This story deals with an AU. Buffy and all the usual Scooby’s exist.

Summary: Season seven. This is a sequel to Atonement. It deals with the further discovery of what Spike has become following his Trial at the end of season six.

The Usual Disclaimers: Buffy The Vampire Slayer and all characters belong to their creator Joss Whedon, EM, and UPN. I receive no profit for any of my writings depicting those same characters, just the pleasure of taking them out to play on occasion.

Spoilers through Season 6.

Rated PG-13

Pairings: Buffy/Spike, Xander/Willow, Cordelia/Angel, Wesley/Faith

If you want it just ask for it. I would like to know where it is going. I would also like to come visit from time to time.

Feedback is critical to my well-being; also it is nice to know one’s efforts are appreciated. Email Address: vthemagician@att.net

Special thanks to my beta readers, Jackie and Dene’ for showing me the errors of my way! To which I give to them my many thanks.

Discoveries

By Murray DeLee

Chapter 10

Xander and Willow had already gone home for the night; Dawn sat in a chair forcing her eyes to stay open afraid if she closed them she would miss something. Wesley and Faith had gone out on patrol 3 hours ago, she needed to kill something. Wesley much to his credit was not going to let her go off on her own. Giles had stayed to make sure that the remaining four did not end up killing each other. It was no secret that Spike despised his Sire. From Angel’s point of view he didn’t have much love for his childe either.

Surprisingly enough it was the blonde slayer and the ex-cheerleader that where getting along. Who would have thought way back in their senior year at Sunnydale High these two, Cordelia Chase, or Queen C, as she was not so affectionately known to her peers and the over opinionated Buffy Summers, who once tolerated each other barely would find a common ground. They were both hopelessly in love with two souled vampires. Buffy found that she actually liked who Cordy had turned into and for her part, Cordelia could not help but like the woman, the petite blonde slayer had turned into.

As the two talked quietly together their mates as it were, were anything but quiet.

“What really has your knickers in a twist, peaches? The fact that I proved you wrong all those many years ago and changed.” Smirking he continued, “Turned your little world upside down did it? Or is it that after you’re noble and might I add, hasty departure from her life, she went and fell in love with me? Out of all the normal gits in this god forsaken Hellmouth. She went and fell in love with a soulless vampire.”

Buffy and Cordelia both stopped talking and listened in on their conversation, not that they could help it. Hell the whole neighborhood could hear those two arguing. Between the two of them they were reinventing the words loud mouth. At the peroxide blonde’s use of the word soulless, Buffy cleared her throat.

He looked at her frowning face and back peddled as fast as he could. “Well, pet, I was soulless when we fell in love, of course now I have a bleedin’ soul. Course unlike Peaches here mine doesn’t go away when I have a happy.”

She could not believe he had said that. Her mouth opened to ball him out when Angel’s right fist came up and struck him in the nose, a crunch was heard as blood splattered outward. His hands coming up to cover his nose as he yelped out in pain.

Giles moved to separate the two, as Cordy and Buffy went to their other half’s. The ex-cheerleader pushed her boyfriend away as hard as she could, unprepared for the shove he ended up on his ass.

“What?” He exclaimed totally shocked that she would do such a thing.

“Do you have to stoop to his level?” She glared at him.

Buffy and Giles looked at Spike’s now broken nose.

“Lean your head back, Spike?” Giles told him trying to be helpful.

“Baby, are you alright?” Buffy asked her voice filled with concern and her body language told him he was in trouble later on.

“Why do they always go for my bleedin’ nose?” He quickly amended, “No pun intended.” Holding his hand to his nose and feeling it gently he continued, “Every single time you people go for the nose.”

He glared at his lover, “Did you teach him that or did he teach you that?”

“Oh, don’t be such a baby, you’ll heal by morning. Besides you had it coming. If he hadn’t hit you I would have.”

He was beside himself as he asked afraid of her answer, “Why? What did I do to deserve the great poofter here striking me?”

“You can be such an ass sometimes, William.” She was furious with him. He was acting like he did before he got his soul and she was not going to let him get away with it.

Angel looked at Cordelia and then they both looked at Giles as he said quietly, “She only calls him William, when she is really angry with him.”

The two shared a look and smiled, then brought their attention back to the two arguing blondes.

He sputtered as he looked at the brassed off Slayer before him, then he realized what he had said, bowing his head he held up his hands in an I surrender motion. Without another thought he moved to his Sire and held out his right hand.

His Sire looked at the hand before him in total surprise, for in the one hundred and twenty years since his childe was turned he never once offered his hand in friendship. His head tilted to the right side as he looked into his childe’s blue eyes after what seemed like an intolerable amount of time to Spike, Angel extended his right hand and took hold of Spike’s in a firm grip and shook it.

“I’m sorry, mate. That was uncalled for.”

“Don’t mention it, William.” Angel said with mischief in his voice. He knew how much his childe hated it when he called him by his given name.

“Your still a poof,” he said, smiling all the earlier hostility gone from his voice and body language.

“And you are still the most disrespectful childe it has ever been my pleasure to sire.” Though the two would never admit it out loud or to themselves they had just made the first steps towards peace between each other.

Giles smiled and walked over to the couch where a sleeping Dawn had missed everything she would have wanted to see. “Dawn,” he said as he shook her.

She looked up at him with tired eyes and muttered, “I don’t want to go to sleep yet. I might miss somethin’.”

He laughed and picked her up. “Say goodnight Dawn, you can play with them tomorrow.”

She grumbled out, “Goodnight Dawn,” as he took her up the stairs to put her in her bed.

“So,” said Spike, “You and the poof are an item now?”

Cordelia ground out between clenched teeth, “Stop calling him a poof.”

Buffy did the only thing she could do and shook her head laughing.

“And you Miss Stake Happy, keep him under control.” She said in a mock angry voice. Turning to Angel she reached up with both hands and pulled his head towards hers and kissed him deeply. Finally the need to breathe overwhelmed her and as the kiss ended she whispered, “I love you, my Angel.”

He smiled at her and stroked her face gently with the back of his left hand as she shivered, “Love you back, my Seer!”

The blonde Slayer took her vampire lover’s hand in hers and tugged him towards the stairs as she said over her shoulder, “Cordy, the extra sheets are in the hall closet, the couch pulls out into a bed.” Not being able to resist she turned and looked at the two a pixyish grin on her face. “Oh, and could you two keep it down with the moaning and groaning, Dawn is a light sleeper.”

Not bothering to wait for a reply she turned away from the two and pulled her lover up the stairs as he said to her in a voice loud enough for the others to hear, “And you call me evil?”

“What’s your point Fang Breath? I learned from you!”

He chuckled and said, “I am so proud!” As the two in the living room watched them ascend the stairs with eyes and mouths wide open. Both speechless.

TBC

Chapter 11

Xander walked in carrying a box of donuts and coffee for the Scooby’s and their guests from L.A., the ever-present reformed red headed witch at his side. Since the night of her almost causing what could only be referred to as “The End of Days”, he kept her by his side almost constantly. For himself he had finally found the love of his love, for her she was finally able to admit her love for him.

The night Tara had died it seemed to her, at the time that her life was over. She had loved Tara in a way that she hadn’t known love could be. With Oz, he was reserved, gentle and caring. Tara was exciting, she always knew how to touch her and what to say to her, when they were alone. In public the blonde headed witch was reserved almost afraid of her own shadow. In private she did her best to please her red headed lover seeming to derive pleasure out of pleasing her.

The night she died, Willow felt a part of herself die as well, the best part. One moment she had Tara back after being apart for months and the next she held her blood covered dead lover in her arms, not even her dark powers could bring her back to life.

She had fled their bedroom in the Summer’s house to find a dying Slayer on the front lawn, held in the arms of her present lover and best friend. Without so much as a thought she saved her life and later went on to murder Warren for taking Tara, her world, from her.

Hours later she had been hell bent on destroying the world, to put an end to the pain of humanity. It was then that Xander appeared by her side and told her he loved her. She had tried to destroy him for interfering with what she, at the time, knew she had to do. If not for the love he held in his heart for her, she would have succeeded, but the small spark of humanity that resided within her, then, blackened soul recognized the love for what it was and her own love of her best friend brought her back.

She looked at him out of the corner of her eye as her thoughts returned to the present and wondered what her life would be like without him. Unlike Oz, he was far from reserved, in public or in the bedroom. Unlike Tara, he was not afraid of people or it seemed demons. He was not afraid to tell her he loved her in a crowd or take her and kiss her making her ache for more.

She thanked the Goddess once more for giving her a second chance at a soul mate. He was her anchor and she was the keeper of his heart.

Noticing the look he was getting from her and the smile that lit up her face he said softly, “What? Did I get powdered sugar on my face or something?”

She giggled a sound he would never grow tired of hearing as his heart swelled with love for her, his fiery witch. “No you duffus, I just…”

“Love you too, Wills.”

She stood up on tiptoes and kissed his cheek as he desperately tried to balance the coffee and the donuts.

Out of nowhere Spike, appeared grabbing the box out of his hands, “Here now mate, watch the jelly filled ones.” He opened the box making sure nothing was crushed. “Your lucky mate, if you had smashed em’ I would have had to teach you a lesson.”

“Hey, Buffy control your vampire will ya?” He yelled out.

The petite blonde moved away from the book she was looking in and moved to where they were standing. She proceeded to look in the box and took out a donut covered in powdered sugar. “You are so lucky you remembered my sugar fix, last time all you got was plain and jelly filled. Did you get me my mocha?"

He gave her a pained look, that said, I knew I forgot something and then a pleading look at Spike when he noticed the glare in her eyes.

“Ah, hey evil dead, think you can control your Slayer?”

“Not me mate, you’re the one who forgot her mocha and you know how cranky she gets without her morning mocha.” He moved away from the group, as a hand shot out and stopped him. Turning him towards her, she presented him with her best pouty face.

“I do not get cranky. I just like my morning mocha,” she whined.

“Then you better bleedin’ well go to The Expresso Pump and get yourself a mocha, hadn’t you?”

“Baby!” She whined and pressed up against him, taking a seductive bite out of her donut.

He swallowed hard and handed her his jelly donut, taking the box of donuts out of the whelp’s hands along with the coffees he had gotten and thrusting them into Willows empty ones. “You’re coming with me junior!”

“I am not, I just got here and I haven’t even had my donut yet.”

The peroxide bleached souled Day Walker tapped his nose and said in a tone that would brook no argument, “Vampire senses, remember? You ate a powdered sugar donut before you got here. You’re the one who forgot her mocha, so if I have to go get her one, you’re coming along. Isn’t that right whelp?”

“Wills…” He whined.

“Well you did forget her mocha and I came here to research the big evil that is coming. So I am staying right here…” She looked at Buffy and winked. “To do research and somegirlbondingstuff.”

The two women linked their arms together heading off to sit and pig out on donuts.

Xander shook his head and said, “Huh?”

The newly souled vampire grabbed his arm and dragged him out the door, freezing as the sunlight hit him, purely out of reflex still amazed when he didn’t burst into flames. He then moved confidently out into the morning sunlight. “Come on you git, the sooner we get the Slayer her mocha the sooner we get to help with the research.” He groaned as he said the word research he was becoming a bigger poof then his Sire.

“Think maybe we could get hit by a car on the way there?” Asked Harris hating the research part even more then his vampire friend did.

“One could only hope, mate. One could only hope,” muttered the vampire.

Both girls looked up as the bell above the door jingled. The two had returned baring gifts. Both women got up and attacked them almost as they cleared the doorway. “Did you remember to get me extra chocolate in it, did ya, did ya?” The blonde Slayer asked like an excited schoolgirl.

Her only reply was a smirk; she took the cup out of his hands and kissed him quickly, then sniffed the aroma coming out of the hole in the lid and took a sip. “Yummy!”

Spike’s smirk turned into a look of pure love as he watched his mate. She was in fact the strongest human being on the planet, she had stood up to a Goddess and won and yet she could be such a child.

As he watched her lost in his own world, Willow looked at her own lover as he handed her over the cup he was holding and whispered, “I had them put in extra whipped cream for you.” The look of love she gave him made him go weak in the knees. She gave him a quick kiss and joined her girl friend as she sipped at her own mocha.

“I got extra cream in mine what did you get?”

The Slayer’s eyes went wide in mock shock as she said teasingly, “Why Willow Rosenberg, you little minx you. Extra Cream?”

She blushed and said softly, “Hush you or I’ll tell Xander about what you usually do with all that extra chocolate Spike brings you.”

A red blush instantly crept up the Slayers neck; as her eyes went big as saucers and she squeaked out, “Deal!”

The peroxide blonde vampire looked at his friend carefully saying, “Extra cream, huh? I don’t think I’ve been giving you enough credit mate. There appears to be more to you then meets the eye.” With that said he arched his scarred eyebrow and went to join his own mate at the table. Leaving a slightly embarrassed Xander behind.

Giles followed by Wesley and Lorne came out of the office in the back of the shop.

“So what your saying is all the signs point to it happening tomorrow night?” Asked Lorne.

“You read the same book as us, do you really need to ask that question?”

He arched an eyebrow at Wesley and said, “You didn’t get any last night did you? Faith finally see the light and throw you out on your stuffy British arse?”

The ex-watcher just shook his head and sighed.

Buffy’s slayer hearing kicked in and she almost choked on her diet coke. When she calmed enough to speak she said, “Oh my god, your with Faith? I knew it.” Thinking to herself, No wonder she seemed all excited and calm at the same time. “So why did she throw you out?”

Spike grabbed her hand and squeezed it in an effort to make her keep quiet.

“Ow, don’t do that.” She snarled at him. “I was just wondering...”

“Pet!” He said in that tone of voice she had come to know as meaning, Shut up!

“Fine! I will just needle it out of Faith when we go on patrol tonight,” she said smugly.

Three British voices said in unison, “Oh bloody hell!”

TBC

Chapter 12

Sunnydale Rest Cemetery, Midnight:

Faith and Buffy sat side by side on a grave marker waiting by a fresh grave to see if it’s occupant was going to rise. He had been dead for 3 days now according to what Willow was able to get when she hacked into the medical examiners records.

Sometimes it helped to have a hacker as a best friend thought the blonde Slayer. Faith not able to stand the silence finally asked the question that had been on the tip of her tongue since she got back to Sunnydale.

“So, tell me B, you and Spike, wow.”

She smiled at that and giggled, “Yeah, who would have thunk? I mean three years ago he was trying to kill me and I was trying to kill him."

Faith got a guilty look on her face and said softly in an uncharacteristic voice filled with the guilt she felt, “Three years ago, I also tried to kill you. What with the mayor and all.”

The blonde Slayer looked at the dark haired girl and considered her for a bit before she spoke. “Faith, that was then and that time is past, I think perhaps we can just go forward from this day and put it behind us. I wasn’t exactly fair to you back then either, ya know? You needed us and I pushed you away. Maybe if I hadn’t of done that, things would have turned out differently for you.”

“I’m sorry B, I really am sorry. I tried to kill you!” She thought for a moment before she continued. “I wish I could take it back. All of it, but I can’t. It happened and I have to live with that fact. I went a little insane back then. But you know you can trust me now right. I’m really not what you called me last night, ya know?”

Buffy dropped her eyes and then inhaled deeply and looked into her sister Slayer’s dark eyes, “I am sorry too, F. I know your not psycho Slayer. I was just still angry with you. Can we just agree to put it all behind us?”

“Yes, please, I would like that, B. I really would like that.” She thought again for just a second and said, “So your wicked happy then? With Spike I mean?”

“As you like to say everything is five by five.” She looked at her sister Slayer and asked softly.

“Do you love him?”

The dark Slayer gave her a confused look and then her face softened.

“He can be so stuffy sometimes and so overprotective that he pisses me off. Sometimes I just want to kick his ass and tell him to let me do my job.”

“And?” The Blonde coaxed her friend. Her spidey sense kicked in right then and she held up her hand for silence as she stood and walked over to the fresh grave as a hand shot up out of the fresh earth.

The dark Slayer followed her, as they both stood side by side waiting for the newly born vamp to rise.

“Faith, are they this rude in LA as well. I mean you get in a heart to heart and they just sort of show up.”

“Yeah B, that is what they do, they are rude evil things.”

As if that was a queue, the vamp rose to his fool height of 6’1” and moved towards the two women, growling.

“Oooo, I am so scared,” exclaimed Faith, sarcastically.

The blonde Slayer held her hands out in front of her and said, “Please don’t hurt me!” A wooden stake shot out of the spring loader hidden under her shirtsleeve as it found its way into the vamp’s chest piercing his heart.

Exploding into a cloud of dust, the dark haired Slayer exclaimed, “B, he was mine. You know this is what part of the problem was before, you never let me have any fun.”

“I so let you have fun.” She pouted.

“Oh please, save that for Spike, it doesn’t work on me.”

She shrugged and said well naturedly, “You can’t blame a girl for trying.”

As they walked deeper into the cemetery to make one last sweep, Faith asked, “So what did you want to know before you killed off my vamp?”

The blonde rolled her eyes and asked with an impish grin, “What is up with you and the Wes man? Are you like an item now?”

She took a deep breath before she answered, “He loves me.”

“And this is a problem, because?”

“I care about him, B.” She looked away slightly embarrassed and said in a small voice, “I don’t want to hurt him.”

“Well if he loves you and you care about him, how would that hurt him.”

“What if I turn…” Her voice trailed off and tears filled her eyes as she stopped and looked at her friend. “What if I turn evil again, Buffy? He deserves better then that.”

“Faith,” She said in a serious tone. “What if you don’t? I mean yeah, you made some mistakes in the past, but you paid for them. I can hear it in your voice and see it in your eyes; you’re crazy about the man. As someone once said to me, we can’t always control whom we care about or love. Sometimes we just have to take a chance. None of us knows how long we have. My god, F, I died twice now.”

“B, I’m not like you, I don’t have that many friends. I just don’t want to hurt him.”

“And what about you Faith, don’t you deserve to be loved and to be happy. Don’t you think Wesley deserves that? If you could have seen him this morning you would know how much that man loves you and he needs you in his life.”

She snorted at that.

“I mean it Faith, without you he’s lost and I think without him, you would be lost too. You two look good together.”

The dark Slayer nodded and started walking again.

“And what about Spike, what is up with the Day Walker thing?”

“As we understand it, he is a hybrid of man and vampire. He still has all their strengths but none of their weaknesses, except the blood thing.”

“Does that bother you at all, the blood thing?”

“No,” she said softly. “I love him Faith all of him, the man and the demon. He is whom I want. He is my other half and without him, I would be lost. We balance each other out.”

She looked at her sister slayer’s neck for the first time since they had been reunited, “He marked you didn’t he. I mean I seem to remember you as having more scars on your neck, from the Master and Angel, but I don’t see any bite marks other then Spike’s.”

She shrugged. “It’s a side effect from being resurrected. Somehow when I was brought back, none of the scars I had sustained in fights or whatever came back with me, it’s like this body was brand new.”

“Oh.” Was all the dark Slayer said her voice echoing her sadness.

“Faith, what’s wrong? You can tell me anything you know that don’t you? Regardless of our past I am your friend. I may tease you but I want to help.”

The dark haired young woman turned to her blonde haired friend and said in a scared voice, “B, what if he wakes up one day and decides being with me is a mistake. If I give him my heart, I don’t know if I could handle that.”

She regarded her friend and pulled her into her arms and said softly stroking her hair, “Faithy, what if you don’t say anything to him and he wakes up one day thinking you don’t really care about him and he leaves you? Thinking you just don’t care.”

She hugged Buffy tightly, blinking back tears, her body shuddering as she fought against them.

“I don’t know what happened last night between you and Wes, and it probably isn’t any of my business but I’m going to tell you this. When I saw him this morning he was devastated over what happened between you two. If you do care about him, Faith, he needs to know that, because honestly the guy loves you.”

The internal battle she had been having with herself over her boyfriend finally came to a halt at her sister slayer’s words; she disengaged herself from Buffy and said as she dried her eyes. “Guess I need to grow up sometime, huh?”

The blonde just smiled and thought about her mate. “We need to get out of here. The guys are going to worry about us.”

Before either girl could move towards the exit of the cemetery, the stars seemed to vanish from the sky as the sound of thunder almost deafened them. Lightning lit up the sky as a jagged hole appeared overhead, demons started to drop down towards them.

“Oh shit, Giles said we had till tomorrow night. I hate prophecies! I really do,” said the blonde. Both Slayers looked at one another and took off running as fast as they could to warn the others as the demons that had landed looked around at their surroundings, not bothering to follow the figures of the two women.

“Fuck B, I think the shit just hit the proverbial fan.”

“C’mon we need to warn the others.”

TBC

For those of you who have faithfully read the Atonement and the first 12 Chapters of Discoveries, I give you the long awaited Chapter 13. For those of you who are new, both stories are Archived on various sites. I include a link for, "Atonement" and "Discoveries".

Just look for the titles and have fun reading the tale I have woven just for you!

As you already know I thrive on feedback so, please, read and feed my ego, errrr review. Yeah, that's what I meant to say, "Please review".

<http://darkprophecies.net/sinister/attract.htm>

This story deals with an AU. Buffy and all the usual Scooby’s exist.

Summary: Season seven. This is a sequel to Atonement. It deals with the further discovery of what Spike has become following his Trial at the end of season six.

The Usual Disclaimers: Buffy The Vampire Slayer and all characters belong to their creator Joss Whedon, EM, and UPN. I receive no profit for any of my writings depicting those same characters, just the pleasure of taking them out to play on occasion.

Spoilers through Season 6.

Rated R for Violence.

Pairings: Buffy/Spike, Xander/Willow, Cordelia/Angel, Wesley/Faith

If you want it just ask for it. I would like to know where it is going. I would also like to come visit from time to time.

Feedback is critical to my well-being; also it is nice to know one’s efforts are appreciated. Email Address: vthemagician@att.net

Special thanks to my beta reader, Jackie for her dedication and showing me the errors of my ways! To which I give my many thanks.

Discoveries

By Murray DeLee

Chapter 13

Two minutes later:

Both slayers ran as if their lives depended on it as the demons landed, the disorientation of traveling through the rift lasted perhaps a minute or two at most as they started to take off in the same the direction the slayers ran in.

As the Chosen Two cleared the outer boundaries of the cemetery they found themselves coming face to face with another portal. About fifty more creatures cleared the iridescent purple portal before it closed down. The winds died as the rains came to an end. It was like being in the eye of a hurricane the proverbial calm before the storm.

The two Slayers looked around, the older one a calm look on her face as she assessed the situation, the younger brunette still possessing a mentality of Punch, Kick and Stake, attacked the nearest demon to her. A spin kick took it down, her right boot clad foot coming down with all the strength she possessed to crush its windpipe. Blood gushed from its eyes, nose and ears. It was dead in an instant.

Another demon launched itself at Faith, it’s right hand extended, claws the sharpness’ of tempered steel entered her back as she screamed out her sister slayer’s name, “Buffy!” The words barely left her mouth as she collapsed in her own blood. The demon forgetting her as she fell it spun on the other slayer just in time to meet the famous, Mr. Pointy, as it found it’s way into the demon’s right eye, driving the sharp end into it’s brain.

In her mind she called out the name of her lover, all her fear hitting him like a ton of bricks. As his head shot up his mind linked to his mates. He stood on shaky legs and made for the door. His heart pounding in his chest, the others looked at him as a cried out, “Buffy!”

Angel was at his childes side in an instant hands on his shoulders as he turned the souled vampire to him, “What?” His voice filled with urgency bracing himself for the answer he was sure to hear as his own mate said, “It has begun, Buffy, Faith cemetery.”

The Seer looked with unfocused eyes in the direction of her mate as she spoke in a pained voice, “Angel so much blood.”

Spike growled and was out the door before the others could follow. His legs pounding the pavement for all he was worth he made it to the cemetery in record time. Sniffing the air as he ran he found the scent of his mate, his face a mask any emotion he may have been feeling pushed to the back of his mind as he rounded his old crypt just in time to see his lover holding a demon at bay. Without any thought he joined the fray his back to hers. They had done this so many times they moved with the grace of a well-oiled machine. Each taking down a demon and moving on to the next. The body count climbed as the blonde duo fought. Neither said a word. Nothing mattered at the moment except living through what was destined to be the bloodiest battle of their lives.

The others came upon a scene of ultimate carnage, each in their own way taking in the situation and lending a hand where they could. Angel in full game face attacked a demon that was sneaking up on his childe, his hands gripping it on either side of its neck and without so much as a thought he twisted hard; its neck snapped like a twig. Giles crossbow in hand took out as many demons as he had bolts. Xander and Willow seeing Faith on the ground, moved as quickly as they could through the throngs of demons to reach her side. Wesley sword in hand followed hacking away at anything that moved. His mind shocked by the sight of the woman he loved, lying still on the ground. He did his best to protect the backs of Xander and Willow as they attended to Faith.

Cordelia, fought like a mad woman beside the vampire who had claimed her as his. Her own sword covered in bluish green colored blood. Slowly the tide turned, as the demons ran off to regroup.

Jade colored lightning lit the night sky followed by thunder so deafening all other sound was drowned out. A jagged hole appeared in the open sky as clouds obliterated all the stars from sight. The remaining demons dove through the opening the portal made. As the last one made it through the portal slammed shut like a door. An explosion rocked the air around the remaining combatants. Then a calm surround the area.

Wesley moved to Faith’s prone body as quickly as he could and sank down. Pulling her head into his lap. He took in the blood covering her body. He had never been more scared in his life. “Please, Faith. Please, you can’t die. I love you. I can’t loose you, I can’t.”

Willow, placed her small hand on his right shoulder and sank down on her knees next to them. Her other hand feeling for a pulse in the right side of her neck, finding one she spoke softly to Wesley who picked up the rogue slayer in his arms and they quickly made their way to the cars.

“Xander, we have to get her to the hospital. She’s lost so much blood.”

“We will, honey she has to be alright. She’s one of the Chosen Two after all. I mean she’s Faith and she is not going to die. She survived prison right? You’ll see by morning she will be saying everything is five by five.”

The others stood around looking out at the carnage they had wrought this night. Each thanking whatever deity they believed in that no one else was hurt.

Buffy and Spike inspected each other for any sign of injury. Their hands roaming over each other, needing to feel one another to make sure the other was safe.

Giles joined them. His face showing the relief he felt that the woman who he had come to love as a daughter was uninjured. He spoke to her softly telling her that Faith was on her way to the hospital.

Angel and Cordelia went with the others to the hospital to make sure that Faith would be all right and to lend moral support to Wesley.

“I almost lost you,” he said softly to the Rogue Slayer in the hospital bed. He was petting her hair as they spoke to one another.

“But you didn’t.”

“Faith do you even know how much I love you? How much you mean to me?”

Her eyes filled with tears at his admission of love, “As much as I need and love you!”

A smile played at his lips as he bent down to kiss her, his hand tightening in her hair. She sucked at his bottom lip and then cried out in pain as he pulled her tightly against him.

“Sorry,” he muttered as he petted her hair.

“Wes, I’m just sore. This hurts more then the time Buffy stabbed me.” She looked lovingly into his eyes. “Can you just hold me?”

“For the rest of our lives!” Saying that he climbed into bed with her and held her.

Three hours later a nurse came in to check on them. She found them sleeping together holding one another. Not wishing to disturb them, she backed out of the room and shut the door behind her softly.

Angel hung up the phone saying, “That was Wesley, he said Faith is out of the woods and should be released in a couple of days.”

“Probably sooner,” said the blonde slayer, “accelerated healing and all!”

“Giles we need to know how to keep that portal closed or come tonight we are going to have a repeat performance of last night. Any ideas?” Asked the bleached blonde vampire.

Before he had a chance to answer the reformed redheaded witch spoke up her resolve face and voice firmly in place. “I could close it!”

“Will,” Xander started to say but stopped as he saw the look on his lover’s face.

“I can do this Xander, you know I can do this. Giles I am going to need the covens help can you arrange that?”

“Willow, the danger to yourself could be fatal if you attempt to do this. The forces you would have to manipulate could burn you out. Have you even thought about this? This can’t be an impulse thing, understand this could quite literally kill you!”

“Giles,” she began her voice and spirit stronger then he had heard her in weeks. “If I don’t try, no let me rephrase that, if I don’t do this we will all die. Is that what you want? The world to end!”

He moved to the phone to place a call to England. He told her what he thought, but deep in his heart he knew his other surrogate daughter had to do this. Just as he knew each night his Slayer had to risk her life to keep their part of the world safe for the innocents who slept peacefully never knowing what demons roamed the earth under the light of the moon.

Xander pulled her against him and kissed her deeply, touching her face as he poured all his love for her into that one kiss. Slowly the need for breathing became an issue, he put his forehead against hers as he spoke to her in hushed tones only she could hear. “I love you, honey! I am not letting you do this alone. You know that right?”

“Xan, when Tara died, I thought my life was over. You know that!” She took a much-needed breath to steady herself and then continued, “I went crazy and then in all that darkness there was you. Fighting to pull me back. You brought me back from the edge of darkness. Who else do you think I would want at my side? As corny as this sounds, you are my life and my light. You keep me grounded. You, Alexander Harris, are my other half. You are the keeper of my soul.” She looked deep into his eyes, her breath catching in her throat as she felt tears of joy leak from her eyes. “I love you.”

There was so much more she wanted to say to him, but the words escaped her. He saw it in her eyes and smiled that special smile he reserved only for her. He would stand by her side, die for her if she needed him to. Tonight his soul would join with hers. Tonight a Witch and a Carpenter were going to save the world and the Hellmouth be damned. Tonight it ended.

Giles watched the two together and cleared his throat having gotten off the phone a few minutes ago. “Willow, Xander we have to prepare. It is going to take the power of three to stop this.”

He looked solemnly at the others in the room before he addressed them each. Giles retreated as Ripper came forward. “Spike take Buffy home and rest there is really nothing you can do here today. We will need you rested for tonight. Angel, you and Cordelia should go as well. We will meet back here at 9:30 this evening.”

As the others left, reluctantly, three special people retreated into the training room of the Magic Box. The clock was ticking and time was running out.

TBC

This story deals with an AU. Buffy and all the usual Scooby’s exist.

Summary: Season seven. This is a sequel to Atonement. It deals with the further discovery of what Spike has become following his Trial at the end of season six.

The Usual Disclaimers: Buffy The Vampire Slayer and all characters belong to their creator Joss Whedon, EM, and UPN. I receive no profit for any of my writings depicting those same characters, just the pleasure of taking them out to play on occasion.

Spoilers through Season 6.

Rated PG.

Pairings: Buffy/Spike, Xander/Willow, Cordelia/Angel, Wesley/Faith

If you want it just ask for it. I would like to know where it is going. I would also like to come visit from time to time.

Feedback is critical to my well-being; also it is nice to know one’s efforts are appreciated. Email Address: vthemagician@att.net

Special thanks to my beta reader, Jackie for her dedication and showing me the errors of my ways! To which I give my many thanks.

Discoveries

By Murray DeLee

Chapter 14 - Interlude!

“I have done as y-you have asked. I gave up my life for her. I need to do this.”

The twins looked at her as they communicated silently with one another.

“You know I-I hate when you do that. I am in this room with you if-if you are going to talk about me, at least have the common decency to speak out loud.” The young woman said as she crossed her arms across her breasts.

“You request is unreasonable. We cannot interfere with what is already in motion. Events must unfold without your help.”

“I request an audience with The Powers That Be!” She said it as calmly as she could, her other half needed her.

“The Powers That Be,” the male twin began.

The female twin finished the without a beat in between, “Do not speak with lower beings!”

“Never- never the less I demand an a-audience with them.” She had been with them now for what seemed an eternity and she still could not get use to the fact that one would begin a sentence only to have the other complete it.

“You are not here to make demands.” They said in unison.

Glaring at the twins she decided to try a different tact, her face revealed nothing of her inner thoughts as she formed an unreadable shield around her mind. “Why am I here?”

The male said patiently, “To aid The Powers!”

Her head tilted slightly to the right, as she looked at the golden skinned female, “When?”

The female before her opened her mouth to speak, then closed it as she silently communicated with her brother. ~This is tiresome. This one asks the same questions over and over again. She has no patience!~

Again she asked calmly, “When!”

“Soon,” replied the golden skinned male twin.

“In what way?”

Frustration creeping into her voice, the female twin replied, “In any way The Powers That Be will it!”

“And if I refuse?”

Twin sets of eyes opened wide as surprise set in. Bewildered at her response, speaking in unison they asked, “What?”

In that same calm voice she replied, “I said, and if I refuse?”

The female began, “You cannot…

The male finished, “refuse.”

Finally her face revealed an emotion one of amusement at their obvious confusion, “Fine, then whatever these Powers want, I refuse to do their bidding.”

“No one can refuse The Powers. It is not acceptable,” they both said as one.

“Well you see that is where you are w-wrong. I can and do refuse to help.”

The female came close to her as she spoke, “They brought you here for a reason, lower being. You cannot refuse to help. There are certain uses for your talents. You will do as you are told, when the time comes. Do you not understand you are to assist The Powers That Be?”

The woman took a step forward forcing the female twin back a step, “No, I-I will not! And yes I understand I am to assist. What you fail to understand is unless y-you let me do this one last thing on the Earthly plane of existence that you and y-your Powers That Be ripped me from,” refusing to be intimidated any longer she took a step forward, forcing the female back another step, as she finished her sentence, “I will do nothing for you or them.”

The male’s golden face went pale, as he stated in a voice that betrayed his fear of any being refusing aid to The Powers, “But that is not acceptable.” Trying to regain control he said, “This discussion is at an end, you will do as you are commanded.”

Crossing her arms over her breasts she simply stated once more, “No I will not! You are not the b-boss of me. I wish to speak to The Powers.” Her blue eyes bore into both twins challenging them to refuse her request as she said raising her voice for the first time since she was brought before these two messengers of The Powers, “NOW!”

Before either could respond a voice that appeared out of nowhere and permeated everything said, “GRANTED!”

Willow, Giles and Xander sat in a lotus position in the center of the training room. Each meditating on what role they would play in the coming battle. As they meditated, the mystical energy of The Coven infused their beings. Each began to glow a soft pale blue as the unearthly energies filled them. Slowly Giles floated up into the air and extended his feet so they touched the floor. Xander opened his eyes and found himself standing five feet to the right of Giles. Willow completed the triangle standing five feet to the left of Xander.

Located in the center of the triangle, an astral body began to take form, the shape was familiar as was the honey blonde hair that hung below her shoulders. All eyes focused on the woman that could not be standing before them but was.

Recognition and shock registered on Willows face as she said one name, softly, “Tara!”

The astral entity before her said in a voice filled with love and awe, “Willow!”

TBC

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