Dark are the Shadows
Ms. Hunter Ash
a BTVS/Dark Shadows cross over
rating: PG-13
pairings: Buffy/Quentin, Xander/Anya, Willow/Tara, Barnabas/Roxanne, Julia/Thomas, Maggie/Joe, Giles/Angelique
# # ##
Giles pulled the Jeep into the warehouse and turned the vehicle off as Buffy closed the door behind them.
“How did you know we were in trouble?” Buffy asked as Willow dashed for the bathroom with a bloody nose.
“We captured one of her demons and he said Glory thought she knew who the key might be,” Giles said. “I saw your Jeep in the parking lot and knew where you keep a spare key in that magnetic thing. We sensed you were in trouble.”
“I'm glad you had that feeling,” Buffy said.
“How do we fight her and are we staying here?” Dawn asked.
“No, back to the tomb,” Buffy said. “Glory knows about the mansion and our house. As for fighting her...we don't. We can't fight her.”
“Well, not yet, but...” Giles stammered.
“No, not ever. She's too strong, Giles. We're not gonna win this with stakes or spells. She's a god and she's coming for us. So let's just not be here when she starts knocking,” Buffy said. “We get Dawn to Maine and we take a trip until someone here lets us know there's no more Glory.”
“I need to go back to the store and relieve Anya of that demon,” Giles said absently. “Wait until dark to move to the tomb. Quentin and I will grab things from the mansion at sunset. We'll figure out how to get out of here. If we leave she may follow thinking Dawn is with us. This could work.”
# # # #
COLLINSPORT, MAINE
Barnabas frowned as he closed his phone.
“I remember when you refused to have electricity in the Old House,” Carolyn said as she stepped out onto the terrace. “Seeing you with a phone is weird. What's up? Something major is happening.”
“That was Quentin,” Barnabas said. “He says that hell god knows that Dawn is the key to her collapsing all the universes together and it will lead to Dawn's death and the end of mankind. That's if mankind was lucky.”
“Is Dawn coming back here?”
“Not tonight but probably tomorrow or tomorrow evening,” Barnabas said.
“Do you and Roxanne need to go back?”
“They said no. They're going on the run and two more vampires would be difficult, they already have Tara and Angelique and Spike will go with them,” Barnabas answered. “He is apparently fond of Dawn. Quentin is going to watch over Joyce Summers.”
“Damn, I like everyone there,” Carolyn commented.
“So do I.”
# # # #
SUNNYDALE, CALIFORNIA
“We aren't going to see Mom first?” Dawn asked as she and Buffy waited by the wall of the graveyard.
“No, we're going to get out of town and get you back to Barnabas,” Buffy said. “Then we'll keep her running around all over southern California.”
“Anybody else feel that?” Anya asked as she sat on an ice chest.
“What?” Willow asked as she held Tara's hand.
“A cold draft of paralyzing fear,” Anya responded.
“We just need to stay calm,” Tara urged.
“Calm, right,” Willow said, her voice reflecting skepticism.
“Hey, we gotta be like Sgt. Rock, cool and collected in the face of overwhelming odds,” Xander suggested.
“Over-whelming? How much more than whelming would that be exactly?” Anya demanded.
“Look, everything will be all right,” Buffy said. “As soon as Giles arrives....”
A large RV pulled up next to the group with its windows covered with tin foil. The door swung open and Angelique leaned out. “Climb aboard.”
“We'll feel oddly worse,” Buffy muttered and climbed inside the vehicle.
The Slayer dropped her backpack on the table that had a c-shaped booth around it. She leaned over and looked out of the driver's window. “Drop by Willie's place. Spike's coming with us. He was one of the few that even made Glory hesitate.”
“Are you sure?” Giles asked.
“Will's magic and Spike, Tara and Angelique's vampire strength might keep Dawn out of her hands.”
“All right.”
Buffy glanced around the RV and found it was pretty typical. There was a small kitchen area with a sink, the booth and table, a door leading, presumably to a bathroom and another at the rear as a master bedroom. There was another sleeping area above the driver and passenger seats.
“This will be interesting to figure who is sleeping where,” Buffy commented.
“The table folds up to one side and the long portion of the booth turns into a short bed,” Giles said. “You or Dawn should fit there.”
“Thanks, I live for the jabs about my shortness.”
“My pleasure.”
# # # #
Two men escorted the monk warrior Orlando out of Sunnydale General and approached bushes lining the parking lot. A man stepped out wearing battle armor with the mark of the Knights of Byzantium on his forehead and he had several long scars running down one side of his face.
“Dante, you have him,” he said.
“Yes, General,” Dante answered. He and the other man pulled their baseball caps off to reveal the marks on their foreheads.
The general put a hand on Orlando's shoulder.
“Our brother has returned to the fold,” Dante commented.
“Welcome home, Orlando,” the general said. “I swear by my sword your sacrifice will not go un-avenged.”
Orlando reached out to touch the amulet around the general's neck. “Shiny.”
“Yes, I suppose it is,” the general agreed.
“Pretty little girl was shiny too,” Orlando said.
“Brother Dante, watch him,” the general said. “Make sure he's comfortable.”
“So shiny,” Orlando continued. “She was a pretty little shiny key.”
Both the general and Dante stared.
“The key?” the general asked. “You've seen it?”
“Pretty, little shiny girl,” Orlando answered.
“The monks.... they've made the key human,” the general surmised.
“General Gregor, we know the Slayer is protecting the key. If what Orlando says is true...”
Gregor pulled a bush aside and Dante said a large number of knights standing in formation.
“Prepare to advance, we end this now,” Gregor said firmly.
Knights began following him, most on foot, some were on horseback.
# # # #
COLLINSPORT, MAINE
“Barnabas, staying here while they're in danger will be hard,” Roxanne commented as he wrapped his arms around her from behind and they looked out over Collins property from the terrace.
“I know but we would be in the way,” Barnabas said. “They're going to have their core group which includes Tara and Spike and Angelique will be with them. Unless they're in a bus that will make it very crowded with two vampires that can't wake up during the day easily.”
“I know but... we could help watch over Joyce Summers,” Roxanne suggested.
“But they're sending Dawn here,” Barnabas said with a frown.
“Julia and Thomas along with Amy and Carolyn can watch over her,” Roxanne pointed out.
“Let's arrange it,” he said and grabbed her hand. “Let's talk to everyone. Thankfully everyone is still here inside. It'll be sunrise soon, we'll have to wait until sunset. We can ride in the trunk and have Carolyn drive us like before.”
# # # #
SUNNYDALE, CALIFORNIA
Joyce opened her eyes and frowned. “Quentin?”
“Hi,” Quentin responded and stood up. “I'm going to be here a lot.”
“Where's Buffy, Dawn and Rupert?” she demanded to know. “Ow, moving hurts a little.”
“Glory has figured out Dawn is the key,” Quentin said truthfully. “They're heading towards Los Angeles to hand Dawn off to Angel's crew so they can get her on a plane to Maine.”
“And then?”
“Buffy and the others are going to drive around to keep ahead of Glory and make her think Dawn is with them,” Quentin said. “They'll drop clues to keep her on their trail.”
“That's so dangerous,” Joyce commented.
“Yes, but Buffy is insistent and she's determined to keep Dawn safe.”
“Oh God,” Joyce whispered.
Quentin pulled his cellphone out and handed it to Joyce. “Everyone is on speed dial.”
“Thank you,” Joyce said and tried to smile. “Buffy, are you all right?”
“Yeah, we are, Mom,” Buffy's voice said over the speaker. “We weren't hurt when Glory figured it out. She got interrupted by a truck. We're going around a weird way towards LA to drop Dawn off with Angel or Wesley.”
“All right, let me know when she gets on a plane, please,” Joyce said. “And... be careful, please.”
“As best we can, Mom,” Buffy promised. “I'm sorry we're not there.”
“As long as Dawn is safe we'll be fine here,” Joyce said. “I love you both very much.”
“Love you too, Mom. We'll call in a few hours,” Buffy said. “Bye.”
# # # #
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Xander stumbled to the passenger seat of the RV looking fairly queasy.
“Spike is a pain in the ass,” he grumbled. “Working on the last nerve!”
“Well, Buffy does have a point,” Giles said. “In a confrontation, Spike may prove useful.”
“I don't know if Buffy's thinking too clear on that one,” Xander said softly.
“She's been through more than her fair share of late with the Leviathans, Blair, me being tossed through time, a new relationship and Glory,” Giles pointed out. “That's a lot.”
“Yeah,” Xander said.
“Let's hope whatever timing that insane wench has that she falls short and the danger will be passed,” Giles said.
“Unless she gets really pissed off and decides to get revenge,” Xander muttered.
Dawn got up and went to the back of the RV and sat down on the bed next to Buffy. “Thanks.”
“For what?” Buffy asked.
“Pretty much everything,” Dawn said.
“Oh yeah, doing a great job at fleeing,” Buffy grumbled. “I'm the Slayer, the Chosen One. All mythic and stuff, evil nasties are supposed to flee from me, not the other way around.”
“You're not fleeing,” Dawn protested. “You're...moving at a brisk pace.”
“It just keeps coming,” Buffy said softly. “Glory, Blair, the Leviathan demons, Riley...”
“There's a bright side,” Dawn suggested.
“There is?” Buffy asked.
“Yeah, at least things can't get any crazier, right?”
Buffy and Dawn jumped as an arrow flew in through the window to embed itself in the wall next to Buffy's head.
“You know this is your fault for saying that,” Buffy quipped.
This is what the Slayer understood at the very basic core of her calling: the fight.
Buffy looked out the window cautiously and her eyebrows rose at the sight of... knights on horseback.
“Giles!” Buffy yelled as she and Dawn rushed into the main area of the RV.
“I see them,” he called back.
“See who?” Spike demanded.
Another arrow appeared in the wall beside the vampire.
“Arrows!” Xander exclaimed.
“Bloody hell!” Spike yelled.
“Dawn, under the table,” Buffy ordered. She opened a cabinet and pulled out an automatic pistol and handed Anya the weapon. “Under the table, protect her and yourself.”
Anya nodded.
Buffy glanced at the upper berth where Tara and Angelique slept despite the chaos.
More arrows appeared in the walls from the crossbows.
“Weapons?” Giles yelled.
“You're driving one!” Spike yelled back.
“Don't hit the horses!” Willow protested.
“We won't,” Buffy assured her and moved to look out over Giles' shoulder. “Aim for the horses.”
Giles yanked the steering wheel over to hit one of the knights only the warrior road his horse off the road and Giles was forced to turn the RV back straight on the road.
“Did we shake them?” Xander demanded.
A sword stabbed through the ceiling near Xander's head.
Giles and Buffy looked up at the roof as the sword disappeared.
Buffy moved to the rear of the RV as the sword pierced the ceiling again.
“Stay low!” she yelled. “Watch out for the....”
A sword stabbed through the roof and Spike grabbed the blade with both hands, stopping it from hitting Buffy's head. Spike gritted his teeth as someone attempted to pull the sword free.
“Now would be a good time for something heroic!” Spike yelled.
“Xander, the hatch!” Buffy jumped up on the table and opened a hatch in the roof. Xander boosted her through it.
Buffy climbed onto the roof behind the knight. He yanked on the sword, pulling it free and causing Spike to yell.
Buffy ducked the knight's swing, pulled back from a backhand slash and she spun and kicked his legs out from under him. The Slayer jumped the knight and began hitting him.
Spike pulled shop rags from the weapons bag and began ripping one up with his teeth.
Buffy and the knight began exchanging blows, his armor protecting him from her full strength and a kick to her head sent her over the side, to cling to the railing surrounding the roof. She looked around and saw a knight approaching her on horseback with a mace.
Dawn took one of the rags and ripped it and handed it up to Spike.
The knight on the roof crouched above the Slayer to hit her but Buffy kicked upward, causing him to fall backwards. She vaulted onto the roof before the mace could hit her.
She squared off against the knight on the roof and blinked when a grappling hook took hold of the railing. Buffy punched the knight she was fighting, did a round kick and hit him in the chest. The knight went over the side with a scream.
The second knight reached the roof as another grappling hook latched onto the railing on the other side.
Dawn tied the rags around Spike's hands.
Willow screamed as a knight broke in the window next to the booth. Spike yelled and fell out of the booth away from the sun.
Willow grabbed a frying pan and began hitting the knight attempting to enter through the window. After several hits he fell away, hitting the road hard.
On the roof Buffy faced two knights, one with an axe and the other with a mace. She punched the one with the axe and kicked the other knight. She kicked the first knight and ducked a swing from the mace only to wince as it turned in a backhand, hitting her in the back. She punched the second knight and did a back-flip and kicked them both in the faces.
Buffy grabbed the fallen sword and jammed it into the swing of the mace and pulled the knight close. She kicked the first knight away and spun the second knight around and kneed him in the stomach. She followed through by throwing him off the RV, losing the sword and mace.
Buffy ducked an axe swing and kicked the first knight in the chest. She grabbed his axe hand and used her other hand to punch him. She yelled when he grabbed her from behind, attempting to hold her. She hit the hand with the axe, causing the knight to drop the weapon. Buffy shook free enough to grab the axe and swung it at the first knight. As he ducked the swing she kicked him off the roof.
The Slayer spun and threw the axe into the chest of a knight climbing the ladder on the back of the RV. He fell backwards with a scream.
Giles glanced at the mirrors and frowned as the knights seemed to pull back. “Is everyone all right?”
Then he saw another knight, one with a javelin. “Oh bollocks!”
The Watcher twisted the wheel as the knight threw the javelin. Giles gritted his teeth and fell onto the steering wheel, sending the vehicle out of control. He tried to sit up as screams vibrated through the RV.
Buffy tried to keep her balance on the vehicle. She jumped from the roof and landed on the ground into a roll. She sat up in time to see the RV careen off the road and turn on its side.
# # # #
COLLINSPORT, MAINE
Carolyn bit her lip as she glanced at the clock in her office. She should have received word about what flight Dawn would be on, right?
She dialed a number from a card.
“Angel Investigations, may I help you?” someone answered.
“This is Carolyn Stoddard-Hawkes in Maine,” Carolyn said. “Buffy Summers said that she was going to have someone from your office get Dawn on a plane. Do we have a flight number and airline?”
“Not yet,” the voice responded. “This is Cordelia, we met at the mansion. We expected Buffy to be here before this and we're getting worried. No one is answering their phones and we don't know what route they were going to take.”
“Damn!” Carolyn muttered. “Okay, let me know if you hear anything, please.”
“First thing,” Cordelia promised.
Carolyn hung up the phone and looked at the clock again.
# # # #
CALIFORNIA
“There! That old gas station, mini-mart or whatever it was,” Buffy said to the group as they stumbled down the hot road. Xander had one of Giles' arm over his shoulders and was helping the Watcher along as Willow and Anya carried a covered Tara and Buffy carried a covered Angelique over her shoulders in a fireman's carry and Spike dashed along with a smoldering blanket.
“Bloody quick, I'm burning up out here,” Spike complained.
A few moments later, Spike kicked the door open and rushed inside. The others quickly followed.
The building consisted of two rooms with little furnishings of any kind other than two chairs and a counter. Willow looked out one of the haphazardly boarded up windows.
“Spike, help Xander get Giles on that counter, please,” Buffy ordered as she laid Angelique down away from the small shafts of sunlight streaking in.
Giles moaned and Buffy winced as she took in the amount of blood covering the left side of his stomach.
Spike hissed and pulled back and readjusted the make-shift bandages on his hands.
Anya placed a bag of weapons under Giles' head as he panted and gritted his teeth.
Buffy quickly checked Dawn over. “Are you okay?”
“Spike's hurt,” Dawn responded.
Buffy glanced at his hands and nodded. “They'll heal.”
“Florence bloody Nightingale to the rescue,” Spike muttered.
“Is.... is there another plan?” Anya asked Buffy. “Other than javelins and arrows in an RV?”
“We.... we'll rest here for a bit,” Buffy said. “Then we have to keep moving.”
“To where?” Xander asked.
“I don't know!” Buffy snapped. “We can't stay here! It's too close to the wreck, we're too easy to find.”
“Buff,” Willow called as she examined Giles and Buffy rushed over.
“Will, how is he?” Buffy asked softly and bit her lip as Giles sweated and blood flowed from his mouth. “Will?”
“I think I slowed the bleeding, but... I can't do more with magic,” Willow said. “It's always hit and miss when healing someone.”
Everyone ducked when a flaming arrow pierced one of the widow and landed into a wall.
“Everyone down!” Buffy yelled as another fire-arrow broke a window.
Xander grabbed the first arrow and stomped it out on the floor.
Buffy pushed Dawn behind the counter, shielding her on three sides.
More fire-arrows pierced the windows.
Xander glanced out one of the holes to see a gathering of the knights with bows and arrows with fire burning in an old oil drum.
“We got company,” he said.
“What gave you that impression?” Spike snapped.
He saw a man ride up on a horse as more fire arrows rained down on the building.
“Willow!” Buffy yelled.
Willow was crouching beside the counter with a hand keeping pressure on Giles' wound as the other flipped through a magic book. “I'm working on it!”
Buffy and Spike worked together to shove a large coffee machine to the front door and they tipped it over on its side.
# # #
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA
“Angel, I'm sorry about waking you but... Buffy and Dawn should have been here by now,” Cordelia said as she shook her boss' shoulder. “No one is answering their phones. We don't know where to start looking.”
Angel shook his head and sat up. “What time is it?”
“9 a.m.,” Cordelia answered.
“I'll be right up, get out the maps.”
# # # #
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