Disclaimer: I don't own them, would that I did. The characters herein belong to Joss, Mutant Enemy, Greenwalt, Fox, etc. I'm merely using them to tell my own little story.

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Part Three: Kansas, Oz or Hell

Angel grabbed Spike's arm as he started to walk into the ruins of Sunnydale High. Spike looked at him angrily.

"What?"

"Wait for the others," Angel commanded.

"Sod off. I don't take orders from you anymore," Spike snarled.

"We're supposed to be together. The four of us. I'm not going to let you screw this up, Spike. It's too important."

"Really? Why don't you stand there righteously and tell the men that watched the girl die how important this is," Spike spit out bitterly. Angel turned and saw Giles and Xander approaching. The two vampires shared a meaningful look, tormented guilt in both of their expression. The content of this conversation wasn’t to be shared with their human companions.

“Are you boys getting along? No biting, or Giles will have to separate you,” Xander smirked as the two men walked up.

“Can it, Harris,” Angel snarled.

“I suggest that everyone does as Angel so eloquently recommended,” Giles said, his voice quiet but with more than a trace of the Ripper in it. He started towards the ruined library, the others falling in behind him, Xander taking the rear with a sigh.

“I was right before graduation. I’m never getting out of this place alive. It’s just a matter of time,” he muttered.

Once in the library they wordlessly spread out. Xander looked to Giles for guidance.

“Are we supposed to do something?” he asked. Giles frowned.

“I don’t think so. There might be a clue here, somewhere...” He said, moving slowly around the room. All four stopped walking at the same time. Subconsciously they were each standing an equal distance apart, forming a square. None were as yet aware of it, yet they stood their ground as if waiting for something.

“Or could be I was right. Spike’s not part of the prophecy. He shouldn’t be here,” Angel said angrily to Giles.

“Go back to hell, you ponce,” Spike said, reaching into his pocket for a cigarette.

“That’s it. I’ve had enough of that from both of you...and you,” Giles added as Xander opened his mouth, “your sophomoric wit is really not welcome right now. I need to think.”

“And what makes you think you’re the one leading this fool’s expedition, Giles?” Spike asked. “Unless the biggest fool should be the leader, in which case it’s a tough call but I’d say Harris has the edge.”

“Really, O Neutered One? I think that a vampire wasting his time-” Xander began hotly.

“Xander...” Buffy tried to interrupt.

“-pining after-just a minute, Buffy-pining after...Buffy?”

Buffy was standing in the center of the square. One moment she hadn’t been there, the next moment she just was. They tried to move towards her, but found themselves frozen in place. Instead they stood open-mouthed and took in her appearance. Buffy was dressed in a medieval gown, the white corset laced with silver ribbons over a sparkling white chemise. Her hair was braided with silver ribbons. Her cheeks were flushed pink and her eyes looked like sapphires. She glowed with an ethereal light that made them afraid to speak.

“Well?” the Slayer demanded at last. “Say something! You look like fish.”

“Buffy, are you...?” Giles began, and Buffy shook her head, giving him a sad smile.

“Alive? Nope, still of the dead. You think I’d be caught alive in this? Of course, when I was alive I would have said I wouldn’t be caught dead in this...that’s ironic, huh? I look stupid, don’t I? I told him this was too lame for words.”

“Buffy,” Giles managed to speak at last, “You look...well. I mean, nice. Very nice.”

“You look good. Glowing more than before, but it’s a good look for you,” Xander added awkwardly.

“I’d say you look good enough to eat. You‘re bleedin beautiful,” Spike mumbled, staring at her eagerly. Buffy arched an eyebrow at Angel, who shrugged.

“You know you look good. I‘d like to get a better look, but I’m not able to move right now. What‘s going on, Buffy? But I like the dress,” Angel added. Buffy huffed, slightly mollified.

“The dress and the not moving are both because of this whole quest thing...are you going to help or do I have to do all the explaining?” she said, addressing her question upwards to no one that they could see. The men shared looks of confusion as she tapped her foot in exasperation. “Fine,” she said finally. “I’ll do it like you wrote it, but I still say you’ve got to get with the modern.” She smiled sheepishly at them. “I’ve got to bind you to your quest now. And I‘ve been given a script, kinda. Which is why I’m gonna start saying things that are all weird and Gilesy. No offense, Giles.”

“None taken...” Buffy turned towards the Watcher, her face serene in a way he had never seen when she was alive.

“Giles, come forth,” Buffy said simply, and the Watcher found himself propelled forward. He approached where Buffy was standing, but once within arms length found himself unable to proceed further. Without thought he dropped to one knee. Buffy grinned, then grew serious again.

“Name thyself,” Buffy said.

“I am thy champion. My life for thee,” Giles answered. Buffy smiled and held out a red ribbon, which Giles took hold of. There was a flash and the ribbon disappeared. Hearing the murmurs of the other three men he looked down at himself and he saw that his clothing had been changed. He was now wearing a chainmail tunic with elbow length sleeves that came down to his knees, over a dark red doublet and matching tights. Calf-length leather boots had replaced his sensible loafers and he was wearing gloves. Over the tunic he wore a white sleeveless jerkin which was emblazoned with a strange red symbol that resembled a baton. He looked back to Buffy in shock.

“Thou art my Knight of Wands. Thy gift is the Wand of Dragan. It is found to the South. Thou must beware the Fire and meet thy challenge. Secure the Wand and return to this place. You must make it your offering, unused and unharmed. Dost thou agree to take on this quest?” Buffy smiled at him fondly, and Giles found it hard to speak over the lump in his throat. He had missed her so much.

“Agreed,” Giles replied shortly. Buffy leaned down and lightly brushed her lips against his forehead. Giles shivered, blinking, then rose and returned to his previous spot. Buffy turned to face Angel.

“Angel, come forth,” Buffy said. Angel approached, locking eyes with Buffy as he dropped to one knee. As always, they spoke volumes beyond words with just their glances. “Name thyself to me.”

“I am thy champion. My life for thee,” Angel said, echoing Giles’ response. He reached for the blue ribbon that Buffy held, and found himself dressed as Giles was, except that his tights and doublet were dark blue and his jerkin carried the emblem of a chalice.

“Thou art my Knight of Cups. Thy gift is the Chalice of Restoration. It is found to the East. Thou must beware the Water and meet thy challenge. Secure the Chalice and return to this place. You must make it your offering, unused and unharmed. Dost thou agree to take on this quest?”

“Agreed,” Angel said firmly, closing his eyes as Buffy leaned forward. Her lips brushed against his cheek, almost upon his lips, and it felt like an electrical current through his entire body. He gasped as she broke contact. The dark-haired vampire rose shakily to his feet. Buffy closed her eyes and sighed, turning towards the vampire who was once her mortal enemy.

“Spike, come forward,” she said in a pained voice. He dropped to one knee in front of her, smirking slightly. She rolled her eyes. “Name thyself to me.”

“I am thy champion, pet. My life for thee.” The ribbon she held now was green, and once transformed his jerkin bore a stylized image of a green sword.

“Thou art my Knight of Swords. Thy gift is the Blade of Denis. It is found to the North. Thou must beware the Earth and meet thy challenge. Secure the Blade and return to this place. You must make it your offering-”

“I got it, luv. Agreed.”

“-unused and unharmed,” Buffy continued, her eyes flashing with annoyance. “Dost thou agree to take on this quest?” she asked as nastily as possible.

“Agreed. Now give us a kiss,” he said saucily, but the look in his eyes told her he was approaching this with all the gravity with which he had once promised her to take care of Dawn. Buffy gave him a quick kiss on the cheek, then barely gave him time to stand before turning towards Xander and calling for him to approach. He stood jerkily and quickly kneeled before her, his expression totally solemn. She gave him a smile and a wink before continuing.

“Name thyself to me.”

“I am thy champion. My life for thee.” The ribbon this time was yellow, and as Xander grabbed it, he looked down at the jerkin and looked back at Buffy in shock. The symbol was strangely drawn, but it was clear what it represented.

“Thou art my Knight of Hearts. Thy gift is the Heart of Kefa. It is found to the South. Thou must beware the Air and meet thy challenge. Secure the Heart and return to this place. You must make it your offering, unused and unharmed. Dost thou agree to take on this quest?”

“Why am I always the heart?” Xander said weakly, then hastened to add, “Agreed. Anything for you, Buff.” Buffy leaned down and kissed his forehead as she had with Giles. He returned to his place, grinning goofily. Buffy gave each of them a long look in turn.

“You have each agreed named yourselves as my Champions. You have agreed to undertake the quests. Understand that in order to succeed you must work together. Understand that all must return and present their gifts, or I shall remain as I am. He won‘t let me come along,” and this was said with clear unhappiness, “but I‘ll be seeing you. Please take care of each other for me. And, guys, just, you know, try to get along, okay? There’s a great deal of evil where you’re headed, and it’ll try to stop you. Be ready.”

“I was born ready,” Xander said cockily, then added, “well actually I was born small and helpless, but I’ve grown into ready.” Before he finished speaking she had vanished just as quickly as she appeared.

“Buffy? Buffy!” Giles called into the darkness. All found that they could now move, and they gathered at the spot where Buffy had been standing. There was no sign that she had ever been there.

“Great. Just great, Harris. You’re busy shooting off your mouth, and we never got a chance to ask her anything else. Like what we do next?” Angel said bitterly.

“Don’t give the boy such a hard time,” Spike said in an amused tone, “At least she gave him an appropriate color.”

“Are you saying I’m a coward? I’m not the one who keeps trying and failing to stake himself! My God, Spike, you’re like a bad movie of the week!” Spike reached for Xander then put his hand to his head. “Oh, my head! I think I might swoon for the pain!” Xander said, mockingly mirroring Spike’s actions.

“Xander, do shut up! I’m trying to figure this out,” Giles groused. Angel suddenly held up his hand for quiet.

“Shhhh! Did you hear that?” All listened silently for a few seconds, then Spike shrugged.

“Hear what? I don’t hear anything except the blood rushing through Yellow Boy’s vei-AAAYYYYY...” The room had started to rumble as Spike began speaking and his words were lost as he fell through a fissure that opened on the floor.

“Spike!” Angel yelled.

“Grab on to something!” Giles hollered at the same time, watching helplessly as a cursing Angel fell through the ever-widening hole, followed by a screaming Xander. He braced himself, knowing he wasn’t fast enough to escape. With a soft cry, Giles found himself falling, knowing he was about to meet whatever fate had befallen the others. As soon as Giles vanished, the rumbling stopped. The hole in the floor closed up as if it had never existed. When Willow and Anya came to check hours later, they found no sign of what had befallen their friends. No sign that anyone had been there at all.

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