DISCLAIMER: BTVS is the property of Mutant Enemy and Twentieth Century Fox.
ARCHIVING: Only with the permission of the author.
PAIRING: Willow/Tara

Love Through Touch
By Nyka

Part 26

Tara sobbed as the dragged Faith's motionless body back into her cell.

They'd taken the two girls from their prison and carried them away, kicking and screaming.

They only brought Faith back.

They placed Faith none to gently down in the corner of her cell.

"This ones a fighter" one of the men muttered.

"The other one is still being tested on" the second soldier said tucking Faith knee's into her chest so that she lay in the fetal position "There's a pool on how long it is before she breaks"

They walked away muttering their bets.

"Faith?" Tara whispered "Faith if you can hear me answer me" she began to sob in earnest.

"She's hiding" Hyatt said from the shadowed corner.

"What?" Tara turned and faced the solemn girl.

"She's found a place inside herself where the pain can't reach her" Hyatt explained "She's hiding"

Tara nodded understanding. She had such a place as well.

"Oh how the mighty have fallen" Cash said strutting up to their cells "I see our little slayer friend can't take the pressure"

"Or maybe it's the mind altering drugs your giving her" Hyatt said angrily "Maybe they're slowly poisoning her system"

"Wha-" Cash cut herself off before she could actually ask the question.

"You think I don't know?" Hyatt laughed cruelly "I can smell it. It's seeping through her skin"

"Jordan!" Cash half turned and bellowed for the Doctor "Jordan get out here now!"

Jordan rushed room a nearby testing room "Yes Ms. Cash?"

"This one claims she can 'smell' drugs on the slayer" Cash looked at Hyatt as if she were the lowest of life-forms.

"She has enhanced senses much like a Slayer or a Vampire ma'am" Jordan said quietly.

"Why wasn't I informed of this?" Cash turned ready to tear into her subordinate.

"It's posted in her case file ma'am" Jordan said softly trying to look meek.

"I wasn't aware the files had been updated" Cash stomped away "And I want her tested on A.S.A.P! She's as cocky as the damn Slayer!"

Jordan turned to face Hyatt "Yes ma'am"

"You'll never find anything out" Tara assured her "She's the best kept secret of the demon world" Tara didn't know where she'd gotten that idea from but she'd go with it as long as their captors believed it.

"You'd be surprised" Jordan said cryptically.

Madison didn't return that night.


Star pasted on a fake smile and knocked on the front door.

The woman who answered looked normal enough. Graying hair, a flowered dress, but curiously sharp eyes.

"Yes little one? How can I help you?"

The voice cracked a bit, it sounded genuine.

Star knew it was fake.

"You see I have this little problem" Star stepped closer to the woman "My mom and my aunt we're kidnapped a few days ago" another step "I want them back"

Buffy and Willow stepped out of the shadow's and Anya moved behind Star.

"I-" the woman began to say then fled into her home.

Buffy was on her in seconds, pinning her down on her belly.

"What spell did you do? Who was it for?" she demanded as she pressed the demon woman's nose into the hardwood floor.

"I don't rat on my paying customer's" the woman snarled and tried to throw the slayer off of her.

"Your 'customer' has an Al-Faqadi" Anya chimed in.

The woman froze "Which one?"

"She belongs to Artemis" Willow said off the top of her head.

It seemed to fly with the demon, she relaxed in Buffy's grasp.

"I didn't know"

"Now you know" Star said seriously "I need her back. You know how to get her back. Give her to me"

"I can't, she wasn't the only one I hid" the woman whimpered when Buffy tightened the hold.

"The other is a powerful witch" Buffy supplied.

"Not a witch, a mage" the woman choked over the pain shooting up her back "She's a waxing mage, but they don't know that"

"What 'do' they know?" Willow growled. She didn't care what this woman thought her lover was, she just wanted her back.

"That there's magic in them. They're looking for the magic" the woman strained against Buffy's hold until the pain was so sharp she couldn't think straight.

"They look for the magic?" Star muttered to herself.

"Is anyone more confused 'now' than when we first came here?" Anya asked raising her hand.

Willow frowned. Buffy shrugged maintaining her hold.

"Are they harvesting magic?" Willow asked suddenly.

"No" the woman said her cheek pressed firmly into the floor "They're studying it"

"Like witches?" Anya asked.

"No like scientist" the woman relaxed her body "Will you let me up now?"

Buffy did so warily "So where are these guys doing all this magic studies?"

"Where else would you go to learn?" the woman vanished in a flash of light as soon as Buffy released her hold.

They all stood still surprised.

Then Willow noticed.

"Uh Buffy?" Willow smiled humorlessly.

"Yeah Will?" Buffy stood up and brushed herself off.

"You tackled her dead center of her sacred circle"

Buffy huffed "Figures"


"Well what did you find?" Cash asked pacing the room as she covertly watched her doctor's test her lease liked Acquisition.

"Nothing beyond a strong Psychic or Empathic ability" the young man reported "The Enhanced senses were previously documented"

"Well 'what' is she then?" Cash said impatiently.

"An enigma" the man shook his head.

"Bring me the witch" Cash growled.

"Yes ma'am" he hurried to do her bidding.

"I'll see how mysterious she is, when her little 'friend' isn't under her care"


Tara was resting when they arrived for her.

She didn't get a chance to scream.

She was unconscious when they carried her into the room with Hyatt.

Strapped down and unable to assure herself that Tara wasn't in pain Hyatt panicked.

Cash had turned on her sensors when they brought the witch into the room, the E.G. scans went off the scale when the girl realized there was no way to reach the witch, being chained as she was.

"That's all I needed to know"


_

Buffy stiffened, and began to jerk slightly as she was overtaken with a mix between rage and fear.

"Buffy?" Willow asked turning to face the slayer. When she didn't receive and answer of even a look from her friend, she to panicked and pulled over.

"She's spazzing out" Anya remarked from the backseat where Star slept in her lap.

"Shut up Anya" Willow grabbed Buffy's hand hoping to get her attention that way.

Buffy was caught up in the fear, anger, and the visions that flashed behind her eyes.

Men in white lap coats were holding Tara, she appeared unhurt, but Buffy could tell she was unconscious. There were flashes of color then the world would go gray.

"Buffy please your scaring me" Willow whispered when she failed to gain Buffy's attention after several minutes.

Suddenly as it came on Buffy snapped out of it "Oh my god" her shoulders shook as she sobbed into her hands.

Anya remained quiet.

Willow pulled her friend as close as she could get her "What's wrong Buffy? What is it?"

"C-can you feel Tara?" Buffy asked swallowing between short ragged breaths.

Confused but willing, Willow attempted to *feel* her lover. There was nothing but a hollow darkness where Tara's astral presence usually existed "No! I can't" tears began to fall from Willow's eyes "She can't be dead. I'd of known before this"

"No she's not dead, they're doing something to them" Buffy shook with a rage that was her own "and it's terrifying Hyatt"

"Something scares Hyatt?" Anya frowned "Must be intense. I thought losing family was the only thing that could rattle that girl"

Willow and Buffy looked at each other. As blunt and unwanted as the revelation was, Anya was right.

"We have to find them" Buffy said staring forward.

"We have to do it tonight" Willow agreed and pulled away from the curb and headed towards the Magic Box.

"You do realize, we never found out the spell she used" Anya remarked from the back.

"Then we'll have to do it the old fashioned way" Buffy grouched hoping she didn't have to notice they hadn't achieved their goal.

"And what is the old fashioned way?" Anya asked shifting carefully when Star moved in her lap.

"Solve the riddle, and/of hope *they* contact *us*" Buffy frowned. Neither choice was reassuring.


_

Hyatt and Tara came to together in their cell. They immediately embraced.

"Oh my god. Are you guys okay?" Cordy asked pressing her face against the glass "You've been out for hours"

"Yeah" Faith agreed "What did they do to you?"

Hyatt ignored them both "Are you okay? You were unconscious and I couldn't get to you"

"They just gave me a shot of something, and then I woke up here" Tara shrugged "I was scared there for a m-m-minute" Tara's breathing was ragged and she swore everyone could hear her heart beating.

"We've gotta get outta here" Madison chimed in weakly. She had yet to recover from what they'd don't to her.

"Maddy? You sound like shit" Hyatt said honestly "But it's good to hear you"

"Well the sleeping beauty's awake" Cash sang as she walked into their line of vision "I see you have a weakness for your little witch friend" she taunted.

"Friend being the active word. Her soulmate however, is this wonderfully powerful 'redheaded' witch, who won't take what you did to her today very nicely" Hyatt said ever informative "So you might wanna lay low when we bust outta here"

"Ah I heard you were going to try and escape. But you see I have a counter plan" Cash smiled wickedly "And it has to do with them" she stepped out of the way to reveal five young girls, no more than 7 or 8 years old "You see, these are your charges. Your going to take care of them. You try anything, they suffer"

Tara sucked in a breath, as did Madison. Faith and Cordy just stared in confusion.

"This is an all-time low" Hyatt said agreeably "But it won't work"

"How do you figure?" Cash asked.

"If you haven't figured it out yet, you will in time" Madison smiled.

"I didn't ask you" Cash said threateningly.

"But I answered anyway" Madison cocked her head.

"So cocky still?" Cash snapped her finger and armed men opened the glass doors of the cells "You won't be with Innocents under your care"

The men ushered the girl into the two separate cells. Cordelia was the only on minus a child.

"Have a nice day" Cash said brightly as she walked away from them.

Tara and Hyatt turned to face the frightened little girls.

"So any of you psychic?"

Three nodded heads.

Tara smiled "Good"


Cash returned a few hours later to test one of the girls in Faith's cell.

The weakened Slayer's attempt to fight her off, left her barely conscious and the other child under her and Madison's care roughed up a bit.

"You don't hit children with night-sticks" Hyatt growled.

Cash barely glanced at her "She misbehaved. We try not to encourage that" Cash smirked as they carried the screaming child away.

The look reminded both Hyatt and Tara of their fathers.

Tara became angered, and Hyatt picked up on it. But unable to find any type of physical release for the angry tension, they resorted to magic.

The Compound itself began to shake. From it's very foundations to the underground rooftop.

Jordan, steadied herself and the man she was working on as well.

Cash came rushing in from the hall to stand in a doorway.

"What the hell? An Earthquake?" She growled but noticed that the vibration wasn't lessening and it had been several minutes.

"I don't know ma'am" Jordan said.

The shaking stopped.

"Well that's find out exactly what the hell that was" Cash growled.

Jordan stood staring at her for several minutes.

"Now!"


"Mama they turned off my cartoons!" Star called through the open door of Dawn's bedroom.

"Who did?" Buffy asked entering the cluttered room.

In the short time that Star had lived there, she'd turned Dawn's room into a hurricane scene.

Toys lay everywhere, Buffy didn't even recall her having any /They must be Dawn's old things/.

"The news people" Star said pointing to the screen.

'There appears to have been an Earthquake that lasted several minutes on the UC Sunnydale Campus...'

"Oh well they'll change it.." Buffy stopped when she realized what she'd heard /Where else do you go to learn?/

'The Epi Center appears to have been on the actual campus, the radial quake not extending beyond it's circumference...'

"Willow!" Buffy nearly screamed.

The redhead rushed into the room.

'It appears that nothing but the Campus experienced the quake. This new data is unprecedented in the Geological Society..'

"Can and Earthquake happen on an extremely small scale and only effect a specific area, but be really powerful?" Buffy asked hoping the witch understood her mindless ramblings.

"Uh how small a scale?" Willow said hoping to understand a bit better what Buffy was talking about.

"Like UC Sunnydale Campus scale?" Buffy said turning up the TV.

'And I repeat there was an Earthquake High on the Richter Scale that effected only the UC Sunnydale Campus' now back to our regularly scheduled program...

"Cartoons are back!" Star bounced back into her bean bag chair.

"Where did that chair come from?" Buffy asked.

"Anya I think" Willow said distractedly.

"So is it magic?" Buffy asked.

"The chair?" Willow's head snapped up. Buffy was really losing it.

"No that Earthquake" Buffy rolled her eyes.

"More likely than not" Willow said getting ready.

"If that's a yes I think the riddle has been solved.

"It's a yes"

Part 27

Tara jerked awake when she felt something soft brush across her hand. She turned her startled gaze on one of the little girls.

"Sorry, I just wanted to use you as a pillow" the girl muttered moving slowly away. Her movements were tired, and looked stiff.

Tara stopped her and pulled her close "It's okay honey" she gathered her into her lap, and rested the small head on her shoulder "What's your name?"

"Jean" the little girl whispered. She captured a lock of Tara's hair between her fingers and began to slowly twirl it around.

"Are you psychic Jean?" Tara asked. She ran her fingers through the short mop of curly brown hair on the girls head. The unruly 'do' reminded her of Xander.

"Yeah. It makes my head hurt sometimes" Jean muttered looking into Tara's kind blue eyes "and it's scary too. I'd have dreams and, then things would really happen"

"Like you knew about them before they happened?" Tara smiled down at the girls lightly freckled face.

"No. Like I made them happen. I'd dream that there was a cat in my room. Then I'd wake up in the morning and it was there" Jean explained cuddling closer.

"You can bend reality?" Tara frowned. Something about that power jiggled some memory in her mind. She couldn't bring it to the forefront. It was like something was blocking her brain from remembering.

"I guess" Jean looked nervous "Do you still like me?"

"Yeah honey, your A-okay with me" Tara smiled when she realized the confused look on her face was making the child nervous "Hyatt is a good friend of mine. She's an Empath"

"She touches people and she knows things?" Jean asked. She'd never been formally trained. Most of what she knew came from books.

"Yes. But she can tell a little bit more. Will you talk to her?" Tara had a feeling that this little girl might be their key out of this hell.

"Will you be there?" Jean wasn't sure she wanted to leave the safety of the witches warm lap.

"You don't even have to move" Tara said as the doctor escorted Hyatt back into the cell.

Hyatt looked exhausted. There was gauze on her left wrist, and several pink spots along her hair line. She was miserable.

"Electro shock" Faith stated from her cell when she saw Hyatt slide down the wall until she was sitting "Does it still burn?"

Hyatt mutely shook her head 'no'.

"Is she okay?" Jean whispered when she to took in the sight of the silent trembling form that was Hyatt.

Tara lifted herself onto her hands and feet. Making herself like a walking chair, she moved next to Hyatt with Jean still firmly in her lap.

"Hyatt are you okay?" Tara whispered holding back tears. She'd never seen Hyatt look this way. Not even after the last confrontation with her father.

She was sitting staring blankly ahead, her face expressionless, her entire body trembling.

"Hyatt I need you. We need you to get out of here" Tara touched her and was surprised at how warm her friends body was. She was on fire, but she wasn't sweating.

"Hyatt! Dammit Hyatt snap out of it" Madison raged next to Faith, even going as far as to bang on the glass.

Hyatt's head snapped to the side at the sound of her old friends voice.

Jean in a moment of bravery leaned forward and rested her hand on Hyatt's bare arm. /Don't give up yet/ she thought.

Hyatt's head snapped around to meet the rich brown eyes.

Tara just looked oddly between them.

Faith's brow rose, and Madison nearly stopped breathing when Hyatt jerked herself away from the touch, slamming up against the glass.

Tara knew her head had to hurt. She'd heard the solid 'thunk' when it connected with the thick glass.

"I didn't mean to scare you" Jean said nervously "I just thought-"

"How old are you?" Hyatt demanded.

Jean's eyes widened and she smiled.

"I'm 8."

"When's your birthday?" Madison chimed in when she realized where Hyatt was headed.

"I don't know. They found me in a dumpster" Jean said bitterly "Like I'm trash. Not good enough to love" her face turned an angry red she grabbed the sides of her head "I didn't do anything wrong I swear" she shook her head continually "I didn't. I don't know why I do this. They all send me away"

Tara was beginning to panic when Hyatt pulled the girl out of her lap and grabbed her hands away from her hair.

"Stop" Hyatt demanded. Her voice strong though she looked weak "What's her name?"

"Jean" Tara supplied.

"Jean look at me" Hyatt demanded.

The little girl began to rock herself "Don't wanna"

"Jean I need your help" Hyatt tried.

"I can't help you I'm too little" Jean argued not opening her eyes, she continued to rock herself.

Hyatt moved her hands down to the child's arms and squeezed slightly.

"Ow!" Jean snapped and looked her dead in the eye "That hurt"

"Don't give up yet" Hyatt stated "Can you answer one question for me?"

"What?" Jean looked to Tara then back at Hyatt. She wasn't scared at all, somehow these girls made her feel safe.

Hyatt reached under her shirt and pulled out a small chain with a black stone on it "Would you like to wear this?"

Madison started laughing. Cordy decided that both girls had lost their minds. Tara looked on curiously, and Faith just wanted to know why the hell all this mattered.

Jean slowly accepted the silver chain and the black stone. It was still warm from Hyatt's skin and she cradled it in the palm of her hand.

"Why are you giving me this?" she met Hyatt's eyes. There were tears in her own. It was very rare anyone gave her something, especially for no apparent reason.

"Because I think you need it more than I do" Hyatt said. She took the chain back and unclasped it.

Jean lifted her hair and allowed Hyatt to fasten it around her neck and adjust it a bit so that it fell neatly over her heart. It was then Jean noticed two things.

The buzzing in her head, which was a constant reminder that she was different, stopped. And that the headache that was just as constant, wasn't there anymore.

"What is this?" Jean lifted the smooth rock and studied her. She squinted at it and noticed several signs engraved into it.

"It's a focusing stone. It creates a magic in your body that allows you to focus you power and keep it from running away with you" Tara said realizing what it was. She'd never known that Hyatt had one. Though she would need it to control her reactions at unwanted and unplanned contact with other people.

"I also need a favor" Hyatt said slowly "It's not why I gave you the stone so stop thinking that" she reprimanded when the thought raced through Jean's mind.

"What do you need? I don't have anything to give you" Jean realized she was the only child left in their cell. The other two had gone for testing.

"I need to 'borrow' some of your power" Hyatt explained "We have friends on the outside. If we can get word to them. We can get outta here"

"How are you gonna do that?" Jean asked, She'd read about power transfusions. It wall seemed scary and dangerous to her. She'd always wondered why she had such an interest in magic.

"I just need to touch you" Hyatt said.

"Will it hurt?" Jean frowned and backed up into Tara.

"Never" Hyatt drew an 'X' across her chest "you'll just fall asleep for a while"

Jean looked to Tara for advice. She received a reassuring smile.

When she turned back around, Tara's smile fell she looked pensive.

"Okay"


It was early evening and Willow was losing hope of finding them that night. They knew they were at the Campus, but she had no clue how to get in.

"Are you sure we can't just take the Elevator down?" Xander asked for the 6th time.

"They'll expect that. And it's in a Frat House" Buffy said for the 6th time.

"We have to find another way in bone-head" Star pouted from her seat next to Willow.

"Hey no being mean to Uncle Xander" Buffy admonished.

"But he's getting us NOWHERE!" Star cried and got out of her seat "I don't like this. I want them back!"

Buffy rushed to lift the little girl into a hug that Star fought away.

"Star" Buffy cried between dodging her flailing arms "We all want them back. But throwing a tantrum isn't gonna help them any"

"I don't think any of this is helping them any"

Star's body when slack, and all eyes turned on the soft voice in the doorway.

"Welcome to the Magic Box are you here to spend money?" Anya greeted brightly.

"Money?" the woman questioned "Maybe some other time. Fatima sent me"

It was so silent everyone's heart could be heard beating.

"Do you have any idea how to find them?" Giles asked. He was seriously worried about both the young women. When Buffy had told him about her vision in the car, he'd panicked as well. He knew Hyatt didn't scare easy, and Tara? unconscious wasn't a good sign either.

"I can break the demon's spell" the woman informed them.

"That's better than nothing" Anya said hopefully "Right?"

"Yeah, An. It's alot better" Willow was almost tempted to smile. Almost. She wanted Tara back safe. And she had a feeling Buffy needed Hyatt back too.

"When you cast next, use a Yemen Pearl" the woman stepped back through the open door.

Mycah entered seconds later.

Every was still staring in astonishment.

"What?" Mycah asked ushering Kole behind her.

"Did you just see-?" Buffy began pointing at the door.

"All I saw was an open door" Mycah said slowly.

"Was there someone here?" Kole asked before rushing to Anya for a hug. After which she made herself comfortable in Willow's lap.

"A woman. She said Fatima sent her. Why wouldn't Fatima come herself?" Giles cleaned his glasses again. He was trying to hide the emotion the girl's appearance rose in him. She looked so much like Hyatt. He wanted both his missing surrogate daughters safely back with their loved ones where they belonged.

"Tall, dark, amazingly polite. Told us to use a Ye-haw pearl" Xander said standing "And may I say. Wow. Family resemblance"

"Ye-haw?" Mycah frowned.

"A Yemen Pearl" Willow corrected "She said to use a Yemen pearl when I cast the tracking spell next"

"I don't know who it could be. Are you sure it wasn't Lucita?" Mycah asked.

"It wasn't her. This woman was human, in the way she had a tan" Willow said quickly.

"And you managed to notice that the whole 20 seconds she was in here?" Buffy sat down cradling, a now sleeping restlessly, Star in her lap.

"I'm observant" Willow defended.

"Or really horny" Anya said under her breath.

"Oh shut -" Willow began.

A faint silver light lit up the room and everyone sat frozen in their seats. Mycah forced herself to move away from a particularly bright spot.

Several moments later Hyatt appeared through the light looking tired and dizzy.

"Hyatt? Oh my goddess are you two okay? Where's Tara?" Willow rushed.

"I...I can't stay like this long. I'm using borrowed power. You know where we are?" Hyatt's voice reverberated around the room when she spoke.

"Yes, your on UC Sunnydale Campus. Do you know a way in?" Buffy asked a soft look on her face. Even this small glimpse gave her hope.

"They say there isn't a way. But we got in so there has to be. I know it's in an obvious place. Well trafficked" Hyatt said shimmering and weaving slightly.

"Are you okay sweetie?" Buffy asked the softly sadness in her voice coming out.

"We're in hell. Tara's faring better than me. Thank the goddess for that. We have a plan but we need your help" Hyatt began to blink "She's getting weaker"

"Who? How do we get in?" Willow rushed.

"She's a friend. Tracking spell. Where ever it ends, we're there" Hyatt said. The astral projection of her looked behind her into the store, but was seeing something different.

"What's wrong?" Buffy and Mycah said in unison.

"Mycah?" Hyatt turned back around "We're....we don't have much time. Shift change is at 9:24. You have a 3 minute slot to get to the main computer. Some loud tech said it's in a cave or something. Check the woods around the Pre-school" the projection flickered again.

"How will you know we're there? How will we know where you are?" Buffy begged. She didn't want to lose hope. But she knew this was a one time chance.

"You'll know. I'll know. Just 'feel' for us" Hyatt said before disappearing completely.

"Where's that Yemen Pearl" Willow yelled from where she was digging through the assembled stone merchandise.

"I know" Anya said moving quickly to get up, still holding Kole in her arms.

The located it quickly.

"Let's do this" Willow said with her resolve face firmly in place.


"What the hell are you doing?" Cash demanded when she saw Hyatt quickly remove her fingers from the temples of her sleeping charge.

"Making sure she has good dreams. She deserves that much don't ya think?" Hyatt smart mouthed.

"I really don't like you. You think your all high and mighty" Cash pulled open the cage and pulled her out roughly.

Hyatt screamed. Without the focusing stone, controlling the burning sensation from her pure hatred was hard. But Jean needed the stone more, and they'd be out of this soon.

"Oh did that hurt?" Cash asked before slapping Hyatt to the ground.

Faith lunged against the glass barrier, actually putting a large dent in it.

"I see that muscle relaxers are wearing off. I'll see that you get more" Cash turned and called for two burly guards "I want these two brought to Exam 6. I have a few 'test' I want to run"

Madison tried to fight them as well when they entered for Faith. She was giving them a rough enough time, and with Madison's help Faith got loose. Angered the guard back handed the young woman.

She flew backwards and hit the wall hard enough to knock her out.

Cordelia flew into a rage. She pressed the palms of her hands to the glass and felt the anger rise inside her.

The guard who'd struck Madison grabbed his chest and began to scream out in pain. He fell to the ground writhing in pain.

Cash looked the part demon in the eye and dragged Hyatt away screaming back at the remaining guard "FIND THE DAMN SLAYER, and don't forget to blindfold that annoying one!"

"What kind of demon are you?" Tara sobbed. She hoped Madison would be okay. That Hyatt would be okay. She knew Faith was fine as long as they couldn't catch her.

"I don't know. I'm still waiting to sprout some horns and a tail" Cordelia looked down at her own hands. They looked no different from moments before. She looked at the glass. It was blackened in a hand shape where she'd touched it.

"Maybe a Vengeance demon?" Tara smiled slightly.

"It could happen" Cordy shrugged "Now let's just hope Faithy doesn't desert us"

Part 28

When everything had calmed back down, and a serious search for Faith had started, Tara relaxed. The backlash from their psychic/astral voyage began to take it's toll on her body. Jean remained thankfully asleep, and Tara was relieved that the little girl wouldn't feel it. There was a buzzing in her head, leftover's from the power that Jean possessed coupled with that which was Hyatt's.

Tara had been the one to ground their essence and keep their spirits from joining the void that was the Astral plane. It was worth the after affects. The ringing she heard in her ears, seemed to travel behind her eyes. It made her want to open up her head and scratch. She sighed and leaned against the wall tiredly.

"Do you think we'll get outta here?" Cordy asked from her spot leaning against the front of her cage. She was blindfolded and her arms were tied behind her back.

"I know we will. Buffy and Willow won't leave us here" Tara reassured her. She adjusted Jean's position in her lap slightly making it so her head was at a lesser angle.

Cordy sighed "Angel doesn't even know I'm gone. He sent me away. Said there was some kinda danger"

"It's possibly he unknowingly sent you into it" Madison said as she came around "Sometimes the vision's come backwards"

"Oh Maddy are you okay?" Cordy's voice had a worried edge to it that surprised all three of them.

"Yeah. I'm good. What's wrong with you?" Madison could hear the helpless quality that Cordy's voice had taken when she'd been bound and blinded.

"She's blindfolded. She killed the guard that hit you" Tara said softly.

"Oh my god" Madison pressed her face against the glass and attempted to see around to Cordelia's side "You killed for me?"

"You took that test for me" Cordy shrugged though she knew her answer was cheesy at best.

"It would've killed you" Madison said softly "They didn't know that but I did. You didn't owe me"

"He hurt you" Cordy would've crossed her arms if they hadn't been tied. She settled for a pout "I couldn't allow that"

"She's in love" Drusilla said banging her forehead lightly against the glass "She found temperance in a nymph. What wild sex they'll have"

Tara blushed and turned away covering Jean's ears as well.

Madison's eyes widened, and Cordy frowned in the general direction of Drusilla's voice.

"I'm straight" she stated flatly.

"Such a pity" Madison laughed "I could make you rethink that statement when we get out of here. If you willing that is?"

Cordy smiled but remained silent.

"Oh what hot monkey love" Drusilla turned her face from side to side, causing her forehead to distort against the glass.

Giggles from the nearby cages caused them all to blush.


"The spell end's here" Willow shook her head "It's impossible. There's nothing inside there"

Buffy squinted and moved closer, coming from several different angle's as she moved closer "I'm not so sure of that Will"

"I can smell the magic here" Mycah commented.

"Well it would be nice if we could've brought Anya. She might've known something about all this" Xander said for the fifth time.

"Someone had to watch the kids" Buffy said without turning.

"So you left them with an 1100 year old sex crazed ex-demon" Xander nodded in mock understanding.

"Sex crazed?" Mycah turned "if my daughter comes back to me asking about orgasms I'm gonna kill her"

"She won't. Even if she did it wouldn't be Anya's fault. Star's just as bad" Buffy chuckled.

"Can we please pay attention to the task at hand?" Giles said bringing everyone's attention back to the clearing.

"So the trail, just terminates here. There's gotta be some kinda door" Buffy said walking forward cautiously. Something was sending her spidey sense wiggy.

Mycah walked around studying everything from the tree's to the way the wind was blowing. There was something out here, something magical.

"Buffy!" Willow sounded panicked.

Everyone turned to see that the Slayer had just disappeared.

"What?" Buffy asked.

They heard her voice but they couldn't see her.

"Where are you?" Xander asked.

"In the Gazebo thingy" Buffy waved her arms "I'm right here Xander I know you can see me"

"Actually we can't" Giles said adjusting her glasses "Come here Buffy"

"Okay" Buffy didn't sound convinced. She reappeared suddenly making everyone jump "What?"

"You walked in there and disappeared. You did the vanishing Buffy thing on us again" Xander rubbed her hands together "I wanna do that"

"Again?" Giles asked not understanding.

"It's a long involved story" Buffy said not wanting to explain.

"I'm sure you'll give me the abridged version later" Giles said "Was there anything in there?"

"It's a cave. Recently used too. The boot prints are farm fresh" Buffy said stepping back inside and vanishing.

Willow reluctantly followed. Mycah bravely went behind her. Xander and Giles glanced at each other and followed the women through.

Buffy was right. It was a cave. There's were boot prints and tire tracks on the loose dirt. Even a little of what appeared to be blood.

Everyone ignored that knowledge.

"So let's find this super computer thing and get them out of here" Buffy said.

Everyone agreed.


Outside in the shadow's Spike watched as the literally vanished into thin air.

"Well that's bloody strange" he moved towards where he'd seen them disappear and stuck his hand out.

It vanished.

"Well isn't this interesting" he went inside.

He noticed the Slayer's distinct footprint and gate.

He followed.


Faith turned a corner and snapped about around it sharply. Someone was coming towards her.

She could hear hushed voices but couldn't make out words.

But she could tell that there were five of them. Two males, from the heavier footfalls.

She crouched ready to attack.

When a dark figure came around the corner she jumped on it.

She was unpleasantly surprised when the person she'd attacked flipped her expertly and landed her flat on her ass.

"Faith?"

Faith froze at the sound of Xander's voice.

"You gotta be shittin' me"

That was Buffy.

"This really isn't the time" Faith said quietly "They have Red's girl friend, and they're testing on Hyatt right now. Not to mention all those little kids"

"Well this is definitely unexpected" Giles pulled off his glasses and began to clean them.

"Look I know we're not all hunky dory with each other, but we have a common cause right now" Faith said when Buffy opened her mouth.

"Show me the computer" Willow said simply.

"With pleasure I even cleared a way" Faith said offering for Willow to walk in front of her.

Willow declined and nodded that she'd follow.

Faith shrugged and lead the way to the computer room.

Every tech inside was unconscious. But all were breathing, Buffy knew because she checked.

"I made sure I didn't kill 'em" Faith said rolling her eyes.

"Just double checking. Now where's Hyatt?" Buffy said wanting to get this over with and get away from the other slayer.

"She's in Exam 6. That's the hell room. Electro shock, Dizzy Pills-" Faith ticked off on her fingers.

"Dizzy pills?" Xander and Buffy asked at the same time.

"It's what we call the Drugs they give us. The make you hallucinate, real bad trip" Faith explain.

"I want her out now!" Buffy stated flatly "Willow you mess with that thing until you can figure it out. Mycah come with me. Giles stay with Willow just incase, and Xander do whatever you want"

Xander nodded "I'll follow you. You know watch your back and stuff"

"Okay. Faith you lead. Show me to this 'Exam' room" Buffy said.

Faith saw the seriously pissed look on her face and lead the way from the Computer Lab.


Hyatt's eyes snapped open when she felt Buffy enter the compound. She was 3 or 4 stories above her yet if felt as if she were right there next to her.

Hyatt searched for Willow and found her at a computer console.

/Willow?/ she sent the thought.

Willow was startled at first by the voice in her head.

"Hyatt?" she said out loud.

"What's wrong?" Giles said looking away from the door.

"I think Hyatt's trying to contact me" Willow opened her mind /Hyatt?. Where are you?/

/Below you. Pull up the specs for the compound. I'll get them to Buffy/

Willow obediently did as she was asked. She could 'feel' Hyatt in her head. She could tell the girl was in pain. She rushed through the top floors of the specs and onto where they had entered and where she though Faith would have led the Slayer.

Hyatt received what she needed to know and released her connection to Willow's mind.

"Giles let's go" Willow said entering some last minute commands into the Main Computer and gathered the few weapons that Buffy had left with them.

Giles checked the hall, then followed where Willow led.


Tara began to sense something.

It was apparent that she was transferring whatever it was to Jean, when the little girl stirred.

"I hope that's a good thing" she whispered as she sat up slowly so as not to bump her head on Tara's chin.

"It's Willow" Tara smiled and her eyes brightened.

"Who's Willow?" Jean asked.

"Your soulmate?" Madison cut in.

"Yes" Tara moved closer to the glass. She breathed onto it heavily and wrote a quickly spell in the fog she made.

A little blue orb of light appeared.

"You have 'got' to teach me how to do that" Cordy said as the orb flew away down the hall so quickly the saw it like the tail of a comet.

"Maybe I will" Tara smiled "but it'll lead them right to us"

Cordy frowned "I didn't see that. How did I know it was there?"

"Maybe you sensed it?" Madison offered.

" Oh sweet freedom" Drusilla sang out.

"Shhh. You idiot, do you want to get them caught" Jean hissed at the woman though she couldn't see her.

"Little girls should mind they're manners" Drusilla pouted.

"Tara?"

The all jumped at Willow's stage whisper.

"I'm right here" Tara pressed herself against the glass banging lightly to attract attention.

Willow and Giles walked down the line of cages. Peering into some and outright staring at others. Most of them we're occupied.

Willow recognized, several peaceful demons, and assorted magical and mystical creatures. Most of them human in appearance.

"Cordelia?" Willow and Giles exclaimed in unison.

"It's a long story, with a guy named skip and some hell dimension" Cordy shook her head.

"Okay, right" Giles said "How do we open these cages?"

"With a key" Cash said entering into the Main holding chamber.

Willow turned and her eyes narrowed. She was getting major bad vibes off this woman. "I don't need a key" she said in no uncertain terms.

"Oh really? What do you need then?" Cash pulled out a small dart gun and aimed it at Willow.

Willow smiled and glanced down at her watch "About 10 seconds"

The sounds of screaming began to come from the Exam rooms.

Cash reflexively turned to face them and Giles took advantage of her inattention.

He launched himself at Cash knocking her to the floor, the gun skittered several feet out of her grasp.

The screams grew louder and suddenly the lights dimmed and all the cages swung open.

The inhabitants immediately swarmed out filling the holding chamber quickly.

Cash realized she was outnumbered and began to fight dirty.

Unfortunately Giles was too much of a gentleman to hurt her.

She caught him harshly in the groin and ran, disappearing out of the nearest doorway.

Madison quickly vacated her cell and unblinded Cordelia. Their eyes met and they shared a smile.

"I hate to break up all the lovey dovey but we gotta jam here people"

They all turned to face the now recovering Giles.

Willow and Tara stepped quickly apart breaking the passionate kiss they'd shared.

"Yeah. Let's get the hell outta dodge" Cordy agreed.


Buffy kicked through the door of Exam 6 just as the lights dimmed.

There was a guttural scream then the sound of crashing from a nearby room drew Faith away as Buffy rushed into 6.

Hyatt was tied down on one of the tables and was struggling to break free.

A frightened tech, and Doctor stood off to the side staring in disbelief as the little blonde that had kicked down a 2 inch thick steel door.

"What? You thought *that* little thing was gonna keep me out?" Buffy quipped.

They both fled without answering.

Buffy rushed to Hyatt's side and began to help her rip at the bonds.

They embraced after they were all torn away and Hyatt leapt free.

"I wanna out of here so bad" Hyatt growled. She didn't stay long in Buffy's embrace.

"Yeah let's go" Buffy reached for her elbow and they both ran from the room.

Faith was standing with Jordan in the hall.

"I told you so" The dark slayer growled before grabbing the woman and shoving her ahead.

"I have to make sure-" Jordan said pulling in the opposite direction "I didn't mean....the lights went out and-"

"There's nothing you can do" Faith said and shoved her none to gently ahead.

Buffy and Hyatt peered into the room as they passed. There was a pool of blood coming from behind one of the overturned tables.

Hyatt froze for a second, then kept moving forward her face set in a grim scowl.

"We gotta find Willow and get everyone out" Buffy said as Faith continued to push the Doctor forward.

"No one's getting out"

Buffy turned and met Cash for the first time.

"Everyone is getting out" Buffy said readying herself for a fight.

"I see I underestimated you. Never again" Cash smirked "But that'll be because your dead. No one ruins my plans and gets away with it"

"You really should've up on your Prophecies"

The group turned back around to see a little girl standing with her hands on her hips and her eyes firmly on Cash.

"What does that have to do with anything?" Cash said exasperated.

"Your toying with a Champion. Fate doesn't like that"

"Ainsley!" Hyatt scooped the little girl into her arms "Why are you helping her?"

"She's going to die down here. It's not as if I'm telling her all the secrets" Ainsley shrugged her tiny shoulders.

"Correction little one. 'Their' all going to die down here" Cash said backing away and vanishing into yet another door.

Faith launched herself after the hated woman only to come into resistance that was a wall.

"Is she magic?" Buffy asked meeting Faith at what seemed to be a solid wall.

"No there are several small passages throughout this entire compound" Willow said as the group reunited "There's also another holding chamber"

"Let's free those people and get the hell out of here" Faith said roughly grabbing Jordan.

"It's this way" Jordan said helpfully. Her heart was heavy but she knew she had to let these innocents out.


Spike jerked back behind a corner when he saw a woman walk out from a slide away wall.

"Oh and where's this pretty bird going?"

He followed her to what seemed to be an Armory of some sort.

She grabbed several guns and a sash and vest. Along with several small boxes that she shoved into her pockets.

Spike could smell gunpowder and Memrick.

"She's going after a witch. Maybe I should stick around for this one"

Cash turned when she felt eyes on her only to find nothing amiss.

She rechecked her personal stock and left the room, locking it behind her.


Jordan quickly tapped in the command that opened the second holding chamber.

It's inhabitants rushed out, many stopping to thank her and the slayers. Most of them knew Faith.

Some recognized Tara, Hyatt, and Madison from testing.

"Okay we need you all to pay attention" Buffy yelled over the din "We know a way out. But it's 4 floors up, and there are guards on the way"

"Why are there still guards?" Faith hissed.

"Because we didn't want them to know we were here before we got as many of them free as we could. Missing guards would alert that" Willow snapped.

Tara sucked in a breath "Where are the little ones?"

"The whats?" Buffy, Willow, Giles, and Xander asked.

"There are children. There are more than we have here" Tara said looking over the small amount present.

Jordan too studied them "They might be in the 'Light Room', there were some test for that sched-"

Faith jerked the woman harshly "Just get us to them"

Jordan nodded mutely.

"I'll go with her" Xander offered trying to peel Faiths hand off the poor woman "I'll make sure we get them all"

Faith reluctantly let go, she could feel the anger rise in her and knew it wouldn't be good for the woman to be around her when it burst forth.

Xander and Jordan took off quickly.

"Ok, as for the rest of you. We need fighters in the front and back. The children and the weaker ones will be in the center. We'll work our way up together" Buffy instructed.

"Do I take the front or the rear?" Faith asked wanting Buffy to know she was on her side this time.

"Either" Buffy shrugged accepting Faiths help.

"I'll take the back" Faith nodded "Keep all the stragglers with the group"

"Good call" Buffy nodded towards Willow and Tara "Protect them no matter what" she said softly.

"You'll make it out" Faith argued "But I'll do my best"

"That's good enough"


Jordan and Xander stood before the door to the light room.

It was partially open and neither of them were sure if the missing children were still inside.

"Wouldn't they leave if they had a chance?" Xander asked moving towards the door.

"I doubt it" Jordan said swinging it open.

The kids were all huddled together in the furthest corner.

"Hey guys we're here to take you home" Xander said dropping to his knee's and scooting closer "But I need you all to follow me and the lady"

"She's a bad lady. She gave us shots" a little blonde girl said pointing at Jordan.

"She's good now. She's on our side" Xander said glancing back at Jordan.

She stood just inside the door staring in surprise at one of the children.

"What's wrong?" Xander asked.

Jordan shook her head.

Xander was distracted when the smallest boy ran to him and touched his brow.

"He's telling the truth let's go" the kid ordered his friends.

The rose as a group and rushed towards the door.

Jordan was out of it first and started ushering the kids as they ran down the wall towards the stairs and hopefully their freedom.

Xander ducked belatedly when something behind them in the room erupted into flames. A few minutes more and those kids would've been dead.

He turned and hauled it after the kids, slamming and sealing the door behind him.


Cash ran to the 'Light Room' hoping to find the kids still there. They may be something she could use against the Slayer and her band of goonies.

The room was empty and in flames.

She heard the stairway door slam and headed in that direction.

"Shit" she growled. It was sealed.

She hurried further down the hall and entered another sliding wall.


There was an explosion at the bottom of the stairs.

Buffy turned and looked down and saw Xander only feet in front of it.

"Xander!" she yelled terrified that the flames licking at his feet would catch him.

"I'm okay!" he yelled back moving faster up the stairs. The kids were several landings above him.

The flames licked up the walls climbing nearly as fast as he was.

"It's the way the stairs are built. Some airducts feeding it" Willow said worriedly when she too saw how close Xander was to being cooked.

"Xander hurry!" Tara yelled then changed completely "RUNT! RUNT!"

"What?" Xander called back.

"Runt!" Buffy joined when she too saw what Tara was pointing at.

There was a little boy several stairs behind Xander. The flames were past where he was curled up.

"Crap!" Xander rushed back down and scooped him up.

The kid clung to him as they rushed up the stairs.

There was another large explosion that rocked the stairwell causing the landing Xander had just vacated to collapse.

"Everyone keep going" Buffy instructed.

Willow and Tara went ahead with the group. Faith tried to stay back but went on when Buffy gave her a pleading look.

Hyatt ran to the rail and looked down squinting through the flames "There something off here"

"What?" Buffy turned and realized she was there.

"Someone else is doing this. It's not Cash" Hyatt shook her head.

Buffy helped Xander out of the Stairwell. She noticed a few burn marks on his and the little boy's skin.

"We need to get you to a hospital" she said studying his wounds "those look like 2nd degree burns"

"The feel about medium rare" Xander joked.

They ran through the hall two floors below where they needed to be.

"We can't use the elevators we can't use the stairs" Faith questioned how the hell do we get outta here!!"

Buffy opened her mouth to answer when she was hit by a human projectile.


Anya dug through the many stones and charms at the Magic Box. She couldn't find what she needed.

"Anya we have to go. This is a public place" Star begged nearly in tears.

Kolby sat silently at the table staring at the closed door.

"I know I just need to find this thing" Anya said digging through it all faster.

Star's head snapped to the side facing the front door as well. She turned and met Kole's worried gaze then grabbed the gun from where Anya had set it on the counter.

She moved so that she stood a few feet inside the store.

Moments later the door was kicked in and Pryde stood before her.

"I thought you'd come here" Star said and fired.

Pryde looked down at the small dart that protruded from her chest, then collapsed when the tranquilizer took effect.

Anya looked up startled and saw the woman drop to the ground.

"Nice shot" she nodded to Star.

"I throw knives too" Star smiled.

"Let's hope you don't have too" a strange voice said from outside the door.

Kole and Star turned and their faces split into larger smiles.

"Max!"

Anya tilted her head in confusion when she saw the redhead at the door.

"Who are you?"

"I'm Max"


Buffy flipped the guard over her head and firmly into the wall.

Faith flinched at the sound of his arm breaking on his awkward landing.

"Remind me never to throw myself at you like that" Cordy said when she too saw the man began to writhe in pain.

"Cordy?!" Buffy said seeing her for the first time "Your a demon?" she could sense the demon part of her old enemy.

"Long story"

"Okay change of direction there are mean men with big guns that way" Giles said coming around the corner with the rest of the ex-prisoners.

"How will we get out if they're blocking our exit" Willow said panicking.

"We'll just have to do this the hard way" Buffy said frowning "This is the floor just below the frat house right Will?"

"Yeah" the redhead said not getting where this was headed.

"We'll just have to go out that way" Buffy said as if it answered everything.

"All these people? It'll take forever Buffy" Giles pointed out.

"How many of you are witches?" Buffy asked the group at large.

Many hands raised.

"Can you levitate a person up about 20 ft?" Buffy said looking through the crowd.

A few of the hands dropped.

"That'll help" Buffy nodded "Can anyone fly?"

A few hands.

"We need to get up and elevator shaft" Buffy said to Willow and Tara "and we need witches and flying things. Are you up to it?"

Both witches nodded.

"This way"


Anya drove like a bat out of hell.

She was following directions from some woman she didn't know but Star and Kole did.

"Are you sure we need to be there?"

"Yes" Max hissed. She was after all answering the same question for the tenth time.

"Okay" Anya shook her head. Again.


It have been several minutes and only a few of their number had gotten up and out of the compound and into the Frat house.

Tara was topside with a few of the other witches helping some of the weaker of their sisters float people up.

The few who could fly carried two at a time.

There were still too many beneath for Buffy to feel assured.

"Interesting development this is" Cash said coming up behind them.

There were several guards as well.

Faith's eye's narrowed as Mycah came up with the group of guards.

She could've sworn that Hyatt was with the other side now. But she knew it wasn't true.

Hyatt was topside with Red and her girl.

But there she stood before her.

Mycah lifted her finger to her lips and waved a hand infront of the guards face.

He didn't even blink.

They couldn't see her.

Faith smirked and boldly stepped forward "Yes it is. I'm gonna get your ass once and for all"

"Oh your welcome to try" Cash taunted cocking her weapon and pointing it at Faith's chest "This bullet will pass right through you and everyone who's behind you for about twenty feet"

Faith's eyes widened again, as did Mycah's.

But neither girl panicked.

Buffy stepped up next to her sister slayer.

"Well it seems that you have us at a disadvantage" Buffy said tilting her head.

"Yes it does" Cash agreed cockily.

Mycah began to expertly pick her pockets. Cash didn't feel a thing.

Buffy and Faith saw the entire thing and tried not to smile.

When she was done Mycah threw one of the heavy little boxes into the face of one of the back soldiers.

He cried out in pain when the weight and momentum of it broke his nose.

Several of them turned and seemed to be picked up and thrown by an invisible force.

Several more opened fire no where near Mycah.

She'd moved behind Cash and pulled the woman around.

Cash automatically fired and killed 3 of her own men.

The two left standing fled.

Cash dropped the automatic weapon and moved to pull out the magic ingredients only to find all her pockets empty.

Mycah appeared behind her "Looking for these?"

Cash spun back around and eyed her critically.

"How the hell did you get those?" she demanded.

"Skill b*tch" Mycah stated.

Faith smiled proudly thinking that some of her attitude had rubbed off on her sometimes painfully polite and sweetmouthed friend.

"I'm going to kill you Hyatt-" Cash began to say (as all villains do) only to be cut off.

"Oh I'm not Hyatt" Mycah corrected "But I will kick your @$$ for hurting her" she stepped forward prepared to do so.

"No" Faith called out recovering quickly from the new information "I wanna kick her @$$. Hyatt took some of that pain for me" she walked forward until she was just feet away from Cash and infront of Mycah "I owe her for hurting my friends"

Mycah stepped back and allowed Faith her fight.

Cash assumed the position and attacked before Faith realized she'd moved.

/Thank God for slayer reflexes/ she thought as she blocked a kick headed for her nose.

She dodged and struck out at times. Catching Cash in her jaw and temple.

Cash got in a good kick to her abdomen that pushed her back several feet and almost brought her to her knee's.

Buffy watched grimly, trying to judge Faith by her actions. She could tell Faith wasn't trying to kill Cash. She just wanted to beat the snot out of the woman.

Buffy did too. She turned to find just a few people left waiting to be lifted. Just the weaker witches, Mycah, Faith and herself.

She heard Mycah suck in a gasp "She's gonna feel that in the morning" Mycah remarked.

Cash had Faith in a choke hold.

Faith kicked out, flipping over the woman's head and wrenching both Cash's shoulder's from the socket.

" Come on Faith time to go" Buffy called hoping Faith would answer by leaving the woman in pain and coming with her.

"Just one more kick B please?" Faith said looking down at Cash in disgust.

"Just one" Buffy said emotionlessly "and make it good, it'll count as mine"

Faith got a good backswing and kicked Cash soundly in the ribs, lifting the woman several feet off the floor.

She landed in moaning heap several feet down the hall.

Faith turned smiling "Now we can go"

Mycah chuckled as the witches lifted them up the shaft "She flew like a rag doll"

"She hurt my foot" Faith remarked when her feet hit the carpeted floor of the frat house.

"We'll see about your foot later. For now let's just get the hell outta this joint" Buffy said rushing towards the door, and the outside where everyone was gathered.


Cash lifted herself painfully and limped towards the shaft.

"I'm gonna kill you Faith" she muttered to herself.

Her hatred had driven her to madness.

"I'm gonna rip of your arms"

She staggered a few feet away from the shaft and caught herself on the way.

"Then I'll cut off your fingers"

She tried to remember what she was doing but didn't care.

All she wanted was to get up to Faith and kill her slowly.

"Your gonna die and I'm gonna laugh"

She stepped into the shaft and became instantly lucid.

There wasn't any floor.

She fell at an alarming speed.

She reached for everything she could possibly grab onto to keep herself to hit the bottom.

She caught a pipe several feet down.

It disconnected because of the momentum she'd had and began to leak pure gas into the shaft.

"You know this whole place is burning right?" Spike called down the shaft. He would see her because of his Vampire vision.

Cash remained silent. She stared daggers at him.

"Oh well just thought you should know" Spike said flipping her off and looking up the shaft.

The fire it the leaking gas through an ajar elevator door 5 floors below Cash.

She screamed and released the pipe as she began to burn alive. Her flammable clothing not helping.

Spike looked down into the ball of flame coming at him.

"Oh shi-"

He was thrown straight up through the shaft and out of the roof.


People ducked and turned as the frat house blew.

Many began to run away.

Tara and Hyatt held eachother taking deep breaths, as they watched what had been their prison for the past week go up in flames.

"You think Cash got out?" Willow said coming up behind them.

"I seriously doubt it. But somehow I don't feel all that bad if she didn't" Hyatt said bitterly.

Tara nodded her agreement. Her face a mask of anger.

"Well I-" Willow began.

"TARA!" Star's voice carried through the crowd that had gathered after the initial explosion "Tara! Hyatt! Willow!"

They all turned and made their way to her.

She was in Buffy's arms waving excitedly. She threw herself into Hyatt and hugged for all she was worth "I'm so glad they found you"

"What are you doing here?" Willow asked Anya.

"Max said-" Anya started to explain from Xander's arms. He had yet to put her down after kissing the life out of her.

"Who's Max?" Star interrupted.

"You know Max" Anya said "You knew her. When she came into the store you-" Anya stopped "I give up!"

Part 29

"BecarefulXanderdon'tdropher!" Willow yelled grabbing Tara's drooping shoulders.

"I got her Willow" Xander whined and slowly made his way through the doorway of Buffy's house.

"I can't believe she just dropped like that. After all the flamey things" Anya rolled her eyes "and fighting people, she collapses when you escape. What kinda crazy happy dance is that?"

"The exhausted kind" Hyatt remarked entering after the rapidly talking ex-demon.

"Yeah she did go through alot" Madison said angrily. She wasn't particularly fond of Anya "There were needles, disabling tests-"

"Strip searches" Cordy cut in.

"They didn't strip search us" Madison and Hyatt shook their heads "Tara definitely would've said something about that"

"Oh so it was just me?" Cordy said extremely angered.

"Yup"

"Believe so"

Madison and Hyatt chimed.

"Well that's a rip" Cordy rolled her eyes.


Willow made sure Xander carefully tucked Tara in before releasing the poor man from his misery.

She slowly undressed and was about to slid into the bed next to her lover when Tara awoke.

"Willow?" Tara's voice was groggy and hoarse.

"Yes baby I'm right here your safe now" Willow brushed the tangled blonde locks away from her face.

"I wanna bath" Tara said sitting up abruptly, which gave her a bad case of the dizzies.

"Whoa sweetie slow down. I'll run you some water okay?" Willow gently forced Tara to lay back down and left to ready the bathroom.

Someone was already inside. Willow knocked.

"Yeah?" Cordy's called out.

"Oh just seeing who was inside" Willow called back "Are you almost finished or is this a soaking thing?"

"Definitely a soaking thing!" Madison called from inside as well.

It gave Willow pause to hear the second girls voice, but she shrugged it off and went to see if Buffy was using her bath.

The door was slightly ajar so she knocked and entered without waiting for permission.

"Buffy are you-?" Willow stopped abruptly just inside the door.

Hyatt stood naked with her back to her. Her hair limp and loose, and her face half turned towards her.

Willow stared and Hyatt stared right back.

Buffy cleared her throat "Yes Will?"

"I....I.....I was wondering if you were using your bath. Tara wants one really bad and Cordy and Madison are kinda holding up the main one" Willow said snapping her eyes from Hyatt's nude form to Buffy's gaze. She was surprised that she found no anger there. Just curiosity.

"Sure go ahead. We can wait. I gotta talk to Xander anyway" Buffy said rising and grabbing a robe to wrap Hyatt in. She left the room with a smile for both of them.

"You have no modesty" Willow remarked and turned to go retrieve Tara.

"And you have this adorable little blush. How far down does it go?" Hyatt teased.

"You'll never know" Willow said leaving.

"Is that what you think?" Hyatt called after her.

"It's what I know!" Willow called back.


"Whatever happened to that woman you were holding onto like she stole something from you?" Anya asked Faith while the dark slayer rummaged through Buffy's kitchen looking for something to munch on.

"What woman?" Faith looked under the cabinet door and into the eye's of the ex-demon.

"You know kinda tall brown hair, had a lab-coat" Anya knew something was up now. This memory loss thing just wasn't suiting her sanity at all.

"I don't know who or what your talking about" Faith dug through the fridge coming up with leftover Spaghetti "How old is this?"

"'Bout a week" Buffy said entering "Hyatt, Dawn, and Star made it"

"Oh" Faith opened the Glad-ware and sniffed "Smells okay to me" she quickly found a fork and settled in to eat it cold.

"Eww. Not even Xander eats cold Spaghetti" Buffy snatched the container and nuked it before giving it back to Faith who was staring daggers at her.

Faith dug in with a slightly annoyed look on her face.

"Okay we have an extra here. Does anyone belong to this little girl?" Xander said ushering Jean in.

Buffy took one look at her and blinked "Whoa"

"I thought so too" Faith said around a mouthful of noodles.

"She's like a little girly Xander" Anya said staring at the child as well "A little Xander...a little 'girl' Xander"

"We've covered that" Jean stage whispered to Anya.

"She can bend reality" Faith mumbled causing her food to fun down her chin.

"It's dead slow down" Anya remarked frowning up.

"I'm hungry" Faith defended.

"Me too" Jean looked back at Xander "Where's Tara?"

"She's upstairs getting a bath" Hyatt said entering the kitchen "And Faith honey 'chew' your food"

Faith grunted.

Buffy noticed that Hyatt was still in the robe "Willow chase you out?"

"I pissed her off" Hyatt shrugged "Is that the last of the Spaghetti?"

Faith smiled and nodded "And it's all mine"

"Hyatt? Do you know who that woman was that Faith was holding onto earlier this evening?" Anya asked before a childish fight could ensue.

"I dunno some doctor. She was nice to us I think" Hyatt shrugged it off.

Anya shook her head "Can we go home now?"

Xander nodded.

Hyatt looked between him and Jean "Now that's some stuff right there"

"Hmm" Faith agreed with a giggle.

Buffy blinked and took them both in again "Uh....what's your name sweetie?"

"Jean" she smiled and held out a hand to the slayer.

"Buffy. Okay Jean. I didn't notice you in the car?" Buffy crouched down to her level.

"I rode with her" she pointed to Anya "Maddy held me the whole way"

Anya gave her a quizzical look "I was kinda distracted"

Xander blushed and looked longingly at the door.

"Okay we have another kid" Buffy said keeping the smile on her face "So that's what? Four? If you count Dawn."

"Heh our little family just gets bigger and bigger. Can we go now An?" Xander pulled the ex-demon up against him. A move that never failed to gain her attention and cooperation.

Anya pressed readily against him "Are you gonna give me orgasms?"

Xander covered her mouth and scooped her into his arms. He nodded farewell to all and disappeared out the front door.

"What's orgasms?" Jean asked watching Faith eat.

Faith choked on her food, Buffy blushed, Hyatt just watched the girl.

"Okay the kids are down for the night, except for this new one" Mycah said entering. She rested her hand on Jean's head "Is this Xander's little sister or something?"

"No, she's Jean. Jean say hi to Mycah" Buffy said turning to the fridge.

"Hi" Jean waved over her shoulder "Can I have something to eat?"

"It'll have to be something light because you need to sleep" Mycah instructed sitting Jean down next to Faith.

Faith was scraping the last of the Spaghetti out of the container "They should cook more often" she paused "Not that I'll be here for it"

"Why do you go back to prison?" Mycah asked moving Buffy out of the way of so that she could get a good look inside.

"No actually they released me" Faith frowned "I think the council had something to do with it"

"Why would the council have you released?" Buffy asked. He eyes never left Mycah as she pulled out the ingredients for sandwiches.

"I've been reporting to them weekly. Keeping a daily journal, feelings and all that shi- mess" Faith caught herself and smiled at Jean "They said they were impressed with my progress. Next thing I know. Bam. I'm out"

"And back in Sunnydale" Buffy eyed the girl closely "did they keep an eye on your sanity too?"

Faith shrugged "I had to come back here. I have apologies to make, not to mention the amends.." she pushed her dark hair away from her face "Specially to you B"

Mycah glanced at them between making the sandwich's.

Buffy seemed tense.

Faith seemed nervous.

Jean looked hungry.

So she made four sandwich's

Hyatt didn't seem to be paying attention to any of them. She was off in her own little world.

"Do you have anywhere to stay?" Buffy's voice was so soft it strained Faith to hear.

"Not for tonight. I can promise you won't see me around. If you don't want to" Faith dug her knuckle into the table unable to meet Buffy's eyes.

"No, stick around. It'll be like old times, minus the freaky Mayor guy" Buffy said finally meeting Faith's surprised gaze.

"It's nice to see you've forgiven Faith hun" Hyatt cut in "But you're seriously running out of room in the house. You've got Cordy, Madison, Faith and Mycah to put down for the night. With only one free bed and a couch"

"Well Cordy and the Mighty Munchkin are seeming kinda buddy-buddy, they might wanna bunk down together" Faith pointed out shrugging "and I'd be happy to take the couch"

"Well it folds out into a bed, if you wouldn't mind sharing with Mycah?" Buffy smiled.

Faith looked from Hyatt to Mycah then back again.

"I'm okay with it if she is" Mycah said serving them all sandwiches.

"Eat quick you gotta squeeze into the kiddy bed before they all start flopping" Mycah chucked Jean gently under the chin.

The little girl smiled.


"Feel better baby?" Willow asked Tara as she gently rubbed her dry.

"Mmm lots" Tara whispered as she settled on the bed next to her love "I just didn't feel clean"

"It's okay, I enjoy bathing you" Willow winked "I thought you'd realize that by now"

Tara chuckled and smiled. She lay back and opened her arms to Willow "come one let's sleep?"

Willow was unable to hide her surprise. In the bath Tara had been needy and passionate, actually coming to orgasm once as she was bathed. Now she just wanted to sleep. "Are you sure you wanna sleep?" Willow sounded hopeful.

"Mmm tired" Tara pouted knowing Willow couldn't hold up again 'that' face for very long.

"Ok baby" Willow stripped off her robe and climbed into the bed and Tara's arms.

Tara snuggled into her, with Willow half on top of her.

She was asleep in moments.

Willow thought that something felt different about the way Tara held her. But shrugged it off.


"I'm serious, they're in there moaning" Mycah whispered to Hyatt and dragged her towards the upstairs bathroom.

Hyatt stifled a giggle and listened.

Moaning indeed.

"Go Maddy!" she cheered in a whisper.

"Your 'happy' for her?" Mycah frowned.

"God Makayla that was 'years' ago" Hyatt grabbed her away from the door.

"You took it hard" Mycah argued.

"Yeah I did, when it happened '3 years' ago" Hyatt putting emphasis on the length of time.

Buffy was just inside the doorway of her bedroom stopped and listened to the low conversation.

"Four years Hyatt, you two were together for 'four years' and your gonna tell me that you don't the mind the fact that she's in that" Mycah pointed to the closed door "Bathroom making some other girl sound like that?"

Buffy held her breath for several long moments when Hyatt didn't answer.

"If she were Buffy, yes I would be upset. But it's Madison. I've put that relationship behind me" Hyatt hissed at her "She's in my past. Hopefully Buffy is my future, and no past jealousy's or 'anything' is going keep me from being happy and loving her"

"You'd turn your back on your family for her?" Mycah squealed.

It drew the attention of the slayer downstairs as well as the one in her room.

"She is my family! When 'he' decided that I wasn't fit to live under his roof anymore. They took me in!" Hyatt's voiced raised as well "If you want to go back there go ahead. But don't expect me to follow in your foot-steps"

"You've lost your F#cking Mind!" Mycah yelled.

Dawn and Jean stirred in the room across from them.

Buffy flinched and moved towards the hall.

Faith started up the stairs.

Willow slowly left her bed.

The moaning in the bathroom stopped.

"Yeah, but I have a family" Hyatt said calmly.

Mycah's face hardened. She took a deep steadying breath and marched into Dawn's room and removed her daughter from the bed.

"Please don't go" Jean begged following her as far as the doorway.

Mycah ignored her and carried her half awake daughter from the room.

"They barely accept you as it is" Hyatt reasoned "Fatima was the only reason I stayed"

"It's family. It's sacred you 'know' this" Mycah said shortly.

Faith met her at the top of the stairs.

"Hey don't leave. It's 3am" she blocked the stairs.

Mycah shifted trying to get around her only to be blocked at every turn.

"Let me past" she growled.

Faith sensed the built up tension and moved out of her way.

"Will we see you tomorrow? At the Magic Box?" Buffy called as Mycah stomped down the stairs.

"Maybe" she called up the stairs and slammed the door as she left.

"She's out of 'her' fucking mind" Hyatt mumbled and entered the room she shared with Buffy.

Willow met Buffy's eyes in the hall, then Faith's.

They both shrugged in confusion.

"Hey does the drama 'ever' stop?" Cordy asked standing in the bathroom doorway in only a towel, with Madison behind her.

"Not really" Buffy said rolling her eyes "You and Madison get the double bed in the guest room" she pointed to the room next to Dawn's where Jean still stood.

Faith silently headed back down stairs.

Buffy closed her door.

Willow returned to her bed and Tara's arms.

"What do you thinks wrong with them?" Cordy still couldn't muddle through all the tension she was sensing.

"Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome?" Madison guessed.

Cordy shrugged.

They quickly crossed to the room.

Giggling in the dark.

Part 30

Hyatt stood in the training room in the back of the Magic Box considering the mats.

Tara sat up against a nearby wall, watching the small jerks and shifts her arms made to the music in her head.

"Are you actually gonna work out or just stand there staring all day?" she taunted.

Hyatt shot her a smirking glance and shrugged "What do you think?"

Tara made a face at her "Just do something besides standing there looking demented"

"I 'am' demented" Hyatt rolled her eyes and bobbed her head.

"But now you 'look' that way" Tara teased wiggling her tongue.

"So 'that's' why Red's so fond of you" Faith smirked coming in.

Hyatt made another face and turned around to begin stretching.

"Partly" Tara said confidently.

"And the other part?" Faith asking giving the girl a once over. She'd changed alot since she'd first met her.

"Is in my pants" Tara said gleefully.

Faith's smirk dropped.

Hyatt chuckled.

Buffy coughed to cover a laugh, and startled them all.

"Oh don't end your fun on account of me" Buffy walked up to Hyatt "I just wanted to see what my girl was up to"

"Meaning you just wanted to grope her" Tara said under her breath.

Only Faith was close enough to hear her.

Buffy took Hyatt into her arms, pressing firmly against her "I'm going out. Do you wanna train or come with?"

"I'll train. You know get all the 'sitting around and being tested on' kink out of my system" Hyatt wrapped her arms around the slayers shoulders bringing her in for a sweet kiss.

Buffy sighed and leaned in for a second deeper kiss, and hugged her, before turning to Tara.

"I'll stay with Hyatt" Tara smiled and shrugged "to make sure she actually 'trains'"

"Cheeky" Hyatt rolled her eyes.

Faith cracked a smile.

"Okay, well Willow's coming with, and everyone else has turned me down so-" Buffy waved and made for the door.

"Wanna spar?" Faith asked giving Hyatt her best bad girl look.

"Think you can handle me?" Hyatt taunted.

"Oh your such an old pro" Faith smirked "What are you 17?"

"19, and I've trained longer than you have" Hyatt said stretching her arms and finally her legs. She slid into a split, impressing Tara and causing Faith to roll her eyes.

"Same age as me, and I could still kick your @ss" Faith shook her head stretching herself.

"If you can get your leg that high" Hyatt tossed back. She brought her legs together and kicked out and back unto her feet.

"My money's on Hyatt" Tara remarked with a kind smile at Faith "I saw her beat Buffy"

"Buffy fights clean" Faith remarked turning to the slightly smaller girl "and I've learned a few things"

Hyatt shrugged "Bring it on"


"Buffy, does Hyatt seem different to you?" Willow asked staring down into her lap.

"What do ya mean Wills?" Buffy said glancing over at her friend.

"Well, they both seem different to me" Willow leaned back in her seat.

"You just worry too much Willow" Buffy reached over and patted her friends leg "We got them back, they're fine"

"I don't know Buffy" Willow pouted into her lap "It all just seems so different"


_

"Okay I don't wanna clean fight" Anya stated playing ref once again "I wanna see some down and dirty fisticuffs"

Faith rolled her eyes, Hyatt chuckled.

"The first on their butt loses. No time limit. So "let to booty's hit the floor!" Anya said and stepped back dropping her arm.

Faith and Hyatt assumed respectful positions facing each other. With a small bow from each, the began.

Faith came at Hyatt with a quick succession of punches hoping to force her back and unbalance.

Hyatt used her own tactic against her. Stepping back out of range, she waited until Faith threw her measured punch and stepped into it. The fist flew by her face centimeters from her cheek. She stepped into Faith's personal space causing her to step back on instinct.

Faith quickly brought up a fist to try and move Hyatt away from her.

Hyatt blocked the punch and grasped her arm twisting it back and forcing Faith behind her, leaving both their backs vulnerable.

Faith panicked at being in an suddenly unfamiliar position and swung around quickly. Too quickly.

Hyatt used it against her and flipped Faith over her shoulder.

Faith's slayer agility was the only thing that kept her on her feet. She met Hyatt's spin kick with a block, throwing her own punch in.

They sparred for several minutes, neither of them landed one hit.

"Okay I'm done playing with you" Faith snarled. She bombarded Hyatt with kicks and punches, actually driving her back a few steps.

Tara watches astounded by how fast Faith was throwing and how fast Hyatt was blocking.

Suddenly it all took a dramatic turn.

Hyatt slipped by Faith and once again flipped her over. Faith landed facing the slightly smaller girl with a surprised look. She hadn't seen her move.

Anya began cheering and chanting "Drop her now" drawing the attention of the people outside the training room.

Hyatt threw an incredibly fast barrage of kicks and punches at Faith, much like the girl had done to her. She drove Faith back and off balance for as long as she could before throw an ariel spinning back kick the unbalanced Faith enough to knock her on her backside without actually touching her.

Hyatt landed in a standing attack position looking anything but amused.

Faith sat on the floor staring up at the girl in surprise.

"Wow" Cordy said breaking the silence "You beat you without touching you"

Faith swung an annoyed glare Cordy's way and turned back around "You gotta teach me that kick"

"Your not ready for it" Hyatt said giving the other girl a measured look "You still lose your temper, and you lose your fight. Your not ready for it yet"

"Oh don't tell me what I'm not ready for!" Faith yelled leaping to her feet "I saved your life!"

"You helped me fight. There was no life saving on any type done" Hyatt corrected.

Faith huffed "Fine" she angrily stomped from the room out into the main store.

Madison pulled Cordy out of the doorway before she could get trampled by the angry slayer.

"Hello. Home Training 101. Get with it Faith" Cordy remarked.

Faith merely sent her a dirty look.

"If looks could kill she'd be looking at 5 to 10 about now" Anya stated.

Giles cracked a grin at her timely (for once) addition.

"She's gonna b*tch and moan over that one" Madison advised Hyatt as she grabbed a towel to wipe the sweat off.

"Let her" Hyatt rolled her eyes.


"What could they possibly be doing that would keep them away for three hours?" Giles complained after once again having to tell an embarrassing story about his childhood.

"Aw tired of playing with the girls G-man?" Jean asked looking up from the demon codex she wasn't supposed to be reading.

"Do not call me that" Giles cleaned his glasses "I'm aware that you 'look' like Xander. But it doesn't mean you should 'act' like him as well"

Jean smirked and went back to reading.

"Truth or Dare Madison?" Giles asked giving the girl a vengeful look. He swore he'd never walk like a woman with a book balanced on his head again after telling his mother he was quitting ballet. Which he have told them as well.

"Dare Watcher boy" Madison taunted.

They all sat around the table nursing soda's and waiting for the Slayer and Willow to return.

Madison and Cordy were practically in the same chair, Anya sat in Xander's lap, Dawn was seated closely with Tara who was playing nudging Hyatt towards Faith who refused to speak with her. Giles sat between Xander and Faith at Anya insistence.

"I dare you to dress in drag and pick up women 'for' Cordelia" Giles said standing and walking away from the table and all the astonished looks "Now top 'that' with your embarrassing questions"

Faith choked back a laugh before pressing her lips together. Hyatt raised a brow, Tara buried her face in her hands, and Dawn blushed.

"He might have you there" Jean added knowing Giles would remark about her speaking up.

"Jean you really should" Giles paused when he caught what she said "Agree with me more often"

"Truth or Dare Hyatt" Madison said eying Cordelia as the other girl did the same.

Hyatt opened her mouth to answer when the bell above the door jingled and Buffy and Willow entered.

"Buffy! Willow!" Tara and Hyatt yelled at the same time and rose from their seats to greet them.

"Saved by the bell" Xander muttered.

Jean giggled when she heard him.

Xander looked down at the child as she looked up at him. He wouldn't lie and say the little freckled face of what would have been him as a girl, gave him a slight wiggins. But the kid was alright. She tormented Giles, teased Anya, and treated everyone else as if she'd known them forever.

"What?" Jean scrunched her nose and crossed her eyes "Is there something on my face?"

Xander reached down and rubbed across her nose "Nope just staring"

Jean frowned playfully and went back to her codex.

"So whatcha guys doing?" Willow asked sharing a chair with Tara.

Hyatt grimaced from where she sat between Buffy's legs.

"I asked Hyatt Truth or Dare" Madison replied smiling too sweetly at Hyatt.

"Dare?" Hyatt hoped she wouldn't regret it.

"I dare you to do the 'thing' to Buffy" Madison sat back self-satisfied.

"The 'thing'?" Hyatt tilted her head unsure of what her friend was talking about.

"You know 'the thing' you do" Madison said puckering up for a fake kiss.

"Oh 'that' thing" Hyatt said smiling. She suddenly frowned "Not in front of everyone"

"Oh come on. You never used to care" Madison pointed out.

"Yeah come on do the 'thing' to me" Buffy egged her on.

Hyatt looked the slayer in the eye and sighed "Okay, but just this once. Next time I'm doing this privately"

"Oh yay" Buffy blushed slightly "Is this a 'really' personal 'thing'?"

Hyatt stood pulling Buffy up with her "It can be"

She turned so that Buffy was against the table and lifted her on. She bent low and removed Buffy's slid on tennis shoes, and braced her hands on either side on her hips.

"Ok don't freak out" Hyatt said into her ear.

"About wha-"

Hyatt's lips cut Buffy's question. She moaned softly and grabbed Hyatt's shoulders.

"Watch her feet! Watch her feet!" Madison said pointing down.

Everyone moved just in time to watch Buffy's toes curl.

"Oh my goddess that must be some kiss" Tara breathed "I'm almost jealous"

Both Buffy and Hyatt began to laugh at the revelation. Pulling apart the continued until Buffy was laying across the table and Hyatt was sitting loosely in the chair.

"I just have two questions" Buffy swallowed trying to catch her breath "1: Why haven't you done that before? and 2: How does Madison know about it?"

The whole room fell silent.

"Well that's a long, involved story" Hyatt whispered.

"Yeah, the kind you have to tell in private" Madison added.

"This is private" Buffy pointed out "Everyone I know is right here"

"Mycah's not" Faith said pointedly.

"Okay almost everyone I know" Buffy amended.

"Where were you for the last 3 hours?" Giles said finally returning from where-ever he'd disappeared to.

"Uh that's a long involved story" Buffy parroted Hyatt's earlier comment.

"The kind that should be told in public" Jean said popping up next to Xander.

Part 31

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