FF: Bargaining, part 2 - Reset Rated R

["carrkjar" <carrkjar@xxxxxxxxx>]

Title: Bargaining, Part 2
Season 6 Reset Series

Author: Frau Hunter Ash 
Copyright © 2002 by Hunter Ash. All Rights Reserved.
Email: carrkjar@xxxxxxxxx Feedback welcome!!
Homepage Addy: http://www.hunterash.com/ 

Acknowledgments: Note: Plot collaborated on by Hunter Ash and Dark 
Gremlin 
Suggestions from many people and many boards. A special "thank you" 
to them. 
Another special "Thank You" to Joan the English Chick 
(pisces@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx) for her transcripts.  

Disclaimers: The characters and show all belong to Joss Whedon, Fox, 
Mutant Enemy, Kuzui, and God only knows who else. The storyline, 
however, is the sole property of the author. This story cannot be 
sold or used for profit in any way. Copies of this story may be made 
for private use only and must include all disclaimers and copyright 
notices.

F/F romance: the story assumes a loving and sexual relationship 
between people of the same gender and opposite gender. If this 
offends or is illegal for you, then please leave. Come back when you 
are older, have an open mind, moved, or changed your laws. 

Spoilers: 
Bargaining, Parts 1 and 2 written by Marti Noxon and David Fury

In my universe here, Season 6 is happening again! Starting with 
Bargaining and taking off from there. Things will be different 
here.  

Rating: R (US), 15 (UK) MA (Aus) Pairings: Wi/T, X/An  

Summary: This isn't the episode or transcript though you'll find 
parts are taken right from the episode. Some things are rearranged 
and there are some major differences as well. 

(no actual deer was harmed in the writing of this story)
* * *

Willow glanced around at the pond, breathing in the fresh air.  
Everything felt cleaner after a short rain. The rain was shining off 
the water and Willow enjoyed the moment of peace.  

The witch reached for a small clay pot on the blanket she was sitting 
on.

"Adonai, Helomi, Pine," she chanted softly, pouring the liquid out on 
the ground in offering. "Adonai, Helomi, Pine. The gods do command 
thee from thy majesty," she continued as she put the jar down and 
replaced the lid. "O Mappa Laman, Adonai, Helomi. Come forward, 
blessed one. Know your calling."

The red-haired witch glanced around and spotted a young fawn step out 
from around a tree, watching her.

"Come forward, blessed one," she said softly, her voice and eyes 
gentle.

The fawn approached the witch fearlessly and welcomed Willow's arm 
around its neck as her hand reached into a basket. Willow's eyes 
hardened as the knife plunged into the fawn's chest.

After a moment of struggle, the fawn lay still and blood covered 
Willow's hands and she was panting.

"Accept our gratitude for your offering," she intoned as she put the 
knife down. "In death. . . you give life. May you find wings to the 
kingdom."

Willow glanced around, afraid to wipe the tears from her cheeks with 
blood-covered hands.

* * *

Tara glanced up from the table at the Magic Box, smiling at Willow 
walking in the door. She was only slightly puzzled at the change of 
clothes but she shrugged it off.

"You're late," Tara commented.

"Oh," Willow said glancing around, "I had to get that thing," she 
explained, setting a small leather bag on the table.

"Giles isn't around," Xander informed her. "You can dump the 
cryptic."

"I had to get the last spell ingredient," Willow said nervously.

"Right," Xander nodded. "What is vino de madre anyway?" 

"Wine of the mother," Willow muttered. "Kind of . . . black market 
stuff."

Tara suddenly looked alarmed. "You didn't tell me that! You 
shouldn't have gone alone, it could have been dangerous!"

"I'm sorry," Willow said softly. "I was careful."

"Well, it must be something intense," Anya frowned. "The black 
market's all baby teeth and spooky fluids."

"All I know is that we have to have it to finish the spell," Willow 
commented, moving to grab a book from the shelves. "That makes it 
good stuff in my book. What are you doing here, Xan? I thought we 
weren't gonna meet till later."

"Rained out today and it was just too weird hanging out by myself," 
Xander explained.

"It's better if we stay together," Tara agreed.

Willow sat down at the table and reached for Tara's hand.

"Awww, got butterflies, baby," Willow asked softly.

"More like bats," Tara smiled softly.

"You wanna look at the money?" Anya suggested. "I find it always 
calms me."

Xander looked over at her adoringly.  

"No, thanks," Tara smiled at the former vengeance demon.

Willow smiled at her lover. "You tell those bats everything is gonna 
be alright, I promise. We couldn't be more prepared."

"I just wish it was time," Tara complained.

"I know, me too," Willow said softly.

* * *

The roar of motorcycles filled the California night air. The roar 
dimmed to a rumble as the choppers slowed and stopped in front of a 
road sign and Razor turned his headlights onto it.

"Welcome to Sunnydale" it read and the huge demon laughed and turned 
his motorcycle back to the road, the roar of all the motorcycles 
filling the night.

* * *

Xander and Anya walked down a familiar path in the woods and entered 
a small clearing. The young couple hesitated when they saw Willow 
standing over a grave with Tara standing slightly back.

Willow's intensity was worrying Xander and he suspected it was 
bothering Tara as well.

The red-haired witch turned with a slight smile and the others moved 
to join the witches. Willow proceeded to the foot of the grave and 
knelt down, spreading a large scarf out. Next she rummaged in her 
backpack and pulled out several items as Xander, Anya and Tara knelt 
down on either side of the grave.

Willow glanced at her watch impatiently.

"Does everybody have their candles?" she questioned.

"I'm trying," Anya muttered, struggling with a lighter. "Mine won't 
stay lit."

"Well, hurry," Willow urged.

"What time is it?" Tara asked her lover.

Xander glanced at his watch and frowned.

"A minute to midnight," he muttered.

"C'mon, Anya!" Willow urged.

"I've got it, I got it!" Anya smiled.

"Okay, let's start the circle," Willow said calmly.  

Tara and Anya intoned, forming the magical circle as Willow pulled 
the Urn of Osiris into her hands. She removed the lid and then took 
another jar containing the deer blood and poured the liquid into the 
urn before replacing the lid on the jar of blood.

Willow listened as Tara and Anya finished invoking the circle and she 
held up the urn.

"Osiris!" she said loudly and firmly. "Keeper of the Gate, Master of 
all Fate, hear us!" the red-haired witch dipped her finger into the 
Urn and marked her forehead and both cheeks with the blood mixed with 
herbs and other liquids.

"Before time, and after," she continued. "Before knowing and 
nothing!"

Xander shifted uncomfortably as she poured the liquid onto the ground 
in offering.

"Accept our offering!" Willow said forcefully. "Hear our prayer!"

Anya squeaked and Xander jumped visibly when Willow's body jerked 
backwards almost totally over and her arms thrust out to her sides.

Xander cursed softly as deep gashes appeared on her arms and Tara 
motioned for him to hold his place. "Willow!" he shouted.

"No!" Tara shouted. "She&she told me&she'd be tested. This is 
supposed to happen.

Willow was clearly in pain and Tara was resisting stopping the ritual 
herself.

The red-haired witch gritted her teeth as she panted, trying to move 
past the pain.  

"Osiris!" she shouted. "Here lies the warrior of the people! Let her 
cross back!"

Tara cried out softly as Willow winced in pain. The blood was 
flowing from the cuts on her arms. Anya and Xander's eyes widened as 
something moved under Willow's skin, moving from the arms to Willow's 
neck.  

"She needs help!" Xander cried out.

"Xander, no!" Tara cried out. "She said not to stop, not matter 
what! If we break the cycle now it's over!"

"Osiris! Accept the bargain!" Willow yelled, obviously in pain. "Let 
the warrior return!"

A deep rumble reached the small group and Xander frowned.

"Oh God, what was that noise?" Anya muttered.

* * *

Giles glanced outside the Magic Shop, startled by the same noise.  

"Oh God," he muttered as motorcycles roared into sight. Rogue bikers 
would be bad enough, he thought, these were worse. Demons on 
motorcycles. "Bloody terrific!"

The former Watcher, now shopkeeper, hurried outside and quickly 
lowered the metal grates over the windows. He dashed back into the 
shadows as two choppers roared past, their riders howling and 
swinging chains.  

Giles moved back into the shop, locked the door and pulled the metal 
bars over it. He moved quickly to the phone where he watched from 
the darkened shop as the demons began destroying Sunnydale.

Human citizens were scurrying out of the way as the demons drove 
their bikes over cars, smashing sidewalk tables, tossing garbage cans 
around and terrorized the humans. One biker grabbed a woman, tossing 
her over the bike in front of him and rode off into the night.  

Demons with baseball bats, chains, and bottles filled with something 
flammable began dismounting their motorcycles, intent on destroying 
anything in their path.

It looked like something out of a Viking raid on an English village, 
Giles thought.

"Blast it!" he yelled and slammed the phone down. He quickly looked 
over a list taped to the wall next to the phone and dialed a 
number. "Janice? Yes, this is Mr. Giles, is Dawn there?"

A moment later Dawn's voice answered him.

"Dawn, listen, hell has broken loose downtown and might spill over 
into the neighborhood," he said quickly. "I want you and Janice's 
family to turn out all the lights and go into the basement and lock 
yourselves in. Tell them that a group of crazed motorcycle thugs are 
tearing up the town. Where is everyone else?"

"Out slaying or something," Dawn said softly but excited. "Can we 
just watch out the window?"

"NO!" Giles shouted. "You have no idea what they would do to you and 
Janice's family!"

"Oh, alright!" Dawn said, obviously pouting.

"Dawn, please!" Giles begged, wincing at the sound of the shop next 
door losing their front window. He ducked down behind the 
counter. "I'm not even sure I can get out of here. They are vicious, 
deadly and they will hurt you before killing you."

"Okay, Giles," Dawn said, her voice a little more subdued. "I'm 
sorry."

"Just stay safe," he said softly and hung up, ducking away from a 
flashlight shining in the store. "I wish I could."

* * *

Xander whimpered as Anya reached across the grave to grab his hand as 
they watched Willow struggling to breath, twitching in pain.  

"Osiris! Let her cross over!"

Willow began gagging and dropped forward onto her hands as the things 
under her skin reached her throat.  

"Oh god!" Tara whined. "Oh god, oh god!"

Willow, choking on something, opened her mouth and began closing her 
eyes.

Anya screamed and Xander squeaked as a black snake began to emerge 
from the witch's mouth. Willow's fingers dug into the ground in pain 
and gag reflex. 

"It's a test!" Tara whispered. "It's a test, she's being tested.  
Willow?"

Willow sighed heavily, coughing. 

Abruptly, Willow's body snapped upright, her head thrown back, her 
eyes blackened. "Osiris, release her!" she screamed as an orange 
haze began surrounding her, bright orange lights dancing around her.

Tara fell back as two teenagers came tearing into the clearing and 
the roaring followed them.

"Help us! Monsters on motorcycles!" the young man shouted and the 
girl screamed as headlights bounced around the clearing.

The boy dragged the girl into the trees, leaving the Scooby Gang 
stunned.

Xander and Anya jumped to their feet as demons on motorcycles raced 
around them, shouting and punching at the couple, surrounding them.

"Willow!" Tara shouted, watching as Willow continued to be enveloped 
in the orange haze and the lights.

One of the demons, spotting Tara, cut across in front of Willow, 
knocking her back to the ground and running over the Urn of Osiris as 
he grabbed at Tara and missed.

"NO!" Willow screamed and the orange haze and lights faded.

"Willow!" Tara screamed as Willow fell over unconscious. She tried 
to reach her lover but the same biker rode between them again and 
Tara barely avoided his claws. Anya pulled her back as the bikers 
crowded around.
"Look what I found!" one yelled, dragging the teenage male and 
girlfriend out of the trees.

The bikers howled and turned their attention in that direction.

Xander rushed over and grabbed Willow up into his arms.

"I've got her!" he shouted at Anya and Tara. "Go! Get out of here! 
Hide!"

Xander watched as Anya pulled Tara towards the tree line and he 
pulled Willow over his shoulder and moved in the opposite direction.  

Anya screamed as a pursuing biker grabbed her by the hair, attempting 
to pull her over the gas tank.

"Tara!" 

Tara spun on her heels with her hands upraised. "Dissolvo!"

Anya faltered back as the riderless motorcycle crashed into a tree.

"Come on!" Tara urged, stumbling from the rush of expended energy.

* * *

Xander moved as far as he could while carrying the unconscious 
witch. He finally stopped and gently lowered her down with her back 
to a tree. He watched, worried as she stirred and slowly opened her 
eyes.

"Willow? Willow, you okay?"

"Did it work?" her voice was weak and her body shaking.

"I'm sorry," he said softly and her head dropped forward, unconscious 
again.

The young man moved to sit next to the tree, pulling Willow's head 
into his lap, watching for motorcycles.

* * *

Giles crawled along the floor of the Magic Shop, trying to stay in 
the shadows. Frequently lights would shine in the shop and the last 
thing Giles wanted was to be caught like a deer in those headlights.  
He made it to the back room and grabbed up a dusty battle axe and 
began stuffing his pockets with bottles of holy water. Glancing 
around to the front of the shop, he changed his mind and put the 
battle axe down and grabbed up an iron pick axe.

"Cold iron, perfect for demons," he muttered. Giles had no intention 
of exiting the shop but he did plan on protecting it and himself.  
The former Watcher sat back, watching the front of the store and 
waited. 

* * *

Xander started to move and put Willow over his shoulder when Tara and 
Anya came into sight and ran up to them. Tara quickly moved Willow's 
head into her lap, gently stroking her lover's hair.

"Willow?"

"I'm pretty sure she's okay," Xander said softly, getting up and 
going to Anya, pulling her into his arms. "Or as okay as someone 
who's just had snakes coming out of their mouth can be!" he suddenly 
snapped. "What the hell was that all about, Tara?"

Tara looked up at him, pained.

"Less talk, more running!" Anya urged.

"I'm pretty sure the woods will give us cover," Xander said 
firmly. "The motorcycles can't follow us in here."

Anya's eyes widened as the rumble got closer and lights began dancing 
near them.

"Someone should tell them that!" she squeaked.

"New plan," Xander snapped, kneeling down and pulling Willow over his 
shoulder. "Let's split up."

"No, bad plan," Anya protested.

"I'll take her," Tara said softly but Xander shook his head.

"No, I've got her," Xander responded and his face softened. "I'll 
keep her safe, I promise."

"We should meet somewhere," Tara suggested.

"Magic Box," Anya said quickly.

"First ones there, call Dawn at Janice's and warn them," Xander 
nodded.

The two pairs moved off in different directions.

* * *

Dawn, Janice, and parents huddled at the bottom of the stairs in the 
basement, listening to the sound of motorcycles ripping through the 
neighborhood. Occasionally breaking glass and screams would reach 
them.

"Did Mr. Giles say if the police were doing anything?" Mrs. Franklin 
asked.

"He didn't know, he was hiding behind the counter, I think," Dawn 
answered.

"Good idea," Mr. Franklin agreed. "It'll be over soon, Mother."

"I hope so," Mrs. Franklin said softly.

* * *

Xander sat Willow down gently once more and tried to catch his 
breath. He smiled slightly as she opened her eyes again.

"Xan . . . Xander? Where?"

"Shhh," he urged, "We're using our quiet voice, Will."

"Where's Tara?" she whispered, sitting up.

"Off and running," Xander answered. "Like we need to be. We gotta 
keep moving, Will."

"Right," she said softly. "Demons on bikes."

"Yeah," Xander nodded. "We got trouble, right here in Hellmouth 
City. Some teenagers led them right to us."

"Buffy!" Willow sat up quickly. "The ritual! We've got to go back!"

Xander grabbed her by the shoulders and pushed her back into a 
sitting position.

"Will, I told you!"

"We have to try again!" Willow protested.

"No, we can't!" Xander snapped.

"We have to, Xander," she begged. "I&she&she's waiting! I know it! 
She's counting on us&on&on me! I can't leave her there anymore, I 
won't! We have to finish."

"Shhhh!" he hissed and they both ducked down as a motorcycle rode 
near them and then away.

"Will, the urn of cirrhosis&"

"The urn of Osiris?" she asked.

"Yeah," he said slowly. "It got&it was&"

"It got broken," she said softly with a frown. "I remember."

"Okay, so we'll find another one," Xander urged. "A better made one. 
Anya and I will jump back on the web&"

"No, there aren't any others," Willow said softly, closing her eyes.

"Okay, we fix this one," he said desperately, not caring for the look 
of despair on his friend's face. "A little tape, a dab of Crazy 
Glue&"

"No, it's no use," Willow began to cry softly. "The urn's defiled. 
It's gone. Nothing! It was all for nothing! Buffy's gone!"

Xander drew his best friend into his arms, letting her cry against 
his chest.

* * *

Tara grabbed Anya, throwing her behind a large rock, roughly.

"Was that necessary?" Anya demanded. "A simple 'psst'&."

Tara thrust her hand over Anya's mouth and both fell silent as two 
demons walked near the rock and stopped.

"I'm just saying this is rank!" one of them complained.

"Get off it, Clyde," the other one snapped.

"Razor heads back to town and all the fun and leaves us here to hunt 
down strays?" Clyde complained. "It's BS!"

"Hey! You got a bug up your crack then take it up with Razor," the 
second demon snapped.

Anya and Tara stopped breathing as the demons moved near the rock.

"Until then," the second demon growled. "Do as he says and shut your 
hole before I rip you a new one!"

After a couple of moments the second demon growled.

"Oh screw this!" he grumbled. "Let's get out of here and hit some 
stores."

Tara and Anya began breathing again as the demons moved away.

"Did he say stores?" Anya whispered, demanding. "Did he say stores? 
Does that mean looting?"

"I think the woods end over here, we can get out this way," Tara said 
softly. "We should keep off the streets, stick to the alleys."

"They can't loot the Magic Box!" Anya protested. "It's almost mine!"

"Shhhh, let's go," Tara urged.

"You don't think they'll do a lot of damage, do you?" Anya whined.

Tara sighed and pulled Anya along. 

* * *

Spike sat on top of his tomb, watching the demons rampaging through 
the streets. "Bloody hell!" he muttered. The vampire figured he had 
done enough watching, time for action.  

The blonde vampire jumped down with a baseball bat in his hands. He 
moved quickly into the street, smashed the face of a passing demon 
and grabbed the motorcycle up before it crashed into a car.

Spike stuck the bat across the handlebars and quickly zipped down an 
alley, heading for Janice Franklin's house. He hadn't been invited 
in and couldn't protect Dawn that way, but he could ensure the 
Hellion demons wouldn't get in.

"Goddamn road pirates!" Spike had run into them before. He would 
have loved to run with them even before the chip except they hated 
vampires and their weaknesses to sunlight. "They usually only pick 
small jerkwater towns, they must have got word the Slayer was absent."

Spike growled and moved the motorcycle faster.

* * *

Tara and Anya quickly move into the Magic Box through the back door 
and Tara squeaked as someone raised a pick axe over their heads.

"Giles!" Anya shrieked and the Englishman slowly lowered the weapon 
as Tara closed the door.

"Are Xander and Willow here?" Tara asked quickly.

"No, just the demons outside," Giles said softly.

"Oh thank god," Anya muttered and noticed Tara and Giles looking 
confused. "The store hasn't been looted, I mean."

They all moved to glance around the door jam to the front of the 
store as demons crashed through the windows of the shop across the 
street.  

"Yes," Anya muttered. "Xander."

"They're okay," Tara said, trying to reassure her friend.

"Then why aren't they here?" Anya demanded.

"I don't know," Tara muttered.

"Let's keep out of sight, shall we?" Giles suggested, moving away 
from the doorway.

"Xander could by lying somewhere broken and bleeding and calling my 
name," Anya whined.

"Anya," Tara said softly.

"Like that!" Anya snapped. "What if they're really hurt?"

"Anya," Tara snapped. "He's with Willow, if something happened, I'd 
know. So would you."

"You think so?" Anya asked hopefully.

"Yes," Tara nodded. "Maybe they got lost in the woods."

"The woods?" Anya squeaked. "We're going back to the woods? I hate 
the woods. All those woody trees&"

"No," Tara smiled, suddenly excited. "Lost is good. Willow and I 
always know how to find each other."

Giles and Anya watched as Tara crossed to a low round coffee table 
and tossed several books aside and sat on top of it. She moved to 
sit cross-legged, resting her hands on her knees and closed her eyes.

"With yoga?" Anya demanded.

"Shhhh," Tara said softly. "Aradia, hear my words&."

* * *

Willow leaned heavily against Xander's arm, panting.  

"Okay," Xander snapped. "This is beginning to grate my cheese. These 
woods aren't that big! Now, I know we've been going straight because 
I've been following the North Star."

Willow stopped and looked up. "That's not the North Star, it's an 
airplane."

Xander looked worried as Willow moved to lean against a tree.  

"I can't walk anymore," she panted. "I need to rest."

"It can't be much further, Will," her friend said softly.

"You said that an hour ago," she snapped and then sighed. "I just&
that spell took a lot out of me."

"For example, snakes?" he suddenly demanded. "How come you didn't 
tell us how much&"

"No, not right now, please," Willow begged.

"What we were into back there, Will?" he demanded.

"It doesn't matter anyway," Willow said softly, wiping away a tear.

"Do not get all avoidy on me!" Xander snapped.

"I'm not doing avoidy," Willow protested. "We just have bigger 
problems right now. Demons?"

"Oh right," he said sarcastically. "There's something you don't see 
every day. Unless you're us!"

"Yeah, well, we still have to deal with it," Willow snapped 
back. "What's that?"

"See avoidy!" Xander accused.  

Willow looked annoyed and pointed. "There! That light."

"What light?" Xander growled. "You mean that light moving towards us? 
Like incredibly fast moving towards us?" he squeaked.

"Hello?" Willow called out loudly.

"Hello?" Xander repeated, his voice an octave higher. "We're being 
hunted by demons and you're hello-ing a strange fast moving light in 
the dark?"

The bluish light they had spotted moved faster and closer, as if more 
sure of its destination. 

"It's a headlight!" Xander squeaked.

"No, it's too small," Willow said softly with a smile.

Xander grabbed up a tree branch and moved in front of Willow.

"Stay behind me!" he ordered.

"Xander, no!" Willow shouted.

The blue light flew right up to the young man, circling him.  

"Xander, that's&."

"A bug! A firey like bug!" he yelped.

"Xander, stop it!" she yelled as Xander swatted at the light. She 
began moving to follow the light as it moved off. "It's Tara."

Xander scrambled to catch up to Willow, wrapping an arm around her 
waist.

"And how long have you known that your girlfriend is Tinkerbell?" he 
demanded.

* * *

Spike pulled up outside Janice's home and quickly bashed two demons 
over the head when they got too close to the door. He ducked down on 
the porch with the bat in his hands.

The vampire enjoyed being able to bash something, even if it was only 
demons and not humans. He waited patiently for his next targets. 

* * *

Giles and Anya jumped when someone began pounding on the back door.  
Tara merely opened her eyes and smiled.

"Go away!" Anya shouted. "Already looted, nice appliance store three 
doors down!"

"Anya!" Xander yelled from outside.

Anya threw the door open and dragged Xander and Willow inside. Giles 
locked the door behind them as Anya hugged her boyfriend. Tara moved 
off the table quickly to take Willow into her arms. 

Tara and Giles led Willow to a chair. The witch settled down with a 
grimace of pain.

"I knew you weren't dead!" Anya cried out.

"You were worried?" Xander asked with a smile.

"Are you okay?" Tara asked the red-haired witch.

"No, not yet," Willow said softly. "I will be."

Tara began to gently stroke her hair.

Giles, watching Willow, frowned.

"Someone want to tell me what's going on?" he demanded.

"Nope," Xander quipped. "We were out slaying and got separated when 
the demons hit town. Willow threw some magic at them and wiped 
herself out."

Willow looked up, her eyes grateful.

Giles didn't look convinced.

"Where's Dawn and Spike?" Willow asked, looking around. "I thought 
they'd make it here."

"Maybe they're on their way here," Xander suggested. "I mean this 
place is NORAD, and we are at Defcon one."

Everyone looked at him with blank expressions.

"Okay, I need more male friends," he grumbled.

"We have to look for them," Willow started to stand up but Tara 
firmly held her down in the chair.

"I talked with Dawn, actually," Giles added. "She's at Jesscia's 
house and I advised them to hide in the basement until the danger was 
over."

"When will that be?" Xander demanded.

"The demons must believe that Buffy is gone," Giles suggested.

"Well, they've got that right," Willow said bitterly.

"How are we supposed to fight these guys?" Xander demanded. "Willow 
is magicked out, Spike is missing, Dawn is safe. There's a 
probability that they're gonna break in here."

"I suggest we stay here until they do," Giles said firmly.  

"They could break in at Janice's place and hurt Dawn," Anya said 
thoughtfully.

"Do we risk going out there?" Xander asked brutally.  

"Maybe they'll tire themselves out and move on?" Tara suggested.

The sound of crashing glass moved Giles, Xander and Anya to glance 
towards the front of the store. They could see a pack of demons 
stopping in the middle of the road in a circle.

"Say hello to your new home, boys!" Razor shouted, pouring a beer 
down his throat.

Willow frowned and stood up on unsteady feet.

"Looks like we have to do something," she said firmly. "Grab a 
weapon, people."