Part 1/12: Ramifications

Sarah was restless and fed up of being in the hospital, in the isolation ward, in the dark.  She had always hated the dark and now she was stuck in it for the rest of her life.  They wouldn’t even let her watch TV until the burns had healed.  Which could be a whole week, maybe two. She didn’t know what time it was, and that was what annoyed her the most.  Then she felt guilty for worrying about such an inconsequential thing.  A girl was dead because of her.  Even though her mother had repeatedly told her that it wasn’t her fault.  She had gotten someone involved in a matter that was of none of their concern.  

Vampires or no vampires, Anna was her responsibility.  Now Buffy was dead and they didn’t even know why.  It wasn’t vampires; Now!  That was a problem.  She had always steadfastly believed that vampires did not exist.  She had researched the fact in some detail, especially while she was recovering from what Anna had done.  When they had been investigating Mary’s murder.  They had never believed that it could have been Anna.  After that Sarah had spent hours buried deep in books; anything she could find, but always kept her feet firmly planted, in fact.  Her father had always told her that in order to build an opinion; you need to know both sides.  So she had read medical texts, reports, scientific documentation and analysis, as well as historical texts and mythological documents, all that she could find. After all that she had read, she came to the conclusion that vampires did not and could not exist.  It went against everything she believed in and held to be true.  

But the only explanation she could come up with, about what had happened last night was that they HAD to exist.  People didn’t just disintegrate - but they had before her very eyes twice.  Anna’s face had changed right before her eyes twice, so they had to.  If they did, then Buffy and her friends had to be telling the truth, and Buffy had to be The Vampire Slayer.  Sarah felt that she had taken away the world’s line of defense against all that was evil.  The world was helpless, and it was all her fault.  Stephanie and her friends would be arriving this evening and they would make Anna pay.  It was give all, take all situation.  It was the least she could do, but the hard part was going to be convincing them of the newly discovered facts.  

A chink of light came through the door as her mother entered.  "Are you awake?"

Sarah pushed herself up in the bed. "Yes."

"How are you?"

"Fine."

"Fine-fine or just fine?"

"Fine-fine," Sarah replied, forcing enthusiasm into her voice.

Her mom took the seat next to her bed.

"What's the time?" Sarah asked.

"About five."

“Am or pm?”

“Am”

"Have you been home yet?"

"No."

"Mom, I’m not going to go anywhere. Why don’t you go home and get some proper rest?  Aunt Margaret can stay and look after me if you’re worried, but I think that you need some rest. I promise to stay put," she lied.



A taxi pulled into the parking lot out side the hospital.  Stephanie’s family was well off; she had known Anna well they had been on the cheerleading team together. Steph looked dreamily out of the window

18 months ago

It was the finals of the district championship they were in the last ten minuets; it was a draw they needed one goal to win.  Anna, Stephanie, Katherine were in a frenzy no one noticed when Anna collapsed because they scored just as the whistle blew.  Everyone thought that she had passed out due to all the excitement.  But she had been rushed to hospital.   

"Wake up. We're here," Katherine said nudging Stephanie awake

When Anna had murdered Mary for getting to close and then Katherine’s father. They had come together to become what they were now.  Stephanie had control of her money it was all in trust funds set up by her father when her she had been young before he had succumbed to the cancer.  They all had a stake in Anna.  Every thing led back to her when she had got of the death penalty and was sent to an asylum.  They had thought that it would be the last of it. But it wasn’t. It wouldn’t be over until Anna was gone and now she had struck again. But this time she wasn’t getting away with it.

Junior opened the door to the back of the car and helped them step out.  Junior had been Mary’s boyfriend before she fell victim to Anna and now he would do anything to help them in regards to Anna.  He had a younger sister, Katie.  She was four years younger than they were, but incredibly bright.  She was invaluable to them.

"Hey sleepy head," he said, picking his sister up carrying her in his huge arms. Junior was six foot six and built like a tank.  He had been on the football team.

"Patrick leave me alone!" Katie groaned.  She always called him by his proper name.  

"No," he replied as he put her down.

They all walked in the main entrance of the hospital.

"Sarah Master’s room?" Stephanie asked.

The receptionist typed the name into the computer.  "I’m sorry, only her direct family members are allowed to see her," she replied.

"She’s expecting us," Stephanie said.

"Yes maybe, but she’s in quarantine and only her direct family members are allowed to see her."

"You’ve already said that," Junior interjected.

"But..." The receptionist began.

"Ring up and ask her if you're not sure," Katherine interrupted her.

The receptionist picked up the telephone and punched a few numbers.  After a muffled conversation she hung up the phone and returned her attention to the group.  "Go on up, third floor, room 402."


"Here's 402," Katherine said and knocked on the door.

"Go away," came the muffled response from within.

Stephanie opened the door and sneaked in.  "Is that any way to greet your best friend?" she said in a mock-hurt voice.

"STEPHANIE!"  Sarah yelled and leaped out of bed.  Unfortunately she was nowhere near strong enough to stand up she began to fall.

"Hey there," Stephanie said, catching her and putting her back on the bed.  "It’s nice to see you, but say put."  After Sarah was settled in bed, she took a seat.

"You came."

"I said I would," Stephanie replied.

"It’s too late," Sarah said dismally.

"It’s never too late.  Let me get the others inside, and you can fill all of us in."

Sarah explained every thing that had happened how. She had found out about Anna being here, about Buffy and her friends and about how Buffy and her friend had helped her to rescue her mom.  Then she moved on to the vampires.

"So that’s it," Junior asked in disbelief as she finished

"So you’re saying that vampires really DO exist, and Anna really is one of them.  She's not just pretending," Stephanie asked.

"And there is this Vampire Slayer that goes around killing them," Katie continued.

"Not anymore," Sarah replied.  "Anna killed her."

"So what, the world defenseless now?" Katherine said.

"No when one slayer dies another is called to replace her."

"Oh!  That would explain it."

"Aside from that, we need to deal with Anna."

"Shouldn’t this Slayer person do that?" Junior asked.

"Anna’s our responsibility, we agreed that," Sarah told him firmly.

"Taking out a vampire is a little more complicated than just guiding the police in the correct direction to apprehend her," Stephanie pointed out.

"We’re talking about murder here," Sarah replied.  She couldn't believe they were having this disagreement.

"She’s already dead, remember?" Katie pointed out.

"But she’s walking around."

"Well, yes."

"I don’t know, Sarah.  What can we really do?" Katherine said with a frown.

"If you’re not going to do anything, then I will," Sarah announced and began to climb from the bed.

"Hold on a moment, you’re in no fit state to go anywhere!" Katherine exclaimed.

"Let alone fight with anything," Junior agreed.

"We never said that we wouldn’t help but it’s going to take some doing.  First we need to get you out of here, then we need to find how to get to her." Stephanie said thoughtfully.

"So action stations until then.  Katie you see if you can get us some plans of this town, hideouts and such like.   Katherine, I want you to give Sarah the once over.  Junior and I will work on..."

"Staking, immolation and decapitation!" Junior interrupted gleefully.

"Nasty!" The girls exclaimed in unison.

"Once the Vampire is dead they explode in to dust," Sarah said after the giggling died down.

"What about the people you were working with before, the slayer’s friends?" Stephanie asked her.

"Let’s leave them out of it," Sarah decided.

"Okay."

 
Part: 2/12: Futility

They were all sitting silently in Joyce’s living room. The funeral had been today.  Buffy had only been gone for nearly two weeks, but it felt like an eternity.  Funerals happened quickly and often in Sunnydale.

"This feels so wrong," Xander said sadly.

"I know," Willow replied.

"We should be doing something," Xander burst out.  "Why are we just sitting here?"

"Giles said we should wait until the next slayer can be found," Willow told him gently.

"Still, I can’t take all this sitting around," Xander said.

Joyce came out of the kitchen where she had been cleaning up followed by Hank, Buffy’s father.

"I still don’t understand," Hank was saying to Joyce.

"She was attacked," Joyce told him wearily.  Unfortunately, Hank wasn’t buying the cover story too well.

"Look, Joyce, I’ve got to get back to LA tonight, but if you ever want to tell me anything just call me.  Ok?"

"Fine," she replied.  She was much too tired to put up a fight.

After Hank was safely out the door, Joyce turned to the others.  "What are we going to do now?"

"We have to wait until next slayer is found," Willow told her.

"I’m fed up with waiting!" Xander said.

“What about Faith”

“She’s about as much good as a hole in the head”

“She’ll be here soon its just case of finding her”

"I know but if we go after Anna alone, we’ll only succeed in getting ourselves killed."

"Has any one seen or even spoken to Angel since..." Joyce's voice trailed off.

"No he was really cut up about it," Willow replied, cringing at the memory.

"You don’t think that he’ll do something crazy, do you?" Joyce asked.

"He’s probably off brooding somewhere," Xander said in a snide voice.  "That's what he does best."
 
Part 3/12: What more slayers

The Library had a somber air as they catalogued the weapons and did some research.  They had difficulty finding the next slayer. With graduation coming so soon, It was just over a month a way.  There was till no sign of the slayer except Faith.  The council were beginning to get tetchy despite Wesley’s many calls to them and also Giles’ now Buffy was gone they were talking to him again.

"This feels so wrong, I can't imagine any one else being the slayer," Willow said sadly.

"I know" Xander said.

"It's just..." Willow said then stopped. She had promised herself that she wasn't going to cry again.

"Don't worry," Oz told her, putting his arm around her shoulders.

The door to the library opened.  A man who could almost be Giles' twin entered.  With him was a small red headed girl.  Her hair in two pigtails, one of which she was fiddling with.

"I'm Henry Kavanagh," the man announced formally.  "And this is Falicity Grace. The Slayer"

"Oh, Stop being so stuffy," the girl exclaimed.  "You give us Brit's a bad name.  Call me Flick." she said, extending her hand.  Giles took it and shook it firmly.

"It's a pleasure to meet you."

"So you're the slayer?"

"Well blow me down with a feather."

The room erupted into laughter, the ice broken

"Firstly I would like to say I'm sorry about Buffy.  I will try to honor all that she did with my work."

"Thank you," Giles said there was a long silence.

"So which one of you is Willow?" Flick finally asked.

"Me! Why?"

"I heard that you're the computer buff.  I've been trying to get ol' stuffy boots over there to wake up to the twentieth century," Flick smiled at Henry.  "But failed miserably."

"We have the same problem" Willow confessed. Looking over and Giles and Wesley’s perturbed faces and smiled also.


Anna was asleep curled up next to Thomas, when the phone rang.  Thomas picked it up careful not to disturb Anna “Hello”

“May I speak to Anna”

“Who is it”

“Mayor Wilkins”

Thomas rolled over and gently shook Anna a wake. “What” she snapped

“It’s the mayor,” he said handing her the phone.  

Anna frowned and took the phone “Yes”

“I’ve just received some disturbing news”

“Yeah” Anna said her frown deepening

“There’s an new slayer in town”

“What” she said her demon features taking over

“That’s what I thought”

“I’ll take care off it,” she said getting up.

“What’s up Honey” Thomas said and took the phone from her

“There’s another SLAYER!” she yelled

Anna ripped open the curtains light flooding into Buffy's prison she flinched instinctively.

"How did it happen?!" Anna raged.

"I don't know," Thomas said.

"Well find out," Anna snapped.

Anna then turned to face Buffy "How did you do it," She demanded.

"Do what?" Buffy asked, bewildered.

"There's another SLAYER. HOW?!"

Buffy smiled "Don't know."

"HOW!" Anna yelled again and flew out of the room, slamming the door behind her.

 
Part 4/12: Escapees

Junior scooped Sarah up wrapping her in a blanket.  Stephanie opened the door and looked out into the corridor.  Luckily, there was no one there."

"Come on," she whispered.

They ran down the corridor quietly.  Unfortunately an orderly chose that moment to round the corner and spotted them.

"Hey!  Come back here!" he yelled.

They got into the elevator before he could catch them.  The elevator slid downward then opened into the parking garage underneath the hospital.  Soon they were all bundled into the car and sped off. They soon arrived at the hotel. It was a 5 star hotel with that old-fashioned manor house look.

"No expense spared," Sarah said, impressed.

"Nothing but the best," Stephanie replied airily.

The doorman opened the door and helped them all out.

"Take the car and park it out back," Stephanie said tossing the doorman the keys.

They walked into the ornate lobby.  Almost magically a wheelchair appeared into which Sarah was placed.  After a brief conversation with the desk clerk they went up to Stephanie's room.  It was lavish, much more than she needed but that was Stephanie.  She spent the money she had been given well.  She had invested it wisely and it had almost doubled in the four years she'd had it.

"What do we do now?" Stephanie asked Sarah after they were settled.

"I really don't know, just that Anna must be dealt with."

"But how?  If she is what she is, and there is no slayer, then we're in dire straights."

"First, before we do any thing else, Sarah needs to rest," Katherine said firmly.

"Katherine," Sarah began.

"I know, but you are not strong enough to face Anna again.  You can barely stand," Katherine reminded her.

"Okay," Sarah agreed.


Joyce Summers was having coffee with Jessica.  They were both grieving the fact that they had both lost daughters.

"I'm so sorry."

"Its not you're fault.  She wasn't herself."

"Sarah explained it to me."

There was a scratching sound at the door "Mommy" came a faint voice

"SARAH" Jessica cried, yanking the door open.  There on the doorstep was her daughter; her hospital gown all torn muddy and blood stained.

"It was Anna she came and she... she"

"Ssshhhhhhhh" Jessica said as pulled her daughter into her arms.  Her daughter hugged her back wrapping her arms tightly around her mother's neck. "Don't worry everything will be okay"

<Sucker> Anna thought with a smirk.   "Mother?"  

"Yes pet?" Jessica said as she looked down at her daughter.     It was no longer her daughter in her arms.  Jessica screamed just before Anna bit deep into her mother's neck.  Jessica's scream died and, Anna and Sarah's mother with it.

Joyce turned to go back inside but a hulking vampire was in her way.  She screamed but it was cut short by a blow to the back of her head she crumpled to the floor.

"Now we'll know," Anna whispered to herself.



"I oughta' go out on patrol," Flick said.

"If you wait a minute we'll join you," Willow offered.

"Are you sure?"

"We all need to go home and Flick you don't know this town," Giles interrupted.

"Okay."

"I said I would ring Joyce and see how she was doing."

Giles sat down at his desk and dialed the all too familiar number.  It rang and rang but no one answered.  Willow noticed the worried look on Giles' face. "What's up?"

"Joyce isn't answering her phone," Giles replied, frown lines creasing his forehead.

"Oh! We'll swing by on our way."

"That should be fine," Giles said, but didn't look reassured.

 
Part 5/12: Discoveries

The room on the other side of the glass was elaborately decorated.  A large four poster bed with thick velvet curtains stood in the middle of the room.  The posts and headboard were ornately carved.  Oak panels covered the walls.  On the wall to her left was a door.  It was half open so she could see out in to a corridor just like the one she had seen through her door.  Then she knew where she was.  On the out skirts of Sunnydale was derelict complex it had been a mental institution until eight years ago when they had moved to a bigger plot on the other side of town.

The door opened and Anna walked in "Slayer, tell me how there are two of you."

"I don't know," Buffy answered.

"Tell me!" Anna yelled.  Her face took on its demonic form.

Buffy turned away, not wanting to look at her captor.

"Look at me when I am talking to you!" Anna demanded.

"NO!" Buffy shouted back.

"Well look at this," Anna told her, opening the bed curtains.

Buffy turned and all the air went out of her lungs and her legs nearly gave way.  Anna had her mother.  She was gagged and blindfolded.  Buffy was glad for her mother's blindfold.

"Now tell me," Anna said as she started to remove the blind fold.

"I died."

Joyce stiffened.  She recognized that voice but it couldn't be true.

"Go on," Anna said pausing her actions.

"A friend did CPR and I came back to life." Buffy said slowly.

"Interesting," Anna said as she whipped the blind fold all the way off.  "Well, I'm going to have to fix this little problem.  But first I'm hungry."

"NOO!!!" Buffy yelled and flew at the window giving it all that she was worth.

"Buffy?" Her mother said the word.  It cut through her like a knife and she stopped dead.

"Mom!" she said and fell to her knees

"Touching, but..." Anna said then she bit deep into Joyce's neck Buffy could only watch as the light went out of her mother's eyes.

She pounded on the glass as tears streamed down her face.  Without warning, the curtains were drawn back and she was plunged back in to darkness as the clock began to beep.

 
Part 6/12: The Calvary

Giles knocked on the door but got no response.  He was beginning to worry; half hoping a very displeased Joyce would answer the door.  Henry, Flick, Oz and Xander had gone around the back.

Flick knew something was up, all her senses were on hyper alert.  That's when she saw it, a leg sticking out from behind a bush.  She walked cautiously towards it.  On the floor was the body of a woman.  She had a bite mark on her neck.  Flick did the only thing she could think of.  She screamed.  She had wondered what a dead body would be like but this was worse than she had ever imagined.

Everyone heard her scream and came running, all with the same fear. <Oh god don't let it be...> Henry was the first to arrive.  He dropped to the ground to feel for her pulse but found none.  "She's dead," he stated, almost calmly.

Xander gulped, then glanced over the other man's shoulder.  "That's not Mrs. Summers that's Sarah's mom!" he exclaimed.

"Then where's Mrs. Summers?" Willow asked, worried.


The EMT's and the police had arrived, asked their questions, then left.  The case would never be solved just swept under the rug like the rest.

"Sarah's missing from the hospital," Willow reported after making a few phone calls.  "Her aunt says that she might have gone with some friends from New York or Anna might have her."

"We need to find that out immediately," Giles said.

"I want who ever did that dead, so count me in with whatever you're planning" Flick said to the group in general.


Junior and Stephanie had been out having a look around Sarah's house when they came across the commotion.  They watched as a body bag was loaded into the back of an ambulance. T hey saw a group of teenagers talking with two adults.

"Hey! That's that Giles fellow.  You know, the one I was telling you about?" Stephanie said pointing him out to Junior.

"This merits further investigation," Junior whispered in return.

They got close enough to hear but not too close that they would be noticed.


"We need to find Joyce"

"And find out what's happened to Sarah"

"She's gonna flip when she find's out"

Stephanie gasped "Oh! God no! No!" Junior put his arms around her

"Anna" he said fighting back the tears

Stephanie boldly walked over to the group "Excuse me but are you, Buffy's friends"

"Who want's to know"

"I'm Stephanie this is Junior were Sarah's friends"

"The cavalry"

"Yes so to speak we came as soon as possible but not soon enough"

"Sarah is safe she is with us"

"We want Anna as much as you do"

"Good.  We need to find Joyce"

"I'll get Katherine and Katie to go over the place.  I'll see what I can get out of the police"

"What do you mean"

"There has to be some evidence here, all crimes leave behind traces"

"You do know Anna's a vampire"

"I'm still trying to get my head round that one.  But yes"

"Okay, we're going to go back to the library get some weapons Willow, you stay here.  Xander go with Oz find Angel."

Stephanie was talking on her mobile "Katherine there's been a development. Jessica’s dead"

"Oh! God!"

"I need you and Katie to come over to, 1630 Revello Drive with full kit it would appear that Buffy's mom is now also missing we need to find her. She may lead us to Anna"

"What about Sarah"

"Yes we need someone to look after her"

"Cordelia"

"What!" Cordelia snapped hearing her name

"Would you look after Sarah for me"

"Why me"

"Yeah why her" Xander asked sarcastically

"Something tells me you would be best suited to this job"

"Oh!"

"Were in the presidential sweet at the Manor hotel"

Cordelia's eye lit up at the mention of the hotel

"I've got a volunteer she'll be over in a while"

"Great"

Stephanie hung up. "Okay let's get going then"

 
Part 7/12: It’s as plain as day

"Katie" Katherine said quietly nudging her awake

"What" she mumbled

"We need to get, forensics kit ready"

"Why" Katie's said now fully awake,

"Jessica's dead and Buffy's mom's missing"

Katie couldn't comprehend the news and began to cry Katherine soon broke down as well and they both sobbed until there came a call from the a joining room.

"Kathy you there"

Katherine got up and dried her eye "We have to be strong"

"Yep I'll get the stuff ready,” Katie said

It amazed her everytime Katie was barely 13 and she but behind her child like looks she was year's a head already four grades a head she was in the same grade as her brother Junior and his friends. She had helps with the PI Club and had stuck with it when stopped being just fun and stepped dangerously fast into reality with Mary's death.  They had all worked together to find her killer and were shocked by what they had found the knowledge had cost them dearly, Robbing both Katherine and Sarah of their father's

Katherine dried her eyes and tucked a stray hair behind her ear

"You Okay" she asked

"I just had the worst feeling" Sarah said she looked up into Katherine's eye's and saw it there she knew some thing was desperately Wrong.  It creeped in on her spreading from the bottom of her stomachs upward slowly taking away reason "no no No No! NO! NO!" She cried shaking her head her voice rising in pitch

"I'm sorry" Katherine said the voice thick

"NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!" she said struggling to get out of bed

Katherine rapped her arm's around Sarah as she fought against her as she cried, screamed, raged she managed to brake free of Katherine's hold and tried to get up but she fell to the floor unable to stand. She kept on trying but every time she fell.  Screaming in range and grief.

Katie came running in, She knew what to do.  She went for Katherine's bag; in it were supplies for practically any medical emergency.  She took out a syringe and selected a Phil of Thiopental Sodium a sedative.

Katherine was trying to wrestle Sarah back to bed but having little success.  Sarah flew here arms wildly catching Katherine in the eye she then stopped fighting Katie had administered the sedative and she was out like a light.

"I wasn't expecting her to take the news well"

"You know Sarah, not one to go down without fight"

"True"

They got Sarah back into bed and Katherine set up an IV. Katie came back into the room with a cloth "Now to see to you" she said sitting Katherine down and giving her the cloth "You're going to have a shiner"

There was a knock at the door "That must be the babysitter"

Katherine gave Katie a look as she disappeared to open the door

Katie opened the door and looked up at the woman standing there "You're Cordelia"

"And you are" Cordelia asked looking down at Katie

"Katie, Junior's sister"

"Katherine the babysitter's here we can go now"

Cordelia glared at Katie and Katie glared back

"Scat" Katherine shooed Katie away "Don't mind her, you must be Cordelia, I've given her a sedative she should sleep right through the night, make sure all the curtains are closed before sunrise.  Feel free to order anything from room-service, make your self at home just keep an eye on her if there are any problems call this number"

Katherine picked up her bags and she and Katie left leaving Cordelia alone.


Giles dropped Henry, Flick and Wesley off at the graveyard and said he would pick them up on his way back. Leaving Wesley to give them the guided tour.  It seamed that Henry and Wesley were getting on quite well, They were talking about Slayer protocol. Giles sighed, as they got out.  He went back to his apartment to change and have some tea, the cure for everything.  He could forget the last few days for couple of minute but as the tealeaves emerged at the bottom it all came back to him.  It was all so senseless he had known that one day Buffy would die he'd prepared him self for the eventuality he'd expected her to die fighting a demon or a vampire and go out in a blaze of glory.  But she had just died; she'd stopped breathing, just stopped.  It was if someone had flipped a switch and she was no more.  He snapped him self out of his revere and walked out of his apartment.

Ten minute's later he was back in the library.  He was lost in thought taking the weapons out of the cupboard he didn't hear, someone enter the library.

"Giles"

Giles' head snapped up hitting it on the shelf as he heard the voice "Joyce" he exclaimed "We...We thought that you were dead"

"They came to the house and tricked us into going outside" she explained moving to stand in the doorway

"Umm I must call and say that you're safe"

"Wouldn't do that if I was you" she said her voice changing as she said it

“Oh! My god! No!”

“Oh! My god! Yes!” she said as she moved in for the kill

 

Part 9/12: Sayerettes Mark II

Katherine pulled the car up in fount of the house and got out helping Katie with the kit.  Stephanie came rushing out of the door to the house followed by Willow and Junior

“Here let me help me with that” Junior asked taking the bag out of Katherine’s hands “Jesus what happened” he said looking at swollen eye that was beginning to go a deep shade of purple

“Sarah didn’t take the news well”

“I’ll bet”

“She’ll be fine in time we all will”

“And you left her with…” he said raising his eye brow is a Spock like manor

“Yes” she said smiling “You really must learn how to do that with the other one you look squewiff”

“Get in” he said giving her a push inside

“Hey”

Willow was surprised at how professional it was all being done.  They were treating it like a real crime scene.  Willow had deiced it try a location spell to help to find Joyce she went up to Buffy’s room.  The ingreadence she needed were spread out on the carpet in one had she held a book from which she was reading squinting at the word’s she began to chant “Promitto quid sis defluo incommodo aperio femina locus abvicam ire” she chanted over a small pendent which glowed pink.

“What are you doing” Katie asked standing at the door way

“Casting a location spell”

“Spell as in magic”

“Yes”

“But magic doesn’t”

“I used to think that”

The doorbell rang.  “I’ll get it” Willow yelled and ran down the stairs opening the door.  But Katie got there first “Joyce, Giles what happened” Willow yelled running the rest of the way

“Come in” Katie said stepping back

“Thank you”

Willow was still holding the pendent it had turned black.  “Is it supposed to so that”

“I don’t think so, it supposed to pint to a place on the map. I hadn’t got to that part yet” she realized she still had the book in her hand she looked at the text <If that which you seek cannot be found the pendant will turn black>

“Katie get back”

“Why”

“This is why” Joyce said her face changing she grabbed her arm Katie screamed

“KATIE” Junior yelled rushing to help his sister

“Patrick”

He ran at them Giles evaded him sending him out the door.  Which he quickly shut trapping him out side.  Stephanie and Katherine had come to see the commotion neither of them had seen a Vampire before and were quite unprepared for the sight before them.

“Willow where’s Oz? Xander?” Giles asked

“And Angel?” Joyce finished

“I don’t know”

“Yes you do”

“You’re not Giles anymore”

“True. I’m better”

Katie was still wriggling in Joyce’s grip she bit her hand “You little” Katie ran to Katherine

“Get out” Willow urged Katherine and Stephanie were routed to the spot unable to comprehend the fact’s before theme it was one thing to be told that vampires existed but it was completely another to see one. “Go”

Stephanie was the first to unfreeze “Come on Katherine”

Katherine’s science mind was simply not taking it in Stephanie grabbed her arm and pulled her in to the kitchen there were two vampires blocking their exit but unable to come in.

“Trapped”

“Well I’m not going down with out a fight. Don’t know about you” Stephanie said

“It’s not possible Vampires can not exist it… it”

“But we do”

 

Part 8/12: Disaster strikes!

“Where is he” Xander said defeatedly

“Duno” Oz said

“What about Willy”

“Worth a try”

“We’d betta' call Giles and tell him how were doing”

“There orta' be a phone at Willy’s bar”

They left Angel’s apartment and angel came out of the shadows he didn’t want to be found.  He had made up his mind long ago that if Buffy was to die he’d join her.  He just had to wait until sunrise.  

He heard the van leave before he deiced to leave as well.

They arrived at Willy’s bar but before the got out of the van Oz stiffened

“What’s up?” Xander asked  

“Willow she’s in trouble”

“Oh! Let me guess this is a wolfy thing”

Oz nodded “We need to go”

“Okay! But don’t take this wrong I hope you’re wrong”

“So do I”

The weal’s squealed as he turned the van a little to fast round a tight corner “Hey!”

“Sorry”

“No it that Angel” Xander said as he pointed to a figure on the sidewalk

“Yes I think so,” he said as he pulled the van up

“Dead Boy!” Xander yelled as he clambered out of the van but Angel kept on walking “Hey Dead boy wait up”

“Go away Xander”

“As much as it pain’s me to say this.  We need your help, the guy’s are in trouble and Joyce is missing”

“What”  

“We’ve been looking everywhere”

“Get in”

Angel got in Joyce was Buffy’s mother he owed it to her to keep her safe there would be other sunrises

The van screeched to a halt outside the house

“Oz go to the cemetery get Flick, Henry and Wesley” Xander said as he scrambled out of the van

“Flick?” Angel asked

“The new Slayer” Xander replied uncomfortably

“Xander” Junior yelled running towards them from the back of the house

“And you are”

“Junior and you”

“Angel”

“Oh!” he paused, “Vampires well that has to be it.  This is still new.  Mr. Giles and a Joyce”

“You found her”

“She kinda' found us, I think their vampires”

“What”

“I could be wrong having never seen a vampire before.  But she’s got Katie and that’s enough for me”

“Who’s in there”

“Katie, Stephanie, Katherine and your red headed friend”

“Willow”

“There’s vampires round the back they don’t seem to be able to get in but neither can Stephanie and co get out”


“We need something stake like” Stephanie yelled she and Katherine had there back’s to the door trying to keep the door shut

“Here” Katie said holding up a wooden spoon she pulled out the kitchen draw dumping the contents on the counter she found four spoons and two spatulas.  On the counter was a bottle labeled holy water “Well I guess this would work also”?

“We can’t hold this much longer,” Stephanie yelled. Katie handed them both two wooden spoons with the spoon bit broken off with one last heave the door gave way.


Angel rounded the corner of the house and immediately began to dispatch vampires.  Xander gave Junior a cross and a stake and they both began to fend of vampires really not doing much damage. But working they’re way towards the door.


Willow dashed up stairs a sudden thought entering her brain. She ran into Buffy’s room slamming the door she wedged a chair up against it.  She sunk to the floor and began to thumb the pages frantically tears blurring the word before her. The past two weeks had been terrible Buffy had died and they just didn’t now why, now Giles and Joyce were vampires and trying to kill her and she might have to kill them.

She found the binding spell. She needed something personal from each of them.  Willow began to ransack the room looking for something a photo would do.  She found a photo of Buffy and Joyce on the bedside table but something form Giles was harder. But after some searching she found a school photo that had all the school on it had been taken a year ago.  She remembered having to climb on the scaffolding.   

She quickly began to prepare the spell, cutting out the photos.


Katherine and Stephanie pushed Katie behind them.  Stephanie and Katherine had, had some fighting experience but it was fencing and with out a sword quite useless. The broken wooden spoon wouldn’t reach

Katie ducked under the table and dashed to the closet on the other side of the room.

Giles launched the first attack knocking Katherine to the floor Stephanie retaliated running at him thrusting her makeshift stake at him missing by miles and stabbing him in the shoulder.

Katie had found a broom and was busy trying to get the brush end off it would make an ideal sword little too long but more reach.

“What are you doing little girl?” Joyce asked

Katie didn’t reply or look up intent apon her task.  Joyce moved to grab her when Katie promptly opened the bottle she was holding and poured the contents over herself.  Some of it splashed on Joyce and screeched as it burned reaching out to grab Katie but when she grabbed her she burned and instantly let go.  Katie finally got the brush off and held the pole.  Falling back into a fencing stance it was to big for her and was unwieldy.  She needed to get it over to Steph.

Giles pulled the stake out of his shoulder “That wasn’t very nice”

“It wasn’t meant to be”

Giles backhanded Steph and she flew across the room hitting the wall she was out cold.  Katherine was back on her feet and ran at Giles he caught her and pulled her to him.  She struggled with him but he held her fast she didn’t really notice when he sunk his fangs in <At least I’ll get to be with my family now> and then all thought’s ceased.

He tensed something was wrong.  Willow where was she, <She’s casting a spell> he turned and ran up the stairs

“Willow where are you”

Willow was sitting cross legged on the floor in front of her was circle with a small fire Which was giving of blue smoke and a rather pungent smell

“Adligo lemma ab dominum exsuperabilis aduno absum fraude”

She said as she rapped a piece of tape around the photos

“Willow let me in,” he said as he began to thump the door

Panic flooded through her but she continued repeating the spell “Adligo lemma ab dominum exsuperabilis aduno absum fraude”

“Let me in witch”

The flame’s in the beaker began to intensify ant the pounding on the door became more frantic.  It wouldn’t hold much longer.  She was just about to place the photos into the flames and complete the spell.  But the door gave way and Giles came flying in the door as swung back knocked fanned the flames and the bed caught fire.  Willow was on one side and Giles on the other.

 
Part 10/12: Help is on the way!

Oz screeched to a halt out side the cemetery and rushed out.  “FLICK!” he wandered around until he came a cross them Flick was arguing with her watcher Henry.

“Don’t be ridiculous”

“But I am”

“Slayers can’t be allergic to vampire dust”

“But I am” and sneezed for effect

“Ahem” Oz interrupted slightly amused

“What are you doing here, It’s not safe”

“There’s trouble, Giles and Joyce have been turned into vampires and are attacking everyone else, we need your help.  Angel and Xander are already there.

“Angel” Wesley snorted

“Okay let’s, go then” Flick urged growing tired of there constant commentary

Ten minuets later they arrived back at the house.  Flick kicked in the front door and rushed through to the kitchen.  Henry went over to the first body she was unconscious but alive the second however was not she had a gaping wound in her neck.  Help me get this one outside henry said to Oz as they picked up Steph.  Xander and Junior had made it to the door and Angel had dispatched all but one vampire.  Junior and Flick launched an attack on Joyce.  Flick took the broom handle from Katie and impaled Joyce who disintegrated to dust.

Junior scooped Katie up into a tight hug “Your soaking”

“You’re squeezing me”

Junior took her out to be with Steph.  Katie clung to him. “I have to go get Katherine”


Xander was coming out of the kitchen when he herd Willow cry out and ran up the stairs when he got to the top he noticed that the landing was filled with smoke.

Oz sniffed his acute sense of smell alerting him to the fife then to Willow peril and dashed in also

Xander covered his nose and mouth with the crook of his arm and plunged into the smoke

The flames were the only things that were keeping Giles at bay.  But she was trapped any way.  Xander kicked open the door and Giles was on him in an instant Oz was not far behind.  

Willow as furiously trying to open the window but the screw would just not budge

<Trust Buffy to screw it shut with slayer strength>

Xander saw an opening in the flames and took it running to Willow.  He used the stake he held to smash the window.  And they climbed out on to the porch roof.  Just as the floor collapsed

Oz was fighting with Giles. When the floor gave way, he was hit on the head by a plank the last sound he heard was the sound of a vampire disintegrating

“OZ” Willow screamed it took all of Xander’s strength to stop her from going back in.  After that the fire spread quickly.  Xander leaped off the porch roof with Willow in his arms


Junior was carrying Katherine’s limp form out of kitchen when Wesley in a blind panic barreled into him and they fell in to a heap, as Junior was getting up the ceiling caved in.  Flaming debris rained down on him <Mary I’ll be with you soon>. He prayed, as hot searing pain took over all his senses.


Flick ran out of the back of the house before it all went up, and fell in on it’s self running into Angel as she did so.

“What happened”

“Not sure.  But it’s all gone to hell”

Angel winced at her comparison “Let’s go round the front and see if everyone’s okay”

There was an almighty explosion as fire reached the gas main “PATRICK” Katie Screamed Henry grabbed her before she could run

“It’s okay,” he said trying to sooth her Katie cried and cried as did Willow.

Flick and Angel came around the corner.  Steph was still out, Xander was cradling a distraught Willow, and Henry was holding an equally distraught Katie.

Across the road in a black car was Anna who was watching the scene she heard the sirens and Thomas started the engine and they drove off

 

Part 11/12: The Aftermath

Stephanie awoke She could feel the heat of the blaze as she sat up.  Katie left Henry’s arm’s to hug Stephanie her eyes were red and swollen but out of tears.

“Oh! No no no” Stephanie stammered looking around not able to find Junior or Katherine “Where are they”

Katie looked at the fire “NOOOO!” she screamed

The fire fighters ushered they away towards the ambulances while they fought the blaze.

Stephanie picked Katie up and they disappeared into the night. They arrived back at the hotel walked into their hotel room.  Cordelia was watching some chat show and painting her nails.  She noticed their condition.

“Go!  You’re friend’s will need you now”

“What happened”

“Vampire’s happened. Now go!” Stephanie snapped

Cordelia quickly packed up and left. Dread filling her, Katherine and the tall hunky guy were missing from their group, Who was missing from hers. Cordelia ran back to her car creening out of the barking lot at was across Sunnydale and at Buffy’s house in record time but it was just a smoldering pile of wreckage with crews of police men and fire men scrambling over the ruins. There were three plastic bags lined up on the lawn.  The lawn was surrounded by police tape and onlookers in a small group were Xander, Willow, Angel and the new slayer and her watcher all looking dumb founded.  But no Xander she looked around the people but couldn’t find him her eyes finally resting on one of the plastic bags.

She ran to Willow “Where’s Wesley? Where is he?”

Willow just stared blankly at the ruble

“Where is he”

“He’s gone” Willow whispered  

Cordelia fainted


Buffy was staring at the clock on the wall she had been here 10 day’s she now knew every inch on her cell there was a small bath room but nothing she could use the sink was like the one’s you get Mac Donald’s that are automatic.

The light’s were on a timer on at 8am off at 10pm food came through the slot at 9am, 12pm and 7pm.  Anna delighted in taunting her she was so angry, she couldn’t help her mom all she could do was watch and then to add insult to injury she had turned her into a vampire and let her lose.

The curtain’s opened Anna was there; she had wheeled a TV into view

“I thought that you might want to watch some TV.  There’s interesting article on the news tonight”

The picture was of her house, it was burnt out police were all over it.  The reporter was saying that they had found four body’s three males one female.

“What they’re not saying is that two vampire’s that died in that fire”

“Angel” Buffy said

“May be”

“Bitch”

“Tut Tut your mother wouldn’t approve would she”

“Leave her out of this”

“Any way it’s bed time for you slayer.  Plus I’m hungry”

The curtains closed and the lights went out and that infernal clock began to beep again.
 

Part 12/12: New Alliances

Anna was out taking a walk through the park.  She was pleased with her self even tough thing’s had not turned out how she had planned but it was still okay.  There was still great possibility on the Hellmouth for fun.  The new slayer was inexperienced and if the mayor’s plans when as planned it would be all over in a few week’s and Sarah would die any way.  So thing’s evened out.  She had Buffy and that made up for things she’d let her go after the ascension.  If thing’s didn’t go as planned she’d keep her. Thinking on her feet was what she did best. It didn’t bother her either way as long as Sarah died and so did all her friend’s.  She had eternity now plenty of time.  Anna was snapped out of her thoughts.  By Thomas, stepping out of the shadows.  Who was quickly followed by Faith.  She had a crossbow trained in on Thomas’ back.

“Faith what are playing at”

“The Boss want’s you dead”

“And you always do what he say’s right” Anna said taking a step forward.  Faith pushed the crossbow menacingly into Thomas’ back. “What! Because I failed think about it no more Buffy, half her support gone.  Think I did rather well”

“I’ll kill him if you don’t shut up”

“Go on see if I care?” Anna said. Faith readied the crossbow as Anna took a few more paces towards them “You were a means to an end, my friend” she said and pushed him on to the waiting bolt, he erupted in a cloud of dust covering Faith, she was momentarily stunned.  Anna took this time to disarm her and grabbed her by the wrist twisting it and pinning it be hind her. “I have a proposition for you”

“You do”

You know Buffys not dead don’t you” Anna said marveling in the shocked but impressed expression on Faith’s face “That’s just not my way, With slayers but you’re no the average slayer.  You can come work for me or you can be locked up like vermin. The choice is yours?”