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Humanity	By : QueenB Category: AtS/BtVS Crossovers > Het - Male/Female > Angel(us)/Buffy > Angel(us)/Buffy Views: 4278 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Buffy the Vampire Slayer (BtVS), nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
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Willow handled the package gingerly as she stepped into the Magic Box. She’d ordered it through their website and Anya had assured her the source was impeccable. She could hardly wait to show it to Buffy.
Buffy was in the back exercising with the punching bag and Willow paused to watch her. She was throwing fierce, hard jabs at it and the redhead could just imagine whose face Buffy was picturing in her mind.
“Buffy, good news!”
Buffy relaxed and stopped the swaying bag with one hand. “You found out why I’m Spike’s favorite kick-me doll?”
Willow’s face fell. “No, still no solid leads on that. Tara and I are going through as many relevant books in our spare time as we can find. But no Slayer’s ever been brought back from the dead so we’re just concentrating on resurrections in general. But I meant something about the keep-Spike-at-a-distance plan.”
“Anything about that is good news. So what’s the what?”
“You seem to rely on Spike for news about a lot of what’s going on Sunnydale. You go running to him whenever Dawn’s in trouble, too.”
“Hey, I’ve been telling Dawn to behave and we won’t need to see so much of Spike!”
“I know, Buffy, but sometimes things happen to Dawn that are just out of our control. That’s just the Hellmouth at work and then we need Spike’s help. But I think I’ve found a substitute for his Formerly-Big-Badness.” She laid down the package and reverently unwrapped it.
“Oh. It’s a--mirror.” Buffy tried not to sound too disappointed, but she failed to see any reason for Willow’s look of pride.”
“It’s not just any mirror, Buff. It’s a scrying mirror.” At Buffy’s look of incomprehension, Willow explained. “Scrying mirrors are magical. They can be used to locate people and objects. All you do is look into it and concentrate on the person or thing you’re looking for and it’ll appear. Unless it’s being hidden magically, somehow. Which doesn’t usually happen. Anyway, why don’t you ask it for Dawn?”
Privately, Buffy thought it sounded too much like the wicked stepmother’s mirror in Snow White and the Seven Dwarves. But if Willow said it worked, then she was willing to try anything to keep herself out of Spike’s clutches.
“Mirror, mirror on the wall…just teasing, Wills.” Buffy ducked a mock-punch Willow threw at her. “Okay, mirror, show me Dawn.”
The mirror stayed blank, only reflecting back Buffy’s face.
“Um, Buff, you need to concentrate on the object of your search.”
Buffy tried again, this time recalling the last time she’d seen Dawn. She’d been dressing for school and Buffy had caught her trying to sneak out wearing a skirt Buffy thought was way too short. There’d been a heated argument over it (“How can it be too short? It’s one of yours!” “That’s just it, Dawn, you’re too young to be wearing skirts like that! And I didn’t give you permission to be wearing my clothes!”). It had ended up with Dawn pulling off the offending garment, throwing it at her and storming out of the house in one of her longer dresses.
The mirror did nothing for a moment and then the surface appeared to fog over and dim. Buffy’s image disappeared to be replaced seconds later by an image of Dawn. She was sitting in class and, by the bored look on her face, not paying too much attention to her teacher.
Willow squealed in delight. “You see, Buffy, it works!” Buffy grinned in triumph.
“So it does, Wills. You rule.”
Willow puffed up, glad that Buffy was thrilled. She’d been racked with guilt whenever she thought of Buffy’s predicament and how she’d somehow ruined Buffy’s return to the land of the living. It was also wonderful to see Buffy truly happy about anything. Even if it wasn’t real…
With more concentration, Buffy realized she could even hear the conversation of the various kids in the class. After more practice, she found she could make the image in the mirror move from Dawn to her immediate surroundings. She could see the blackboard, the other students, the teacher, even the scenery outside the class window. It was as if the mirror could “pan” around in any direction she wished. Now she could not only see Dawn if she went missing, she could also check to locate her whereabouts.
The two girls grinned at each other. Who needed Spike the Wonder Dog?
“What should we look for next?” Buffy mused. Then she locked eyes with Willow whose face lit up with a similar look of recognition. “The diamond!” they chorused.
“Mirror, show us the diamond that was recently stolen from the Sunnydale museum.” The mirror’s surface fogged again and slowly cleared to reveal…blackness. The two girls frowned and concentrated harder. Still nothing.
“I don’t understand,” Willow murmured, “it worked fine a moment ago.”
“Could the diamond be hidden in a box somewhere?”
She brightened. “That’s it! It must be inside of something and the mirror’s showing us the interior. We need to move outside of that space and get a clear view.”
Buffy nodded and went back to staring at the mirror. She imagined the mirror as a camera lens that was slowly moving out of the box and around the surrounding area. The darkness retreated and she found herself staring at a miniature vault with a combination lock set into it. Then the view changed to that of…a basement? She could see a staircase leading upwards, various mechanical paraphernalia that didn’t give her a clue as to their function or operation and what looked like lots of Star Wars toys carefully mounted on little pedestals. What kind of place was this?
“Buffy, I can see where the diamond must be. Let’s get an address.”
“Wait, Willow. I can hear voices.” The girls continued to peer into the mirror as the voices got closer.
“I still think we should go after the components next.”
“No, the magical implements are more important. I’ll just go around to the shop…”
Buffy frowned. She knew that voice. Where had she heard it before?
“We can’t go there! The Slayer might see us. She’s always hanging around that place!”
The girls started. They were talking about Buffy? They knew she was the Slayer? The two frowned worriedly at each other before resuming their inspection.
“So what? Then you can go. She doesn’t know you, only the two of us. That way she won’t think anything’s out of the ordinary.”
“What if Spike shows up? We’ve seen him there, too--AND in the daylight.”
These guys knew Spike? What sort of evil creatures were they dealing with?
“He can’t say anything without letting the others know he’s been seeing us and I don’t think he wants that.”
“Yeah, he was really nervous about Warren telling anybody what he found out about the chip.”
“No, YOU were nervous. I thought you were going to piss yourself when he threatened to break that Boba Fett doll.”
“EXCUSE ME, it’s not a doll. It’s a figurine. And I didn’t see you making any attempts to prove yourself a hero.”
“Whatever. So we’re agreed? We’re going after the components.”
“No, we’re getting the magical herbs!”
The owners of the voices came into view.
“Jonathan and Warren?!?” Buffy yelped. These were the guys who had the diamond? Jonathan looked pretty much as he’d last appeared to the girls. His two companions didn’t dazzle either in the sartorial department.
The boys plopped down onto a dilapidated sofa and began doling out hamburgers. “So now that we’ve got the diamond, when do we implement the next phase of the plan?” one boy mumbled around a mouthful of burger. Buffy quirked an eyebrow at Willow who shook her head. She didn’t know him either.
“Tomorrow night. No sense in wasting time. I know for a fact the guys at the factory knock off early so they can hurry up with their Friday night drinking.”
The boys sniggered and then the unknown started coughing, choking on his mouthful of food. Jonathan whined, “I still think we should get that powder I wanted. If we run into anybody, I can throw it at them and they’ll fall asleep. They won’t wake up for hours.”
“We don’t NEED the stupid powder. We’ll just use the freeze gun again.”
Jonathan scowled in protest. “Heck, no! You still haven’t worked the bugs out of it, Warren. It took hours for me to gain back the circulation in my arm after the last time.”
Warren assumed a slightly weary, pompous air. “I’m just trying to cut down on expenses here.”
“We’ve still got plenty of money from the bank robbery, so don’t come over us all cheap, Warren.”
“Sure, we’ve got a lot of money now. But it won’t last forever. Especially if Warren keeps spending it buying parts for all his dolls,” the unknown snickered.
“They’re not dolls, they’re robots. Your toys are dolls, Andrew,” Warren hissed.
“They're not dolls, they’re limited-edition figurines!”
“Well, if you want to keep buying those ‘figurines,’ don’t come whining to me when there’s suddenly no more dough because Jonathan here blew it all buying kitchen spices.”
“Magical herbs!”
As the conversation descended into petty bickering, the girls moved away from the mirror which settled back into its previous nondescript appearance.
They shook their heads in disbelief. These were the guys who’d robbed the museum? These small-town losers? Why? They couldn’t fence that diamond, that was certain. Considering what had been taken from the bank, they certainly didn’t need the money. And what was this mysterious plan?
“I don’t believe it. Jonathan and Warren? What do they think they’re doing? Are they supposed to be, like, some kind of supervillains? What’s up with this plan thing? And how does Spike fit into it?”
“Buffy, what should we do? We can’t wait for them to hit that plant, whatever it is.”
“But we don’t know what it is they’re planning. They’re not like demons. Their agendas are usually written up in those books Giles left behind. We don’t have a clue what these guys are up to.”
“Maybe the mirror can tell us more.”
The girls moved back to it only to be met with disappointment. Jonathan and Andrew had left in the interim and all they saw was Warren puttering around in the basement. What came next caused both girls to stiffen in shock.
Warren touched some buttons on a panel and various screens began to glow. As they settled into clarity, Buffy and Willow could see scenes from around Sunnydale. The screens showed the Bronze, the interiors of the college the women attended and…the outside of Buffy’s house. In fact, most of the images showed one viewpoint or other of the Summers’s residence exterior. There were also shots of Willow’s house, Xander’s apartment and the Magic Box.
“Those little shits. They’ve been spying on us.”
Buffy’s eyes narrowed dangerously. “No. They’ve been spying on ME. I think they’re the ones who were playing those mindgames on me with the demons that melted into goo, that time loop I was caught in and that period where time kept speeding up at school. Just wait ‘til I get my hands on them. I’ll teach them to screw with the Slayer.”
“Wait, let’s not get hasty, Buffy. We need to know what their plan is so we can stop it. We can’t just go around randomly beating up civilians.”
“This isn’t random! These guys are specific targets!”
“We still need to know what they’re up to.”
“Well, it doesn’t look as if we can learn that now that the others are gone. Maybe I should just get them to fork over the diamond. It sounds like it’s essential to their plans. Without it, whatever they’re trying for will probably collapse.”
“But how do we keep them from doing it again? Why don’t we just call the cops and tell them the boys have the diamond?”
“The cops can’t search the place without a warrant. That takes time. Besides, cops can’t just search citizen’s homes without probable cause.”
“So what do we do? Do we wait to learn more about their plan or grab the diamond tonight and take it back to the museum?”
“I’ll get the diamond myself. Can you imagine Spike’s face when he realizes we got to the bottom of this without his help?” Then she paused. “What I’d really like to know is why those guys decided to play fun and games with my head. I mean, I helped Jonathan and Warren. I saved Jonathan’s life when he pulled that stupid spell that made him a superhero and the life of Warren’s girlfriend! How can they be such ungrateful little pigs?”
Willow sighed. “Maybe we can ask them that when we go over there tonight and get that diamond.”
Buffy smirked. “Now you’re talking.” Then she frowned. “Wait a minute, what do you mean, WE? It’s just three geeks handing out in a basement like Wayne and Garth. After all the demons I’ve tangled with, I think I can handle the Three Stooges by myself.” Buffy moved to the side of the training room and began to towel herself off.
“That’s what I’m afraid of,” Willow muttered to herself. She peered worriedly at the blonde Slayer. She was becoming more and more aggressive with every passing day. Something would have to be done soon before things got out of hand.

After more argument, Willow pointed out that Warren and his little band of freaks weren’t like the demons Buffy had known. The boys obviously had some serious hardware at their command, and, unlike the demons, there was nothing written about them that could give the Slayer a clue about their capabilities.
There’d been mention of a freeze gun. Who knew what else they had hidden away? The presence of a telekinetic wiccan might give Buffy the edge and further intimidate the guys into coughing up the gem. (“What, you don’t think the Slayer is intimidating enough?” had been Buffy’s disbelieving reply to that argument.)
__________
They prepared for going to Warren’s house that night. Buffy had wanted to try breaking and entering but Willow thought the subtler approach might be better.
“Hi, ma’am. Is Warren home?”
“Oh, yes, I think he’s in the basement. Uh, who are you two?”
“Warren didn’t tell you? I’m his girlfriend, Willow, and this is Jonathan’s girlfriend, Buffy.”
“Oh my god! Warren’s got another girlfriend? Why didn’t he tell me? After the last one ran out on him, I didn’t think…my goodness, come right on in!”
The woman nearly fell over herself pulling both girls into the house. “You have no idea how thrilled I am to see you! He was spending so much time with those two friends of his, I was starting to think he was gay!” She blinked and then backpedaled rapidly, “Not that there’s anything wrong with that, mind you, it’s just….”
“Excuse me, are they all in the basement?”
“Oh yes, he’s practically set up house down there. He throws a fit whenever I even suggest going downstairs. I tell him as long as he keeps it clean and I don’t smell any suspicious odors wafting up from there, I won’t ‘invade his space.’ But I’m sure he won’t mind seeing you two. Well, I’ll just leave you two to surprise the boys!”
“Oh, we’re going to surprise them all right,” Buffy murmured grimly.
Ignoring her suggestive wink, the girls moved towards the basement. Walking quietly down the stairs the girls could hear the boys arguing in raised voices.
“I’m telling you, it’ll work. I’ve fixed it!”
“Fine! Then you won’t mind giving it a test run.”
“On what? I don’t much fancy the idea of encasing any of the computer screens down here in ice, do you?”
“Well, I’m not using it again until I know it won’t give me a case of frostbite.”
“Boys, we hate to interrupt but we’ve come to see a man about a diamond.”
The boys nearly leapt out of their skins. The Slayer was lounging against the railing at the bottom of the stairs and staring pointedly at the safe where the diamond was hidden.
“H-how did you…?”
“Your mother was kind enough to let us in. In fact, she was ecstatic. I take it you don’t have many visitors of the female persuasion down here, huh, Warren?” Willow smirked at the boys’s uncomfortable expressions.
Jonathan whispered frantically, “Warren, what do we do?”
“You hand over the diamond, that’s what you’ll do. Unless you want us to call your mother down here and show her how her son is playing Peeping Tom all over Sunnydale.”
Warren paled and stammered, “Hey, we’re not prying into anybody’s homes. Those cameras are set up in public places!”
“Stow it, Warren. I know about the cameras you have outside my house. If I were to report you to, let’s say the cops, I think they could get you on invasion of privacy. What you’re doing is voyeurism and I’m sure there’s a very good law against that. And that might give them reason to search your home and then they’d find out about that pretty little sparkler you’ve got in that safe of yours.”
Warren squinted at the two. “So how come you haven’t done it already? Why not call the cops if you’re so sure of your ground, ladies?”
Willow sighed in an exaggerated fashion. “We were hoping to do this without sirens and publicity but we’ll call them if we must. You boys aren’t minors anymore, are you? I mean, we’re talking grand larceny here, what with the bank robbery (and I’m sure you still have the cash from that in the vault, too) and that huge rock. This is time in big stir here. You think you boys can do prison time with big, sweaty inmates?”
Andrew let out a whimper. Warren glared at him. Then he let out a huge sigh. “Great. You win. If you’ll just wait a moment, I’ll get the diamond for you.”
Jonathan yelped, “Are you crazy? After everything we went through, you’re just going to hand it over?”
“Jonathan, I know when I’m licked. We’ve been defeated by a superior foe.” Buffy rolled her eyes at the grandiose term, but Warren plowed on. “Now just freeze there and I’ll get the jewel.”
Warren turned to the safe and began ostentatiously twirling the lock. Buffy moved behind him, watching his every move, while Willow eyed the other two boys.
Jonathan fidgeted. “So…how’d you girls figure out it was us?”
“We have our ways,” Willow coolly replied.
“Is it because you’re a witch?” Andrew chipped in then withered under Willow’s glare.
“The word ‘witch’ has a lot of negative connotations and I really resent its usage, so I’ll kindly thank you to stop….”
“Got it!” Warren yelled. “Catch!” He tossed the diamond to Buffy who snagged it with one hand.
Things happened quickly after that.
Andrew, who’d just caught on to Warren’s use of the word ‘freeze,’ snatched up the freeze gun and aimed it at Buffy. He blasted her with it but her Slayer reflexes made her dodge it easily. Willow’s eyes turned black.
Completely black.
The gun flew out of Andrew’s hands with enough force to shatter to pieces against the wall. Buffy kicked Warren hard in the crotch when he tried to grab back the diamond. He crumpled to the floor, squealing in pain, while Buffy stalked towards the other two boys. When she seized Jonathan by the throat, Willow yelled, “Buffy, stop! Forget them!”
The Slayer halted and lifted Jonathan effortlessly off the floor with her left hand. She looked between him and Andrew. “That was deeply stupid,” she growled in a low furious tone.
“Look, Buffy, we got what we came for. Let’s get out of here.”
“That might be a problem, Willow.” Buffy dropped Jonathan as if he were of no further interest to her and turned towards the witch. Willow gasped in dismay. It seemed as if Buffy hadn’t managed to dodge the blast completely. Her right hand, still clutching the diamond, was completely encased in ice up to her shoulder. Buffy stared at it calmly as if the arm belonged to someone else.
“It’s okay, Buffy. W-we’ll just throw a coat over it.” She scowled at Warren who still lay curled up in a ball on the floor. “Give her your jacket.”
Warren still couldn’t speak except in gasps and moans. Andrew yanked up a jacket and threw it at them. “Here! Take it. Just take it and get out!”
“Don’t give us orders, you little turd, or you’re next,” Buffy glared.
Andrew’s mouth shut with a snap and he shrank back against Jonathan. Willow arranged the jacket carefully over Buffy’s shoulders, hiding the icebound limb as best she could. She paused at the bottom of the stairs and turned back to the boys. The terrible trio, who’d just begun to relax, stiffened at her next words.
“By the way, we’re going to be dismantling the cameras you’ve got in front of our homes. Whatever it is you were planning, I suggest you drop it, leave Buffy alone and get yourselves real jobs.” She paused just a little bit for effect and then glanced at Warren’s screens.
The boys heard only a small whine as a warning, then the consoles and screens began to smoke and sizzle. Warren wailed in dismay as, one by one, each screen blew and shattered, spraying them with shards of glass and plastic fragments. Cowering amidst the wreckage, they heard Willow’s final words cut through the smoke like knives.
“Don’t make us come back here.”
And with that, Buffy and Willow left the supervillains to clean up their mess.

TBC
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