Halloween City Fics
You guys know me... so it should come as no surprise that I decided to combine my 'Halloween City' fics with a 5_times table and a 7_crossovers table. There had to be thirteen fics all up for xoverland and although five and seven does not make thirteen, I can't use Part Six (Anita Blake) in either of them because the author has asked for it not to be. Well, not my piece specifically, just anybody in general :P And don't be alarmed at the thought of thirteen fics and all of the different fandoms - I wrote the bare minimum (500 words) at least and I had to use thirteen fandoms (requirement of the xoverland challenge). Took me FOREVER to find thirteen separate fandoms and ended up having to ask krys_oak for help on them because my circle is still fairly small. Hence the Tinkerbell fic (I was desperate!) :P Have a look and tell me what you think.
xoverland - Halloween City
Author: SkylarGrace
Fandom: BtVS (various)1. Mermaid/Merman2. Ghost3. Vampire 4. Werewolf5. Succubus/Incubus6. Demon7. Angel8. Witch/Wizard9. Gargoyle10. Mutant11. Fairy/Fae12. Dragon13. God/GoddessProgress: 13/13
5_times - Prompt Set #6
Author: SkylarGrace
Fandom: BtVS (various)
Claim: Buffy Summers1. Sunshine2. Rain3. Snow 4. Fog5. OvercastProgress: 5/5
7_crossovers - Theme Set #3
Author: SkylarGrace
Fandom: BtVS (various)1. Twilight2. Forsaken3. Sickness 4. Bittersweet5. Macabre6. Malignant7. StormProgress: 7/7
Halloween City or Thirteen Buffy Crossovers
Part One (Dark Angel)
Max rushed forward, the wind feeling cool against her face. She could smell Alec's panic from where she was and it only served to make her move faster. The bag in her hand bumped against her side as she raced up the stairs of their apartment building and as she reached their door, she didn't even pause as she burst through it. She met Alec's panicked eyes and the slight nod of the head was all she needed before she raced in through the open door of the bedroom. The blonde woman on the bed looked pale and drawn and Max knelt down beside her.
"Buffy? Buffy, can you hear me?"
Max saw Alec pulling the contents out of her bag and she helped sit the woman up as Alec poured the brown liquid down her throat. Buffy momentarily shook with tremors before laying still and Max placed her head gently on the pillow. She walked out of the room and turned around, walking straight into Alec's arms as they wrapped around her.
"I hope she's alright," Max whispered into his shirt. "I can't help but think that if she'd never come here, she'd be alright."
Alec pulled her away and lifted her chin, forcing her downcast eyes to meet his. "She came here and it was her choice to stay. She knew the risks and I'm sure if she was awake she'd tell you that you couldn't have stopped her from going in."
"Yeah but if she hadn't been seen with us, if she hadn't helped us out, White would never have thought she was Transgenic."
Alec kissed the top of her head softly. "She's a Slayer Maxie - she heals fast. Just give it some time. If we can help a mermaid, we can help anybody."
Time is what she gave it and the few hours it took before the Slayer stirred seemed like days to Max. She paced the room and ignored the fact that although he was busy caught up in other things, Alec was still watching her like a hawk.
Her Transgenic hearing heard the movement before her eyes saw the figure and Max leapt up and hugged her friend tight as she emerged from the bedroom.
"I'm so sorry Buffy!"
Buffy frowned. "It wasn't your fault! White just got a little excited about catching a Transgenic as good as me that he failed to stop and check for a barcode. Don't worry, I'll rectify that for him."
Max grinned back at the large smile on Buffy's face. As Alec went and got food for them, Max checked the Slayer over and made sure there was no lasting damage. Over take away, the three sat down and planned and by morning were gearing up on the motorcycles.
When the back doors burst in and the smoke began to clear, White rubbed his eyes and stared in surprise as three figures brazenly stormed in. He didn't have time to voice it before they had him tied down and he was still sitting there four hours later, albeit in an empty warehouse, when his own team threw in smoke bombs that made his eyes water.
The tears coming from his eyes were no where near as embarrassing as the looks he received from his men when they noticed his brand new barcode.
~*~*~*~*~
Part Two (Vampire Academy)
Rose ran around the corner and stopped as she saw a tiny blonde woman fighting Dimitri. Tiny wasn't really all that accurate given his height but the woman was definitely shorter than her. Their blows seemed tit for tat, neither one seemingly gaining the upper hand until Dimitri feigned a left one too many times and took advantage of the Slayer's mistake as he kicked her into the side of the building. The force knocked away a chunk of the brickwork and Rose watched in horror as he moved forward with his sword.
"No!" she screamed, her shout reverberating around the room and causing both sets of eyes to turn toward her.
She pulled up just short of them and reached out for the Slayer's hand. Instinctively, Dimitri reached out and pulled her back, trying to keep her out of harm's way. She turned her dark eyes toward him and placed her hand on his arm. Seeing the muscles in his arms relax slightly, she reached forward and helped the blonde to her feet.
"This is Buffy - she's a Slayer."
Dimitri raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Explains why she packs one hell of a punch."
Buffy rubbed the back of her head. "You're not too bad either. With a little training you could be almost as good as me."
Rose smirked and watched as Dimitri picked up his sword and walked out of the room. Buffy walked over to a fallen slab of concrete and sat down as her friend sat beside her.
"I take it that's Dimitri then?" Rose nodded and Buffy sighed. "Sorry, my spidey-sense was tingling and I'm still getting used to the whole 'Dhamphir' thing. Didn't realise he could be one of the good guys, especially not after he brought his sword into the mix."
Rose laughed and Buffy's head ducked. "I sometimes wonder what goes through his head. He's so closed off sometimes and more than just hot and cold with me."
Buffy shook her head. "Been there, done that. Remind me one time to tell you all about Angel."
Rose tried to figure out why the name sounded familiar and as it came to her, she looked up in surprise. "You're that Slayer?" Buffy nodded and Rose looked back to the empty corridor that Dimitri has disappeared down. "Maybe you can give me a few tips then. I'll trade you info on that demon for a few insights."
Buffy stood and looked back over her shoulder. "I'll tell you what," she said, "How about I give you the insights for free and you just keep me up-to-date with the goss?"
Rose grinned. Maybe this friendship would be a good idea after all. "Sure!"
Rose slipped her arm through Buffy's and listened with intrigue as Buffy began with the first time they met while they walked past a ghost. In the back of her mind she was recalling her own introduction and grinned when Buffy told her about the leather jacket he'd given her. There was a small spark in her friend's eyes and Rose couldn't help but wonder if the spark was in hers.
~*~*~*~*~
Part Three (Macabre)
His blade sliced through the air and the vampire in front of him exploded. On his right he could see Whistler and Hannibal tag teaming the onslaught of vampires through the foyer while on his left he could see Buffy bouncing around in front of a large vampire; one who must have been a body builder whilst he was still alive.
She swung her scythe high and as it whirled around above her head, she used the distraction to take the vampire's feet out from under him. He barely had time to register the sudden change in view as the wooden part of the scythe plunged straight into his chest. She walked through the cloud of dust and began the next dance with the vampire in front of her.
Shaking his head in surprise, Blade killed the stragglers in front of him and looked across at the duo in the doorway. Hannibal gave him a thumbs up while Whistler pulled her earphones from her ears and all three turned to face the Slayer. Her weapon was hanging limply at her side and her face was a mess of emotions. Blade saw Whistler approach her side and he and Hannibal stepped up to look at the boardroom she was standing in front of.
Several bodies were laying on the ground while the rest were strewn across the table. The walls, floor and chairs were covered with arterial spray and pools of blood were dripping slowly off of the table. Blade looked back at the bodies in the room. They were ripped apart. The vampires that attacked hadn't need to feed, this had been purely for enjoyment and it made Blade's blood boil. There was a brunette in tight black jeans on the floor just inside the doorway and it was this body that the Slayer approached first.
"Faith."
The word escaped her lips and Blade was unsure what to make of it. If faith was what she was after, he wasn't sure she would get it from here. It had been a massacre and he was actually surprised by the amount of damage done. The humans had obviously fought back and by the weapons scattered on the floor, it had seemed like they were expecting it - or at least prepared for it.
Joining forces with the Slayer hadn't exactly seemed like a good idea to him but Hannibal had brought her into their fold, praising her skills. It seemed that he had run into her once when he was a vampire and she had, for some reason, let him live. Initially it had been a one job thing. But she'd ended up staying and now, a few months down the track, she was still around.
In that time she'd proven herself and so when she came to them with news that some friends of hers needed assistance, he had not trouble strapping on his weapons and following her. Unfortunately, it seemed as though they'd been too late.
Buffy wound her arms around the woman's body and, seemingly without effort, picked her up and carried her out of the room.
~*~*~*~*~
Part Four (Twilight)
Jacob stepped out into the sunlight and looked up at the sky. It was the first fine day that they'd had all week and he was determined to enjoy it as much as possible. There were only a few clouds in the sky but, despite that, it didn't look like rain.
A dark green four wheel drive pulled onto his driveway and he squinted. Wisps of the driver's long blonde hair were blowing out of the window and he kicked a rock on the ground next to his toe. He'd been expecting the Slayer ever since he'd gotten a call from an old friend of his but he hadn't expected her so soon. She pulled up in front of him and stepped out of the car. Her shirt was torn on the left side and there was dried blood on her left shoulder. She walked with a slight limp but it didn't stop her from lifting up her right hand and holding it out for him to shake.
"Hi, I'm Buffy. Oz said he'd called ahead."
Jacob nodded and gestured toward his house. As he led her inside, he left her in the living room while he went into the kitchen to get his first aid kit. When he walked back into the lounge room, Buffy was hanging up the jacket Bela had left there a few days before on the back of a chair and she thankfully took the small box off of him and got to work cleaning her wound. With the blood cleared, Jacob noticed the claw marks and sighed.
"I take it you've met the rest of them."
Buffy nodded. "Yep. We had a good old chat about old times, tossed back a few beers; may have pulled out the odd weapon or two."
She shrugged and he shook his head. "Was anybody else hurt?"
"Not critically."
"And you told them you were coming here?"
Buffy looked up at him in surprise. "What and spoil the surprise? You've gotta be kidding! We parted on somewhat even terms but the matter is somewhat settled. They know their place and I know mine. Just as long as we don't have to run into each other again, we'll be fine."
He winced. "We'll, about that..." She took a deep breath and he wasn't sure if it was due to his statement or the Dettol. Her blue eyes looked up into his and he rubbed the back of his neck. "We might have to speak to one or two. It's just, I wasn't there when the first demon attacked and didn't get all the info."
Buffy stood and walked out of the house, a small nod in his direction his only indication to follow. As he hopped into her car he thought about the eventuality of the following meeting and wished he hadn't taken Oz's advice. It was going to be awkward enough bringing in someone else to help with their problems without having to explain that although she was a Slayer, she wasn't there for them. Not yet, anyway.
~*~*~*~*~
Part Five (Supernatural)
Buffy hung her head and avoided eye contact. The overcast day had turned and as the rain drizzled down, she was grateful for the distraction. She could tell that the guys were dragging stuff into the motel room as fast as they could. When the last of the stuff had been brought in, she heard the bathroom door close and saw a pair of feet stop in front of her. She looked up in embarrassment.
"I'm-"
"Don't worry about it," Sam said, waving a hand in the air, "You're not the only one to have been affected by a succubus or incubus before."
Buffy furtively glanced toward the bathroom and saw Sam following her gaze.
"Anything I should know about? Or rather, I don't really wanna know but if there's anything I can do...""
Buffy didn't say anything and just looked at her hands. She felt Sam's hand on her shoulders and she heard him walk away from her. When the motel room door closed, she looked up in surprise. Obviously he wanted her and Dean to sort out whatever issues they had. She wasn't looking forward to that.
Sam had avoided being involved by being late to the meet but he'd been on time to find both his friend and brother wound up in each other's arms. He was too much of a gentleman to speculate on what had happened in the hour he'd been absent but if he'd noticed their dishevelled clothes, he hadn't said anything about it. The demonic duo had been nearby, feeding off of them, and Sam had wasted them both before managing to unlock the door to the cell they'd been in. They'd been in opposite corners and what had followed was an eerily silent drive and a lot of avoided glances.
Just before reaching the motel, the rain had started and Buffy had taken the opportunity afforded by the distraction to run inside and try to avoid any sort of confrontation with either Winchester.
Dean's head poked out of the bathroom and he seemed startled to see her sitting on the bed still. Knowing he couldn't avoid her forever, he came out, his words spilling over themselves as he tried for an explanation.
"Don't worry, if it was me, I'd be holed up in the bathroom too."
Dean stopped and leant against the wall beside him. There was an entire room between them but Buffy felt, claustrophobic, as if there just wasn't enough space.
"Look-"
"I'm sor-"
They both stopped and Dean smiled awkwardly. "I'm sorry for what happened," he began, "I just wasn't expecting..."
"No, it's me who should be sorry. I knew what to expect but I just didn't realise..."
There was an awkward silence and Dean broke it by letting out a sigh and heading for the door.
"I'm just gonna go check on Sammy."
Buffy nodded and as the door closed behind him, threw herself back on the bed and placed and arm over her eyes. She just HATED what some demons could make you do.
~*~*~*~*~
Part Six (Anita Blake)
She saw the faint glow from underneath her shirt and looked around cautiously. There was a constant dripping from somewhere on her left and a soft candle light from a high up candle on her right and she was trying to ignore the two so she could focus on anything trying to sneak up on her. Her cross afforded some warning but it wasn't always enough and she knew that one of these days her reflexes weren't going to save her.
There was a light footstep and as she neared the corner, a blonde woman and man rounded it. She instinctively raised her weapon and even though she'd known Buffy for years, she'd never seen the blonde man before. There was no telling if her friend was still human or not and her cross didn't exactly point out the evil party in the room.
Buffy held up both of her hands. "It's okay Neet, this is Harrison - he's a vampire."
She didn't lower her weapon and Buffy gave a half smile. "He's gonna lead us to the nest."
"And we should trust him why? Because he looks so innocent?"
Buffy laughed and threw a look at the vampire. "I wouldn't trust him as far as I could throw him. But he doesn't really have a choice; we burn down his nest or theirs. It's really in his best interest to show us theirs."
Anita threw her a half amused look and as Buffy urged the vampire ahead of them, it turned into a full smile. Her friend sure had a way with vamps.
He led them through a full forest and Anita tried to ignore all of the branches that were snagging her jacket. The dead leaves underneath her feet crunched as she walked on them and although she tried to make less sound, she just didn't seem to have the skill.
Just after they broke through the clearing, the vampire stopped. He looked back at them fearfully and Buffy titled her head to the side. She could hear faint sounds in the distance and as she nodded at the vampire, he broke into a run in the direction they'd come from. Anita raised her eyebrows in surprise and Buffy just smirked as a stake flew out of her hand and hit the vampire in the chest. He disappeared in a cloud of dust and she turned back to her with a satisfied smirk.
"You've really gotta teach me how to do that!"
Her friend grinned. "There is so much to teach you grasshopper!"
Anita punched her playfully in the arm and the two women walked toward the lights and noise in the distance. They didn't know it yet, but the vampires were about to have the surprise of their lives. A Slayer and Vampire Hunter did not bode well for anyone, least of all a nest that had the audacity to attack them while they slept. Vengeance was about to be sought and the vampires would not know what hit them. Literally or figuratively.
~*~*~*~*~
Part Seven (Supernatural)
Dean packed the things into his bag and didn't even bother to zip it up as he threw the weapons bag on the floor beside Sam. Sam raised an eyebrow at him but his brother didn't say anything as he picked it up and placed it on the chair beside him. Dean looked at the sky outside. Twilight. Perfect - nearly time to hit the streets looking for the demon that had gotten the best of him the night before. He headed into the bathroom and while he was in there, he heard a light knock on the door before Sam began talking with someone. Their voices were too low for him to hear anything and he quickly washed and dried his hands before heading out.
The bathroom door hit him as he stopped in the doorway and gave a small frown at the person standing in the middle of the room. A quick glance told him that Sam had already left and had taken the weapons with him. Just great.
"I asked Sam if he could run down a lead for me. I told he we'd meet up with him."
Dean wasn't sure whether to walk further into the room or to stand where he was. He was confused as to what she was doing there. As if she knew what he was thinking, she stepped forward.
"I know it's been a while-"
"A year."
She took a deep breath. "Yeah, a year. I just had some things I need to sort out, a few cases that needed my attention... Anyway, I just... couldn't get what happened out of my head and I think we really need to talk about it rather than ignore it."
He tried to quash the seething that was trying to escape. "I don't know Buffy, it's been a year. I've done a pretty good job of ignoring it and it seems that you did too."
"Sam told me what's been going on."
"Sam doesn't know jack!"
"Well, regardless, I think it's something we need to talk about."
"I don't know," he bit, "I've been ignoring it, you've been ignoring it - everyone's been happy."
"Have you though?" He didn't say anything and she stepped forward again. "I don't know about you but I've been miserable. It wasn't just the thing that we were under for me. It was something more. And if it wasn't for you, just say so. I'll walk back out that door and you won't have to see me again."
Dean stilled. Discussions like this were not something he was used to - or enjoyed - but letting her walk away didn't seem like an option. His indecision seemed to portray the wrong message and she took a deep breath before turning and walking toward the door.
Without thinking, he grabbed her arm and pulled her back toward him, her small body sitting perfectly against his. He bent down and quickly captured her lips with his before either of them could think about it and lost himself in the moment.
As he pulled back from her, air filling his lungs once more, he leant his forehead against hers. "Does that answer your question?"
Buffy grinned up at him. "I don't know. You might have to repeat that because I don't think I caught it the first time."
~*~*~*~*~
Part Eight (Charmed)
Piper felt as if her heart was going to explode as the tears ran down her cheeks. Her heart was broken - that much she was sure of - but beyond that, she couldn't feel anything. There was no pain from the large gash on her right arm, nor any from the numerous bruises covering her body. The body of the demon lay a few feet from her but she paid it no attention as she looked at the body of her husband, motionless in her arms.
She knew that Buffy was somewhere nearby. She'd taken the demon down in the end. Piper had seen Leo fall and everything else ceased to exist. She knew the demon was a pretty big match for the Slayer on her own but Piper just hadn't cared. Hadn't even thought about it. Her world was at a stand still.
On the horizon, clouds rolled in. Dark clouds filled with rain. Ones that would cause an almighty storm. Lightning crashed around her and somewhere in the back of her mind she knew that she was responsible for it. She'd already lost Prue - a loss that she didn't really think could be overshadowed until Paige had fallen. Leo had tried to save her but there just hadn't been time.
Buffy's hand lay gently on her shoulder and she knew her friend was just waiting for permission to hug her. But hugging her would mean letting go of Leo and that wasn't conceivable at the moment. She wasn't sure that could ever happen.
"I'm so sorry Piper."
Piper nodded as she looked down at the bloodied body of her husband. She wasn't sure how it started because her eyes were filled with tears and had been blurry but his body seemed to be surrounded by light. Little balls of light danced around him, sparkling like gems and she loosened her grip on him. As she moved backward, his body began to lift slightly. Panic began to set in and she tried to grab hold of him, keep him with her but he had already begun to disappear and her hands moved through him.
Buffy grasped her shoulders and looked up as the light disappeared above them. Piper had no idea what had happened or who had taken him but his loss seemed final and that small piece of her heart that had fractured but remained intact, finally broke, shattering into a million pieces.
She wasn't sure what happened after that. Her world seemed to dissolve into black and neither sight nor sound could penetrate it. She felt light and carefree, as though nothing could harm her. Somewhere in the back of her mind was a voice shouting out something about shock and begging her to stay but she just couldn't find it within herself to fight yet. For now the pain was minimal - bearable - and she could deal with it. She family was still waiting for her at home and she would have to go back to them but she knew that whatever happened, Buffy would know what to do. She always did.
~*~*~*~*~
Part Nine (The Hollows)
Rachel shook off the rain from her jacket as she entered the office. There was nobody in the immediate vicinity and she moved quickly into the inner office, hoping to dry off next to her fire and begin work on the case underneath her jacket. She quickly walked into the room, pulling out the folder and dumping it on the desk before throwing of her jacket and shaking it in front of the small fire there. Beads of water fell down and she frowned at the leather. She was glad that the jacket looked like it was gonna be fine but she had expected something different from it - what she wasn't sure. Her white shirt clung to her and she tossed her jacket to the side as she moved closer to the fire trying to dry.
Her friend Willow had called and asked her a favour. Her friend Buffy - a Slayer, whatever that was - was going to be dropping by and needed some help on a case. Because Rachel was the only one in the area that she trusted, she sent her in that direction. Rachel had looked up the info that Buffy had needed and had raced to the office to confirm her suspicions before the woman arrived. The top half of her shirt was not drying properly and she attempted to remove it when a cough sounded behind her.
Jumping out of her skin, Rachel immediately reached for a weapon when the person stood, stepping into the light of the fire. Rachel rolled her eyes.
"You scared the daylights out of me!"
Trent merely smirked. "Well as entertaining as a free show would have been, I'm actually here on business. I need your help with something."
"Couldn't handle this yourself?"
"If I could, do you think I'd be here?"
Rachel ignored the challenge and let her wet shirt fall against her stomach. She moved toward her desk and was surprised when Trent handed her a towel. Neither said anything as she dried herself off as best she could before sitting down.
His green eyes looked even brighter in the firelight and his blonde hair was slightly plastered to his head from the rain outside.
"Ren and Stimpy have better things to do?"
He ignored the barb and handed over a silver necklace. It was intricate in design and had a large jewel in the centre. She stared at it carefully, committing it to memory before she looked back up.
"And this is?"
"I don't know. But some pretty nasty demons are after it. it has killed a lot of us trying to find it and I need to know what it's for."
"Who gave it to you?"
"Some human. Dark hair, one eye, asked me to give it to the Slayer - whatever that is."
Rachel looked up in shock at hearing the unknown term twice in one day only to see, standing in the doorway, an attractive blonde woman who was frowning.
"Trent?"
He turned around at the sound of his name. "Buffy?"
Rachel sat quietly. She wasn't jealous - not at all.
~*~*~*~*~
Part Ten (Smallville)
He crashed back into the wall of the barn and felt the wood buckle underneath the force. Somewhere within him, he knew that something was wrong, but the majority of him was riding the high and increasingly frustrated with the small blonde woman determined to put a stop to it. He blurred toward her again, knocking her off guard momentarily before she swivelled around and backhanded him. She wasn't as strong as he was, not nearly, but she had some strength - more than a human - and she was trying to use her agility to best him.
From the corner of his eye his saw that Oliver was beginning to stir and he frowned. That was the last thing he needed. He moved to attack again when every muscle in his body seemed to scream out and he fell to his knees. The pain coursing through him caused him to cry out and his head felt like it was going to explode. As he fell forward, he saw Lois emerge from behind a post holding a large glowing green meteorite in her hand. Her face held only pain as she watched him writhe on the ground and he closed his eyes as the darkness engulfed him.
He heard voices before he even opened his eyes and he recognised them to be Lois and Oliver. The third he couldn't place but as the events of the last two days came back to him, he remembered a blonde woman.
He opened his eyes reluctantly and sat up only to be met with three pairs of eyes. Oliver was sporting a couple of stitches across the forehead and Lois had a bandaged hand but it was the blonde he was most surprised with. She was covered in bruises and he was surprised she was still functioning. Lois stood.
"Clark, meet Buffy. Buffy, Clark. Thought it might be nice if we all got to know one another again withoutbeing under the influence this time."
There was a somewhat cheeky grin before she moved over to help him up. Clark stood and approached Buffy.
"Are you-"
Buffy shook her head. "Nope, I'm a Slayer. Good, old fashioned, run-of-the-mill hero type. Heard you had a problem down here and came to offer a hand. Actually thought I'd be working with you rather than against you but I guess it's okay either way."
Lois grinned before she slid a cup of coffee across the table. "Actually Buffy was going to help us out with a few things. She managed to get a lead on something Lex was working on and decided to drop the info off as well as some assistance if we need it. She's working with a group called the Council who has a huge reach. Definitely not a bad asset and with the League spread out all over the world, it wouldn't hurt to have some of her people helping them out."
Clark nodded and fought to stave off the headache that was beginning. As he downed the coffee, he listened to the conversation across the table and wondered where he would be without Lois Lane.
~*~*~*~*~
Part Eleven (Tinkerbell)
Tink moved softly across the snow as she approached the human. She knew she wasn't supposed to be getting close, much less talking to one, but the little boy seemed so lonely. At the sound of her small voice, the boy looked up in surprise and before he could say anything, she noticed his features transform into a disfigured creature. She knew it was too late to move but that didn't stop her from trying. A figure flew out of the bush beside her, sending them both toppling to the ground. She saw Terence push her to the side but it was too late as the glass jar surrounded both of them.
She looked back at him and he hung his head at they were sealed in and the jar placed inside a box. There was a tiny hole in the top providing a shaft of light into the jar and Tink approached him.
"I'm really sorry," he began before she could say a word, "I was just trying to help! I saw that he wsa trying to capture you and I tried to push you out of the way but I guess I was just a little too late."
Tink surprised him by wrapping her arms around him. "Thank you."
"You're, you're not mad?"
"Of course, but not at you. You came all the way out her to save me. By the way, what are you doing out here?"
Terence gave a half smile. "I just wanted to see you work. You always light up whenever you talk about it and I just wanted to see why."
Tink grinned. "What're they doing without you? You know that we can't fly without you."
Terence shrugged. "Don't know. I just snuck away."
Tink looked up at the small hole in the box. She could only just see the night sky but the hole was small enough that she couldn't see much.
"Guess we'll both be in trouble when we get home."
"If we get home."
The movement stopped and the world felt as though it had suddenly lurched before it stopped abruptly. Tink got the impression the box had been dropped. She sat down beside Terence fearfully and he wrapped an arm around her as they both watched the hole. The noises outside suddenly stopped and there was silence. Tink huddled in closer to Terence as the lid to the box opened slowly.
Instead of the demon she had seen before, she saw the face of a beautiful blonde woman. A 'No way!' escaped her lips as she reached inside and carefully drew out the jar.
"Can you fly?" she asked.
Tink nodded and the woman opened the jar and held it out. Before she had time to think, Terence had already grabbed her hand and fled from their prison. Tink stopped him in mid-air as she looked down on the human. She offered her a grateful smile and the woman smiled back before Tink flew away with Terence toward the brightest stars.
~*~*~*~*~
Part Twelve (Harry Potter)
Harry laid the flowers solemnly on the grave. As a tear was swept away by the cold autumn winds, he heard her walk up behind him.
"I'm so sorry Harry."
Her American accent sounded surprisingly comforting to him and he nodded. His hand traced the letters on the grave stone and as the traced the last one, he placed a hand on top. Taking a deep breath, he stood and turned around.
Buffy was dressed in winter clothes, completely rugged up and Harry offered her a small smile. Only a Californian girl could be so overdressed in autumn.
"Long flight?"
Buffy shook her head. "Nope, seemed to go by really quickly although I was going over and over what I was going to say."
"She would have loved you." he said, looking back at the grave stone.
"I wish I could have met her."
As they began walking away from the fresh grave, Buffy took a deep breath.
"So, what happened?"
"Another wizard. He wanted her and she refused to give in. He thought that if he couldn't have her then no one could... I was too late to save her."
"Harry..."
"It's okay. It's something I have to live with now for the rest of my life. It's just, she never really got a chance - we never really got a chance. Took me so long to see what was right in front of me the whole time."
"I only spoke with her once but she thought the world of you. She died loving you-"
"She died because because she loved me."
"And if you'd never realised what was there you'd never have had the time you did. Stop beating yourself up over things you can't change. Trust me, it leads nowhere except pain and misery and she would not want that for you."
"She is DEAD because of me!"
He broke down sobbing as he fell to his knees and wasn't surprised when he felt Buffy's arms around him. When he'd called one of his oldest friends to tell her about his wife's death he knew she would be there for him. She was like the older sister he never had and as he cried for his wife, for the life they never had, he knew that he had one person who would continue to be there for him.
Ron had left years ago. Off to live a life of adventure as he helped his brother train dragons. They sent each other Christmas cards ever year but it was a strained friendship now with neither man knowing the other anymore. Buffy, although she'd been an ocean away, had kept in touch ever since she'd helped her watcher take out a nest of vampires that had captured him and Hermione a number of years back. Harry was surprised that a non-magical muggle knew about their world but had grown to respect Rupert Giles over the years. Buffy had likewise remained close and he ended up seeing them as the family he never really had.
Now here she was, consoling him, and he couldn't have been any place safer.
~*~*~*~*~
Part Thirteen (Xena)
Xena threw her chakram at the disfigured group in front of her, watching as her blade beheaded each of them and was surprised when the people turned to dust as soon as their heads left their bodies. Catching her weapon with a skill few had, she turned back to the young blonde woman leaning against a tree.
"I told you, didn't I? I don't know why you wouldn't believe me."
"It's not exactly a believable story. Though with the things I've seen..."
The woman stepped forward and shrugged. Xena hadn't had much time to figure out who exactly she was, only that her name was Buffy, before a group of people had rushed her. There had been a quick hand to hand battle before she flung herself backward gaining some distance and armed herself.
"Look, I don't know why you were brought back, doesn't really make much sense to me, but you're here and it is for a purpose. Seeing what you can do, I'm guessing that I can throw you into the thick of battle and not have to worry so much."
"It's what I was born to do."
"Willow would be much better at this than me. I don't know why she isn't here yet. Besides, it was her fault you ended up here - though, I guess not directly."
There was a sudden build up of fog and Xena gripped her weapon tightly. This whole day was seemingly like a dream, or nightmare, and she had no idea what to expect. One minute she was walking beside Gabrielle and the next she's walking through a forest. At night. If it hadn't been for Buffy standing there, she wouldn't have really known what was going on.
Apparently her friend Willow was some sort of witch. Xena was still iffy on that but Willow had heard Buffy asking for help through a device called a 'mobile phone' and had conjured up help. Her. She was still shaking her head when a red-head appeared out of the fog with a sheepish smile.
"Woah, you weren't kidding!"
Xena regarded her carefully but Buffy seemed to relax once she arrived. She assumed this was 'Willow'.
"Hi," she said, offering a small wave, "I'm really sorry about this. I guess this cold has me a little off balance and... well, anyway, you get the general picture. I'm gonna send you back to your time, okay?"
Xena just stared apprehensively.
Willow sat down and pulled a bunch of items from her bag. She recognised some of them but not all. She spoke a few words in latin and Xena noticed the world disappearing. She was initially fearful and she instinctively held on to her chakram. As the darkness lifted, Xena realised she was standing in the middle of the road, with Gabrielle about a foot in front. Gabrielle was still talking but she stopped and turned around when she realised that her friend had stopped.
"What is it?"
Xena shook her head and looked around. "The strangest thing just happened..."
xoverland - Halloween City
Author: SkylarGrace
Fandom: BtVS (various)1. Mermaid/Merman2. Ghost3. Vampire 4. Werewolf5. Succubus/Incubus6. Demon7. Angel8. Witch/Wizard9. Gargoyle10. Mutant11. Fairy/Fae12. Dragon13. God/GoddessProgress: 13/13
5_times - Prompt Set #6
Author: SkylarGrace
Fandom: BtVS (various)
Claim: Buffy Summers1. Sunshine2. Rain3. Snow 4. Fog5. OvercastProgress: 5/5
7_crossovers - Theme Set #3
Author: SkylarGrace
Fandom: BtVS (various)1. Twilight2. Forsaken3. Sickness 4. Bittersweet5. Macabre6. Malignant7. StormProgress: 7/7
Halloween City or Thirteen Buffy Crossovers
Part One (Dark Angel)
Max rushed forward, the wind feeling cool against her face. She could smell Alec's panic from where she was and it only served to make her move faster. The bag in her hand bumped against her side as she raced up the stairs of their apartment building and as she reached their door, she didn't even pause as she burst through it. She met Alec's panicked eyes and the slight nod of the head was all she needed before she raced in through the open door of the bedroom. The blonde woman on the bed looked pale and drawn and Max knelt down beside her.
"Buffy? Buffy, can you hear me?"
Max saw Alec pulling the contents out of her bag and she helped sit the woman up as Alec poured the brown liquid down her throat. Buffy momentarily shook with tremors before laying still and Max placed her head gently on the pillow. She walked out of the room and turned around, walking straight into Alec's arms as they wrapped around her.
"I hope she's alright," Max whispered into his shirt. "I can't help but think that if she'd never come here, she'd be alright."
Alec pulled her away and lifted her chin, forcing her downcast eyes to meet his. "She came here and it was her choice to stay. She knew the risks and I'm sure if she was awake she'd tell you that you couldn't have stopped her from going in."
"Yeah but if she hadn't been seen with us, if she hadn't helped us out, White would never have thought she was Transgenic."
Alec kissed the top of her head softly. "She's a Slayer Maxie - she heals fast. Just give it some time. If we can help a mermaid, we can help anybody."
Time is what she gave it and the few hours it took before the Slayer stirred seemed like days to Max. She paced the room and ignored the fact that although he was busy caught up in other things, Alec was still watching her like a hawk.
Her Transgenic hearing heard the movement before her eyes saw the figure and Max leapt up and hugged her friend tight as she emerged from the bedroom.
"I'm so sorry Buffy!"
Buffy frowned. "It wasn't your fault! White just got a little excited about catching a Transgenic as good as me that he failed to stop and check for a barcode. Don't worry, I'll rectify that for him."
Max grinned back at the large smile on Buffy's face. As Alec went and got food for them, Max checked the Slayer over and made sure there was no lasting damage. Over take away, the three sat down and planned and by morning were gearing up on the motorcycles.
When the back doors burst in and the smoke began to clear, White rubbed his eyes and stared in surprise as three figures brazenly stormed in. He didn't have time to voice it before they had him tied down and he was still sitting there four hours later, albeit in an empty warehouse, when his own team threw in smoke bombs that made his eyes water.
The tears coming from his eyes were no where near as embarrassing as the looks he received from his men when they noticed his brand new barcode.
~*~*~*~*~
Part Two (Vampire Academy)
Rose ran around the corner and stopped as she saw a tiny blonde woman fighting Dimitri. Tiny wasn't really all that accurate given his height but the woman was definitely shorter than her. Their blows seemed tit for tat, neither one seemingly gaining the upper hand until Dimitri feigned a left one too many times and took advantage of the Slayer's mistake as he kicked her into the side of the building. The force knocked away a chunk of the brickwork and Rose watched in horror as he moved forward with his sword.
"No!" she screamed, her shout reverberating around the room and causing both sets of eyes to turn toward her.
She pulled up just short of them and reached out for the Slayer's hand. Instinctively, Dimitri reached out and pulled her back, trying to keep her out of harm's way. She turned her dark eyes toward him and placed her hand on his arm. Seeing the muscles in his arms relax slightly, she reached forward and helped the blonde to her feet.
"This is Buffy - she's a Slayer."
Dimitri raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Explains why she packs one hell of a punch."
Buffy rubbed the back of her head. "You're not too bad either. With a little training you could be almost as good as me."
Rose smirked and watched as Dimitri picked up his sword and walked out of the room. Buffy walked over to a fallen slab of concrete and sat down as her friend sat beside her.
"I take it that's Dimitri then?" Rose nodded and Buffy sighed. "Sorry, my spidey-sense was tingling and I'm still getting used to the whole 'Dhamphir' thing. Didn't realise he could be one of the good guys, especially not after he brought his sword into the mix."
Rose laughed and Buffy's head ducked. "I sometimes wonder what goes through his head. He's so closed off sometimes and more than just hot and cold with me."
Buffy shook her head. "Been there, done that. Remind me one time to tell you all about Angel."
Rose tried to figure out why the name sounded familiar and as it came to her, she looked up in surprise. "You're that Slayer?" Buffy nodded and Rose looked back to the empty corridor that Dimitri has disappeared down. "Maybe you can give me a few tips then. I'll trade you info on that demon for a few insights."
Buffy stood and looked back over her shoulder. "I'll tell you what," she said, "How about I give you the insights for free and you just keep me up-to-date with the goss?"
Rose grinned. Maybe this friendship would be a good idea after all. "Sure!"
Rose slipped her arm through Buffy's and listened with intrigue as Buffy began with the first time they met while they walked past a ghost. In the back of her mind she was recalling her own introduction and grinned when Buffy told her about the leather jacket he'd given her. There was a small spark in her friend's eyes and Rose couldn't help but wonder if the spark was in hers.
~*~*~*~*~
Part Three (Macabre)
His blade sliced through the air and the vampire in front of him exploded. On his right he could see Whistler and Hannibal tag teaming the onslaught of vampires through the foyer while on his left he could see Buffy bouncing around in front of a large vampire; one who must have been a body builder whilst he was still alive.
She swung her scythe high and as it whirled around above her head, she used the distraction to take the vampire's feet out from under him. He barely had time to register the sudden change in view as the wooden part of the scythe plunged straight into his chest. She walked through the cloud of dust and began the next dance with the vampire in front of her.
Shaking his head in surprise, Blade killed the stragglers in front of him and looked across at the duo in the doorway. Hannibal gave him a thumbs up while Whistler pulled her earphones from her ears and all three turned to face the Slayer. Her weapon was hanging limply at her side and her face was a mess of emotions. Blade saw Whistler approach her side and he and Hannibal stepped up to look at the boardroom she was standing in front of.
Several bodies were laying on the ground while the rest were strewn across the table. The walls, floor and chairs were covered with arterial spray and pools of blood were dripping slowly off of the table. Blade looked back at the bodies in the room. They were ripped apart. The vampires that attacked hadn't need to feed, this had been purely for enjoyment and it made Blade's blood boil. There was a brunette in tight black jeans on the floor just inside the doorway and it was this body that the Slayer approached first.
"Faith."
The word escaped her lips and Blade was unsure what to make of it. If faith was what she was after, he wasn't sure she would get it from here. It had been a massacre and he was actually surprised by the amount of damage done. The humans had obviously fought back and by the weapons scattered on the floor, it had seemed like they were expecting it - or at least prepared for it.
Joining forces with the Slayer hadn't exactly seemed like a good idea to him but Hannibal had brought her into their fold, praising her skills. It seemed that he had run into her once when he was a vampire and she had, for some reason, let him live. Initially it had been a one job thing. But she'd ended up staying and now, a few months down the track, she was still around.
In that time she'd proven herself and so when she came to them with news that some friends of hers needed assistance, he had not trouble strapping on his weapons and following her. Unfortunately, it seemed as though they'd been too late.
Buffy wound her arms around the woman's body and, seemingly without effort, picked her up and carried her out of the room.
~*~*~*~*~
Part Four (Twilight)
Jacob stepped out into the sunlight and looked up at the sky. It was the first fine day that they'd had all week and he was determined to enjoy it as much as possible. There were only a few clouds in the sky but, despite that, it didn't look like rain.
A dark green four wheel drive pulled onto his driveway and he squinted. Wisps of the driver's long blonde hair were blowing out of the window and he kicked a rock on the ground next to his toe. He'd been expecting the Slayer ever since he'd gotten a call from an old friend of his but he hadn't expected her so soon. She pulled up in front of him and stepped out of the car. Her shirt was torn on the left side and there was dried blood on her left shoulder. She walked with a slight limp but it didn't stop her from lifting up her right hand and holding it out for him to shake.
"Hi, I'm Buffy. Oz said he'd called ahead."
Jacob nodded and gestured toward his house. As he led her inside, he left her in the living room while he went into the kitchen to get his first aid kit. When he walked back into the lounge room, Buffy was hanging up the jacket Bela had left there a few days before on the back of a chair and she thankfully took the small box off of him and got to work cleaning her wound. With the blood cleared, Jacob noticed the claw marks and sighed.
"I take it you've met the rest of them."
Buffy nodded. "Yep. We had a good old chat about old times, tossed back a few beers; may have pulled out the odd weapon or two."
She shrugged and he shook his head. "Was anybody else hurt?"
"Not critically."
"And you told them you were coming here?"
Buffy looked up at him in surprise. "What and spoil the surprise? You've gotta be kidding! We parted on somewhat even terms but the matter is somewhat settled. They know their place and I know mine. Just as long as we don't have to run into each other again, we'll be fine."
He winced. "We'll, about that..." She took a deep breath and he wasn't sure if it was due to his statement or the Dettol. Her blue eyes looked up into his and he rubbed the back of his neck. "We might have to speak to one or two. It's just, I wasn't there when the first demon attacked and didn't get all the info."
Buffy stood and walked out of the house, a small nod in his direction his only indication to follow. As he hopped into her car he thought about the eventuality of the following meeting and wished he hadn't taken Oz's advice. It was going to be awkward enough bringing in someone else to help with their problems without having to explain that although she was a Slayer, she wasn't there for them. Not yet, anyway.
~*~*~*~*~
Part Five (Supernatural)
Buffy hung her head and avoided eye contact. The overcast day had turned and as the rain drizzled down, she was grateful for the distraction. She could tell that the guys were dragging stuff into the motel room as fast as they could. When the last of the stuff had been brought in, she heard the bathroom door close and saw a pair of feet stop in front of her. She looked up in embarrassment.
"I'm-"
"Don't worry about it," Sam said, waving a hand in the air, "You're not the only one to have been affected by a succubus or incubus before."
Buffy furtively glanced toward the bathroom and saw Sam following her gaze.
"Anything I should know about? Or rather, I don't really wanna know but if there's anything I can do...""
Buffy didn't say anything and just looked at her hands. She felt Sam's hand on her shoulders and she heard him walk away from her. When the motel room door closed, she looked up in surprise. Obviously he wanted her and Dean to sort out whatever issues they had. She wasn't looking forward to that.
Sam had avoided being involved by being late to the meet but he'd been on time to find both his friend and brother wound up in each other's arms. He was too much of a gentleman to speculate on what had happened in the hour he'd been absent but if he'd noticed their dishevelled clothes, he hadn't said anything about it. The demonic duo had been nearby, feeding off of them, and Sam had wasted them both before managing to unlock the door to the cell they'd been in. They'd been in opposite corners and what had followed was an eerily silent drive and a lot of avoided glances.
Just before reaching the motel, the rain had started and Buffy had taken the opportunity afforded by the distraction to run inside and try to avoid any sort of confrontation with either Winchester.
Dean's head poked out of the bathroom and he seemed startled to see her sitting on the bed still. Knowing he couldn't avoid her forever, he came out, his words spilling over themselves as he tried for an explanation.
"Don't worry, if it was me, I'd be holed up in the bathroom too."
Dean stopped and leant against the wall beside him. There was an entire room between them but Buffy felt, claustrophobic, as if there just wasn't enough space.
"Look-"
"I'm sor-"
They both stopped and Dean smiled awkwardly. "I'm sorry for what happened," he began, "I just wasn't expecting..."
"No, it's me who should be sorry. I knew what to expect but I just didn't realise..."
There was an awkward silence and Dean broke it by letting out a sigh and heading for the door.
"I'm just gonna go check on Sammy."
Buffy nodded and as the door closed behind him, threw herself back on the bed and placed and arm over her eyes. She just HATED what some demons could make you do.
~*~*~*~*~
Part Six (Anita Blake)
She saw the faint glow from underneath her shirt and looked around cautiously. There was a constant dripping from somewhere on her left and a soft candle light from a high up candle on her right and she was trying to ignore the two so she could focus on anything trying to sneak up on her. Her cross afforded some warning but it wasn't always enough and she knew that one of these days her reflexes weren't going to save her.
There was a light footstep and as she neared the corner, a blonde woman and man rounded it. She instinctively raised her weapon and even though she'd known Buffy for years, she'd never seen the blonde man before. There was no telling if her friend was still human or not and her cross didn't exactly point out the evil party in the room.
Buffy held up both of her hands. "It's okay Neet, this is Harrison - he's a vampire."
She didn't lower her weapon and Buffy gave a half smile. "He's gonna lead us to the nest."
"And we should trust him why? Because he looks so innocent?"
Buffy laughed and threw a look at the vampire. "I wouldn't trust him as far as I could throw him. But he doesn't really have a choice; we burn down his nest or theirs. It's really in his best interest to show us theirs."
Anita threw her a half amused look and as Buffy urged the vampire ahead of them, it turned into a full smile. Her friend sure had a way with vamps.
He led them through a full forest and Anita tried to ignore all of the branches that were snagging her jacket. The dead leaves underneath her feet crunched as she walked on them and although she tried to make less sound, she just didn't seem to have the skill.
Just after they broke through the clearing, the vampire stopped. He looked back at them fearfully and Buffy titled her head to the side. She could hear faint sounds in the distance and as she nodded at the vampire, he broke into a run in the direction they'd come from. Anita raised her eyebrows in surprise and Buffy just smirked as a stake flew out of her hand and hit the vampire in the chest. He disappeared in a cloud of dust and she turned back to her with a satisfied smirk.
"You've really gotta teach me how to do that!"
Her friend grinned. "There is so much to teach you grasshopper!"
Anita punched her playfully in the arm and the two women walked toward the lights and noise in the distance. They didn't know it yet, but the vampires were about to have the surprise of their lives. A Slayer and Vampire Hunter did not bode well for anyone, least of all a nest that had the audacity to attack them while they slept. Vengeance was about to be sought and the vampires would not know what hit them. Literally or figuratively.
~*~*~*~*~
Part Seven (Supernatural)
Dean packed the things into his bag and didn't even bother to zip it up as he threw the weapons bag on the floor beside Sam. Sam raised an eyebrow at him but his brother didn't say anything as he picked it up and placed it on the chair beside him. Dean looked at the sky outside. Twilight. Perfect - nearly time to hit the streets looking for the demon that had gotten the best of him the night before. He headed into the bathroom and while he was in there, he heard a light knock on the door before Sam began talking with someone. Their voices were too low for him to hear anything and he quickly washed and dried his hands before heading out.
The bathroom door hit him as he stopped in the doorway and gave a small frown at the person standing in the middle of the room. A quick glance told him that Sam had already left and had taken the weapons with him. Just great.
"I asked Sam if he could run down a lead for me. I told he we'd meet up with him."
Dean wasn't sure whether to walk further into the room or to stand where he was. He was confused as to what she was doing there. As if she knew what he was thinking, she stepped forward.
"I know it's been a while-"
"A year."
She took a deep breath. "Yeah, a year. I just had some things I need to sort out, a few cases that needed my attention... Anyway, I just... couldn't get what happened out of my head and I think we really need to talk about it rather than ignore it."
He tried to quash the seething that was trying to escape. "I don't know Buffy, it's been a year. I've done a pretty good job of ignoring it and it seems that you did too."
"Sam told me what's been going on."
"Sam doesn't know jack!"
"Well, regardless, I think it's something we need to talk about."
"I don't know," he bit, "I've been ignoring it, you've been ignoring it - everyone's been happy."
"Have you though?" He didn't say anything and she stepped forward again. "I don't know about you but I've been miserable. It wasn't just the thing that we were under for me. It was something more. And if it wasn't for you, just say so. I'll walk back out that door and you won't have to see me again."
Dean stilled. Discussions like this were not something he was used to - or enjoyed - but letting her walk away didn't seem like an option. His indecision seemed to portray the wrong message and she took a deep breath before turning and walking toward the door.
Without thinking, he grabbed her arm and pulled her back toward him, her small body sitting perfectly against his. He bent down and quickly captured her lips with his before either of them could think about it and lost himself in the moment.
As he pulled back from her, air filling his lungs once more, he leant his forehead against hers. "Does that answer your question?"
Buffy grinned up at him. "I don't know. You might have to repeat that because I don't think I caught it the first time."
~*~*~*~*~
Part Eight (Charmed)
Piper felt as if her heart was going to explode as the tears ran down her cheeks. Her heart was broken - that much she was sure of - but beyond that, she couldn't feel anything. There was no pain from the large gash on her right arm, nor any from the numerous bruises covering her body. The body of the demon lay a few feet from her but she paid it no attention as she looked at the body of her husband, motionless in her arms.
She knew that Buffy was somewhere nearby. She'd taken the demon down in the end. Piper had seen Leo fall and everything else ceased to exist. She knew the demon was a pretty big match for the Slayer on her own but Piper just hadn't cared. Hadn't even thought about it. Her world was at a stand still.
On the horizon, clouds rolled in. Dark clouds filled with rain. Ones that would cause an almighty storm. Lightning crashed around her and somewhere in the back of her mind she knew that she was responsible for it. She'd already lost Prue - a loss that she didn't really think could be overshadowed until Paige had fallen. Leo had tried to save her but there just hadn't been time.
Buffy's hand lay gently on her shoulder and she knew her friend was just waiting for permission to hug her. But hugging her would mean letting go of Leo and that wasn't conceivable at the moment. She wasn't sure that could ever happen.
"I'm so sorry Piper."
Piper nodded as she looked down at the bloodied body of her husband. She wasn't sure how it started because her eyes were filled with tears and had been blurry but his body seemed to be surrounded by light. Little balls of light danced around him, sparkling like gems and she loosened her grip on him. As she moved backward, his body began to lift slightly. Panic began to set in and she tried to grab hold of him, keep him with her but he had already begun to disappear and her hands moved through him.
Buffy grasped her shoulders and looked up as the light disappeared above them. Piper had no idea what had happened or who had taken him but his loss seemed final and that small piece of her heart that had fractured but remained intact, finally broke, shattering into a million pieces.
She wasn't sure what happened after that. Her world seemed to dissolve into black and neither sight nor sound could penetrate it. She felt light and carefree, as though nothing could harm her. Somewhere in the back of her mind was a voice shouting out something about shock and begging her to stay but she just couldn't find it within herself to fight yet. For now the pain was minimal - bearable - and she could deal with it. She family was still waiting for her at home and she would have to go back to them but she knew that whatever happened, Buffy would know what to do. She always did.
~*~*~*~*~
Part Nine (The Hollows)
Rachel shook off the rain from her jacket as she entered the office. There was nobody in the immediate vicinity and she moved quickly into the inner office, hoping to dry off next to her fire and begin work on the case underneath her jacket. She quickly walked into the room, pulling out the folder and dumping it on the desk before throwing of her jacket and shaking it in front of the small fire there. Beads of water fell down and she frowned at the leather. She was glad that the jacket looked like it was gonna be fine but she had expected something different from it - what she wasn't sure. Her white shirt clung to her and she tossed her jacket to the side as she moved closer to the fire trying to dry.
Her friend Willow had called and asked her a favour. Her friend Buffy - a Slayer, whatever that was - was going to be dropping by and needed some help on a case. Because Rachel was the only one in the area that she trusted, she sent her in that direction. Rachel had looked up the info that Buffy had needed and had raced to the office to confirm her suspicions before the woman arrived. The top half of her shirt was not drying properly and she attempted to remove it when a cough sounded behind her.
Jumping out of her skin, Rachel immediately reached for a weapon when the person stood, stepping into the light of the fire. Rachel rolled her eyes.
"You scared the daylights out of me!"
Trent merely smirked. "Well as entertaining as a free show would have been, I'm actually here on business. I need your help with something."
"Couldn't handle this yourself?"
"If I could, do you think I'd be here?"
Rachel ignored the challenge and let her wet shirt fall against her stomach. She moved toward her desk and was surprised when Trent handed her a towel. Neither said anything as she dried herself off as best she could before sitting down.
His green eyes looked even brighter in the firelight and his blonde hair was slightly plastered to his head from the rain outside.
"Ren and Stimpy have better things to do?"
He ignored the barb and handed over a silver necklace. It was intricate in design and had a large jewel in the centre. She stared at it carefully, committing it to memory before she looked back up.
"And this is?"
"I don't know. But some pretty nasty demons are after it. it has killed a lot of us trying to find it and I need to know what it's for."
"Who gave it to you?"
"Some human. Dark hair, one eye, asked me to give it to the Slayer - whatever that is."
Rachel looked up in shock at hearing the unknown term twice in one day only to see, standing in the doorway, an attractive blonde woman who was frowning.
"Trent?"
He turned around at the sound of his name. "Buffy?"
Rachel sat quietly. She wasn't jealous - not at all.
~*~*~*~*~
Part Ten (Smallville)
He crashed back into the wall of the barn and felt the wood buckle underneath the force. Somewhere within him, he knew that something was wrong, but the majority of him was riding the high and increasingly frustrated with the small blonde woman determined to put a stop to it. He blurred toward her again, knocking her off guard momentarily before she swivelled around and backhanded him. She wasn't as strong as he was, not nearly, but she had some strength - more than a human - and she was trying to use her agility to best him.
From the corner of his eye his saw that Oliver was beginning to stir and he frowned. That was the last thing he needed. He moved to attack again when every muscle in his body seemed to scream out and he fell to his knees. The pain coursing through him caused him to cry out and his head felt like it was going to explode. As he fell forward, he saw Lois emerge from behind a post holding a large glowing green meteorite in her hand. Her face held only pain as she watched him writhe on the ground and he closed his eyes as the darkness engulfed him.
He heard voices before he even opened his eyes and he recognised them to be Lois and Oliver. The third he couldn't place but as the events of the last two days came back to him, he remembered a blonde woman.
He opened his eyes reluctantly and sat up only to be met with three pairs of eyes. Oliver was sporting a couple of stitches across the forehead and Lois had a bandaged hand but it was the blonde he was most surprised with. She was covered in bruises and he was surprised she was still functioning. Lois stood.
"Clark, meet Buffy. Buffy, Clark. Thought it might be nice if we all got to know one another again withoutbeing under the influence this time."
There was a somewhat cheeky grin before she moved over to help him up. Clark stood and approached Buffy.
"Are you-"
Buffy shook her head. "Nope, I'm a Slayer. Good, old fashioned, run-of-the-mill hero type. Heard you had a problem down here and came to offer a hand. Actually thought I'd be working with you rather than against you but I guess it's okay either way."
Lois grinned before she slid a cup of coffee across the table. "Actually Buffy was going to help us out with a few things. She managed to get a lead on something Lex was working on and decided to drop the info off as well as some assistance if we need it. She's working with a group called the Council who has a huge reach. Definitely not a bad asset and with the League spread out all over the world, it wouldn't hurt to have some of her people helping them out."
Clark nodded and fought to stave off the headache that was beginning. As he downed the coffee, he listened to the conversation across the table and wondered where he would be without Lois Lane.
~*~*~*~*~
Part Eleven (Tinkerbell)
Tink moved softly across the snow as she approached the human. She knew she wasn't supposed to be getting close, much less talking to one, but the little boy seemed so lonely. At the sound of her small voice, the boy looked up in surprise and before he could say anything, she noticed his features transform into a disfigured creature. She knew it was too late to move but that didn't stop her from trying. A figure flew out of the bush beside her, sending them both toppling to the ground. She saw Terence push her to the side but it was too late as the glass jar surrounded both of them.
She looked back at him and he hung his head at they were sealed in and the jar placed inside a box. There was a tiny hole in the top providing a shaft of light into the jar and Tink approached him.
"I'm really sorry," he began before she could say a word, "I was just trying to help! I saw that he wsa trying to capture you and I tried to push you out of the way but I guess I was just a little too late."
Tink surprised him by wrapping her arms around him. "Thank you."
"You're, you're not mad?"
"Of course, but not at you. You came all the way out her to save me. By the way, what are you doing out here?"
Terence gave a half smile. "I just wanted to see you work. You always light up whenever you talk about it and I just wanted to see why."
Tink grinned. "What're they doing without you? You know that we can't fly without you."
Terence shrugged. "Don't know. I just snuck away."
Tink looked up at the small hole in the box. She could only just see the night sky but the hole was small enough that she couldn't see much.
"Guess we'll both be in trouble when we get home."
"If we get home."
The movement stopped and the world felt as though it had suddenly lurched before it stopped abruptly. Tink got the impression the box had been dropped. She sat down beside Terence fearfully and he wrapped an arm around her as they both watched the hole. The noises outside suddenly stopped and there was silence. Tink huddled in closer to Terence as the lid to the box opened slowly.
Instead of the demon she had seen before, she saw the face of a beautiful blonde woman. A 'No way!' escaped her lips as she reached inside and carefully drew out the jar.
"Can you fly?" she asked.
Tink nodded and the woman opened the jar and held it out. Before she had time to think, Terence had already grabbed her hand and fled from their prison. Tink stopped him in mid-air as she looked down on the human. She offered her a grateful smile and the woman smiled back before Tink flew away with Terence toward the brightest stars.
~*~*~*~*~
Part Twelve (Harry Potter)
Harry laid the flowers solemnly on the grave. As a tear was swept away by the cold autumn winds, he heard her walk up behind him.
"I'm so sorry Harry."
Her American accent sounded surprisingly comforting to him and he nodded. His hand traced the letters on the grave stone and as the traced the last one, he placed a hand on top. Taking a deep breath, he stood and turned around.
Buffy was dressed in winter clothes, completely rugged up and Harry offered her a small smile. Only a Californian girl could be so overdressed in autumn.
"Long flight?"
Buffy shook her head. "Nope, seemed to go by really quickly although I was going over and over what I was going to say."
"She would have loved you." he said, looking back at the grave stone.
"I wish I could have met her."
As they began walking away from the fresh grave, Buffy took a deep breath.
"So, what happened?"
"Another wizard. He wanted her and she refused to give in. He thought that if he couldn't have her then no one could... I was too late to save her."
"Harry..."
"It's okay. It's something I have to live with now for the rest of my life. It's just, she never really got a chance - we never really got a chance. Took me so long to see what was right in front of me the whole time."
"I only spoke with her once but she thought the world of you. She died loving you-"
"She died because because she loved me."
"And if you'd never realised what was there you'd never have had the time you did. Stop beating yourself up over things you can't change. Trust me, it leads nowhere except pain and misery and she would not want that for you."
"She is DEAD because of me!"
He broke down sobbing as he fell to his knees and wasn't surprised when he felt Buffy's arms around him. When he'd called one of his oldest friends to tell her about his wife's death he knew she would be there for him. She was like the older sister he never had and as he cried for his wife, for the life they never had, he knew that he had one person who would continue to be there for him.
Ron had left years ago. Off to live a life of adventure as he helped his brother train dragons. They sent each other Christmas cards ever year but it was a strained friendship now with neither man knowing the other anymore. Buffy, although she'd been an ocean away, had kept in touch ever since she'd helped her watcher take out a nest of vampires that had captured him and Hermione a number of years back. Harry was surprised that a non-magical muggle knew about their world but had grown to respect Rupert Giles over the years. Buffy had likewise remained close and he ended up seeing them as the family he never really had.
Now here she was, consoling him, and he couldn't have been any place safer.
~*~*~*~*~
Part Thirteen (Xena)
Xena threw her chakram at the disfigured group in front of her, watching as her blade beheaded each of them and was surprised when the people turned to dust as soon as their heads left their bodies. Catching her weapon with a skill few had, she turned back to the young blonde woman leaning against a tree.
"I told you, didn't I? I don't know why you wouldn't believe me."
"It's not exactly a believable story. Though with the things I've seen..."
The woman stepped forward and shrugged. Xena hadn't had much time to figure out who exactly she was, only that her name was Buffy, before a group of people had rushed her. There had been a quick hand to hand battle before she flung herself backward gaining some distance and armed herself.
"Look, I don't know why you were brought back, doesn't really make much sense to me, but you're here and it is for a purpose. Seeing what you can do, I'm guessing that I can throw you into the thick of battle and not have to worry so much."
"It's what I was born to do."
"Willow would be much better at this than me. I don't know why she isn't here yet. Besides, it was her fault you ended up here - though, I guess not directly."
There was a sudden build up of fog and Xena gripped her weapon tightly. This whole day was seemingly like a dream, or nightmare, and she had no idea what to expect. One minute she was walking beside Gabrielle and the next she's walking through a forest. At night. If it hadn't been for Buffy standing there, she wouldn't have really known what was going on.
Apparently her friend Willow was some sort of witch. Xena was still iffy on that but Willow had heard Buffy asking for help through a device called a 'mobile phone' and had conjured up help. Her. She was still shaking her head when a red-head appeared out of the fog with a sheepish smile.
"Woah, you weren't kidding!"
Xena regarded her carefully but Buffy seemed to relax once she arrived. She assumed this was 'Willow'.
"Hi," she said, offering a small wave, "I'm really sorry about this. I guess this cold has me a little off balance and... well, anyway, you get the general picture. I'm gonna send you back to your time, okay?"
Xena just stared apprehensively.
Willow sat down and pulled a bunch of items from her bag. She recognised some of them but not all. She spoke a few words in latin and Xena noticed the world disappearing. She was initially fearful and she instinctively held on to her chakram. As the darkness lifted, Xena realised she was standing in the middle of the road, with Gabrielle about a foot in front. Gabrielle was still talking but she stopped and turned around when she realised that her friend had stopped.
"What is it?"
Xena shook her head and looked around. "The strangest thing just happened..."