AUTHOR: Tisienne Blue

E-MAIL: tisatko@msn.com

DISCLAIMER: All characters belong to their respective producers/ studios/ creators, except for Serena, who is totally mine.

RATING: Very R.

NOTES: This is an X-over btwn. Buffy, Angel, Highlander, and Pretender. In my world, the totally suck-ass season 5 of
Highlander never happened. This fic is for Natty's b-day, cuz she just rocks!!!*G*

PAIRINGS: W/A; Ser/Jarod...

DISTRIBUTION: Charity gets whatever she wants (all hail the mighty Fic-goddess!!); if you're a list archive or someone I've said
yes to before, you're good to go, as well. Otherwise, just ask.

FEEDBACK: please... it gets you a dedi!!!

DEDICATIONS: for Nat, of course, and for Noreen, Mitch, and Alana... thanks for the feedback, luvs...*G* Also for the CO, and
especially Mystra for letting me run this by her... You're the best, girlie!!!*VBEG*

&*&*&*&*&*&*&*&*&*&*&*&*&*&*&*&*&*&*&*&*&*&*&*&*&*&*&*&*

"OK, Adam," the redheaded witch said impatiently as she sat down in her usual chair, "What's so important that you had to see
me right NOW?"

The oldest immortal swallowed hard at the look she was giving him, and ignored the amusement in Jarod and MacLeod's faces.
"Look, Willow," he said placatingly, "I wouldn't have... interrupted you if I thought I had a choice, but... it's starting."

Willow sighed and closed her eyes for a moment as her mind ran through quick stages of denials and 'why me'-s, and when she
finally opened her eyes again, a few moments later, it was with an air of resignation. "All right, it's started. I get that. But what
about the companions? We still don't..." She stopped herself as Serena and Methos both began shaking their heads. "OK," she
continued, her eyes slightly wild, "We DO... so who are they?"

Serena sighed when Adam remained silent, and grasped Jarod's hand even tighter in her own. "Jarod," she said tightly, "And
Spike." She sighed again at the look on the girl's face, and tried to explain. "Jarod is 'the one of masks', or facades as Adam put
it. It's a long story, but... trust me, it's him."

The small-ish redhead nodded slightly, believing the sorrow in the older woman's eyes more than she believed the words. "And
Spike? How does he fit in to this?"

The blond vampire sat forward in his chair, wanting to hear the answer himself. He hated it that he had no idea of what was
going on, but when he'd asked, he'd been told to 'wait for Willow'. He had a sneaking suspicion that there was some sort of
prophecy involved, and he vowed to himself that if he lived through this one, he'd keep in touch with the little witch by phone...
after all, she seemed to be some sort of a prophecy magnet. "Yeah," he added, eyes narrowed, "How DO I fit in to this... and
what's the 'this' we're fitting me into?"

Serena stayed silent then, and stared intently at Methos. Finally, she relaxed, when he slowly nodded.

"Well," the oldest immortal began, "There was this legend, back before even MY time, and..." He watched the blond's eyes as he
began to tell him everything he knew, smiling slightly as the vampire seemed to shrink farther and farther back into his chair.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 30 minutes later ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"So wait!" Spike said seriously, "You're telling me that this 'legend' of yours is coming to pass... here... now. And I'm a part of
it?!" He shook his head. "How can that be? I mean, Jarod here being one of the companions, OK, but... ME?" He shook his head
again as he stood and began pacing quickly around the room. "I don't FIT! It doesn't say anything about a vampire,
devastatingly handsome or otherwise!" He stopped then, and smiled slightly in relief. "It's GOT to be someone else... it's GOT to!"

Serena stood, herself, then, and approached the blond who had been her brother in what was really another life. "It's you,
Spike. And you DO fit! Think about it! You WERE lost-- to me and Mother-- when you became what you are. You WERE
abandoned, when Angelus became souled and left you. And you DO want to be found!" She reached out swiftly and grasped his
face between her hands, ignoring his growl as she kept her eyes locked on his. "That's all you EVER wanted, even when you
were HUMAN! You wanted to be found, and not found wanting! Your entire existence has been spent pursuing that one goal...
To be FOUND... to belong..." She nodded slightly at the knowledge in his eyes. "Well, now you DO. You belong here, helping
Willow and Jarod fight this thing, this... what's it called again?" she directed the last to the oldest immortal, and nodded again at
his answer, "Sauverna. It's YOU, Spike. That's why you're here in Paris, instead of lounging around California."

The worst part for him was that he knew she was right, and he actually wanted to help. If some old God was wandering around
creating mayhem and misery for the humans around it, he should be ecstatic-- he was a vampire, after all-- but for some
reason, he really wanted to stop it. Maybe it was because Red was involved, or maybe it was seeing his Sire again, but... he
couldn't turn his back on this; he just COULDN'T. "Whatever," he finally said, shaking Serena's hands from him. He stepped
around her and went back to his seat, glancing at Willow for just a moment. "I'm going to help," he announced, glaring around
the group in the living room, "But only because I want to protect Red. The rest of this city can go hang for all I care!"

Willow rolled her eyes at the vampire's statement. "Fine," she said, sounding annoyed, "But I don't know that this is something
you can protect me from, Spike... I think it has to play itself out in whatever way is intended, and that seems to involve me
facing it, one on one..."

The blond stared at the girl, almost angrily. "Yeah, well, in case you weren't listening, pet, the legend says IF we succeed, not
WHEN, so I think that allows me a little latitude in how I interpret it, little girl!"

"All right, people!" Jarod shouted, stopping them before their little disagreement got out of hand, "You're both anxious; so am I,
but that's no reason to attack each other!" He watched as the red-faced witch nodded and sat back in her chair, and turned his
attention to the vampire. "It's a common reaction to stress," he explained, "But as healthy as it can be to vent, this really isn't
the time." He waited for the blond to nod, and leaned back when he finally did. "What we need to be doing now is figuring out
when and where we're gonna meet this thing... and what we're gonna do when we DO go to it." He took Serena's hand again
when she sat beside him once more, and smiled slightly into her worried eyes. "Whatever happens, Ser, I..."

"Shhh..." the redheaded immortal replied softly, "I know, J... forever."

He nodded slowly, and sighed. "Forever..." he echoed her before they both turned their attentions back to the matter at hand.

Spike watched the man with his sister, and came to a rather unhappy conclusion. He'd have to protect Willow, yes, but... he'd
watch after the human, too... He was a good sort, and... he obviously loved Serena, maybe even as much as she loved him.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Angel sighed unhappily as he listened to the group outside his room saying their goodbyes... He hadn't wanted to tell Willow
earlier, but he'd never had a problem hearing everything that went on in the living room-- while he was awake, anyway. He'd
heard the conversation she'd had with Amanda and Serena, and the one just now with almost the entire group, and... he was
worried. He was afraid for her... afraid for himself, too.

He'd known, almost from the beginning, that he'd have to let her go someday, but he'd assumed that it would be because she
wanted something a bit more... *normal* than a relationship with a vampire... Obviously, he'd been wrong, because as much as
he hated it, it appeared that she was going to leave him much sooner than he'd expected. Not for a new love; not for a life filled
with sunny days and children, but... to fulfill some sort of a *legend*... to play her part in saving the world.

He wanted to curse the Powers for twisting her life the way they had. They'd shown her a prophecy that made her leave her
home and friends; she'd done what was necessary to prevent its coming to pass; and now... now that she was virtually alone in
the world, except for him and her new 'friends'... they threw *this* at her! She was going to have to face a *God*! And odds
were-- she wouldn't be coming back to their apartment after she left to do what she'd agreed to do.

He closed his eyes tightly, willing his sorrow away, as he heard her knock softly at his door. "Come in, Willow," he called out,
swallowing hard. He opened his eyes as she closed the door behind her, and he smiled a bit. "You don't have to knock, you
know," he said gently, his arm wrapping tightly around her small waist as she lay down beside him, "You're *always* welcome
here."

Willow smiled softly, her arm resting lightly across his ribs. "Well, I thought you might be sleeping," she explained, giving him a
gentle squeeze, "And I didn't want to disturb you..."

Angel chuckled slightly, and turned to face her. "You could never disturb me, love," he answered her, before pressing a chaste
kiss to her lips, "And... I couldn't have slept anyway, considering what you were talking about out there..."

The redhead's eyebrows drew together for a moment before she admitted to herself that he'd said what she *thought* he had,
and she exhaled quietly. "So, you know, then..." She burrowed her head into the crook of his neck when he nodded.

"I know." he replied softly, "And I think you know that I don't like it, but... It's what you have to do, so I won't interfere, just...
Promise me something, Will?"

She pulled back slightly, and stared into his deep, coffee-coloured eyes. "If I can..."

Angel smiled, realizing that he wasn't going to get her to promise to just stay home and let someone else handle this Sauverna.
"Just... be careful?"

"I'll be as careful as I can, Angel," she murmured, her hand sliding up his body to rest on his cheek. "I'll do everything I can to
come ba..."

"No," he said suddenly, cutting her off, "Don't say it. If you say it, then I'll have to think about the alternative, and... I can't do
that." His hand rose to cover hers, and he pressed her warm palm harder against his face. "Just be careful, and... I'll see you
when it's over." And he *would*, he promised himself, even if it meant watching a glorious sunrise burst over the horizon...
there would be no point without her, he knew; not now that he'd finally found her. "I just wish..." he started before shaking his
head and lapsing into silence.

She smiled wistfully at him, her heart almost breaking at the look of anguish in his eyes. "I know..." she said softly, her voice
showing her sincerity, "I do too. I wish this wasn't happening; that we had more time... that there was someone other than me
who could do this... that you hadn't been wounded; that you could come with me, but..." She shook her head slowly, still smiling
her sad little smile. "I wish so many things, Angel, but mostly... Mostly, I wish that those damned gypsies hadn't... well, you
know."

Angel nodded slowly. "Me too, love... me too..." He sighed then, and pulled her tightly against him, ignoring the screaming pain
from his punctured muscles. His eyes closed again as she breathed against his cool skin. He would follow her into hell, if that's
what it took, but he wouldn't ever be separated from her again... not for anything; not in this lifetime. He just had to figure out
how he could help it.

He sighed again, in annoyance this time, when there came another knock at his door, this one much more attitude-laden. "What
is it, Spike?" he growled, trying not to smile when the redhead in his arms giggled against him.

The blond poked his head around the edge of the door, and groaned loudly before pulling it back. "Gah... Get your incredibly
over-sized paws off of Red, Peaches... the girl can't *possibly* be enjoying it... Besides, not something I really want to see..."
He smirked to himself as he heard the sounds of the giggling redhead getting up from the bed, his smirk growing wider at the
slight growl he heard coming from his Sire. He wiped the amusement from his face, however, as he pushed the door fully open
and stepped in to Angel's bedroom. "We need to talk," he informed the glaring vampire, "Privately." His gaze shifted to Willow's,
and he nodded tightly at the promise her eyes were demanding. He wouldn't hurt the great poof... this time. "Maybe Red, here,
can get us something to eat?"

Willow looked back to the dark-haired vampire in the bed, the question clearly visible in her eyes, and nodded slowly when his
glance answered her 'Yes'. "Fine, Spike," she said, sounding weary, "But don't be too long about it; he's still healing, you know!"

He gazed consideringly at his Sire for a moment. "Yeah, Red. I'll make it *real* quick."

The redhead almost laughed out loud at his insincerity, but swallowed the sound, a strangled strangled snort escaping her, none
the less. She walked to the door, blowing a quick kiss to her vampire, and stepped through, closing it behind her. She wasn't
entirely sure of what Spike wanted to say to Angel, but... she hoped that whatever it was would help heal the breach between
them. After all, if they couldn't work it out now, there might not be another chance.

She sat down on the couch and closed her eyes for just a moment, the moment turning into two, then three, then many more,
as she slipped into an almost peaceful doze, twitching slightly only when she felt the God reaching out to her.

"OK, Spike," Angel said when Willow shut the door, "What is it that you want to say?" He thought he had a pretty good idea of
what had brought his childe to his bedroom, but there was always the chance that he was wrong. That chance quickly
disappeared as the blond began to speak.

"It's more what do I want *you* to say." Spike announced, glaring at the older man. "Why didn't you ever tell me what you did
to my sister! And what in the *hell* are you doing with Red!" He continued to glare at his silent Sire, his anger building until he
was pacing the small room furiously. "Well?" he demanded, fists clenched at his sides.

Angel groaned again; the guilt over his treatment of Serena over a hundred years earlier was so strong, it was almost a physical
pain. "Sit down, Spike," he finally said, slowly moving onto his back and sitting up, "And I'll... I'll tell you everything..."

End-- pt 16

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