FIC: Born Again (11/?)

["cilia" <cilia@xxxxx>]

Hey all,
I've done it again and now your really gonna hate my for it, the story
is reaching it's climax and trust me you will not be disappointed.
Yours Faithful Bard,
Cilia

Title: Born Again
Part: 11
Author: Cilia
E-mail: cilia@xxxxx
Feedback: Please god yes
Distribution and Archiving: Sure go for it
Disclairment: You know it.
Summary: This little story began as attempt to do something new and
different. It focuses almost entirely on Willow and her adventures in th Old
World (Europe). Some time has past and we begin the story when we meet an
older more experience Willow, still old friends are around the corner and
Buffy never more then a phonecall away.
So I hope you enjoy this work,
Notes: You can find the missing parts at http://www.mmedia.is/~cilia/again
and then I wish to thank my beta Ollie and my critique Stan

Born Again
Cilia

Chapter Ten

Spike woke up in the same position he'd gone to sleep in, another
side-affect of being livingly impaired. He sat up and found a mug of blood
and the morning paper on his nightstand.
"A bloke could get used to this," he muttered to himself as he
sipped his blood.
There was a soft knock on the door moments later as James entered looking as
crisp as the night before.
"Miss Swift would like to see you in the library at your
earliest convenience," he announced.
"Very well, tell Miss Swift that I'll be ready in twenty
minutes," Spike stated. "Very good, sir, and I've taken the liberty of
washing your garments. You'll find fresh clothes on the chair by the
counter," James said and was gone.
"Now wait just a sodding min." Spike said but stopped when he
realized he was talking to the door.
"Red, you owe me," he muttered as he inspected the clothes James
had laid out for him.

Twenty minutes later Spike stepped into the library, dressed in a white suit
and cursing James's lousy fashion sense.
"Spike you look. different," Susan exclaimed as she turned away
from the bookcase holding a book in her hand.
"And a good bleeding morning to you, too," Spike said and
scowled.
"Sorry, please sit down. We need to discuss business," Susan
said and pointed to an armchair.
"You being Master," Spike nodded and sat.
"We being Masters was what I had in mind," Susan stated.
"Then I'd ask again what's in it for me?" Spike asked.
"You get to hunt on my territory, a healthy salary and free room
here if you need it," she stated.
"And the catch?" he asked and leaned back.
"You protect the territory and me, so that I can handle the
businesses in peace," she answered.
"Fair enough, but we still need to go to the meeting tonight.
Together," Spike stated.
"I know, I mean I think I can handle the fact that they're all
vampires. I mean you're here and I'm not running," Susan explained.
"Which is quite remarkable. Red was scared to death when she
first met me, but then again I was threatening to rip out her heart or
something," Spike explained off hand.
"Okay, too much information," Susan exclaimed.
"Sorry, bluntness seems to run in my blood," Spike said with a
grin.
"Talk about something you ate," Susan chuckled.
"One more thing?" Spike asked ignoring the pun.
"What?"
"You have anything black to wear?" he asked innocently.

Willow stepped into the near empty library after her classes needing some
advice on how to proceed. Her instinct told her to make the most of being
invited to a meeting of all the top masters, but her conscience told her not
to.
"You look troubled," Sister Agnes stated over her shoulder, but
for once she didn't spin around.
"I'm dealing with a moral dilemma and I could use some. heavenly
guidance," Willow answered.
"Let's sit down then," Agnes stated and pointed to and empty
table.
"I've been invited to attend a council meeting at the cave and I
'm torn between my duty as a honorary Slayer and my sense of honor and the.
friendships I've formed with them," Willow explained.
"Understandable, given the fact you could rid the city of the
vampires in one blow, but need I remind you that there are always those who
seek to obtain power," Agnes stated.
"So if I eliminate all the masters at once I could induce a
civil war among the remaining vampires?" Willow asked, but it was really
more of statement.
"It has happened before and the Church has no desire to witness
such battles again," Agnes said.
"When was the last time it happened?" Willow asked a little
confused considering she'd studied the history of the City.
"You've read the history of the City, do you remember the
passage about the Great Fire of 1801?" Agnes asked.
"That was a vampire territory war?" Willow asked in amazement,
the history books stated the fire broke out because of a broken lantern in a
bakery and then spread to the low build wood buildings.
"No, that was our way of cleansing the city," Agnes stated
gravely.
"They burned the city to the ground," Willow exclaimed.
"Yes and the death toll was in the thousands, our City now has a
population of over a million," Agnes stated firmly.
"The death toll would be much higher," Willow murmured and
stood.
"Thanks, you've helped me a lot," Willow said, "as usual," she
then added with a silly grin.
"The doors of the Library and its church are always open," Agnes
stated.
"I know, wish me luck?"
"Good luck Willow," Agnes said in a soft voice as she watched
her walk out into the sunlight.

By the time Willow arrived, the sun had set and Spike had Susan decked out
in black.
"Now you look like a Master vampire," Spike exclaimed as he
backed away.
"It's tight," Susan stated and pulled at her pants.
"That's the point," Spike said as he handed her a leather
jacket.
"Miss." James started, but paused when he saw Susan,
"Rosenberg," he finished.
"So we ready to." Willow trailed off.
"What?" Susan asked
Instead of speaking Willow turned and gave Spike a look that made him take a
step backwards.
"Spike," Willow growled deep in her throat.
"She needed a makeover, she was just so. soft," Spike offered
with a flourish gesture of curves.
"She looks like a." Willow paused and looked Susan over again.
"You think they'll buy it?" Susan asked.
"That you're a vampire, not for a second," Willow stated, "but
you do look the part," she added and gestured at the leather pants, black
blouse and matching jacket.
"Thanks, I just don't know how to get these off," Susan said
with a half smile and pulled at the black leather.
"It's an art form," both Spike and Willow said.
"I don't want to know," Susan exclaimed and raised her palm
outwards.
"So are we ready?" Willow asked again.
"As ready as we'll ever be," Spike stated and smoothed down his
suit.
"Let's go then and you can explain the white suit on the way,"
Willow said with a grin as Spike growled slightly.

They pulled up next to a large building, which Willow had up to this point
thought to be a roman temple with a domed roof and huge columns.
"Wow, why don't they just put out a sign? Vampire hideaway,"
Susan exclaimed.
"This building has been in the city for over a thousand years,
as far as the inhabitants are concerned, they think it's a roman temple.
They even have tours inside it for tourists," Willow explained and cursed
herself mentally for not figuring it out earlier.
"And there's our guide now," Spike said as the door opened and a
short and compact ghoul motioned for them to enter.
"You armed?" Willow asked.
"Always," both Spike and Susan stated.
"Good," Willow nodded as they stepped through the door.
The inside of the temple was huge and torches lit the walls, in the center
of the chamber a staircase decanted down into the ground.
"Follow me," the ghoul said as he took a torch from the wall and
let them down the stairs.

The cave that they entered was for lack of a better word, massive, the
stairs crisscrossed along its wall until it finally ended at a narrow bridge
that lead to a raised rock platform. There sat a massive meeting table
carved from the rock.

The Masters of the city were gathered (seven at the current time), but
Willow knew that nine made up the council in all and only four chairs
remained. Two were marked with the symbol that now belonged to Susan and the
third marked with an elaborate W that was freshly carved into the stone.
Nathaniel's chair turned away from the table and appeared to be empty.
"That's strange," Willow muttered as she sat.
"Who brought the Wiccan in here," a vampire that looked like a
younger version of Nathaniel stated.
"I did, got a problem with that," Susan replied as they took
their seats and before Willow got a chance to retort.
"And you are?" the same vampire asked.
"Alexander, please," the only other woman at the table groaned.
"Yes, Alex give them a chance to explain themselves," the man
next to her said.

"Very well," Alexander stated, "Speak, human."

Susan stood up with an air of authority that neither Spike nor Willow would
have thought her capable of.

"My vampiri name is Susan Swift. I'm the heir to all of Michael
Swift's assets within this city. This," she said and motioned Spike, "is
William Croix, but you can call him Spike, he's my partner and will deal
with. well lets say the bloodier side of the job. Willow Rosenberg is here
at the invite of Nathaniel De'Night and also as my bodyguard and therefore
fulfilling her promise to my predecessor," Susan stated and sat back down.

"If you are all done here," Nathaniel stated as he turned around
in his seat to face the table, "Perhaps we could get started on matter of
Miss Swift assuming control over Michael's territory. Now, it is within our
law to allow humans to serve as Master as long as they pay tribute and keep
the peace, so shall we vote and then perhaps Miss Swift would be kind enough
to tell us her plans," Nathaniel offered with a diplomatic tone.
"Let's get this over and done with," Alexander grumbled.
"Miss Rosenberg what's your vote?" Nathaniel asked.
There was a collective rumble around the table.
"Excuse me?" Willow asked.
"Come now Miss Rosenberg, you're a major player in the city. You
getting a seat at this table as only been a matter of time," A vampire that
according to Willow's database name was Leonardo stated.
"Very well," Willow said as the shock passed, "Susan Swift and
William Croix have my vote as Masters over the territory formerly under the
control of Michael Swift," Willow stated.
"Thank you and you Leonardo what's your vote," Nathaniel asked.
The voting passed quickly, most of the Masters wanting to keep the status
quo either voted with Susan or refrained from voting.
"Then it is confirmed, Susan Swift and William Croix are herby
accepted into our council and Willow Rosenberg is also granted a seat
through force of action," Nathaniel stated.
"There has to be a catch," Willow whispered to Spike who nodded.
"Ladies and Gentlemen," a loud, but smooth voice echoed across
the cave.
"What the," Willow stated and was on her feet looking for the
owner of the voice, Spike pointed to the stairs and Willow turned to see a
figure step down the last step and into a narrow beam of light.
"Allow me introduce myself, I am Crimson and this city belongs
to me now." she said with grin and threw the head of the ghoul that had
escorted them in onto the table.

Oh there is more to come...