Loaded down with weapons, the gang headed out into the dark night. Dawn was left at home doing her homework whilst Spike sat in front of the Summers' television watching reruns of Charlie's Angels, wishing he could sink his teeth into Jacqueline Smith's neck. For Buffy, the weapon load was easy to carry and she barely noticed the weight of the arsenal she had on her back. Xander was finding it fairly easy too, but the rest were raising quite a sweat from lugging the bottles of Holy Water, stakes, daggers and other battle paraphernalia that went with Slaying. All of them were wearing silver crosses around their necks, Buffy's being the only one with true sentimental value, having been given to her by Angel when they had first met after she moved to Sunnydale. The usual banter of the group had died after leaving the house. None of them were certain of what lay ahead, and Willow once again carried the mental image of the Jersey Slayer's two young children at the forefront of her mind. The blackness of the night reflected the heavy feeling each of them carried. Clouds hung thickly overhead, hiding the moon and stars from view. The yellow neon light from street lamps reflected off of buildings and dumpsters, casting huge shadows down the dimly lit alleys. Tara shivered as they neared the sight, the very thought of how much was at stake was almost too much for her to bear. Even though she had fought vampires with the others before, tonight was different; there was something in the air that told her they would be lucky to escape with their lives. Why hadn't she and Willow cast a protection spell over them all before they left? It would have reduced the creeping fear she felt engulfing her. She gripped Willow's hand in hers and gave it a short, tight squeeze. Willow, too afraid too reply verbally, squeezed back. Even Anya remained quiet; her usually vapid complaints about human kind were nowhere to be heard. She glanced at Xander; trepidation showing in her eyes, he returned the look with what he hoped was a reassuring one. Giles brought up the rear; quietly deliberating over whether they were doing the right thing. Buffy, however, lead the group forwards, her only thought was to reach the nest and kill anything that moved other than her friends. * Dawn sat, staring at her History assignment, not really focusing on the task at hand. She hated the subject with a passion. History definitely belonged to the geeks and nerds. The American Revolution was the last thing she wanted to be writing about. Looking up to make sure Spike was absorbed in the television; she carefully slipped her history folder back into her book bag. It wasn't due in until next week anyway. She hated being stuck in whilst Buffy and the others went out on patrol, and this time she was sure something was up. Dawn hated being left in the dark just as much as she hated being called 'a child' by her older sister. She got up from the table and walked into the kitchen to get a drink. “Spike, d'you want anything from the kitchen?” Dawn called through to the living room. “There should be a bottle of blood in the fridge that Buffy left for me, can you bring it through, Squirt?” Dawn wrinkled her nose at the request. Spike may be a cool babysitter, but she wished he didn't need the liquid to survive. “Want me to warm it in the microwave before I bring it through?” “Yeah, cool. You finished your homework then?” He poked his head round the door. “Kinda. I need to go to the library tomorrow and do some research for my history project, but I've done the rest.” “Fair enough. Too much schoolwork'll rot your brain anyway. How 'bout a game of cards?” Dawn had other ideas. “How 'bout you tell me what Buffy and the others are doing?” “They're out on patrol. Though you knew that.” Spike looked at her with confusion. “I meant, you tell me what they're patrolling for.” She couldn't make up her mind whether or not the bleached blond vamp was acting stupid or genuinely did not know what she had meant. “No doing little squit. You're sister'd dust me for that, and I happen to like being alive… well you know what I mean. Now, wanna play cards, watch TV, or perhaps a board game. I haven't played 'Clue' in a while.” * The building was in a pretty derelict street, not too far from one of Sunnydale's many graveyards. Boarded up windows, and a door hanging from its hinges presented themselves to the Scoobies. The light in this street was worse than everywhere else. One streetlight stuttered about three hundred yards from where Buffy and the others stood. The other lamps had given up long ago, some broken by demonic vandals who preferred the dark, some by bored teenagers and one or two just needed the bulb changing. The shadows created by the one working light danced with each falter. Anya reached into her bag and pulled out a flashlight. Flicking the switch up, the light beamed out from its tiny source. She shone it up and down the street, which now appeared to be more of an old industrial alley. The sort that warehouses line, not too far from the businesses they stock, but out of the way of the everyday consumers. Giles put his bag on the floor, removed his glasses and wiped them on his shirt, letting go of a long, low sigh. These vamps definitely did not want to stick out. Tara once again squeezed Willow's hand. “Maybe… maybe we should head back, something… something doesn't feel right.” She spoke with a voice that was barely above a whisper. “You got butterflies, baby? It's ok. We'll be alright.” Willow smiled at Tara, trying to hide her own anxiety. “I'm not going back 'til I've been inside. I wanna scope out their lair, and if it's empty then we'll go back. They are not gonna get away with eighty-sixing that Slayer and her kids if I can help it!” Buffy's determination was scarily strong. The others knew that any attempt to persuade her out of it would be futile, and they were not going to let her do this alone. She had died on them before, and they were not going to lose her again. “Fine, we go in, check it out, and then split. If Buff gets to do a bit of dusting whilst we're in there then cool. But no one makes large with the heroics. Any sign of major trouble and we're out faster than Faith can say 'five by five.' Ok?” Xander looked at everyone, the fear clear in his eyes. “Fine by me.” Anya looked like she'd rather be anywhere else but there. “Xander is right, we want to leave in one piece. There will be no foolish acts of heroism from anyone - that includes you Buffy. I do not want to be carrying anyone out of here in a wooden box. We'll go in, take a look around, try and find out some more about there operation, then leave.” Giles's calm, father-like tone helped to restore the calmness of Tara's heart, and she spoke again. “Someone's going to have to stay out here on lookout. We don't want to be caught by surprise.” “Any volunteers?” Buffy looked around the group. Willow looked at Tara who nodded back. “Fine, that's settled. We'll have Wiccan Watch out here and the rest of us go in. Xander, you stick with Anya, Giles, you come with me. Stay together and if things get sticky get out as fast as you can. We'll meet up back home if we can't wait for each other. Will, can you set off some sort of magickal warning signal if you see one of them?” “Yeah, three amplified crow calls okay?” “Fine. See you in a bit.” And with that, Buffy led the way into the ramshackle building, stake in hand. The inside of the building was in a worse state than the outside. Buffy was surprised the vamps hadn't accidentally killed themselves on the timbers hanging from the ceiling and walls. The staircase was missing several stairs, and a few others were snapped in the middle. Just as well Buffy had ten feet of rope coiled in her bag. Compared to this place, Spike's crypt was a palace. Buffy and Giles headed upstairs, taking their time to negotiate the wooden death trap as Xander and Anya began their search downstairs. The place appeared deserted. The remaining stairs creaked under the smallest amount of pressure and Giles trembled slightly as he made his way upwards. The building had an air of death, and not the usual stench of blood that they had long associated with vampire nests. This was not so much a smell as a feeling. Negative energies permeated the air, telling the tale of those who had met their maker thanks to the group that now took residence in this shell of a warehouse. With each upward step, Giles became more and agitated and loathe to move onwards. Only the sight of the petite blond Slayer climbing the stairs in front of him kept him going, climbing the last few yards. * Xander and Anya got quickly frustrated with the lack of anything useful on the ground floor, and were soon back outside with Willow and Tara, leaning against the outside of the building, talking in hushed voices. “Butkiss! Nothing, nada, zip, nientè!” “Xander, will you shut up and stop moaning! It is possible that Giles and Buffy may find something upstairs, you know. Plus, you're getting on my nerves!” Anya, normally the irritating influence was first to complain about Xander's lack of hope. “Anya's right. Just because you didn't find anything, doesn't mean they won't. I just wish they'd hurry up.” Willow looked at Tara as she spoke. The blond Wiccan looked ready to faint with fear. With each moment that passed, Tara was becoming more and more concerned that they were in danger. The lack of vampires on the premises, combined with the mounting worry that had been with her since they had left the house, left her certain something was going to happen, and that certainty was beginning to take control of her mind and heart. She silently prayed to Diana, Goddess of protection and the hunt for help. The sooner they were away from there, the better. * When they reached the first floor of the building, both Buffy and Giles were shocked to discover that it was in a much better state of repair than what they had seen so far. The floorboards sparkled in the little light that came in from the boarded up windows. There was no debris in this room; instead it was set up to resemble something that looked like a cross between a home and an office. Buffy could see the outlines of filing cabinets, tables, a sofa and chairs. She reached into her bag and pulled out a flashlight that was identical to Anya's. The room was empty of occupants save her and Giles, yet what it held was nothing short of horrifically amazing. Down the far end of the room, above the filing cabinets was an area of wall that had been cork-tiled to create a giant notice board displaying all the information the vampires had managed to obtain on Buffy and her friends. Photographs of all of them with notes underneath, and charts that were unreadable at such a distance. She made her way across the room to get a closer look. Under her photo, one that she recognised had been taken a week earlier when she was on patrol in the park, was a list of her strengths and weaknesses as Le Feuvre saw them. Her friends and Dawn were under the weakness list. She looked at Giles's list. All it said was 'slow, negligible.' “Shows how much they know, if it wasn't for you, we wouldn't have the background on them that we do. You're more useful than they think, that's a good thing.” She smiled at Giles as he joined her and began to read the board. “Yes, you're right, but I think they are talking about fighting skills, and there they are right I'm afraid to say. I have lost count of the amount of times that I have been knocked unconscious by one demon or another.” Giles frowned. “Okay, so you don't have a decent left hook, but your brain skills are all the fighting skills you need. We wouldn't do half as well without you.” She smiled once more as Giles continued to read. “Oh, dear!” He said after about five minutes. “This doesn't look good.” “What? Stop the cryptic and tell me.” “Under this photograph of Willow and Tara, it says that they hold a bigger threat than you. Apparently, Le Feuvre sees Witches as a problem that needs to be remedied. It references something in one of the filing cabinets, in the drawer labelled 'P-R'.” “Well, let's find the drawer, and the info.” Buffy shone the torch across the drawers. “One thing in this vamps favour, he's well organised.” She found the drawer and pulled. “Locked. Where's that crowbar?” She opened her bag again and delved into the bottom of it. In two minutes she had pried the steel drawer open and was searching its contents. “How 'bout this? Prophecy comma Slayer and Witches?” “That should be it. Now, how about we…” He was interrupted by three loud crow calls. “Split?” And with that they made their way out of the building as fast as they could carry themselves down the rickety stairs. * The group met Buffy and Giles back at the house. They had wanted to wait, but the approaching vamp gang had left them little choice than to flee. They had been outnumbered by five to one, and the fact that the vamps had practically ignored Xander and Anya and had focused their attentions on the Wiccan lovers had made them decide to leave quickly. The commotion had enabled Buffy and Giles to slip past virtually unnoticed, and back at the house, there was major confusion. Dawn had been asleep on the couch when they had got back, and now she sat up in a state of bewilderment at the turmoil in front of her. No matter how much Buffy tried to make her go upstairs, she wouldn't, and Spike was not prepared to leave until he found out what was going on and had been paid for his babysitting services. Willow sat on the couch next to a shaking Tara who was not saying anything and staring directly ahead. Buffy stood in the centre of the room, trying to get to the bottom of what had happened, Xander stood next to the fireplace, near to a seated Anya who looked severely annoyed with something, and Giles sat, studying the pilfered file from the cabinet at the nest. “So, what happened? I mean, I saw the vamps, but they were not interested in me, even after I dusted three of them. Anyone got any ideas why they were after Will and Tara?” Buffy looked around her. Xander stood, open-mouthed, his eyes full of incomprehension. “No idea. I mean we were there too. Surely they could have laid into us too!” Anya pouted. “Anya now is not the time for jealousy.” Xander got there before Willow could explode. “I was just saying.” She said sulkily. “Next time, they're all yours! That vamp with the greased back hair almost snapped me like a twig! And look at what they've done to Tara!” Willow, flame in her eyes, indicated her girlfriend. “Guys, this isn't the time to lay into each other. It's obvious something isn't right. What's that you've got there, Giles?” Dawn spoke up. “Oh, it's just something Buffy retrieved from a filing cabinet at the nest.” Giles looked up from the paperwork that he had immersed himself in. “Dawn, why don't you go and make a pot of tea?” “If you think you're getting rid of me that easily…” “It's… it's a good idea, Dawny. I'll c…come with you.” Tara spoke up for the first time since they'd arrived home. “We'll get a snack too.” “Okay. But I still what to know what's going on.” Dawn left the room with Tara, obviously annoyed at how easily she had been turned around. But she knew that Tara needed company at the moment, and went without hesitation. “Alright, Giles, what've you really got there?” Buffy turned to face him, then promptly plopped herself onto the couch, taking up Tara's vacant seat next to Willow. “A rather old prophecy actually. It foretells of Le Feuvre's downfall at the hands of a Slayer aided by a group of people, including two Witches. The interesting thing is, whilst it does not depict how he will be destroyed, it gives a rather vivid description of the two Witches.” Giles looked over the top of his glasses at Willow. “Let me guess.” Piped up Xander. “One with red hair and more mojo than any other, and the other her lesbian lover, has blond hair and is rather shy amongst strangers.” “Well, nearly. It misses out the part about Tara being shy.” “Pardon? Are you saying that the reason the vamps went for me and Tara is because their leader thinks we hold the key to destroy him? We're not Slayers, we're Witches! There is no way we are the ones meant to defeat this guy!” As Willow finished talking, Tara, who had just entered the room, carrying a tray of tea cups and a piping hot pot of tea, stopped, let out a petrified scream and dropped the tray with a crash. “So much for the tea.” Anya, naturally gifted with stating the obvious, moved over to help Tara pick up the fragmented china. “I'm… I'm so s…sorry.” Tara struggled to apologise as she picked up the remains of Joyce Summers' best teapot. “That's okay. It's not like we don't have another dozen of the things. I used to break them all the time - what with the demon fighting and all.” Buffy smiled at Tara and got up. She walked over to her and guided her away from the blue and white remains back to the sofa. “Well, I don't mean to stop the revealing talk, but I've got places to go, demons to see, if you've got my money, then I'll be off.” Spike, who had remained by the lounge door interjected. “Of course. I'd forgotten you were there. Same time tomorrow? Oh and can you keep an ear out for any news on this vampire group?” Buffy, usually ready to have a go at Spike over his lack of tact, was too concerned about her Wiccan friends to care about scolding him and handed over the money he was owed. “Sure. Say Red, I think you'd better get your little girlfriend up to bed. She doesn't look so good.” And with that he walked out of the front door. Willow turned to face Tara who had passed out on the couch.
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