Angel, why do things have to be so complicated with him? One day I wish I could just turn round and forget it all...…..

Buffy closed her diary and put it in the bottom of her suit case, it had a special compartment which she had built herself when she first found out that she was the Chosen One. She had a collection of emergency supplies in it, a stake that fit perfectly into her hand -- Mr. Pointy was bronzed and was placed in her bedroom, it was out of action, retired since Kendra died.

"Another fabulous night for the Buff" She thought as she got ready to sneak out of her bedroom for patrol, although she could use the front door now she didn’t like to worry her Mom she would sneak to night and walk tomorrow.

She walked down the empty streets, it late and she hadn’t come across one Vampire yet and it was beginning to give her the willies.

As she walked towards the Redfield cemetery she felt her stomach cramp slightly and her shins tingle. "Vampires" she uttered, but as she jogged closer, her heart quickened, Angel was here, and she could faintly hear the grunts of battle. She picked up her pace and almost sprinted into the battle. She quickly analysed it before she was attacked.

Their were roughly ten of them all bearing daggers and wearing a red sash around their waists. There was also a rope on the ground, though it surprised her, she hadn’t had time to question it.

The vamp that had attacked her had just been staked, making her presence noticed by the other’s in the mob.

"You want some of this?" she taunted. One came forward, as the others hesitated slighted she threw the dagger she had disarmed from the other vamp and threw it at one of the vamps that was in the crescent they formed before her. This seemed to anger the other vamps and they raced to join the one that had first stepped up, they all ran for her at the same time, she quickly somersaulted over them in the air. She turned to see them astonished facing the wrong direction. She staked one before they turned around. "That makes three for Buffy" She chimed.

As her fight continued Angel was having to battle with the vamps he had to deal with, although not as skilled as Buffy with the gym. He was dealing alright. They had caught him by surprise at the beginning and so now they underestimated him. He picked them off one by one and turned to see Buffy looking at him.

"Good night your having I see." Buffy quipped

"Umm." He grunted, he was in pain.

Buffy hadn’t noticed before and ran to give him support. His wrested add rope burn on and he looked as if he had been beaten in the ribs.

"What happened, why did so many of them attack you?"

"I don’t know, lets go see Giles."

Giles, as always, had his nose stuck in a book when Buffy and Angel staggered in.

"My word, what happened to you two?"

"Just him." Buffy corrected

"Well?"

"I was attacked by some vamps, they jumped me in Redfield cemetery, they pushed me onto the ground and tried to try up my hands."

"They had daggers and they wore red sash thingies around their waists."

"Red sashes you say?" Giles asked going into research mode.

"It’s a rhetorical question." Buffy told Angel, " Just sit while I go and get the first aid box."

Angel sat on the chair and thumbed through a book that was on the desk, his eye caught a page, it was a doodle of him. The cover of the book told him that it was the top one-hundred feared demons. He put it down, he knew the horrid things he had done and needn’t read about them.

Buffy came back in, carrying the first aid kit, she set up the things that she needed on the table and started dabbling away at his cuts.

"Ahh, here it is!" Giles exclaimed from the corner. The two looked up and once Giles was sure he had their attention began to relay the information to them, " It says here that the group of vampire’s called Ragnorak’s Kin -- the word meaning the end of the world, in the Germanic languages -- they wish to reek havoc on the living in the world and, oh, recreate it -- bringing forth all of the demons from hell and ending the world as we know it. They wish to kill all those who stand against them, they are all vampires. Sounds terribly interesting, doesn’t it?"

"The bomb." Buffy said with sarcasm Angel just looked away, thinking.

"Why me?" Angel asked, "I help Buffy, but I have never been a real threat against them."

"Perhaps it’s Buffy they want or perhaps you will stand in their way."

"Or you could have done what I usually do, kill their friends, I once had a gang try to kill me coz I killed their friend, it took me days to get the ash out of my clothes."

Angel smiled, he remembered her mentioning that, actually that could have been some other gang. "I suppose, I’m not sure though, I think we had better assume that it’s Buffy their after"

"Just coz I’m the slayer doesn’t mean all the bad is after me." Buffy whined.

"Well, we’d best make sure that the other’s are informed --just precautionary -- they might , if your theory is correct, be trying to take down the opposition one by one."

Cordelia ran down the alley, the person had looked Italian, how was she supposed to know he was a vamp --"That’s what Buffy was for. Cordelia, normal people don’t go around wearing red sashes" She scolded herself. "Crosses may be lame to carry around but I could sureuse one, perhaps I ought to listen to Buffy -- What planet are you on?" She, hadn’t been looking where she was going, because she ran smack into a black clad women. Cordelia screamed and fainted. Behind the women their were twenty vampires, all dressed like the Italian guy.

Buffy rang Willow that night and explained what had happened, Giles had insisted that she do it straight away, before she had hung up she had told Willow to pass the message along --"No use in me missing my beauty sleep." She glanced at the clock, it was three thirty in the morning. She didn’t bother getting changed, she just went to bed and forgot her worries. She might go up to the mansion before school, see how Angel was.

It was nice sunny day when she woke up, and she had slept in, "Damn!" She said under her breathe, "Bye, Bye, Angel visit."

"Buffy, honey? Are you up yet, your going to be late for school."

Buffy had a shower then pulled on some clothes from her wardrobe, black skirt, knee length boots and blue blouse -- she wasn’t feeling adventurous today. She blow dried her hair and then went downstairs.

"Hi, Mom, I gotta go, we don’t want Principal Snyder on the rampage."

"Hi Honey, Bye." Mrs. Summers looked on in amazement as her daughter kissed her goodbye, "I never have quality time with that girl, perhaps this weekend." She muttered as Buffy closed the door.

"Perhaps a quick Angel visit, I have time."

"Where is Buffy? I tell you that girl is never on time." Giles muttered, he had spent all night researching Ragnorak’s Kin, he had turned up a very startling piece of information. He was sure it would impress Willow.

"Hey G-man" Xander chimed

"Hi Giles" Willow said.

"Got any goss’" Buffy said as she walked through the door.

"Hello, and where have you been, I have some new information for you."

"Angel’s. Go on."

"Umm. It seems that the leader of the Ragnorak Kin group is Hectate, not the Hectate of course but she is believed to be a direct descendent of her, and she is a very powerful witch."

Willow gave a little yelp of shock, and Buffy just stood there.

"Giles, what does that mean?"

"It means that they have come here for some very serious business and that that attack on Angel was not a coincidence. I believe, that she will be here to kill you, your friends and I. This is very serious Buffy and I suggest that you go and get Angel. He is in danger, as are we. Bring Cordelia and Oz, they will need to be informed. I believe the only way to beat this is to stay together, then they will be forced to come and get us all."

"Giles, it daylight."

"Buffy, that does not bother me, Hectate can walk in the daylight."

"I was actually referring to Angel." Giles was seriously giving her the Wiggins and she really wanted Angel to assure her right now."

"Oh, the sewers, there is an opening into the stacks."

"Gotta, I’ll go get Angel, Xander get Cordy and Willow find Oz." Buffy went into action mode, organising the searches. "Spend fifteen minutes, max, then get back here. I might take longer, depending on how well Angel has healed from last night’s attack."

"Fine." Giles said, he was scared for them, a witch was a very powerful being to go up against and he doubted that it would be easy. He just hoped that this plan would work, because they would definitely stand more of a chance with them all together, if they had any chance at all.

Buffy practically ran to the mansion, she always felt so much safer with Angel by her side and also, she didn’t think he would have fended too well if they had sprung another attack on him. She prayed he was okay.

He was, he was in bed when she got there and although she hated to disturb him, he really was an angel when he was asleep, he had to.

"Angel" She whispered, "Come on wake up, I need you." Buffy sat on the bed and but her head in her hands, she was so tired and scared, Giles was usually so confident in these matters. So wasn’t scared for herself, she didn’t care, it was the others an Angel. She was supposed to protect them, but what if she couldn’t?

"Buffy, what’s wrong?" She turned to face him and he saw the concern in her eyes.

"I have to come and get you, Giles wants us all at the library."

"We’ll have to go via the sewers but why? Is it these red sash people?"

"Yeah, I’ll explain it on the way, but hurry, how are your wounds?" He had forgotten about them for a minute, but they were fine.

"Healed."

Willow found Oz talking to Devon by his locker. He saw Willow, the mouse look on her face, "Some things going down." He thought. He made his goodbye’s to Devon and joined her.

"Giles send me, we’re in trouble, Hectate is after us."

"The Hectate?"

"No, but as powerful and deadly. Xander’s gone to get Cordy and Buffy Angel but oh, Oz, I’m so frightened, what happens if they already have Angel or Cordy? What will she (Hectate) do?"

Oz didn’t know what to say, as laid back as he was he hated Willow getting upset, "It’ll be alright. We’ll deal, like all the other ties."

"But this is so much bigger." Oz draped his arm around her, trying to comfort her and lead her gently back to the library.

Xander had looked everywhere, for Cordy, made a fool of himself by pleading with her friends, getting the answer that they hadn’t seen her. He called her house but was told that she must have stayed at a friend’s because she hadn’t come home last night. He was annoyed, "Why am I the only one who could never find people, especially girlfriends?" It didn’t dawn on him they she could have been kidnapped.

They all appeared in the library, fifteen minutes after they had set off, Buffy and Angel emerged from the stacks just as Xander walked through the door. Willow and Oz were at the desk, Willow on Oz’s lap.

"All here?" Giles questioned. There was a series of yes with a no from Xander.

"I can’t find her any where, I called her home but she didn’t come back last.....oh dear, she didn’t come home last night."

"Victim 1?" Buffy asked. She got a nod from Giles and Xander quipped, "They’ll bring her back at sunset, no-one can stand her for a whole day." It was his defence mechanism and everyone knew it, what it translated to was -- find her, your scaring me. The slight quiver in his voice when he said it showed the worry.

"Xand...." Willow started, but he had already left the library, Buffy went after him.

"Details?" Angel asked. And Giles gave them.

Everyone was allowed to go to the classes were there was more than two of them, but other than that they had to stay and help Angel and himself look for information.

The day was unsuccessful, finding only diagrams and the same information they had found the day before. They assumed that in pairs they were safe, but to be sure, they would all sleep up at the mansion, it had the most space and it raised no eyebrows, as always they did the round--robin. Angel’s mansion was cold when they arrived, but when they had the fire roaring in the hearth it was kind of homely. The two remaining couples sat in front of the fire in each others arms. They had had enough with talking about what they would do, and so now they decided it was a waiting came.

"This is a crisis right guys?" Xander chirped, "And what do we always have in a crisis...…donuts. Come on, who’s up for some?" Nobody seemed to share his enthusiasm and in the end Giles had to go with him. Buffy put up a feeble protest but, they promised to stay near the guy and not to talk to strangers. Truth was, though, that Buffy was perfectly happy sitting their in Angel’s arms. The silence was comforting too, it had been a while since she had just sat, did nothing.

Xander and Giles sat in the car, driving to the donut shop, that they always used. "Giles, can’t this car go faster? I’m hungry." Giles just frowned at him, communicating silently that he should be quiet and that he was in heavy thought.

When it came to the shop, Xander got out of the car, Giles could see him and he was equipped with two crosses and a stake, Giles was as well. This was the only thing that the other had insisted on and Giles too.

Xander picked out the donuts and placed them in the box, he made saw that they had plenty of jellies. He also bought some cokes and chips (crisps). He paid the person on the desk and then turned back to the car.

"Hey G-man, I told you nothing would go wrong!" Xander looked where Giles should have been sitting, all that was their was a black burn mark, a precise circle. "Wow."

Xander did wait to look around, the car was still running with the keys in the ignition. He had had a couple of driving lessons and decided to put them to the test, going back to the mansion. He floored the car, checking at least a hundred times in his rear view mirror to see if Giles had appeared, or if he was being followed.

Xander pulled up the car and darted inside, "Giles," he huffed, "They’ve got Giles!"

"What?" Willow asked. Buffy just looked at Angel in mute shock, "God.." She uttered, "God." The grief showed in her eyes.

"How?" Oz and Angel asked in unision.

"I don’t know."

"Uhh? What do you mean ‘I don’t know’?" Buffy got angry

"Buffy!" Angel cautioned her Xander looked away ashamed.

"It’s not your fault, Xand.. it’s mine, I should have been there, not let you go or something." Xander and Buffy looked at each other and let the subject drop.

"How?" Oz repeated.

"I told you, I don’t know, I went into the shop, bought the stuff, I had my back turned, but there was no noise for a struggle. I got back in the car, started talking, but he was gone, I think he was burned or something, there was a perfect black circle, of charcoal or something. I swear it wasn’t my fault.

"It’s okay Xander, is the mark still here?"

"Umm." He said nodding franticly.

Every one got up and went to the car, sure enough there was what Xander had described on the seat. Angel examined it and then said, "Back inside, take these with you." He passed out the stuff that Xander had left on the back seat.

"Do you know what it is?"

"I have a clue." They all walked back in following Angel, Angel went to his room and came back out with a book. Buffy got a quick look at the title it was Alice’s adventures in wonderland and other stories.

"We are not coming back to that whole ‘fairy tales are real’ thing are we?" Xander asked, remembering Hansel and Grettle.

"No, I remember reading once, a story. I can’t find it but it was about a boy. It was snowing and the boys mother sent him out to the well. He didn’t want to but did as his mother asked, after a while the mother got scared and decided to go and look for him, she found his foot prints but they stopped half way to the well, in front of where they ended there was a circle, must like the one that is in Giles’ car."

"I read something like that," Oz said, " It was about the world have holes, portals in the ground."

"So, you’re saying that Hectate can control these portals and suck us into an unknown world?" Willow asked.

"It’s a theory." Oz said.. Buffy was thinking, "World or place?"

"BOOM!" There was a flash and a bang in the corner of the room. Angel and Buffy shot up into a fighting stance and pulled out stakes from their clothing. The smoke cleared and there stood a tall woman clad in black and red, with twelve vampires in front of her, "Attack!" She hollered, the vampire minions came forward, Buffy and Angel tried to deal with them quickly but it was a losing battle, they were better fighters than the ones in Redfield cemetery. Oz was protecting Willow and himself. Willow gave him a stake, and held the cross she had at arms length.

Buffy and Angel had each staked two vamps and Oz and Willow had done two, but there were still six more to do. Buffy staked another just as the room filled with a bright burst of light.

When she woke up she was still in the mansion, she saw Angel and Oz, still unconscious on the floor. But where were the others? She tried to sit up but she was knocked back with a pounding headache. She forced herself to kneal and then she went to see Oz and then Angel. She reached Angel just as he was waking up, "They took Willow and Xander, or at least they aren’t here." She helped Angel up, and then went back to Oz to lay him on the couch.

She stood and scanned the room, a dagger caught her eye, it was stuck into the wall and was holding up apiece of paper. She walked over and pulled the dagger from the wall, "A note" she said.

"We have our rules, but are we going to keep them?"

That night they all slept at the mansion, as planned -- Buffy and Angel in his bed and Oz on the couch. It was a peaceful night and dreamless too. They decided that whilst they had nothing to fear, they should get some rest. Angel would stay up through the day, trying to find out, with Giles’ book where they could be keeping the others. They had decided that it was in this world, and in Sunnydale. Oz and Buffy would go to Willie’s and check out the news there.

They all got up at about seven and got to work. Angel had to go via the sewers to the library, but other than that he was ok. Angel didn’t really need sleep, but the sunlight made him drowsy.

Oz and Buffy walked to Willies, they were silent, but they were worried, "They would not have bargained with their life’s if they were dead. Right?"

"Don’t look to me for enthusiasm, I’m all out today, but I swear I’ll kill all those vamps that took her."

"Okay, I’ll be the jolly fairy."

They reached Willie’s and went inside, Buffy had to break the lock, but it was her way of saying hi.

"Hi." Willie said before she came in, "What can I do for ya?"

"A cult, Ragnorak’s kin, where are they? Their leader is Hectate."

"Oh I don’t know nothin’ ‘bout that. All I do know is that more vamp’s are moving to this side of town, if it’s a big evil your after, I’d go there."

Buffy thanked him for the info, "Good luck, kid." Willie replied as she and Oz left. "Ok, I say we go and get a map of the west side of town, see if they’re any abandoned buildings or anything. I down think they would go for sewers, too ‘icky" She yawned, she was so tired.

"Okay. The Library?"

"I don’t think so, we’re supposed to be at school."

"Ok so we go to the town hall, they always have them there, I got one for a class assignment once."

"You went all the way across town, for an assignment?" Oz just frowned slightly.

They went to the mansion with the maps at about eleven, they didn’t have long to find this place. They needed to find suitable buildings and then the way to it through the sewers. Angel abandoned his search for knowledge the only useful information he had found was that Hectate had to perform a ritual once a month to keep her youth, it required lives, so Oz left again and returned with Willow’s computer (portable, with the mobile phone), to search the net for killings in the last month or so.

They found two possible sites, and with Oz’s information limited it to the one. By one ‘o’ clock they had all the equipment they needed from the library, plus some newly made stakes and were on their way in the sewers.

"It feels like we’ve been walking for hours! Are you sure your reading the map right?" Buffy complained.

"Ummm." Oz said deep in the map, thinking, "What’s the plan of action, once we get there?" He asked glancing up.

"I figure we sneak in, find the others and get out."

"Buffy, you know it won’t work like that." Angela added.

"I know, but here’s to hoping." She reconsidered, "Okay, perhaps we could sneak in, pummel as few vamps as possible, and get out."

"She’s a witch, Buffy, she could have some kind of spell rigged up to tell her who’s in the building -- or she could be watching you."

"Ok, Mr. I want to ruin your perfect scenario, how about, she’s waiting as soon as we get out of here -- if we do, or we have the wrong address. Or we could find all our friends dead!" Buffy was starting to get angry again, she was starting to shout.

"Okay." Oz said, "We’re here, you two done?"

"Look I’m sorry, I’m just kind of stressed out, the plan is going to have to be improvised because I don’t know what to expect, I’ve never dealt with witches before."

"I just wanted to make sure that you could be as safe as possible, you know not underestimating the enemy."

They fell silent and Buffy picked up the courage to go and open the man hole. "They should all be asleep right?" She received a nod from Angel in reply. She lifted the man hole cover, just a little and peaked through. It was like a dungeon, twelve by twelve, but the door wasn’t locked, it was open. She slid back the man-hole cover all of the way and crawled out. Angel followed and then Oz, it took them a few moments to get their bearings.

"I can smell her," Oz said, "She’s down the hall, on the left hand side.

"There are at least three vamps out there." Buffy chipped in.

Angel went to the door and peaked out, they were both right. Hectate wasn’t there, a good sign. Giles was in the cell opposite them, he caught Angel eye, he mimed the words "Is Buffy OK?", Angel nodded then put his finger to his lips to signal silence. He then went back into the room and they debated what to do.

"How much is that doggy in the window..." Giles started to sing loudly, "I do hope that doggie’s for sale."

"Shut up!" A husky voiced vamp called from down the passage, his reply was Giles getting louder. The vamp stormed down the passage and warned Giles, "If you don’t shut up, I’ll come in their and give you a batterin’, no matter what her Lady says." Giles acted like a spoiled brat and stuck his tongue out at him. "Right that does it!" The vamp cursed, he reached for his keys, but they weren’t there, he managed a, "Uhh?" Before he exploded into dust. Giles was left looking at Buffy. "You OK?" She whispered, Giles nodded, he had a few bruised, from when he landed -- he fell from the ceiling into the cell.

Buffy quietly unlocked the cell and then sneaked down the passage to unlock he others. Angel came to help give support to Giles and Oz followed closely behind, in case there was trouble, and because he needed to know that Willow was alright.

They unlocked the cell doors and helped their friends out one by one. Xander, Willow and then it came to Cordelia. The other two guards were still talking to each other, whilst sitting in their chairs, they were practically dozing, if it hadn’t been for Cordelia’s, "What took you so long!" They doubted if they would have noticed at all, Angel and Buffy left Oz to get Cordelia out while they staked the vamps on guard before they called for backup. They little battle they had was quite noisy and it surprised Buffy that it didn’t strike the two to cry for help. They didn’t really have time, but it surprised her.

The two looked at each other with concern, checking for bruises, when they were satisfied, they kissed and then walked back to the man-hole. They paired up, the strong and able with the bruised and battered, supporting each other as they stumbled through the sewers. It didn’t seem to take as long to get back to the mansion, but with Cordelia’s whinning, Buffy swore that if it hadn’t been for her carrying Xander, who was out cold, she would have slapped that girl silly.

"So what now?" Buffy asked, "We show up tonight and kick ass?"

"Why, I mean we have them back." Oz said.

"For how long? And if they do it to someone else? Why did they want us out of the way in the first place?"

"Buffy, you are the scourge of all evil, it was probably because the ultimate evil is getting sick of you." Angel said.

"Sick of Buffy, never." Xander said dreamily from the couch. If Xander had seen the look that Angel gave him, he would have ran like the wind and never returned. Buffy smiled. Angel shook his head but smiled anyway.

"Show up tonight?" Giles asked a little of the beat, he must have missed something.

"Oh," Buffy said and they started to fill them in on what had happened since their capture.

They had been busy all day and now the sun was about to set. "God, I hope this goes well." Buffy hoped.

They started to make their way up the hill to the cliff, Angel would have to join them a little later, when the sun had completely set, but that was okay, the vampires of the high and mighty Hectate would have trouble as well. "Or they could just do that flashing thing again." Buffy thought.

When they reached the cliff edge, they all took there positions, Oz and Buffy in front of the hedges that had grown and the others behind them. The sun was just about to set.

"And so the fight begins." Buffy whispered. There was a Boom! and once again when the smoke thinned, there stood Hectate with five vamps.

"That tricks getting a little cheap." Buffy said, as Angel reached her side.

"It serves it’s purpose. And if you want your friends back you’ll also have to serve yours -- as my slave."

"NOW! I don’t think so." Said Buffy, as the vampires at her sides turned to dust.

A brief look of shock over came her face, but it was soon replaced with a wicked smile.

"Very well," she hissed, "I shall have you all as my slaves. Buffy’s friends were knocked over by an invisible hand, one by one, to leave Buffy standing there., ready for battle.

"I hate bad witches. Always gotta do something you can’t protect yourself from."

"I’m a witch, what can I say."

Buffy realised that she couldn’t just leap at this women, she would have to be more tactical. The last thing she wanted was to go over the cliff. If only Buffy could think of her weakness.

"Okay, you found my weakness, my friends, but what’s yours?"

"I don’t have one, I lived for thousands of years and no-one has ever stopped me. I don’t think you can."

"Was that a clue?" Oz asked from behind, "Tour age?"

The witch looked quizzical for a moment -- they had it, but how can age be a problem, when you have youth?

"The Judge was beaten with modern day weapons, but what about modern day thinking, is it different?" Buffy asked herself.

"You can take her youth away," Giles said as he stood up from behind the bush, "It’s the blood of the teenagers, spill her blood and she will weaken, age, yes, I remember now."

"Good for you Giles, but how do I. Give me a sword."

Angel picked one up from the ground, Giles had bought it but he must have dropped it when she pushed them over.

"Buffy." He said as he threw it to her.

"Hectate," She said, "Lets do war."

Hectate plucked a sword from the air and stood ready to fight. A ring appeared about eight foot in diameter, and as Buffy stepped into it a globe surrounded them, "To keep a fair fight. With my death it shall depart, with yours it shall grow over Sunnydale."

The battle commenced, Hectate matched sword for sword movement, "Modern thinking." Thought Buffy.

She leaped over Hectate’s head, into a somersault, and as she was up in the air sliced Hectate’s arm. Buffy turned around, just a Hectate was about to slice into her back, she fended the blow with her own sword and then joined battle again.

"So much for the blood theory, Giles." She said.

"It’s working, look at her face, it ages. She is healing though, she needs more cuts".

Buffy flew to the command, literally, she summoned all of her strength to hit Hectate’s sword, Hectate was so surprised that she let go and was immediately sliced, through the artery in her neck. The blood began to pour from her body and she seemed to age, a lifetime. Buffy stabbed her through the heart, the final blow. Her wounds were too deep to heal quickly enough and as Hectate weakened, so did the force field, Buffy’s friends came to join her.

"Well done the Buff!" Xander chimed. He received a series of glares, saying that this was not the time for jokes, or light heartedness. "It’s okay, let him be. He’s one of us.

I said a long time ago that I hated slaying, but I don’t, slaying brought us all together so it can’t be that bad. I don’t ever want to forget this," She signalled about her, at the bones of Hectate, at each of them, at Sunny dale, "I want to face the bad, and kick ass. She" grinned. Angel put his arms around her. And together the Slayerettes and the Slayer walked back to the library.

The End

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