Title: End of Days

Chapter: Chapter Twenty Three – The Meeting

Author: Queen Akasha ( Queen_Akasha@telus.net )

Rating: NC17 in some chapters

Summary: B/S. Season Seven. (As it should be, by Queen A)

Disclaimer: If I owned Spike, do you think I'd be sitting at my computer writing this story? Huh. No way Jose. Joss owns him, and Buffy, and Xander, and Anya (whom I adore), and Willow, and Dawn, and even Giles. And Stephen King owns Flagg. I, however, own JB. (That's why I made him so hot.) But there's nothing to say I can't BORROW some characters for awhile, is there? >

Spoilers: This is my fictional season seven. Anything up to the end of S6 is fair game. I'm Alternate Universe from about "Normal Again." (Spike didn't get his soul)

Distribution: If you want, take. If you tell me, I'll send you updates. >)

 
  "Reperire apud ianua ego rorare tibi," Willow intoned, holding the Horn of Enigma between her palms. She dipped her index finger into the horn, scooping up some ointment, laced with some of Tara's dried blood that Willow had painstakingly scraped from her sweater, and anointed herself at her temples, forehead, the hollow of her throat, between her eyes and between her breasts. "Capere Tara quia ego rogare tibi," she continued, feeling the power fill her. Dawn, watching, gasped as Willow's eyes filled with black.

"Find the door I beg of thee," Willow continued, carefully laying down the horn, picking up sacred incense and lighting it at one of the burning candles. "Bring Tara forth, I beg of thee," she chanted, feeling the power spark from her in great whooping curves, spiraling about her crazily. "Reperire unde 'e amator manere, a capera sa hinc." She drew a spiraling pattern with the incense smoke, following her power's path, around herself. "Find where my lover exists, and BRING HER HERE!" she thundered, releasing everything; searching, questing, envisioning Tara in her mind's eye, imagining her standing there; imagining in such detail that when her eyes first beheld the vision forming in front of her, she thought it was her imagination.

"Tara," Dawn gasped.
 

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 

Flagg felt the familiar feeling of arrival. "Touchdown!" he screamed maniacally, as he and his entourage arrived in Sunnydale at exactly one minute after sunset. He looked around him, checking to see how his regiment had fared the trip. They seemed to have landed in the grassy area of a large park. He saw a few demons with missing pieces of limbs, and one Ersyde demon, who had been unlucky enough to be on the very outer edge of the cluster, had arrived minus his head. The Ersyde demon had an unfortunate resemblance to a vulturous chicken, and was right now running around headless, bumping into everything, like a, well, like a chicken with it's head cut off. Flagg laughed. They had arrived in better condition than he had anticipated.

"Now, fellas, gather round," he said conspiratorially, and the troops all grouped in closely, eyeing the ill-fated demons who had been too far away during the journey. The demons who had bits and pieces missing clustered in as well, some muttering quietly under their breath, but never so loud that Flagg might notice. The headless demon, being unable to hear, stumbled off into the night, careening off parked cars and mailboxes on his way.

"Now, men, and, whatever," Flagg said, eyeing a blue Schleussing demon, that was either female, or had man-breasts, "We only have one shot at this. A door has been opened that I would NEVER be able to open on my own. From this door, with a little bit of magic, we can access all other possible realities. We need to RIP this door from its hinges, and tear down the barriers between all the other universes. This, of course," he continued proudly, "will create absolute CHAOS. How I love chaos," he mused, grinning. "MY job," he continued, "is to break this door down. Once this is done, the walls of reality are thin. I'll have no problem destroying them. However, the Slayer will try to prevent this from happening. YOUR mission, should you choose to accept it, will be to protect me from the Slayer. Who's with me?"

A great cheer went up from the assembled company. "Flagg, Flagg," they chanted, pumping their arms in the air. A few of the arm pumpers were missing hands or even partial arms due to the trip, but the troop was for the most part whole. *If not stupid,* Flagg sighed, noticing one small Lapainis demon, who had discovered a swing set, and was gleefully swinging back and forth, pumping his feet to get more height, while pumping an arm in the air. Flagg muttered dark threats to Spike under his breath, and cocked an eyebrow at Celex, who was, after all, the titular leader of this little outing. "Shall we?" Flagg said politely.

"After you, my friend," Celex replied in his deep voice, so like JB's. "You lead the way."

*Yes, I do,* thought Flagg, *although you don't know it yet.*
 

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 

"Why does Spike get to sit in the front seat?" Xander complained, feeling rather squashed in Giles' small car. He was sitting beside JB – who took up half of the available room - with Anya on his lap, in the back seat, while, it seemed to him, Giles, Buffy and Spike rode in splendiferous comfort in the seemingly roomier confines of the front seat, Buffy in the middle, her shorter legs avoiding the gearshift. Spike turned his head and smiled at Xander.

"Xander," Giles said patiently, "had I known you were coming, I would have brought Buffy's mother's vehicle. Now, please, we need to discuss plans. JB, what do you know of the End of Days?"

JB seemed to stretch out, wedging Xander more firmly against the armrest. "I know that a witch will or already has opened a portal to another realm. There is a being named Flagg," Spike twitched slightly when JB mentioned the name, "whose sole purpose is to cause chaos. He would be unable himself to open this gateway, but he will take advantage of its opening. Through it, he can access all other possible planes of existence. I believe he means to mingle all worlds together, creating the ultimate Chaos and the end of all conceivable worlds. We must stop Flagg from accessing the doorway, but, most of all, we must stop him from using the key."

Buffy whirled around to stare at JB. "The key?" she asked. "What is the key? And who is the witch?"

"The witch is a red haired girl – I can't quite get her name, something like the name of a flower or plant, and the key is a green ball of energy, as old as the universe," JB began, but stopped talking when Giles floored the accelerator and Spike started growling. "Bloody hell!" Spike said. "Willow and the Nibblet!"

"Willow and the Nibblet?" JB said, puzzled.

"Buffy's best friend is the witch, Willow, and Buffy's little sister Dawn is the bloody key," Spike explained. "A hell-god named Glory already tried to use her to open the way to her dimension."

"Interesting," JB replied, "but that's a little bit like using a chainsaw to cut a loaf of bread." At the puzzled looks he received, he elaborated, "The key is so much more powerful than that. It holds the secrets of access to anywhere and everywhere in this and all possible universes." Seeing Buffy's stricken face, JB reached ahead and patted her on the shoulder. "Don't worry, Buffy," he said soothingly. "I'm sure we'll get there in time."

"Bloody right we will," said Giles, rounding the corner so quickly that Xander thought they were actually on two tires for a brief moment. "Hang on!" he barked, and everyone did. Even JB and Spike. Being immortal doesn't mean you shouldn't be careful, and, as both demons noted, neither one had bothered to buckle up. They both reached for their shoulder belts, and, as their eyes met, they smiled and shrugged. *Better safe than sorry,* Spike's thought echoed in Buffy's brain. Buffy patted her own already locked lap belt and smiled as Spike clicked his buckle shut. JB also buckled himself in.

"Hey!" said Anya. "What about me and Xander? Shouldn't we buckle up too?"

Giles smiled, safe behind the security of his own shoulder belt. "Anya," he said, "I will do my level best to get us there in one piece. Don't forget, you still have to plan your wedding reception."

"Yes," Anya said. "So let's hurry and get there, dispose of this creature, and then we can all drink champagne."

"Hear, hear," was the resounding reply from every other occupant of the cramped vehicle.
 

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 

"Tara," breathed Willow. "Is it really you?" Willow beheld the shimmering shape in front of her, clothed in a colourless, formless flowing gown, back lit by a light so bright, it should have been blinding, yet she was able to look directly into it.

*Yes, my darling,* Tara's gentle voice sounded in her head. *I'm here.*

"Tara!" Dawn cried, coming to stand as close to the barrier as possible. "I missed you."

*I missed you too, Dawnie,* Dawn and Willow heard in their minds. *I missed you all.*

"Where have you been?" Dawn wanted to know.

*Everywhere,* smiled Tara sweetly. *This place is anywhere and everywhere.*

"Tara," Willow said, sinking to her knees, tears streaming down her face, "I can't go on any more. Please, take my spirit with you." She picked up the silver blade and held it to her own throat. "I can't live without you."

*Willow,* Tara said gently, placing her hand over Willow's. Willow felt an energy not unlike an actual touch. *You can too live without me. We'll soon enough be together again. One life is but a brief moment in the totality of our existence. We will be together, but there is still much for you to do in this lifetime. You are needed here, Willow. You must be brave for me, sweetheart.*

"Oh, Tara," Willow sobbed. "I just can't. I just, I mean, I ,.......," Willow's voice tailed off as she looked deeply into Tara's eyes. Tara put out her other hand and helped Willow to rise. Still maintaining eye contact with Tara, Willow whispered, "I, I, I can." She smiled slightly. "It's so clear now. Everything was cloudy before, but now,.......,"

*Yes,* The vision of Tara nodded. *Now you see.* Willow dropped the blade and waved her hand, and the barrier disappeared. Dawn rushed in to hug Tara, feeling a strange, but extremely pleasant, sensation when she did. It was almost as if she were being enfolded in pure love. She could smell Tara's distinct fragrance in the air, hydrangea and lavender.

Willow looked down shyly as Dawn stepped back. Tara smiled, and held her arms open. Willow sighed, and fell into Tara's embrace.

*Willow,* Tara's voice sounded in their minds, *Dawn, it's not your fault. Always remember that. You are not responsible.*

"For what?" both girls asked, before a flash of darkness engulfed the room.
 

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 

"This is too easy," Flagg groused, directing his minions to encircle the Slayer's house. "She couldn't even bother to be HOME when we came calling. I expected a bit of a fight."

"Isn't it good that she's not here?" Celex asked, puzzled.

"Well, I suppose so, but I've never really liked taking candy from a baby, unless that baby has really sharp teeth," Flagg countered. He felt himself drawn to the pull of the open portal, and continued, "Well, I guess I might as well get going, then, just watch out for the, .....," he was interrupted by the unusual sight of a small foreign car rounding the corner at a high rate of speed, screeching to a halt, and disgorging many bodies, reminding him of clowns leaving a Volkswagen. He spied the small blonde girl standing on the pavement, and finished his sentence, "the Slayer."

"Wow," said Buffy to JB, who was having a little bit of trouble extricating himself from the tight confines of Giles vehicle. "You sure look like your brother."

"My brother looks like me," JB answered grimly, shedding the car like a turtle shedding its shell. "Celex," he called. The look-alike demon cocked his head, waiting. "Why are you having dealings with him?" The last word was said with contempt, and JB gestured towards Flagg. Flagg smiled at JB. "You know he's not worth the time or trouble it takes to wipe Gagne demon slime from your boot."

"Why do you care?" Celex asked. "I know you helped the Slayer to rescue the vampire," Celex gestured at Spike, and Spike bowed courteously, all the while avoiding looking directly at Flagg. "Do our blood ties mean nothing to you?"

JB avoided the question, instead asking, "Does this world mean nothing to YOU? Why are you striving for absolute chaos? Why are you helping Flagg with his insane plans?"

"We owe him, brother," Celex answered. "We owe him our very existence."

Buffy interrupted. "While all this family bonding is touching, I think we have to get down to business here. This Flagg, he's in charge?"

Spike said in her head, *Careful, love. He's more dangerous than you could know.*

JB nodded, and Buffy strode over to Flagg, her hand itching for an axe. Taking a fighting stance, she said to Flagg, "You and me. Let's go."

"Wow, you're a feisty one, aren't you," Flagg purred, inching behind Celex's bulk. "But, darling, I'm a lover, not a fighter. Maybe when this is all over," he gave her a long, lingering glance, causing her body to shudder involuntarily in revulsion, "I can show you exactly what I mean by that. Until then, however," he raised his hand, which clutched a shaving of the small dragons heart, "I have some business to attend to. My colleagues will keep you entertained. Vehere!" he incanted, and vanished.

"Huh?" Buffy cried, spinning around. "Where did he go?"

"Uh, Buffy?" Anya called, ensconced firmly behind the car. "I might have an idea about that." She pointed towards the house, where a brilliant light had been shining from Willow's window. Now the light flickered like a strobe, and the sound of Dawn screaming could clearly be heard.

Buffy turned around in panic. "Dawnie," she called. "I'm coming. Giles," she said, "I have to get to Dawn. How can I get to the house?"

Giles eyed the ring of demons, several deep, surrounding the Summers residence. "I wish we'd brought weapons," Giles said. "We'll just have to fight our way through."

The band of Scoobies, even with JB as an honorary member, looked pitifully small next to the hundreds of demons who were being held in check at that moment by Celex. Xander stepped up. "We'll get through or die trying," he said to Buffy.

Spike cocked his head, listening. "Maybe not," he said.

"We will too try," Xander said angrily.

Spike sighed impatiently. "I meant maybe we won't die. Listen."

The Scoobies stood quietly, and JB and Spike smiled. A look of disgust crossed Celex's face. "Attack!" he cried, pointing at them, but before the demons could even move, something large hurtled through the air, landing heavily on the ground between the two groups, creating such a disturbance in the air that several demons fell to the ground.

"Minerva, old girl," Spike said in delight. "What are you doing here?"

*Came to help you, warrior,* the dragon's reply echoed in everyone's head. *My childssss' heart called to me. Is thissss your mate?* she gestured at Buffy with one fearsome claw-tipped digit.

"Yes. Minerva, this is Buffy Summers. Buffy, Minerva," Spike said, courteously presenting the two as if they were having afternoon tea in a drawing room, and they weren't surrounded by angry demons, and one of them wasn't a dragon.

"Uh, pleased to meet you," stammered Buffy, not knowing the proper social etiquette for meeting a dragon.

Minerva smiled at her. Unfortunately, a dragons smile consisted mostly of teeth, which made her look even more fearsome. *She iss ssssmall and frail looking,* Minerva said, ignoring Buffy. *Iss sssshe a match for you?* She cocked her head flirtatiously at Spike, and Buffy would have been amused had the situation not been so grave.

"Wait and see, pet," Spike answered the dragon. "She's tougher than she looks." He smiled at Buffy.

"Hey, look," Anya pointed towards the sky. Hoards of dragons were circling overhead. "The cavalry is here."

"Minerva, pet," Spike asked, "the Slayer and I need a huge favour. Could you possibly give us a lift?"

Minerva fluttered her wings. *Of courssse, warrior,* she said. *Where are we going?*

"Not far," Spike replied, "just over the crowd here and into the house."

*Hop on,* said Minerva, squatting down to make easier access to her back. *My family will asssssist your friends with this lot.* She made a disparaging gesture at the demons.

Spike boosted Buffy onto the dragons back, and then hopped up agilely himself. Minerva spread her wings.

"Thank you, Minerva," JB said, "We appreciate your offer of help. However, this one," he pointed at his brother, "is all mine."

*As you wissssh, Jebex,* Minerva replied, lifting off gracefully and winging her passengers towards the house. *Although,* she called back, *children ssssshould get along.*

"That's what I'd say," a new voice said. JB and Celex stood still, and both turned around stiffly to face the new arrival, who was hidden by the shadows of the night. "Isn't it time you boys stopped quarreling?"

"Fa.., Father?" JB stuttered.

"Luke!" Anya said happily.

"Satan?" said Giles and Xander.

"Yes," beamed the new arrival, stepping into the light of a street lamp. "I answer to all those names. Now, what's going on here?"
 

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 
 

TBC
 

The plot thickens. AHA! Those of you who thought I was just writing aimlessly, be aware! I had a point all along!!! Know who Flagg is yet?

All will be revealed, and soon.

>)