Dark are the Shadows 12/08/2020

Note: like others, this year has affected me.  My writing has slowed and I apologize for that.  I got some new sparks igniting in the brain (yay!) Don't worry, I haven't dropped off or out yet. :)

Dark are the Shadows
Ms Hunter Ash
frost29@post.com
ripperbard7@yahoo.com

A BTVS/Dark Shadows crossover (and others if they jump in)

pairings: Barnabas/Roxanne, Buffy/Quentin, Giles/Angelique, Xander/Anya, Willow/Tara, Julia/Tom, Maggie/Joe

rating: PG13

# # #

Angel kicked open the door to the warehouse and jumped inside with a sword at the ready. He stepped aside and Xander and Gunn followed him in, both with bats in hand.

The three heroes slowly approached two figures in the center of a wide circle of bodies of demons.

“The robot?” Xander asked as Angel squatted next to Buffy and an unconscious or dead werewolf.

“No, it's not the robot,” Angel said softly.

Gunn turned the werewolf over and frowned. “Got a bad gash on his head. They took out a lot of Hellions here.”

“It's Buffy?” Xander whispered. “It worked?”

Angel quickly checked Buffy over and lifted her shirt and felt her skin and showed Xander and Gunn his bloody fingers. “She's hurt. Look at her fingernails, what the hell happened? What do you mean it worked?”

“Uh, can we get them out of here and get some help and talk about this later?” Xander suggested.

Angel jumped up and grabbed Xander by his shirt and pulled the young man off his feet as his face shifted into game face. “What did all of you do? Why are her fingernails broken and filthy?”

“Hey, wolfie is changing,” Gunn said and pulled back slightly as the werewolf changed back into Quentin in human form.

“Let me go!” Xander yelled. “She needs help not you taking time to beat me up.”

Quentin moaned and sat up slowly as Gunn helped him. “Buffy?”

“Let's get her to the hospital,” Angel said as he dropped Xander.

“Can we help her without the hospital?” Quentin asked. “She...she's going to be traumatized.”

“Because she woke up in a coffin?” Angel ventured.

Quentin nodded. “I know, I did. It was terrifying. At least she was strong enough to get out.”

“Coffin?” Xander whispered. “No...the ritual was interrupted!”

“Was that before or after you dug up the coffin, hero?” Gunn asked. “I'll help Quentin, you carry Princess.”

Angel nodded and pulled Buffy into his arms.

“No, this...”

“Stop talking, Xander!” Angel snapped.

# # # #

“I can't believe this!” Cordelia exclaimed as she tried to keep her voice low.

Angel sighed and nodded. “I know, I know. Are the others avoiding us but hovering on the edges?”

“Yeah,” Cordelia said as they glanced down into the living room. “How is she?”

“She's beginning to try and wake up,” the vampire said. “That knife wound should heal all right. It's her mental health I'm worried about. I spent time in hell and was totally insane when I was brought back. She wasn't gone as long, thankfully. Countering that is that she woke up in her coffin and clawed her way out.”

“That is... terrifying,” Cordelia said softly. “Gunn and Xander went out to try and help out against the remaining hellions.”

“Okay,” Angel answered. “Quentin is sitting with Buffy. We cleaned her up as best we could and treated her wounds and bruises.”

“How impossible was that ritual they did?”

“It had to be extraordinarily impossible or we'd see a lot more resurrections,” Angel said. “We'll hear some answers once we know Buffy is going to wake up.”

“Has anyone called Maine?”

“Not yet,” Angel said. “I told them I would seriously hurt them if any of them called Joyce or Giles.”

“Good.”

# # # #

COLLINSPORT, MAINE

“Quentin?” Carolyn asked as she answered her phone and people became more alert in the drawing room. “What's going on?”

“The gang was trying a ritual to close the Hellmouth or something,” Quentin said. “The downside would be that it would actually attract demons if it didn't work. We've spent most of the night fighting demons. They're almost cleared out.”

“Why the hell would they want you out of town?” Carolyn asked.

“Because I'd talk them out of the attempt,” Quentin said. Hopefully Carolyn would forgive him the lies later. “I have a feeling it was really dangerous but all of them are all right. I'm going to go make some strong coffee for them. Carolyn, keep Joyce, Dawn and Rupert close by. I'll call back when I know more.”

“All right,” Carolyn said and hung up the phone.

# # #

SUNNYDALE, CALIFORNIA

“Q-Quentin?”

The werewolf turned from the window and crossed the room quickly. “I'm here. Don't try and sit up yet. You took a good beating and were stabbed.”

“We ended up in hell?”

“Hell? No, Sunnydale,” Quentin said.

“But... demons everywhere, people were dead and cars were on fire.”

“Those were a particularly dangerous kind of demon,” Quentin responded. “The ritual to bring you back attracted them.”

“Back? I'm alive?” she asked and looked at her hands. “I couldn't breathe.”

“I know,” Quentin said softly. “They.... the ritual was interrupted before they could dig up the.... where you were.”

“Why am I back?”

“I haven't asked them,” Quentin said. “I know none of them have slept well since you... saved Dawn, especially Willow.”

“I died,” Buffy said as she slowly sat up. “I did what a Slayer does. I saved Dawnie.”

“And the world,” Quentin added.

Buffy looked at her hands and began to cry and Quentin wrapped his arms around her.

# # #

Angel moved around Cordelia quickly as the front door slammed open and Spike entered ahead of Xander and Gunn. He met Spike halfway down the stairs.

“Hold it, Spike.”

“Is it true then?” Spike demanded. “She's back? These misfits brought her back?”

“Shhh, she's back but she's traumatized and injured,” Angel said and glanced towards the Scooby gang as Xander joined the witches and Anya.

“Traumatized?” Spike asked, lowering his voice.

“She woke up in her coffin and they hadn't dug it up yet,” Angel whispered. “And she was just brought back from wherever her soul went.”

“Why are you out here? Wouldn't you be in there?” Spike asked. “And a coffin underground. Prats!”

“Quentin is with her,” Angel answered. “I heard her crying so she's awake. Come on, there's blood in the fridge. Come calm down and wash up. You were fighting with the hellions?”

“Yeah, I was fighting them and took out a couple and then jumped in to help these two and Gunn told me what happened,” Spike said as they walked back down the stairs.

They stopped when they heard a bedroom door opening.

“Cordelia, could you sit with her?” Quentin asked. “I'm going to get some coffee and talk with the gang.”

“Of course.”

Quentin walked down to the living room as Angel, Spike and Gunn joined him and the others.

“Buffy is awake,” he told the others. “She's confused and her body hurts. It may take some time for her to realize all of this is real. When she climbed out of her grave she saw fires, chaos, death and demons. She was talking and had a good cry, those are probably good signs. I'm going to make some calls and then get Joyce, Dawn and Rupert back here without telling them what's happened. Arranging it and getting them here will give Buffy a few hours to rest and try to... accept that she's here.”

“Can we talk to her?” Willow asked.

“She drifted off to sleep again,” Quentin said. “You all can explain to Angel what the hell happened while I make calls. I'll be back inside in a few. God, my head hurts.”

Angel crossed his arms. “Well?”

# # # #

COLLINSPORT, MAINE

“Collinwood, may I help you?”

“Amy? It's Quentin,” the werewolf said. “Who all is there?”

“Joyce, Dawn, Rupert, Barnabas, Thomas, Julia and Carolyn,” Amy answered. “Joyce and Dawn couldn't sleep.”

“Let me talk to Rupert, please.”

“All right,” Amy said. “Rupert? Quentin would like to talk to you.”

“Probably a question about the demons,” Giles said as he walked into the foyer and picked up the phone. “Hullo, Quentin, what's up?”

“Listen close,” Quentin said. “By the time you get to Bangor a plane will be ready to bring you, Joyce and Dawn to California. Rent a car in LA and get here ASAP but don't break the sound barrier. Angel and crew will get the rental car back to LA.”

“What on earth is going on?” Giles asked with a frown.

“I can't tell you over the phone,” Quentin said.

“Is someone....”

“No one is dead or hurt, I swear,” Quentin said. “Please, just get here. Along with Angelique if she wants to come along as well.”

“All right, we'll be there in a few hours,” Giles said. “See you then.”

Giles was frowning when he walked back into the parlor. “Uh, Quentin wants Joyce, Dawn, Angelique and I back in Sunnydale as quickly as possible. He swears no one is dead or injured but won't say what's wrong over the phone. A plane will be waiting for us in Bangor.”

“Wow,” Dawn said softly.

“I... well, we should pack then,” Joyce said. “Dawn, run on up and get started.”

After Dawn dashed up the stairs Joyce looked at Giles. “Did he say anything at all that could give us a hint?”

“No, none,” Giles said. “It'll be after sunrise when we get there...”

“Don't worry, Rupert,” Angelique said. “I'm going to stay here tomorrow and then follow. I prefer not to be carried off a plane like a sack of mail. Go pack.”

“I swear our lives are strange.”

## # # # #

SUNNYDALE, CALIFORNIA

Quentin stepped back inside. “Joyce, Dawn, Rupert and probably Angelique will be here in a few hours. Now, what happened?”

“Willow found a ritual to bring someone back from the dead if they had died from magical means,” Angel said. “She figured a gate was magical enough to qualify. They did the ritual but forgot to dig up the coffin before starting the ritual. The demons interrupted the ritual and they thought it didn't work. That's it.”

“And it was dangerous as hell, right?” Quentin ventured.

“Kinda,” Willow answered. “You would have told Giles and he'd try to stop us because it was dangerous.”

“Why risk it?” Quentin asked.

“Because we couldn't leave Buffy in some hellish realm,” Willow said. “Faith is the current Slayer but she's in jail. The world and Sunnydale needs a Slayer.”

“I'm going to check on her,” Quentin said after a moment. “Angel, which one of us breaks it to her family when they get here?”

“We could...”

“No,” Angel said firmly. “I'll talk with them and I'll be fair when explaining. I won't hang the bunch of you out to dry. I have a feeling that Giles will have a few words.”

Quentin nodded. “I'll send Cordelia down.”

“This isn't going to be fun,” Xander muttered.

“We got Buffy back,” Willow said softly. “That's all that counts.”

# # # #

COLLINSPORT, MAINE

“I'll call Thomas if I get a call from Quentin,” Carolyn said to Julia, Thomas and Barnabas. “He sounded extremely stressed but swore that no one is dead or injured.”

Julia shook her head. “I hope everything is all right back there.”

“So do I,” Carolyn agreed. “And that we can get all of them out for the holidays. David is heading home tomorrow but the entire family will be here for Christmas.”

“I can't wait to meet them,” Julia said and hugged Carolyn. “night.”

# # #

SUNNYDALE, CALIFORNIA

Quentin opened his eyes and blinked.

“The family will be here soon,” Cordelia said softly.

Quentin looked at Buffy sleeping in his arms and nodded. He got up carefully, placing a pillow in her arms.

He yawned when they left the bedroom. “The others?”

“Xander is the only one still awake,” Cordelia said. “Angel is napping in the den. I'm about to get him up.”

“All right,” Quentin said. “I'll start some fresh coffee.”

Cordelia nodded and went to wake Angel.

Five minutes later Quentin stepped back into the living room as Angel and Cordelia went to the door. The werewolf absently noted that Xander was nowhere in sight.

Joyce and Dawn walked in with their rolling suitcases followed by Giles.

“Glad that you're all here,” Angel said.

“What's going on?” Joyce asked.

“Please sit down for a minute,” Angel suggested. “It's not bad news but it is startling.”

Joyce sat down on the sofa with Dawn on one side and Giles on the other.

“Please explain,” Giles insisted.

“The group did a ritual tonight,” Angel began as he sat down across from them. “It was dangerous and it required a lot of magical energy, that drew demons to town.”

“What was the working?” Giles asked.

“A resurrection spell,” Angel said softly. “Someone killed by magic could possibly be brought back. Mostly likely it wouldn't work.”

Giles blinked and pulled his glasses off. “Magic? Like a gate?”

“Yes,” Angel said with a nod. “They succeeded. Buffy is alive.”

“What?” Joyce whispered as she squeezed Dawn's hand tightly.

“She was injured fighting the demons that showed up but she'll be all right physically,” Angel explained.

“And mentally?” Giles asked with a frown.

“The demons interrupted the ritual and they couldn't....” Angel hesitated.

“They didn't bring up the coffin before running for their lives,” Cordelia said. “Quentin found them and took one hell of a beating to keep the demons busy so the bunch could get away.”

“She woke up in a coffin and had to fight her way out,” Quentin added. “There was a lot of chaos going on so she was confused, terrified, angry and traumatized.”

“Where is she?” Joyce asked.

“Upstairs in my room,” Quentin said. “She fell asleep a bit ago.”

“I have to see her,” Joyce said as she stood up.

“Me too,” Dawn said.

“Go ahead,” Quentin said.

“I'll wait,” Giles said. “Then I'll hug her like crazy. The others are asleep?”

“I'm not sure where Xander is,” Angel said. “The others are asleep. Willow was exhausted.”

“Are you all right?” Giles asked Quentin.

“A lot of the damage was healed when I changed into a wolfman and then back,” Quentin said.

“Wait, a wolfman? But your portrait....”

“Yeah,” Quentin said. “I know. I can't explain it except that when Buffy was overwhelmed something snapped inside and I kept the wolf mostly under control.”

“Because Buffy was in danger,” Angel commented.

“Yes,” Quentin said. “The largest demon stabbed her and I lost it.”

Giles resisted glancing at Angel. For Quentin to have pushed past the magic of the painting because of Buffy...

“I'm going to call Carolyn,” Quentin said. “I know I freaked everyone out with the call. I just didn't think telling you over the phone was a good idea.”

“I'd probably crashed the damned car getting here,” Giles agreed.

“Excuse me a minute,” Quentin said and stepped out onto the patio. He pulled his phone out and dialed Carolyn's cell phone number.

“Hey, Quentin,” Carolyn's voice answered. “Can you tell me what's going on now?”

“Yes,” Quentin said and explained the ritual to Carolyn.

“They tried to bring Buffy back?”

“They brought Buffy back,” Quentin answered.

“Oh my God,” Carolyn whispered. “Is she okay?”

“She's traumatized,” Quentin said. “I'm not sure she even realizes she's back totally yet. She should be okay.”

“Give her a hug for us,” Carolyn said. “I'll let Thomas and Amy know and they can spread the word.”

“All right,” Quentin said. “Joyce and Dawn are with her now. It's going to be a long day.”

“Take a nap later,” Carolyn suggested. “I'll talk to you in a few.

# # #

“Baby?”

Buffy opened her eyes slowly and tried to smile as her mom sat down on the bed beside her and Dawn climbed up next to her sister on the other side.

“Hi, Mama,” Buffy said softly.

“You're here,” Joyce said softly.

Buffy nodded and then hugged her mom tightly and Dawn wrapped her arms around both of them.

# # # #

Quentin sat down next to Xander on the patio.

“Can't sleep?”

“No,” Xander said softly. “Spike and Angel already yelled at me. If you're going to yell can we schedule it for a little later?”

“I'm not going to yell at you,” Quentin said. “I would encourage you and the others apologize on your knees about not digging up the coffin. I've been buried alive. It's terrifying.”

“You have?”

“Yeah,” Quentin answered. “I was knocked unconscious and woke up in a coffin and the air got thinner and thinner. Barnabas and Maggie rescued me just in time. I was almost unconscious again. Barnabas was also buried alive. He was unconscious when Julia and a friend got the coffin up.”

“How could we miss that?” Xander whispered. “That was...unforgivable.”

“We told Joyce and Dawn that the demons crashed the ritual before you could dig up the coffin,” Quentin said. “Apologize to Buffy. Hopefully, she'll forgive you. Go take a nap.”

# # # #

Giles and Angel stood up when Joyce and Dawn walked down the stairs and joined them. The men could tell they had been crying but they were also smiling.

“Rupert, she'd like to see you,” Joyce said as he hugged her.

“Are you two all right?” he asked.

“We're still in shock,” Joyce responded.

“I think that'll last for awhile,” Angel commented.

“Go on up,” Joyce urged Giles.

Giles trotted up to Quentin's bedroom and hesitated at the door. He knocked softly.

“Come in,” he heard Buffy's voice call and opened the door. He found his Slayer sitting up in bed. She was badly bruised but tried to smile at him.

Giles sat down on the bed and squeezed one of her hands. “I can't believe it. Are you all right? Truthfully.”

“Not really,” Buffy said softly.

“I heard about the coffin,” Giles said.

“Yeah,” Buffy said and glanced down at her hands.

“And?”

“I can't,” Buffy said after a moment.

“Please,” Giles urged. “I'll find a way to help.”

“The others can't know,” Buffy said and looked up. “I can't tell anyone.”

“I can help with the PTSD this will probably cause,” Giles said. “I love you.”

“They think I was in hell,” Buffy whispered.

Giles' eyes widened as he realized what Buffy was hinting at. “Oh God, I'm sorry, Buffy.”

“I was done, Giles,” Buffy said. “I was okay taking Dawn's place and saving the world. That was my gift. My life, my death. Like a Slayer, right?”

“That's not why you did it and I know that,” Giles said. “I am beyond proud of you for that.”

“You didn't know what they were going to do?”

“No, not even a hint,” Giles said. “We were in Maine. Your.... it hit us very hard and Barnabas is badly injured and Angelique suggested maybe getting away would help. The only odd thing was Willow rushing me off the phone night before, that was it. Last night Quentin called and said they tricked him into leaving town.”

“I saw Barnabas fall, he's still hurt?” Buffy asked.

“He's blind,” Giles said softly. “The Leviathan helping the demon named Doc open the gate used fire against Barnabas. He and the Leviathan fell. We think his eyes will recover.”

“Anyone else injured?”

“Cuts and bruises but we lost Roxanne,” Giles said. “To send the Leviathan to hell... the circle required someone to charge it and, well, basically to escort him. To keep the Leviathan from focusing on Barnabas and the rest of us, Roxanne stepped into the circle before anyone could stop her.”

“Oh God.”

“How can I help?” Giles asked after a minute as they both absorbed what the other had said. “I won't say anything about...where you were.”

“Thanks,” Buffy said. “They think they saved me.”

“Where you were....”

“It's fading, all I know now is that it was warm and safe,” Buffy said softly. “I was done, Giles. Now...”

“Now, we'll get through it,” Giles said. “Whatever you need. We'll tell the Council you were injured stopping Glory and that you need some time.”

“Can we leave Sunnydale for a week or so?” Buffy asked. “Please.”

Giles nodded. “I'll have the Council send a potential and Watcher to help cover here. We're welcome at Collinwood or at Angelique's island in her mansion.”

“Collinsport,” Buffy said after pondering for a minute. “I can try and.... be around people, around people I'm not angry at before dealing with Slaying. That okay?”

“Absolutely,” Giles said. “We will get through this and I'll encourage the Council to get Faith out if a counselor thinks she won't be a danger to anything other than demons and vampires.”

“That would help.”

# # # #