Destiny

By PSUBrat

Drawing of the Twelve

Wesley stood his ground as he glared at Lilah. Things were finally coming together and he no longer needed her. It was true that part of him had enjoyed the "perks" that had come with this job, but now it was time to move on. He could tell that his glaring was starting to unsettle the woman. Good. He wanted her unsettled; give her a small taste of what it was that she had done to him so many times before. The look on her face was priceless, if he had the time, he would definitely revel in it, but unfortunately, time was something he didn't have at the moment. It seemed to him that she wasn't sure if she should be pissed off at him for his expression or if she should turn and run away as quickly as possible.

Lilah shifted her feet. She had never seen Wesley with that type of look on his face. It made her blood run cold. "Wes, what's wrong? Who was that on the phone?" She hoped that her questions and soft tone would relax him but they didn't. It seemed to her that his eyes got harder with each passing moment.

"It's none of your concern to whom I was just speaking to. Now get dressed. We're going in town."

"Why are we going in town?" She asked him with a frown. What did he need to do in town and why did he want her to go along?

"Just do as I say…"

"I will not," she huffed, her voice taking on a stronger tone than how she actually felt. "Just who do you think you are…?" How dare he speak to her this way and in front of Connor? She glanced over at the boy who was watching the exchange quietly.

"I don't have time for your attitude. Just do it." His voice was hard, unyielding.

She took a step back, giving him a defiant stare. "Fine but don't think this little conversation of ours is over…"

Wesley rolled his eyes. He would say just about anything at this point to get her out of the house but he couldn't chance angering her more than she already was. Softening he stated, "Just get dressed." He watched as she wound her way around the unpacked boxes and into the bedroom. "Connor, it's time you and I had a little chat about Angel."

***

Buffy ran at a full sprint towards the Magic Box, the others following close behind. Despite the fact that they had only been a few hundred yards away at the time of the explosion, she felt as if it was taking her an eternity to get there. Had it been Dawn that screamed? She wasn't sure but it had sounded like her sister and then there was the little thing with the windows blowing out. What could have happened? Her heart was racing and fear had taken over as she reached the door and threw it open.

"Dawn," she screamed as she ran into the darkened shop.

"Buffy we're all fine," William said calmly from somewhere within. "Just don't come in any further yet." He knew it would take them all a few moments for their sight to adjust to the darkness.

Her fear had subsided as soon as she had heard her lover's voice but her worry for her sister continued to grow. She could hear the scuffling of feet and the moving of furniture but she couldn't see much of anything. "Dawn?" She asked, as the others arrived behind her. She was clearly shaken and her voice betrayed that fact.

"I-I'm fine Buffy," Dawn said weakly.

"Buffy what happened?" Angel asked as he came up behind her.

"I don't know…"

Suddenly the room was illuminated with a soft glow from a lantern Anya carried out of the basement. "Look at my poor shop," she lamented as she raised the light above her head. "Next time you open a portal Dawn, remind me to have you do it outside."

"Sorry," Dawn sighed. She'd had no idea that this would happen, it hadn't happened before tonight.

"Everyone here?" Giles asked, somewhat shaken as well.

"I th-think so," Tara stated as she looked around for Willow.

"Okay," Buffy demanded trying to get everyone's attention. "I'm gonna ask again. What just happened here?"

"Well you see Buffy," Giles began sheepishly as he cleaned his glasses and walked towards her. "Dawn opened a portal and…"

"And boom?"

"Yes, well, something like that," Giles stated as he put his glasses on.

"But everyone's okay?"

"We're fine Buffy," William assured her as he walked over to her. He brushed a stray hair out of her face and kissed her gently on the forehead. "Everyone's accounted for."

"Well if everyone is accounted for and no one's hurt, who screamed and why did the windows blow out?"

"I screamed," Anya stated with a smile. As all eyes turned towards her, most in mock amazement. "You would have too! Just look what she did to my shop," she retorted. "And to my hair!"

Buffy had to stifle a laugh. She hadn't noticed it before but the ex-demon's hair was a frizzy mess. It reminded her of the time that she had been electrocuted in high school…

"As for the windows," Willow replied as she brushed herself off. "I think Dawn just had a little too much power and couldn't center it correctly." Turning to Dawn and smiling she added, "We can work on that later Dawnie."

"Uhm. Excuse me," Cordelia interjected. "But would someone care to explain what the hell is going on?"

Xander's head shot up at the sound of the voice. "Merciful Zeus," he cried. "As if this night couldn't get any better."

***

Wesley drove towards town, trying not to break any land speed records. The last thing he needed was to be pulled over. Time was at a premium now. He needed to get him and Connor to their destination in one piece. Glancing sideways, he noticed that Lilah was scowling. She hadn't said one word to them since they had left his place. That was fine by him, the less she talked the less his head hurt. Up ahead the traffic light turned yellow and instead of slowing down, he pressed harder on the gas pedal. It was a damned good thing he had too, because several of the Master's minions were standing in the middle of the street picking off drivers one by one as they stopped their cars at the lights. It was becoming much worse than he had ever imagined it would.

"Connor," he demanded. "Lie down on the back seat and stay down. The last thing I need right now is for you to be taken."

Connor did as he was told. His mind was racing, more so than usual. Back at the apartment Wesley had insisted that he listen to what he had to say about his father. If what the man had told him was true, then he didn't think he could ever forgive himself for the things he had done in the name of revenge. He had demanded that Wesley prove it to him; that's when the former watcher pulled out a file that contained all of the documentation and showed it to him. If it hadn't been for Lilah's confession, he would have never believed it. Documents could be falsified.

"Nice to see you showing concern for the boy at least," Lilah spat at Wesley, venom coating her voice.

"I could drop you off at the next traffic light if that would suit you?"

She pursed her lips and clenched her jaw. How she hated him right now. For everything. Folding her arms across her chest, she turned her attention back to the road in front of her. Her eyes widened as she recognized the vampire that was now standing on the road in front of them. "Oh my God," she said almost in a whisper.

Wesley narrowed his eyes as he realized whom Lilah was referring to. Applying more pressure to the gas, he steered the car into Gavin. The force and speed of the hit threw the fledgling vampire into the air and up over the roof of the car. Lilah was screaming now.

"Will you please shut up?" He demanded as he continued driving. "I thought you were supposed to be tough, heart of ice, all that other rubbish?"

She was breathing rapidly, either out of anger or shock, she wasn't quite sure. Maybe a little of both. She turned towards Wesley and glared at him. "You son of a bitch."

***

Ignoring Cordelia's question, Giles walked over to William. "A moment please," he stated using his head to signal towards the back room.

William nodded and followed the older watcher into the training room, leaving the others behind to fight amongst themselves or to clean up the shop, whichever came first.

While William and Giles disappeared into the back, Lorne moved quickly towards Angel. "Sweetcheeks, I gotta talk to you," he demanded in a charming tone, trying not to rouse suspicion from Dawn. "Now."

Angel stared at the demon. It was the same tone he had used on him earlier when he tried to warn him about Dawn. "What? I'm not going to like it, am I?"

Lorne closed his eyes and shook his head. "Afraid not big guy."

"Wait a minute," Cordelia growled at the two of them. "No one's going anywhere until someone tells me what the hell is going on here!"

"She's not even back in Sunnydale two minutes," Xander snarked shaking his head. "And already she's Queen C again. Nice to see some things never change."

"Shut up Donut Boy. I didn't ask for your opinion, now did I?"

"You can't talk to my boyfriend like that," Anya shrieked back at Cordelia. "You - you demon wannabe!"

If it hadn't been for the fact that the world was going to end in less than twenty-four hours, Buffy would have left the two women go at each other. Hell, she would have sold tickets for it, but now was not the time. Sighing, she stepped in between Anya and Cordelia who were now almost toe-to-toe. "Okay you two! That's enough! Everyone. There will be no more ripping each other's throats out; the Master will be doing enough of that later. We have big trouble coming, end of the world trouble, so I would greatly appreciate it if you all would just shut the hell up and clean up the shop!"

Cordelia was about to make one of her old patented remarks when she realized that Angel was glaring at her as well. "Fine," she huffed, walking over to a chair to upright it. "But I'd still like to know what's going on around here."

"I think we all would," Gunn stated dryly as he helped Xander and Angel right the table.

***

"Do you think they're killing one another yet?" Giles asked with a mischievous grin.

William laughed. It seemed that Giles only cracked jokes around him, he wasn't totally sure why but he liked to think that it was because he felt relaxed with him. "Could we be so lucky?"

Giles grinned as he leaned up against the wall and removed his glasses. He felt, old and tired. Suddenly, his tone became serious. "William, I'm not going to lie to you. The next twenty-four or so hours are going to be the hardest we've ever faced. I need to know that you're going to stand by Buffy no matter what."

He tilted his head to the side and gave Giles a look of puzzlement. "I'm not sure I'm following you mate."

"I know that you are involved with Cecily and I need to know that your feelings for this woman are not going to…"

"Relax Rupert. We're no longer involved."

"What?"

"It's over. I broke it off earlier this evening."

"Why? I mean…" He was at a loss for words but then it came to him. Hadn't William kissed Buffy out in the shop? He hadn't been seeing things, had he? After all, he had his glasses off at the time and…

"It's simple really," William stated giving him a wide grin. "I love Buffy. She loves me. End of story." He felt good saying it, almost as if the old self-confident, cocky Spike were back.

Giles straightened himself, his eyes searching the blue ones in front of him. "Are you telling me that…?"

"Yes, Rupert. Must I spell it out for you? Draw a few pictures?"

"No. Really. No need. Thank you." He began to clean his glasses at a maddening pace.

William noticed the action and chuckled. He was now sure that he didn't need to paint a picture for Giles about what was happening between him and the slayer.

***

When William and Giles rejoined the group, the shop was almost spotless and the pizza had been delivered. Buffy was amazed at how easily a little tension, and some food, could get people to work together. Now if she could only get them to all focus on the impending doom, life would be peachy. Well, maybe not peachy, but less doomy for sure. While they were cleaning, and eating, introductions were made and battle lines were drawn. The Scoobies set up camp at the research table while the Fang Gang milled around the counter area, she and Lorne were the only two that seemed to cross lines. So by the time the two watchers finally emerged from the back room, she was more than relieved to see them.

"Giles," Buffy nervously whispered as she took the man aside. "It's not going so well out here. Scoobies and the Fang Gang, not really of the mixy variety."

Even after almost seven years of knowing the girl, there were still days when he just didn't understand a word she said. "Pardon, come again?"

"Tension. Knife. Not even close to cutting."

"Ah, yes. I see. I'm afraid that we're all going to need to work together on this Buffy, if we want to defeat the Master."

"Can't we just find Angel's son, pat them on the back and send them home with cookies? Do we really need their help?"

"We can't and we do."

"Well I suggest you get cracking with announcements about the prophecy then before we all stare one another to death."

"Right. Very well." Taking a deep breath, he walked into the middle of the room where Dawn had stood only an hour before and cleared his throat.

"It's about time," Cordelia remarked from her stool at the counter.

"Thank you Cordelia," he stated dryly with a frown in her direction. "Now before I begin, I want all of you to know that you are not here by accident. Forces greater than ourselves have been moving us like pawns in a cosmic chess game."

"This dude is even more English than English," Gunn observed with a grimace.

"Who's English?" Dawn asked him from across the room.

"Wes…"

"A name we don't mention anymore," Cordelia replied, scowling at Gunn.

"May I continue?"

"Sorry dude."

"As I was saying," Giles continued. "We've all been drawn to Sunnydale tonight for a reason. It has been foretold by the ancients that the Drawing of Twelve would occur on the evening before the Last Judgment and by my calculations, the Last Judgment shall begin at sunset tomorrow."

"Yeah. You're right about that one Giles. One of the Master's boys paid Angel and me a visit on our way here. Seems we've been requested to attend a not so fun party at sunset tomorrow."

"It was more of a demand than a request," Angel added with a nod.

"Does this prophecy say how to defeat the Master and keep the Last Judgment from happening?" Buffy asked, despite already knowing the answer.

"I'm afraid not Buffy but a part of the prophecy is missing and that part may well contain information as to how we can defeat him."

"Missing?" Xander snorted. "Why does that not surprise me?"

"Because there's not much of a brain to surprise in that small head of yours?" Cordelia stated sarcastically.

Lorne tired not to chuckle at Cordelia's remark. He always knew she had a sharp tongue but he never knew her to be like this, perhaps it was the influence of the Hellmouth?

"Cordelia," Xander began. "I see your mouth open but nothing seems to be coming out that's worth listening to…"

"That is quite enough," Giles growled. "You two are no longer in high school but you wouldn't know it by the way you're acting. Now just keep your mouths shut so that the rest of us can concentrate on the problem at hand." He glared at one and then the other, driving them into silence.

Before Giles could begin going into the prophecy in greater detail, the door to the shop crashed open and a harried Wesley appeared in the doorway.

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