Love Through Touch

Disclaimer: See Part 1.
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Jeanie woke to find the scaly little demon sitting on her chest. Shenedened her mouth to scream but froze when the four fingered hand was placed against her mouth.

"You know what comes?" the little demon spoke softly. Dawn had yet to come and Anya lay sleeping feet away from them.

Jeanie nodded her head seriously.

"You know what must be done?" Orangi removed her hand.

"Yes" Jean spoke softly her throat dry "I don't like it though"

"I will help. Have friends. We come in many" Orangi sat lower allowing the girl to sit up "I watch over. You fight. We win"

"I hope" Jeanie lay back down.

Orangi climbed off her lap and searched for a place to sleep.
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"Anya?"

Anya woke slowly, shaking the sleep away and rubbing it from her eyes.

"Anya?"

She came fully away when she realized Jeanie was calling her name.

"Jean? Are you awake? Oh of course you are you're talking" Anya babbled moving to the girl. She touched her forehead and found no fever "Are you okay? You keep scaring us"

\ry"ry" Jeanie smiled up at the ex-demon "I'm thirsty"

"Oh I can get you something. Water? Juice? That blue stuff that starts with a K?" Anya smoothed her hands through the tangled brown locks that were so like Xanders.

"The blue stuff" Jean giggled as Anya rushed into the kitchen.

Dawn bounded down the stairs and stopped short when she saw Jean sitting up straight "Jean!"

The little girl held out her arms and hugged the blur that was the slayer's sister.

"Oh my god. You have 'got' to stop doing this to us!" Dawn pulled back and mock glared at Jean "Next time you do one of those psychic things scream okay? This whole going peacefully thing has got to stop"

"Ya know actually this whole 'going' thing has to stop" Xander entered from the stairs. He crossed to the couch and lifted the child into his arms "I can't live like this. Stop scaring me or I'm gonna.."

"Your gonna what?" Jean held on lightly to the surprisingly well muscled arms.

"I'm gonna lock you in a padded room til your 30" Xander hugged her tightly, loosening the hold when he heard her squeak "Protect you from the world and treat you like a china doll"

"But I'm not a china doll" Jean allowed herself to be settled into Xander's arms.

"That's right your not" Xander began to follow Dawn towards the kitchen "Your my..."

"Blue stuff served!" Anya hopped out of the kitchen.

"Oh but you serve HER when she's sick" Xander mock scowled "I'm 'so' mistreated"

"Ya big baby"
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Tara rolled over and groaned burying her head deep in the pillow.

"The natives are stirring" Willow murmured with a sleepy chu.
.

"Not the two loud natives in the next room" Tara's muffled voice came "They were up late"

"So were we" Willow smoothed her hand down the smooth skin of Tara's back down across her buttocks to the sensitive backs of her thighs.

"Mmmm. Do we have to get up?" Tara spread her legs slightly, inviting Willow to have her way.

The witch was silent for a few moments. "I.." she began trailing her hand up Tara's thighs "..think we're about to have company"

"Hey love birds up and at 'em!" Faith voice rang out into their room. The dark slayer stepped into their doorway "Ok you loud sex fanatics. It's time to rise and shine"

Faith leapt back seconds before the door slammed shut inches from her nose.

"Tara!"

She heard Willow's suprised and laughing voice through the closed door.

"Geez, don't kill the messanger" Faith muttered turning to wake her sister slayer and her 'friend'. She got an idea when Star came bouncing out of Dawn's room.

"Hey sweetpea, feel like waking up the Mommy peoples for me?" Faith hunkered down to the little girls level.

"I'm 4 not stupid" Star rolled her eyes "But since your 'such' a chicken"

Faith placed a hand over her heart as if it pained her to be found out "Chicken is such a strong word"

"Your a wuss then" Star smirked.

"Chicken will do nicely" Faith stuck out her tongue and headed down stairs.

Star pushed open the door to Buffy's room and hurtled inside, bounding from the doorway to the bed in less than 5 steps 'MAMA, MAMA!! Faith wants me to wake you up"

Buffy jumped sitting up straight and catching the child before she could move on to Hyatt.

"I'm up!" Buffy kissed the tangled hair "Now you go tell Auntie Faith that I'm gonna kick her butt later"

"Ok!" Star vanished from the room as quickly as she appeared. Then knocked on the next door.

"Tara? Willow? Anyone alive in there?" Star's voice turned sweet as it tended to do when she wanted the two witches attention.

"Barely" Willow muttered "Come on in baby"

Star calmly pushed the door open and peeked in.

Willow had Tara's head in her lap, stroking the soft blonde hair of her lover.

Star walked to the bed pressing good morning kisses into both witches cheeks "I'm gonna go see whats for breakfast" she rushed from the room just as Xander came up the stairs.

Lifting a leg, which Star ducked beneath, they avoided colliding "Slow down Star, your gonna kill something"

Xander stood in the space between the two rooms "RISE AND..."

"We're up!" Buffy, Tara and Willow's voices cut him off in unison.

"Okay"
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Twenty minutes passed before the four women found themselves showered dressed and downstairs.

Giles had appeared minutes after Xanders aborted wake up call, a tad excited about information he'd gathered.

"Giles so good to see you so perky this....morning" Buffy grumbled sitting down to a hot cup of coffee.

"Well yes. I found out something new about the Vivione Kadesh" pushing the untouched toast from the before the slayer (which Faith promptly grabbed and ate herself) he set down a book.

Willow leaned closer to the slayer and the both peered down into the text.

"Giles we knew this already" Buffy pushed the book away and slumped in her chair sighing "What's so new about it?"

"We have an exact date" Willow pointed to the ancient fine print "What they're doing. Well trying to open the hellmouth like every other evil dufus has. It's gonna take 2 days to do it"

"But this is still two months away right?" Buffy shrugged "No biggie, we'll have it beat by then"

The phone range bringing all their attention off the text.

Dawn go to it first "Hello? Oh Hi Cordelia...where? Okay" she handed the phone to Buffy.

"Hey Cordy what's.... oh....now?" Buffy frowned and looked at the people surrounding her.

Willow felt a shadow pass over them all at the look on Buffy's face.

"Yeah. About 20 minutes. At the Magic Box... ok. I'll see you then" she hung up "The re-inforcements are here"

"Oh that's good right?" Mycah yawned and stretched bumping into Faith "More help for us right?"

"Yeah. Buffy said with false cheer "It's great"
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The crew split up. Buffy, Willow, Giles, Xander, Mycah and Anya heading to the Magic Box, while Tara, Faith, Hyatt and Dawn took the kids shopping."Wh"Why do I have the distinct feeling that Buffy doesn't want us there right now?" Hyatt quesitoned no on in particular.

"Maybe because she flat out refused you staying and asked for Mycah?" Faith spoke as she idly tossed her pocket knife, catching it with a swift hand.

"I'd say that would about do it" Dawn nodded "Shouldn't we be Malling by now?" she was squriming anxiously as they climbed out of the car.

"Can we go to the Toy Store?" Star bounced around dragging Tara's arm with her.

"Yeah" Kole chimed in "Toy Store!"

Faith scooped the little bundle of energy into her arms "Yeah Hyatt. That would be wicked cool"

Hyatt rolled her eyes at the slayer and they filed into the Mall.

"We're supposed to be shopping for clothes for Jeanie" Tara reminded them.

Jean walked between Hyatt and Tara, both of them ready to support her should she trip or collapse. They were taking no chances, having become fond of the little girl, no one was in a hurry to lose her.
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Buffy paced the Magick Box. Unsure if she were glad to see Angel, or dreading it.

"Stop pacing your making 'me' nervous" Anya complained taking a seat next to Xander at the table "When your boy toy gets here he'll get here"

"He's not my boy toy" Buffy squealed nervously "Not anymore"

Everyone jumped when the first clap of thunder boomed, seemingly above their heads.

"It's not supposed to rain in Sunnydale" Willow hugged herself wishing that Tara were here in her arms not out shopping "It's supposed to be Sunny and Warm, not a Cloud in the sky"

"This could be a sign. Maybe they've achived another part of opening the Hellmouth" Anya played absently with her fingers "Rain is always good in foreshadowing a coming doom"

"Gee Thanks Anya now I'm sure we 'all' feel much better" Mycah sent the ex-demon a look that could melt metal "I know it's true, but you don't have to bring it up at the most depressing times"

"Why not" Willow scowled "She's good at that"

"Well yes. Now ladies please stop bickering it's getting us nowhere. And Buffy, stop pacing your makine 'me' dizzy 'and' nervous" Giles walked through the stacks of the store without looking up. He somehow managed not to run into anything, though his eyes never left the book.

Bufy stopped pacing but continued standing. Wrapping her arms around herself, she prayed she was ready to see Angel. And ready for Angel to see...her.

Cordelia walked through the door with a thin brunette in tow "Hey people. Backup has arrived. Funky weather today ain't it?"

The little brunette behind her glanced around the shop quickly before casting her eyes to the floor.

'She reminds me of Willow' Buffy smiled to herself.

Madison came in next followed by Wesley and an attractive black man.

"You guys know Wes. And this is Gunn" Cordelia introduced them as they all entered the door "Oh ahis his is Fred. She's kinda shy, but she grows on ya" Cordy patted the thin girls shoulder "She's also kinda smart"

"So.. She's like Angels Willow" Xander nodded glad to be the first Scooby to say 'something' to the newcomer's at all "I gotcha"

"Xander" the women at the table chorused.

"Yes Xander" Giles set the book down "Do shut up"

Fred chuckled.

"Does it usually rain here?"

All the Scoobies froze, except Anya, at the sound of Angel's voice.

"No just lately. I think it's a bad sign" Anya nodded to herself "We're all gonna die"

"Does she 'always' talk like that?" Gunn asked eying the strange woman.

"Unfortunately" Buffy said simply "Maybe you should go count the register Anya. I think customers witll start showing up soon. You know the myraid of witches that come in on rainy days"

"Right" Anya shook her head "Witches. Money. Count" standing she crossed to her register.

"They shouldn't call this place Sunnydale" Lorn said entering behind Angel "It's raining cats and dogs"

"Demon!" Willow stood quickly.

"Friend" Madison sat down "I made the same mistake. Got me a b new new asshole for it too"

"He's a demon. Slayers kill demons" Buffy advanced slowly.

"He's a helpful demon" Angel said standing in front of Lorn, block him from Buffy's direct sight.

"Ok so he's a friend" Buffy relaxed back still eying Lorn.

"Yeah. I'm a friendly demon/ lounge singer. And I'm holding a baby" Lorn stepped around his would be protector.

"Where'd you get a baby?" Xander flipped through the text before him trying to act non-chalant in the eyes of the pretty boy vamp.

"He's mine" Angel said slowly looking Buffy directly in the eye "This is Connor" he took the baby gently from Lorns arms "My son"
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"Are there any prciescies that we don't know about?" Naida stretched her arms above her head.

Kalindi's eyes followed the rippling muscles of the girls abdomen "Uh I know about the Prophecy that could prove our failure" the Master was distracted by the display for long seconds "But I do not believe we have much to worry about"

"And why do you think that?"Naida considered the vampire next to her. The pale cold skin was in contrast with her warmth, and brown coloring.

"Well all the signs point that the four haven't joined. Without them, we are unstoppable" Kalindi spoke confidently "There isn't much time for them to come together anyway. We are weeks away from completion"

"Other's have attempted to open the Hellmouth" Naida rolled from the rumpled and twisted sheets and stood staring down at her reclining Mistress.

"But no they way 'I' am doing it" Kalindi crooked a commanding finger at Naida "Now come back here. I do believe I'm addicted to you"

Naida stepped back knowing what would happen if she disobeyed.

Kalindi sent her shadows forth. Tendril after tendril wrapped the girls form and tugged her forward.

Naida didn't bother to fight. She didn't really want to get away. Collapsing on the bed next to her Mistress, she rolled on top of the vampire "Addicted to me?"

Kalindi trailed her fingers down the girls back, tapering over her ribs and buttocks to the pink beneath "Yes. Hopelessy addicted"
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Buffy tried to pay attention to the plan. But her eyes kept straying to the pacing Angel and the child in his arms.

Willow noticed her distraction and grasped her friends hand beneath the table, hoping to calm Buffy and keep her from becoming hysterical again.

The slayer had gone off, without a word she'd stood andked ked into her training room and proceeding the knock the punching bad from it's hanging.

Willow had followed her worried about her silent exit.

Buffy had turned on the witch and stalked to her menacingly before collapsing in her arms and weeping quietly. When asked she had no reason for her tears.

"..and cover the changes from there. While we will do what we can here, and remember information is of the utmost importance.

"Gotcha Giles" Buffy nodded let lets get this show on the road. Evil waits for no one"

"Right" Xander nodded "It just kills everyone"

"Xander!" the original scoobies chorused.

"What?" ducking both Anya and Willow's swatting hands Xander couldn't dodge the hard kick the the shin that Buffy treated him to "Ow. And okay but it doesn't"

The bell above the door tingled and Faith entered followed closely by Kolby who held onto her hand tightly and spoke to her softly.

"Yeah kid" Faith twirled the girl ballerina style and half lifted half swung her down to the main floor.

Kolby skipped down to her mother while Faith stood unsurely on the front landing. Many eyes in the room had turned on her at her entrance.

Dawn entered next walking penguin with Star balanced on her feet and wrapped around her small waist "Hey guys" Dawn said cheerily not stopping but heading directly into the back training room.

Hyatt and Tara entered last with Jeanie, who was all decked out in her new splendor.

Jaws hit the ground.

"You dressed her goth?" Anya calmly "Did you buy her anything with color in it?"

Jeanie looked down at her clothes "There's red and orange in this!"

Buffy eyed the shirt the little girl had on. It said "Magick Tricks" and sported a little vampire girl with a chainsaw and a kitten "It's kinda..."

"Scary?" Xander finished "Cute but scary. Come here Jean" he waved her over.

"So who are you guys?" Angel asked bouncing the baby gently.

"That's Tara and Hyatt. Girls this is Angel" Giles introduced themher her copied down the layout for their plan.

"I met you at Buffy's funer.." Tara looked at Hyatt and looked away "We've met briefly"

"I never got your name" Angel shrugged a bit "Sorry, things were kinda.."

"Screwy" Willow finished.

Hyatt made an intelligible noise and headed into the training room. Faith was on her heels.

Tara gave Willow a brief kiss and joined the two other girls in the back.

"Vampire's can't have babies. How'd you have a baby?" Anya said into the sudden silence "It's impossible there's nothing actually 'living' in you to make new life"

"Yeah how do you have a son? I mean who'd wanna..." Xander trailed off remember that Buffy 'had'... "You have a son?" Xander asked again needlessly.

"You have a daughter" Angel tilted his head towards Xanders little girl look alike.

Xander and Jean exchanged a nearly identical glance. Two sets of brown brows rose.

"So?" Xander shrugged "She's smart she's sweet and cute to boot"

"Damn skippy" Jean nodded at the suprised vamp.

"Don't say damn" Xander nudged her.

"Sorry" Jeanie pouted a bit.

"Did they get you anything with 'real' color in it though?" Anya interrupted.

"Yes" Jean pouted harder "They even got me a dress. It's blue and frilly, and I'm no wearing it"

"You'll wear it" Buffy corrected "If I have to wear dresses so do you"

Jean huffed but smiled "The slayer in a dress? Now that's worth it"

Buffy gave her a straight stare -which wasn't easy considering everyone was grinning at them both now- and pointed towards the back.

"Right. Let the grown folks talk" Jean walked mock stubborn from the room. She stopped inches from the door "But why does Anya get to stay out here?"

"Jean!" Buffy and Willow laugh
T
The little brunette disappeared with a smile.
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Faith fiddled with the radio, nervous and needing to do something with her hands.

"They didn't greet you" Hyatt nudged the younger slayer "I just noticed that"

"I think most of them try to forget me" Faith tried to shrug it off non-chalant. When she gave up on the radio and leaned back she brushed against Hyatt's skin.

"Don't let it bother you so much" Hyatt rubbed her suddenly cold skin "Just remember. Buffy hasn't forgotten you. She knows your here"

"And she's keeping a hawks eye on me" Faith shrugged "I don't really care"

"If you didn't care. It wouldn't kill you so much" Tara joined them leaning against the wall.

Dawn and the two little girls were wrestling on the mats, Jean was egging them on, circling them and calling out encouragement.

"I really don't think.." Faith trailed off when Kolby and Star pulled a mon unn unison pinning Dawn, who until that moment, had been getting the best of them "Holy fuck. Did you see that?"

"Yeah. They've been trained to defend themselves" Hyatt shrugged.

"In unison like that?" Faith was trying not to act suprised. She just hadn't expected the girls to be so physically strong. She'd noticed earlier when Kolby had nearly pulled her arm from the socket jerking her towards the Mall's indoor play place.

"Yep. Mycah and I can do it too" Hyatid oid offhandedly playing with Tara's hair.

Buffy, Giles and Angel entered the room moments later.

"Hyatt do you think Fatima would allow us anymore text?" Giles said in greeting "I think we may need more to go on than that which we already have"

"I can see about it. Want me to go now?" Hyatt pushed herself up. Tara followed close behind brushing off her backside.

"Yes that would be most helpful. I don't want you to feel as if I'm only using you for your library" Giles suddenly thought.

"You 'are' using me for the library" Hyatt stuck out her tongue "But it's okay. Otherwise all those books would just sit there. I'm gonna have to introduce you to Fatima one day"

"Me? Meet an 700 yr old vampire?" Giles cleaned his glasses "My, that would be..."

"Interesting?" Buffy offered.

"Deadly?" Faith chimed.

"Fatima?" Angel questioned "Fatima...Al-Faqadi?"

"One in the same" Hyatt said brushing past him.

Buffy stood in the doorway. Their bodies brushed along each other as Hyatt brushed past her. Buffy didn't meet her eyes, Hyatt stopped and studied the slayer for a long moment.

"Are you okay Buffy?" she asked softly.

Buffy looked into Hyatt's eyes and nodded once slowly "Don't go alone"

"I won't" Hyatt turned back to the room "Faith you wanna come?"

"No. Don't take Faith" Buffy said quickly "Take Tara"

She recieved strange looks all around.

"Ok.." Hyatt backed away from her as Tara brushed past the slayer as well "We'll be back soon"

"We'll be here most of the night. Xander's coming back to take the kids soon" Buffy called as the two headed out the door "Be safe"

"Always" the two chorused and disappeared.

"Faith can I talk to you?" Buffy asked her fellow slayer.
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Willow sighed as she came from the over-lay to the main floor. As she ascended shticeticed Buffy and Faith speaking privately to each other. Xander and Anya had gone to the hotel that Angel's friends were staying at, dropping them off.

From the incredulous look on Faith's face, Willow was guessing the conversation wasn't all that good.

"B your fucking crazy sometimes" Faith shook her dark head and walked away from the slayer.

"What was that about?" Willow grabbed Buffy's hand when the slayer turned away from her "No Buffy your acting strange. What's wrong?"

Buffy blushed and pulled away "Nothing I'm just...worried. New evil and all. Not a happy thing"

"Ok.." Willow wasn't buying it but she'd let Buffy's little lie slide this time.

Cordy and Madison sat at the table, nipping at each other's lips. Angel stood to the side considering the two with a thoughtful look.

Buffy began to pace and check her watch "Where are they? It shouldn't take this long to get a book"

"It's a 'very' big library" Madison assured the slayer between gentle nipping kisses "It covers most the the estate, only underground"

"I'm still not sure how you got in good with Fatima Al-Faqadi" Angel rubbed his chin "Did you kill some vamp out for her blood?"

"No" Buffy said simply not meeting the vampire's eyes "I know someone in her family"

"Oh" Angel thought a moment "Who?"

"I'm a friend of her niece's" Buffy said softly.

"A friend?" Madison eyed the slayer dubiously "Your a 'friend' of her niece's?"

"Yes" Buffy said. Her tone signalling the end of the conversation.

"Whatever" Madison sat back shooting daggers at the slayer with her eyes.

"Shit" Willow froze when she realized the word had left her lips "I mean.."

The bell tingled as Tara and Hyatt returned. Both had arms laden with texts, much to Giles complete joy and everyone else's groaning admission.

"Trust me she went easy on us" Tara assured them.

"There's more in the car" Hyatt swung a stack of four large texts onto the table. The hard wood shook slightly under the weight.

"Ouch" Cordy muttered "This is 'so' like highschool"

Willow chuckled "Only this time your not making out with Xander in the stacks"

"No one's making out in the stacks" Tara chuckled.

"Yet" Willow sent the Wiccan a warm look.

Tara blushed.

"Your Fatima Al-Faqadi's niece?" Angel asked Hyatt as she headed out to her car for a second load of texts.

"Yep. So's Mycah" Hyatt backed out the the Magic Box, Faith and Tara followed her.

"How'd you meet her?" Angel pointed at the doorway the girls had just left through.

"By chance at the college" Buffy said honestly "She overheard us talking about some vamps we didn't quite get the night before. It just kinda escalated from there"

"Escalated to what?" Madison asked with a mean smile.

Cordy nudged her. Madison nudged back.

"I..she...we're...friends" Buffy stumbled over her words. Willow's eyes widened, Madison shook her head.

Angel wondered what the hell was going on.

"..and could you believe that attack?" Tara was saying as they re-entered.

Hyatt shook her head in amazment "That's definitely weird"

"What attack? Did your father see you?" Madison stood angrily "If he touched you..."

"Are you o" B" Buffy brought shaking fingers to Hyatt's cheeks.

"No. I'm fine. It wasn't him. Some kind of magick attacked Lucita in her sleep. That's what took Fatima out of commision for a while" Hyatt explained calmly, she leaned a bit into Buffy's touch "I was wondering why she didn't know about our little...incident at the college"

Buffy quickly removed her hands and glanced at Angel.

He was studying Madison, who was glaring at...Buffy.

"Buffy?" Hyatt loobetwbetween the vampire and the slayer.

Buffy turned her attention back to Hyatt.

Hyatt leaned in to place a soft kiss on the slayers lips when Buffy suddenly jerked back with a whispered 'no'.

"Buffy what's..." Hyatt's attention was taken suddeby Aby Angel.

"So you're friends right?" Angel said slowly.

"YES!" Buffy squealed back pedaling from Hyatt "Just friends"

"Ok.." Hyatt looked at all the suprised faces around the room "I'm just gonna go"

"Hyatt" Tara began "Don't-"

"I'm just gonna go" Hyatt repeated backing away from Buffy "You know me I won't be far" Hyatt turned as she stepped up onto the front landing "Star. Sweetie come on"

Star appeared in the doorway before run to to meet Hyatt.

"We're gonna go okay?" Hyatt stroked the little girls hair.

Tears immediately sprang to Star's eyes "No. I wanna stay. I wanna say with Ma-"

Hyatt covered the little girls mouth and lifted her up "I'm sorry but we gotta go"

"No!" Star squealed, muffled by her mother's hand. Reaching out blinded by tears she begged for Buffy.

"Hyatt leave her" Tara said quietly.

"Tara I.." Hyatt moved backwards towards the door "We're just going.."

"I'll bring her home with me" Tara cut her off.

Hyatt looked into Star's tearfilled eyes and let her go.

Star ran to Buffy wrapping het little arms around the slayers legs.

'That's not fair' Hyatt mouthed to Tara.

Buffy placed Star in Willow's arms and moved to Hyatt.

"Will you be home when I get there?" Buffy whispered unable to meet Hyatt's eyes.

"I..I'll be.." Hyatt looked towards the door and moved closer to it.

"Hyatt. Will you be theren I n I get home" Buffy said slightly louder and in a stronger voice.

"I'll...I don't...no" Hyatt moved to grab the door handle when Buffy tugged her close, placing a soft kiss on her lips.

"I'm sorry" Buffy whispered.

Hyatt leaned into the slayer and pressed her lips to Buffy's. Breathing out deeply, a blue mist travelled from her mouth to Buffy's.

"Hyatt!" Madison stood staring at them in amazement "No. You can't"

"I just did" Hyatt said quietly and slipped into the night.

"No!" Madison ran to the door "You'll die without her!" she called into the deep night. Nothing answered.

"What..what did she give me?" Buffy sighed and sniffed "I can feel..I...what did she do?"

"She gave herself to you. Part of her soul. Without that life in her or near her. She'll die" Madison turned angry eyes on the slayer "She didn't give 'that' much to me" giving Buffy one last look, she too fled into thrknerkness.

"Oh god" Buffy fell to her knee's. Star came to her side wrapping Buffy in a tight hug as the slayer wept into her shirt "What did I do?"

The Magic Box was silent, except for the soft cries and whimpers the slayer herself made.
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