry. I suppose that it was a matter of bad timing on my part. Allow me." He said as he waved his wand on her cotton cloth towel transformed into a long white silk dress.
Donna looked down at herself and said. "I look like I'm in a wedding dress. I'm not getting married."
"Oh Arthur really, you're not a very good tailor of women's clothing." Susan said pulling out her wand and waving it at Donnas transfigured dress. She brought up the skirt and made it stop at the knees. She took off the sleeves and changed the color to silver at the bottom fading into an off white at the top and then made a black swirling pattern like vines all the way up. She then changed her flip flops into comfortable leather like shoes.
"This…this is beautiful." Donna said. "It looks expensive."
"Yes, you're the best dressed refugee here." Susan said as a man helped a woman down the street behind them. The woman was crying and held on to the man more for support than anything else as she would have dropped to her knees and wailed at the tragedy she suffered. They were heavily covered in a gray dust.
"What's that stuff all over them?" Donna asked.
"Some places saw volcanoes erupt before the people were rescued. That gray stuff is volcanic ash." Susan explained.
"Oh my god. Then you're telling the truth. Oh my god. What about my mother. We have to go back for my mother." Donna said as she started to get hysterical.
"Donna…Donna please…it's already too late." Arthur replied sad that he had to be the one to tell her.
Donna looked devastated.
/Scene Break/
Back in the train station Harry was horrified at the person who just arrived. The figure lay on the floor bloody and moaning.
"Madam Hooch! Katie its Madam Hooch! She needs your help. Come quick!"
"Madam Hooch, can you tell me what happened?"
"Stayed to long, Castle started to fall on me. My legs…" she moaned before loosing Consciousness. It was then Harry noticed the head wound on the back of her head. Just then Katie arrived.
/Scene Break/
In China within the ark tunnel Mycroft Holms was instructing his men where to set the large crate within the cabin he was shown to by what passes as a porter on the arks. He was one of the important government people that followed the Queen of England and so he had been shown onto the ship before the doors closed. The crate was laid down across the floor right side up. Once the porter left her took the key from one of his men and opened it revealing the contents.
"Hello Sherlock, I hope the trip to China was agreeable." Mycroft said to his still sleeping brother as he was filling another needle with the drug that would keep him asleep for the next few hours. They should have enough of the drug to keep his brother unconscious for the duration of this trip. He injected the drug into Sherlock's arm after cleaning the injection point with alcohol. He then turned to his lackeys.
"Alright boys, pull him out of the crate and place him on the couch, he looks like he's in his coffin in there."
As they did so, Mycroft yelled at them to watch his head. Once they were done they were told to go to their rooms and he would call if he needed them. Once they left Mycroft continued to speak to his sleeping brother.
"Well Sherlock I'd like to believe I'd had gotten you away from that poofter just in time but I believe the damage has already been done hasn't it? Well because of that I plan on distancing myself from you as soon as we land were ever it is we do. I can't have your perverse life style reflecting badly upon my ambitions. So this will be the last act of kindness I show to you. I hope that you'll one day forgive me."
Mycroft then heard the yelling and wondered what was going on. He went to the door and found a porter to ask.
"The other arks were damaged during the last quake now we don't have enough for the crowds outside who are yelling to get in."
"I see, listen to me. When you let these people in as you will eventually do as I'm sure there will be some bleeding heart upstairs that will allow them passage, I want you to remember that I will not tolerate sharing my room with anyone. Should you try and do so be it man woman or child, you'll find that person dead from what will seem to be natural causes. Do we have an understanding?"
The porter looked Mycroft in the eye and realized this man would do it.
"Yes sir." He replied worriedly.
"And if I find word has gotten around about what I've said you'll find your words have triggered a blood bath across this ship. Do you understand?"
"Yes sir." The porter looked at him in fear now.
"Good… Do keep me informed. Carry on." Mycroft said and walked away.
The porter felt he had dodged a bullet himself. He knew he had stared death in the face and came away with only a warning. He also understood the unspoken agreement. He had become the man's personal porter and informant for the duration of the voyage. He never expected to be making a deal with the devil at the worlds end.
/Scene Break/
Outside the ark Samantha Carter and Vala Mal Doran members of Stargate command were standing within the crowed that begged and screamed to have passage aboard the ark that many of them paid to be on. They and one other were new to the crowed, the other was Kennedy Kinsey one of many slayers whose father was one of the wealthy men to have paid to be saved however, he was still upstairs in the observatory yelling into his gag among two dead bodies. After Kennedy killed her father's body guard she realized that she needed to change her blood stained cloths and did so before coming down here. She wondered if she had gotten down here sooner if she would still be left behind like they seem to want to do now. She considered jumping across from the dock to the ship and tearing her way in, but she realized that if the ship was made to withstand the end of the world even with slayer strength she might not be strong enough.
Meanwhile Samantha stood there with her arms folded staring at the floor in thought. Thoughts that were some times bleak with death so close which she violently fought away as she tried to keep her mind on finding ways to survive that didn't necessarily pertain to gaining passage on the ark. Her mind never quite gave up. That was just her way, and that is why she is considered a national treasure. Vala put her trust in Sam's mind many times to get out of less than hopeless situations but this time they were both putting there last hope in faith. They both knew it was a silly hope but neither had any better ideas and it was cutting very close.
/Scene Break/
On board the Hammond space craft in orbit over earth everyone was furiously working on how to penetrate the electromagnetic bubble that had formed over China so they could beam Samantha Carter and Vale Mal Doran up from the surface when a technician whose job it was to monitor certain cell phone activity came to President Henry Hayes with the information he'd gathered with urgency.
"Sir, I'm receiving a transmission from Dr. Satnam Tsurutani to Dr. Adrian Helmsley. Dr. Tsurutani transmission is coming from a place he shouldn't be. He and his family were to be picked up by helicopter from India over an hour ago but they're still there."
"Put it on speaker." The President ordered.
"Yes sir." The man said and pushed a few buttons before the speakers came to life.
"…where are you?" Adrian Helmsley Asked.
"On the Nampan plateau. "Dr. Tsurutani replied.
"WHAT!" Adrian Helmsley said in shock knowing his friend should be long gone from that area.
"There is a tidal wave coming from the east…it's gigantic." He told Adrian.
"Satnam, what Happened"? Adrian Helmsley asked in bewilderment.
"We never got picked up, Adrian. The airlift never came... Goodbye, my friend." Satnam replied with finality.
"Who is this Dr. Tsurutani again?" General O'Neill asked standing next to Henry.
"He's the Doctor that brought this whole thing to our attention. If it weren't for him you would still have been on the surface drowning in the mud that used to be Cheyenne Mountain. It would be a shame if he and his family died now wouldn't it." Henry answered.
"Yes sir." O'Neill replied
President Henry Hayes made the immediate decision. "Have them beamed up before it's too late."
"Yes sir." The technician replied.
On the surface in India a family huddled in front of a tidal wave that was so huge it pushed the air in front of it pushing the mountain clouds along the way. It was almost upon them. Many around them were running a race they would never win others like them stopped recognizing the fruitless effort for what it was and stopped where they were some lay face down in the dirt others sat facing away not wanting to see there death approaching them while others faced it willingly some even invitingly. With their last breath they swore that they had witnessed god's miracle when they saw before them a small family engulfed in a heavenly glow and disappear in a beam of light.
/Scene Break/
In Italy Buffy had rounded up all the slayers, this G.C. facility didn't have a gym so the slayers made use of ether the grounds or the roof. Buffy had picked the roof for this gathering as it gave them a good look out of the surrounding area and seeing as some of these people were slayers parents they might not be able to handle the sight of danger, so the roof would contain people so that they wouldn't run at the first sign of it. G.C. Italy was a small school. There weren't many people here as most of the slayers went home for the holidays. The people that were left were slayers and their parent who came to visit them. The people there knew the score by now. They were informed that several of the landmasses were experiencing everything from earth quakes and volcanoes to tsunamis and sinking. They were all frightened but Buffy had told them the G.C. believed that their G.C. school in Africa to be safe and that she had a way to get there. Buffy then realize that had she taken the portkey from Hermione and Willow that she could have sent everyone to Africa herself. The witches were only needed to collect the belongings and help with the unexpected. In the meantime people were starting to get antsy as they waited for them to arrive. One of the parents screamed as she pointed to the horizon. Damn, they were out of time. Buffy went to the edge of the roof to watch for her friends to emerge from the teleport room. Here in Italy they decided that since the school was so small that they would build it in the corner of the courtyard. It was a nice little shack with a sky light. There were also motion detector lights just like the other teleport room in other G.C. schools. Just then she saw Willow and yelled for her.
"Will, we have no time, the tidal wave is here. Forget packing everything up, we need to get everyone out of here now."
Willow quickly reached into her beaded bag and pulled out a riding broom. She hopped on and flew up to the roof bypassing the stairs. When she got there she dropped the broom and told everyone to stand in a line. She opened her bag and said "Accio Portkey!" but nothing happened. She did it again without success. She then used Wicca magic to achieve the same thing only to find the same results.
"Oh no! Buffy, I don't have any more Portkeys!"
"Well, where's Hermione?" Buffy asked hoping she would have one.
"Her uncle was hurt. She had to go with him to Africa to keep him stable."
"Well then, can you use your magic to get us there?" Buffy hoped.
Willow searched her magic reserves and then counted the people on the roof. With wide eyes she pulled Buffy aside to talk to her privately as the wave got bigger and bigger as it approached.
"Buffy, I've been in such a panic I hadn't noticed but my connection to the earth's magic is gone."
"Can't you reconnect?" Buffy asked.
"It's gone Buffy, or at least it's too weak for magic users to detect and I've always had the best connection to it, which is why I've been the most powerful witch on earth. All I have left within me is only enough to take everyone but one."
Buffy looked at her stunned. Why did a moral dilemma always have to appear at the worst times?
"Buffy, if I could, I would send you all without me but it doesn't work that way. I have to be the guiding force to get them there once we disappear. "
Buffy's stunned expression cleared as she resigned herself to what she had to do next.
"You won't have to worry, Will; you're not the one that's going to sacrifice herself. I am."
"Buffy, No, not again…"
"Will, this is my decision and this time there will be no brining me back… Death is my gift, remember? Just get these people to safety."
"Buffy, no I can't do that. You're my best friend." She sobbed.
"Can you do it to the other people on this rooftop? I'm asking you to do this for me. It's my last request as your best friend. Willow, save these people."
Willow sobbed as she hugged her friend. "I love you so much."
"I know and I love you too. Be sure to give everyone my love when you get there, especially Dawn. She cried along with her friend. Now go, this isn't the way I want you to remember me." Buffy said wiping her eyes
Willow turned to walk away when she heard Buffy finish her statement. "This is."
Willow turned to see her best friend's last attempt at humor. She had her fists in front of her facing the approaching gigantic wave. Willow tried to smile only to give Buffy a smirk.
"Like Don Quixote." Willow said referring to the man who tried to fight windmills with a sword, thinking they were giants.
"Yeah, like Don Quixote." Buffy agreed. "Goodbye Willow."
"Goodbye Buffy." Willow replied and hurriedly turned to everyone and told them to hold hands to complete the magical circuit. She glanced back for one last look at Buffy who was still looking like she was going to get into a fight with a tidal wave before she realized just how close that wave was. Now with fear to motivate her Willow and the group disappeared leaving Buffy behind to meet her demise for the fourth and last time. As Buffy stood there watching the wave approach her she idly wondered who Don Quixote was.
/Scene Break/
Further south in Italy at the estate of John Gabriel Slean there was a beetle named Reeta Skeeter in a jar on the roof of the manor that watched in horror as the wave destroyed everything in its path and was heading straight for her. That evil man had trapped her here with no way of saving herself. Her last thought was. "I hope he drowns as well." and then the wave overtook the manor.
/Scene Break/
In orbit on board the Hammond a technician approached President Henry Hayes and told him that the plan to combining the Daedalus's sensors with their own hadn't produced any adequate results to penetrate the electromagnetic bubble it had been a good attempt but it just wasn't enough. While the sensors were able to see about thirty more miles into the edges of the bubble the arks were closer to the middle of the bubble where the E.M. imitations were at their strongest. Without the beacon of the pattern enhancers they just couldn't find their people.
O'Neill didn't want to hear it. He wouldn't take 'no.', or 'It can't be done.' as an answer where his team was involved.
"Go over it again. There has to be a way." He said.
"Sir we're still working on it. We won't quit. I'm just here to inform you that there was very little progress and that while we are doing this someone might try coming up with an alternative plan that might yield better success."
"Understood Major, Carrie on." President Hayes replied and the man went back to work.
"Sir, we have to do something. I could cloak the puddle jumper and fly down there to pick them up."
"We already thought of that Jack but the E.M. field is so erratic in strength in that area that it would not only disrupt the cloak it would blowout many of the sensitive systems that are required to fly the thing."
"Then why aren't the arks affected."
"Apparently it's not strong enough to affect them but is enough to blow out the 'thought to action' circuits in the puddle jumper and blanket the area that the sensors can't penetrate it."
"How is that possible? We are talking about a low tech Ark verses a spaceship built by the Ancients that have had space travel for thousands of years."
"It would seem that some of the older tech had to be replaced. The technicians had to piece together the older components and use earth tech. That is where the problems lay. The connections are now too delicate for something like this. They are working on the problem even as we speak but completion is not within the time frame. If only we had one of the jumpers from Atlantis."
O'Neill ran his hand threw his hair in frustration before walking out of the bridge to blow off some steam before he said something he'd regret.
/Scene Break/
On the surface in China's ark tunnels Sam, Vala and even Kennedy cheered in relief along with everyone else as the announcement was made that the captain would be opening the doors in a few moments. Everyone backed away as the doors lowered. For some reason the door mechanism never completed its run so the door hovered three feet above the dock. That however, didn't stop the people from climbing up onto it to get inside. Sam and Vala ran in and found a place to be out of everyone's way. They were so relieved that they made it that both looked like they wanted to break down and cry. But they were professionals and kept their composure as they watched everyone run past them. They were sixty yards from the door when it began closing only to watch in horror as a little boy was screaming over the edge for his brother and father. They watched as another boy was hulled up and into the ark but heard the screams of the father as he obviously fell to his death. The other son screamed for him as he watched him fall. It was heart wrenching. Across the hall and about twenty feet away Kennedy snorted at the scene in disgust and saw a lady talking to a porter. Kennedy walked over and pushed her out of her way and asked the porter where she could find a room. Sam became concerned when the door didn't close and seal. Vala looked back to see what she was looking at and said.
"Oh, that isn't good."
"If they don't get that door closed…"
"Yes, I know I get it. What can we do?" Vala asked
"Nothing, it's up to the people in charge. I can't do anything." Sam explained.
Vala looked down one of the nearby corridors and spotted what looked like a wall console for ship communications.
"Is it possible that you can hack into their communication systems and find out what's going on?" Vala asked pointing to the console.
"I can try." Sam agreed.
They moved to the wall console and Sam got to work. Just then the captain made an announcement that everyone should brace for impact. Luckily all the corridors had hand railing. Sam grabbed hold knowing that this was the tidal wave that was going to impact them but Vala was concerned that they didn't get the door closed yet so she rushed to the end of the hall to look around the corner just in time to see a wave coming down the corridor at her. She grabbed the railing and held on as the wave swept her feet out from under her.
/Scene Break/
On board the Hammond in orbit, the crew watched in horror and loss as the wave began decimating the area of China where the arks were set. They had worked hard and to the best of their ability to save their people but it was now too late. Vala Mal Doran and Colonel Samantha Carter were gone. President Hayes was solemn about them both. While General O'Neill was a mess with emotions for the woman he…loved. Yes, he loved her; he could no longer deny it and now it was too late to do anything about it. Sam Carter was more than a national treasure to him. To everyone else she was the woman that saved earth many times as well as the entire universe. But to him she was the woman that had his heart. Has his heart. And will always have it.
/Scene Break/
Back in the ark
The water just kept coming. Once she was able to stand again she made her way back to Sam.
"Any luck?" She asked.
"Almost there." Sam replied.
It was child's play for her as the Ark technicians didn't expect someone to hack into their systems because she found nothing was encrypted. She soon had access to their communications and what they saw horrified them. There seemed to be people that were stuck in a closed off camber that was filling with water. They had snuck in undetected until they somehow caused the door mechanism to jam and if the door didn't close the motors wouldn't start.
"What moron designed this thing?" Vala asked without getting a response.
Again the captain made an announcement to brace for impact. They were already hit by the wave what possibly could hit them now. But there was an impact and a lurch as well as a horrible screech that they both knew was something scrapping along the side of the hull. Hopefully it wouldn't pierce it.
"Sam is there…" Vala began to ask but was interrupted.
"There's nothing I can do Vala. This is totally up to the ark crew now."
They found out that that wasn't true. The crew was blocked by security seals and so had to rely on the very people who caused the fault. The people trapped behind the security bulkheads. So along with the crew they waited and watched as first the man and then the boy disappeared down an access tube that was submerged under water.
During that time they felt what could only be imagined as going over some falls
"Sam, I realized that I once said that I always wanted to take a cruse on one of you water fairing ships but this is the ride from hell." Vala growled. "I can only hope this is the last of it."
Again the captain announced an impending impact. Vala growled again and hung on.
They held on as this seemed to be the worst of it. They weren't sure what they hit but they knew it was big. It almost felt like they were running aground. All of the sudden they heard a thump and they realized that the water stopped rushing its way down the corridor. Vala check around the corner and sure enough they got the door closed. Sam and Vala were relived when they then heard the motors start and felt the whole ship reverse course. The danger seemed to be over. To their surprise as they moved down the corridor thy found clean up was already underway, the crew was pushing the water to the inlet of the bilge pumps. They found a set of stairs that they climbed. Once they were at the top the found a women who looked to have been sick as she was very green. She was digging through her bag whining about sea sick pills. This was going to be the ride from hell for Kennedy Kinsey.
/Scene Break/
In the African D.R.O Congo Xander was rendering aid to the refugees when Harry's stag Patronus was seen running down from the train station. It stopped in front of Xander and said. "Xander come quick its Willow." And then it vanished.
Xander dropped what he was doing and ran full speed to the station. Once he entered he saw his best friend collapsed on the floor sobbing. Other people and slayers were urged to move along even though the slayers seemed to be in the Sam state.
"Willow what happened what's wrong."
Several times she sobbed incoherently at Xander. She knew she wasn't making any sense but she continued to try. Finally she sobbed one coherent word. "BUFFY!"
Xander's blood ran cold. From his stooping position his legs could no longer balance him and he fell; too stunned to care that he fell over. His eyes were unfocused as he went through the ramifications of what Willow was trying to convey. He then realized he had to make sure of what his long time friend was trying to say.
"Willow, are you saying that Buffy…is gone?" He asked afraid of her answer.
Willow sobbed louder as she shook her head in an affirmative manner.
Xander looked to the others around him and their stunned faces. Harry and Katie were stunned. Kevin Grevera was saddened. He may never have met her but he was well aware of who the Sunnydale slayer was. Xander then looked at the figure standing in the doorway too stunned to move as tears ran down his face. Rupert Giles had seen the glowing deer run towards Xander as it spoke to him. He heard Willows name and watched as Xander ran for the station. He decided it was an emergency and ran after Xander. When he got there he heard what they said and was devastated by the news.
Katie walked over and gave her a calming draft that did very little to elevate Willows hysterical sobbing.
"Just then Hermione came running in and took in the scene."
"What happened?" She asked anyone who had the answer.
"It would seem Buffy didn't make it." Harry explained solemnly.
"What!? That can't be. How could this have happened?" She asked.
Willow was a babbling sobbing mess so they couldn't get anything out of her that made any sense. So, Katie gave her another calming draft. This time it seemed to work but now she looked exhausted. Not surprising since she had been on the go all day channeling magic that didn't want to cooperate. She was drained physically mentally magically and her emotional state wasn't far behind. So in near total exhaustion and an eerie emotionless monotone Willow, relayed what had happened to Buffy to her friend's before collapsing from said exhaustion.
"Will she be alright?" Harry asked Katie.
"She should be fine after some rest. Someone should stay with her and give her some dreamless sleep potion when she stirs." She replied.
"I can do that." Hermione announced she can stay with me. "I'm looking after my uncle anyway. It wouldn't be a bother to look after one more. I owe it to her… and Buffy."
Xander put Willows arm over his shoulder and lifted her carrying her bridal style out the door. Halfway down, Hermione saw he was having trouble and told him she would take it from here. Using her wand, Hermione levitated Willow down the hill towards the tents. Many of the slayers approached wondering what had happened. Others had heard from the people Willow brought back that Buffy didn't make it. That the person that had saved them twice, once from bringers and now from world destruction, didn't make it.
"Oh my gosh! What happened to Miss Willow?" One of the younger slayers asked.
"Xander is it true, is Buffy … gone?" Another asked.
"What!" one of the other slayers asked, shocked by the news.
Xander told Hermione to take Willow with her. As Hermione managed her way through the crowd Kevin Grevera faced the people to tell them what happened.
"Approximately twenty minutes ago Buffy and Willow were cleaning out the Italian branch of the G.C. They had both been on the go since this started and were very tired. Italy was the last place they figured that they could safely save before any of the number of catastrophic destructions that nature has been throwing at them all day hit them. Well, they had miscalculated. When Willow got there she realized that she didn't have enough power to take everyone and the earth wasn't giving up any more earth magic to help out. Buffy sacrificed herself to allow Willow to save you all, so the ones Willow was able to save should feel real lucky to still be here and alive right now. Willow is suffering from exhaustion in all the worst ways. She'll need peace and quiet and our love and understanding when she regains her conscience. I know you all have lost friends and family today but please see fit to add Willow and Buffy into your prayers today. Thank you."
With that Xander left Kevin's side and walked through the crowd to go back to rendering aid to everyone. He was on his way back to the bank to supposedly get supplies but in reality he wanted to get away to cry. He was half way there when he felt a hand on his shoulder. It was Giles. Giles had seen the pain in his face just now and realize he was on the verge of an emotional breakdown.
"Um…Can you excuse me for a moment Giles I've got to tell Dawn in the situation room and then I …"
"Yes, yes of course. That is…Are you sure you don't wish for me to do it?"
Xander thought about that for a moment. Would he be able to hold it together that long to tell Dawn? How would she feel if he didn't? How would he feel? He decided she would probably feel better hearing it from her father figure Giles than from him and he needed privacy right now.
"If you would, Giles. That would be great. Excuse me." He said and disappeared into one of the apartments inside the bank.
Giles moved to the room marked situation room and found Dawn inside.
"Hey Giles, I just sent someone to tell Harry at the train station that it's all over. They shouldn't be receiving anyone else from anywhere because nowhere existed but here. I kept an eye on those arks as much as possible."
"Dawn." Giles said.
"And the last I was able to see, they seem to be okay."
"Dawn." He repeated.
"But then I lost track of them when there was an electromagnetic explosion over China that scrambled a large part of the information from China and a good part of where Europe used to be as well."
"Dawn!" Giles finally said with a small amount of force getting Dawns attention.
"Giles?" Dawn answered.
"There has been an incident." He said
"An incident?... Is it Buffy?"
"I'm…I'm afraid so. It would seem that there wasn't enough magic."
"Willow was telling us about that when she came to pick up Tru. What happened?" she asked.
"There wasn't enough magic to take everyone in the group from Italy."
"But that should have been one of the smallest groups."
"Never the less there was one more person than Willow was able to take. The channels of magic have shut down. Willow is powerless at the moment. Buffy would never leave anyone behind to die…I'm sorry Dawn, but…"
"She sacrificed herself…again." Dawn replied and then her eyes became unfocused as she sadly said the words her sister had said a lifetime ago back in sunny hell. "Death was her gift."
"Dawn? Are you… that is to say… how are you feeling?"
Dawn's eyes focused again and thought about Giles question before answering. I'm not sure Giles. I think I'm kind of numb at the moment. I mean I've been at these monitors all day watching parts of the world fall apart bit by bit since it started. I've been emotional all day. I think that I've emotionally shut down and can't expect anymore at the moment."
"I see… perhaps it would be best for you to get away from this room and its monitors. Your friend could use your support and you theirs. I'll send someone else to keep watch."
"The only thing left to watch are the three arks if you can find them."
"Three, I thought there would be more."
"Originally, there were seven. I guess they ran out of time."
"I see. In any case come, your friends need you and you need them. Willow is unconscious but I think you should go to Xander. He's trying to keep working and rendering aid but I could see he's barely hanging on. The slayers seem to be in a state as well, especially the Sunnydale slayers. Your sister's death seems to have hit everyone very hard."
"Of course it has. Buffy is… was the single most important person in all of our lives. Because of her Xander is known as the one who sees and is the most popular person in the Council. Truth be told I wouldn't have been created if the monks weren't looking for the slayer to protect the key. The rest of the slayers were protected and activated because of her idea. If Willow didn't become a witch because of Buffy we would never have met Harry, and Hermione and everyone else around here has a story that can be traced back to Buffy."
"I must admit that I've never thought of it like that. She really was a remarkable woman and it was an honor to have known her. It was then that Giles broke out in pained sobs and needed to sit down. Dawn simply wrapped her arms around her father figure and held him letting him cry."
/Scene Break/
Hermione checked on her uncle and Willow who were both sleeping. Mrs. Hudson was sitting in a wing back chair marveling at the inside of the tent and its accoutrements. It was then that Hermione realized something.
"Mrs. Hudson, there wasn't a Mr. Hudson that we should have taken as well was there?"
"No dear, Mr. Hudson died years ago. Thank you for your concern however. I'm more concerned about Sherlock. I do hope you were correct about his brother taking him to the arks."
"I'm sure they did, and I'm sure they made it." Hermione replied. "I'm going out for some air, is there anything you need."
"I just need to sit here for a while. I'll look after your uncle and friend while you're out."
"I shouldn't be that long. I just want to see what's going on now that it's over."
"We'll be alright then. Take your time."
Hermione nodded and left the tent. People were crying in mourning and others in pain, from the looks of Katie rushing around from one patient to another. As she walked she saw Arthur Weasley pacing.
"Arthur, are you alright?" she asked.
Oh, Hermione, I'm concerned that Charlie never portkeyed in from Romania. Bill and Fleur live here in Africa but Charlie and George are missing. I don't think they made it and I've lost too many of my family today."
"That's terrible but I understand." She replied. "I lost my parents today."
"Your parents? But I thought you went to see them." He said wondering haw it happened.
"It's a long story but they didn't want to come. They were angry with me and have been for some time." She said and just then someone caught her eye as he passed.
"Draco? What the hell are you doing here?" She shouted, her wand springing to her hand at her side.
Arthur was also surprised to see Draco here.
"Hello Granger, Mr Weasley. I was invited actually." Draco replied.
"Who would invite you here?" Hermione wondered.
"I would." Harry said walking down from the train station. "Stand down Hermione."
"Harry? Why would you invite this vile peace of trash to our sanctuary? You and he have been at each others throats since first year at Hogwarts, even after you saved his life during the battle of Hogwarts. Malfoy wasn't worth it."
"Draco has been working for the ministry under cover since he graduated Hogwarts and has been my informant since then. We kept up the ruse that we were bitter enemies even from you. We didn't want anyone to suspect he was the one responsible for every death eater and dark wizards capture. I've even been invited to dinner at their house a few times."
"You're right Draco Malfoy wasn't worth saving but I'm no longer known as Draco Malfoy. I'm now Draco Black. My mother preformed an annulment ritual before she died at my father's hands and I've been hunting the bastard down here in Africa." Draco announced.
"I had heard a rumor about you becoming a Back. However, I couldn't see how you would be able to do that." Arthur confirmed.
"So, wait a moment. Doesn't that make you and Harry… family?"
Draco and Harry quirked an eyebrow at each other and the look upon their faces made Hermione begin laughing hysterically before it changed to crying and the sobbing. The fatigue of the day finally setting in she finally broke. The men soon guided her back to her tent.
/Scene Break/
Kingsly Sackelbolt and Percy Weasley landed out in the open in front of a small dwelling. There didn't seem to be anyone around, but Percy immediately noticed the tropical heat and humidity.
"Where are we?" Percy asked.
"My family home in Nigeria."
"You mean we're in Africa?"
"Yes. Your father said this would happen. He said Africa would be the only safe land."
"He tried to tell my mother the same thing." Percy replied. "He said he heard it from the muggles. She was going to have him committed to St. Mongos long term for mind healing."
"So was I, I'm afraid. Had I listened, I could have saved so many." Kingsly announced.
"No one would have believed you sir." Percy comforted.
"That's no reason to not have tried."
"What do we do now?" Percy wondered.
"Your father is somewhere on this continent. But Africa is a big place and filled with danger. It could take us some time to find him."
"He'll probably be at one of the magical towns. We should start our search there." Percy suggested.
"Or you can simply him send a message to him. It may take a while for it to get to him but if he's alive he'll respond."
"Yes of course how stupid of me. Do you know where we can get an owl?"
"In Africa, we use ether toucans or a macaw, a type of parrot. We do have owls but they aren't as effective for mail delivery due to the climate. Tropical birds work much better." Kingsly stated.
"Do you have parchment and some ink?"
"I don't think so. When I moved from my home for England I took everything with me. The house was stripped bare."
"Why did you leave?" Percy wondered.
"It was getting too dangerous here at the time. There always seemed to be a war somewhere in Africa at the time. I decided that I would move to a country where there was less fighting."
"Sorry we couldn't accommodate you. It seems that that's all we did in my lifetime."
"Yes, I then realized that things were the same all over and decided to make my stand in my new home. In any case you are welcome to stay with me until we find your father. Until then we will need many things and will need to go shopping. He said and then realized something. Umm Percy did you bring any gold with you?"
Percy realized the problem right away. "Some but not much."
"Me too, I did have a small account in Africa before I left that I never closed. That should do for a start but we will have to get jobs or find some other way to get money."
"But you're the minister of magic."
"In a country that no longer exists Percy. I don't think my title will mean much here after what has happened."
"I hate to mention it but we were going to get something to eat before this happened and I'm still hungry. Where can we get some food?" Percy asked.
"As we are running on limited money I suggest we hunt and gather for the time being." Kingsly suggested.
"Hunt and gather? Are you serious?"
"That's how we do it in Africa Percy. But at the moment we haven't storage for any big game so nothing bigger than a rabbit, okay."
"Yes sir."
And so Kingsly and Percy would spent the next few hours hunting, cleaning, cooking and eating their dinner in silence, as they dwelled on what they had lost and what they would do from here on.
A.N. I was upset with the end of the second season of Torchwood. I always liked Toshiko Sato but couldn't really fit her into this story because of where I felt she would be without Torchwood (In prison). I wish I could have given her a bigger part but she just didn't fit and I already have two of the people that would be in Torchwood here already. As for the last member of Torchwood Owen Harper, he died in two thousand five when his fiancé was diagnosed with a brain tumor. When the doctors tried to remove it they found out that it had actually turned out to be a demon infestation and everyone in the operating room and that entire floor of the hospital died before the slayers could get there and do their job.
A.N. Buffy had died three times before that I can remember; once in the master's cave, she also died when she jumped into the portal, and then she flat-lined on the operating table for a second with Warren Mears bullet in her chest before Willow revived her.
A.N. (Reviews can make a story even better.)