By Alex
Rating
– Pg – 13 to R in some places.
Pairing
– Buffy/Willow and several other peripheral pairings that aren't on the show.
So there phffttt.. ]:-P
Thanks
– Thanks to my beta Cheryl Hill, she's done the best she could with what I gave
her and she has a fabulous first name. Great work!!!
Feedback
– Please send me some I'm an incurable feedback junkie and I'd perish without
it (I'd beg but the neighbors got that special ordinance passed and besides
it's just too ugly to watch) any and all comments or suggestions to: keeper444@webtv.net
<>thoughts<>
***flashbacks***
Every window of the old mansion was illuminated by dim candlelight. The only sign of an occupant was the shadows that occasionally passed in front of the windows.
The exterior of the huge old house gave the appearance of decay and abandonment and that was just fine with the new owner. Having guests was not high on his list of priorities, in fact he didn't care to meet any of the natives of the quaint hamlet of Sunnydale.
Silence was the normal heavy atmosphere of the ancient mansion but tonight the silence was broken by a deep monotone chanting in the room, once called the library.
The ancient language that filled the entire house was one that hadn't been heard since before the recorded history of man, and was used only when someone was using the most powerful of magiks.
Suddenly the chanting ceased and was replaced by an enraged commanding voice.
"Damn them!" the voice roared fuelled by frustration followed by the sound of old hard wood splintering, and glass being shattered.
A stocky man rushed from the main room to the door of the library and knocked on the heavy oak calling out.
"What is it my prince?" the man called out as the door slowly opened to admit him. "Has something happened, are you safe?"
The tall, thin, dark haired man smiled at his servant hearing the genuine concern in the man's voice. As he spoke his anger was still clearly heard in the tone of his voice.
"They escaped me Victor." the aristocratic man growled, his thick middle European accent made more pronounced by his barely controlled rage "I nearly broke through their defences, and had the Sorceress and her mate that possesses the spirit of the wolf. Victor, I could feel them both, and they are magnificent. When they join me at my side we will go where we please and then together we will find my Elisabeta. She is known to them I can feel her presence on them. I'll have my love again and no one will stand in my way."
The man turned and faced his servant the ancient agony written on his handsome face.
"Somehow they have been taken beyond my reach for now" the prince said determined to have his way "but they will return, I can feel it, and then I will have them and my love, once more. Even if I have to destroy this town, and everyone in it."
He turned and left the room leaving his servant to clean up the mess. The stocky man surveyed the destruction brought about by his prince's legendary temper.
There were shards of crystal embedded in nearly every surface, and the once expansive solid oak desk had been reduced to splinters.
If he didn't know better, he would have thought a bomb had gone off, but he knew that all this had occurred in a matter of seconds, by his master's bare hands. With a deep resigned sigh the man began cleaning up the debris of the dark prince's burst of rage, his mind trying to remember what furniture he could salvage from the rest of the house to replace the things destroyed here.
==============
Willow awoke alone and confused in a huge soft bed. At first she was at a total loss as to where she was then her mind began to clear and her surroundings became increasingly familiar.
She was in her and Buffy's room in Teach Tu Dannan, as usual try as she might she couldn't recall how she got there. The last thing she could remember was crippling agony piercing her brain like hundreds of white hot jagged knives being slowly forced into her head.
The pain she recalled was so great that her mind nearly broke, just thinking about it caused the young witch to break out in a cold sweat. Then she remembered feeling the presence of her much beloved mate and how that seemed to reduce the intensity of the pain.
As she lay there concentrating on it she vaguely recalled Dr. Jeffrey handing her a large crystal, then there was nothing. All the higher functions of her brain were enveloped in a kind of 'white noise' that also seemed to block out the pain.
The next thing she could remember was waking up here in the same big comfortable bed where she and Buffy had consummated their love for each other along with their intertwined destinies.
For a moment the redhead lay there wallowing in the wonderful memories the room brought to mind. A big goofy grin appeared on her face giving her the angelic look that her lover was so fond of.
Her enjoyable trip down memory lane was suddenly interrupted by the sound of squeals and wild laughter coming from just outside her room in the wooded courtyard.
Curious, Willow got out of bed and noticed she was wearing a fine soft linen night-gown and that there was a beautiful deep forest green velvet robe laying on the bed. The young woman tried the exquisite garment on and wasn't too surprised to find it was a perfect fit.
There was also a pair of soft kid-skin slippers next to the bed, they were also a perfect fit.
Now properly attired the Great Sorceress followed the sounds of someone playing, and recognizing her wife's voice, she never knew who she would find with the Slayer, but the witch was completely unprepared for the sight that greeted her once she went out through the French Doors into the courtyard.
As she exited her room she spotted her lover almost immediately and gasped in an instant of panic. Laying on the ground was Willow's beloved wife, being held down by a huge black she-wolf.
Buffy was laughing, and screaming as the giant fierce looking beast was happily licking the Slayer's face and every other square inch of bare skin she could find.
"Are we having fun, mighty Slayer?" Willow asked with mock sarcasm "I hate to interrupted you and your massive friend's love fest, but do you think there's room for one more?"
"Wills! Help...me!" Buffy gasped between bouts of hysterical laughter "She's killin' me!"
Unable to resist such a heartfelt invitation, the giggling redhead ran to join the fun, but instead of pulling the huge canine off her lover, the witch began tickling her wife unmercifully.
"Hey!" the Slayer cried out at the indignity of her lover choosing the wolf's side. "I thought you were supposed to help me."
"Next time you won't go out to play, and leave me to wake up alone." Willow laughed enjoying her wife's predicament "So pay the price my dear."
Finally the wolf grew tired of the game, and walked off into the trees, leaving the two humans to their own devices. Both young women lay on the soft grass giggling and hugging, lost in the almost forgotten joy of carefree moments with each other as the only companion.
"Oh man, I'd forgotten how much I love this place." Buffy sighed as her hysterical laughter settled to a contented smile "This is great."
"Yes, it is truly wonderful here." Willow agreed "but just once I'd like to remember getting here."
"What?" Buffy burst out laughing at her normally uncomplaining wife's statement "Believe me, you didn't miss much. Lots of colors, then you get dizzy and suddenly you're here. That's it."
"Well still it'd be nice to be conscious for the trip just once." Willow said with a terminally cute pout as she lay back on the grass putting her head in Buffy's lap.
She noticed that the Slayer was still dressed in the black jeans she had been wearing last night when they were at Giles' place. She asked if Buffy had slept at all, her wife honestly reassured the worried redhead that she had.
They both lay there enjoying the peace and quiet along with the welcome absence of any possible world shattering emergency, nearly falling back to sleep.
It was the first time since the last time they'd been here that they were both able to relax totally without keeping part of themselves alert for some kind of attack.
"Are ya' gettin' enough rest little ones?" a deep alto voice asked softly, startling both of them from their semi-sleep
Buffy made an impressive leap to her feet in time to face the voice before it finished speaking while taking the time to gently lay Willow's head on the ground. Before the Slayer had steadied herself, Willow had thrown up a defensive shield to guard both her lover and herself.
"Very good Elizabeth," Brigit commended, her aura glowing brightly "and you little Willow, very impressive. You and your other have progressed greatly since you were last here."
"Although, your awareness needs work," the first voice said adding "Slayer, darlin'."
"I've known you were behind that Ash even before my feet hit the ground." Buffy quipped smiling over her shoulder "How's that for aware, Morrigan, Darlin'?"
A deep throated laugh filled the air as the leather clad warrior stepped out from behind the mentioned tree. Her fiery red hair fell wildly to the middle of her back, her deep green eyes shining with pride for her student.
As quickly as she had put them up, Willow took down the protecting wards, and Buffy ran to her beautiful wild haired, friend, and threw her arms around the woman, giving her a rib breaking hug. Morrigan laughed at her little blonde friend's enthusiasm, as her feet left the ground.
"Child, you amaze me." the tall red head laughed "Where does one so tiny get so much strength?"
The much shorter blonde Slayer was so happy to see her mentor and teacher so soon she was unable to speak, all she could do was smile up at the woman.
"Well my darlin' girl," Morrigan began her affection for Buffy shone in her green eyes "it looks like your headin' for some troubles."
"There will be time for that later, my love." Brigit gently scolded "These children need to have a day of rest and since Lugh has agreed with me why don't you two get freshened up. When you're ready why don't you join us at the fountain and we'll eat and get reacquainted."
"Thank you Brigit that would be lovely." Willow answered smiling brightly then turned to her lover "Buffy, when you are finished out here why don't you join me. I'll be in our room preparing a bath."
As she went through the doors the Sorceress added with a mischievous smile.
"You'd better hurry if you want your back scrubbed" the incredibly sexy redhead admonished her lover "and there will be bubbles."
"Bubbles!" Buffy gulped then smiled at her tall friend "Uh...Bye Morrigan, gotta go NOW!"
The Slayer spun and ran after her soulmate through the doors into their room, leaving the two older women smiling at the young lovers.
Taking her beloved mate in her arms Morrigan's smoky green eyes gazed longingly deep into the serene crystal blue windows of Brigit's soul and let her love for the blonde flow freely between them.
"I love you my Goddess." the redhead whispered softly "Seeing those two again reminds me of my desire for you. Over all these centuries I'm still hopelessly in love wit' ya' and want ya' as much now as I did way back then. I always will."
"As I do you, my love." Brigit said as she lay her head on her lovers chest listening to the warrior's powerful heart beat, "You are the air I breathe and the reason I live, and I'm no more a Goddess than you are silly."
"Since ya' feel that way love " Morrigan quipped then took her lover's hand and began leading her through the trees toward their own rooms "how bout we follow young Willow's fine example, and see to a bath before we eat, and you can believe me when I tell ya' my precious treasure that ya' always are a Goddess to me."
"Why that's a wonderful idea love." Brigit said her voice thick with emotion "I think I need someone to wash my back also, do you volunteer for that task my fearless warrior?"
"For you my Goddess I would face the eternal fires," Morrigan answered as she swept the petite blonde into her arms "and for a chance to properly worship my Goddess in the flesh, I would charge the Darkness itself."
"Oh my, you say the sweetest things my warrior," Brigit whispered as she began nibbling on her lover's neck "What say we too have bubbles?"
Morrigan answered her by taking off at a run to their rooms with the blonde still in her arms. The women's joyous laughter filled the air and neither couple made it to their meal until much, much later.
Giles was getting worried. Ever since Buffy and Willow had left with their Druid friends a lot of strange things had started happening, each one worse than the last until last night the most frightening of all had occurred.
He and Jeffrey had accidentally come upon a strange and sickening ritual.
A Chaos demon was standing behind an alter with several humans in black robes surrounding it and chanting in some unknown and archaic language.
As the two men watched terrified from the shadows, one by one the humans presented themselves willingly to the demon, who casually ripped them to shreds, letting the blood and viscera fall on the alter.
When the last humans' screams died out there was a blinding flash of red light from the alter. When their vision cleared there was no sign of the human victims, only the demon and a tall figure in a blood red robe, its face hidden by the robe's cowled hood.
The demon knelt down in front of the figure, it bowed it's head and the robed figure placed it's hand on the demons' head and spoke.
What bothered Giles was the figure's voice was not the irritating sibilant hiss of a demon but the softest, sexiest, most seductive female alto he had ever heard.
"You have done well my child" the figure said to her demon servant "Our master shall reward you handsomely."
The demon looked up adoringly into the face of what Giles could only think of as his Goddess.
"Thank you Milady" the demon hissed reverently "My brethren have kept watch on the Countess as you wished. She was until recently hiding in the place the humans call Asia, then she turned up in Eastern Europe, now it appears she is coming here."
"Very well my child our Master will be pleased" the female figure assured her worshipper "Now take us to our shelter we must rest, it was a long trip across the veil."
The demon held his arm out to the female in the robe and she placed her delicate alabaster skinned hand on his dark scaled arm, and in a blinding flash of red light they were gone.
==========================
As soon as they were sure that everyone still alive was gone, the two men slipped cautiously out of the shadows that had hidden them safely as they observed the arrival of some unknown entity to their realm.
Giles only hoped that the "Countess" the demon had spoken of wasn't Hela, but deep down his watcher instincts told him that the deadly menace was once again involved in something disturbing about to happen on the Hellmouth.
As Giles suspected, there wasn't a single shred of evidence that anyone had been there other than themselves. There was no sign that all those people had suffered a gruesome and horrifying death, their entire essence had been absorbed by the opening of a portal to bring to Sunnydale yet another entity that really didn't belong here.
Jeffrey turned his attentions to the alter, on closer examination the paranormal MD, and one time monk, found some very intriguing markings and characteristics.
First of all the alter stone itself was not only very ancient it wasn't native of anywhere close to the Americas. It was made of some crystalline form that neither of them had ever seen before but had heard of in very old texts.
It was incredibly hard yet the edges were absolutely smooth as if it was shaped then hardened yet appeared to never have been touched by any tool.
The writing was another mystery, it wasn't chiseled into the rock but raised from the surface as if put there separately after the stone was formed but they were of the rock itself and neither man was able to discern how it was done.
Jeffrey, who had spent many years studying the most ancient writings, recognised it as a form of Hebrew that pre-dated even the Kabala or the Torah, it was writing he'd only seen in the rarest texts that pre-dated even the flood, and the earliest original records of the Genesis.
He carefully copied each symbol to be sure he got it absolutely perfect, down to every curve and irregularity. He was obsessed with it, and assured Giles that once they were back at Giles study he had the books and reference materials to translate it.
As he continued his examination Jeffrey was disturbed by the large symbol he found in the center of the alter. He was sure he knew that symbol from memory because of it's significance in every piece of demon and darkness material that the former monk had ever studied.
The symbol scared the hell out of the former churchman and now staunch ally, it even caused him to urge Giles to end their examination of the area and forego any further patrol sweeps he may have planned.
"If I'm right Rupert, we are all in big trouble." Jeffrey insisted, his voice more intense than the ex-watcher had ever heard it before in their many years of association, "I believe we have just witnessed the return to this realm of a being that has been exiled from this realm since the earliest beginnings of time."
"Oh come now Jeffrey," Giles returned believing his friend and colleague was being overly dramatic, "after what we've faced in the last year, I doubt this is all that serious."
"Rupert if I'm correct about this," the doctor spoke slowly and carefully wanting to be sure that his long time friend clearly understood the gravity of what he was saying, "compared to the entity I believe we just witnessed arriving, the beings we faced before are nothing more than a nuisance. This single being could very well be the most powerful entity to enter this realm since the Old Ones left this world to make way for the Gods of man."
Giles followed his friend and comrade's advice and after they finished copying all the writing and symbols on the ancient stone edifice, using the new digital camera Willow had given Giles, they went directly to Giles' home where they had all stayed since Buffy and Willow had left this realm.
======================
Leaving Jeffrey in the study to research their findings, Giles went in to the front room, to fill in time, the stoic Englishman went into the kitchen and brewed himself a pot of his favorite Earl Grey, he poured himself a cup and sipped the aromatic beverage as he paced the floors, stopping every other circuit to look out the windows.
The ex-watcher and acknowledged leader of this little band of warriors in the battle against the Dark was beginning to seriously worry.
<>Some great leader you are Rupert,<>the worried man scolded himself<>two of your people have disappeared from the face of the Earth and now two more are late returning from patrol<>
He looked up at the clock and saw that another thirty minutes had gone by and still no word from Xander or Cordelia, picking up the phone the worried ex-watcher tried calling the younger couple for the fifth time since he and Jeffrey had returned from their part of the night's patrol sweeps.
The first number Giles tried was the couple's apartment and when the machine answered he yelled into the impassive device.
"Xander...Cordelia, are you there...if you are please pick up, I am tired of talking to this Bloody machine!" Giles waited a few heartbeats then disconnected the line his frustration making way for worried anger "I swear if those two are off shagging somewhere and not answering their calls I swear..."
The Englishman hurriedly punched in the number of Cordelia's cell phone and waited hoping the ex cheerleader would answer.
"Damn it!" Giles snarled as he slammed the receiver back into it's cradle "I can't believe she has that irritating phone turned off."
The frustrated Englishman began pacing the floors, again stopping every so often to look out a window to see if either one or both of the missing youngsters might be coming up the walkway or from the driveway in.
"You still haven't heard from the kids?" Jeffrey called from the study, "They should have been back hours ago, shouldn't they?"
"Quite so and it's nearly sunrise and they haven't contacted us," Giles told the doctor,
"This really isn't like either one of them." Giles said to explain his anxiety, "Despite the way I talk to them they really are very responsible young people.
Neither one of them would miss a check in unless something happened."
When the four had got ready to split up before their patrol they had agreed to meet back at Giles townhouse to compare reports. As best Giles could figure the two young lovers should have been back by one a.m. two at the latest, but now the sun was nearly up and Giles still hadn't heard from them.
He hoped that everything was alright and there would be an explanation for this no matter how poor, but after the amount of time Giles hadspent
on the Hellmouth and other dark areas he had a bad feeling that the news from the two missing Scoobies would be bad.
He was hoping that they had stopped to get some coffee and a talk. Even Giles had noticed a lot of tension between the two of them lately and deep down he knew why He was hoping that maybe they'd stopped somewhere to straighten things out.
Aside from Angel, Giles was the only one that knew the whole story of why Cordelia had left Los Angeles, he alone knew what caused the one time cheerleader to pack up her things in a panic, and come back to Sunnydale, the last place on this Earth that she wanted to be.
He was also fairly sure why she had accepted Xander's marriage proposal in such a hurry, he was aware of how the panic and desperation were driving the beautiful young woman into doing something she really didn't want to do.
He and Angel were both very aware of the once popular young woman thoughts on marriage of any kind but in her frantic search for an acceptable way out of her situation was getting ready to do the very thing that would more than likely lead to, at the very best, a life of lies for her.
At worst it would cost her the very things she was getting married to save, and separate her from the only true friends she'd ever had.
Giles had wanted to step in and try to get one of the headstrong young people to understand the terrible mistake, and possibly save them from the dire consequences of such a misstep.
In his conversations with Xander, Giles got the feeling that the young man had a suspicion of what was going on with his future bride, but he was refusing to see it in his own blind quest for the woman he'd once lost.
Then Willow stepped in and reasoned with Giles explaining to the former librarian that if he tried to pressure them into holding off it would only serve to make them more determined to follow the path that would ruin their lives.
If the surrogate father would stand back and let the young couple figure it out on their own, they might be more willing to back down, and see the disaster they were headed for. She told the ex-watcher that she'd had the same basic conversation with Buffy and finally convinced her that they must allow the couple to find their proper paths on their own, just as she and Buffy had.
========================
Now Giles was getting seriously worried, the young couple was still missing. When they had split up for the nightly patrol, Giles had been sure it was clear that it had been agreed to rendezvous back at his townhouse.
If there were any delays they would be in contact so that if assistance was needed it would be there quickly. He knew that calling the police was out of the question even though Xander was one of them.
The SDPD wasn't about go into any area that might force them to publicly take notice of all the mysterious disappearances that took place in their "quiet, peaceful" little town. Policy stated that a person or persons must be missing for at least forty-eight hours before they were considered "officially missing" by the police and in Sunnydale that rule was followed strictly to the letter.
"I swear" Giles muttered "if those two have stopped off for coffee and a talk or they are out making out somewhere without letting me know they are alright, I am going to give them a real piece of my mind, and if this is another one of their silly fights I can't be responsible"
"I'll try Cordelia's cell phone again" he said out loud to no one.
Giles strode purposefully into the front hall to call yet another time, but just as he reached for the phone, it began ringing causing him to jump back for a second, then in anxious anticipation he grabbed for the irritating device.
"Rupert Giles here." he said into the phone his voice deceptively calm.
Before he could continue he was interrupted by the frantic voice of Joyce Summers on the other end of the line.
=======================
The dark haired young woman groaned in her sleep, every muscle in her body was stiff and sore.
She could hear the sounds of some kind of machinery running close to her, and something was making the most irritating beeping noise. Her mind rebelled at being taken away from the dreamscape she'd come to feel would be her home forever.
<>No, that can't be right<>her tired mind told her<>no one can live in a dreamscape, I know that much. I just wish I could remember something, anything, like maybe where the hell am I, better yet...WHO the hell am I?<>
Buffy's mind became aware before she even opened her eyes. The first thing she noticed was a pleasantly familiar weight on her chest. Opening one sleepy hazel eye she spied an unruly mass of shining red hair spread over her chest.
She had to smile knowing how her lover liked to sleep and even though Willow was constantly telling her that she wished to join the Slayer on her regular morning runs, the smiling blonde knew the peacefully sleeping redhead wasn't serious.
If for no other reason than by the pale shade of green she became whenever Buffy mentioned the ten mile distance she ran daily.
Gently the loving young woman moved her wife's beautiful body off of her and over to her own side of the bed. Buffy could feel her body's reaction to the feel of Willow's soft warm alabaster skin sliding across her own sensitive skin.
The fires of her passion flared up in the Slayer's belly forcing her to exert all her will to make herself leave the gorgeous inviting body that she found fascinating to explore even after they had spent nearly every night together for over a year. Buffy still felt the same gut wrenching longing for the red haired, green eyed witch that she had felt the first time they'd made love in the very bed they were laying in right now.
<>It's gotta be love<>Buffy told herself as a shy loving smile found it's way to her lips <>When every touch feels as wonderful and new as the very first.<>
With a titanic show of pure will Buffy slid out of the huge comfortable bed and sitting on the edge she stretched, realigning her back with a series of loud pops and snaps.
"Just where are you sneaking off to at this Goddess forsaken hour of the morning." a soft sleepy voice mumbled from the bed. "I want my Pillow back."
Buffy looked back over her shoulder and gave her lover a dazzling smile.
"Sorry love, can't come back to bed." Buffy answered in a bright, slightly teasing voice "It's time for my morning run. You know I gotta get rid of some of this energy or I wont be any good to anyone for the rest of the day. You know, you could come with Nightrunner and I. We would both be glad to have you with us my beautiful little Sorceress."
"Ewww running," Willow moaned and pulled her lover's pillow into a hug, making the Slayer extremely jealous of the object, "Running for fun at this hour is just perverted."
Buffy leaned over and gave the sleepy redhead a slow sensuous kiss then stood back up and gave the center of her universe a loving smile.
"Well we knew you loved me for some reason," the blonde quipped, a mischievous twinkle in her eyes, "I guess it must be for my perversions."
"Oh yeah that must be it." Willow yawned and stretched like a pampered feline. "Well then Ms. Pervert, you just go off on your little run if you must, and leave poor pitiful little me all neglected, and alone back here by myself."
Buffy gave her lover a long incredibly hot kiss then got up and hurriedly put on her running clothes. Knowing her lover was watching her every move, Buffy stopped and bent over, to "retie" her shoe laces.
Her tiny nylon running shorts left little to the imagination, and the Slayer smiled impishly, when she heard the deep throated moan come from her lover, knowing the redhead was enjoying the view.
"Go back to sleep sweetheart." Buffy told her beloved witch "I'll wake you up when I get back, and we'll find us some breakfast."
"Sounds like a plan lover." the still sleepy witch answered as she pulled Buffy's pillow into a tighter embrace "Have fun running."
"K, babe" the Slayer called as she went out the door and in a flash she
disappeared into the trees just outside their room.
=================
Buffy ran through the trees heading for the trail that Morrigan had shown her during her first visit to Teach Tu Dannan. It was a beautiful shady trail that wove an easy scenic way through the thick primal forest that was a large part of the small realm, it supported an amazing diversity of wildlife, most of which was extinct in the Slayer's world.
She had to smile as she approached the beginning of the trail and saw the huge black female dire-wolf, Nightrunner, waiting for her. It had become an every morning ritual for the Slayer and the wolf to run together.
They enjoyed the indescribable pleasure of the freedom and the bond the two primal creatures felt as they ran through the wilderness together. The wolf and Buffy had begun sharing the baser emotions with each other almost as soon as they met.
Then at the request of the huge intelligent wolf and the Slayer, Buffy, Willow, and the wolf performed a bonding ceremony that formed the three of them into a pack.
Almost instantly the two of them were able to communicate with each other, and through Willow's link with Buffy, all three were capable of communicating with each other.
Nightrunner was very pleased to have the Slayer and her mate as pack mates, and she spent many hours with them. Especially enjoying her time with the Slayer, there was a wild primal streak in both of them that made them even closer.
The unusual pair even worked out together with Morrigan. The rough and tumble games they played, made even Morrigan stand back, and wonder at their bond.
The only difference between communicating with her wife and the wolf was that, the wolf's thoughts were projected as pictures, instead of words, but once the two humans had learned Nightrunner's mode of "speech" they were in constant contact with Willow, who always urging them to test the limits of their combined gifts.
As far as they could figure there was no real limit on the link exceptthey had to concentrate harder when the distances became greater.
The two younger champions of humanity had spent close to six months working with their instructors improving their old skills and acquiring new ones. The last time Willow checked with her Druid friends only a few weeks had past in their home realm and they reported that all their loved ones were safe and well.
As always the two young champions enjoyed their time in the Druid sanctuary, and their mentors had brought other Druids to tutor the eager students in other skills.
All these developments went through the Slayer's mind as she and her pack mate ran. She was especially pleased by the way their proficiency with the mental link had improved, not only were they able to communicate over long distances in great detail, but they could block all exchanges even in the same room.
She had to smile when she recalled how embarrassed Willow had been when a particularly passionate exchange between her and Buffy had also been "heard" by Nightrunner, after that they had become proficient at narrowing their communication links to only the one they wanted to share it with.
As Buffy approached the end of her run she noticed a distant figure going through the trees towards her rooms.
A momentary flash of panic went through the Slayer's mind, remembering that she'd left her beloved mate still sleeping.
Then she recalled where they were and any thoughts of danger evaporated. When she drew closer Buffy was able to easily make out the mass of fiery red hair and knew her visitor was her friend and mentor as well as fellow warrior, Morrigan.
The Slayer sped up wanting to stop her brash friend from accidentally waking her peacefully slumbering wife. Knowing how grumpy Willow was when she was woke up by any surprise such as loud knocking and the wild green eyed Irish warrior did nothing quietly, especially knocking, the Slayer didn't want her mentor turned into something nasty like a toad or a slime worm.
"Hey Morrigan!" Buffy called out as she neared the tall woman "What's goin' on?"
The red haired warrior was wearing her usual black leather pants and tunic with the knee high black boots. She turned away from the Slayer's door and smiled broadly at the sight of her student running toward her. The legendary Irish warrior walked to intercept the pretty young blonde.
"Mornin' Slayer darlin'" Morrigan said brightly, her mood always was better for seeing her eager student and friend "I see ya' got yerself a runnin' pardner finally.
What happened, the Sorceress wise enough to stay abed, instead of out runnin' fer no reason?"
Buffy's lyrical laughter filled the air as she came to a stop in front of her mentor. Nightrunner having never understood why her two legged friends felt it necessary to remain awake all day went past the two women and lay down in a shady spot by the doors that led into the Slayer's rooms, giving a huff of disapproval at her pack mates waste of energy.
The wolf set a good example by closing her eyes and resting when she wasn't needed. What only Buffy and Brigit understood, was that when Nightrunner had
joined with Buffy and her mate the Great Sorceress, to form the pack, she stepped aside, and made Buffy the prime alpha, making it Nightrunner's duty to guard, not only Buffy, but even more importantly, Willow as mate of the prime.
So the huge Dire-wolf had taken to sleeping just outside their doors. She gave out one more huff of disgust at her sister alpha and settled in to wait for what ever came next.
"She's thoroughly disgusted with me for not taking a nap like a good wolf." Buffy explained to her friend with a chuckle "but she thinks my idea about going in and
"rolling around" with my mate is a perfectly wolfy thing to do."
"Ah and a fine lady she is, with amazin' taste and refinement." Morrigan quipped, as she turned and bowed to the obviously comfortable wolf who yipped back at her in agreement "You two are gettin' truly close since the bondin' then."
"Yeah, she really is quite a character," Buffy said as she gave a wistful smile to the huge beast, her fondness and growing respect showing in her sparkling eyes "but she is a great friend and the best running partner I've ever had. Really Morrigan, you should see her thoughts when we are running, it is the most amazing, and spiritual feeling I've ever felt."
Morrigan looked into the younger woman's hazel eyes and saw the enraptured far away gaze as she thought back to the images that her pack mate broadcast as they ran through the forest.
"Aye I can see it must be really somethin' alright." Morrigan agreed. "Be that as it may, I take it that breakfast will be somewhat late this mornin'."
The young blonde just looked at her friend's flashing green eyes and with a slight blush nodded her answer to the somewhat leading question.
"Fine, then I'll tell my darlin' Brigit," Morrigan chuckled as a mischievous sparkle came to her eyes and a smile came to her full sensuous lips "while I'm at it I'm a thinkin' I'll be followin' yer fine example, Slayer darlin', and see if my beloved is up for a little "rollin' around" so to speak."
The two warriors gave each other a knowing look and quickly went their separate ways. Eager to find their lovers with far more than greetings on their minds.
=====================
Giles brought his recently acquired bright red convertible to a screeching stop at the emergency entrance of Sunnydale Memorial, and was out of the vehicle, almost before it stopped rolling.
It had been less than fifteen minutes since he received the frantic phone call from the Slayer's mother.
Leaving Jeffery to park the car he ran toward the well marked entrance to the emergency room, the worried Englishman burst through the doors and before he could even begin to look for her he was being held by the dark blonde bundle of panic and fear.
Sensing her need to be held he enfolded the distraught woman in his arms and rested the side of his head on top of hers taking a moment to breathe in the scent of the woman he'd come to know, respect, admire, and even love during his years with the Slayer.
He was often in awe of her quiet strength and compassion, in the face of the unusual situations her daughter and her friends were constantly forced to battle.
If Giles was the father figure of this eclectic band of child-warriors, Joyce Summers was the mother figure they so desperately needed. While the ex-Watcher was responsible for the training, organizing and leadership, Joyce was the nurse, advisor & confidant.
Whenever one of the brave kids needed care, either physically or spiritually or even just a loving hug, Buffy's mother was there for them.
Once again the fates had called upon the groups "Mom" to care for one of her unusual brood. Two of her "children" were in severe danger and had instinctively come to her in one of their darkest times.
In her favor Joyce had handled everything perfectly, but once the immediate crisis was taken care of, she found she needed the support of this quietly strong, and compassionate man whom she'd become dependent on over time.
He was a pillar of strength that she could count on whenever she was in need of him, and after a while Joyce found she had come to love the stoic Englishman, that her daughter trusted with everything important in her life.
Giles slowly led the still sobbing woman over to a well worn couch against the far wall of the waiting room, confident that the doctors would be able to find them with any news. He gently sat her down next to him and waited for her to lean into him, resting her head on his shoulder as she always did in these situations.
"Everything will be alright love." Giles told her softly "You've done all you could, the rest is in the hands of the doctors and fate now."
"Oh Rupert, it was so horrible." Joyce sobbed quietly "They looked so small and helpless, and there was so much blood."
In a way Giles was relieved, with a large amount of blood present after the attack, he was sure that vampires weren't involved in whatever happened.
"Hush now sweetheart, it's over now." the ex-Watcher assured the upset woman, "Try to calm down and tell me what happened."
"O-okay, I-I'll try." the distraught woman sobbed still on the edge of hysterics "I-I was sl-sleeping and woke up t-to someone banging on the f-front d-door. I g-got there as fast as I c-could, a-and I remember y-yelling at th-them to q-quit p-pounding on my d-door. W-when I op-pened the d-d-door th-there th-they w-were. Xand-der was so b-bra-rave, and h-he had c-c-carried p-poor C-Cor-Cord-delia all th-the w-way from the c-c-cem-etary, he was c-c-ov-ered w-with b-b-blo-od."
She broke down again weeping too hard to speak, and Giles pulled her into a comforting embrace, trying to help her to calm down enough to finish her story.
Jeffery had joined them, unnoticed, while Joyce was relating her encounter. Drawing on his expertise as doctor, he offered to give the obviously distraught woman a sedative, but was turned down, as Joyce began to win out over her emotions.
Knowing that both men needed her account of what had happened to the two young people, to determine if Jeffery's well honed skills with the medical needs in paranormal situations was required to help Xander and Cordelia recover.
"N-no th-thank you J-Jef-fery." Joyce gulped out as she regained control. "I th-think I can handle it."
Giles could hear the control returning to her voice and signaled Jeffery to leave her be. Then he waited for Joyce to resume her tale. Joyce took a deep calming breath and slowly exhaled it once again in control of herself.
"Xander was badly injured and exhausted, and by the time I opened the door, he was on his knees, still cradling Cordelia in his arms." Joyce started again, her voice steady, and her emotions fully controlled. "Both of them were covered with deep slashes and dark deep bruises, and there was blood all over both of them, even a small, but rapidly spreading puddle beneath them, on the porch."
"I couldn't get them inside, so I ran to the phone and called 911. Then I went back, and did what I could, to help them. Cordelia had a big lump on the side of her head, and her hair was matted with blood, along with her other injuries."
"Xander worried me more though, I could see he'd taken several blows to the head, and he admitted seeing double, once we got Cordelia laid down on the porch. He said something about a huge demon, and some humans, attacking them in the cemetery."
"He said they kept demanding to know where the Slayer, and her witch had gone. Xander told me that he'd finally fought off enough of them to reach that gun he carries on patrol, and after he shot two of the humans, the rest took off saying they'd be back, and something about the master would have what he came for."
"Then he passed out too, just as the ambulance pulled up. Neither of them has come out of it yet, as far as I know, and that's all I was able to get. Is that enough, did I do alright?"
"You did marvelously love" Giles whispered in her ear immensely proud of her level headed manner when caring for the two wounded Scoobies. "I can't tell you how wonderful I think you are."
Joyce blushed like a school girl, and was about to say something when they heard a female doctor calling.
Both grew silent as Jeffery called the doctor over. Giles noticed that the woman's scrubs had blood stains of various sizes all over, and all of them fresh. All three tensed in anticipation of the doctor's information of the condition of her patients and his prognosis for their recovery.
"First I think you should know that both Mr. Harris and Ms. Chase are alive and they apparently will survive their wounds." the tall woman said, her face took on a dismal grimace when the three adults reflected a joy she wasn't sure was appropriate once she gave them the rest of the prognosis." but before you get your hopes up too much, there is more that you should know. "
The air suddenly became thick with the tension caused by her statement and she sat down sighing in exhaustion, this was the part of her job the trauma surgeon hated.