FIC: Born Again (12/14)

["cilia" <cilia@xxxxx>]

Hello dears,
Well the Born Again story is reaching it's end. See Author's notes in
part 00 for further details.
Yours Faithful Bard
Cilia

Title: Born Again
Part: 12
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 11

The assembly stared at the severed head that lay on the table and then all
eyes turned to the newcomer.
"Miss Crimson, please have a seat," Nathaniel offered and
motioned to the empty seat.
"No thanks I'd rather stand," she stated and Willow took the
time to take in her features. She was tall - six foot six at least- with a
soft round face, long red hair tied into a ponytail and a coat concealed the
rest of her body.
"What is your business here?" Nathaniel asked calmly.
"I'm taking over, plain and simple," Crimson explained in the
same smooth voice she'd introduced herself.
"And you expect us just to quietly step down it that it?"
Leonardo asked calmly.
"Well. yes," Crimson stated.
"And if we refuse?" Alexander asked.
Crimson smiled at him and then made an off with his head gesture.
"You're going to kill us?" Alexander asked with a laugh.
"No they are," Crimson stated and pointed at something behind
Alexander, "I hate killing," she added.
"Oh, please," Alexander stated and turned around.
"Not smart," Willow muttered and there was a crack as a stake
was embedded into Alexander's chest, he managed to turn around before
exploding into dust.
"You really shouldn't have done that," Nathaniel said as
everybody around the table jumped to their feet.
"And you bore me," Crimson stated and walked towards the stairs.
"Kill them all," she ordered and within seconds the cave was floated with
minions and she was gone.
"Oh shit!" Susan muttered as the first vampire started to jump
the gorge onto the meeting platform.
"Teleportation," Willow muttered as she drew her sword.
"Never thought I'd have to say this, but. Get out now I'll cover you!"
Willow shouted and the masters most of them didn't things twice and ran, but
three stayed, Nathaniel, Leonardo and Danielle.
"Didn't you hear me," Willow shouted as she staked the nearest
vamp and watch as Spike nearly carried Susan up the stairs.
"We did Miss Rosenberg," Leonardo stated blowing a lock of hair
out his eyes, "but we also take care of our own," he said as he punched a
vampire into the gorge.
"Okay, then let's cover their escape," Willow stated and took a
stance in the center of the group.
"Never thought I'd be fighting alongside you Willow," Danielle
stated.
"Well there is always a first time," Willow stated and sent a
head flying.
"I suggest we give pursuit," Nathaniel stated as he disposed of
his latest foe and the pack started to back away.
"Agreed, Nathaniel and I will kill the stragglers, you two head
back up to the temple and keep them at bay," Willow ordered and jumped on a
nearby ledge.
"Never argue with a lady," Leonardo stated and headed for the
stairs.
"You sure this is wise?" Danielle asked and grabbed Nathaniel's
hand, as he was about to jump.
"No, but it's as good as any and we need Miss Rosenberg's
allegiance at this point in time," he explained.
"Very well," she nodded kissed him and ran after Leonardo.
"Nice girl," Willow shouted from her ledge.
"Indeed," Nathaniel stated and jumped onto ledge.
"Understand that this does in no way affect my desire to dust
you," Willow stated firmly.
"The feeling is mutual," Nathaniel stated as they moved towards
along the ledge that then ended at a narrow tunnel just big enough for a
person to crawl through.
"So tell me about you and Danielle?" Willow asked after a few
minutes of silence as they crawled through a narrow passage.
"Americans," Nathaniel snorted.
"What?" Willow asked in confused, "and stop staring at my butt!"
"We're walking, well crawling into a highly lethal situation and
you inquire about my love life," he stated, "and I'm in no way interested in
your behind."
"No actually I just want to know how pissed off Danielle will be
when I finally kill you?" Willow asked, "and what's wrong with my butt?"
"Nothing, just not interested and she'd be. very upset, but
avenging me wouldn't be a priority," he stated.
"How so."
"Well." Nathaniel stopped talking when the tunnel opened onto a
ledge overlooking another cave where the vampires had gathered after the
initial attack and were currently getting back up.
"I'll throw fire spell at them and then we follow in its wake.
With luck it should take out at least half of them," Willow whispered and
closed her eyes while working the spell through her mind then slowly opening
them.
"On three. One. Two. Three, go, go," she shouted as a ball of
flame erupted from her hands and exploded into the center of the cave. Hell
was breaking loose.

Susan cursed her choice of footwear and Spike just plain cursed as they ran
for Willow's car. They came to a halt at the sight of the smoldering
wreckage that had been Willow's car and Spike's curses started to switch
languages.
"We're in deep shit right?" Susan asked in voice that was
surprisingly calm given the circumstances.
"You could say that, Crimson has got us outnumbered and out
planned," Spike stated he started walking quickly towards the general
direction of the Library.
"What do you mean out planned?" Susan asked.
"Her entrance, everything leading up to the meeting tonight
including Michael's Swift's death, the killing of that Alexander kid, it was
all planned," Spike stated.
"To what end?" Susan asked.
"You see with she killing Alexander she forces Nathaniel to take
direct action and thereby setting in motion a series of alliances with in
the council. Then given them no chance but to fight right here and now,"
Spike explained.
"And Micheal's killing?" Susan asked.
"Killing Michael drew Willow into the fight, so Crimson had
opportunity to take out all the big players with one blow," Spike explained.
"So what do we do?" Susan asked.
"We head for the Library, plan our course of action and wait for
Willow cause she's probably thinking the exact them thing," Spike stated.
"Plan? What is there to plan? We should just kill them," Susan
exclaimed.
"If we're just thinking of the short term effect, yes. But this
is also an opportunity to secure our power basis within the city," Spike
stated as they turned a corner.
"You are ruthless. Has anyone ever told you that?"
"A few," Spike nodded as they turned another corner and smack
into a patrol group of vampires.
"Oh bloody hell!" Spike cursed he drew the short sword, but then
noticed that they hadn't been spotted.
"This is the point were the female sidekick screams right?"
Spikes looked at the group and then back at Susan.
"How's your stamina?" he asked.
"I ran the three mile run in collage," she answered.
"Good, because we're going to try and sneak over to the Library
which is about ten blocks south. But if we're spotted we might have make a
run for it" Spike said and placed the sword back under his coat.
"Let's go then," Susan stated as they crept down the street.
"There they are!" One of the vampires shouted.
"Oh bollocks, run," Spike cursed as they took off.

TBC....