Buffy X-overs 1. Prologue

I don't own Buffy or Angel gang's. I own Paige, Kayla, Brandon, Blake and the five potentials. Please review. Don't place on another site unless I tell you, you can.  
  
- - - - - - Everyone waits for his or her fifteen minutes of fame. The fifteen minutes when they are the center. When everything they do count's. When people they don't know, know who they are. Being in the spotlight my whole life, I don't want anymore fame. I want to be a normal teenage girl. I don't want bodyguards following me everywhere. I don't want to have private tutors because going to school isn't safe. I don't want malls to close when I turn up 'cause they think I'm something special. I want a curfew, heck I wouldn't mind being grounded for a few weeks if it meant I could get a normal girl's life. I would give anything for a normal life. One where I was bought up normally and my parents believed they didn't have to buy my love.  
  
I guess starting at the beginning would be as good as any place to start. I'm Paige Faith Hart. Born on May 21st 1988. My parent's are Abigail and Christian Hart. My father was the descendent of one of the founders of the law firm, Wolfram and Hart. My mother's father was the head of The Watchers Council at one stage. So they expect a lot from me. They want me to be a Watcher and a lawyer and at one stage they wanted to make me a potential Slayer. I have one older brother Brandon. He moved to America when I was six to be a Watcher-In-Training.  
  
Yeah, right. When my parent's let him go they didn't know he was so not going to be a Watcher-In-Training, that was just his cover story. They found out though, like parent's do, and all hell broke loose. Now whenever they mention him, he's the failure. Whenever I do something bad, he comes up. "This is just like something 'he' would do". I haven't spoken to him since I was six and he was catching a plane to America. I wasn't allowed to go with them to the airport 'cause I was 'too little' apparently. He didn't seem too sad to have to leave me behind. I was six so I didn't really understand what was going on. He hugged me and told me he'd come back for me when he could. Not surprisingly enough, he didn't.  
  
From as soon as I could walk and talk, my parent's have forced Demonology upon me. At first it was reading up on all the demons of the demon world. Then it became translating texts and testaments. Then on my 13th birthday, it was fighting. I got two presents on my 13th birthday; one was a CD of classical music, which I do not like; the other was an axe. They told me I was to start training the same day. The Watchers' Council had captured some vampires just so I could fight them. Pathetic.  
  
My parent's had always been very distant from me. I always came second after their work. Like I wasn't good enough for them. Because they spent practically all of their day's working, I had a nanny who worked as my tutor as well.  
  
I must have gone through something like 20 nanny/tutors before my 13th birthday. I could always find something wrong with them and when I told my parent's they fired them instantly, even if the fault was something stupid like they used bad perfume or something; it's not like my parent's actually listened to what I said.  
  
Every night I would wonder what Brandon was doing right then. Even though I knew deep down that he certainly wasn't think about the sister he had back here. I asked my parent's so many times if they knew where he was but all I got was a 'Go to your room'. My room. Well there's an original topic. I didn't get to choose the colour, I can't put anything on the wall 'cause my parent's fear I'll spoil the paint. I have to keep it clean, which bites, 'cause I am so not a tidy girl.  
  
I tried to cast a spell so that I could see what Brandon was doing, but I kinda blew up the kitchen. I blamed it on the nanny I had at the time and she was fired.  
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So I moved away from home, fooling my parent's by telling them I was going to be a Watcher-In-Training. I left my 6year old sister with my horrible parents' but I'm sure she'll be fine. I got to LA and went to the Watcher's place who was gonna be teaching me the ropes. Him and me, well, we sort of had different ideas of what showing the ropes meant. Me, I wanted to go party and meet girls but he was more interested in actually doing Watcher work. I stayed at his place till I met this really hot chick, Faith.  
I moved out of the Watcher's place and crashed at Faith's place. She had friends who owned a real hotel and got me a room there. They were cool people, if not a little odd. One was a vampire, one was a seer, one was a demon/vamp hunter and one was a brainy knowledge chick. The vamp was the famous Angelus turned Angel and it took strength not to stake him. They had a friend, who was a real live, well twice dead, Slayer and she stayed there for a weekend every now and then. Angel got the famous Darla vamp pregnant at one stage and then she had a kid, Connor. He went to some Hell dimension and came back a bit later 16 or something. He's a broody dude like his old man and there was big conflict there.  
So I talk to my parent's sometimes. Mostly on my birthday and on Christmas. They refuse to let me talk to Paige and I know they never pass on the mail I send her. She probably doesn't even remember me 'cause she was six when I left and I sort of don't blame them for not letting her come in contact with me.  
  
Faith really reminds me of Paige and I don't know if that's because Paige's middle name was Faith or something mystical.  
The Angel Investigations gang moved to Sunnydale when LA's Demon/Vamp population collapsed, so I moved with them. It was the Hellmouth after all.  
  
Vamp population here in Sunnydale is high and it provides a good night's fun.  
  
Buffy, she's the Slayer, has a little sister, Dawn, who she's training to Slay. Yeah, well Buffy, she's dating this guy Xander. Willow, she's this witch who can't perform dark magic anymore, she's seeing this vampire Spike, a.k.a. William the Bloody. Anya, a.k.a. Anyanka the Vengeance demon, is single and hooked on sex.  
I've tried calling Paige from a different phone number but they still wouldn't let me talk to her. Would be nice to know she's okay. This Watcher guy Giles bought over some Potential Slayers from England and it was nice to know that Paige wasn't one of them. I know before I left, Mum and Dad were thinking about making Paige a Potential Slayer.  
I tired to get information out of Giles about Paige but he told me he didn't know anything about a girl named Paige. Shockingly enough he didn't look me in the eye when he told me this.  
  
Paige should be around 15 now I think. She'd be one cool chick if she were anything like me, which I hope she isn't.  
  
Mum and Dad have probably got her translating stuff all the time and fighting vampires and listening to classical music.  
  
The second I can find a way to get there without being sent away from Paige, I will so be there rescuing her from that hell hole.  
The Potential's are quite cool, 'cept for one who's really weird and we all think has a huge crush on Angel.  
  
Willow and Spike are really serious which is cute cause he's this big bad vamp and she's this 'can't touch dark magic again' chick.  
  
Buffy and Xander are weird cause she's the Slayer and he's just a normal guy.  
  
Angel and Cordelia are sweet cause they are both at least part demon in some way.  
  
Dawn is Dawn and she's like cute, babbley and quite hot when she's in fight mode.  
  
Connor is broody and stern, like his old man. One of the Potentials has a huge crush on Connor and he can so not see it.  
  
Gunn and Fred and odd cause she's all smart and Gunn's not thick but not a genius either.  
  
Faith and me are cool. Sort of in the dating but not greatly serious mode.  
If the six-year old Paige is anything to go by, I think Faith and Paige would get along. When they eventually meet.  
  
I tried calling up The Watchers Council, but they denied knowing anyone named Paige.  
  
There has to be some way to get in contact with her. And before you ask, I've had everyone ring up the WC and every one of them got told they did not know who Paige Hart was.  
  
I asked Willow to cast a locator spell but she refused saying it was too dark and then Spike got all boulchy at me cause I wouldn't take no for an answer.  
I tried to cast it myself but blew up the couch. Not the best way to go.  
  
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Faith bought this guy, Brandon, over to the hotel and talked us into letting him stay with us. His father was a descendent of one of the founders of Wolfram and Hart and his mother's father was head of the Watchers Council. He was supposed to be learning to be a Watcher-In- Training, but apparently it wasn't his thing. The Watcher training him was none other than Wesley. He has a six year-old sister back in England and he is always talking about her. I think her name was Paige. He was an okay kinda guy and you could tell Faith liked him so bad.  
He's not so bad at the fighting either. Knows all about heaps of demons and how to kill them. He's quite handy to have around.  
  
When there was that whole thing with Darla, he was the one who kept up patrols leaving the rest of us to deal with Darla and Connor and pregnancy.  
After Connor came back from the Hell dimension and Angel and him were always at each other's throats he kept up patrol and demon research and stuff.  
  
A bit later the entire demon/vamp population of LA was sitting on nothing and Angel spoke to Buffy in Sunnydale and she said it was cool for us to move down there. We packed up our stuff and all moved down to Sunnydale. At first, things between Buffy and Angel were awkward but they got easier. Brandon and Faith rented out a house with Angel and me and Connor came and lived with us too. Fred and Gunn moved in to Xander's apartment that he wasn't living in but it was empty. Xander, Buffy and Dawn were all living in the Summer's house. Spike and Willow have an apartment new UC Sunnydale and live there. Yes it's vamp proof. Just like our place.  
  
Brandon got all of us to call up the WC and ask for Paige but we all got told that they didn't have anyone there called Paige. Brandon tried to talk Willow into doing a locator spell so he could check Paige was okay but she refused and Spike backed her up. Willow's off magic incase you didn't know. He tired it himself at our place and blew up the couch. Now we have to sit on the floor till he buys us a new one.  
  
- - - - - Xander and me started dating and then he moved in with Dawn and me. Willow starting dating Spike of all people but once I got over the shock, I accepted it 'cause hey, went there too, except not in a datey way. Angel called and said that there were like no vamps or demons in LA anymore and asked if he and his friends could move down to Sunnydale. They did so now we're like this whole big gang. Angel has a son, which is weird, and he's dating Cordy. Faith was one of them and it was a bit awkward but we got over it. I'm training Dawn in Slaying and she's quite good.  
  
They have this other gang member, Brandon, and when Dawn first saw him, she was like "Wow. Hotness factor off the scale", she can be so immature sometimes.  
  
Giles bought over some Potential Slayer's from England and I have to train them. They're okay but one's really weird. She never says much but she's a really good fighter. The other girls pick on her and they think I don't know.  
  
Brandon's always going on about his little sister back in England. She's sound's cute and I wouldn't mind meeting her, but she's stuck with her parent's, who sound horrible by the way.  
  
Brandon tried doing the locator spell himself but blew up their couch so now they're couch deprived.  
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Hey, Paige again. I'm thinking about running away. 'Cause, it's not like my parents' would actually miss me of anything. Yeah, I could track down Brandon's address and catch a flight to America and live with him. Anything's got to be better than having to live with parents' who don't actually give a crap about you. I've been trying to cast a transportation spell but I just get really tired. I've found another version of the transportation spell that's a little less complicated. I tried that spell and I left my room and ended up in Brandon's old room down the hall! It was so cool. I mean I was really tired still after I got to Brandon's room and I couldn't transport myself back, I had to walk, but maybe, if I can get better at it, I can send myself to America and see Brandon! Wish me luck. 


	2. Theres this guy

"Girls, you're going to be late for school!" Buffy yelled up the stairs to the 5 Potential's Giles had put her in charge of. Bailey, wearing a plain blue tee with worn jeans, ran down the stairs with her bag banging against her hip. "Morning Buffy!"  
  
"Aren't you a bit too cheerful for someone who has to go to school?"  
  
"I have English today"  
  
"And?"  
  
"There's this guy.." her voice trailed off and she got a dreamy look on her face. "Ah, there's always a guy. What's his name?"  
  
"Dylan. He's so hot Buffy!"  
  
"Okay well I'll take your word for it. Go eat breakfast. You can't pick up guys on an empty stomach"  
  
Bailey ran off into the kitchen and Buffy heard her telling Xander about Dylan. "Girls, get your arse's down here now! Or there'll be no patrolling tonight" She knew that would do it and instantly heard the four girls thumping around and running down the stairs. "It's about time"  
  
"Sorry, Mad couldn't find her left shoe. Hey, stop it!" Morgan, the eldest of the five girls burst out laughing. Buffy raised her eyebrow at the girl and she quickly composed herself. "Go and eat some breakfast. Bailey's already in there. There's a guy"  
  
Morgan, Alyssa and Madison perked up and ran like lightening into the kitchen. Chloe trailed along after them, showing no real interest in Bailey's guy. She was the youngest of all five girls and was nothing like them. She was quiet and shy and only spoke when she was spoken to. Buffy climbed the stairs to wake Dawn. Dawn was in her first year at UC Sunnydale and Buffy knew her first class didn't start till around ten. Buffy tapped on the door and gently pushed it open. She chuckled at the sight before her. Dawn was lying on the floor with her head back against the bed and her kitten, Mischief, was running up and down her legs. Buffy smiled, turned and left gently closing the door behind her.  
  
As she was passing the door on her way to the kitchen, there was a strong knock and Buffy knew who it was before she opened it. "Hey Blake"  
  
"Morning Buffy. How's Madison?"  
  
"I believe she lost a shoe, but I think she's found it now, so it's all good."  
  
"Typical."  
  
"You want to come in?"  
  
"Sure" Blake walked into the warm home and closed the door behind him. "What you got planned today?"  
  
"Think I'm going to try and find a job, but who knows" he shrugged and Buffy got the message. "Think Brad's got hold of her yet?"  
  
There were footsteps and before Blake could answer four girls surrounded him. "Hi Blake" "Hi Blake" "Hi Blake" "Hi Blake"  
  
"Uh, Hi"  
  
"Do you think Brad's got hold of who yet?"  
  
"His little sister, Paige"  
  
"How little?"  
  
"Uh I think she's like 15 or something now"  
  
"That's not very little"  
  
"It's still littler than Brad"  
  
"How come we call him that anyway? I thought his real name was Brandon"  
  
"It is stupid but that's too long to say and Bran's a stupid nickname so we call him Brad. Duh"  
  
"At least I can find my own shoe!"  
  
"Stop! Both of you please. It's far too early. Now, have you all got your lunch?"  
  
"Yes Blake" The four girls all chorused together.  
  
"Girls, where's Chloe?"  
  
All the girls shrugged and looked around the room. "Xander, Hon, have you seen Chloe?"  
  
"No, sorry Buff"  
  
"Uh oh. Chloe, get your arse down here now or you'll be grounded before you can say Vampire" Everyone was quiet and no noise could be heard anywhere else. "Blake take these four to school. I'll bring Chloe when I find her"  
  
"Okay, come on girls" Blake ushered the four girls out the door and closed it behind him. Buffy walked into the kitchen and saw Xander buttering his very browned toast. "Xander, did Chloe come in for breakfast?"  
  
"Uh, which one's she again?"  
  
"Very funny Xander. I'm serious. I don't know where she is"  
  
"Well, it's not like she just went poof. Or maybe she did"  
  
"Arrggh. You are so not helping Xand. CHLOE! Where are you? You do realize that by doing this you are provoking me to beat you into a bloody pulp. Right?"  
  
"Buffy, Xander. You might want to come see this" Dawn's voice held panic and Buffy and Xander raced upstairs to find Dawn standing in the bathroom doorway. "Dawnie? What is it?"  
  
Dawn raised her arm and pointed it into the bathroom. They followed her hand and saw a disgusting site. "Well, I think I speak for all of us when I say, ew"  
  
"Uh huh. Come on Dawnie, let's leave. We'll get it cleaned up later"  
  
Buffy and Xander led Dawn away from the horrible site that lay in their bathroom. "Xander, could you call the gang and get them over here as soon as possible please"  
  
"Sure" Xander found his way to the kitchen and picked up the phone. He dialed the number of his apartment. "Hello?"  
  
"Hey Gunn, it's Xander. We have a situation"  
  
"Uh oh. What kind?"  
  
"Well, the icky, dead kind"  
  
"You want Fred and me over there?"  
  
"As soon as possible."  
  
"Sure, no problem, see you in a bit"  
  
He slid the phone onto his shoulder and clicked the tone. He dialed in the number of the Magic Box. "Hello, you have reached the Magic Box. Our hours are," He cut off Anya's false cheery voice and clicked the tone again. He dialed her home number.  
  
"Hello?" She sounded groggy and still asleep.  
  
"Anya? It's Xander. Can you come over as soon as possible please? We have a situation."  
  
"It better be good if you felt the need to wake me up so early. If it isn't you'd better run for the hills". She hung up on him.  
  
He dialed in the others house. "Hello?"  
  
"Hey, it's Xander"  
  
"Xander? Is everything okay?"  
  
"No. We have a problem. Come over as soon as possible please." He hung up on the cheerful but dull Cordelia and clicked the tone again.  
  
He dialed in the last number. "'Ello?"  
  
"Spike. It's Xander. Get you and Willow over here a.s.a.p. we got a problem"  
  
"What the?"  
  
Xander hung up and placed the phone down on the receiver. He trailed back out to the lounge where Buffy had sat Dawn down on the couch and put the cartoons on. Buffy left her side when Xander came in and went to him. "How is she?"  
  
"She's definitely been better. Did you get everyone?"  
  
"Yeah. They should be here soon I think. Anya was a bit pissed I woke her"  
  
"Well she'll just have to deal. We have bigger problems than Anya not getting all her sleep" There was a pounding on the front door and Buffy ran to get it. "What the?"  
  
Angel barged passed her under a blanket that was on fire. Cordelia, Connor, Brandon, Fred and Gunn followed behind them. "Angel, why didn't you just come through the sewers?"  
  
"This way was faster. So what's up?"  
  
"Let's wait till everyone else comes first okay? Don't go bursting into flames anytime soon."  
  
"Buffy?"  
  
"Willow, hey. Where's Spike?"  
  
"He had to take the sewer, cause daylight" Buffy nodded in understanding and shot Angel a glare.  
  
"Hello. This better be worth waking me up this early in the morning Xander. This had better be a matter of life or death." Over on the couch Dawn gasped. "Okay, everyone into the kitchen please. Dawn you too" Dawn slowly rose from the couch and followed everyone else into the kitchen. When they were all seated, Spike came cruising up from the basement. "'Hello all, What's the what?"  
  
Everyone waited for Buffy or Xander to start talking. Finally Xander muttered, "It's in the bathroom". They all walked upstairs, with Dawn, Buffy and Xander following behind. Willow and Spike were the first to open the door. "Oh, god". Spike took her by the arm and led her away downstairs to the couch. Fred, Gunn, Cordy, Angel, Connor and Brandon were next to see the sight. Fred fainted at the sight but Gunn caught her before she hit the ground. He took her into Dawn's room and laid her down on the bed. Cordy and Angel went down and sat on the couch next to Willow. Connor sat down on the bottom step or the stairs and leaned against the wall. Brandon went and stood against the wall beside the stairs. Anya leaned into the bathroom, waiting to know what was making people faint. "Never, in all my years as a vengeance demon, have I seen such a gross site. Worse than those bunnies," "Anya, please". Xander shut the bathroom door and went down the stairs.  
  
"Well, what do we do now?"  
  
"I don't know Buff, I just don't know"  
  
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"Paige, hey. What's new?"  
  
"Nothing. I'm so bored"  
  
"Yeah, I know. Can you come over?"  
  
"Yeah, right. With my parents?"  
  
"Oh yeah, sorry. Hey I could come over there"  
  
"You could try. This life sucks"  
  
"Yeah, I know. Hey there's always running away"  
  
"Like that wasn't the first thing I thought of. Nah, I tried that already. Got myself caught. Not on purpose or anything."  
  
"Oh. Damn that idea then."  
  
"Yeah, guess so. Give me a sec and I'll see if you can come over"  
  
"Okay, great" Kayla waited patiently as her friend on the other line ran to find someone to ask. In the background she heard their conversation.  
  
"April! Can Kayla please come over?"  
  
"What did your parent's say?"  
  
"Uh yes"  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
"Yes! So she can come over right?"  
  
"Yes, I suppose so. But if your parent's ask, it was your idea"  
  
"Okay" Kayla heard her friend run back to the phone that was left lying on the bed. "You can come!"  
  
"I know. I heard, you two talk really loud"  
  
"Okay, so I'll see you soon? Ooh! Do you want to spend the night?"  
  
"Okay sure"  
  
"Should you ask?"  
  
"Why bother? You know my parent's don't give a crap where I am as long as they don't have to bail me out of jail"  
  
"Okay. I'll see you in a bit."  
  
"I'll be there with girly stuff!"  
  
Paige laughed and Kayla realized she had never heard her friend do that before. "Bye"  
  
"Bye". Paige hung up the phone. She skipped downstairs with a huge smile on her face.  
  
"What's up with you?"  
  
"Kayla's coming over, remember?"  
  
"Oh yeah. For how long?"  
  
"She's going to spend the night!"  
  
"Oh, lovely. Two little horrors to look after"  
  
"You don't have to look after us April. In fact, don't. Just stay downstairs and watch those soaps you like"  
  
April laughed and Paige was comforted by the gentle laugh. Paige ran outside and down the drive to the gates. She climbed onto the first horizontal bar and held onto the vertical ones. "Okay, Miss Hart, just come down slowly and no one gets hurt"  
  
Paige turned round and jumped off. "Hi Jasper! I'm waiting for my friend Kayla. She's coming to stay the night! We're going to have so much fun!"  
  
"Did your nanny approve this?"  
  
Paige nodded heartily. "Are you sure?"  
  
Paige nodded again. "Honest, Jasper, honest" The guard cast her a questioning look but returned to his post all the same. Five minutes later Paige saw the familiar blonde walk round the corner. "Ooh, she's here. Jasper, open the gates!"  
  
The old gates creaked open, allowing the guest to pass through them. "Hey Paige, how's it going?"  
  
"It's great. Let's go inside! Bye Jasper". She waved at the guard who shook his head briefly at the girls and went back to his post. 


	3. Guest Appearances

"So, do we know how, how, um, how it uh, happened?"  
  
Buffy shook her head and kept her gaze at the ground. "Are we going to tell the others?"  
  
"We don't really have that much of a choice. They will work out what's wrong after a while"  
  
"So, how do we break it too them?"  
  
"Straight. That's probably going to be the best way"  
  
"Who's going to tell them?"  
  
"I will."  
  
"Buff, are you sure?"  
  
Buffy nodded and still kept her gaze on the floor. "Someone should call Giles"  
  
Xander stood and moved into the kitchen. The voices of four noise girls came strong when the door was opened. When they noticed everyone was there and quiet, they stopped their loud talking.  
  
"Girls, can you got to your room please"  
  
They nodded and walked upstairs and down the hall to their room. Buffy heard the door close and sighed. "You guys tell Blake, I'm gonna go tell them"  
  
"Tell me what?"  
  
"Blake, sit down." Buffy didn't wait to hear Blake's reaction but climbed the stairs, felling like she was climbing to her doom. She opened the door and the whispering stopped as soon as she did. "Girls, I need to tell you something."  
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"What?!"  
  
"Blake, please, calm down."  
  
"How?"  
  
"We don't know yet?"  
  
"Vampire?"  
  
"Can't, there's that whole 'no invite, no entry' thing."  
  
"Demon?"  
  
"Blake, we don't know, okay? Just please, calm down."  
  
"I'm going out. I'll be back later" He stormed out and slammed the door behind him. Willow sighed and leaned her head on Spike's chest. "Give 'im time Red. He'll calm down"  
  
"Suppose"  
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"Are they really gay? As in 'real life gay' not just 'for TV gay'?"  
  
"Yes Paige. They really truly are gay, okay? Are you over that now?"  
  
"Sorry. It's just, well you know"  
  
"Yeah. Okay, so, toes now?"  
  
Paige sat up straight. "I want to show you something"  
  
"Ooh very mysterious. You haven't, like got an extra part, down there have you?"  
  
"Eew! Kay! That's sick." Paige hid her laugh. "Okay, so what I'm going to show you is totally top secret. No one can know about it. Are we clear?"  
  
"Gotcha. Tell no one, or face the consequences!"  
  
Paige stood up and all of a sudden looked really serious. "Okay, you can see on the one condition."  
  
Kayla nodded for Paige to carry on. "No screaming. Whatever you do, don't scream. That will attract April's attention and it's gonna be sort of hard to explain. Clear?"  
  
"Clear. Now show! I wanna know!"  
  
Paige nodded and took a deep breath. She took a few more and closed her eyes. Kayla stared at her standing there looking like an idiot.  
  
Paige closed her eyes and focused. Breathe in, breathe out. Kayla's gonna think I'm such a freak after this.  
  
Paige's world started spinning. Round and round. Until it shrank and she was surrounded by total darkness.  
  
"Kayla?" She cried out in worry and fear. She forced her eyes open and peered around. She was surrounded by total darkness, still.  
  
"Paige?" Kayla's voice was barely a whisper, keeping her promise to Paige. "Paige, come on. This isn't funny. This is scary."  
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Buffy walked out of the Potential's room and closed the door. They had tried to act hurt and scared for Buffy's sake but she didn't buy it. Before she reached the stairs, a figure appeared out of nowhere in front of her. "Kayla?" Buffy blinked at the girl standing before her. Buffy spoke gently to herself. "Okay Buffy, its no big deal. Don't tell anyone, they'll think your nuts. And then you will end up in a real crazy house and this time you'll know what's real and what's not. Easy Buffy"  
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The girl kept walking past Paige and Paige spun round hoping to see Kayla behind her. The darkness came back and she couldn't move. Everything started spinning again and she felt her head go light. Suddenly, she was standing in the same place she had been before she left and Kayla was standing on the bed with the pillow looking terrified.  
  
"Wow" Paige took a deep breath and put a hand to her head. She felt her legs ready to give way and eased herself onto the edge of the bed. She looked up at Kayla who was standing, armed with pillow, on the bed, looking about ready to beat Paige. "Not exactly what you had in mind, huh?"  
  
Kayla shook her head and fell bum first onto the bed. "How did you..? What did you do?"  
  
"Well, if I did it right, I think I cast a transportation spell which took me further than I'd hoped. I went to this black place, then I was in a house and there was a lady who I knew could see me but she kept talking to herself telling her she wasn't crazy. Then it was black again and then I was here again. And now I feel kind of groggy."  
  
"I'm not surprised." Both girls jumped and looked up at the lady who had opened the door without either of them hearing. "April, I, we, I mean I" April shook her head. "You don't have to explain. I know being cooped up here all the time is ruff, but leaving this realm isn't the way to go you know."  
  
"I, I left the realm?"  
  
April nodded. "That's why everything was black and you feel sick. And why the poor lady you frightened didn't see you as real, just an illusion."  
  
"Cooool"  
  
April and Paige both looked at Kayla. She shrugged and looked at her hands. "Just saying"  
  
"Paige, what you did, what you can do, you shouldn't do it. You can get hurt and you could hurt others"  
  
"How did you know what I was doing?" She turned the Kayla "You screamed didn't you?" Her eyes were blazing and her gaze was enough to kill.  
  
"Kayla didn't scream. I can sense these things. How else can I pick up the second you do something you shouldn't?"  
  
"Nanny sense?"  
  
"So, are we clear now? No transportation spells. Ever"  
  
Paige nodded grimacing slightly and sighed. "So, can you do anything like that?"  
  
"Yes, a little bit."  
  
"Well, go on then, show us!"  
  
"No, I don't think.."  
  
"Please" Paige gave her puppy eyes and Kayla followed suite. "Oh, okay. But if your parent's get word of this"  
  
Paige zipped her lips and tossed away the invisible key. April sighed and stood up. "What would you like to see?"  
---  
The four Potential's sat on the beds in silence. "What do we do now?"  
  
"I don't know"  
  
There was a thud on the door and a gruff voice called, "Girls, dinner's ready."  
  
The four potentials rose from the bed and left the room in silence. Downstairs, everyone was sitting on one of the couches or on the floor. There was a box of pizza on the coffee table in the middle. They sat down quietly and pulled a piece out of the box.  
  
---  
  
"Did it happen yet?"  
  
"Yes. They are mourning."  
  
"Good all is in order" The old man stood from the large chair and walked to the curtain. "All is order. Now, all we need is the other half of it to take place."  
---  
"Awesome. Do it again"  
  
April sighed but cast the spell again. "Cool!" Kayla turned her head from Paige, to April/Paige to Paige again. "It's like there's two of you!"  
  
"Can you do the transportation spell April?"  
  
"I can, to a minimal extent. But I'm not going to unless it's an emergency."  
  
"Can you take someone with you when you do it?"  
  
"I can, if I was strong enough. Which I'm not. And don't go getting any ideas Paige"  
  
"Me?" Paige pulled an innocent look on her face and Kayla laughed. "Okay, you girls need to get some sleep. It's been a long day. Goodnight."  
  
"Night April"  
  
"Goodnight"  
  
April shut the door behind her when she left and went down to her room on the ground floor. "That girl is going to cause trouble one day, big trouble" Before she turned off the light and climbed into bed.  
---  
"Girls, you aren't patrolling tonight. Go to bed"  
  
"But we aren't sleepy. And if we patrol, it would take our mind's off other, stuff"  
  
"Oh, alright, but only for an hour. Then it's bed okay?"  
  
"Deal. Let's go!"  
  
The four ran out of the house and waited for Buffy and Connor to follow. Connor came out and threw them a bag of stakes. "Think you forgot these"  
  
They walked down to the cemetery and walked around waiting for a vamp to show. An hour later they had staked one vampire and they were all bored. "Okay gang, let's go home. Not a lot of vamp action tonight"  
  
They turned to go home when a circle of vamps surrounded them, jumping down from the trees. "Wrong, little lady. Now, who want's a piece of me?"  
  
Madison ran at him and staked him straight through the heart. "Hey, that wasn't nice" Before he erupted in dust.  
  
Madison grinned a wide grin, very pleased with herself. "Madi!" A vampire landed on her from behind and slammed her into the ground. "Oooff." She rolled away from the vampire and staked him from behind, when he wasn't expecting it. She climbed up off the ground and dusted herself off. "He didn't play nice." She looked around at the now quiet cemetery. "Where'd all the vamps go?"  
  
"Took off after you staked that one. Musta been their leader of something"  
  
"Okay, now we're going home."  
  
They headed home and stopped by Connor's place on the way. They said goodnight and carried on until they reached the Summers' residents. 


	4. Deal

"Are you sure you have to go?"  
  
"Yes. I know I said my parent's don't care, cause they don't, but I still have to go home."  
  
"Oh" Paige's face fell. "Well, I guess I'll see you another time"  
  
"Paige, I'll be back, don't worry."  
  
Kayla leaned over and hugged her friend. Paige hugged her back and helped her carry her bags downstairs. She showed her out so Jasper wouldn't think she was smuggling Paige out, and returned to the house.  
  
"April, I'm thinking of running away"  
  
"Um, sweetie, hate to break it to ya, but when you're planning to run away, you don't tell the person who's going to stop you"  
  
"Yeah, I know that. It's just, the outside world, away from demons and vampires; I don't know that world. I wouldn't be able to act like I belong there."  
  
"Honey, no one belongs there. That's why it's the world outside."  
  
"I know, but I don't like living like this. Alone. Bored. Alone"  
  
"You said alone already"  
  
"Maybe that's cause I feel twice alone rather than bored."  
  
"Listen, hon, tell you what. You don't run away, and I'll try and track down Brandon's address for you. Then you can run away. Deal?"  
  
Paige piped up. "Deal"  
  
"Okay, now go upstairs and start on that English thing I gave you and at least make it look like you're doing work, your parent's will be home soon."  
  
Paige ran up the stairs and April heard the door shut loudly.  
---  
"Do you girls want to go to school? Cause I can get you the day off if you don't feel up to it."  
  
"No, Buff I think they should go to school. It's better for everyone really, if you think about it."  
  
"Oh, okay. Girls, get ready for school."  
  
"We are Buffy. See"  
  
"Oh, well go and wait for Blake and he'll take you to school."  
  
"He's waiting outside Buffy."  
  
"Oh. Go to school then you four."  
  
The four girls walked slowly down the stairs and Alyssa closed the door behind her.  
  
"Buff, are you okay?"  
  
"Yeah, it's just Xander, promise you won't decide I'm insane when I say this. But last night, when I was coming out of their room, this girl appeared, in front of me. She was see-through and she was calling out for someone named Kayla. Then she just went poof, and she was gone again. You think I'm insane right?"  
  
"No Buff, I don't think you're insane. I think the stress is getting to you, and your imagination is working over time. Go to bed, you didn't get a lot of sleep last night" Buffy nodded and walked into her room. She fell onto the bed and pulled the blankets over her.  
---  
Paige took deep breaths again and closed her eyes. She knew this time there was no risk of Kayla screaming or of April sensing her because she had gone out to do the shopping. Darkness starting forming and the room around her started spinning. She kept up the deep breathing. Suddenly, the spinning stopped. She opened her eyes and saw a lady sleeping in her bed. "Uh oh. I went too far again. April, Can you here me?"  
---  
Buffy sat straight up in bed when she heard the voice. "XANDER!"  
  
She heard footsteps and Xander opened the door. "Can you see her? Please tell me you can see her."  
  
Xander nodded. "I can see her alright. How did she get there?"  
  
"She's like see-through to you right?"  
  
"Yeah. Excuse me? Why are you creeping my girlfriend out?"  
  
The girl's eyes widened. "You can see me? Not good. April didn't mention you'd be able to see me."  
  
"Okay, so who are you? And how did you get here?"  
  
The girl put one of her blurry hands to her head. "Damn, I'm losing it. Have to go before I get caught. Bye" And she vanished into nothing.  
---  
Them being able to see me is not good, very bad. Paige looked at the weird people whose home she had barged into.  
  
"Okay, so who are you? And how did you get here?" Before Paige could answer, she felt herself slipping from the room. "Damn, I'm losing it. Have to go before I get caught. Bye" And the room started spinning again until she was surrounded by complete darkness. The darkness started to fade and her room came into focus. Her head was spinning and she collapsed down onto the floor, leaning against the bed.  
  
The door was forced open and April came barging in. "You did it again." It was a statement, not a question. Paige nodded slightly, her head still spinning. "I told you you're not supposed to ever do that again. You could have been killed! Someone else could have been killed! Now, I understand that you don't like it very much here. And hey I don't that much either. But you're too young to just leave, there's no point in running away 'cause you have no where safe to go to. Remember the deal we made?"  
  
"Yes. And I'm sorry, I was just practicing, to, you know, see what I could do. April, the place I went to the two people there, they could, see me. And talked to me. Is that normal?"  
  
April nodded. "That, is one of the reason's you don't do that unless you have enough power to get your entire existent's out of the realm."  
  
"How do you get that power?"  
  
"It's not something that you get. It's something you are."  
  
"Oh. So, how do you know if you are?"  
  
"You just know. For starters, you don't get stuck in the space between realms."  
  
Paige looked guiltily down at her feet. "I'm sorry?"  
  
"You had better be. Listen, Paige, I know you're lost at the moment, and I don't blame you, but trying to get yourself, and others, killed, is not the way to go. Clear?"  
  
Paige nodded. "Can I get some water?"  
  
April sighed. "Silly girl. Wait here" April left the room and went to fetch Paige some water.  
---  
"So, what exactly did you see?"  
  
"A girl. She appeared in my room and she was trying to call for someone named April. She was all blurry and you could look right through her. Then I called Xander and he came and he could see her too. He talked to her, but she wasn't talking back. I mean, she was talking, but not to us. Like we weren't supposed to be able to see her or something. Then when Xander asked her who she was and she went all weird said something like 'Damn, I'm losing it. Have to go before I get caught. Bye' and then she went poof. Are we insane?"  
  
"Well, if it was just one of you, then, in a normal town, you might be insane, but this is the Hellmouth and there were two of you who saw it, so going to go with 'Not insane'."  
  
"Well, that's good. So how do we go about finding out mysterious vanishing girl?"  
  
"I could try a summoning spell"  
  
"Red, I thought you didn't want to do magic again. Ever"  
  
"A simple summoning spell isn't dangerous. It's really light magic, basic stuff."  
  
"Are you sure Will?"  
  
Willow smiled at her friends. "It's safe and you will all be here and I'll stop if it gets to be to much. So, I'll go to the Magic box and get what I need." Noticing the looks her friends were giving her, she sighed. "Would you like to come Xander?"  
  
"Okay, sure" He kissed Buffy on the forehead and left with Willow.  
---  
"So, Willow, are you sure you should be doing this?" It was two hours later, and Willow was sitting inside a circle of candles, which Spike was finishing up lighting. Buffy and Dawn were leaning against the doorframe of Buffy and Xander's room, while Xander was standing on the very edge of circle, trying to talk Willow out of it.  
  
"Xander, I'll be fine. This is why the four of you are hanging around. To stop me if the spell goes wrong and I become what I was when, anyway. Xander you'll have to stand back or the spell will go konky."  
  
Xander reluctantly stepped away and stood beside Dawn and Buffy. Spike moved away and leant against the wall. "Just take your time Red."  
  
Willow straightened her back and inhaled gently. She sat for a few minutes concentrating on bringing forth the uninvited visitor who crashed in on her friends. She breathed in and out. Suddenly there was a gush of wind.  
---  
Paige was sipping the cold water April had bought her, when there was a large gush of wind. "April what?"  
  
"Sshhh. It's a spell. Someone's calling for you. You have to go before the calling is too strong for your body to control. Take my hands. Now focus all your energy where it feels's strongest. Close your eyes. Focus. I will be here keeping you on this realm okay? I'll pull you back. Go."  
  
Paige breathed in and tried to focus herself. The room was spinning and April spun with it. Suddenly, April was gone and she was surrounded by darkness. "April? Please, April I'm scared."  
  
The darkness turned to a blurry light and she was inside a circle of flickering candles. A red head jumped out of the circle when Paige appeared. She heard the redhead whisper "Is that the one you saw?"  
  
She heard no one reply after that. Her breathing picked up pace and she had to open her mouth to stop herself fainting.  
  
"Where, who, April?" Panic rose in her voice and she had to stop talking so she didn't faint.  
  
"Who are you? And why were you popping in on my friends?" The redhead was questioning her and she tried to respond.  
  
"Red? What's wrong with her?"  
  
"Spike, I don't know. The power, she has so much power and she can't grasp it. No one taught her how. I'm Willow. What's your name?"  
  
"Can't, have, to go, back. It's too strong, too black. I have to" She vanished and all the candles blew out. Willow collapsed on the floor and Spike was first at her side. "Red? You okay? Told you, you shouldn't have been doing magic."  
  
"I don't understand. Summoning spells are so simple, when calling on a human. You don't even have to speak. I don't get it."  
  
"Maybe she wasn't human." Everyone looked at Dawn and she tipped her head to the ground. "I mean, think about it. Willow said that calling a human was simple, that obviously wasn't. So, maybe she's something other than a human."  
  
"Like what bit?"  
  
Dawn shrugged. "Witch? Really, really powerful witch? Vampire witch?"  
---  
The room spun out of view and she found herself holding April's hands back in her room. "Are you okay?"  
  
"Where did I go? Why?"  
  
"Someone cast a summoning spell on you, and you were obliged to go."  
  
"You said I wasn't to do that ever again."  
  
"Technically, you didn't. Whoever summoned you did. You just helped a bit. And I can't tell you where you went cause I wasn't there, you were."  
  
"I was in a bedroom. In a circle of candles, and they were flickering. There was a redhead girl and she jumped out of the circle when I came into it. And there were some other people behind me, but I didn't have enough strength to turn around. And the redheaded one, she was asking me why I was crashing into her friend's room. And then someone spoke. He had an English accent. He asked what was wrong with me. The redheaded one told him I had too much power and I couldn't grasp it 'cause no one had taught me how. Then she told me her name. Oh god, I can't remember what it was. She asked me what mine was and I tried to tell her I really did, but the blackness was coming again and then I went poof again and was back here."  
  
"Okay. Well, now I'm going to teach you how to handle your powers."  
  
"Really? Do we have to do it now cause I'm really wiped."  
  
"Yes. Now. Stand up." Paige stood and her legs were shaking beneath her body weight. "Okay, now close your eyes, and imagine lots of white light washing over you, bathing you."  
  
Paige closed her eyes and was surprised at how quickly she could imagine the white light. "Now, imagine blue light, coming up through the white and it trying to take over you." Paige saw the pale blue and gasped at the coldness she felt. "Now, the blue light is the power, you have to take control. Can you do that? Just see the blue light, hitting the barrier around you and sinking down into nothing." Paige saw this so clearly. "Open your eyes."  
  
Paige's eyes flickered open and she yawned. "Why am I sleepy?"  
  
"Side effects. Now, go to sleep. I'll tell your parent's you weren't feeling great so you are taking a nap. And I'm changing my mind. You can't do that transportation when I'm not with you. When I tell you, you can and I'm here, then you can, okay?"  
  
Paige nodded sleepily and laid down on the cold bed. "Sleep safe." She heard April whisper before the door closed and she dissolved into nothingness. 


	5. Summoning

"Spike is Willow okay?"  
  
"She'll be fine. She's really wiped and she's not going to do magic again."  
  
Xander nodded and walked up the stairs. He peered into Buffy and his room where Spike had laid Willow down and she was recovering from her magic overload. He went back downstairs and sat on the couch next to Dawn. "Is she going to be okay?"  
  
"I think she'll be okay, as long as she stays off the magic."  
  
"Isn't it just as bad too stop altogether rather than just cut back?"  
  
"I don't know. But you saw what happened before, with the 'simple' summoning spell. It went wacky."  
  
Dawn nodded and went to get a drink from the kitchen. There was a knock on the door and Xander went to open it. "Hey guys, come in"  
  
"How's Willow?"  
  
"She's sleeping. She's really wiped."  
  
"So, what spell did she do?"  
  
"She tried to do a summoning spell to find out who and why Buffy and me saw some girl. Well the girl came, had too much power and she couldn't grasp it cause no one bothered to teach her how, she left cause the blackness was coming again and then Willow hit the ground, literally."  
  
"Did we find out who she was?"  
  
"No. She didn't tell us her name before she left."  
  
"Can we summon her again?"  
  
"Willow isn't going to if that's what you're asking"  
  
"No, I know Willow isn't doing it. But maybe someone else could try. I mean, I know no one else has Willow's power, but someone must be able to. Is there a group summoning spell? Where more than one person can summon the girl in question?"  
  
"I don't know. You guys make with the research, I'm gonna go check on Willow." Xander climbed up the stairs while Blake, Faith, Angel and Cordelia cracked open the witchcraft books, trying to find a spell.  
---  
"Paige? Are you okay?"  
  
"Sleepy. Let me sleep."  
  
"Paige, your parent's want to talk to you downstairs." Paige moaned and rolled so she was facing away from April.  
  
"Paige, just go downstairs and see what they want"  
  
Paige grumbled as she climbed out of her warm bed, "Not gonna be anything good anyway"  
"Paige, darling, are you okay?"  
  
"Sleepy."  
  
"Okay, this will just take a second. Your father and I are going away for the weekend on a business trip. Will you be alright alone with April?"  
  
"Uh huh, Fine. Can I go back to sleep now?"  
  
"Paige, we're leaving in an hour."  
  
"Okay, have fun" Paige turned and left the room. In her room, she found April sitting on her bed. "When your parent's leave, do you want to try transporting again?"  
  
Paige shook her head. "I think I've had enough of that forever."  
  
"Paige, you have great powers. Some people would kill to have the power's you have inside you. Why else do you think your parents have guards and don't let you go to school? It's because they know they powers you could have if you were to access them. They hoped that by keeping you away from the outside world, you would never know what you could do. But the transportation spell screwed that up."  
  
"So you mean, if I tried, I could do more than just transporting myself?"  
  
"You could, but you're not going to. Not yet anyway."  
---  
"Guys! We found one"  
  
"One what?"  
  
"A group summoning spell Dawnie"  
  
"Is it hard?" Xander had come down the stairs and was leaning over the book Cordelia had pointed him to. "It's a fairly simple spell. Pouring essence, lighting candles, deep thoughts, that kind of stuff. We could easily pull it off."  
  
"Okay, you go to the Magic Box and buy everything we need. No candles, we still have those." Cordelia grabbed her bag and walked out the door. Xander went upstairs to talk to Willow.  
  
"Will, Cordy found this group summoning spell. It's like what you did, except it spreads the power between more than one person. Is there anything you want to tell us before we do it? Cordelia went to get the things we need."  
  
"You, have to wait. The power, if she can't focus it, it could blow her up from the inside. You need to let the side effects wear off."  
  
"How long will that take?"  
  
"Give it another hour. And if you accidentally blow her up, you will be going to her family and telling them what happened."  
  
He nodded and grimaced slightly. He left just as Spike was coming in with coffee for Willow.  
  
Cordelia, Angel, Buffy, Dawn, Xander and Blake were sitting inside the circle lit with candles. Willow stood with Spike near the door to control things if they got too out of hand. They all breathed in and kept their breathing deep and long. Cordelia poured the essence around the circle and it rose up in steam off the ground. They all closed their eyes and focused on the human they wanted to bring forth. The curtains blew and the candles flickered.  
---  
"April, it's happening again"  
  
"Take my hands. Focus your energy, just like we practiced. Allow yourself to be taken to where ever you are called. Breathe, and try not to come home until you know why they keep calling you"  
  
"There's more than one. Not just one of them, five or six. They focused their energy's on me, they need to know" She started spinning and the darkness washed over her again. She was surrounded by darkness, April was gone, and her room was gone. She tried to breathe and found herself short of breath.  
  
She landed in the same circle she was in earlier. There were six people sitting inside the circle and the second she came they all jumped out.  
---  
The girl appeared once more inside the circle and the six hopped out of it.  
  
She was scared, Willow could sense it. Spike pulled her close and she wrapped her arms around his waist.  
  
"Who are you people and why do you keep summoning me here?"  
  
"We want to know why you popped into Buffy and Xander's room and why you are here, like that?" Cordelia indicated to her hazy body.  
  
"I'm stuck, between realms, I'm not strong enough to bring my entire self through yet."  
  
"So, why did you choose here to come and have a visit?"  
  
"I don't choose. Something takes me here. I just cast the spell."  
  
"Where are you from?"  
  
"England. Where am I?"  
  
"Sunnydale, USA"  
  
"Oh. I have to go back, the darkness, it's pulling me again."  
  
"Wait." Willow spoke and everyone looked at her. "You have a lot of power. You have to learn how to control it, if you don't it, you'll, you'll lost control. Learn how to control it, for everyone's sake."  
  
"I am. April's teaching me. I have to, I'm going to" The curtains blew right up and all the candles went out. She was gone.  
  
"Why did no one bother to ask her name?"  
  
"She wouldn't have told anyway."  
---  
"Are you okay now?"  
  
"Yeah. I know where I went. Sunnydale. They summoned me 'cause of the time I crashed into their friend's room. The redhead, she told me I have to learn how to control my lot of power before I lose control."  
  
"She's right too. If you can't control it, it will take you over."  
  
"How do I control it?"  
  
"Practice and calm."  
  
"Show me how"  
  
"No, Paige. Not now, you're not ready. When you're ready, then we can start."  
  
"Am I ready yet? I want to start"  
  
"Paige, don't whine. I'll be downstairs; I'm still trying to find Brandon's address for you. You do still want it, right?"  
  
"Yes. I want to get out of here as soon as possible."  
---  
"Have they done it yet?"  
  
"No, not yet."  
  
"How much longer?"  
  
"A few days at least"  
  
"Has the second one happened?"  
  
"No, but soon, very soon."  
  
"How strong is she?"  
  
"Strong. Not as strong as the first one, but still strong."  
  
"How have you planned the second attack?"  
  
"Death by vampire. Sound alright?"  
  
"Sounds good. Make sure you give me a full report after it happens"  
  
"Yes sir"  
---  
"You girls up for patrol?"  
  
"Ooh, yes please"  
  
"Go and grab some weapons, you have five minutes" The four Potentials took off and returned barely two minutes later, each armed with two stakes.  
  
"Let's go." The five of them set out on routine patrol and stopped by Xander's old apartment to see if Fred and Gunn wanted to join them. They did and the seven of them walked to the cemetery. Buffy walked with Gunn and Fred while the four Potentials ran ahead, on look out for vampires.  
  
As they turned to leave an hour and no vamps later, 15 vampires came from the trees and growled at them. "You girls ready?"  
  
They nodded at the older Slayer and all of them charged at the vampires. Buffy staked three in one go and went to help Fred who was struggling with one vampire. Buffy staked it from behind. "Oof, thanks Buffy" "No problem, just doing my job."  
  
"Buffy! Help"  
  
Buffy ran to Morgan who was fighting a large vampire leaning into her neck to bite her. Before Buffy could reach Morgan, two vamps's jumped in front of her and she had to fight with them before she could reach Morgan. While she was fighting she looked around and noticed that at least two vamps were fighting with everyone, except Morgan, who had one vampire leaning in to bite her. He bit her and her scream was piercing. "Morgan!"  
  
Buffy managed to kill the last vamp she was fighting and ran to Morgan. She whacked the vampire on the head with the stake and he dropped Morgan. Buffy staked him effortlessly and dropped to the ground beside Morgan. "Morgan, Morgan, come on, wake up" She felt for a pulse and dropped Morgan's arm on the ground when she didn't feel one. Fred came and stood over her when she staked the vamp she had been fighting.  
  
"Buffy? Is she?"  
  
"Yeah, she is. Oh god, this is all my fault. I was supposed to train them, not get them killed."  
  
"Is she, was she, you know, sired?"  
  
"No, I staked him before he did that."  
  
Gunn came and wrapped and an arm around Fred's waist. He bent down and picked up the limp body that was Morgan. They six of them and the dead body walked home in silence. They entered the Summer's house and Gunn laid Morgan's limp and lifeless body on the couch.  
---  
"Has it happened?"  
  
"It did. The vamp got staked but I figure, not really anyone's loss"  
  
"Good. He didn't turn her did he?"  
  
"No, Slayer staked him before he could."  
  
"Good. Wouldn't want her coming back and telling all"  
  
"When would you like the next one to take place?"  
  
"Give them a day or two, they'll be over it."  
  
"Okay then. See you then."  
---  
"Did you find it yet? Did you find it?"  
  
"Paige, stop that, please. It's really annoying."  
  
"Well? Have you found it yet?"  
  
"No, I'm still looking. Sit still"  
  
"But I want to go."  
  
"I know, but you have to be patient. Even if I do find it, you still have to way of getting there." She noticed the look in Paige's eyes. "No. You aren't strong enough to get all of you there yet."  
  
"Well, teach me."  
  
"No. Oh, I got it."  
  
"You did? Where? Show me?"  
  
"Here, 'Brandon Hart, Last known residents, Living in LA with one Wesley Wyndam-Pryce. There's the address. Oh, Paige, that was when he first moved there. He probably doesn't live there anymore."  
  
"But I could still go there, maybe this guy could tell me where he is now. It's worth a try."  
  
"Okay. But first we have to get you to be able to transport your entire body." 


	6. Strangle the StuckBetweenRealmsGirl then

They all sat quietly around the coffee table in the lounge. No one wanted to break the uncomfortable silence. Xander coughed and began to talk. "Are we going to have a funeral?"  
  
"They're being sent back to England to their families and they will have the funerals. I spoke to Giles and he said we aren't allowed to go over there."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Uh, something about the families wishes or something."  
  
"Oh, well we can have a memorial service here. Right Buffy?"  
  
"Uh, sure whatever."  
  
"So, what do we do now?"  
  
"I want to summon the girl again."  
  
"What? Willow, I don't think so."  
  
"She could be able to help us"  
  
"Willow, she's just a girl with too much power that she doesn't know how to control. Besides, look what happened to you last time you tried that."  
  
"Xander, I'll be careful. But I need to ask her some questions."  
  
"Can't you just call her up and talk to her over the phone or something?"  
  
"Xander, we don't know her name or her phone number. That's gonna make the phone call idea a bit too hard."  
  
"Red, I don't want you to do this."  
  
Willow placed a comforting hand on Spike's shoulder. "I know. But you can be the one in the room with me if it'll make you feel better."  
  
"How come evil can be in the room with you, but I can't?"  
  
"If there's to much life in the room, she won't be able to hold on very long. And since Spike is dead, technically, I'll be the only living one in the room till she comes, and I might be able to find out some more stuff about her."  
  
Xander sighed. "When are you going to do it?"  
  
"I still have the stuff upstairs, so I'm going to try now." Willow stood and Spike followed her up into Buffy and Xander's room. Willow reassembled the circle of candles and she and Spike started lighting them.  
  
"You know, if you don't want to go through with it pet, no one would blame you."  
  
"You're so sweet Spike, but I need to. If the others try it again, they could really hurt themselves, or her. And I'm the only one powerful enough to hold her here. Okay, so stand by the door and close it please. When she comes, only one of us can talk at a time, so be quiet okay?" Spike nodded reluctantly and Willow sat herself in the center of the candle circle.  
  
She breathed and closed her eyes. She tried to imagine the young girl appearing in the room in front of her. The curtains shook and the window slammed shut. The candles flickered and nearly blew out.  
---  
"Okay, now, focus. You want to be able to control where you go. If you want to go to New York, imagine looking across at the Statue of Liberty. For now, just imagine sitting on the couch downstairs watching the off TV."  
  
"April, she want's me there again. Do I go?"  
  
"Yes, go, stay calm and try and stay as long as you possibly can. If you feel like you're losing it, get her to share her energy with you."  
  
"Shouldn't I be taking your hands or something?"  
  
"No. This time I want you get there on your own. Just relax, breathe, and close your eyes. And if she asks you for your name, don't tell her your real one, make one up"  
  
"Like what?"  
  
"You'll think of something. Go, she's calling you."  
  
Paige closed her eyes and let herself be taken whereever she was wanted. She felt a bang and cold wind and she was, once again, surrounded by a circle of glowing candles. The redhead was there again but this time she didn't jump out of the circle.  
---  
The girl appeared in the circle but Willow didn't get out. "Red? Isn't this the part where you get out of the circle? You know, when she comes in?"  
  
Willow shook her head and the red hair flew at her cheeks. "If I stay in, there's more of a chance she can hold herself longer." Spike nodded and went back to leaning on the doorframe.  
  
Willow stood up and was about 6 inches taller than the young girl. "Hi again. Listen, what do you know about deaths in Sunnydale?"  
  
"Huh? Why do you keep bringing me here? I was about to transport myself downstairs." The girl shifted her weight so she was leaning on her right leg.  
  
"Oh, yeah sorry. It's just, some friends of mine were killed. One by a vampire, one by something else. And we thought maybe you might know what is happening."  
  
"Me? No one tells me anything. Can I go now?"  
  
"What's your name?"  
  
Paige thought fast. "Taylor."  
  
"Oh, pretty name. I'm Willow, and this is Spike." She indicated to the blonde vamp near the door and 'Taylor' spun round to look at him.  
  
"Spike? Oh my god, I've heard of you. Big bad sired by Drusilla vampire, chipped and then sould. And weren't you once in love with the Slayer?"  
  
"How did you know that?"  
  
"I read books. You're like in all the diaries. Oh, I'm slipping, I can't hold on."  
  
"Here, quick take my hands." Willow extended both her hands and the young girl took them. "Concentrate on staying here, don't let the darkness take over."  
  
After a few minutes, 'Taylor' felt herself steadying and was able to release Willow's hands.  
  
"How do you know that stuff about me?"  
  
"I told you, I read. So, is that all you called me for?"  
  
"I wanted to know if you knew anything about the deaths in Sunnydale. But obviously you don't, so if you want to, you can leave."  
  
"I want to know how you know those things about me." Spike's voice growled and he sent her an evil glare. She flicked her eyebrows at him and tipped her head. Spike growled louder and he lunged at the girl. His hand shot at her throat and he tried to grip it. His hand went right through her neck and came out the other side.  
  
"Hello? I'm stuck in the other realm, remember? I'm not all here, so I'm unhurtable."  
  
Spike put both hands to her throat and squeezed the image tightly. Her mouth opened and she let out a small squeak.  
---  
In the darkness, Paige felt the cold hands round her neck, squeezing her throat tightly. "Stop, stop" her voice came out a squeak.  
---  
"Spike! Stop it, right now. Out of the circle." Spike's grip tightened and slowly the girl vanished from Spike's grip. "Spike, what the hell was that about? She's never going to come back now!"  
  
"She was pissing me off."  
  
"Strangling her was not the way to go Spike. You can sleep on the couch tonight." Willow stormed out of the room leaving the door swinging behind her.  
  
"Bugger you Taylor"  
---  
"Paige? What happened?"  
  
"Idiot strangled me. If I was, at first his hand could go through me, then he kept trying and he strangled me. God, the pain." Paige collapsed on the bed and laid her head down on the pillow.  
  
"Okay, try to send yourself downstairs and get all your body there."  
  
Paige focused her energy and imagined sitting on the couch downstairs. Suddenly, she was sitting on the couch. April came running down the stairs. "You did it!"  
  
"Uh, yeah."  
  
"Okay, now try and go out into the back yard."  
  
Paige closed her eyes and saw the green grass and the trees spreading off into the horizon. When she opened her eyes, she was standing in the backyard. April ran out of the house. "You did it! You did it!"  
  
"Yeah, I noticed."  
  
"That's fantastic. Now, with practice, you'll be able to get all of you to America!"  
  
"Yeah. Can I go to bed? I'm really tired now."  
  
"If you can transport yourself, then you can take a nap" April crossed her arms in a satisfied manner when Paige closed her eyes and tried to imagine her room. She was there and she laid down on her bed and drifted off to sleep instantly.  
---  
"Did it work? Are you okay?"  
  
"I'm fine. We know her name's Taylor. A certain someone decided it would be fun to strangle the stuck between realms girl."  
  
"Spike what? Is she okay?"  
  
"I don't know. She got herself out of there pretty quick when he started strangling her."  
  
"But, the chip? How could he? He, it's still working right?"  
  
"Yeah, but cause Taylor was stuck in between realms, she wasn't a real person, so he could hurt her without the chip activating."  
  
"So, but you, your okay aren't you?"  
  
"Yes Xander. I'm fine. The magic, her power, didn't effect me this time. She's learning to control it. Whoever's teaching her is good."  
  
"So, does she know anything about the deaths?"  
  
"No. She did know who Spike was though. Big bad sired by Drusilla vamp, chipped and then souled. Then she asked him if he was once in love with the Slayer"  
  
"And how did she know this?"  
  
"She told us she reads a lot. That was all she said about that."  
  
"What do we do now?"  
  
"I don't know. Wait for the big bad to show?"  
  
"Guess so. You guys want to stay for tea?"  
  
"Sure."  
---  
"Now sir?"  
  
"Yes. I want it to all hit so fast they don't know what's coming."  
  
"Any preferences?"  
  
"Hmmm. Get Dru in there."  
  
"Are you sure? She's not always trust worthy?"  
  
"Who's in charge, You or me? Get Dru in there."  
  
"Yes sir."  
  
"It's about it hit hard."  
---  
"Really April? Really?"  
  
"Yes Paige, really. But if you can't control yourself,"  
  
"I'll be good, I'll be good!"  
  
"Sit down girl. If you can't control yourself, I won't let you go."  
  
"I'm controlling myself, see?"  
  
"Yes okay. Do you know the plan?"  
  
Paige nodded eagerly. "If you aren't home by 11 tonight, here. I will be there so fast you can't say 'Hot potato'. All you have to do is go there, find him, talk to him, and come home. If he gives you another address, keep it and you can go back tomorrow. Okay?"  
  
"Okay. Can I go now?"  
  
"Have you got everything?"  
  
"Uh huh. I have three stakes, an axe, a cross, a notebook and pen, a jacket all in a nice black backpack. Can I leave?"  
  
"Okay. But remember if your butt isn't back here by eleven, consider yourself royally screwed. Go. Have a good time. Don't party too hard!"  
  
Paige stood up off the bed, pulled the black backpack over her shoulders and closed her eyes. In her mind's eye, she imagined herself standing in the heart of LA. She spun a bit but less than the times before. The darkness wasn't so dark and she landed with a thud in an alley.  
  
"April? Well, that's good." She walked out of the alley and found herself entering a busy street. There were neon signs flashing club names and shops. People were walking arm and arm down the street.  
  
"This is so cool!" She pulled the paper with the address on it out of her pocket and studied it. "Where am I now?" She walked to the end of the street and looked up at the street sign. She was on 53rd street and she needed to get to Apartment 7b in Apartment Morgan building on Ilsco Street.  
  
"Why didn't you bother to give me a map April. Damn you" She ran her hand through her hair.  
  
"Do you need some help?"  
  
"Uh, yeah, I'm trying to get here." She pointed to the writing on the scrap paper at the guy from no where. "Okay, so you go straight down that road and then turn left then right and kept turning left. You can't miss it."  
  
Paige looked at the young guy who was trying to help. "Huh?"  
  
The man laughed. His laugh was gentle and friendly. "Thought so. Not from LA are you?"  
  
Paige shook her head. "England. Is it that obvious?"  
  
He smiled. "Just a bit. Come on, I'll take to there."  
  
"Thank you. I'm Paige, by the way."  
  
"Tyler. Nice to meet you." He stuck out his hand and Paige shook it.  
  
"You too. So, lived in LA long?"  
  
"My whole life. How come you're here?"  
  
"Visit. I'm trying to find my brother."  
  
"Any luck?"  
  
"I dunno, this is the first stop."  
  
"Ahh. So, how old are you Paige?"  
  
"15, you?"  
  
"16. How old's your brother?"  
  
"Umm, 23? Don't actually know. I haven't seen him since I was like 6 so."  
  
"Did he move out or something?"  
  
"Something like that. How 'bout you? Any brothers or sisters?"  
  
"One younger sister. She's 7. Maggie. Cute kid, pain though."  
  
"Aren't all siblings? Mind you, I got to be the pain." She flashed him a kinky grin and he laughed again.  
  
"Your parent's let you wander LA streets alone in the evening?"  
  
Paige sighed. "My parent's don't care."  
  
"Your parent's too huh?"  
  
"Yours don't either?"  
  
"Couldn't give a shit. My dad's an alcoholic and my mums in jail."  
  
"Oh god. I'm sorry."  
  
"Don't be. She's better there than at home beating the shit out of us. And my dad's cool. He's never home anyway."  
  
"Who takes care of Maggie?"  
  
"Me. I get her up and drop her at school, help her with her homework, feed her. All the stuff parent's should be doing."  
  
"Oh, that's got to be ruff. I never met anyone like that. Mind you, I have like one friend so."  
  
"One friend, in England? I dunno, you seem like the kinda girl who gets on well with people."  
  
"Yes, well, I might actually get on with people if I was ever allowed out. I'm serious in, 15 years I've been out like 3 times. With a Nanny. Don't get to know a whole lot of people that way."  
  
"Your parent's are over protective huh?"  
  
"Very, which is weird cause they're hardly ever home. I'm sorry, you don't want to hear the terrible life of a stranger."  
  
"No, no. I'm sort of the anti social at school. All the people know about my folks are I'm now officially a freak. Besides, you're not exactly a stranger anymore. I know your name is Paige and you come from England and"  
  
Paige laughed. "Okay, okay. I get the point."  
  
"You're cute when your smile."  
  
"Uh, thanks."  
*Thanks for the reviews so far. BTW (and you American's are a bad influence on me), Blake is Madison's brother. Thanks for the cool thoughts Gidgetgirl! Keep reading!* 


	7. Screams

"So, this is the apartment building. Go in and use the elevator to take you to the 7th floor. Unless this is one of those places you have to talk to the person and they open the door for you. Let's go and see." He led her up to the front step and tried to open the door. "Yep. Looks like you're going to have to talk to him before you go up."  
  
"That could be hard, cause I don't actually know this guy."  
  
"I thought it was your brother?"  
  
"No. This was his last known address so I'm coming here to hope that the guy can tell me where he is now."  
  
"So, you're going to go into a strange guys apartment, in LA. People are weird in LA. Bad things happen."  
  
"I know. I'll be careful. I've got protection in my bag; I'll be safe. It was nice meeting you Tyler."  
  
"You too. And I'm not comfortable letting you go up there all by yourself."  
  
Paige laughed at his stubbornness. "I'll be fine. Go home to Maggie, she probably misses her brother."  
  
Before Tyler could reply, a piercing scream was heard in the distance. "So, I'll go and be careful, and maybe I'll see you round in LA again. Bye Paige." He left swiftly leaving Paige shocked.  
  
She pressed the buzzer for apartment 7b and waited for a response. "Who is it?" Came a gruff voice over the speaker.  
  
"I'm looking for a one Wesley Wydnam-Pryce." Paige's English accent took over, though she was trying hard to sound American.  
  
"Are you with Angel Investigations?"  
  
"No sir."  
  
"If you're selling stuff, I don't want any."  
  
"I'm not selling anything. I'm looking for my brother, Brandon Hart. He last address was here, living with a Wesley Wydnam-Pryce."  
  
The buzzer clicked and the door opened. "Come up."  
  
She walked into the elevator quite happy with herself. She selected the apartment she wanted and the elevator took her swiftly up there.  
  
She found the right apartment after she left the elevator and knocked politely. The door opened a few inches and Paige saw the chain restraining the door from opening all the way.  
  
"Wesley Wydnam-Pryce?"  
  
"Yeah, who are you?"  
  
"Paige Hart. I am Brandon's younger sister. Perhaps he mentioned me?"  
  
"Yeah, think so. Listen, he doesn't live here any more so you can just run along."  
  
"Oh, I figured he wouldn't. I was hoping you could give me his current address."  
  
"He moved to a hotel quite some time ago. That's all I know."  
  
"Could you write the address down for me please?"  
  
She pushed the paper and pen into his hands through the gap in the door. He reluctantly scribbled the address down and forced it back to the other side of the door. "Thank you." Paige smiled at him and walked away down the hall to the elevator, leaving Wesley to shut the door and then lean against it.  
  
Paige looked at her watch as she stepped out of the elevator. It was only 8:45. She still had a lot of time before she had to be home. She sat on the step beneath the entrance to the building. "April told me once I got his new address, I wasn't supposed to go there till next time. I don't have to be home till 11 and it's only 8:47. She's not going to know if I go find a club and have a party time" Paige debated with herself weather or not she wanted to go home so early.  
  
"Paige, hey" Her head shot up at the words and she saw the form or Tyler running towards her.  
  
"Hey, did you just come out?"  
  
"Yeah, I got his new address."  
  
"You want to go try it out?"  
  
"Actually, I more want to party."  
  
Tyler laughed. "A wild girl, I like."  
  
"Thanks. So, where are the good clubs around here? I don't have to be home till 11."  
  
He laughed again. "There's a pretty good one about a block over, if you want to try that one."  
  
"Okay."  
  
"And Paige? About the whole running off thing before,"  
  
"Hey, Tyler, it's okay, you don't have to explain, it's okay."  
  
"I wasn't going to explain, just going to say I'm sorry about that. If I explained, you'd think I was mad in a second."  
  
"I'm pretty sure I wouldn't" They walked in silence for a block until Tyler stopped in front of a black building with at least three flashing neon signs.  
  
"Wow."  
  
"Come on." They walked up past the long line of people. "Uh Tyler? Shouldn't we join the line?"  
  
"Nah, I know the bouncer."  
  
"Oh, okay. Cool"  
  
"Hey Tyler. There already inside."  
  
"Cool thanks man."  
  
Tyler led Paige through the open door and she was shocked. "This is so cool."  
  
There was a live band playing on the stage bellowing out some rocky tune. People scattered the dance floor, dancing in groups. There were people seated at the tables drinking alcohol and other liquids. Tyler took them to the man standing on the side of the door. He pulled her hand out to him. He stamped a blue stamp. Tyler got one too.  
  
"So they won't serve you alcohol." He told her as he led her to the bar.  
  
"Two cokes." The barman nodded and accepted Tyler's note. He bought back two cokes and pushed them across the bar to Tyler and Paige.  
  
"So, who's already inside?"  
  
"Some friend's of mine. Come on."  
  
She followed him up some stairs and onto a type of balcony, only occupied by two guys and a girl.  
  
"Guys, this is Paige. Paige this is Julie, Caleb and Aidan."  
  
Paige nodded at them and noticed they were all sort of looking at her oddly. "So, you want to dance Paige?"  
  
"Uh, sure." He took her bag and dropped it on the floor next to Julie's feet. He leaned over to the three of them and spoke, just so Paige couldn't hear, "You look inside that, I stake you."  
  
He stood up and pushed Paige gently by the shoulders from behind onto the dance floor.  
---  
"Drusilla?"  
  
"Hello pretty kitty."  
  
He spun round and held the cross up. Drusilla hissed at him.  
  
"Boss wants you to remove a girl from the living world. Up for it?"  
  
"Who is the pretty kitty?"  
  
"A girl, in Sunnydale. Living with the Slayer and her boy toy, and the Key of course."  
  
"Is she harmful? Can she harm the world?"  
  
"Uh, no. But she's a threat and the boss want's her eliminated. Do you want the job or not?"  
  
"Do I get a pretty feed after?"  
  
"Yeah, I'm sure I can arrange that. Here's her address, get her while she's out on patrol, make sure there's other's with her so they can see. And whatever you do Dru, don't turn her."  
  
"Okay, Dru will do pretty kitty a favor."  
  
"Great. Get it done as soon as possible. And stop by the boss's place when it's done so we know okay?"  
  
Dru cocked a smile and ran a hand down his cheek.  
---  
"What ya thinking about?" Faith ran her hands over Brandon's shoulders and down his front.  
  
He sighed. "Paige. And the kind of girl she is now. And how I can get her out of that hell hole."  
  
"I'm sure she'll be fine. And maybe we can go to England sometime and you can ride in on a white horse and rescue her?"  
  
"Faith, that's not funny."  
  
"Wasn't supposed to be. Now come to bed it's late."  
  
"Okay, sure." They went up the stairs and closed the door to their room.  
---  
"Now, you have to be careful. There is obviously something out to get us and we don't want anyone getting hurt. Stick together and if vamps start out numbering you, run."  
  
They set out in the cemetery in their teams. Gunn and Fred were with Alyssa. Buffy and Xander were with Connor and Madison. Angel and Cordy were with Blake and Dawn. Willow, Spike and Anya were with Bailey.  
  
Gunn and Fred walked side by side with Alyssa a few paces ahead. She turned around. "Guys, I want to kill something" the whine in her voice was so strong.  
  
"Alyssa!" Gunn yelled as a vamp jumped on her back from behind. She struggled but managed to force it away. Gunn and Fred ran over and Gunn staked the vamp instantly. Fred pulled Alyssa up off the ground by her wrist.  
  
"Are you okay?"  
  
"Yeah, just a bit dusty."  
  
"Such a pretty kitty." Drusilla emerged from the bushes and was standing next to Alyssa instantly. She ran her cold hand down Alyssa's cheek and she shivered. She waved her hand at Fred and Gunn and sent them flying onto two tombstones. She bought on her vamp face and bent down to Alyssa's neck. Before Alyssa could scream Drusilla bit sharply causing Alyssa to gasp. Drusilla kept drinking until Alyssa grew pale and her heart stopped.  
  
"All done. Pretty kitty no more. Aww, no more pretty kitty." Drusilla dropped Alyssa's dead and pale body to the ground and vanished.  
  
Gunn jumped up as soon as Drusilla vanished and ran to Alyssa. He fumbled for a pulse and stepped back hazy, when he found none. Willow, Spike, Anya ran out of behind a mausoleum closely followed by Bailey who was breathing harshly.  
  
"Spike, heard a gasp. What, is? Oh god, Alyssa." Willow ushered Bailey away to where Fred was lying, knocked out. Anya and Spike went to where Gunn was standing. "Is she dead too?"  
  
"Yeah." Gunn bent down and picked her up. "I've carried to many dead bodies in one week for a life time." He muttered to no one as he carried her to the cemetery exit. Willow got Spike to carry Fred home and they all walked out to the exit. They waited for the others to arrive. "Oh, god. Alyssa. Vamp?"  
  
Gunn nodded. "Vamp. None other than the one and only, Drusilla."  
  
"Drusilla's back?"  
  
"Yeah, strong too."  
  
The walk back to 1630 Revello was quiet with nothing but breathing, from those who did, to be heard. Angel called Faith and Brandon who, though angry at being woken, arrived quickly.  
  
Bailey and Madison were sent to bed by Buffy but refused, saying they were a part of this too. They all sat around the lounge, some on the floor or the stairs, some on their partner's lap.  
  
"Why'd did Dru vanish? Vamp's can't do that you know."  
  
"I say she's got some power from somewhere. Like a magic wizard or something."  
  
"Should we call Giles?"  
  
"Nah, maybe in the morning. He proberly doesn't know much anyway."  
  
They sat around for a little over an hour before deciding it would be best to go to bed. Angel, Cordelia, Connor, Faith, Brandon, Anya, Fred and Gunn left and Buffy ushered the two remaining girls and Dawn to bed.  
---  
"Pretty Kitty is no more."  
  
"Are you sure? You didn't turn her did you?"  
  
"No. Dru drank her and dropped her."  
  
"Did anyone see you?"  
  
"Two of them. Everyone will know by now, they were big mouths."  
  
"Okay, nice work Dru. Keep in touch. Oh, you can get your payment on the way out."  
  
"Thanks pretty boy."  
  
He waved her off and she slandered off out the door, dragging the payment behind her.  
  
"How would you like the next one eliminated boss?"  
  
"Hmm. Demon. I don't mind which one. Try and get one that will do what you tell it and stop when it's told."  
  
"When boss?"  
  
"Two nights time."  
  
"Okay, see you then" 


	8. Leaving

T.A.T.U blared over the speakers while the band took a break. Paige was glad it did, cause it was the only music she'd heard all night that she reconsidered.

"What's the time?"

"10:54. Why?"

"I have to go home now."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive. Maybe I'll see you around."

"Have you got pen and paper?"

"Yeah." Paige dove her hand into the bag and pulled out the paper and pen. "Here."

Tyler scribbled down something. "Here. Meet me here tomorrow at 7:00pm okay?"

"Yeah, sure. Bye Tyler."

"Later Paige." Paige picked up the bag, pulled it over her shoulders, and walked fast down the stairs. The song faded as she pushed the door open and walked a block to the right.

She found a deserted alleyway and walked quickly to the back.

She closed her eyes and imagined her bedroom.

She spun and spun and with little darkness, arrived in her bedroom.

"Wow, head rush."

April pushed the door open. "Finally. Thought you weren't going to make it."

"I always make it. I can go back tomorrow night right? To go to his new address?"

"Of course. So Wesley was a success?"

"Brandon wasn't there but he gave me the address he moved to after he left his place."

"Great. Now go to bed, you look really out of it."

"Thanks." Paige threw the bag into the corner and climbed under the covers only to fall asleep.

---

"Dude, why'd you bring a human?"

"'Cause I met her and then I liked her so I bought her."

"Dude, we can't kill her if you're like attached to her."

"That's the point. I'd like to have one friend you can't kill."

"Ty, we need food."

"You'll have to go to the blood bank again. It's not my job to feed you."

"The blood bank's food is grotty and it has a disease."

"That's the point. Now, go home or something. I have to do a sweep before I go home."

"You're always sweeping. Doesn't your sister notice? Ooh we could go drink her."

Tyler stepped forward and pushed a stake to his heart. "Go near her and you will die so fast."

Caleb raised his hands in surrender. "Okay, okay. Chill man, I wasn't gonna."

"Guys, my parent's are taking me back to Sunnydale tonight."

"So, how come we're only finding out about this now?"

Aidan shrugged. "Forgot. So, next time you're there, let me know. But you'll have to be careful. Slayer lives in Sunnydale."

"She does? Now you tell us."

"Okay, calm down." He pulled the digital watch to his eyes. "Gotta go home now. See you all later." He stood and jogged out the door.

"Guess we might as well go to. Can we come on your sweep with you Ty?"

"No. Go home. Eat from the blood bank or no where else."

Tyler walked off in the direction of the park. The remaining two stood till he was out of sight.

"What'd you say we pay old Wes a vis, huh cous?"

"Sure. Sounds like fun." And they walked off in the direction of their old friend's apartment.

---

"Why do they keep dying?"

"I don't know Dawnie, I don't know. I think, that maybe someone's got in it for the Potentials. Like they have power or something like that. I think they should have someone strong around them all the time."

"Yeah, and no more patrolling till we know what's happening."

"But what else are we going to do?"

"You can stay home and train. I don't think there should be a problem with school cause vamps can't come in the day. So as long as someone takes them there and back, they should be fine."

"So, who'll do patrols then?"

"Me or Angel or Spike or someone. Has to be someone really strong. You girls can go to your room now."

"Okay Buffy."

When the girls and gone and Angel was sure the door was closed he asked, "How are they holding up?"

"Bout as good as can be expected I suppose. They're a bit quiet but I didn't expect them to be happy and jumpy or anything."

"Have you spoken to Giles?"

"Yeah, he's sending someone to pick the bodies up tomorrow. Says he'll deliver them to their families and they'll do the whole 'funeral' thing. We still aren't allowed to go by the way."

  
"Are we going to hold a memorial here?"

"Yeah, now that there's three, we need to. Hopefully we won't have to have anymore."

"Any idea who the big bad is this time?"

"Not a clue. Willow's looking through books for any prophecies but, cause we don't know much, chances of her finding anything are really slim."

"Think we can deal with the big bad? I mean, it killed three girls under our noses, and we couldn't stop it."

"Whatever it is, we can deal. We have to. For everyone's sake."

---

She tossed and turned and tossed again. Something was wrong she was feeling it inside her. She tried to drift off to sleep again but a force hit her.

It was so much like a dream, but so real. 

****

Dream

__

She ran through the school hall. "Slayer, come out and play."

Her breathing grew stronger and she ran the corner too sharply, sending her flying into a hard body.

"Don'tcha wanna play with your old pal Slayer?"

"You aren't real. No of this is real. It's a dream."

Faith shrugged. "So what if it is? You think it's real. He thinks it's real. I **know** it's real. Don'tcha wanna feel him again? Look me in the eyes and tell me you don't want him all over you again," She was interrupted by,

"STOP! Leave me out of this sick dream." She turned and ran in the direction of the exit. She smashed into something and was forced onto the ground, skidding back a few feet.

"Trying to leave Slayer? Don't you want to play? You know you'll have fun, if you join the game."

"I don't, leave me out," She panted out words, not making any sense.

She watched helplessly as a hand crept over Spike's shoulder. "Willow?"

"Spikey, doesn't she want to play with me? She's making me all sad Spikey."

  
Spike growled. "No one makes my girl sad." He face transformed and his vampire face showed up, growling at Buffy.

"Better run Slayer, I'm in the mood for a chase."

Buffy jumped up and ran down the hall. Her head turned into each room as she passed them. In every one was someone close to her turning their head's to reveal a vamp face. When she looked, they started drinking another her.

Hands reached out and gripped her shoulders. She looked up, her face feeling like a child's, with the pout and all.

"Come on sis, you know I won't hurt you. Just stand still and no one will get hurt. Except you." Dawn lowered her head and pierced her neck.

"No, stop, please." Dawn pulled her head up as she felt Buffy's heart slow.

She bit her arm and placed it over Buffy's mouth. Slowly, the red liquid dripped down Buffy's neck. "See you soon."

****

End Dream

---

"Tomorrow? Three bodies?"

He sighed. "We've been through this. Be there tomorrow. There are three dead bodies for you to collect and I want them back here a.s.a.p. Got it?"

"I got it. So anyway, I found a demon. You summon him to do a job for you, he does it, give him gold and he's gone no trouble."

"No catches?"

"None at all. So, he okay then?"

"Yeah, whatever. I told you to deal with it. I just deal with the main plan."

"Okay, it's done. Anything else?"

"Send the Slayer a message."

A wicked grin formed on his face. "What kind?"

"Make it a dream, feeling kind of dreamy today. Hmm, something about Angelus returning and Rouge Faith returning and all her friends becoming vampires and her having to stake them. Sound okay?"

"Sounds like fun. I'll get someone on that fast. And, we found the real one."

"You did? Who?"

"Young girl, England. Close connection with that witch and co, though she doesn't know it yet."

"Good. Send her some dreams too. Lots of blood and guts and death and power being too much something along those lines."

"On it. See you in a day or two."

"Whatever."

---

"Buffy? Buffy! Wake up."

"What, where am I?"

"In your bed. Are you okay? You started thrashing around really bad and muttering stuff."

"Just a bad dream. I'll be fine. Let's go back to sleep."

"Okay, if you're sure you're fine."

"I am, honest Xander."

"Alright, night Buff."

"Night Xand."

---

****

Dream

__

Red, everything was red, the grass and the sky and the sun and my own hands. "Oh god, what did I do?"

There was a gasp and mutterings from the grass near a tree. Paige was pulled towards the tree. She bent down, and felt a sea of something was over her.

"Are you okay?"

"You, did, this, to, me, us."

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean too."

"Not, good, enough. You killed, and killed and you didn't even stop to think. Thousand's have died and thousands more will die because of you. It's all your fault."

"What did I do?"

"You slaughtered. You burned. You stabbed then, over and over, till they had no blood left. You are filth. Worse than vampires, worse than I was. I was stopped, before I did worse. You can't be stopped. You're doomed to kill and hurt and never be stopped."

"No, please, help me. What do I do?"

"Stab me, in the heart. It will all be over if you do."

"Are you sure you want it?"

"No one want's to die. But if you kill me, the pain will end, and I can live happily with my lover. Do it now."

Paige stepped up. "I don't have a dagger."

"In your pocket you do."

Paige stuck her hand into the pocket of the coat and pulled out the sharp object. It was covered in blood and her hands made it worse.

"I don't want to do this."

"You have killed more than me. You don't get to choose now. Kill me, make it end."

"Okay." Paige closed her eyes and pushed the dagger through her heart.

She gasped and started sucking the air in harshly.

She laughed a hollow and cold laugh.

"You believed me? It's worse now. I was the only one who could help you stop and you killed me. Thank you. Now I can live happily with my lover, and you can suffer down here, in this hell you made all by your self. Have fun." She sucked her last breath.

"No, please. I'm sorry, don't leave me all alone. I need you, please, someone. Please" She broke down, the sobs coming out, until they subsided.

****

End Dream

---

"Paige? Are you all right? You were whining in your sleep."

"Hmm? Oh, just a bad dream. I'm okay now though. Sorry if I woke you."

"I was getting a drink. You sure you're fine?"

"Positive. Night April"

"Night Paige."

She closed the door and left Paige to lie in the dark.


	9. Collection Day

Power; Part 9

"What was it about Buffy?"

"Uh, I don't remember."

"Yes you do, you're just saying that so we leave you alone."

"Damn, Cordy. You got me. Okay, I do remember most of it."

"Well? What happened?"

"Uh, I was in the high school, running from Angelus, I ran into Rouge Faith, ran away from her, ran into Spike, Willow came and told him that I was making her sad. He chased me and in all the rooms, the rest of you were vamps eating another me. Then I ran into Dawn and she fed from me and poured her blood down my throat and then I woke up. Nothing big really."

"Unless it's one of those prophetic dreams, then it could be telling us what's going to happen."

"You don't really think that could happen do you?"

"Hello? We live on the Hellmouth, where anything's possible, remember?"

"Sorry Will, I just forgot."

"So, Buff, when's this guy coming for there, uh, bodies?"

"Around noon I think Giles said."

"How much longer? Cause' the dead bodies are really creeping me out."

"Gunn, you're such a wimp."

"Shut up Harris"

---

"Is that him?"

"Yeah, Dawn, go and keep the girls up there please."

  
"Sure."

Buffy opened the door and saw a young man with a clipboard.

"You Ms. Summers?"

"Yes. Are you the guy Giles sent to collect the bodies?"

"That would be me. Come in guys." He signaled to some men behind him and they walked in with stretchers. 

  
"They're over there." Buffy pointed them in the right direction and they were moving past her.

"Sign here please, so we have proof the bodies were collected."

"Oh, sure." Buffy signed the paper quickly and handed him back the clipboard.

"Thanks, Sorry for your loses." He condoled Buffy as the six men carried out the body shaped stretchers.

"Thank you." She shut the door on the man when the other men had left.

"Buffy? Are you okay?'

  
"I'm fine Dawnie. Just a little scared."

"Okay." Dawn gave her sister a reassuring smile and went back into the room with Madison and Bailey.

---

"Is it time? Can I go now?"

"Be patient. Give me a few more minutes."

"What for?"

"To sharpen these stakes for you."

"But I had a stake last night and it was fine and what happened to that?"

"I used it as firewood."

"Well that was smart."

"Don't get cheeky with me. I'm the one who decides what time you have to be home."

Paige quieted down and sat, fidgeting, on the couch while April sharpened the last stake.

"There, now you have three stakes, an axe, a crossbow and a cross. You ready?"

"Ooh yes. I wanna go!"

"Bag." April chucked her the bag from beside the fire and Paige caught it.

"Got everything?"

"Uh huh."

"Be back before eleven."

"Got it. See you later."

Paige closed her eyes and gripped the bag straps tightly, while she spun into the not so dark, darkness.

There was a thud and some scampering and Paige opened her eyes and looked at where she had landed.

"Uh, do you mind? Kind of crushed here."

"Huh?"

"I'm under you. Get off me please."

"Oh, god. I'm so sorry. I haven't fully learnt how to land, Tyler? Well, this just gets more and more awkward." Paige blushed as she stepped off Tyler and gave him her hand to stand up.

"Well, at least I don't have to worry about you standing me up. You can do magic?"

"You know about magic?"

"Yeah. I've tried a bit, didn't work great, and I have a friend whose pretty good with it. How come you just appeared on top of me?"

"It wasn't supposed to happen. I guess you sort of popped into my thoughts while I was coming here and it decided to drop me on top of you. And this is really awkward." Paige blushed again and looked at her shoes.

"Nah, forget it. So you're a witch?"

  
"Uh, no. Just pretty good at transporting myself places."

"Don't you live in England?"

"Yes."

"And now you're in LA?"

"Yes. You think I'm totally mad, don't you?"

"No. I know there are things that are, um, out of this world, in this world. Me being a pretty big part of them."

"How so?"

"Come on. Let's get something to eat and I'll tell you some more."

"Okay sure." Paige followed Tyler out of the alley and onto a crowed street. He took her hand and led her through the crowds of people to a little takeaway joint.

"What do you want? I'm buying."

"Tyler, I couldn't."

"Do you have any American money on you?"

"Well, uh no."

"Then I'm buying. Order."

Paige ordered a cheeseburger and coke and Tyler ordered the same.

The waitress returned with their food and they chewed it in silence for a few minutes.

"You are human right?"

"Yes. Normal human girl, aside from being able to transport myself from place to place. You are right?"

"Yes. But I fight un-human things."

"Like a demon hunter?"

"Something like that."

"Explain."

"I fight demons and vampires and darkness, because my other younger sister was killed by a law firm, Wolfram and Hart. She was part of some ritual and that ritual involved killing her. There's this guy, Wesley, he helped me find her body after she was killed and told me about vampires and demons. He helps me out now and then and I store most of his weapons for him."

"Wolf-fram and-d Hart?" Paige stuttered and looked scared.

"Yeah, heard of them?"

"Sounds, uh familiar. Wesley, is that Wesley Wydnam-Pryce?"

"Yeah, know him too?"

"He was the guy I saw last night."

"Cool. So you going to find your brother again tonight?"

"Yeah, new address to check out."

"Cool. Want some company?"

"Sure, that'd be, nice." She smiled weakly at him and took a sip of the flat coke.

They finished their meal, Paige tried to make conversation but it was awkward.

Tyler paid and they walked out into the now not so busy street.

"Show me the address."

"Sure." Paige fumbled for the address and showed it to him.

"Oh, I know where that is. Come on." She followed him down roads and through people until he stopped in front of a huge hotel.

"That's it?"

"Yeah. Want me to come inside with you?"

"No, I'll be okay. Wait here though." Tyler nodded and leaned against the gate.

  
Paige followed the path and pushed open the glass door.

"Hello? Anyone home? Brandon? Anyone?"

She entered further and saw couches thrown around and glass smashed all over the floor.

She stepped over the glass and winced at the noise it made beneath her feet.

"Hello? Is anyone here?"

"What do you want?" The voice was gruff and scratchy and made Paige jump.

"I, uh, I'm looking for my brother, Brandon Hart. I was given this address as his last known address in LA."

"Yeah, well he doesn't live here any more sweetheart, so why don't you just clear off."

  
"Jeez, you LA people are so rude. Do you know where he's gone now?"

"Who?"

Paige sighed loudly. "My brother, Brandon Hart."

"Sunnydale, sweetie. Where else would he want to go."

"Okay, that's a start. Where about's in Sunnydale?"

"Don't know. Somewhere with his Fathie and the broody vamp and seer and broody's son. Find them yourself."

"Well, thank you. You've been such a big help." Paige left the smashed up room and pushed open the door to leave. "Not." She muttered it so quietly it was almost silent and she was sure he hadn't heard.

"Bad things are coming sweetie. Help stop them. Please." His voice was pleading and Paige quickly walked out the glass door, hearing it slam behind her.

"Any luck?"

"He's in Sunnydale apparently."

"You don't want to go to Sunnydale. That's the Hellmouth."

"Yeah, I know."

"So, still want to go?"

"Yeah. Tonight. How do I get there? Oh, duh."

"Are you sure you're strong enough? Magic of that kind can wipe you out if you aren't strong enough."

"Don't worry, I've been learning. I can handle the power now."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive."

"Okay, see you tomorrow night?"

"Sure, I'll try and land near you. If I don't by 8, meet me outside here, okay? Oh, wait. Better idea. You come with me."

"Can you do that?"

"There's a time for everything. Ready?"

"Paige, I don't think.,.."

She reached out and gripped his arm tightly. "I don't know exactly how this works, so please hold on and focus on Sunnydale."

"Okay."  
They were silent and both trying to see Sunnydale in their mind's eye. Tyler felt himself spinning and saw lots of darkness.

Paige felt herself spinning very fast and the darkness was stronger than it had been on the trip here.

They spun and Paige felt Tyler grip her hand so tight she could have screamed.

A loud thud echoed in Paige's ears and she felt concrete underneath her.

"Tyler?"

"Right here. Or I think I am. Might have lost my stomach somewhere on the trip."

"Are you okay? All in one piece?"

"Yeah. How are you?"

"Little drained, but I'll be fine." Paige eased herself off the cold ground and looked around. "Where are we?"

"Sunnydale. Look" He pointed to the large 'Welcome To Sunndydale' sign that stood in front of them.

"Guess we'll have to walk the rest of the way into town."

"Paige, are you sure you're okay?"

"Happens' when I transport. It'll wear off. Let's get going. We don't know how long it is till town."

They walked off into the direction of Sunnydale on the side of the road.

---

Starbucks, Sunnydale

Willow's eyes glazed over white and then she blinked back to normal.

"Red, what is it? Why did your eyes go all white?"

"It's her. Her power. It's in town; close I can feel her. Her power's strong and she's hurting."

"Taylor?"

"Yes."


	10. Visits

Power; Part 10

"Are you sure?"

"I think I can tell when someone with incredible power walks into Sunnydale, alright?"

"Okay Red. Take it easy. What do we do? Alert the Scoobies? Go track her down?"

"We wait."

"For what Red?"

"She's coming into town, she's going to get herself hurt. We can't help her till she's in town"

"You sure?"

"Uh huh. Can I have another coffee?"

"Sure Red."

---

"Woah." Paige wobbled on her legs and Tyler slid his arm around her shoulder to keep her balanced.

"You alright?"

"Yeah, just a little wobbly. Come on, I think we're nearly there."

They kept walking down the road and as Paige thought, buildings slowly came into view.

"Told you. Come on let's find a shop that sells drinks. I really need something to drink."

They walked through the town center, keeping an eye out for a shop that was open and sold drinks.

They eventually found Starbucks and walked slowly inside.

"One water and one coke please." 

Tyler turned to Paige. "Do you want anything to eat?"

"No, I'm fine. Just thirsty."

Tyler paid for the drinks and they started to leave the shop. When they were barely outside, Paige's vision clouded over.

"Paige? What is it?"

"Taylor, call me Taylor okay?"

"Sure. Uh, Taylor, are you okay? What's wrong?"

"Nothing, I'm sure it's nothing. Just feeling a little dizzy."

  
"Here, come on sit down."

Before Tyler could find Paige a seat, her eyes grew foggy and she put a hand up to the wall. "Taylor, you have to tell me what's wrong."

"Vision's all funny. Need, to sit down."

Tyler helped Paige slide down the wall and sit on the concrete.

"I'm going to get some help, stay here."

"Tyler, no, don't. Please."

"Okay, but when you're feeling a bit better, I'll go get some help." He held the open water bottle in front of her mouth, "Drink some, Taylor."

Paige nodded slightly and managed to get a few sips of water down before feeling like she was going to throw up.

****

Inside Starbucks

"Spike, she's outside."

"Do we go find her now?"

"Yeah, she needs help. Please don't strangle her this time, she's really weak."

"No promises Red. But if she pisses me off, she might find my hands at her throat."

"Spike, if you strangle her she won't trust either of us again and we need her to come with us."

"Where are we going to take her?"

"Back to our apartment. You'll have to help her get there. Can you handle that?'

"Yeah, I'll manage."

"Good. Come on."

Willow took Spike's hand and weaved through the tables. Surely enough, when they were outside Starbucks, they found 'Taylor' leaning against the wall with a guy trying to keep her talking.

"Excuse me. I'm Willow and this is Spike. You look like you could use some help."

"Taylor?"

Paige nodded slightly at Tyler's word.

"Taylor? Remember me? Willow?"

Paige slightly lifted her head to look at the redhead. She tried to nod but her head collapsed falling forward.

Willow got down beside Paige and lifted her head with her hands.

"We're going to take you to out place okay? Don't struggle."

Paige nodded and Willow stood up. "Spike, help her up. Take one side of her and you take the other. Sorry, what was your name?"

"Tyler."

Spike gently pulled Paige off the ground and moved one of her arms so it was around his shoulder.

Tyler lifted her other arm and dropped it round his shoulder.

"This way."

Together Spike and Tyler carried Paige following Willow until she reached her and Spike's apartment. She put the key in the lock and quickly went inside, clearing the things off the couch.

"Put her here." Spike took Paige off their shoulders and laid her gently down on the couch.

"Spike, get some water please."

"Sure Red."

Spike went to the joint kitchen and filled a glass with water from a jug in the fridge.

"Here Red"

"Thanks Spike." Willow put the glass to the young girl's mouth and she drank greedily until the glass was empty and her stomach was filled with water and she had that sloshy feeling.

"Taylor, how did you get here?"

"Transportation spell. From LA."

"What were you doing in LA?"

  
"Looking for my brother."

"Did you find him?"

Paige gently shook her head. "What time is it?"

"Uh, nine. Why?"

"Have to be home by eleven."

"You're not going anywhere yet." Willow stood up from her position and turned to face the young man who had been with Paige when they'd found her.

"How did you get involved in all this?"

  
"I met Taylor in LA last night. Saw her again tonight, I was helping her look for her brother. She was told he was in Sunnydale and she decided she'd take me with her when she did the transportation spell here."

"You know about demons, vampires and magic?"

"Yeah. I fight it occasionally."

"Okay. Well, Spike here's a vampire. He can't hurt you, don't worry. Go with him to the Magic Box. Spike, ask Anya to get you the ingredient's for the healing spell, she'll know what I'm talking about."

"Red, you gonna be okay here with magicked-out girl over there?"

"I'll be fine. Go and get me the stuff, hurry."

"Alright Red. Come on Junior."

  
Tyler followed Spike out the door and closed it behind him.

Willow bent down again. "Alright Missy. You and me need to have a talk about magicks."

---

The bell rang as Spike pushed open the door of the Magic Box.

"I'm sorry. We're closed tonight. Stocktaking. Please bring you and your cash back tomorrow morning."

"Anya, it's me. Willow want's the ingredients for a healing spell. Says you'll know what she's talking about."

"Why does she want those?" Anya popped out from behind a box and eyed Spike and Tyler suspiciously.

"Who's your friend Spike?"

"Oh, this is Tyler. Friend of Taylor's. The one we summoned?"

  
"Yes, I remember. What spell did Willow want ingredient's for again?"

"Healing spell."

"Oh, right." Anya fumbled around and eventually handed Spike a shoebox half filled with funny liquids in jars and some magical herbs and spices.

"There you are. $12.50."

"Ah, listen, Anya. I don't have any money on me. I'll pay tomorrow okay?"

Anya gave him a glare. "Alright. But don't pretend to forget like last time. Come again."

"Ah, yeah. Come on Junior." Tyler followed Spike out the door again.

---

"How's the demon coming along?"

"Summoned and waiting for the word to attack."

"Good. Make sure he only gets the one. We still need the other."

"His orders are really clear. He understands who to kill and who not to."

  
"Good. So any word on the other?"

"Nothing other than she's been practicing her powers and she's really weak. I spoke to Dru and she reckons that the witch is taking care of her at the moment. Also, she's been um, talking with that demon hunter guy. Remember him? The one we fought a few months ago."

"Does he know who she is?"

  
"Nothing other than a girl who can do magicks. He hasn't made the connection between her and the firm."

"Good. Wouldn't want him to turn on her now would we."

"Not at all. So, tomorrow night the attack'll happen?"

"It will. But if the girl is still around the witch, don't send him in. She could ruin the plans. Make the demon attack her when he feels the power."

  
"Okay. See you tomorrow night."

"Okay. Bye."

---

"Any more dreams Buffy?"

"No, thank god. It was horrible."

The phone rang and interrupted Dawn's next sentence. "Buffy, it's Anya, she needs to talk to you."

"Coming." Buffy went into the kitchen and took the phone from Xander.

"Anya? What's up?"

"Buffy, I think Willow might be back on the magicks."

"What makes you say that?"

"Spike came in before saying Willow wanted ingredients for a healing spell. He had a guy, Tyler, with him. Tyler is apparently Taylor's friend. I don't want to jump to conclusion's or anything but I think she might be doing it again."

"Okay, thanks Anya. I'll talk to her. Bye."

"Bye Buffy."

Anya hung up and Buffy did the same when she heard the tone.

"What did Anya want?"

"She thinks Willow's back on the magicks again. And also, Taylor might be in town."

"What do we do?"

"Call Willow. Talk to her I guess."

"You or me?"

"I'll do it." Buffy picked up the phone again and dialed the number.

"Hello?"

"Uh, hi. Who's this?"

"Tyler. Willow and Spike are a bit busy at the moment so I had to get their phone for them. Would you like me to tell them something?"

"Uh, what are they doing?"

Tyler sighed. "Trying to get Taylor to drink this stuff Willow made up so the Willow can cast a spell to make Taylor heal faster."

"What's wrong with her?"

"She transported herself and me to Sunnydale from LA and apparently she can't do that properly yet."

"Can you get Willow for me? Tell her its Buffy."

  
"Willow, there's a Buffy on the phone and she really want's to talk to you."

Buffy heard mummers in the background and then got Willow on the phone.

"Buffy, what's wrong? We're sort of in the middle of something here."

"Yeah, I heard. Listen Anya called and she thinks you're back on the magicks. Are you?"

"Buffy, I'm just saying a few words mixed with a potion to make Taylor heal faster, nothing dangerous, Promise. Now I think Spike's about to strangle her again, so."

"Willow, be careful okay? We don't want you to get hurt okay?"

"I will, I promise. I'll talk to you tomorrow. Bye."

Willow hung up on her best friend and went back to the couch.

"Taylor, please just drink it."

"I don't want it."

"Pet, it's not going to kill you. Just drink the liquid. Probably doesn't taste that bad."

"It smells bad."

"Well, yeah, okay granted there's that, but it can't taste that bad. Drink it and you can have some water after Willow's done the spell."

Paige shook her head again and shut her mouth tight. Spike sighed, stood up and moved away from Paige.

Willow took his spot. "If you don't drink this you won't be strong enough to get yourself back to England and you certainly won't be back by eleven."

Paige sighed. "Fine, I'll drink it. But can I have some water straight after?"

"After I've said the spell, then you can have some water. As much water as you want."

"Can it be here so I can drink it after you've said the spell?" She looked at Spike and made puppy dog eyes.

Spike grumbled something that no one could hear but went to the kitchen all the same and poured her a glass of water.

He went back to where she and Willow were waiting, and put the glass beside her.

"Drink that now pet."

She nodded and sculled the mixture back in five seconds. When she swallowed all of it, Willow said a few words that didn't make any sense and Spike handed Paige the water.

"Thanks."

She gulped it all down and looked happy with herself. "Can I go home now?"

"Nuh uh. The spell takes at least 15 minutes to work. And I don't think you're up to taking yourself and Tyler here, back to LA and then taking you back to England, it'll be to much for you."

"Oh, it's okay. I have a friend who lives here, I'll stay the night at his place."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine."

"Spike?"

"Yeah pet?"

"Why did you strangle me last time I was sort of here?"

"Yes Spike, why did you?"

Spike shrugged, "Something inside me was flaring. You have way too much power for someone your age."

"That's Spike speak for he doesn't know how old you are."

  
"15"

"Okay. Are you feeling any better now?"

"Yeah, heaps. Can I leave?"

"Bit egar to get out, aren'tcha pet?"

  
"You're scary." She sent him a look of mock fear before she looked at Willow. "So, can I leave?"

"Yes, I guess so. But no more double transportation spells. Ever, unless you one day harness your very strong power."

"Got it. No taking people with me." Paige stood up off the couch. "Thanks for everything you guys. Tyler, I'll see you around. Bye everyone." She pulled the bag onto her back and closed her eyes.

Suddenly, she was gone. "Creepy. Alright Junior, where you heading?"


End file.

Buffy X-overs