The shield was gone. After the shrieks and roars of the fireballs and the constant pounding on the shield, the silence was eerie. It became a palpable thing, a living entity. Within that silence it was almost possible to believe that the rest of the world had disappeared.
Buffy looked around the room at the people she had come to think of as her family. They were all as stunned as she was. What could they do now? There were too many Comedores left for them to be able to hold out long. Their strongest magic-wielder lay half-conscious on the floor at her feet. If a Slayer and two vampires could not even kill one of the creatures, what hope did they stand against ten of the things?
The silence was broken by the sound of scrabbling claws on tile as Gizmo tore into the kitchen. She slid to a halt, tripping and tumbling nose after tail but managing to land on all four paws. Her little body shook, her fur stood on end and she hissed loudly at the door. Buffy spared her a quick glance before turning back to the more pressing problem.
Faith moved to stand protectively in front of her. She could feel the tension in the air. Behind her, Giles tightened his hands on her shoulders. Nothing moved outside.
A clinking sound drew her attention to the door just as Xander hurried inside with a large bag. She immediately recognised it as their back-up collection of weapons as he began handing out axes, maces, swords and crossbows to everyone who could hold them.
"It's not much," he said apologetically as he gave Cordelia a helm axe, "but it's the best we've got."
Faith stashed her knife in her belt and took a crossbow and a heavy sword. "May as well go out fighting."
Armed, the group took up positions around the kitchen. Still nothing moved outside and Buffy fidgeted nervously. In front of her Gizmo hissed again and sneezed as another shiver wracked her body.
"I wish they'd do something, already," the blonde Slayer muttered.
Gizmo sneezed again and Buffy glanced down at her quickly. She frowned and looked at the little cat again. She was not simply shivering - she was vibrating!
As Buffy watched, a spark of light dropped from Gizmo's whisker. Another quickly followed. Within seconds, multi-coloured sparks of light were cascading down Gizmo's fur and grounding in the kitchen floor. The power radiating from the cat was incredible. Buffy felt the hair on her arms rise as though she was in a room filled with static electricity.
"Willow, what's happening to Gizmo?" she asked, still slightly stunned.
The redheaded witch roused enough to raise her had and look at the cat, her eyes widening with astonishment. "I don't know. It looks as though she's become a power-sink of some kind. Tara, have you ever . . ?"
Tara shook her head quickly. "Never. Her aura . . . it's not a cat aura anymore."
The sparks of light increased until Gizmo was hidden behind a molten ball of coruscating multi-coloured light.
Suddenly the room was filled with the sound of smashing glass and Buffy turned to the windows. A large, clawed hand smashed through quickly followed by another. At the door another hand smashed through the little window. The sound of splintering wood joined it as a large foot broke through the door. She could hear Faith quietly swearing as she tensed. Buffy held her baby closer to her chest even though she knew the effort was probably futile. They could not hope to hold out against ten of the demons, and even as that thought ran through her head the kitchen door flew inwards. It hit Anya and she fell, cracking her head on a counter as she went down.
Where before there had been silence now there were roars, curses and the sound of fighting. Faith pulled out her knife and threw it at a Comedores, screaming triumphantly as the blade sank into its forehead. The demon rocked back for a moment before shaking its head and continuing to advance. She brought up her crossbow and fired. A bolt sank into its chest but was hidden by its long fur.
"Why won't you die?" she yelled, throwing the bow aside and drawing the sword.
She took up a wide-legged stance, weaving the tip of her sword, and waited for the creature to attack. But the attack never came.
The room was suddenly filled with a blinding white light. Buffy closed her eyes against it but she could still feel the light against her skin. Her eyes began to water painfully. She heard a sound so beautiful she thought her heart would break. It was as though a multitude of voices were singing a note so pure and perfect that anything she heard afterwards would be discordant and ugly.
The note carried on endlessly and lasted a heartbeat. She was eternally in that moment but never existed. She basked in the light and the voice, feeling it fill her until she overflowed and could hold no more. Joy and pain mingled and became one. If anything could ever truly be said to agony and ecstasy, this was it. Nothing else had ever completed her so utterly. Everything after this moment would seem colourless by comparison.
Slowly the light and the music died, leaving the room in comparative darkness. Buffy blinked against the after-images burnt into her eyes and her ears rang. After a few breaths her vision began to clear and she could look around, wiping the tears from her eyes with a shaking hand.
Something began to glow faintly in the middle of the room. It increased in intensity until she could see a figure standing there bathed in pure white light. There was no sign of Gizmo anywhere. Instead a tall woman with short blonde hair stood in her place. Her green eyes looked strangely familiar, until Buffy realised that they reminded her of the little cat she had sheltered for the past few months. She was draped with white robes, which were the source of the beautiful light that now softly lit up the kitchen. She turned and fixed her eyes on Buffy. The Slayer blushed as she felt the intensity of the woman's gaze.
"Thank you."
Her voice was beautiful. It lilted musically and Buffy thought she could listen to it forever. Light . . . sunshine . . . summer . . . majestic waterfalls and tiny streams . . . wind in a forest and storms at sea . . . it was all in her voice and more besides. The woman smiled and it was pure joy.
"Wh-wh-what for?" Buffy managed to stammer.
"You took me in and sheltered me. For that I thank you." The woman stepped closer and reached out a hand to gently brush Faith's cheek. "And you I thank for your love. Your ability to love was never lost; it was merely hidden for a time."
Faith nodded slowly, her eyes wide with surprise and wonder.
The woman's appearance had struck the Comedores motionless for a moment but they chose that moment to recover from their shock. Two of them moved to renew the attack, roaring and snarling. The being that had been Gizmo simply held up a hand and they froze in mid-step.
"How did you do that?" Buffy gasped.
Her only answer was a mysterious smile.
Willow struggled to sit up supported by Tara. "Who are you?"
"I am, I was, and I will be again," was all she said. "Who are you?"
"I'm Willow."
"It is good to know who you are." The strange woman paused. "A name can encompass everything about you or nothing at all."
"Okaaay," Buffy drawled slowly. "Do you mind explaining that or are you gonna talk riddles all night? Who are you and how did you get here?"
The glowing woman's chuckle was low and rich. "So impatient, young one."
"That's me, impatient as all get out." Buffy could hardly believe that she was finding the courage to speak so frankly to the woman who filled her mind with wonder and her heart with joy.
"Very well, child. I was your child's protector, her guardian if you will. My task now is almost over."
The strange woman stepped back and beckoned. Without conscious thought Buffy stood and looked down at her child. Charlotte slept on peacefully, undisturbed by the chaos around her. Her sweet face was utterly content. Buffy brushed her cheek and smiled. It was hard to believe that this beautiful child was hers but, looking back at her husband, she knew that it was true.
She returned her attention to their strange guest. "You knew what would happen? Why didn't you try to protect her before, say . . . when I was being kidnapped? Or maybe when the Watchers were trying to take her away? You could even have tried protecting her before those creatures tried to attack us tonight."
"Are they troubling you know?" the taller woman asked, indicating the motionless demons.
"They're ugly, they're in my house and they wanted to kill my child. Yeah, they're troubling me."
"Very well."
She clapped her hand and there was a bright flash of light. When Buffy's eyes cleared again she looked around. No demons. No sign of the demons. Nothing to show they had even broken into the house. Faith looked down at her stomach with wonder, touching the spot where a moment ago there had been a deep, painful gash.
"Wh . . . how . . . uh, how . . . how?" Buffy stuttered.
"Yes, what have you done?" Giles asked, finally shaking off his stupor. "Where have you sent them?"
"Sent them? Why should I send them anywhere? Those abominations should never have existed." The unearthly woman frowned. "They should have been attended to long ago but . . . they will never trouble you again. Never again will a Slayer have to fear her own child. What is created by love should not cause pain."
"You mean you just," Faith waved a hand expressively, "and they were gone? Now that is a neat trick."
The blonde woman shrugged one beautiful shoulder. "It was nothing. This, however, is much more important."
She beckoned again and Buffy stepped closer, holding Charlotte out. Part of her knew that she was insane to trust this woman who had appeared without explanation or reason, but another part could not help it. She had to trust her. The purity that radiated from her was inescapable.
Charlotte whimpered and woke up. Her baby blue eyes were unfocused for a moment but then she turned her head towards her glowing guardian. It felt as though a bell rang in Buffy's head as the blue eyes met green. Charlotte gravely regarded the tall woman and her serious gaze was returned. For a moment there was a wordless communication before Charlotte turned away and giggled. Buffy smiled in amazement. Her child had already laughed. Hopefully this would be a good sign for Charlotte's future.
"Hail, child, and well met," the creature that had been Gizmo said formally.
Then she reached out and placed her hand over Charlotte's heart. White light streamed from her hand to bathe the tiny infant. Charlotte shivered but otherwise held perfectly still as she was washed with light and Buffy felt the warmth of the loving gesture.
The woman closed her hand and the light trickled away until Charlotte looked no different to any other child.
Until, that is, Buffy looked into her eyes. Moments before, the baby's eyes had been bright blue versions of her father's. Now they were dark grey.
"What have you done?" demanded Buffy. "Have you hurt her?"
"Never. I have simply done what I was sent here for. Now that it is done I may leave."
"Leave? But you only just got here," Faith protested.
Their strange benefactor chuckled again. "I have been here long enough to do what I came for. Isn't that what everyone does? Do not weep, child, for you may yet see me again. I take many forms."
She glided across the room to stand before Mary and reached out to take her hand. "Do not carry your guilt any more. She never blamed you. And now you have given another woman the chance you could not give her. Your time will come and she will wait for you at the gate."
Mary gasped and a tear ran down her cheek. Faith immediately moved to her side and put out a hand. Abruptly the older woman turned to her and began to cry softly. For a moment Faith stood awkwardly before putting her arms around Mary and holding her tightly.
"Fare you well, until we meet again."
Even as the extraordinary woman spoke her light grew brighter and brighter until Buffy was forced to close her eyes again. The beautiful sound of her voice echoed and gradually faded as the light dimmed. And then she was gone.
***
Faith rubbed Mary's back soothingly, muttering without even concentrating on what she was saying. Slowly the older woman calmed until her sobs had died to occasional hiccups.
"What was that about?" she asked when she judged that Mary could speak.
"Louisa didn't blame me," Mary said, her voice filled with wonder.
"What would she have blamed you for?"
"I should have stopped it . . . saved her. She shouldn't have died."
"There was no way you could have saved her. Those things out there are practically indestructible. We had to make demon nerve-gas just to thin them out - there's no way you could have taken them on single-handed." Faith grinned crookedly. "In the end we needed a shape-changing cat to handle them."
***
Buffy leaned shakily against Giles, who wrapped one arm around her waist and gently touched his daughter's face with his free hand.
"Did what just happen . . . really happen?" Buffy asked softly. "Is it really all over?"
"Yes, love, I think it might all be over," Giles said just as quietly. "And I still have the two most beautiful ladies in the world in my arms. I think I'm feeling very grateful to Gizmo right now, whatever she was."
"Yeah." Buffy rested her head on Giles' shoulder. "What do you think she was?"
He kissed her forehead. "I have no idea. I don't expect I ever will. I certainly can't imagine we'll ever see her again."
***
Willow sagged back against Tara, feeling safe and contented as the blonde girl rested her chin on her shoulder. It was an incredible feeling to sit surrounded by love and looking at the sweet face so close to hers, Willow knew that was what had been building up between them. She felt connected to Tara in ways she did not understand but wanted to so much.
***
Xander crouched next to Anya and tenderly brushed her hair off her face.
"Ahn, are you all right?"
Anya stirred. "No. My head hurts. What happened?"
"I have no idea. But I think Gizmo just saved us."
"That's good." Anya froze in the middle of struggling to sit up. "Uh, isn't Gizmo a cat?"
***
Cordelia sat on a counter between Angel and Wesley. The two men were silent and she looked between them.
"Hey, is anyone in there?" she muttered under her breath. "So, what do you think happened?"
"Well, it's obvious that she was an unusual entity. Something not of this earth," Wesley began. "Somehow she vanquished the Comedores do Mondo and then . . . and she came from . . . I have no idea."
"Angel, are you all right?" asked Cordelia.
The vampire turned to regard Giles and Buffy. As they watched, the tall Watcher kissed her on the mouth and then tenderly kissed his daughter. Buffy said something and he looked down at her with love shining from his eyes.
"Yeah, pretty much," Angel said eventually. "She's happy now."
"Yeah, she looks it."
"We ought to . . ."
"Yeah." Cordelia hopped down. "Do you think Dairy Queen is still open?"
*finis*