Things that go bump in the night

Authors Note: I know there’s been a lot of drama and development over the last two chapters but I’m going to try to stretch it out a little more. By the way thank you so much for the great reviews.

*******

Raya sat at the top of the crater, her feet hanging over the sides as she looked at the vast space. ‘Were they dead? They couldn’t be…if they were dead wouldn’t she have died? After all there was some truth to that legend about mates’ Sighing she turned and stood.

She looked down the road, as if it would suddenly provide some new information to tell her where everyone went. There was nothing for her here, so she turned up the road and began walking.

She thought back to before she had left and the vampire called Angel had come to them briefly.

The tall man had offered to open his home after the battle. And Giles had made everyone memorize the mans contact information should any of the girls become lost during the battle. She would go to LA…only she had no idea which way LA was.

And why was it always a desert? Every time she was cast out it was ALWAYS to a desert…why couldn’t I it be a tropical island? Or somewhere that at least had different climates than, hot, hotter and stifling?

Looking down at her sandals, she realized from all her climbing they had been destroyed. Pulling them off she turned and threw them into the crater and continued on, jumping lightly until her feet grew used to the burning sand.

******

~Faiths Home: Same Day~

Skye shrieked when Horus grabbed her around the waist and threw her into the air. Asher smiled at the child and when his father held her close she giggled and shrieked again when he used his ‘Big Scary Bear voice” that Skye thought was hilarious.

Asher waved goodbye to Faith and his dad, who carefully kept Skye’s back turned or he knew she would have a meltdown at the sight of him leaving.

Stepping onto the steps he looked across the yard to see Wilson and Sean coming up the path. Asher suppressed a growl at the sight of the giant man.

He had overheard his dad and Faith fighting about being engaged to Wilson. The man had been in a way, a godsend. He made Faith smile again, not like Raya did but Asher knew no one would ever make her smile that way again. Smiling at Sean he gave Wilson a half wave and continued down the property to stop by Willows and see if she needed anything before he went into town.

Seeing her small yellow house come into view he smiled by habit at seeing the tall witch working in the front flower beds.

“Hey Will, how are you today?” Asher put his hands in his pockets as he watched the witch shield her eyes from the sun and smile up at him.

“It’s been okay. Did you see that eclipse last night? It was awesome. You look nice…you have a date?” Willow smiled at the boy; well he wasn’t a boy anymore. He had just turned eighteen and had turned into quite the looker. ‘If only he would cut that hair’ She though. ‘Great I sound like a mom’

“Naw im just headed into town to pay for my parking space next year, I was wondering if you needed anything.” Asher smiled down at her. He had always loved the witch like a big sister. Sometimes he thanked his Gods that they sent him here. He had a pack here that he and his father loved deeply. And he knew even if his father was sleeping with Dawn he still would.

“No, im good. Maybe can you pick up some beer for Kennedy? Oh and Andrew was talking about needing a ride into town…I know he’s a little....”

“Nerdy?” Asher helpfully put in.

“Yea but just drop him off first and you’ll have plenty of time to run your errands.”

“Okay Will, ill see you all tonight.” Turning Asher walked back towards his car, he did have a date he had a whole boyfriend but he didn’t want anyone else to know that…it wasn’t that he was embarrassed or ashamed. His father knew he was bisexual and gender was never an issue for Skin-Walkers when it came to mates or lovers…it was more the WHO.

Pulling up aside the Summers house, he watched as Andrew came out, and smiled softly. Watching the nerdy blonde struggled with the bottom button on his shirt. Asher felt his smile broaden, when the blonde man fixed whatever it was that was wrong with it.

It had taken a surprising amount of convincing to get Andrew to go out with him that first time. The older man had spent a lot of time illustrating the why not’s and ‘Horus will kill me’ but Asher had been determined. This would be there fifth date, and all they had done was kiss. It didn’t bother him though; he genuinely liked the older man.

He knew his father suspected something, knew at least that he was seeing a man. There’s only so many times you can come home at an obscene hour have a different type of cologne on you without looking like a weirdo. So he had told his father and wasn’t surprised when he simply told him that he didn’t care that Asher liked men, he just wanted to meet any boyfriends he had.

Reaching over he unlocked the passenger door as Andrew got in and turned to him, smiling Asher reached over and kissed him softly.

“How was your day?”

“Oh it was great, taught the girls some cool stuff about some slayers that come out of Africa, played Xbox and kicked Xanders ass thank you. And now…here I am. So where are we going?” Andrew felt his knees go weak when Asher smiled at him ‘God he doesn’t know how gorgeous he is.”

“I was thinking maybe go to a movie and get some pizza?” Andrew smiled and nodded yes. Asher had been right…the blonde man was really just a big kid.

******

Raya knocked on the hood of the truck, as it slowed to a stop she hopped out of the bed and waved her thanks to the drivers. She walked up the pathway to Angel’s hotel, it had taken her nearly a week to get here…she only got lost once or twice and had hooked up with a nice couple from Arizona who had given her a ride the rest of the way.

Looking up at the massive building she walked up and knocked on the door. When a tall sandy haired British man opened the door, she smiled.

“Hello, im looking for Angel. Is her here?” Raya watched as the man looked her over. She had ‘borrowed’ some jeans and a shirt from some campers so at least she wasn’t naked.

“Yes, whats your name?” Wesley looked at the stranger, she was tall, with black hair and he thought maybe she was Native American but her accent…it was very strange.

“I am Raya. I’ve come to ask about the slayers.” ‘Okay wrong question to ask’ she thought when she saw the man stiffen and back up.

“Come in; ill tell him you’re here.” Wesley turned and left her standing in the lobby. She looked around at the hotel, sniffing to see if there was any scent of either Buffy or Faith. There was none.

Turning when she heard footsteps she turned and looked up the stairs to see Angel standing there, looking down at her.

“Raya? I…I heard you were dead.” Angel looked down at the woman. He had only met her once and had liked her immediately.

“No, I was never dead. I am looking for Faith…did they make it?” Raya felt her heart hammer, knowing she would be getting the answers to the questions she had been asking herself for days.

“No most of them made it. They were all here before they moved on. Do you want a drink something to eat?” Angel asked. Raya shook her head even as her stomach protested angrily which caused the vampire to smile.

“Moved on? Where did they go?”

“Buffalo, New York. That’s the main head quarters for the council these days. They’re everywhere now though.”

“They all made it then?” Raya felt her stomach twist at the sad expression on the vampires face.

“No, Anya and Spike didn’t make it and a few other potentials. But other than that yes they’re alive.”

“How many days travel is it to this Buffalo?” Raya fought down the urge to run outside and start walking to the place.

“Too many to walk…come upstairs. I can give you food and some better clothes. And tomorrow ill put you on my jet and fly you there…okay?” Raya stared at him incredulously.

“What’s a jet? And how are you going to ‘fly’ me there?” This made no sense…people did not fly unless they were witches and she didn’t smell any of those here.

“You know an airplane?” Angel was trying to think of ways to explain it to the woman when she paled and took a step back.

“I thought that was made up…people actually FLY?” She was stunned…how was that possible.

“Yes, but please go get yourself cleaned up and meet me through that door” Angel pointed to the parlor “And we’ll catch up. Would you like me to call Giles to tell him of your ‘arrival’” Raya shook her head…

“No that would only make them anxious about me coming.” Raya followed Angel up the stairs and into a room; he showed her the bathroom and some miscellaneous clothes in the dresser. Waiting for him to leave she climbed into the tub and leaned back…a few more days my love.

*******

“So…” Buffy swung punching the vampire as she thrust her stake into his chest. Backing up she coughed when some of the ash got into her nose. “He asked you to marry him, and you said yes?”

“Sure did B, now Horus is all butt-hurt and barely talking to me and Skye really doesn’t understand what the big deal is.” Faith sat down on a log and watched as her sister slayer dusted off her coat before sitting down beside her.

“What are you going to do?” Buffy looked at Faith, noticing the same sadness on her face that had been there for the last five years. She knew Faith loved Wilson, and it obvious that the tall red head loved her…but she wasn’t so sure Faith loved him the same way he loved her.

That itself had been on the lips of every gossip in the institute…along with how Buffy just couldn’t seem to find ‘the one’….’god why is my love life topic of entertainment’ did I just say that out loud?

“I don’t know B maybe because you getting a date is such a rarity you should have your own front page cover.” Faith jumped back when B swatted her.

“You bitch.” Laughing she had to admit Faith was right. “Come on, it time we got back.”

Turning they walked out of the woods and headed back to the institute.

*******

“I am NOT getting on that thing” Raya stared wide eyed at the huge steel demon bird. Angel called it an airplane but she knew…she just KNEW the second she stepped on it something important would fall off.

“This is the fastest way to get to Faith.” Angel knew that was desperate but dammit they had been trying to coax her onto the jet for nearly an hour. Any longer and they were going to have to change the flight plan.

Watching as she mulled over this and hesitantly stepped onto the stairs and then through the door of the plane turning she sat down in the first seat she saw on the private jet. Turning when she heard someone talking to Angel, she saw an attractive brunette woman.

“Why do I have to go to the institute? I mean shit Angel like we don’t talk to them enough. And you’re making me fly with her? She smells like wet dog.”

“She does not, you just don’t want to fly out there and see Buffy”

“Damn straight…like I want to hear from the geek squad how they saved the world again.”

“Can it Cordy, you’re just afraid to fly. Now get on there and ill give you money.”

“Fine…how long am I going to be gone?”

“A week. That’s it…besides they’ll put you up in one of the guest houses…im sure they’re nice. Giles had them built before he had gotten so thrifty.”

Raya stared down the woman as she climbed on board and sat down at the chair next to hers.

Suddenly she felt her heart race and the blood pound in her ears when the door closed, her claws extended when they started moving….MOVING…turning she saw the brunette woman was calm and apparently unaware of the impending danger.

Digging her claws into the armrest she sweated through whatever it was the servant was saying and began chanting in Egyptian when she felt the plane took off the ground. At some point Cordelia reached over with a hypodermic needle and stabbed the wolf in the arm

“What the hell was that?” Raya looked angrily at the woman who just started at her. Suddenly Raya felt incredibly tired and everything went dark.

“What’s that really necessary Ms. Chase?” The stewardess asked.

“Angel said it may help save the interior of the plane, and honestly Jesse did You want to deal with her the entire way?” Cordy looked over at the wolf and frowned.

‘This was the woman Faith had cried over so hard when they first came to LA? She was attractive, and the pointed ears and bright yellow eyes made her almost exotic, it was just weird thinking of Faith as IN love and with a kid no less.”

******

Giles looked up as Buffy, Willow and Xander walked in.

“Close the door please” Buffy frowned and softly closed the door.

“What’s up Giles?” Willow asked as she sat down, she could see the stress on his face as he finished whatever paperwork he was writing.

“I just got off the phone with Angel. It seems that yesterday afternoon, a woman walked into there lobby. A woman that was six feet, pointed ears and was obviously a Skin-Walker. He says she claimed to be Raya…Buffy…I need you to tell me exactly what happened that night. I know we have been over it before but this woman is in the air right now on her way here.” Giles cleared his throat to get his slayers attention. She blinked at him a couple times as if seeing him for the first time.

“We were in the cave; I had been fighting Yakumut when I heard Raya yell for me. I ran to her and Yakumut began reading out of the Book of the Dead, Horus attacked her before she could finish whatever it was she was doing. None of us knew how to read Egyptian and she just…died.” Buffy pushed back the tears that threatened to fall.

“Willow have you ever heard of the spell known as “The banishment of Ra?” when Willow shook her head Giles continued. “It’s a spell that eradicates ones essence from ever existing. The people that knew the person remember but there is no trace of the subject on earth…it makes it impossible for resurrection…Angel said from what Raya told him that Yakumut reversed her presence here on earth all the way to Egypt. And because she didn’t finish her off completely she was able to come back, but it had to be during the eclipse…which I suspect is why she’s been gone five years.”

“Faiths going to flip.” Xander said to no one in particular. Buffy looked out the window, seeing Faiths house in the distance.

“Ill tell her.” Buffy stood and walked out of the office.

TBC

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