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Book: One Title: Inner Demons Chapter One Pairings: KW/KL, W/B, J/G, G/X, J/G/X Crossover: ER, BtVS, XtWP Spoilers: ER: Season 7 & Rumors of 8, BtVS: Season 6, XtWP Season 5 and TLFENH Beta Reader: Scotty Welles Summary: An assasin sets of events that has far reaching consequences. Disclaimer: Warner Bros owns ER, Universal own XtWP, and Paramount now owns BtVS otherwise known as the show formally known as WB. <><><><><><><> "Damn it!" Through pain-ridden arms, she struggled to slam the heavy wooden door shut on the bulky threat, fighting hard against the barrier between them with an obsessive roar of death. Her small form shook from exhausted effort to stay alive even as a fresh wave of adrenaline rolled through her near collapse being. Benign muscles surged to life in one last attempt to force the heavy burden shut. Arms, legs and back worked together, even the imperfect one, exerting every last drop of life, a quiet prayer left her cracked ruby lips to her goddess, only stopping once the thunderous click made it through her dazed mind. She forced her arm to drop the metal crutch and slam the locks into place. Listening for any sounds that might indicate a new threat seeking entrance to her small townhouse. Years of experience and nightmares drove her to the window, half expecting the harsh reality of the world to come flying through it in a rain of glass and blood, coating even the dark ebony material of her floor. Without preamble, she threw open the drapes, braced to repel another assault. She could see clearly down the ghostly, wet streets, smoking under the intense heat of Chicago summers. The retreating shadow of her attacker blended into the asphalt jungle, until he was just another part of the enormous city, waiting and planning for the next time He found her. And there was little doubt in her numb mind that He would... <><><><><><><> ....find her again. Why now? After all this time. He couldn't have waited a year or two or a hundred. But did he? Nooo, He just had to show up and ruin everything for her. Damn it. It wasn't fair, day after day she'd lived with the fear that He might show up, but that didn't mean He had the right to. Turning the corner, she took off in a fresh burst of speed, running harder than she thought possible. Short gasps burst from her mouth, lungs burning fiercely, demanding that she stop and rest. Muscles screamed out as they trembled under her abuse, but she simply ran harder and faster until the town was just a blur in her green eyes. She could feel the sour breath on the back of her neck, its horrid stench meeting her nose, suffocating her already-dead lungs. Footsteps crashed down behind her, closer and closer, until she swore she could feel its claws ripping into her back. The cemetery was fast approaching, vampire central at this time of night. She silently wondered which would be a more painful death. Being drained by moronic vampires, or simply letting that thing behind her rip her apart. 'Vampires,' she decided. 'Definitely the vampires...' She let out a yell of frustration and pain, tearing through the cemetery in one last attempt at escape. A blonde streak flashed in the corner of her eye, and dimly she felt the quiet bond that she shared with Buffy and felt a burst of apprehension. She wanted to live, but not if it meant her friends finding out her secret. Knowing that if she didn't get the demon away from Buffy that she'd have a lot of explaining to do, she took off in the opposite direction. Using the last of her strength to run towards the nearby road. Twin lights appeared momentarily blinding her already blurred vision. In the background she could hear her friend screaming at her. She knew without doubt that Buffy was on the demon's tail, trying desperately to get to her before she could do something stupid. The last of her energy began to fade, leaving her to run on pure faith. With one last spurt she ran into the road... <><><><><><><> ....and rolled hard. "JOXER!!!" The demon's claws struck out once more even as it fell from the long drop-off, ripping into his thigh. The demon let out an unholy howl of rage and frustration as it fell, tumbling out of sight. Safe at last, if only for the moment, he sank to the ground, clutching at the minor wound. Sweat poured from his shock-exhausted body, shaking with such force he nearly emptied his stomach from motion sickness. He could see vague forms approaching him rapidly, their tense demeanor set with extreme emotion that screamed out at him. It was his fault, it was always his fault. Five years of friendship and he still attracted trouble to him like a magnet. But how was he supposed to know that He would come after him after all this time? It had been over ten years since the last time, and he had assumed that after all this time that it was finally over. Now he was going to have to come up with some sort of explanation for his friends, and knowing Xena... He shuddered. Xena was known for her ability to look into someone's soul, and he was no exception. But this was different, he couldn't tell them, they would never understand. At least not about this... <><><><><><><> ....not that she actually had anybody to tell. She was finely, truly alone, and it was the one time she didn't want to be. Her entire life had been about hiding, and staying unknown. Never letting herself be noticed or befriended for fear of what would happen if she did. She didn't want that on her conscience. A lifetime spent driving away anyone who got too close, not for fear of intimacy, but for their lives. A moment of foolish weakness and loneliness had enticed her to allow one young man into her home as a guest for some months, and she just thanked God that she'd had the sense, and an excuse, to send him packing. If Carter had been in her attacker's path... Seeing him cut down by Sobriki had been bad enough. She'd alienated colleagues, her friends, and now even a woman she loved. And for what? Her isolation, her privacy had cut her off from human contact, but it hadn't kept her safe from Him. She couldn't do it anymore. She was nearly forty and she still couldn't live her life simply because of the danger, but no more. She was going to end this, starting... <><><><><><><> ....now. She loved everybody too much to get them involved, and she needed to go now if she was going to keep them from getting involved. Buffy was already suspicious. The entire time Giles had interrogated them about the demon, Buffy had been giving her strange looks. The damned bond was making it difficult for her to lie. Every time she said something Buffy would feel it and study her with one of those long, intense Slayer glares. It was at times like this that she regretted using that spell to bring Buffy back. There was a clearly a downside to having a Slayer connected to your life force. Sending a prayer of thanks to her goddess that she'd thought ahead and kept a bag of clothes in the trunk of her car, Willow grabbed her laptop case and car keys. She'd been furious when her parents had gotten her the used '98 mustang, thinking it was just another excuse to get her out of their life. But now she was simply glad for the sleek, black sports car. She practically ran out the deserted house's front door, giving the night-deserted street a cursory check before making her way to the car. She quickly tossed the last of her things into the car's trunk, noting that she had stored more belongings in it than she originally thought, and got into the leather-covered driver's seat. As she cranked the engine, gunning the car away from her childhood house, she allowed herself to begin to relax. "So," said the familiar voice behind her, "where are we going?" <><><><><><><> Joxer froze as the two women who'd been so important to him over the last couple of years stepped out of the shadows. He was so careful when he'd snuck out of camp, leaving that dreaded armor behind. He'd only used it for so long because he understood the way warriors judged one by the quality of their weapons and armor. Looking like an idiot, they tended to ignore him, leaving him alone for the most part. Every once in a while, he'd still run into someone who would treat him like some kind of crazy jester. Not that he cared too much, just as long as he lived to see the next day. He was no warrior, he never would be, and he long ago excepted that. Instead he'd become a survivor. A job that was in it's own category, and just as important as any warrior. But of course, only Xena and Iolaus had ever really seemed to recognize the skill for what it was, and even then, they tended to ignore it for the most part. "Well...?" the arch voice added when he remained silent. 'Damn...' He should've known from the suspicious looks Xena and Gabrielle had been giving him as they treated his wounds that they would be on the lookout tonight. But he had to go, if he was going to try and put a stop to this once and for all. "Uh, I don't suppose you believe that I needed to go to the little warriors' bush?" Xena pointed to his shoulder, where he was carrying his well-worn backpack. "And that?" "Uh...Dysentery?" Both women moved into his path, spreading their thick muscular legs and crossed their arms. Determined faces glared back at him from the silver moon lit path. Neither woman was going to be moving... <><><><><><><> ....any time soon. "Kim, I mean it. This is none of your business, now get out of my car." Kim glared back at her, taking the full heat of her angry gaze, without so much as a flinch. The damned blonde just had to be in the garage when the demon had come after her. It couldn't have waited until she was home, could it? "You've got to be kidding, Kerry," she grated. "Some sort of...creature attacks you, nearly destroys your door, and now you're in your car heading out of town. And you expect me to believe that you're simply going to visit a sick cousin...?" <><><><><><><> "...What kind of Slayer do you think I am? Gods, Willow, you're in trouble. Please let me help." <><><><><><><> "Look, guys, I appreciate the concern, but I can take care of myself." He struggled to push past the two brick-built women, only to end up flat on his back, staring up into the clear, star-covered night sky. He closed his eyes and sighed, concentrating on the sounds of night around him. The different insects, singing out in combination with the music of the night living animals. "Joxer? Are you okay?" The tall woman's voice had softened slightly. He opened his eyes, and stared into the crystal eyes of his mentor. He sat up and bowed his head in submission. He had no choice but to lie his heart out and pray that they would forgive him for his latest deception. "Fine, the truth is..." <><><><><><><> "...I need to go home." "Why?" She gave it a moment, striving for plausibility. "My parents died last night." Kim softened considerably under her perfectly-performed lie. "Oh, Kerry, I'm so..." <><><><><><><> "...sorry. Why didn't you say anything?" "I just did," she answered Buffy's question. "Because it needed to be said, not that I wanted to say it, because I never want to say something like that. I mean, how depressing. Your parents dying isn't exactly a happy thought or a 'yay'-type event. But it's life, o-o-or death. It's death, but life. I mean, part of life. Yep, no life here..." <><><><><><><> "...so you see why I have to go?" He felt very proud of himself. He'd sold it beautifully, though of course he did feel a slight pang of guilt over his deception. He loved both women, in a lot of ways they were family, which is why he just couldn't involve them. "I still don't understand why you can't just wait until morning," Xena stated. "I just want to get back..." <><><><><><><> "...as soon as possible." Kim nodded thoughtfully and leaned back. "All right, then. This obviously means a lot to you." "Yes, it does," Kerry said. "Then let's go." The psychiatrist crossed her arms with finality, showing she wasn't getting out of Kerry's car for love nor money. Seeing it was a fight she couldn't possibly win, Kerry's inner voice still cried out in protest. 'No...' <><><><><><><> " I signed the release waiver, so feel free to put things in my slot anytime." - Charles Angels. Odo: Madam Ambassodor, I'm not like you. Every sixteen hours I revert to a liqiud. Lwaxana Troi: I can swim. - DS9: The Forsaken. Aeris Jade Orion list mommy: erslash@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx erslash-adult@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx AIM: Aeris Jade ICQ: 51496263 AT&T/Pow-Wow: Jade Pow-Wow Community: Orion Web Site: http://members.fortunecity.com/aerissword/Index.html |