*****

The Bronze was the only teen nightclub that ran its business in Sunnydale. Whether it was because other potential business owners realized the town sat on the Hellmouth or they simply didn't see why they should bother with the small town was uncertain. Whatever the reason, for several years, the Bronze had been the only place where teens of all ages could go to listen to music and just hangout, or if they were old enough, drink a few bottles of liquor.

The ownership had changed hands a few times over the past decade, but it never stopped being a popular place with lots of customers every night. Although it was located in the bad part of town, which was half a block from the good part of town, that didn't stop teenagers of all kinds from going there.

The Bronze was at one end of a large warehouse. In the back of the nightclub was an alley. That alley had been the location of several fights in the past. Temporarily, it had been the home of a former Sunnydale High School quarterback named Bryce. Also, about a year ago, Buffy, Xander, and Oz found a living, breathing tyrannosaurus rex hiding in the alley's shadows. Another memory was of Buffy's first night on the Hellmouth. Following a vampire that had taken Willow from the Bronze, Buffy had gone into the alley and almost staked Cordelia instead.

At the moment, however, nothing supernatural or natural dwelled in the alley. Which made it the perfect spot for Xander to teleport to.

At first, the alley was filled with trashcans like any normal alley. But then, there was a popping noise, followed by noises similar to those of an arcade game. Afterwards, a flash of light lit up the alley with a chime-like sound. Replacing the light was Xander Harris.

Not long ago, Xander had discovered he was a Tomorrow Person. That meant he was the next stage in human evolution, and he also had cool powers like telepathy and teleportation.

He was also late for the Dingoes' set that night. Dingoes Ate My Baby was a band Oz was in. Oz was the bass guitar player. He was also a werewolf, but thankfully, it wasn't one of his wolf nights.

Xander walked over to the entrance of the Bronze and showed the bouncer his ID. Once inside, he spotted Willow and Buffy at a table near the stage. Willow was staring raptly at Oz, who was strumming his electric guitar while Devon, the lead singer, yelled something into the mike.

Xander made his way through the throng of dancers and sat down next to Willow. "Hey, guys."

"Hey," Buffy said.

Willow turned her attention to him. "Hi, Xander. Where have you been? You're an hour late."

"The South Pacific, mostly, although I did stop in Louisiana for some Shrimp Gumbo and a little bit of crawfish étoufée."

"You're really getting good at being a Tomorrow Person," Buffy commented.

"Thanks. I haven't learned everything, but it's not such a big shock anymore. Adam's been training me. That's why I was in the Pacific. I went to the island, and I'm going back tomorrow." He looked around. "Where's Alex, by the way?"

He felt it before he looked back at Buffy and Willow. Buffy had always displayed her emotions very plainly. It was the same in her thoughts. Xander usually kept the thoughts of those around him behind a barrier to prevent him from being overwhelmed by all of the emotional conflict. Adam taught him that. Occasionally, some thoughts seeped through, just like Buffy's were at the moment.

Xander saw several images of Angel, naked and not so naked, but very close. They would have shocked him if it weren't for the pain, longing, and heartbreak accompanying the images. Buffy's feelings distracted him from thinking that he had just seen the vampire naked in his mind.

He turned to look at the Slayer, but she kept her eyes on her drink.

"He's in L. A.," Willow answered. She looked at Buffy, concern and worry etched on her face. "A friend called who needed Alex's help, so he went."

Los Angeles was where Angel was now. No wonder Buffy was thinking about him.

"His friend's name is Doyle," Willow added.

Xander didn't recognize the name. "Doyle?"

"He helps Angel," Buffy answered. "Oz met him when he gave the Ring of Amarra to Angel. Apparently, Doyle and Alex have been friends for a few years."

After that, the conversation was light. Lost in old pain and memories, Buffy didn't feel like talking that much, and Willow was busy staring at Oz on stage.

Sympathetic, Xander kept an eye one Buffy. He wished there was something he could do.

*****

When the Dingoes' set was over and Oz left the stage, he, Buffy, Xander, and Willow headed toward Sunnydale Cemetery.

Buffy had said that vampire activity had been frequent in that particular cemetery of late. That night, however, it seemed like the vampire population had decided to stay indoors, because after an hour or so, they didn't run into anything.

Buffy looked around one last time and sighed. "Okay, let's go. We'll check out Weatherly Park before we head home."

As they headed for the gate, Xander felt it. The emotions broke through his shield easily. He felt immense hunger coming from nearby.

"What is it?" Willow asked, and that was when Xander realized he'd paused.

"There are vamps nearby," he answered, "And they're hungry."

"They usually are," Oz said.

The four peered into the darkness surrounding them but couldn't see anything.

Xander heard a growl. He looked over at Buffy, who was the closest to a mausoleum. A vampire jumped from the roof.

"Buffy, look out!" Xander cried.

Buffy spun and, seeing the vampire, ducked and rolled. She got back to her feet just as the vamp hit the ground before spinning around to face her. She launched a high kick to his face, causing him to fall back to the ground. Buffy jumped onto him and pinned his arms to the ground with her knees. Then she plunged the stake into his heart. Instantly, the vampire turned to dust, causing Buffy to fall the rest of the way to the ground.

A hand appeared from a new grave next to Willow. Reaching up, the arm grabbed Willow by the ankles. She let out a scream before the vamp pulled, forcing her on her stomach. Her cross and stake dropped from her hands.

"Willow!" Oz cried. But before he could save his girlfriend, two more vampires appeared from behind the mausoleum and attacked him and Buffy.

That left Xander. He turned his attention back to Willow. The vampire was halfway through his grave. Willow tried to scout away from him, but the vampire kept holding onto her legs. Willow closed her eyes and began to mutter something, but the vampire dug his talons into her right leg, making her cry out and cease casting the spell.

"Willow!" Xander cried.

He disappeared in a flash of light and reappeared directly behind the vampire. He pressed his cross against the vampire's neck.

The vampire growled and released Willow. The young witch scrambled to her feet.

Still halfway in his grave, the vampire turned to face Xander. He kicked the vamp in the face, causing the vamp to fall back into his grave. With incredible speed, the vampire came back to the surface and sprung completely out of his grave. He got in a defensive position.

Xander teleported again, leaving a surprised vampire gazing at empty space. Xander materialized behind the vampire. He plunged his stake into the vamp's back and it turned to dust.

Xander turned to Willow. "Are you okay?"

Willow nodded, then looked beyond Xander to Oz. The werewolf and the Slayer had already dusted off their vamps. Oz ran over to Willow and hugged her.

"You okay?" He asked, his concern apparent.

Willow smiled and nodded. "Are you?"

Oz nodded. A minute or so later, they broke up and turned to the others.

Buffy was staring at Xander, thoughtful. Xander noticed her gaze and asked, "What?"

"I though the Tomorrow People couldn't kill anything," Buffy said. "But you did just fine with that vampire."

Confused, Willow and Oz looked over at him, too.

Xander shrugged. "We can't kill anyone because the person's emotions before he or she dies would be overwhelming. A vampire's not a person, and I their reactions aren't quite as strong for me to feel anything when I kill them."

The others nodded, excepting his explanation.

Xander could hear Megabyte's voice in his head. From the urgency in his voice, he figured Megabyte had been trying to reach him before. The fight must have distracted Xander so much that he hadn't noticed.

Hey, Megabyte, he 'pathed back. What's up?

Are you okay? You were channeling some pretty strong emotions just then, Adam said, cutting into the conversation.

Oh. You didn't happen to kill any vampires, did you? Megabyte said.

Because the emotional backlash would kill you, Adam cut in.

There's no reason why you shouldn't, Jade said. I mean, a vampire used to be human, right? Even though it's not anymore, a vampire still has the same feelings.

Xander was confused. He hadn't felt anything when he'd killed the vampire.

Do you want to go eat breakfast in London with us? Megabyte 'pathed, evidently wanting to change the subject. Xander guessed the other TP was still getting used to the whole vampires-are-real concept.

Megabyte continued, It's around seven thirty a. m. over here, so the restaurants are open.

No, thanks, guys, Xander answered. You're eight hours ahead of me, remember? It's after eleven at night here, and I ate supper a few hours ago. Thanks anyway.

Okay, Xander, Megabyte 'pathed back. But you're missing some great cuisine.

"Who is it?" Buffy asked.

Xander blinked and looked at Buffy, Willow, and Oz. "Huh?"

"You get this far away look when you're 'pathing with one of the TPs," Oz answered.

"Oh. That was Megabyte, Jade, and Adam. They invited me to dinner in London with them and Ami, but I said no."

"You turned down food?" Willow asked. "That's amazing."

Smiling, Buffy said, "Okay, let's get out of here."

The four friends continued on their way to the gate.

*****
PART THREE
Paris, France

When Methos got to his apartment that night, he didn't find any demon surprises waiting for him. Still on his guard, Methos set wards around the two-room apartment and put his sword under his bed before falling asleep.

A few hours later, he woke again. In the distance, he heard cars go by, followed by the bark of a neighbor's dog.

No sounds came from his apartment, but what he felt was similar to what he felt with Whistler. The pull on his Quickening wasn't quite as strong, which meant whatever was in his apartment wasn't nearly as powerful as Whistler or Methos. But the demon had one advantage; he may be right in Methos' face or in the kitchen or bathroom, for all Methos knew. The demon made no sound as it crept around in the dark, but Methos knew it was close because of his sixth sense.

Methos opened his eyes until he could see through thin slits. Through his limited view of the room, with the help of the light escaping through the window blinds, he spotted a demon across the room. Silently yet swiftly, the demon was checking papers on Methos' desk. He wasn't looking at him, so Methos opened his eyes completely.

Methos wasn't sure what the demon was looking for, but if wasn't there because the demon quickly turned away and walked to Methos' wardrobe. Through the moonlight, Methos could see that the demon was female. Wild red hair fell behind her shoulders in a long, tangled mop. She wore torn, dirty clothing. Her features looked human except for her eyes, which glowed an eerie red in the dark, and her ears, which were long and pointed, like an elves', but her tongue convinced him that she was a demon. It slithered out of her mouth and seemed to feel the air for something.

As quietly as possible, Methos pulled his sword out. The demon didn't seem to notice. Carefully, to keep the bedsprings from creaking, Methos stood up.

Despite his cautiousness, the bed creaked. Immediately, the demon turned to him. She opened her mouth and hissed, revealing sharp canines and her snake-like tongue.

Before she could do anything, Methos swung in a long arch. The blade sliced through the female demon's neck, cleanly beheading her.

Even before her body fell to the ground, Methos glanced around for more. The kitchen doorway was around the corner from his bed, so Methos couldn't see it very well. He knew that the female demon had a mate, however, especially when an axe embedded in his right side.

Methos fell to the ground but held onto his sword with his left hand. No hand held onto the axe.

Methos looked up and saw a male demon standing a few feet away from where the kitchen doorway would be. His hair was as red and wild as the female demon's, only slightly shorter.

He lifted a knife and threw it, aiming towards Methos' neck.

Lightning bolts wound around Methos' left arm. With the strength he still had, because he would die from the axe wound very soon, he switched his sword to his right arm. Then he brought his left arm up. A blue sphere surrounded his left hand.

He pointed at the approaching knife and the sphere left his hand. It collided with the knife and turned it around. Now, as it headed back toward the demon, Methos pulled the axe out.

As the knife got closer, the demon didn't move. Then he disappeared altogether.

The knife flew through the now empty spot and embedded in the front door of the apartment.

Slightly confused, Methos looked around, but the demon was no longer in his apartment, which was impossible.

From above him came a war cry, then the demon landed on his back, forcing Methos to the ground with Methos' weight placed on his left arm. The demon hit the nerve on his right arm, causing the Immortal to drop his sword. Then the demon forced Methos to lie down with his left arm beneath him.

The demon had made sure that Methos couldn't use his left arm for magic without harming himself. Apparently, the demon didn't know Methos could use his other arm for magic.

He shot a blue sphere from his right hand. With a cry, the demon flew back, landing in Methos' closet.

Methos got up, grabbed his sword, and turned around, only to discover that the closet was empty again.

Realizing the demon had pulled the same disappearing trick he'd done earlier, Methos chanted in a language that had been dead for millennia, "Blind Caspia, lift your veil. Refuse any demon in this household transport where the eye cannot see. Bring him back into the light."

In a flash of light, the demon reappeared, now standing in front of Methos' desk. Before the demon could recover, another sphere shot out of Methos' hand. The sphere picked the Broadsword up and placed it against the demon's neck.

Methos stepped up to the demon and grabbed the hilt of his sword.

The demon growled, but Methos pressed the blade farther, cutting his skin. "Be cooperative, and I'll made it quick," Methos promised. "Who are you? Who sent you?"

"My name is Tialysis, Immortal," the demon answered. "As for my employer, you will die before you find out."

"Empty threat," Methos said. "What were you doing in my apartment?"

"I will never tell you," Tialysis answered.

Before Methos could stop him, the demon ran into the blade. The sword cut through his neck and beheaded the demon's head.

The demon body fell to the ground only a few feet away from its mate.

Methos cursed. He waved his left arm. Two blue lightening bolts struck the demons' bodies, causing them to catch on fire. Once the bodies were nothing but ash, the magic-induced flames died out before they spread to the rest of the apartment.

He looked around the room at the mess. The wards he placed around his apartment should have alerted Methos to any demon entering his home, and not even time-displacement powers like the ones Tialysis had would change that. Which meant they came from inside the house.

The lightening bolts and spheres seemed to disappear up his arms while Methos walked over to the kitchen doorway. Once he looked inside, he saw immediately how they got in.

In the middle of the floor, in front of the kitchen island, was a portal. The color of a bruise, it was big enough for three people to walk through it side-by-side.

Methos held up his arms and chanted, "By the gods of old, I bind thee! I call upon Pan, my protector, to subdue thee!"

The portal disappeared, bound into the apartment.

He heard a siren in the distance as well as dog barks for a few blocks. Even closer were the conversations of the other tenants as they peeked outside their doors in the hall, wondering what all the commotion was about.

Methos grabbed a change of clothes and slipped on his trenchcoat. He walked over to his window and climbed onto the roof of the building next door. From there, he went down the fire escape and ran down the back alley. Let the police think whatever they wanted when they arrived at his apartment. He wouldn't need the persona the apartment was registered under, Jack Tatford, anytime in the near future.

As much as he hated it, he had to talk to Whistler. The demon was the only one he could go to for answers. That didn't mean he would be the Powers' agent again, though. He would never be their agent again.

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