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Book: One Title: Inner Demons Chapter: Three 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: A set of events starts a tidal wave that is unstoppable. Disclaimer: Warner Bros owns ER, Universal own XtWP, and Paramount now owns BtVS otherwise known as the show formally known as WB. <><><><><><><> Xena moved to stand next to him on the river's bank. Both knowing what was coming, neither one wanting to be the one to bring it up. "Seeker demons only go after ex-employees and Guardian demons. The question is, which one are you?" "Where's Gabby?" "She's hunting for dinner. Answer my question." He nodded wearily. He was at a dead end. Xena had taken his choice to privacy from him. He wanted to hate the older woman for it, but he could still feel the slight tremors of love. A feeling he hadn't felt since he noticed Gabrielle, but now... "You already know the answer." "Why didn't you tell us?" "You hunt evil, including demons." Xena shook her head, clearly angry at his lack of trust. He understood what family meant to her, but they didn't see him as such until after they were crucified. Of course, it could've just been the hormones of a pregnant woman talking. "Do you really think so little of me?" "No, of course not." He sighed at the disbelieving look on her face. "My survival instincts tend to take over whenever..." He trailed off as Xena nodded. As a warrior she could relate to the need to survive, but he also knew that the hurt she felt over his not trusting her. "Your...race is going extinct." It wasn't a question, but it still stung to know that his kind was dying out because of the Council. His legs weakened as the full impact of his situation hit him. He sat down on the ground hard. "Oh goddess..." Strong lean arms encircled him from behind offering him comfort he didn't feel he deserved, not from them. The soft hint of leather, nature, and weapon oil entered his nostrils. He could see Xena now sitting next to him, offering a silent comfort without touch. Meaning that the arms belonged to Gabrielle. "You should have told us." He leaned back into Gabrielle's arms, unwilling to respond to her quiet reprimand. He had no doubt that she'd heard the entire conversation, and yet she was still here, her only problem that he hadn't confided in them. Maybe they really were his family after all. "So, are you going to tell..." <><><><><><><> "...me the rest of it?" Willow ran her hands through her short, dark red hair, trying to ignore how close Buffy was sitting next to her on the motel bed. It was making it increasingly difficult to concentrate on anything, much less the life and death situation she was in. "I don't think that would be such a good idea. In fact on a scale of one to ten, one being the absolute worst, it would be a negative five, o-or at least a zero. Nope, bad idea, very bad. Oh look it's midnight, we should go to bed....To Sleep. Because we're friends, and friends aren't naughty. Well some are, but we're not, because that's bad. Bad a-a-and wrong." As Buffy smiled at her, she recognized just how dangerous a weapon that could be, taking away any sliver of coherent thought and speech from her. "Wills, if we're going to beat this thing then you're going to have..." <><><><><><><> "...to tell me everything." Kerry sighed as her now-active lover turned on those puppy dog eyes that could melt an armored truck containing steel. How was she supposed to hold out with those eyes turned on her? "Father Robert will explain everything once we get to the convent." "Convent? Why on earth would you go to a convent?" "Because it's the only place that the Council can't get to me, and it's also the only place to finally end all this." She sighed, curling her sweat-slicked body back into Kim's welcoming arms. The safety of her embrace was beyond anything she'd ever experienced in her life, and she could tell that this was where she belonged. Race, sex, age, it didn't really matter. Only Kim did. "Kerry, where..." <><><><><><><> "...is this place anyway?" Joxer mumbled under his breath about delusional bards, warriors and their toys. He cocked his head at a now-giggling Eve, just a little surprised that the baby seemed to have understood what he was saying. The half-raised mast of Xena's eyebrow broke in his sight, warning him that she knew exactly what he was saying. "What was that?" 'Oops.' "Uh...I was saying that it's hidden in the mountains, not too far from here." "Hmm." He guided his horse a few paces away from Xena, his self-preservation screaming out at him. 'Danger, Joxer of Athens, Danger.' "...story?" He jerked alert as Gabrielle slapped him on his arm. "Have you heard a word I've said?" "Oh, uh, yeah. Writing, demons, story." Gabrielle eyed him a long minute in doubt before turning back in satisfaction. "So anyway, I've been thinking, having a demon around could be useful... What exactly do you do anyway?" "It's...complicated." He felt Xena's hand on his upper arm, rubbing the tension from it. "Relax, everything will be fine." Joxer didn't respond, knowing that nothing would be all right anymore. He'd kept the knowledge to himself in hopes that it would be unnecessary to use it in the future, going against his very nature, but now it was coming to an end and he had no idea what to expect. In short he was scared to death. "Is that..." <><><><><><><> "...it?" Willow eyed the ancient stone and wood building that seemed to stretch out forever through the thickened mountain forest. The newly replaced steel gate opened as though it sensed their approach. Deftly she steered the sports car through the winding dirt road, losing sight of the building only to have it pop back into view spontaneously. She began to lightly brake as she saw the gate directly in front of them, and drove through, unsure of what would be greeting her. The elder man she hadn't seen since she'd turned fourteen and going through the demon version of puberty. Beside him stood two women, looking out of place in the convent, wearing casual clothes. The tall blonde was casting suspicious looks at her surroundings, but the short red head with the crutch seemed to be more relaxed and alert. She could smell the scent of her kind on the redhead, and the scent of their recent matings on the blonde. Ignoring the protests of the Slayer, she got out of the car and embraced Robert. Age worn from eighty-three years of service, his hair was a fine silver. Small round spectacles sat on his nose, framing his exceedingly slim figure perfectly. "It's good to see you again, Red," he said, using the old affectionate nickname she recalled. "It's nice to see you, too. Boy, have I missed this place. Is Grethan still your cook? Oh, I hope she is, I miss her apple turnovers, and her croissants, oh, oh, and her fresh baked cookies, and..." "Well at least some things don't change." His bird eyes stared sharply over her shoulder at the Slayer. "Aren't you going to introduce me to your friend?" "Oh yeah, this is Buffy." She smiled sheepishly at the way his eyebrows shot up. She'd been keeping him up to date on her 'activities', but for her to actually bring The Chosen One here... She just couldn't help feeling proud of herself. She'd finally gotten one over on him. "I see," Father Robert said mildly, concealing his surprise. "What about them?" She looked pointedly over at the two women. "Are they...?" "I'm afraid so. At least one of them." "Oh." She hated how hunted their kind were. They had reached the point of extinction at least a dozen times in the last couple of years alone. Getting so bad that families had taken to giving up their children up to safe homes. Couples specially trained to keep them safe, and hopefully alive. Her eyes fell on the short redhead, feeling a distinct pull that was almost parental. It was like she was being drawn home. She locked eyes with the short red head, a flood of emotions, memories, and regrets overloading her mind. Throwing herself forward, she clung to the woman she felt such a deep connection to. Wanting...needing the comfort she found in her embrace. She dimly felt strong hands trying to pull her away and simply tightened her hold on the lean body. Inhaling the smell of green apples, hospitals, and sweat. Memorizing the feel of being in her arms for the first time in her life. The tight firm muscles that made her feel safe, even the weakness of her left side. "Willow...?" She nodded into the woman's chest. Happy that she remembered her name after some many long years. Years spent waiting for her to come for her. To make her feel needed, and loved. Giving her the motherly comfort she wanted all those nights of heart ache when Xander didn't notice her, when Oz cheated on her and left, when Tara refused to be anything other than friends after the dark magic she used to bring Buffy back. "Whatsyourname?" she gasped, all at once. She sniffed lightly into her chest and hiccuped. The arms holding her tightened as the older woman whispered the name she'd always wanted to know. "Kerry Weaver." She liked that name. A lot. It seemed to fit the woman holding her. She could hear Buffy and the other blonde in the background, demanding to know what was going on. Not that she cared, not right now. She'd deal with her friend later, much later. But right now... <><><><><><><> ....he just wanted to get some rest. They'd been traveling non-stop for the last twenty-four hours, only stopping for short breaks and to eat. The father could deal with the two over-protective warriors on his own, if he was stupid enough, that is. Even he knew to stay out of their way when they were like that. He made a beeline away from the courtyard to the entrance into the main building. His hand enclosed the handle as a very distinct, highly agitated bard spoke up. "Where are you going?" "To my room," Joxer replied. He gulped as Xena crossed her arms over her chest, and stared him down in silent challenge. "Not without us, you're not." Images of two very firm women sharing his bed danced across his mind, sending his body into overdrive. "W-why?" he managed to squeak, struggling desperately to get his voice back down a couple of octaves. "I'm not about to let you out of my sight." "Nothing can harm him here. We are on sacred ground, even the Gods do not dare to enter without permission." Gabrielle glared coldly at the man. "I don't know anything...yet." He rolled his eyes skyward at the hidden threat. He knew he should've slept in yesterday, but no, he just had to get up early and almost get killed. "Come, I shall..." <><><><><><><> "...show you to your rooms." She kept her left arm around Willow's shoulders as they both automatically headed towards the garden, to have a long talk. She tried to ignore the hint of pleasure she felt when Kim, still acting over-protective, immediately stopped following the father to follow them. Beside her she knew Willow was feeling the same as Buffy fell into step with the tall blonde. "What do you do?" the girl asked her suddenly. "I mean, y'know, normally? Or do you even have normal times, or is your life all demons and..." She trailed off, terminating her babbling self-consciously. She smiled at the suddenly shy girl and gave her a reassuring squeeze. "That depends what you mean by 'normal'," she said calmly. "I'm a doctor." "Oh, cool. Do you work in one of those stuck up private practices? Not that you're stuck up, I just mean they seem that way. Driving those shining new beemers with flashy clothes, and golfing at the country club, and just being all meany-like." "I run the ER at County Hospital in Chicago." She didn't add that many of her staff, Malucci for one, would be happy to describe just how 'meany-like' she could be. Willow seemed to brighten up considerably, her entire demeanor changing instantly. "Really? Can I come watch you sometime? You wouldn't believe how much I know. Me and the other Scoobies have been in an out of the ER so much over the last six years that they even know us by name. You don't have to worry though, it wasn't anything serious... Well okay, there was that time that Queen-C fell through those stairs and impaled herself on that bar. Oh, and then there was that Slayer but she died, actually so did Miss. Calendar..." Kerry stared at Willow, trying to take in everything the girl was saying, and the more she said - which was a lot - the more Kerry's mind seemed to numb. Just what the hell had that girl been doing for the last twenty years? <><><><><><><> " 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 |