Time Tossed Interlude
by Redwulf
Chapter 3 - One Way or Another
"Buffy?" Xander finally spoke. "Is that really you?"
"Yeah, Xander, it is. What day is it?"
Xander actually started giggling. "It's Tuesday, Buffy. What other day could it be?"
Faith rolled her eyes at her lover. "Okay, hate to be a downer, but despite how strap-on man acted, she had a point. How can we be sure you're Buffy?" For herself, she just knew that this was Buffy, but the others would need libraries full of proof.
"Uhhhhm," Buffy stuttered. "I don't know. If you want, you could use a truth spell?"
"That would work..." Willow said hesitantly, looking pointedly at Erin. "If the Dawn look-alike could drop the shields she has over you three."
"And very powerful ones too." Giles said as he entered the room. He stared at the three time tossed visitors as if they might all grow an extra head. "Though I must admit, it is hard to imagine anyone who holds such strength in the primal earth magic as anything other than truthful."
"Oh, yeah!" Kennedy crowed. "You're gonna get it now, girly. My Willow is the fully crowned queen of witchy hoodoo."
Even as Willow's eyes bulged in horrified embarrassment, William said in a low voice. "Can I hit her, Mum? Just once?"
Faith found herself wanting to add a 'yes, please,' but knew it wasn’t something that needed to be said. She watched the newcomers, already knowing they were no danger to her and hers, The Buffy was indeed Buffy, and the two kids were giving off powerful but non-threatening vibes to her Slayer side. It was almost funny at times, while at others it made her want to rip her hair out. The Watcher's were constantly yapping about the legendary ‘Slayer senses’, but whenever she or B told them what their slayer side was saying, the watcher's invariably ignored them.
She caught Xander's attention and motioned that she was going to the other room. Xander nodded almost shyly back at her before turning his attention back to the other Buffy and her kids. As she walked towards the snack machines, she felt the Spike look-alike following her.
"You going somewhere, blondie?" Faith asked the kid as she plugged her change into the Coke machine.
"They’re about to start with the magic talk. I had to get out of there before the bored me into a coma…Auntie Faith." William drew it out, deliberately baiting Faith.
Faith sputtered and coughed as she tried to get the soda out of her lungs. "What?"
"You know…Uncle Xander's wife?" William grinned evilly; even in the future Faith seldom liked the Aunt title. "My ‘Auntie’ Faith?"
"Oookayy,” Faith drew out the word, pure terror in her eyes. Xander was great, but just the idea of being ‘Mrs.’ anyone made her want to run. "Why don't we go see OUR Buffy?"
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Los Angelus
"Ready?" Spike started the car as the young girl set her back pack at her feet and began digging through it. "So…Angel isn't watching over Andrew, Andrew is watching over Angel?"
"Yep." The redheaded Cajun answered as she finally pulled out a weirdly shaped pistol. "Angel is an ass, and I've always been told that the best way to get one over on him is to play on his superiority complex. If he thinks that YOU think he is the center of the universe, you can talk him into anything."
"And who told you that?" Spike asked as he headed to the docks.
"My Uncle’s Andrew and Xander," Toni answered with a smile. "A tip for future reference; if you want to be allies with Uncle Xander? Learn to make fudge."
Spike looked at her as if she was insane. "What's the gun for?" he asked changing the subject.
"Tranq gun,” she told him cheerfully. "I get within twenty yards of her, it’ll knock her out painlessly."
"We're not gonna fight her?" Spike asked, horrified. The young Slayer snorted.
"Spike, what is the first rule of slaying?" Toni asked innocently.
"Don't get dead,” he answered.
"And the chances are that even with both of us fighting her, one of the three of us will get hurt,” Toni said, busily polishing the small gun.
"But...but that's bloody cheating!" Spike was flabbergasted.
Toni rolled her eyes. He really was waaaay to much like Joy.
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London
Younger Buffy looked up with sweat stained hair and narrowed eyes at the newcomers, Faith and some Spike look-alike. She wasn't amused. She wondered if her sister slayer had once again gone evil.
"Who the hell are you?" she asked William with a dangerous edge to her voice.
The young man bowed formally stating. "William Alexander Kenticot, at your service."
"Then where the hell is your father?" Buffy screeched.
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Down the hall
"So, you believe me?" Buffy asked her younger friends.
"It would be impossible not to,” Giles answered
"I think I have this figured out, Giles." Older Buffy said, looking at her mentor. "In every Universe we go to; we have to fix something."
"And in this one?" Willow asked.
"I would guess getting Spike here earlier might help,." Buffy said with a smile.
"Then the Spike in L.A.?" Giles asked.
"Is real, but so covered in magic, he doesn't know which way is up,” she replied sadly.
"I'll call Andrew immediately,” her watcher informed her as he pulled out his cell phone and began dialing.
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L.A.
Even as they boarded the plane with the comatose, insane slayer, Toni noticed the changes coming over her companion. His shoulders slumped and his eyes filled with tears. It was obvious the magics were reasserting themselves. The young Cajun stealthily pulled her stun pistol and set it so that it would not only knock the vampire out, but hurt like hell. She was pretty sure that this times Buffy would approve.
"What's the matter?" she asked him.
"Luv, I get that in your world, Buffy loves Spike. But in this one? Let’s face it; Buffy loves the poofter and I'm just the hired muscle." Spike let out a long, gusty sigh. "This whole fantasy has been great, but that's all it is. Buffy neither loves nor even likes me."
"Dumbass,” Toni told him as she turned and shot him point blank. She then dragged him inside and put him in a seat before turning to do the same with Dana. When she returned, she saw the last person she ever expected to see. "Maria?"
The other redhead grabbed Dana's free arm. "Let me guess; you're like…what? My daughter from the future?"
"Uhhhm, no. Your youngest sister, Toni." Toni was confused. “Who’s here from the future?"
Maria looked her over for a minute before replying, “The senior Slayer and two of her kids."
"Is one of them William?" Toni asked, her heart in her throat.
"Yeah, I think so,” Maria was clearly amused.
"Oh, my God....oh, my God," the younger babbled, hands trembling as she reached for her cell phone and pressed speed dial #1. When it was answered, she said in a trembling voice. "Will?"
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Spike's Apartment, LA
Andrew had the phone to his right ear and his left hand on the stake in his pocket as he listened carefully to Giles.
Angel was pacing back and forth like a caged animal. He had already beaten Lindsey unconscious and it was obvious that Andrew was the next intended victim, but the message from Giles was beyond pissing Andrew off. Angel had kept Andrew's hero imprisoned in LA through the use of the foulest magics. As Giles hung up, Andrew dialed the slayers.
"Send in my pick up," he ordered quietly.
"Did I say you could leave, boy?" Angel bellowed, trying for intimidation. When that didn’t seem to faze him, he charged threateningly at the smaller man. Andrew never even blinked as he held out his stake in his left hand and Angel impaled himself on it, turning to dust.
"That was for Gandalf the White, you self-righteous bastard,” Andrew murmured before heading outside to await his ride.
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London
William was enjoying the happy reunion of his past and future families when his cell rang. Without thinking, he answered it, and when the voice whispered through the line, he felt his heart breaking.
"Will?"
William’s shadow slid away to meet his lover. She was only about ten feet away, but even as he rushed towards her, he felt himself being pulled away falling through yet another time portal to who knew where.
Maria watched in tears as her sister went one way in time and her lover went in another.
The End
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