Warning Note: Since this is unfinished and going to stay that way, it's also unbetaed, and barely even proof read by yours truly. Read on at your own risk.

Original Author's Note: Okay, just so we can get this out of the way, I have taken some liberties with some of the Hindu Gods here. This is not meant as any kind of insult to anyone's background or religion and these are no more about the real Hindu beliefs, than Xena is about real ancient Greece, or their presentation of David and Goliath had anything to do with the Bible. I'm using them as characters, while keeping with the Xena notion that Gods are just a wee bit on the annoying side as a matter of course. It is not meant as a sign of disrespect to anyone's beliefs.

More Current Author's Note: Not sure why I tried this one. As I recall, a late night at a con spent arguing over whether or not it could be done figured heavily into the effort. Anyway, yes, Xena and Buffy can be put in the same story. No, I don't think it can be done especially well. At least not by me, but it's got a few nice moments, so if you're interested, here it is. Also, it kinda takes some liberties with Hindu Gods. Being a pretty secular sort, I managed to be offensive without knowing it, and then the show's producers had the same brilliant idea, and seeing how much trouble they got in, I opted to leave off. Also, by then, I thought Xena sucked, and honestly didn't care what happened to any of the characters, plus various events had made all of the this a pointless exercise.

Disclaimers may be found here

Willow had grown up in this house, knew every inch, scratch, and scuff. There was nothing in it to frighten her. At least there hadn't been until very recently. As she easily made her way down the night black stairway, she realized her heart was hammering in her chest. She'd never been afraid of the dark before, but Angelus' invasion of her home had left her staring uncertainly into every shadowed corner, expecting to find a demon's face staring back at her.

The breaker box was in the small storeroom attached to the kitchen. She flipped the plate metal door open, ascertaining the location of the switches by feel. Sure enough, they were all in the off position. Hopefully, that was the worst of it. The neighbors were going to be seriously annoyed if she'd blown the power on the block again. She shoved them back on, then reached up to yank on the pull cord attached to the single bulb meant to illuminate the tiny pantry. Light would be a very welcome addition to the situation. Willow Rosenberg was no longer nearly as sanguine in the dark as she had once been.

As a child, she'd been terrified of the monsters hiding in the dark. As an adolescent she'd learned there weren't any monsters. As a teenager, she'd learned she'd been right the first time.

The light stayed dead.

"Damn," the young woman muttered unhappily.

She hurried back up the stairs, anxious to get back to Buffy's side and figure out what to do next. She was just passing the remains of her bedroom door --God, what was she going to tell her parents when they got back--when a solid arm lashed out of the shadows, wrapping around her throat and dragging her back against a woman's chest.

"If it isn't the slayer's little friend," a woman's voice mused in her ear. It took no more than a heartbeat for Willow to recognize Drusilla's accent and slightly mad tones. "Miss me while I was gone?"

Willow's hands snapped up to brace on his forearm as she felt herself stretched at a painful angle. She twisted in that hard grasp, terrified of the impending edge of sharp teeth.

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *~ *

It wasn't the sort of sound that most people would hear. But then, Buffy Summers wasn't most people. She was the slayer, charged with killing vampires by some inherited trick of fate that no one seemed inclined to explain. Anyway, it meant her hearing was good, really good, off the charts good. Dogs looked at her with envy in their eyes.

Which is why she heard the tiny, panicked cry--not much more than a squeak really--that came from the hallway, the tone all too familiar. "Willow," Buffy breathed. She saw them the instant she stepped into the hallway; only a few feet away, Willow trapped in Drusilla's arms, her body twisted at a painful angle, the vampire's teeth touching, but not piercing the delicate flesh of her throat.

"Drusilla," the slayer whispered, rage threading through her low voice. "You should have stayed away." She stood perfectly still, wanting to tear the vampire to pieces, but knowing she to be very careful. Her eyes flashed right and left, checking for any sign of Spike, grateful to find that Dru seemed to be alone. She wondered why she wasn't surprised to find the vampire probably hadn't broken his word. "Because this time, I'm gonna kill you."

Drusilla tut-tutted, her voice sing song as she taunted, "But if you do that, I'll bite sweetums here." She licked Willow's throat, holding the girl in place when she cringed, instinctively trying to escape. The vampire offered a wicked smile. "Mmmm… tasty.

Buffy forced down a wave of nausea. "How did you get in?" she demanded bitterly.

Full lips twisted into a sick mockery of a smile. "You really should pay more attention to those slayer lessons of yours." She snorted derisively. "But then, Angelus always said that you're not really very bright."

Buffy continued to glare, playing for time with the supreme confidence that Drusilla's ego and madness would require her to explain the slayer's failing. "I repeat…how?"

She was right. Drusilla's eyes rounded, lips twitching into a secretive smile, but she nodded toward Willow's bedroom door. "Supernatural damage…it can shatter the integrity of a house…break down the wards…" She grinned, giggling softly. "Guess what happens next?" Another mad giggle and she rubbed her teeth against Willow's throat hard enough to scratch the surface of her skin. "All sorts of people can get in, burglars, rapists...vampires..."

"Let her go," Buffy growled, hands fisting at her sides, rage burning in her heart.

Drusilla's beautiful features melded into those of a demon as she snarled, "I don’t think you understand the situation…you aren't giving the orders here." Her eyes glittered with the madness Angelus had inflicted, reminding Buffy that she wasn't playing with the proverbial full deck.

"What do you want?" she growled. If all Drusilla intended was to kill Willow, her friend would already be dead. That gave her some hope. "Other than for the Wizard to give you a brain and a prozac prescription."

Sharp teeth pressed harder against Willow's throat, drawing a soft whimper. "Another joke and you can watch her die."

"All right," Buffy said tightly. "We can play the humor impaired edition of this game if you like."

"That's better," Drusilla praised and offered another of her insane smiles. The fingers braced along the side of Willow's neck became almost caressing. "Such a sweet little pretty," she giggled.

Buffy met her friend's terrified gaze with a look she hoped was comforting. "What do you want?" she repeated in a hard voice.

Drusilla's eyes lifted, her expression briefly disoriented, as though she'd forgotten Buffy for a moment. "Want…want?" she babbled, then her smile broadened. "We want the Destroyer. You shouldn't have stolen her like that," she tsk-tsked. "Very naughty…naughty, naughty slayer."

Buffy was amazed to find herself missing Spike. At least he could converse on the same plain she was on. She had less than absolutely no idea what the hell Drusilla was talking about. "The destroyer?" she questioned, her tone and manner a mockery of perfect courtesy. "How can I steal someone or something I've never heard of before?"

Drusilla let out that annoying giggle that made Buffy's skin crawl. "The Goddess said you'd try to trick us…" The vampire's eyes ran over Buffy's compact frame as she shifted subjects in an instant. "Do you know that Angelus told me all about what you did with him?" She tittered. "Such a naughty little slayer." Her eyes gleamed in the near darkness and she canted her head to one side. "I want to see you," she whispered suddenly, the laughter draining out of her voice, to be replaced by something very different.

Buffy frowned in confusion. Having a conversation with Drusilla was like joining the madhatter's tea party in progress. She held out her arms in a loose shrug. "And here I am…now, do you want to let Willow go?" She dropped into a fighter's stance, readying herself for the fight.

Drusilla tittered again, her insanity slipping through the cracks, then grew more serious. "No," she growled, the sound low and feral. "…like he saw you…."

Buffy's jaw dropped in shock. That wasn't at all what she'd expected to hear, though she wasn't certain why she was so surprised. Certainly, there had been something very twisted between Angel and Dru. Silence hung between them for a long moment, the thick, cloying lack of sound broken only by Willow's ragged, whimpery breathing.

Finally Buffy offered a wicked smile that even the vampire had trouble discerning in the darkened hallway, resolving to play any game needed to save her friend. "So that's it." She slid her coat off, letting it fall forgotten to the floor. "Want a little peek at what Angel wanted more than he ever wanted you?" she taunted.

Drusilla's teeth glinted in the darkness. "He killed everyone I loved…just for me…because he loved me so much…."

Buffy shivered as it occurred to her that she could have wound up not so different from the woman in front of her. No, she couldn't go there. It was too dark a place for her to contemplate. Graceful fingers found the buttons on front of her pale blouse, easing them free, revealing more flesh with every passing second. She refused to let herself feel any embarrassment or humiliation as she felt cool air touch her skin.

Willow's eyes were huge as she watched her friend peel off her blouse, exposing the delicate camisole underneath.

"That's right," Drusilla encouraged encouraged. "Mummy wants to see everything…all that pretty flesh." Her hold on Willow perceptibly gentling, becoming almost caressing, while she watched Buffy with bright cat's eyes. "Tasty little morsel of Angel's." She mouthed a taut cord in Willow's throat, nibbling with sensual hunger.

"Decided you're tired of walking the straight and narrow…or at least the straight?" Buffy murmured, sensing Drusilla's need. She ran her tongue over her lips as she tossed her blouse aside.

Willow felt Drusilla pause, could feel her muscles quiver. The teen felt her gorge rise as she realized the vampire was aroused, though whether it was the sight of the slayer's body, or the power she held over her was impossible to tell.

Drusilla was past any pretense of clever banter, not that she was ever very impressive on that score. "I want you…" She rubbed her cheek against Willow's throat, feeling the heat against her own cold, dead skin. "Want the pretty heat and wet…'to kill this girl, you have to love her…'" she parroted Angelus. "Let me love you."

Buffy's lips drew into a languid smile, playing along in hopes of getting close enough to free her friend. "Love me," she exhaled, edging closer. "Kill me." Her eyes held Drusilla's. "Just like Angelus wanted to."

"Yesssss," Drusilla sighed, watching her prey closely. The Goddess would be so thrilled when she brought them the slayer as a new acolyte. The girl was young, strong--her eyes fell to rounded breasts--beautiful. When she felt the hunger, it would be a glorious sight to behold. She would drain the blood of the world.

"Why don't you come get me, baby," Buffy drawled, her tone inviting.

Drusilla paused, almost suspecting a trap, but too caught in her own tormented lust and insanity to resist. After all, Angelus had had this girl…loved this girl…as he had loved her. She had to have her. If she could just taste the slayer, it would be like having her lost sire back. She crept forward, dragging Willow along for the ride, though her entire being was concentrated on the slender blond standing only a few feet away. She almost forgot Willow was even there.

They were no more than a foot apart when Buffy reached out gingerly, easing closer when Drusilla flinched ever so slightly. The slayer offered a sensual smile, then wrapped a hand around the back of the vampire's neck, drawing her forward as she heard Willow groan, "Don't do it, Buffy."

"I have to," the slayer admitted, amazed to find herself reacting to the vampire at some level. Angelus had loved both of them in his dark and twisted way, and even loathing Drusilla as she did, she couldn't hate her, couldn't forget that once upon a time she'd been nothing more than an innocent victim who had lost everything. Her pupils dilated as Drusilla drew closer, taking in the sweetly curved features. The flesh under her hand was deathly cool, reminding her that the real Drusilla had been gone for a very long time, while Willow was pressed against her side, a warm and living reminder of the stakes of the game.

Buffy's eyes dropped momentarily, touching on too red lips. Struggling to control her fear, she lifted a hand, curving it to Drusilla's head, amazed by the silky texture of dark hair--it had never occurred to her that anything about the vampire could do anything but cause more pain--to draw her head down. As they drew nearer, she smelled the faint iron tinge of blood.

Driven by her madness, Drusilla maintained a punishing hold on Willow's throat, but lifted her head, instinctively drawn to Buffy's inviting sexuality.

The slayer's cheek just brushed silky red hair as blood red lips neared her own. The slayer slid a hand along Willow's shoulder, finding the hand latched on her throat as she braced herself to move fast. She would only have one chance to save Willow and she couldn't afford to blow it. Her mouth was only scant inches from cupid's bow lips when sharp fangs replaced smoothly rounded incisors. The slayer's gaze automatically lifted, something dangerous glittering there before she could hide it.

A hand slammed into her midsection before she could react, and she hit the floor on her backside with considerable force.

"Do you really think I'm that stupid?" Drusilla screamed furiously and tightened her hold on Willow's neck, to twist savagely, just short of breaking it as her sire had Jenny Calendar's. "But thanks for the show. It was fun."

Buffy was already rolling for her feet, as gleaming fangs dropped toward Willow's throat. She was moving fast, but there was no way she could get there before Drusilla broke the skin and maybe killed Willow.

It didn't matter. Sharp teeth were still millimeters from soft skin when a dull scream was torn from the vampire's throat. Buffy blinked in shock as a sword blade ripped through her chest, the razor edge missing Willow by no more than an inch or two. The vampire spasmed, demon's features twisting in an expression of raw agony as she lost her grip on Willow. The teenager half scrambled, half fell forward, sinking into the strong arms that wrapped around her.

The slayer pushed her panicked friend behind her, putting her own body between Willow and danger, while Drusilla raged free of the blade and spun to face her attacker. "Who," she shrieked, "Are you?"

Xena offered a thin smile. She wasn't steady yet, but she managed to create the illusion that she was. She'd regained consciousness to hear the argument and instantly known from their tones that it was nasty, though she hadn't been able to make out their muffled words. "Xena," she answered simply. She saw Buffy catch Willow and put herself between her friend and the creature attacking them, then refocused on the creature facing her. She'd seen so many strange things in her life that she barely batted an eyelash at this one.

Drusilla was holding the ragged wound in his chest, pain throbbing through her body. She could feel the injury healing, but it was slow, much too slow. "You…hurt…me…" she whimpered.

Xena's smile twisted viciously. "That's right," she agreed. Oddly enough, she liked these two young women and had no intention of allowing the monster before her to make a meal of them.

Full lips pulled back from wicked sharp teeth. "Who does this little pretty think she is?" she snarled.

Xena only smiled at the pathetic attempt at intimidation. "Someone who can hurt you."

Drusilla's lips quivered, something akin to fear showing in her eyes, though it was an erratic emotion. When she'd first been driven mad, she'd spent all of her time afraid of the visions and the thoughts that ran uncontrolled through her brain, but after two hundred years, she'd adjusted to the uncertainties, and even grown to revel in the constantly shifting tides of her reality. "Pretty can't hurt me," she insisted uncertainly. She offered an uncontrolled giggle. "I'm very special."

Xena frowned ever so slightly. The woman was mad. She'd seen the signs often enough. By Tartarus, she'd experienced them. "Not nearly special enough," she disagreed with forced calm. She was getting stronger, her balance returning, blood moving more smoothly through her veins.

Drusilla stared at her, head cocking to one side, then suddenly leapt out of range of Xena's sword, her expression openly terrified. "Pretty was stolen from the mistress…." She fled through Willow's bedroom door, her howls echoing through the night. Moments later, answering sounds, like coyote yips, floated on the air.

Buffy and Willow shared a knowing look. "That does not sound good," the slayer exhaled heavily, before asking, "You okay?"

Willow nodded. "I think so…Buffy, are you?"

"I'm fine," the slayer insisted, her tone oddly flat, as she reached for her discarded clothes, "but I think we'd better get the hell out of here as soon as Giles arrives." She cast a look back toward Xena, uncertain what to say or do. She had no idea if this woman was who she said she was, but at the same time, she'd just saved Willow's life.

Xena could feel the blond girl's fear and distrust as she silently resheathed her sword. She could hear more yips and howls in the distance, but drawing nearer. She was still contemplating her next words, and how to say them--the language seemed to flow so much more easily when it had to--when the young blond woman drew closer to her. She slung on a black topcoat of some kind, one hand slipping into a pocket. Xena noted the slight movement of her hand, but paid it only passing attention--now that the immediate threat was past, she was unbelievably exhausted again--until it flashed up again, something silver glittering in her hand. Xena instinctively raised her left hand to block an attack, while her right snapped back, reaching for the sword strapped across her back. She wrapped her fingers around the hilt just as something wet and chill splashed between spread fingers and across her face. She froze, sputtering softly.

Water. It was nothing but water.

Xena considered several responses, most of which involved considerable amounts of violence, but managed to rein in her temper to demand, "Tell me," she growled as she scraped water away from her face with one hand, "was there a reason for that?" She flicked silver droplets off the ends of her fingertips, welcoming the anger that came along with the impromptu soaking. When she was angry, somehow the language seemed so much simpler. Actually, everything had always seemed simpler when she was angry…which probably wasn't a good thing, now that she thought about it.

Buffy sighed softly, relieved to note that the woman's flesh remained smooth and undamaged. Not that that necessarily meant she was one of the good guys--Buffy had learned the hard way that humans could be pretty sharp on the whole evil front too--but it at least increased the chances. She suddenly felt very exposed. Chill breezes whipped through Willow's destroyed bedroom window and she shivered in response. For a long time it had seemed like she was cold all the time-- as though Angelus' crimes and Angel's death had drained the very heat from her body--though it had gotten better now that she was home and among those who loved her again; now that Angel was, if not alive, then reasonably sane and ambulatory once again, though they could never mean what they once had to each other, ever again.

"Holy water?" Willow squeaked, torn as to whether to jump behind Buffy or leap in front of her.

The slayer nodded as she confirmed, "Holy water."

Willow looked back at Xena who was still watching them expectantly, though Willow was grateful to note that she hadn't redrawn her weapon…yet. "It was just a…" She tried to think of a way to explain holy water to someone from a completely different, pre-Christian culture. "The creature you just saw," she began again. "It's a way of making sure that you…aren't…"

Knowledge dawned in Xena's eyes. "A way of making sure I'm not one of them…and my being here isn't some kind of trick," she finished for Willow. Xena didn't even pretend to understand how water played into the equation, but was willing to accept the likelihood. After all, monsters never seemed to be defeated by normal means, like a good sword through the midsection. Still, she wasn't sure how impressed she was by any monster who apparently melted on contact with water.

The girl nodded quickly, thankful that the warrior had gotten the point quickly. Considering its effect on a vampire she didn't want to think about what that sword could do to human flesh.

Xena frowned, studying the two teens more carefully, as she altered her initial assessment. Whatever these two were, unless the world had changed more than she could even begin to guess, they weren't average by any means. She ran a hand through her hair, scraping the loose tendrils away from her face and feeling every one of her imprisoned years. "Gods, I hate enchantments," she muttered under her breath.

Suddenly, Buffy's head snapped up at the sound of a car. "Giles," she said softly. Good, the howls were drawing much closer, enough so that she had been starting to wonder if they might have to make a run for it without the safety of his car. "Let's go."

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *~ *

Emergency midnight phone calls were hardly unusual in Rupert Giles' sphere of experience. Being a Watcher, particularly for a slayer as…unique…as Buffy Summers was a twenty four hour job on the best of days. She was a wonderful child, but sometimes a bit…trying.

So, he hadn't been terribly surprised by her latest call, merely worried that something was wrong, then mildly annoyed that she'd interrupted his research while refusing to answer questions beyond saying, "I really think you should come over to Willow's house." He knew the way of course, and as he parked out in front, his eyes touched on the pleasant little home. Dark, not a light on in the whole place. He frowned slightly, noting how his heart began hammering in his chest as he reached for a sharpened stake. No use taking chances. "Dear Lord," the watcher exhaled as he moved up the walkway and abruptly saw the damage down to Willow's bedroom window.

Rupert Giles gripped his stake a little tighter, mentally promising a most dire form of revenge indeed, had either of the girls been harmed in any way. He abruptly became aware of sounds that reminded him vaguely of coyotes or a wild dog pack. Something was definitely not right.

He was suddenly praying this wasn't another emergency.

He'd already lost a woman he loved. Seeing any of the teens for whom he felt responsible hurt…well, he just couldn't bear the idea.

He was almost to the porch when the front door was flung open.

"Back to the car, Giles," Buffy snapped the order. Her eyes darted around the night. "And move it."

He knew the slayer well enough to know when to take her at her word. "Willow?"

"She's fine, but company's coming."

Giles nodded, started to turn back toward his car and froze. "Who," he whispered, sensing the third presence. A chill slipped up his spine as he became aware of an indomitable power. Then he saw her shadow; tall, broad shouldered, armor glittering on her chest. His voice rose a notch as he finished the question. "Is that?"

"Xena, Rupert Giles--Giles, Xena: Warrior Princess," Buffy introduced them in a matter of fact voice, then grabbed her Watcher's shoulder and shoved him toward the car. "Now, move. We'll explain more later."

The small group broke into a trot, all watching the dark night for any signs of movement. Giles was still unlocking the car when Xena spotted the first figure. "There," the warrior princess growled, drawing her sword and pointing toward the deep shadows around one side of Willow's house. She couldn't withhold a grin as she felt the blood sing through her veins, heightening every sense, bringing strength to her muscles, making her aware of every beat of her heart. Gods, she loved this feeling. She was faster, stronger, smarter, more of everything when she was like this. The alienness of the language and accompanying concepts no longer mattered. At least one thing hadn't changed with time. Killing was still remarkably familiar. "We seem to have company.".

"Damn," Buffy exhaled. She'd been hoping they'd have more time.

Giles leapt behind the wheel, hands slightly clumsy as he fumbled the key into the ignition.

More figures slipped from the trees, moving fast, their advance virtually soundless. Buffy realized in an instant that she'd made the mistake of assuming that the cries and yips were coming from those vampires closest to the action. "Oh hell, we got suckered," she exhaled.

As if to punctuate the comment, Drusilla's giggles rang across the night as she moved to stand in Willow's destroyed window. She probably hadn't gone any farther than the edge of the Rosenberg's property.

Buffy stared up at the mad vampire, hissing curses through her clenched teeth. She glanced over, noting that the warrior was smiling ever so slightly, obviously looking forward to the fight. And a fight it was going to be--if they wanted to get out alive-- because more vampires were coming toward them from a position down the road, blocking an easy exit.

"Will!" she shouted to her friend, who was already at the passenger door. "Stakes!"

"Got it," the redhead responded, grabbing for the bag of spares Giles always kept in the back. She lobbed two to Buffy just as the lead vampires made a final dash.

The slayer spun toward her attackers, using the first one's momentum against her, as she drove a stake home. Dust filled the air, briefly clouding her view of the others, though that didn't slow her for a second. Buffy Summers had long since grown used to the sting of vampire dust in her eyes. She blocked a swing from another attacker, returned the blow, then pivoted to knock another one backward off her feet. She caught sight of Willow, still standing in the open car doorway, ready to throw her more stakes if she needed them, and was oddly comforted by the sight, though she knew her friend should have locked herself in the vehicle. "Giles!" Buffy shouted. "Get ready to move fast!" She threw a dozen more punches, working her way to the car, until she was no more than a foot from Willow, grateful to know her friend was at her back.

The vampires blocking the street were headed their way, making them very much outnumbered.

Xena noted the advance as well, but concentrated instead on the combat at hand, straight-arming an attacker, before stabbing her sword through a second woman, not entirely surprised when she winced in pain, but didn't die. This might be a bit more challenging than usual.

Buffy glanced over, noting Xena's grin. With a chill, the slayer realized the woman was enjoying this, only she obviously didn't know how this game was played. "It takes a wooden stake through the heart to kill them," she called out, then dusted another one.

Xena allowed herself a small smile. "I suspect removing their heads will achieve the same end."

Buffy shrugged. Maybe yes, maybe no. The only time she'd ever tried that particular technique, she'd been using an enchanted sword. Who knew what might happen if one used the more regular variety. For all she knew they'd just pick up their heads and put them back on. Then, she didn't have any more time for questions or suggestions. A vampire drew close enough to lunge, and Buffy ducked sideways, using her attacker's momentum to slam her head into the side of the car. She dusted her before she had time to cry out and pivoted in time to see starlight flare off of Xena's gracefully moving blade. It sliced through an attacking vampire's neck with only slightly less speed than it moved through the air. The slayer suddenly felt Willow's hands grip the back of her jacket.

"B-Buffy," the redhead stammered.

"Yeah," the slayer exhaled, blanching as she watched the vampire's head tumble to the ground, eyes open, and mouthing agonized obscenities, while her body flailed about, swinging randomly. She leapt over the disembodied head just it suddenly greyed and burst into dust, the body exploding a brief moment before the head. Dust filled the air, forcing the slayer to blink rapidly to clear her vision as she spun, stabbing her stake through another vamp. More dust and she had to force down a cough. Two vampires leapt onto the hood of the car. "Willow…in the car!" she shouted as she bounded onto the roof, trading blows with their assailants. These two were better than the others, challenging her just to stay alive.

She caught sight of a tall, graceful shadow in her peripheral vision.

It stepped onto the porch of Willow's home, the features shadowed, but somehow beautiful all the same.

Buffy glanced down, saw that Willow was standing at the open car door, staring back at her house with an oddly stricken expression, while Xena was staring back at the house, her own expression shaken. Buffy wasn't certain she wanted to know what scared that woman. One of the vampires on the hood of Giles' car slammed a fist into her temple, reminding her of the fight at hand. Growling curses under her breath, Buffy spun back, dusting the first of the two with desperation driven speed, before turning her attention toward the other. Before she had a chance to attack, something whirred past her shoulder, then dinged off a tree, before slicing neatly through the vampire's neck. It might not kill them as quickly, but as her head fell one way and her body stumbled the other, tumbling off the side of the car, the slayer had to admit, it certainly had its advantages. The slayer spun just in time to see Xena catch the chakram with deceptive ease. Shaking her head, she jumped down. She wanted to be gone before the next wave hit. "Get in," she bit out, shoving Willow into the backseat.

More vampires were coming and she didn't plan on being around to dance another tango.

The figure on the porch only stood there, silently watching the drama unfold. Buffy had the strangest sense she was in control of the whole game, playing with them when she could have done so much more. "Come on," she snarled, grabbing Xena's arm and shoving her toward the open car door.

"Buffy," Giles called out in the background. "There seem to be more of them coming."

Buffy didn't bother answering. There were always more of them coming, so it was hardly a surprise. What was a surprise was the way Xena resisted Buffy's solid shove, refusing to climb into the vehicle.

"Where's the horse for this chariot?" the warrior demanded. She had no intention of being caught in an unmoving box, while attackers swarmed down on her.

Buffy blinked, then snarled, "Under the hood," she snapped, catching the warrior by surprise. Another hard push and she got Xena into the backseat beside Willow, though it was a tight fit to say the least. The warrior princess grunted something unkind in ancient Greek as Buffy shoved the front passenger seat back again, and her knees slammed into her midsection.

The slayer slammed her car door hard into an advancing vampire, then leapt into the front seat, yanking the door shut as she shouted, "Go!"

Giles pushed the accelerator to the floor, cursing under his breath as his car moved sluggishly forward. It had never been made for this.

"Christ, Giles, I could push it faster than this!" Buffy shouted, hammering on the dash with her closed fist.

Xena was staring around herself, eyes confused, not understanding how this chariot was moving.

A body slammed into the passenger side front window, beating on it in an effort to get at the slayer.

The vampires were still coming.

"Giles!"

Suddenly, the car seemed to catch a second wind and accelerated with a surprising burst of speed, tires squealing as Giles rounded a corner faster than was entirely prudent. Unfortunately, another car was coming at them, the lights momentarily blinding the driver and the sudden speed and brightness startling the woman in the backseat.

Startled, Xena yelped, Willow screamed, and Buffy screeched, twisting in her seat to hunt for the latest threat.

Giles didn't do more than grunt, at least not until after he ran over a couple of metal garbage cans, making more than enough noise to wake the dead. Then he grumbled several invectives Buffy would have bet money he didn't even know. Lights in the nearest house went on and he heard shouts and catcalls of "Damn kids!" as he accelerated again, panting hard, his heart in his throat. "What happened?"

Xena stuck her head up from behind the back seat, peering out the front windshield nervously. "What," she panted, "were those lights? And this…chariot…" She looked down, listening to the rumble of the engine. "How does it…go?"

Buffy sighed softly, struggling to control her raging terror. "That was another car…and the…chariot has an engine."

Xena looked blank. "Engine?" she repeated the word on a questioning note. The enchantment seemed to allow for translation of the modern language, but entirely new concepts were not happening.

"A mechanical device that makes it move," Willow explained.

More lights came at them and Xena ducked a little lower behind the seat, seeming to brace herself for impact. It was beginning to occur to her that perhaps her first assessment of this place and time had been a little off. It might be just a little harder than she expected to function here.

As they pulled onto a main street, the warrior princess's eyes widened as she got her first look at moving traffic, neon lights and fast food franchises. She dipped lower behind the car seat. She wasn't frightened, you understand, just being cautious. That was it, cautious. There were horseless chariots everywhere, some of them easily twice the size of the Trojan horse, and strange lights that blinked and moved. It looked to her like a good bit of caution was just a form of wisdom in this world. "Mechanical device," she exhaled, mentally dissecting the words until they made some small degree of sense.

"Don't worry," Willow assured the warrior. "None of it will hurt you."

Xena glanced up at the young woman, noting the gently encouraging look on her face. Well, if that tiny little thing could face these devices without a trace of worry, then so could she. Eyes darting everywhere, Xena, nonetheless, slowly straightened. "Of course not," she breathed tightly. A mack truck passed by on the passenger side and it took all of her self-control not to duck back behind the seats. Xena--she reminded herself as she squared her shoulders and refused to be cowed by this new world--you are Xena, conqueror of Corinth, killer of Gods, feared by any foolish enough to cross you--

A passing car blew its horn and the warrior princess nearly jumped out of her skin.

And you really hate enchantments, she added mentally as she straightened from her position behind the car seats and tried to regain some measure of lost dignity.

"It's not really surprising it's all kind of scary," Willow assured her. "I mean, none of this existed when you were still alive."

Xena offered a tight smile, uncertain how to deal with sympathy from a young woman she could probably kill without even pausing the take a breath. "I am not," she rasped with effort, "afraid."

Buffy smirked back at her. "Yeah, right."

Xena flashed the child a hard look, denying the words with a blazing glare even as she had to dig her nails into her palms to keep from jumping when another horeseless chariot drew entirely too near for her comfort and the vehicle they were in swerved to one side. "And I am still alive," she added in measured breaths. She flexed her hands, feeling the muscles respond with comforting steadiness. It was indeed her body that housed her mind again, a comforting port in a rather confusing storm.

Giles glanced back at her in the rear view mirror as he hesitantly asked, "Do you…uh…know how you got here…or what happened."

Xena shrugged one broad shoulder. "A curse," she answered simply, her tone brooking no further questions. She had no desire to discuss those matters.

"Now, there's a surprise," Buffy muttered as she turned face forward again and settled back into her seat. "Some days I wonder if there's anyone left in the world who isn't cursed."

Xena nodded. She knew that feeling. She glanced at Willow, noting how the girl had settled into her seat and was curiously watching her. Calm, I am calm, Xena assured herself and consciously leaned back in her seat, still tense, but determined not to show it. She managed to keep the illusion relatively intact and they arrived at Giles' home without much further conversation, where Xena climbed out the car, unfolding herself with an audible sigh of relief. Once free, she stared back at the horseless chariot with a distinct lack of affection, thinking that the idea had promise, but not until they made them a bit less cramped. She turned around, suddenly aware of that the man Buffy had introduced as Rupert Giles was watching.

"Inside…" he murmured and she lost a few of the words before she understood him again. "…go inside…" She simply nodded, unwilling to let on to her internal struggle to understand. For some reason comprehension seemed to drop when she wasn't under stress.

Willow silently watched the woman struggling to appear in control, when it was painfully obvious she was feeling very lost in this world. The slayerette slipped her arm in Buffy's, letting Giles and Xena go ahead. "She's scared," she whispered to her friend.

Buffy looked over. "She isn't the only one," she admitted. She had a very bad feeling about this whole situation. "Willow, do you have any idea how you summoned her, or freed her, or …whatever?"

The redhead shook her head. "According to the legends, Xena will return one day, but they're not very specific about how, except that her chakram's involved….but I don't see how I could have gotten it…I mean, why would that woman give me the real one if she had it? It would be worth millions on the black market." She shook her head. "None of it makes any sense."

Frowning, Buffy grunted something in the affirmative. "Assuming she really is who she is--"

"She is," Willow inserted, uncertain why she was so confident, but utterly convinced of the warrior princess' identity.

"Well, somebody wanted her back," Buffy exhaled as they climbed the stairs to Giles' bungalow. "I just wish I knew who and why."

Willow shrugged. "I think there's a legend about that…not so different from the Arthurian legends…that in a time of need, she'll rise again."

"Wonderful," the slayer breathed. "Which means even more fun and games. God, I just love living over the hellmouth."

As they entered, Giles flipped on the lights, noting that their guest automatically gravitated toward the more shadowed corners, animal-like in her dislike of the bright lights.

For a long moment, the small group simply stared at each other, then Giles cleared his throat, removing his glasses to polish them as he murmured, "I think perhaps it would be a good idea if you tell me what…happened.…" he paused to replace his glasses and consider his next words. "And who our…guest…is." He looked to Xena, but no answers were forthcoming. He considered asking a pointed question or two, but discarded the idea. She had entered his home without invitation, so she wasn't a vampire, and she certainly seemed to have the abilities credited to the mythical figure Buffy had introduced. And besides she seemed to have a rather grumpy demeanor…as well as a very large sword strapped to her back. One which she seemed to be quite adept at using. "Er…Willow, perhaps you should start …" he suggested. "Since your home seems to have been the starting point for all of this."

Willow sighed softly and silently took a seat on one end of the couch that sat in the middle of the livingroom. She leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees as she began telling the story in halting tones, beginning with their visit to the history museum and ending with her loss of consciousness only moments after joining the halves of the chakram together.

"Do you know how you did it?" Giles questioned thoughtfully.

Willow shook her head. "I haven't faintest idea. I mean, it doesn't seem possible that none of the archaeologists ever checked the fit of the two pieces, so it can't be the first time they've touched."

"Unlikely," Giles agreed. "Perhaps all of the magic you've been practicing recently has something to do with it." He was quite certain that Willow possessed considerably more power than she even guessed at, sometimes he suspected it might one day be more than she could control, which often left him torn between trying to steer her away from the magiks that so fascinated her and trying to guide her in her studies so she got things right. But that was a worry for another time. He transferred his gaze to Buffy, silently questioning.

The slayer shrugged. "Hey, I saw the light show in Willow's bedroom while I was still a half a block away, and arrived after it was all over. Traded a few blows with her warriorness over there, but that's about it…then Drusilla showed…according to her, whatever happened destroyed the wards on Willow's house."

Giles nodded thoughtfully. "Whatever it was must have been a very powerful supernatural force. In forcing its way into our world, it punched hole through the protections around her home." He did not look comforted by that thought. "Tell me exactly what you saw, Buffy."

Xena folded her arms and concentrated past the sound of their voices. The language was coming to her slowly, forming itself into patterns in her head. Understanding it was harder now that she wasn't absorbed in reacting to the combat, but it was possible. She just had to relax. The blond was talking now, telling how she'd been on patrol--some distant part of Xena wondered at the use of that word--and what she'd seen, the confrontation with the vampire. Xena suddenly understood that the creature who had tried to kill Willow was one of the vampires they so feared. So…the water must have been a charm against it. That made some sense. The blond…Buffy…was also afraid and distrustful of her, as was her watcher. Well, Xena could hardly blame them. They were obviously involved in some kind of fight of their own, with no reason to know or trust her. She frowned, remembering the shadowed figure in the doorway. There had been something familiar there. Perhaps it was no more than a memory of power, but it frightened her. Xena's eyes touched on vivid red hair, and a heartbeat later she found herself staring into intelligent green eyes. That one believed her for some reason. Perhaps it was merely the enchantment--Xena frankly wished she knew more about it, but she'd been busy when it was laid on her shoulders--or perhaps there was some odd kind of bond between them. She really wasn't certain.

Suddenly, the warrior princess' head came up and around, and her entire body tensed.

Willow saw the reaction and felt a tingling at the base of her own skull. "B-Buffy," she stammered, a little dazed by the sensation.

The slayer's gaze followed her friend's to the suddenly alert warrior. "What is it?" she demanded.

"Something," Xena whispered, "is coming."

"Buffy?" Giles said on a questioning note.

The slayer shook her head, but rose to her feet nonetheless. "Nope, spidey sense isn't tingling."

Willow also rose, her voice low and hesitant. "No, she's right. I can…feel it." She sounded every bit as surprised as her friend looked.

"Don't go wack on me now, Will, 'kay?" Buffy murmured worriedly.

Willow frowned. "I'm not…but--" Her head swung around toward the front door just as it blew open as though the locks hadn't been engaged.

Xena drew her sword in a blink, while Buffy grabbed her dropped stake, brandishing it threateningly.

A sweet breeze flowed through the room, filling it with the scent of flowers.

"Lotus," Giles whispered in shock.

"Yes," Xena confirmed, her tone grim.

A moment later, a graceful shadow flowed through the open door.

"Shivani," the warrior princess exhaled, her voice thick with dislike, though some of the tension drained from her body.

The woman who stood there was clothed in modern attire, but there was nothing modern about her. She was older than time; the way she moved, looked and sounded all bespoke an ancient wisdom. She was all curves and sensuality, with limpid eyes and full lips. "Hello again, Xena," she drawled. "It's been awhile."

"You," Willow yelped. "You gave me the chakram."

A slow smile curved full lips. "Indeed." She took a step forward as though to go to Willow, but Buffy interposed herself between them, her expression threatening.

"Ah, the brave, young slayer," Shivani murmured thoughtfully, while giving no clue as to how she had that piece of knowledge. "Ready to protect your…friend…I see."

"That's right," Buffy challenged.

Giles watched the scene, a frown creasing his brow. "Shivani," he said softly. "Isn't she…"

Xena's gaze met the watcher and she shook her head fractionally in silent warning before speaking. This was her fight, not theirs, and her expression warned him to stay out of it. There had already been enough blood spilled over her mistakes. "Why have you brought me back?" she demanded. "What has Ares done now?"

Dark eyes narrowed. "Ares is dead," the Indian woman pronounced, watching Xena closely.

The warrior princess barely managed to cover her flinch, even as she wondered why she cared. He'd caused unending trouble in her life and the lives of those she cared about. The world was a better place for his passing. But the unfortunate reality remained. He was her father, and for that reason alone, she felt something. "I see." The language was clearer to her now, not just because of the enchantment, but because she was starting to understand the patterns to the words.

"Do you?" Shivani questioned silkily.

Xena shook her head in disgust. "Just finish it…I'm tired of the games." Her soul had spent so much time trapped in limbo that she was mildly amazed to find herself sane. Years squandered with no sense of time or space or body were a challenge to even the most of stable of personalities, something Xena knew she had never been. "If Ares is dead, then it's over." As the news sank in, it became a perverse relief. Finally, she could die. Even if she didn't join Gabrielle in the Elysian Fields, the realization that the unending torment had ended was a stark relief. She sheathed her sword before folding her arms across her chest and turning away. She fully expected to feel the final blow at any moment. She was not so lucky.

"I'm afraid it's hardly that simple," Shivani chastised.

Xena pivoted back. "It is exactly that simple," she snarled. "You got your revenge. You separated me from the only things that meant anything to me. Now Ares is dead and my service to you is over…so…finish…it…" the warrior spat the last words in perfectly measured time.

Shivani laughed, her perfect features wickedly beautiful. "I," she whispered and drew near enough to the warrior to run a fingertip up a muscled arm, "am not finished with you, until I say I am."

Xena's voice was little more than a rasp when she answered. "If Ares is dead with everything else in my life, then you no longer have any hold over me." She whirled on the smaller woman, eyes blazing. "Which means I can finally be free of both of you."

Shivani only smiled, the expression almost sexual in its intensity.

Xena had to turn away to keep from being sick. "Just let me die," she pleaded. Maybe dead she could find Gabrielle again. There were so many things she hadn't said, so many she needed to say.

"And if I do that, who will save the world…and your precious little bard?"

Xena stiffened, swallowing hard on the lump in her throat. "Gabrielle's dead," she breathed. Knowing that, she wasn't sure whether or not she cared about the rest of the world.

"No more than you are," Shivani disagreed.

Xena shook her head, praying for the torment to end as she whispered, "I saw her die." She didn't want to think about that moment, the memory was like a hole through the center of her body…and her soul.

The other woman shook her head slowly. "She begged to join you…even in your punishment…she chose to follow you anywhere you went…the poor foolish child."

Agony blazed in crystal blue eyes, and the warrior swallowed hard. Forgetting who and what she dealt with, or not caring, she spun, grabbing the lapels of Shivani's perfectly tailored blazer, hauling her up until they were nose to nose. "How?" she rasped. "Do I get her back?"

Brown eyes burned with dangerous lights.

Xena didn't even have time to gasp before she felt an electrical arc of power slam into her midsection. She was airborne for little more than a heartbeat, before crashing into something unyielding and tumbling to the floor.

"Do not repeat that mistake, mortal," an impossibly deep voice warned, though it slipped from lips as soft and sweet as wine.

Xena's vision swam with random colors as she stared up at Shivani. "Gabrielle," she whispered, tasting blood from a split lip. There were tears in her eyes and she knew she was perilously close to begging. She watched as the Indian woman crouched in front of her. The hand that reached out to cup her face was perversely tender.

"Poor Xena, finally made to face your sins…have you learned anything in nearly three thousand years?" Shivani whispered, her tone a mockery of caring. The hand stroking a smooth cheek slid along the arch of her neck, and in a blink, the woman had the warrior's neck in a brutal grip, twisting her head back at a painful angle. She leaned close, until her lips were scant inches from Xena's ear. "Or are you still just the unreasoning brute who rode through my country?" She twisted harder, taking pleasure from causing the warrior princess pain. Just a little farther and she'd snap her neck. It would almost be worth it. She was still contemplating the pleasure when something slammed into her head, knocking her sideways an inch or two, and loosening her grip in the warrior's neck.

"Buffy, no!" Giles shouted. He had a good idea about the identity of their mysterious guest and he was terrified for the girl. If he was right, the Indian woman was far more dangerous than any vampire they'd ever faced.

Shivani's hand flashed out and Buffy was knocked backwards before she could make contact a second time.

The slayer rolled with the invisible punch and landed on her feet, expression twisted in a snarl. "I've never liked bullies much."

Sweet lips curved in a languid smile. "You're very lucky I want you alive, slayer."

Buffy tensed. "Lucky, lucky me," she drawled, sarcasm dripping from her voice.

"Very lucky," Shivani agreed blandly, eyes narrowing faintly as her hand cut a graceful arc in the air. She didn't have to kill the mortal child to teach her a lesson.

Breathing hard with effort, Xena pushed to her feet, interceding between the two before Shivani could follow through on her intentions. "Leave her be," she groaned, still suffering from the blow that had knocked her across the room. "She's just a child. She doesn't understand what she'd dealing with."

The Indian woman seemed surprised. "Perhaps you have learnt something," she observed, then laughed softly, swinging away toward the door. "You need your Gabrielle, only she can understand the evil you face."

"Then how do I find her?" Xena demanded hoarsely.

"The same way these children found you…"

"In the museum," Willow interrupted. "She must be tied to one of the other objects…the scrolls or something like that."

Xena turned a sharp gaze on the teenager. "Gabrielle's scrolls are here?"

"Yes…well, I mean, not the whole things, but a piece of one of them."

"She's there," Xena whispered, feeling hope for the first time since her first imprisonment. She turned a hard gaze on her tormentor. "Now, tell me why you've brought me back."

A mirthless smile touched full lips. "Kali lives," Shivani said simply, too distressed by the notion to take any pleasure from the shock that etched its way across the warrior princess' features.

"How?" Xena exhaled as though struck.

"She's a Goddess. She cannot die, and now her avatar has arisen…it at least is semi-mortal, but she's gained followers…the forgotten of your God, Bacchus. If you do not stop her, your world will die…every bit of life snuffed to feed her hunger. A hunger you began when you released Dahok into the world."

Xena's face was momentarily averted, some measure of shame coloring her expression, before she straightened her shoulders, regaining her briefly lost self control. "Not if I have anything to say about it," she vowed seriously.

"I pray you're right," Shivani whispered. "I've become oddly fond of this world." A soft wind blew up, steadily increasing, lifting and playing with her long dark hair and wrapping it around her like a velvet cape. "Succeed Xena, and I will return your life to you…your own once again. Fail and you will be the only thing left alive on this planet," she promised, then the winds attained gale force, "forced to live out an eternal existence on a dried out husk of a world." The hurricane gained in power with every word she spoke, until her words could barely be heard above the keening of the wind.

Buffy backed into her friends, putting her own body between them and any danger that might be aimed their way, though as the wind swept faster and faster, she could see nothing, blinded by her own whipping hair and tearing eyes until she had to turn her face away, though there was no escape from the tempest.

Then it just stopped.

Buffy blinked rapidly to clear her eyes, and pushed tangled blond hair away from her face. "You guys okay?" she demanded of Giles and Willow. Her eyes darted around the room, which was now a shambles. No sign of Shivani.

"I'm…uh…okay," Willow stammered, sounding uncertain.

"Shaken…but not stirred," Giles muttered.

Buffy nodded in relief, then let her gaze slide back to the warrior. Xena was on her knees on the floor, head down, hands over her face. Muscular shoulders trembled as though the winds hadn't stopped yet. Waving the others to stay back, Buffy carefully moved forward. "You okay?" she whispered, half crouching while still a foot or two back. There was something about this woman that made her very uninclined to be overly trusting.

Broad shoulders jerked in a harsh, sarcastic laugh. "Fine," came the bitter, muffled response. Her next words belied that forced calm. "Damn her," she hissed and hammered a clenched fist against the tile floor. "Damn her to Tartarus!" Her shoulders shook harder and her voice was thick with unshed tears. "How could she think I'd want that?" A feral growl surged up from the warrior's chest, the sound threatening, but full of agony all the same. She wrapped her arms around her midsection, rocking gently on her knees.

Buffy glanced back at the other two and shrugged. She felt like they should do something--the woman was obviously in the middle of a really major crisis-type moment-- but she had no idea what. It was Giles who stepped forward, lightly curving a hand to the slayer's shoulder and tugging her away, leaving the warrior some small measure of space, if not privacy. Whatever she was experiencing, he suspected she needed to face it on her own. He silently led the two young woman to a niche near the staircase to the second floor.

"Do you think she'll be okay?" Willow questioned, her voice little more than a worried whisper. She couldn't look away from the woman on the floor, couldn't help but remember the sounds of a wound too deep to heal.

The Watcher shook his head. "I don't know that any of us will be," he answered distantly.

"All right, Giles, you obviously have some idea what's going on. Give it up," Buffy demanded impatiently.

He shook his head, clearly a bit befuddled. "I don't exactly, but the name Kali is from Hindu mythology. She’s the Goddess of Death and Destruction… She supposedly killed the demon, Rakavija, by drinking every drop of his blood, and is always portrayed with her tongue hanging out…hungry for more."

"Well, that sounds like a goddess vampires could get into," Buffy muttered.

"Perhaps…I don't know. Supposedly, it was demons whose blood she preferred, though she was none too kind to the human race either… My God, if she’s real…" Giles exhaled and shook his head, not quite believing in the possibility.

"You think maybe it was just the Indian way of explaining some kind of demon?" Willow questioned. "Or do you think it’s possible she really is some kind of God?"

"I don’t know?" Giles didn't really have an answer for that question other than , 'No, because it would make my life simpler if they weren't,' and somehow he didn't think that bit of honesty would help the situation much.

"Soooo," Buffy drawled unhappily, "what do we do now?"

"We get Gabrielle back," Xena's smoky voice interrupted them, bringing three heads sharply around. The warrior had moved so quietly that none of them, not even the slayer, had heard her approach. Her eyes were red-rimmed, but she appeared otherwise calm.

The others jumped, tensing as though to brace for an attack.

Xena couldn't blame them. For a moment there, she'd been more than capable of striking out blindly. "I'm not going to hurt anyone, but I need…to…get…Gabrielle." The last words were said with measured breaths, as though she was leashing every instinct in order to stand and talk and not rush off to do something. "If Shivani is right…there's no time to delay." That was at least a partial truth. They did need to find Gabrielle for those reasons. She just left out how desperately she needed to find the bard.

Giles looked uncomfortable. "That woman, the one you've called her Shivani…who is she?"

Xena shrugged. "Does it matter? She has power, immortality...and knowledge..."

"And the other one she mentioned...Kali?"

Another shrug of a broad shoulder. "She too has power and immortality...she’s also quite mad."

Giles paled and took a deep breath, letting it out slowly before continuing. He’d hoped she’d deny it all, but she hadn’t. She hadn’t confirmed or denied anything, which left him expecting the worst. He'd learned to deal with demons, holy water, and assorted other accouterments of the vampire killing trade, so it wasn't logical for this to shake him so, but then his was rarely a logical existence, no matter how he tried to pretend it was otherwise. "Bacchus," whispered as he remembered something Shivani had said. "She said Kali has drawn the followers of Bacchus to her."

Xena nodded. "After Bacchus was killed…after I killed him," she amended, "a cult built around him. They worshipped him and served a host of lesser demons."

"They drank blood…spread chaos…the Romans tried to wipe them out without much success."

Xena nodded, controlling her own impatience as she realized this man needed the information to put things together, or they might well waste valuable time. "Yes, and like his servants, they were all women."

"Um, Giles," Buffy inserted. "That vamp cult that's in town…"

"Yes," he exhaled. At Xena's questioning look, he offered a quick explanation, "There's been an all female vampire cult in the area."

"And unless I'm mistaken, there weren't any guys at the little party at Willow's." Buffy nodded toward Xena. "According to Drusilla, we stole the destroyer."

"Xena was known as the Destroyer of Nations," Willow inserted uncertainly.

"And Dahok's emissary was also known as the Destroyer," Xena murmured, tamping down a shiver of memory. "It was draining the blood and fire--killing Dahok--that drove Kali mad, turned even her own against her." She ran a hand through her hair, struggling to clear her head, when all she wanted to do was find Gabrielle. The knowledge that she was still alive somewhere…somehow…was like a burning brand against her side. It needed dealing with and every second spent on some other task was purest agony. "And all of this is very well and good, but Shivani said we need Gabrielle…" She paused momentarily. "She was briefly one of Bacchus' chosen…perhaps…perhaps she has some means for stopping them…" she trailed off. This time her pleading gaze turned to Willow, whose expression was sympathetic. " All I know," Xena admitted at last, "is that we need to try and get Gabrielle back." Her eyes were still locked with the girl's bright green gaze.

"The museum," Willow inserted, speaking haltingly. She didn't even pretend to understand what was happening, but she knew in her heart that they had to help this woman. "The piece of the scroll is at the museum…if she really is…alive…and trapped like you were…I guess that's where…she'd be."

Giles let out a quick huff of air. Normally, he was one for more careful planning and background research, but…. He looked at Xena, noting the desperation in her eyes. "Yes," he agreed at last. "That's probably best."

"Fine," Buffy said quickly. A basic break and enter. That she could handle. "Willow, you distract the guard--"

"Me?" the redhead yelped, then shook her head. "Bad plan. I'm not distracting, not at all distracting. I am not good at distraction," she babbled nervously. "Besides, you'll need someone to shut down the security system," she added the last part with a hopeful smile, willing Buffy to understand that distraction was just not her style. That was more Cordelia's forte, except Cordy wasn't really speaking to any of them anymore…well, at least not to say anything nice.

Buffy started to say something, then changed her mind, switching gears. "Well, Giles, I think that means you have to be the distracting one."

"Me?" Rupert Giles exclaimed. "I hardly think that would be appropriate."

"Yeah, well, it's not like we have a lot of choices," Buffy grumbled, knowing that Willow was right about needing her to get into the security system, and sending Xena off as a distraction didn't seem like a wise idea. She looked like a woman whose idea of distracting someone might just involve decapitation. "Look, all you have to do is pound on the door and claim you've had car trouble and some teenagers are bothering you…security guards always trust anybody over thirty, especially if they have a British accent and wear tweed."

Giles shook his head, "I really don't think--" he began, intending to suggest they do some research first. After all, they didn't know for certain that the scrolls were what they needed, didn't even know for certain this woman was who she said she was. Besides, he was far too disturbed by the possible ramifications of the threat they faced, and uncertain exactly what would happen once they had the scrolls. After all, even Willow seemed to have no idea how she'd summoned the warrior. He was just to offer about a half dozen suggestions, none of which involved acting as a distraction when they all heard the skid of tires and a car door slam. A brief second later, Joyce Summers appeared in the doorway, looking pale, her hair askew.

"Giles! Buffy!" the woman called out, then saw her daughter, and whispered her name more softly as she wrapped her arms around the teen in a hard hug. "Thank God."

Buffy hugged her mother back, albeit a little less forcefully. "Uh…Mom?" she questioned as she became aware her mother was shaking.

Joyce backed off enough to stare down at her daughter, relief softening her expression, though worry still lived in her eyes. It had been there almost constantly since her discovery of her daughter's duties as the slayer. "I was coming home from the gallery…and…Willow's house, Buffy…" She suddenly looked past Buffy's shoulder and saw her daughter’s friend standing a short distance away. "Willow, thank God," the woman exhaled. "When I saw…I thought…." She fell silent. They all knew what she thought--that Willow had been attacked and probably Buffy with her. She hugged her daughter tightly again, grateful to feel her warm and alive.

"We're okay," Buffy assured her mother. "There was some trouble," she admitted without elaborating, "but nothing I couldn't handle."

"Some trouble, Buffy. It looked like someone had taken a sledgehammer to the place."

Buffy paled suddenly. "You didn't actually go in?" she demanded.

Startled by her daughter's sudden stress, Joy nodded sharply. "I looked in the front door--"

"My God, Mom, are you nuts? You could have been hurt," Buffy reminded her.

"As opposed to what," her mother demanded. "Standing by while you, and/or Willow are hurt? I had a stake," she added defensively when her daughter muttered under her breath in tones of utter disapproval. Then Joyce's eyes landed on the grim figure standing a few feet away and she froze, her words drying up in an instant. Ice blue eyes stared out of a face half in shadow, their intensity holding the woman prisoner. She had a sudden memory of seeing a hawk in wild once, only a few feet away and contemplating her. She'd never been certain whether it was herself, or her chicken sandwich the bird was eyeing with such feral intensity, but she'd decided timidity was the better part of valor and retreated, leaving the sandwich behind. The woman staring at her created much the same feeling of being hunted, and the exact same desire to get as far away as possible while admiring the wholly untamed beauty of the creature. "I…uh…" Normally, she wasn't one to run short of words, in fact quite the opposite, but for once, she could only stare. Joyce broke her gaze away from topaz gems, taking in perfect features, long chestnut hair… leather and bronze armor. "Buffy?" she croaked in shock. She was still adjusting to the weirdness that seemed to define her daughter's life, so she still reacted to these things.

Buffy sighed heavily. She was starting to get used to this whole introduction routine. "Xena, my mom, Joyce Summers--Mom--"

"Xena; Warrior Princess," the warrior finished for the slayer, sounding tired. All she wanted to do was find Gabrielle and every delay was one more second of loneliness.

"Xena?" Joyce repeated, then turned a disbelieving gaze on her daughter. "As is the museum-showing-Xena?" She wasn't sure why she was surprised, but she was.

"The very one."

Joyce could only look on in helpless confusion. "Umm, hello," she offered at last.

Xena nodded, hoping they could get the introductions over quickly and go.

"She was apparently trapped in her chakram," Willow explained to fill the shocked silence. "We're going to help her get her friend, Gabrielle…well…out of her scrolls."

"Of course," Joyce croaked, wondering if Alice's mother had felt like this when her daughter recounted tales of rabbit holes and madhatters.

Buffy gently shook free of her mother's now loosened hold. "And now we need to get moving."

Xena rolled her eyes in a mixture of relief and growing irritation. Finally, perhaps they would finally get something done.

Joyce shook her head. "Wait a minute. Y-you're going to get one of the scrolls…how?"

Buffy patted Joyce's arm sympathetically. She hated explaining these things to her mother. She had such a …mom-ish…kind of view of life; eat your veggies, do your homework, no breaking and entering public buildings, stealing is bad. "Well, Giles going to lure the guard out, and Willow and I are going to sneak in while he isn't looking, break into the case, then pull the fire alarm to mask our daring escape," she explained patiently. Sometimes it was best to just get these things out in the open.

Giles groaned and dropped his head into his hands. At times like these, he rather pitied Joyce, though not quite as much as he pitied himself. "Buffy," he began. "I really don't think--"

"I see," Joyce cut the watcher off frostily. "Let me get this straight, you're planning on breaking the law," she clarified. "So you can steal a piece of an ancient scroll, to free a long dead Greek woman…who will apparently speak perfect English?" She eyed Xena with a patented parental look that cowed even the warrior ever so slightly.

Xena offered a defensive shrug. It wasn't her enchantment. She didn't set the rules.

Buffy, meanwhile, shrugged a what-can-you-do shrug. "Apparently, if we don't, it means the end of all life on earth…so, yeah, there's a grand theft scroll in the works."

Joyce shook her head. "Some days, Buffy, it's painfully obvious that you don't listen to me anymore."

Buffy gave her mom's arm another sympathetic pat. She couldn't blame her for feeling that way. "I know, I know, you've lectured very heavily against criminal acts over the course of my young life, unfortunately, it really is one of those Goddess of death and destruction moments…and so sometime a slayer's gotta do what a slayer's gotta do."

"That's not what I'm talking about," Joyce complained and jingled a set of keys in her daughter's face. "I'm talking about these."

Buffy blinked in confusion. "You lost me," she admitted.

"Breakfast last week," Joyce muttered. "I told you that the town council had hired me to assist the museum curator with the new touring display," she offered the heavy-handed clue.

"You did?" Buffy sounded highly uncertain.

Joyce offered the others a shrug. "The regular curator is a hundred and ten if he's a day…they needed some extra help…and…well, the gallery isn't exactly doing as well as it might be…"

"And you know all about handling ancient artifacts," Giles finished for her, remembering that her gallery was actually handling several highly valuable ancient objets d'art…at least one of which had nearly turned the entire town into zombies--though that was a matter for another time. She knew about the handling of the artifacts. He wasn't so certain about her knowledge of their import.

"I'm not sure I'm getting the trend here," Buffy admitted, sounding nonplused.

Joyce jingled the keys again as she explained patiently, "When you work for the museum, they give you keys--"

"Which unlock doors…and hopefully display cases?" Giles murmured.

Joyce ducked her head in acknowledgment. "The doors yes. I've been coming and going at all hours for the last week. No one will think anything of it. The display case, no. It has its own security system." She was accepting what her daughter did, albeit under duress, but if she could make it simpler, well, then she would do it.

"So, no breaking and entering," the slayer muttered. She sounded disappointed.

"Yes," Giles broke in wryly, "No crimes, no arrests, no large cell-mates named Bubba." He considered those results for the briefest of moments. "Have I ever told you I love you, Joyce?" he muttered without thinking.

Joyce flinched and turned a pleading look on the man. "Just don't…" She didn't like to think about their brief, demonic candy created fling. After her return to planet Adulthood, Buffy had explained the nature of the spell that had caused the incident. For her part, Joyce rather preferred the solid wall of denial she'd put in place. If nobody even came close to mentioning that night, it hadn't happened. "Just don't go there."

Giles looked funny, then suddenly remembered. He had his own wall of denial up for protection after all. "Oh…yes…I mean that in a strictly platonic sort of way."

"Good going," Buffy complained. "Like we all want to think about that particularly gross moment in history."

Xena didn't care about any of it. "Could we just go?" she questioned. "Please."