Sophia rocked back and forth in the corner of the padded room.

"I like you…you’re kind…you’re handsome…like my Jason," she said, her eyes fixed on one particular point of the wall in front of her.

Robin managed a small, lackluster smile. "Thank you. I like you too."

"You wouldn’t…not if you knew…not if you knew what I’ve done …"

Jason’s head was flung backwards. His chin held up tight in the palm of a male vampire who also wrapped his arm across Jason’s chest. He yelled and struggled, his eyes red and full of tears.

Then the vampire drove his fangs into Jason’s neck. His eyes widened; the pain evident on his face. He struggled less and less by the second.

Behind him, their daughter, Kathleen, was also in the hold of another male vampire, suffering the same fate as her father.

"I’m so sorry about Jason. He was a good man," Robin comforted, as he reached out uncertainly and then carefully, gently, placed his hand down on Sophia’s shoulder.

Sophia closed her eyes and rested her head atop Robin’s hand. "Yes … yes he was …" she brushed against his hand and then sat up and smiled. "Honestly, where are my manners, would you like a cup of tea?" Sophia turned away, as if to take the kettle in hand. Her smile soon became crestfallen as she saw no kettle nor could reach out for anything in the straitjacket. "Oh…oh …"

"Sophia?" Robin calling her name fell on deaf ears. "Sophia?"

"I never used to be like this. Honestly. I never used to be like this. I –"

"I believe you. I also think things have happened to you that some people might find incredible," his eyes smiled earnestly when she looked to him. "See, I work for the Watchers Council. We deal with the fantastic on a daily basis. So you can tell me your story. You have nothing to fear."

Sophia looked from Robin’s kind eyes to the small barred window high up on the wall. "The breeze…I think that’s what I remember the most. The breeze …"

A solemn Sophia, eyes and nose red, makeup runny, stalked the lonely and eerily quiet waterfront. Blood, of scarlet and various hues stained the cobbled sidewalk, shrubs and furniture. Discarded swords and knifes and guns and limbs were scattered. Her high heels navigated the rough terrain but her eyes were focused ahead of her.

She now came to a stop at the railing overlooking the lake. Sophia wrapped her hands around the damp wood rail and closed her eyes. The subtle breeze parted her hair, billowed her blouse. She released a long, oppressive sigh.

Rowena stepped up beside her. Sophia opened her eyes and looked to her.

"Are you …" Sophia sniffed back her tears. "Are you all right?"

Rowena sighed and turned toward Sophia. "Yeah. Yeah I’m okay. Just…just coming down here for one last look before I leave…and to say goodbye to a friend …" She glanced over her shoulder to a large pool of dried blood on the sidewalk to her left.

"Where are you going?"

Rowena looked back to the lake and shrugged. "I don’t know, but I have to go. My lover and I used to come down here, watch the yachts; have a hotdog." She smiled for a brief moment before looking solemn again. "They’re just memories now. Wanna make sure I won’t forget."

"You won’t. Did you…lose him?"

"Her," Rowena corrected and then shook her head. "And, no she’s still alive…Because of me."

"Then why do you have to leave?" Sophia asked.

"Because I made a deal," Rowena said sadly. She turned her back to the lake and lent up against the railings. "Did you…?"

"Yes," Sophia’s eyes welled up again; she sniffed. "My husband and daughter."

"I’m…I’m so sorry," Rowena took in a breath and looked to the ground.

Sophia just stared as Rowena walked away.

Wearing the same clothes, but her face freshened; Sophia walked the streets finding much the same aftermath of destruction that she left behind in Cleveland.

Sophia started to cry as she wandered aimlessly.

She came to a stop at the edge of the curb and stood perfectly still, hair curtaining her vision as she gazed at the speckled asphalt below.

Then she heard the oncoming growl of a car engine.

As it neared, Sophia took a step out onto the road and continued walking; more like shuffling. Then she stopped, sideways onto the car.

The brakes were firmly applied and the car swerved to avoid Sophia. And it did, coming to a skidded halt.

"My God, are you all right?" Emily Hoffman said as she scrambled out of her dark green Vauxhall Mini and over to Sophia. "You could have been killed!" she glared hotly at Sophia who broke down. "Oh…oh dear …" she wore a pensive expression and then warily wrapped an arm around Sophia. "Come on. Come with me. You’re in no fit state to wander the streets. It’s been a bad couple of days for all of us."

Sophia sat on the edge of the couch in a living room that seemed out of date with the era. Draped over her shoulders was a tartan blanket; in her quaking hands, a cup of steaming hot tea.

Emily took a sip of her tea and placed the cup down on the saucer in her other hand. "Why on earth did you step out in front of the car?"

Her lips curled and Sophia said. "Because I wanted it to end – the suffering."

"Suffering never ends," Emily gravely replied. With her cup on the saucer, she placed the two down on the coffee table between them. "I can tell from your clothes, your stale perfume, your hair and the way that you carry yourself that you don’t know suffering."

Sophia’s eyes shuttered up to a stern looking Emily. "I’ve just lost my family…how can one suffer anymore?"

"What you feel now is not suffering my dear, but rather heartache of the severest and tragic kind. Suffering, true suffering is enduring the most vile and putrid of pain and hate ever dug up and spewed out of the guts of hell. It’s every day, it’s raw and it’s deafening and it’s sickening," Emily sat forward and clasped her hands.

Sophia listened intently. Her hands had stopped shaking. "Then what I feel now…what is this?"

"This is life, I’m afraid."

Sophia started to whimper. "My Jason…my Kathleen…what I am going to do without them…"

"They were your life. I can see that."

Sophia nodded. "Everything I’ve ever done has been for them. My life has been for them and now…"

Emily leaned over and put her hand on Sophia’s knee.

"It’s only natural to feel the way you do." When Sophia turned her head to the side, Emily half glanced over to the fireplace, specifically to the mantle where an odd dark wooden box sat front and center.

For a moment, Emily didn’t say anything; she just watched Sophia deteriorate into a further mess than she already was.

"I have something…something I came into possession of… what seems an eternity ago," Emily told her. "I think you would benefit of it now more than I would. You could truly utilize its full potential."

"What is it?"

"You see that box, up there, on the mantle," Emily pointed. Sophia followed her lead. "There’s something about it. It contains something hideously dangerous. Something that can grant you what your desire…"

"Desire?"

"For everyone to feel the same as you do. With what’s inside you can make them suffer; and I do mean suffer."

"Suffer?"

Emily kept her stare with Sophia.

Then Sophia stood up and cautiously walked toward the mantle. Her hands cautiously moved in, her fingertips now brushing against the wooden lid. She took the box into her lands and lifted it off the mantle. She took a step back, her eyes doubling in size. Her hands tightened and then she smashed the box on the Parquet flooring. Amidst the pieces of broken wood was a medium-sized black stone. Darker than dark. It was as if it were a shadow given mass. Sophia gasped. She stumbled back and grabbed at her hair and then screamed.

Emily smiled, took her cup and saucer in her hands and took a sip.

Sophia was crying. "She…showed me suffering. How could a mere wooden box house something so…so …" she bit her lip.

Suddenly Robin staggered forward and steadied himself on Sophia. His eyes started to grow heavy. He shook his head and reached into his pocket and produced a packet that read, ‘No Doze’. He ripped the paper top off and downed the contents.

Taking a breath he asked, "Sophia? Was what was inside the box that cause all this, that caused the world to change?"

She gave a slow nod. "Yes …"

"Sophia. What was inside the box? Please, I need to know."

She spun around to Robin and threw herself onto him. "Robin, I beg of you please…just kill me…end my suffering please!"

"Soph–"

"PLEASE! I can’t kill myself, it won’t let me, but you can…please, be my savior…Robin help me!"

"Sophia!"

"Robin! Beware! Beware the–."

Before she could finish her warning the door flung open and the doctor entered with two orderlies in tow. They grabbed her by the straps and threw her to the ground, one of them sitting on her back. Robin stood up as the doctor barged past him.

"Wait! Wait a second!" Robin protested.

The doctor removed the cap off a needle.

"ROBIN! PLEASE!" Sophia screamed at the top of her lungs.

Her cries became fainter and fainter as the sedative took effect.

Completely shaken to the core, Robin tripped backwards and then rushed down the hall.

Wesley’s head was thrown back as a dirty brown burlap sack was ripped off his head.

He winced and tried to move his hands but found them tied behind his back to what could only be an old wooden chair.

"Where…where I am?" he rasped.

"Where’d you think, watcher-man?" Marie walked out of the shadows and toward Wesley. "Right where you wanna be, I’d say." Marie held Wesley’s sword in her hands. "Now I’m gonna hazard a guess here, that with you packing your oh so very cool wrist blade sword you were looking for us? Correct?" she cocked her head to the side.

"Correct," he gave back dryly. "But not in a way you’re thinking," he added.

Marie smiled and sliced his sword through the air. Whereas others would have flinched, Wesley did not.

"Well here we are now," Marie jumped up onto Wesley’s lap. He groaned. She then traced the swords’ sharp tip across his thighs, then his chest and finally his face. "You wanna tell me what you want then?" she then thrust the sword under his chin.

"I need to see Kennedy," Wesley said firmly.

She giggled. "And what makes you think Kennedy’s still alive?"

"She’s smart, cunning. The death of an idol such as Kennedy would not go unnoticed by the world’s eyes, nor would it go ungrieved by her dedicated followers. That and I doubt you’d be doing a second-in-command’s work, Marie."

She giggled. "Yeah, I always liked you Wes. You knew me so well. Always wanted you to be my watcher, you were one of the decent ones."

"Then you know I can be trusted."

"Maybe." She pushed the tip of the sword up further into the soft underbelly of Wesley’s chin. He grit his teeth but held his defiant stare with her. "But what do you want with Kennedy?"

"It’s vitally important. If you don’t let me speak with her then I promise you that she will be the first casualty of many of the Rebels."

"Is that a threat?" she tightened her hold on the cusp of the sword.

"No, I’m just trying to warn you."

Marie dug the sword’s tip deeper but skillfully did not break the skin.

"Marie," a voice called out from behind, authoritatively. "Now you know that’s not how we treat our guests."

Marie stared into Wesley’s eyes as she replied. "Sorry boss. You know me and my manners."

At the sound of footsteps from across the basement, Wesley’s eyes moved from their fierce locked stare with Marie to Kennedy who walked towards them. His eyes grew a little. Kennedy folded her arms as she came to a stop.

Marie got off Wesley’s lap. As she got up she said to him, "Mind if I keep the sword?"

He didn’t answer and she walked past Kennedy, back into the shadows.

"You’ll have to forgive Marie," she walked around Wesley and unclipped a small knife from her belt. "She can be a bit gung-ho sometimes." Now behind him, Kennedy cut the plastic tie that bound his hands together and to the wooden chair, and then she took a step back, holstering her knife. "But don’t think you’ve got the good cop now," Kennedy told him and immediately thrust out her right hand.

Wesley was launched into the air and thrown back into cold hard stone wall behind. His body slammed against it with a tremendous force that even he couldn’t help but let out a small cry.

"I’ve teleported all the way from Rio to meet you and I don’t like Cleveland much anymore, so this is gonna go one of two ways. One; you talk; I believe you; we do tea and crumpets and you go on your merry. Ooorrr; you talk; I don’t believe; I kill you –" she shrugged her shoulders, her face suggested that she liked that idea, "– and then I go on my merry. Either way, I don’t envision being here long. So spill."

"The-the Council is coming for you…" he tried to catch his breath.

"What a shock," Kennedy picked up the fallen chair, turned it to face Wesley and sat down. "Tell me something I don’t know."

"Very well," Wesley began. "At this very moment they are prepping for the opening of a dimensional bridge to a parallel world where they’ll retrieve the slayers’ scythe," Wesley continued.

"And?"

"You and those in your company will no longer be slayers. Willow intends to access the scythe’s power to deactivate those of her and the Council’s choosing."

Kennedy seemed taken aback. "Wow. That’s some story."

"One that you’d be wise to believe."

"And how am I supposed to trust you? You’re a watcher. You know what me and my girls do to your kind." Wesley put his head back against the wall. Kennedy stood up and approached him. "New recruits kill watchers to prove their worth. I, personally, would just as soon kill you for fun right now. The more you draft in watchers, the more casualties there will be."

"Believe me and join me in this fight and I promise you…after this, the Council will be no more," Wesley and Kennedy were locked in a glare. "Over there, on the table inside my jacket is a pack of files containing defense codes; revised schematics; patrol times and squad information; the frequency of the shield harmonics that surrounds the building. Everything you will need to bring the Council down."

Kennedy watched Wesley for a moment and then walked over to the table. She pulled apart his jacket and found the large manila folder stuffed in the inside pocket. "Say I do believe you," she called out, her back to him. "How do I know this is nothing more than an elaborate trap? I need more," she turned back to Wesley. "I want you to kill Heli." His eyes went huge. "I want her watcher to kill his slayer…and then maybe I’ll think about this alliance."

"Where’s Robin now?" Giles asked as he walked down the hall alongside Faith with Willow and Buffy paired behind.

"In his office," Faith said.

"You sure this is a good idea?" Willow sounded unsure.

"It’s the only way we’ll know for certain," Faith added. "We’ve done our best to convince him that there’s nothing wrong with him that Miller can find."

"Well, that’s not a lie," Buffy chipped in.

"That’s something I guess," Faith blew out and combed her hair with her fingers. "If the guy sitting in Robin’s office is our Robin, great. If he’s not, then we’ll catch him." Faith glanced behind her. "Red, you got the measures in place?"

"Oh, yeah, sure," Willow replied. "Robin’s computer’s bugged; security’s monitoring his whereabouts. I’ve got the Coven also tracking him in real time just in case we lose visual…But…"

"What?" Buffy asked.

"Okay bad thought, I know. But what if Robin isn’t the only someone from this…other world?"

"Willow, please, don’t," Giles shuddered.

"Yeah," Faith added, "there’s only so much creepy and Body Snatcher angst we can take right now. We’ve got the bases covered. If Robin isn’t who he says he is, we’ll know."

Faith glanced over to Giles and the group turned the corner.

Robin sat behind his desk; the small white bottle beside him; focused on the monitor.

His fingers tapped the keys on the keyboard. Out of the corner of his eye he flashed a quick look to the top corner of the room; then to the other one.

Satisfied, his eyes fell back down on the monitor. Several windows were opened. One in particular displayed the computers’ hard drive. Highlighted in a cool blue bar was a program, hidden deep in the core of the computer. Spyware.

Adjacent were two smaller windows. One displaying a repeated, flashing message: "REDIRECTING."

In the other smaller window a series of command lines in white on a black backdrop continuously changed. Robin clicked in this window and entered into the command interface.

The other window refreshed and the Spyware program vanished.

He closed down the hard-drive and command line windows and accessed the W.I.L.L.O.W. software. The computer avatar greeted Robin and said in Willow’s voice, "Welcome, Admin."

Robin moved the cursor over the Root Directory Folder icon and double-clicked. When the window opened he scrolled down the list of sub-folders until he came to the Security folder. Now inside, he scrolled down further and found a document titled "Lockdown Procedures."

He grinned.

The katana snapped back into the saya and Heli placed the exquisite weapon back on its holster on the wall; ten others below it. She stood there for a moment admiring them; she even softly smiled.

The electronic beep of the security door behind her broke her out of her reverie. She glanced to see Wesley enter and close the door behind him. He rubbed his wrists.

"Mr. Wyndam-Pryce?" she turned fully toward him. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"I wanted to check in. See how preparations are going."

Heli raised a brow. "Could you not wait for my progress report?"

"Truth be told, I needed a break from all the…stress."

Heli smirked. "Stress is good, Mr. Wyndam-Pryce. Healthy."

"Tell that to my blood pressure," Wesley shared her smirk. "I knew you would be alone in here. I know how you like to personally check arms before battle."

"It is not that I do not trust others enough to do the task, it’s just …" she turned back to the weapon stacks. "…I find it soothing; being alone with items of such beauty and power." Heli looked to Wesley and rolled her eyes. "Arrogant I know, but I liken myself to one of these."

"Well, you are…a weapon."

"For a moment there Pryce, I thought you were going to call me magnificent?" her eyes sparkled. "I doubt Ms. Morgan would approve of such flattery."

"She wouldn’t care."

Heli tipped her head at Wesley and returned her attention to the weapons.

With her back to him, Wesley flashed a quick glance to the security camera mounted on the wall, pointed directly at him.

The monitor displaying the Primary Armory showed only Heli present in the room handling the weapons. Ten seconds later, an earlier action of hers was repeated.

Wesley’s hand slowly reached into his trouser pocket. Very carefully he pulled out a syringe. The fluid contained inside was a thick yellow organic compound. He removed the cap and placed it back in his pocket. Then he stepped forward.

Heli lifted the top katana from its holster once more. "This would have to be my favorite. There’s something about Japanese steel; it’s cold and deadly yet soft and graceful. Here, try –"

As she turned she saw Wesley ferociously lunge for her and drive the syringe deep into her neck. He injected the compound.

She recoiled, throwing her hands up in the air, the katana falling and clanging on the gray floor.

Heli pressed her hand to her neck and grimaced. "Wha-what the hell?" her eyes were furious and wide. As she rushed forward taking a swing at Wesley, he took one single step back and Heli’s firm swing went limp and she stumbled.

"Wha-what?" she was out of breath. "What have you done to me?"

Wesley didn’t say a word. He just stared at her.

Heli spun and grabbed an axe. As she lifted it she toppled over and the heavy blade crashed onto the floor. She mustered what was left of her fleeting strength and brought the axe up, her arms quaking. She scrunched her face up and tiredly swung at Wesley.

He moved out of the blade’s arc and grasped the pole. In one swift movement he disarmed Heli, threw the axe behind him and wrapped his powerful hands around her throat.

Heli flayed her arms but Wesley only tightened his grip. Her face was quickly becoming red; her eyes bulged out of their sockets, veins popping on her forehead.

Struggling, Heli managed to bring her hands up and grab Wesley’s throat. Her grasp was weak and Wesley’s stranglehold was far stronger.

Wesley kept his solid and cold composure and squeezed harder.

Her livid glare remained defiant and steady as she felt her windpipe crushed. After what seemed an eternity of glowering at Wesley, Heli’s hold on him waned completely and her hands and head finally fell.

Warily, Wesley released his grasp on Heli, and her lifeless body slumped to the floor with a thud.

He stood over her body. He swallowed; his expression still stoic and blank.

Robin knocked on the door bearing Wesley’s name, whispering, "Wesley?"

He tried the door handle but it was locked. He sighed and went for his cell phone.

"Robin?" Lilah called from behind.

"Lilah?" He turned and put away his cell phone.

"Don’t bother, I’ve tried Wesley’s cell."

"Do you know where he is?"

"He left a memo; gone to collect some volumes from the storage facility. Shame. I was hoping for pre-battle liaison. Those are always the best what with the looming danger and angst." She looked Robin up and down. "But since Wes isn’t here, what’dya say? Wanna jump these bones?" she came onto him.

"Senior staff report immediately to the command center. I repeat; senior staff report immediately to the command center," a female voice sounded over the P.A.

Lilah pouted. "Another time perhaps?" then she backed off and headed down the hallway.

Robin watched as she left.

Robin entered moments after Lilah to find Giles, Buffy, Willow and Ethan standing around the large circular desk.

"Is Pryce back yet?" Giles asked to no one in particular.

"No," Lilah answered.

"And what of Ms. Hamalainen? We received confirmation that she had finished checking the arms but she has not turned up for the briefing," Giles continued.

"Probably got sidetracked," Buffy suggested. "Saw something cute and fluffy and decided it had to die."

"Yes, quite," Giles said and patted his sodden yet brittle gelled hair. "Well then, we shall begin. Ms. Rosenberg?"

Willow sighed. "Our preparations are complete. We’re good to go. Dawn’s down in the basement with the Coven. She’s ready to access her Key powers and use the mirror to create the bridge. She’s waiting for the order."

"And that means, mate…" Ethan said looking over to Robin.

"I’ve got to swap," Robin answered. "So I’m on the other side when everything goes down. A distraction."

"Exactly," Ethan clapped his hands. "C’mon, I’ll get you set-up in the cell."

Willow glared at him. "I can do that."

"No, it’s all right. You stay here and…you stay here," Ethan gave her a smug smile.

"Let us know when he’s under," Giles called out, stopping Robin and Ethan for a moment. "I’d like to be there when the other Robin wakes up."

Ethan saluted and he and Robin left. Robin glanced back at the group with a subdued smile.

The amalgam of gravel and sediment crunched under the thick rubber tires of a nondescript black 4x4 that rolled into the deserted quarry. As the vehicle scraped to a halt, the growl of the engine petered into the ether. Now the only sound that reverberated across the canyon was that of the distant highway.

The door opened and out stepped Wesley. Slamming the door behind him, he scanned the surrounding area veiled in the perpetual twilight.

"I’m here!" he shouted. "Show yourself!"

From behind, there was a crunch. Wesley pivoted and found Kennedy; leaning against the 4x4, arms crossed with an arched brow.

"You rang?" sarcasm heavily palpable in her voice.

"I did it. I did what you asked."

"You did?"

"You sound surprised?"

Wesley opened the driver’s side door and flipped a switch, popping open the trunk. Kennedy bowed her head, leaned off the 4x4 and walked around to the trunk. After a silent moment the trunk banged shut and Kennedy walked back around to Wesley.

"She’s dead all right." She smiled. "Not that I wouldn’t have enjoyed killing her myself, just the image of her being taken totally off guard by her watcher is so much sweeter."

"So," Wesley began, "do we have a deal?"

She waited; locking her eyes on his, and then gave a nod. "Deal."

Robin’s head lay on the desk; his body slumped, doubled over. Then he grunted. Woozily he lifted himself up and sat back in the chair, his eyes still closed. He smacked his lips and slowly came too. As the room came into focus he jerked forward with a start. His eyes darted around the office.

"I’m back…I’m …"

Robin pushed back the chair, jumped to his feet and rushed for the door.

Robin moaned under his breath, and then his eyes gently flickered open. As he went to move he found himself restrained; his arms and legs strapped to an iron bed by padded belts. He tugged but to no avail.

"Welcome back, Robin," Giles said.

An enraged Robin, showing teeth, snapped his head to one side to see Giles standing in the doorway along with Buffy, Willow, Ethan and Lilah lined against the wall.

"What the hell do you think you’re doing?!" Robin seethed.

"I think you’ll find you’re not in Kansas anymore, Dorothy," Buffy dryly quipped.

"You bastards, let me go! It’s me! This world’s Robin!"

"What?" Willow frowned.

"I’m Robin! We’ve been played! The other Robin from the parallel world has been here for hours; nearly a day!" Robin spat. "He’s played us all!"

"Clutching at straws, are we now?" Ethan remarked.

"I’ve been taking sleeping pills; trying to force the swap, but I’m guessing the other Robin’s wise to the whole set-up."

"How would he know?" Lilah tilted her head to the side, raising a brow.

"I don’t know but he must have worked it out somehow! Wait! Check my blood! Check my pockets for pills or anything!" Robin shouted.

Giles half glanced to Buffy and nodded.

She followed orders and made for the table were Robin’s blazer laid.

"Faith died three years ago. When she died I didn’t go for a bottle like most would have done! Do you remember? Do you? I cried for weeks! I cut myself!"

"That still doesn’t prove anything," Giles replied with a smug smile.

Buffy rummaged through the pockets and then she found something. She pulled out ‘No Doze’ wrappers and a yellow bottle of caffeine tablets. Buffy blinked and then showed Giles.

Giles was still speechless, his eyes full of tears that dare not fall.

"See! Rupert, you’ve gotta believe me! Ethan…Ethan, buddy? Please," Robin begged. "The other Robin’s got a head start! If we don’t get moving fast we’ll have lost the element of surprise!"

"My God …" Giles trailed off and immediately went for his cell phone. "Ethan, tell our forces we’re moving out now!"

"Got it," the old mage said and then disappeared from the cell.

Giles pressed the speed dial and then put the phone to his ear. "Skye – tell Dawn to open the bridge...now!"

"You got it, boss man," Skye said and flipped her cell phone shut. Looking over to Dawn who sat on the floor, crossed-legged, meditating, she said "That’s it. T-minus now. Ready to do your thang, baby?"

Dawn opened her black mascara laden eyes. "Ready. Amy? Jonny? If you’d do the honors …"

Jonathan grumbled. "Why do I always get the grunt work?"

"Ever thought it’s ‘cus you’re the grunt of the group?" Amy jibed as they both walked over to a freestanding mirror that had its non-reflective back to them – the back that you not would normally see against a wall.

Standing on either side, they bent and lifted the mirror away. As they moved, a large freestanding grand mirror that had been propped up behind it against the wall was revealed inch-by-inch.

Now on her feet, as Dawn walked toward the grand mirror, her image and that of the others and the rest of the vault were not reflected. Instead the mirror showed an image so polar an opposite that it was breathtaking. Jackson and Markham could be seen through the mirror. They were across the vault with their backs turned, hard at work.

Dawn stepped up, opened her arms and tilted her head back, closing her eyes.

The air around her began to glow a shimmering vibrant green.

"So you get Rock Band yet?" Jackson asked with his eyes down on the laptop in his arms.

"Oh hell yeah!" Markham nodded, turning to face Jackson as he lifted a bronze idol out of a packing crate; long, spindly strands of straw still hanging off it. "Wanna come round tonight? ‘Ya know, call up the guys, get a couple of beers in; nachos?"

"Nachos?" That got Jackson’s attention. Markham placed the idol on the table. "Ooh!" he raised both brows, "The combination of friends, beers, nachos and gamer fun; well, well I just think that’s a splendid idea!" Jackson grinned.

Markham glanced toward the crates. He frowned as his stare fell onto something along the back wall.

"Jackson…since when did Dawn live in the mirror?"

Jackson glanced over his shoulder and his eyes went wide. He turned completely around and saw the green light slowly radiating out from the grand mirror; Dawn standing with her arms extended and head back.

Markham thumbed behind himself. "I think we’d better …"

"Yeah…I think we’d better …"

Jackson didn’t finish. He and Markham scrambled backwards and ran out of the vault in great haste.

"Robin, I …" Buffy started but when Robin cut in, she rolled her head.

"Just listen to me! There’s no time!" he shouted.

Also gathered in the room were Willow, Rowena, Faith, Kennedy, Xander, Andrew, Giles, Felix and Lori. There was a knock on the glass doors. Outside stood Amira and a group of Black Ops slayers.

"Please…just give me a chance!" he pleaded.

The group fell silent. They looked around at each other and then Buffy turned to Robin.

"I figured it out," Robin began, "I’m not crazy. I have been swapping places with another Robin from a parallel world."

"Naaaaailed it," Andrew said in a high-pitched singsong voice. Everyone looked at him not saying anything. "What? I did."

"What do they want? These guys from the parallel world?" Rowena asked.

"The scythe. The parallel Council wants to use the scythe to deactivate certain slayers in their world–"

"Kennedy’s Rebels?" Xander said.

"Could that be done, Will?" Buffy put to her.

"Maybe," she said with a shrug.

"Please. What I’m telling you now explains everything," Robin stared at Faith. "They are coming and they’ll be here as soon as the other Robin wakes up in his world."

"How do they plan to get here?" Rowena asked.

"The parallel Dawn is using her Key powers to bridge the two worlds. If we wanna end this, we need to …"

Jackson and Markham barged through Amira and the Black Ops outside and burst into the conference room. Out of breath, Jackson panted.

"Buffy…something’s happening down in the vault…the mirror…it’s …"

Almost on cue, the Council was violently rocked by what seemed an earthquake. Buffy was thrown off balanced but Giles managed to catch her in his arms and right her. He held on to her arms as the quaking continued.

"It’s started …" Robin trailed off.

Buffy scrambled for the phone on the table. She punched in a number and an echo rang throughout the room. "This is Councilwoman Summers. The Council is under attack," her voice now on the loudspeaker. "All personnel get to safe place. Slayers, Black Ops, security and Coven members, ready arms and convene in the lobby immediately…"

"If it gets hairy, guys, fall back to the surveillance room," Buffy instructed. "Felix, spread the word so everyone knows where to go." She then turned to Willow and said, "Walk with me," as she took her by the elbow.

Robin and the others flew around the corner into the lobby, using the wall to propel themselves forward as the Council continued to shake.

The lobby was full to the brim with slayers armed to the teeth. Black Ops gathered, standing in their teams, each toting heavy machine guns. Huddled around by the reception desk were the Coven and Gwen, standing next to Ethan.

Giles came to stand next to Ethan. The old mage gave him a toothy grin.

"Here I was worried the lack of chaos would get boring," he told him. "If I’d known you were having this much fun all these years, Rupert, I might have joined up earlier."

"Willow!" Dawn cried out and tried to make her way over to her; her arms outstretched for balance. "What’s going on? Where’s Buffy?" her shout barely audible above the rumble.

Dawn tripped and Willow rushed to grab her before she fell.

"Okay, listen up!" Buffy shouted, sounding a bit out of breath. "Any moment now a dimensional rift is gonna open…where’s it gonna open?" she looked back to Robin. He threw up his hands up. She sighed and turned back to the troops. "… well, it’s gonna open and when it does our counterparts from another parallel world are gonna break through to the this side. Don’t be surprised if you see yourself or your friends but no matter what make sure who you’re fighting is one of them, not us!"

"What are they after?" Gwen shouted.

"The scythe!" Buffy called out. "You’re objective is to take out as many of these invaders as you can. Willow, do the wiccy thing to reduce our casualties – chances are they’ll come with ammo up the wazoo. So put the odds in our favor."

"Right," Willow shouted from the back.

"Whatever happens, they…"

"Move!" Kennedy screamed.

Everyone looked around to see a large bolt of green energy rip out of thin air in the middle of the lobby. It crackled and pulsated with a red glow.

The group ran over to the reception desk as the tear grew exponentially, bathing the lobby in an eerie green light. Then suddenly the tear ripped wide open. The edges of the rift burning away like charred paper. The remnants of reality fell to the floor and then dissolved into oblivion.

Robin worked his way to the front of the group with Faith alongside him when an intense light exploded. As the glare faded, Robin and the others found the lobby and the Council split in two. One half belonging to this world’s Council and the other to the parallel Council – the two merged.

All eyes, from both worlds, took in the awe-inspiring sights they saw standing before them in the lobby. Robin’s eyes, however, were locked in a fierce gaze on his doppelganger who stood yards away from him.