Alone.

[Jackson ''Doc'' Ellison]

"Is it really...?" Jshua asked. "I nodded.

"Yeah, it's her," I said. "And don't ask how I know. I just know. Does A... Vala know...?"

[Jessy Jackson]

I couldn't move, couldn't speak I was so stunned. Then I was filled with such happiness, such unbeleivable joy. And then I noticed Vala. Crud.

[Jackson ''Doc'' Ellison]

"I haven't told her," Joshua said. "But Maya's been doing the protective hovering mother bit a lot, so..."

"Great," I muttered, looking over at my niece and wondering what her reaction would be.

[Charlotte]

Maya's hug shocked me.... hadnt she hated me before i left? I shrugged out of her embrace, and saw a flicker of confusion cross her face.
"Hi everyone." I said, "Yes, i'm alive, Yes it's really me, and no, i dont have time to explain." I said sharply. Those who knew me looked taken aback, and i couldnt even pretend not to know why- they were wondering why is was suddenly so cold. More than one pair of eyes flicked to Doc. "The reason i got Doc to call you all here is this- our world is about to face a bigger fight than any that we, or Buffy and her lot have ever dealt with. Bigger than anyone has ever dealt with."
"What's bigger than the first?" Maya asked, not chanllenging, just curious. She had stepped back to stand by Joshua, and had her arm around that new girl's shoulders- how odd.
"The first is in theory bigger, of course, but it was confined to Sunnydale at the time, so the fight, although huge, was ntohing compared to whats coming." I looked around for dramatic effect. "There's a race of pure demons, who dont live in this world, or any really, but they move from dimension to dimension, destroying everything within- killing or enslaving inhabitants- and unlike most demons, these guys dotn mess around. Most of the time, we get lucky. The bad guys turn up all in one place, conveniently where ever we happen to be... but not this time. These guys are experienced. They will filter through into our world in ways we cannot detect, and i mean come through everywhere. This time, being a wicked group of fighters wont cut it- we need people all over the entire world to fight them- every single person who knows about vamps and demons- every single man woman and teen who has any chance at all of surviving a fight with a demon. This is not a couple of demons trying to bring on the apocalyse, but full scale war. World war of a whole different kind... and we need you guys at the front line."

((Heehee, fun!))

[Peps]

"Count me in, claws are at the ready" I said from the shadows of the corner. "I'm not gonna risk bringing in my shifters though. Mix pure demon blood with pure shifter blood ((Pure shifters are shifters born in my dimension)) and.. well you wouldn't like to find out" I continued.

I turned to Charlotte "When are our friends gonna be arriving?"

[Jessy Jackson]

I counted people off on my fingers. The covens, the tribes, the ensouled, the remnants of the watcher's council, the slayers, the wielders, the seers. This would be huge and it would need a lot of work.

[Jackson ''Doc'' Ellison]

"It had to happen someday," I muttered. This gained a look from everyone. "I knew it would. We couldn't get lucky all the time. Mal, break open the Main Vault and begin alerting anyone we have a number for that knows. These guys want a fight," I added grimly, looking at Charlotte, "they're gonna get one. You'll need some weapons. I...kept some of your things downstairs."

[Jessy Jackson]

"Mal, can I help?" I asked. I thought I had a couple of useful numbers.

[Peps]

"Me too" I chimed in. "I may not be able to bring my armies from the spirit world in but there are thousands of earth shifters I can contact at an eyeblink and they are under obligation to help me. Unless of course they have an outstanding reason not too". I sat for a minute and then stood up when a thought struck me.

"Charlie, did-did you say these are pure demons because..if they..if they are then," I swallowed. "The access routes to other dimensions will be cut off. Even if we wanted to escape with all the people on this damned planet with us..we couldn't. As long as they have armies, these demons, no-one will be able to get in..or out"

[Charlotte]

"Thats not an issue." I said stonily- "Running away is not an option, and all this 'they might help' stuff- no one gets a choice whether to help or not- this fight is coming whether they like it or not, and it'll affect them all. There is no way we can evacuate the entire world, so we all have to fight- its not an issue of helping us out."
Doc nodded solemnly, and i saw Maya swallow.
"Right." She said, "So we need all the slayers..."
"Leave that to me." I cut her off, and she frowned. "What?" I asked, "You gonna waster your time searching for them when i already know where every identified slayer is?"
"How...?" Maya asked.
"Thats where i've been- i'm one of the few remainign of the watcher blood line- i've been in England, with what remains of the council, helpign out with new slayers- i already have a list of the ones in this area. But we need every random vamp-hunter.... everyone and anyone else we can find... in fact..." I swallowed, knowing damned well that they wouldn't like this, "Its probably even worth trying to round up some demons too, even vamps."
"What!?" Joshua cried. "Are you insane?"
"No. These demons that are coming- and i dont know exactly when they'll turn up- they'll take out anything with any human blood at all- which includes most of the hybrid demons on earth- definitely vampires. This isn't just a fight for our race, but for the entire world."

[Jessy Jackson]

"I can contact them. Vampires I mean. Rory knew quite a few." I gave a wan smile. "Guess he would."

[Jackson ''Doc'' Ellison]

"Fifty percent of recource contacted, Doc," Mal reported suddenly. "Also, the Main Vault is at normal room temerature, and I've taken the liberty to prepare the arsenal and unlock the Shrine."

"Shrine?" Charlotte asked.

"Let's go," I said, ignoring the question. "We've got a war to prepare for. Mal, anyone else arrives, send them down."

"So, any new surprises?" Joshua asked. I grinned evily.

"Two words. Main Vault," I said. "My more...destructive toys are hidden in there."

[Maya]

The group trooped out of the room, Charlotte watching, a little disconcerted. I held back, telling Josh and Aila to go ahead. Just as Charlie made to follow, i called her name,
"Charlie, hey, wait up." She turned slowly,
"Maya, hey." She said.
"You ok?" I asked.
"I'm alive." She replied bitterly.
"Thats meant to be a good thing."
SHe just shrugged.
"Whats with the coldness, girl?" I asked.
"Dont, Maya."
"But Charlie..."
"Just dont!" She snapped. "C'mon, you heard the man- we have a war to prepare for." She turned away.
"We thught you were dead, Char." I said quietly, "And for the record- that new girl? Not so new."
She shot me an odd look. "She's Aila." I said harshly, and pushed past her after the others.

[Peps]

"Mai," I said walking up to my friend, "I can gather up any were-wolves were-shifters etc. But there's one thing..Chimera,"

[Jessy Jackson]

"Hey, you've never met me, no, don't hang up. Listen. Harish ma kanah. Ok, you'll listen? Unless you get ready you are going to die. The puro viver inoperante are coming. Fight and make the others fight or the worst will hapen." I hung up, dialled the next number and began speaking fluent chinese.