Dark are the Shadows - 11/11/2019

Dark are the Shadows – master 002

Ms. Hunter Ash

BTVS & Dark Shadows cross-over

copyright stuff: I don't own the characters from BTVS or Dark Shadows - original characters and plot ideas are mine, thanks.

Pairings: Xander/Anya, Willow/Tara, Giles/Angelique, Buffy/Quentin

Rating: PG13

# # ##

Barnabas pulled his shirt off with a wince and looked down at his scratched chest and bruised ribs. "Stupid demons."

"You were always too thin."

Barnabas turned and nodded at Julia in the doorway to the bedroom. "It’s common among most vampires. I was fit before I died.... each time."

"Are you all right?" Julia asked.

"Yes," her husband answered. "Quentin and I had a few demons to tend to inside. I'm sorry I wasn't outside when they attacked."

"I was able to fight back as a wolf," Julia said. "I saw Elizabeth and Carolyn were all right. Elizabeth hid under a table and Carolyn hid in the garage in a tool cabinet once she saw Elizabeth was hidden."

"Smart girl," Barnabas commented as he pulled on a clean shirt but left it unbuttoned. "I should clean up."

"Tara stood up against her family," Julia commented as she followed her husband to the bathroom and watched him pull the shirt off and begin cleaning up. "That's quite a step."

"It is," Barnabas agreed. "I’d wager they won't slow down until they hit Sacramento."

Julia laughed softly.

"Perhaps now we can show Tara how to hunt and how to utilize her powers that she gained as a vampire," Barnabas suggested. He looked at his wife as he pulled on his shirt and buttoned it.

"You're wanting to stay on a bit?" Julia asked.

"Yes," Barnabas answered with a frown. "Tara hasn't even gone out in public as a vampire and Nicholas Blair is still running loose. This new danger might be something he can take advantage of. We must be here to stop it."

"Of course," Julia said softly.

"What are you not wanting to say?" Barnabas asked. "I know you, Julia."

"Yes, you do," Julia agreed. "I want to go home, Barnabas. Back to the Old House. We'll figure out a way to keep Maggie and Joe from seeing us. Elizabeth needs to get back into school and Carolyn has the house and company to run."

Barnabas sighed. "We've been on the move for decades," he agreed. "I can't leave just yet."

"Because of Roxanne," Julia said.

"No, I'm responsible for turning Tara into one of us, she needs guidance," Barnabas countered.

"They have vampire friends, they can help with Tara," Julia suggested.

"They aren't like us, Julia," Barnabas responded. "They don't have the same powers or restrictions. They can move about in the daytime, for example."

"I'm going home, Barnabas," Julia said after a moment.

"With Thomas as a day guard," Barnabas ventured.

"Yes," Julia answered. "He wants to be with Elizabeth more."

"And he prefers you to me at the moment even though I haven't done anything to warrant this mistrust," Barnabas snapped. "I told Roxanne I'm in love with you."

"We'll leave tomorrow night," Julia told her husband.

Barnabas sighed and nodded.

"I’ll have Quentin arrange for a plane tomorrow," he said.

"Who will guard you during the day if Quentin comes with us?"

"I'm sure they can shove my coffin in a corner while they watch over Tara," Barnabas said with a trace of bitterness. "Don't worry about me."

"Come home as soon as possible," Julia urged and touched his arm.

"Of course," Barnabas agreed but his expression didn't soften. "I'm going to go check on everyone or go out or something."

"Barnabas...."

"Not tonight, Julia," Barnabas said. "We've had enough words, I think. Many more and they'll become weapons."

# # # #

Quentin smiled as he sat down next to Buffy in the living room. "How are you doing? Are you both all right?" he asked Joyce and Dawn.

Joyce nodded. "I... that was very frightening and confusing."

"There was a lot going on," Buffy agreed. "I'm just glad we had a lot of people that could help handle it."

Dawn yawned and Joyce squeezed her shoulder.

"We should get home," Joyce suggested.

"I'm going to stay at the house tonight," Buffy said. "You want to do lunch tomorrow, Quentin?"

"Absolutely," he said as he stood up. "It'll be a full house here, tonight."

"Yeah, with the LA gang, ours and the Collins and Jennings family," Buffy agreed. "Come on, squirt, let's go home."

Angel walked over and smiled at the Summers girls. "Buffy, is Giles serious about what he said earlier?"

"I don't think he'd joke about that, especially with you," Buffy said.

"I never thought he'd want this place," Angel commented.

"Neither did I but we do need a place bigger than his condo and we owe you a lot of repairs around here," Buffy suggested.

Angel nodded. "That makes sense. We're going to head back in the morning. I think some of your vampires are going home as well."

"Home?" Buffy repeated. "Thanks, I'll call you tomorrow. Hang on a minute, Mom."

The Slayer walked over quickly to Barnabas as he stepped out of the house into the backyard where the others were working to move the demon bodies into an abandoned mansion next door where the scavenger demons would find them.

"Are you leaving tomorrow?" she asked anxiously.

"No, I am not leaving," Barnabas said. "Nicholas is still here and Tara needs some guidance."

"You didn't say 'we'," Buffy observed.

"No, I didn't," Barnabas agreed. "Julia, Elizabeth, Thomas and Carolyn will fly home tomorrow. I don't know what Quentin's plans are."

Buffy frowned. "Barnabas..."

"Don't worry, we will work through this," Barnabas said. "Julia and I have been through a lot over the years. We always get past it."

"Have you two ever really been apart?"

"Not since she joined me as a vampire," Barnabas admitted.

"Barnabas...."

The vampire shook his head. "Thank you for your concern, I am grateful. She needs some time, apparently. Let me talk with Quentin and discover if he's going home as well. I'm hoping not. Please excuse me."

"Me too," Buffy said softly. "Come on, guys, lets go home."

# # # # #

Quentin walked up next to Angel as the vampire looked over the living room of the mansion that was finally quiet.

"Who is where?" he asked the vampire.

"Giles and Angelique are in one room, Julia is in another, Cordelia is sharing one with Carolyn and Elizabeth, Willow and Tara are in the master, Wes and Thomas are on air mattresses down here, Anya and Xander have a room upstairs," Angel said. "I think that's everyone."

"And Barnabas?" Quentin asked.

"Brooding on the patio," Angel informed Quentin.

"I'm going to try talking to him," Quentin said. "When are you leaving?"

"Before sunrise," Angel answered. "I'll ride in the trunk."

"Interesting," Quentin said. "I'll be back in shortly."

"Quentin, if you're interested in dating Buffy just... don't hurt her or lead her on," Angel said.

Quentin hesitated a moment. "I'll keep that in mind. Excuse me."

The immortal werewolf found Barnabas sitting in a lawn-chair with his fingers steepled in front of him staring at nothing.

"May I join you?" he asked his cousin.

Barnabas nodded and looked up at Quentin. "Everyone else asleep?"

"Mostly," Quentin said. "Buffy says some of us are leaving tomorrow night. Who and why?"

"Julia, Thomas and Elizabeth for certain," Barnabas said with a sigh. "Probably Carolyn since she needs to get back to the house."

"Why is Julia leaving?" Quentin asked bluntly.

"You'll have to ask her," Barnabas said. "I'm not quite sure except that she sees Roxanne as a threat despite me rejecting the girl."

"And you're staying," Quentin observed.

"Not for Roxanne," Barnabas said, his voice weary. "Tara needs guidance and Nicholas is still out there and he is still a threat."

"Angelique could guide Tara," Quentin suggested. "She's even a witch same as Tara."

Barnabas' eyebrows rose. "You would seriously consider that a good idea? Their magic isn't the same and... it's Angelique."

"That's true," Quentin conceded. "Go home, Barnabas. Go home with your wife. I'll stay and help out here. You've risked yourself so many times to save the family and others."

"I'm staying," Barnabas said. "I seem to be bad luck for Nicholas Blair and I owe Nicholas for doing that to Tara and the others."

"How can I help?" Quentin asked.

"Depends on if you're staying," Barnabas said.

"If I wasn't?" Quentin asked.

"I'd ask you to help Thomas to keep Julia safe and find a way to keep Maggie and Joe from finding out about Julia," Barnabas said thoughtfully.

"You don't include yourself in the danger of Maggie and Joe finding out? You have more of a troublesome history with them," Quentin pointed out.

"That doesn't matter now," Barnabas said. "I'm here, Julia will be there."

"I remember how panicked Julia was when the Leviathan turned you back into a vampire. How worried she was because you would be so vulnerable during the day," Quentin remarked. "I can't believe she and Thomas are leaving while Nicholas is out there because you were attracted to Roxanne in the past?"

"Now you know my confusion," Barnabas said. "I'm going out for a bit. If I don't get back before sunrise I'll be back shortly after sunset."

"Is it wise to go off alone right now?"

"Wise or not, I need to get out of here," Barnabas said as he stood up. "I'll be somewhere safe and I'm not going out to find Roxanne. If you could, please arrange a plane and pilot for tomorrow evening."

"This is insane," Quentin commented. "I'll arrange the plane and I'm staying here with you."

"Thank you, I am very grateful for that."

# # # #

Buffy watched her mom sleeping from the hallway of the Summers house. She knew the birthday celebration would normally wear Joyce down but the addition of Lei-Ach demons, werewolves, vampires and Tara's family would exhaust anyone.

She glanced over when Dawn's door opened and her sister motioned Buffy inside the younger sister's bedroom.

"Hey, runt, what's up?"

"I can't sleep," Dawn admitted. "Buff, why does that sorcerer want me specifically? Did he send those demons?"

"I don't know," Buffy said as she sat down on Dawn's bed. "Most likely. He's been trying to kill Barnabas and the rest of us. As to why he wants you...when he had you and Mom the old demon gods he wanted to bring back wanted you to be their... high priestess or something. We think he wants to try again and make you one with the Borg types even if he can't open a gate. They're like the Illuminati or something, they work to gain a lot of influence and spread their cult, Giles says."

"Wow," Dawn said. "And that blonde whatever she is?"

"We don't know what she wants yet," Buffy said. "Don't worry, we're going to protect you."

"Okay," Dawn said. "I'm glad Tara is staying."

"Me too," Buffy said. "She's special. Can you imagine how her family would handle her being a vampire? I mean just picture this... 'Sorry, Dad, I can't cook breakfast, I sleep in now.'"

Dawn giggled. "And that dead pig, just ignore that."

Buffy laughed and nodded. "I thought he was going to have a heart attack when those demons showed up."

"Well, they were pretty ugly," Dawn conceded.

"That's true," Buffy agreed. "You want some hot chocolate? I'll make it."

"Deal!"

# # # #

Giles wrapped his arms around Angelique as she laid her head on his shoulder. He let his mind begin to drift.

Julia looked out of the bedroom window with a frown. She had expected Barnabas to spend the rest of the evening in their room with her in an attempt to reassure her and to possibly change her mind about leaving and he hadn't. She had reached out psychically but only slightly; she could tell her husband wasn't in the mansion and that was all.

Carolyn bit her lip as she took in the energy in the mansion and how much her family was hurting.

"Damnit, I just got Julia and Barnabas back!" she complained to Quentin.

"I know. I'm sorry we kept them from you for so long," Quentin responded. "They didn't know how you would react and Barnabas is constantly worried about someone remembering how he was. How many family and friends did he prey on?"

"Hmmm, I'd have to make a list," Carolyn said. "Maggie, me, Sabrina, Willie and Vicki in our time."

"And Megan Todd," Quentin added.

"Oh right, he even turned her into a vampire I found out later," Carolyn said with a nod. “Several women in town, some were killed. That was right after he arrived.”

"He bit Vicki? I didn't meet her," Quentin commented.

"I think so, she had a connection with him even when he was human and he really fell for her but she went head over heels for Burke Devlin and Peter Bradford. Vicki was...special and my half-sister."

"What?!"

"I found a letter among Mom's things after we lost her. She had planned on telling Vicki that she was Vicki's mother," Carolyn explained. "Then Vicki disappeared into the past before she could. Mom didn't say who Vicki's father was, just that she had Vicki out of wedlock and gave her up for adoption. I suspect it was Bill Malone."

"The manager that was killed," Quentin replied.

"Yes, he was kind of a father figure to me or an uncle or something. When Vicki was trapped in the west wing he appeared to her," Carolyn said with a smile. "Vicki always wondered where she came from and suspected someone in Collinsport knew the answers. She may have suspected Mom was her mom but didn't push."

"Amazing," Quentin commented. "Tell me more about Vicki."

"Well, David was small and boy was he a handful!"

# # #

Cindy smiled when she opened the door to Barnabas. "Bradley! I am so glad to see you!"

"Barnabas, my name is actually Barnabas," the vampire said as he entered the apartment. "Have room for me tonight?"

"Always," Cindy said as she locked the door.

"I sleep late," he remarked with a smile.

"I never have company other than you," Cindy promised. "False names, out of town frequently, military black ops trying to kidnap you... a man of mystery."

Barnabas nodded. "And fangs that are real."

"I like that part too."

"I... need company tonight," he said as she motioned towards the sofa.

"I'm told I'm good company," Cindy said. "No pressure about anything. I like just snuggling in addition to those fangs."

# # # #

Buffy, Quentin, Tara and Willow waved as Cordelia's car pulled away from the mansion.

"It's almost sunrise, I'm going to sleep for a few hours," Willow said as she nudged Tara gently. "Let's snuggle before the sun comes up."

"Okay," Tara agreed.

Slayer and immortal watched the two witches walk back into the house.

"What about you?" Quentin asked. "Have you slept at all?"

"Not yet," Buffy said. "I'm going to grab a couple of hours at home. You?"

"Thomas will wake up soon and I'll sleep then."

"We have just weird schedules," Buffy commented. "Barnabas and Julia will be asleep soon and Angelique."

"Barnabas isn't here," Quentin informed Buffy. He shrugged at her surprised expression. "He and Julia are having problems and it's not something with an easy answer because he wants to remain here to help Tara and fight Nicholas. I have no idea where he's at except he promised to be here after sunset tonight and he'd take care to be safe."

"Terrific," Buffy mumbled.

# # # ##

Glory picked up a Lei-Ach demon by the throat and threw it through a door.

She screamed in frustration and then raised her eyebrows when a man with a very well trimmed goatee stepped through the broken door. "Who are you?!"

"Please allow me to introduce myself, I am Nicholas Blair," the man said. "Magic, demons and gates are my interests and talents. We could possibly be after the same thing and that likely isn't going to end well. I'm hoping to encourage you to pick a different target."

"Impossible!" Glory snapped. "There's only one in existence! I need that key to go home. You can use it after I'm done... if there's anything left of this world."

"This would be a difficult partnership," Nicholas said as he looked thoughtful. "You're powerful but the deities I serve would brush you aside like a gnat. Hellfire, you couldn't even kill a Slayer with a horde of demons!"

"A Slayer? Small, blonde, stronger than other humans and an annoying bitch? Oh god, please don't tell me I was fighting a vampire slayer! How unbelievably common! If I had friends and they heard about this...and you know she's going to go around telling everybody!"

"Yes, no doubt," Nicholas agreed.

"I am great and I am beautiful! When I walk into a room all eyes turn to me and my name is a holy name! A vampire Slayer? How mundane!"

"Perhaps with your amazing power and talents we could both use the Key at the same time," Nicholas suggested. "Share in the proceeds, so to speak."

Glory started to grab Nicholas by the throat and both jumped apart with Glory shaking her hand.

"How dare you shock me?! Are you insane, human?!" she shrieked.

"One, you put hands on me," Nicholas said as he straightened his suit jacket. "Two, I'm not human. Good luck, lunatic."

Before Glory could respond Nicholas was gone.

The blonde hell-god pulled off one of her high heels and buried it in the skull of a demon that made the mistake of getting too close.

# # # #