The Fallen Slayer {1}

The Weight Of The World

"The hell bitch is gone." Damon told the gang as he walked back into the abandoned gas station with Spike.

They had searched for miles but Glory was long gone with Elena.

Glory officially had The Key so they were all beyond screwed.

Stefan, who was standing with Giles sighed at his brother's words. He couldn't help but feel guilty, if the two of them had just gotten here sooner then they could have helped Buffy protect Elena.

Biting into his wrist, he allowed his blood to pour into the small mug Anya had found.

The least he could do right now was make sure Giles was okay.

Holding out the blood-filled mug towards the Watcher, he almost laughed at the disgusted look on Giles's face.

Damon chuckled as Giles continued to stare at the blood in horror as well as slight fascination, clearly trying to work out in his brain just exactly how the healing properties worked "Suck it up, gramps. A couple drops and you'll be good as new, just make sure not to bite the dust for the next day or two."

Giles shot him a slight glare before reluctantly taking the mug and drinking the blood. Feeling his skin slowly starting to reform as the blood worked its magic, Giles allowed a small appreciative smile to graze his lips as he turned to Stefan.

Out of the two, he much preferred Stefan.

"Thank you."

Stefan just smiled, double-checking that Giles was healeding up before moving back toward Buffy.

There had still yet to be any movement.

She wasn't even blinking.

If it wasn't for the rise and fall of her chest he would have thought she was dead.

Crouching down in front of her he sighed in worry as he pushed a strand of hair out of her face. He had tried to get into her head twice already but clearly, a normal vampire still couldn't into a Slayer's head.

Only an Original could.

Which left him completely helpless, unable to get her out of the void she had trapped herself in.

As the group all watched Giles's skin magically sewing itself back together, completely healing the once deadly wound, Spike couldn't help but grumble, jealousy filling his gut "You lot really are lucky buggers." He muttered to Damon and Stefan.

Unlike them he didn't have such advanced healing, hell he had spent weeks in a wheelchair at one point because of Buffy.

Sighing he turned back to the group, wanting nothing more than to get the hell out of here "Better part of a century spent in delinquency just paid off. Hotwired Ben's auto. Who's for gettin' the hell out of here?"

Xander nodded "All in favor. Let's do it."

Ignoring Xander, Giles just continued to stare down at his now fully healed wound. It was astonishing just how much power the blood held. There wasn't even a scar.

It was as though it had never happened.

"Remarkable." He breathed before looking over at Xander "I'll be fine. How's Buffy?"

"The same." Stefan told them as he continued to watch Buffy "I can't get into her head, I'm not an Original. The most I have ever gotten is voices but Slayer's minds are too protected."

The only time he had tried to get into her head, was when she asked him to after a nightmare. She had wanted him to help her sleep but her mind had forced him out the second he tried.

"Slayer's gonna be all right, won't she?" Spike asked.


The question cued Damon to turn his head, his face softening slightly as he focused on Buffy. It was terrifying seeing her like this.

After everything she had been through, this battle with Glory had finally broken her.

Moving over he clicked his fingers in front of her face, but sure enough, she didn't flinch or blink at the sound. 

"Let me try." He told his brother before taking Stefan's place in front of the blonde.

Placing his hands on her face, he closed his eyes trying to force his way into her mind but there was nothing but darkness.

A black wall blocked him at every turn.

The one time time he had tried he had been blocked by bright lights and a voice screaming get out.

But now there was nothingness.

No light...just darkness.

Wherever Buffy was in her mind, she clearly didn't want to be found.
  
"Dammit, nothing." Damon hissed out in frustration as he stood with Stefan, both of them watching the motionless blonde "We're not strong enough. She's hiding deep in her subconscious. Normally when you try and go into a Slayer's head, it hurts. We're talking strong blinding lights and unwelcoming screaming. But there is nothing in there right now. We would need a serious power boost to punch a hole through it. What about you Bon-Bon?"

Sighing, Bonnie moved over and took Buffy's hand trying to use her magic to sense something, any sign of Buffy.

There was nothing.

Her person wasn't in there anymore.

Just the thought made Bonnie want to sob as she moved to squeeze Buffy's hands tightly, entangling their fingers together.

She knew Buffy wasn't brain-dead, she was in there but watching Elena get ripped away had made her just want to not be here and somehow her mind had allowed her to disappear within her subconscious.

Separating her mind into different pieces.

It had left Buffy completely scattered and torn apart.

The weight of the world had finally crushed her.


Taking in a deep breath Bonnie squeezed Buffy's hands one more trying not to break down into tears. Her own emotions were all over the place, her two best friends were in need of help and she wasn't sure what she could do.

Spike rolled his eyes.

He didn't buy it.

"I mean...she's still Buffy, somewhere in there, right?"

"Spike..." Xander warned him before groaning "Come on we're not gonna get Elena back by sittin' here."

Xander turned to Bonnie hoping for her to have the answers, but the Bennett witch quickly shook her head "I can't do a locator spell, not only are Buffy and Elena not related by blood but Glory most probably has hundreds of spells clocking her by now." Sighing, Bonnie exhaled deeply, running a hand through her hair as she tried to think "Even with Mary's book, there's not much I can do about finding Elena."


"We should move her." Willow whispered hesitantly, her eyes glued to Buffy's unmoving form "Unless we shouldn't. Should we?" She asked glancing at Stefan.

Stefan shrugged, to be honest, he had no idea what to do here, he could barely process anything right now other than the fact that Buffy was suffering "I don't know."

"It might make it worse." Anya pointed out nervously "I think I read that somewhere."

Xander frowned before throwing up his arms in annoyance and frustration, the one person that would know what to do was the person that needed their help.

Buffy was always the one that figured everything out.

They needed her back.

"I am so large with the not knowing."

Unlike the rest of the young adults, Giles was starting to realize what had happened. Rubbing his jaw, he inhaled tightly before allowing his concerned eyes to drift back over to Buffy "You need to understand this, losing Elena, after all, that Buffy's been through...her mind was already damaged but this...it's pushed her too far into a sort of catatonia."

"You don't need a diploma to see that. Snap her out of it." Spike snapped before attempting to move toward Buffy only to find himself pinned to the wall.


Surprisingly not by Damon, but by Stefan who was growing in anger and rage as he held Spike by the throat.

Every part of him wanted to rip Spike's heart from his chest.

"Don't touch her." Stefan hissed.

"Girl's imbued with Slayer strength, hardly time to get dainty now—" Before Spike could finish his words Stefan shocked everyone in the room by punching Spike in the face sending him crashing to the ground.

The room went deathly silent.


For most of them, they had only seen calm, polite, and collected Stefan. They had never seen the rage and fury that was beneath the surface, especially when it came to his protectiveness for Buffy.

He was normally so reasonable and in control, but when it came to Buffy he was very capable of going over the edge to keep her safe.


Bonnie couldn't help but sigh, she knew that the prospect of losing Buffy and Elena who he had grown to think of as one of his closest friends was pushing him over the edge.

For Stefan, the edge was far too dangerous.

If he went too far then it wouldn't be long till his Ripper side was back.

In an attempt to intervene before Spike and Stefan could kill each other, Bonnie raised her hand toward Spike, boiling his brain.


Suddenly the youngest vampire in the room crashed back down onto his knees crying in agony. Spike could do nothing but clutch his head in agony as the blood vessels in his brain popped over and over again.

Once she was sure he had suffered enough, Bonnie released him watching him crash face-first into the ground.

"Bloody hell." Spike mumbled as he looked up and spat the blood from his mouth "You're all wasting time...when all's said and done Slayer's like it rough so—"

Spike was sent whaling across the room as Damon's boot connected with his face.


Clearly, Spike had not gathered yet that every time he opened his mouth the other vampires grew closer to killing him.

As both Stefan and Damon move toward the battered Spike prepared to finally end him, they found themselves unable to move. 

Magic restrained them, freezing them in place.

Damon frowned in annoyance, pissed that yet again someone was stopping him from ending Spike's miserable existence "Bon Bon not now..."

"It's not me." Bonnie told them before glancing at Willow who was glaring at the three vampires.

"You done?" Willow snapped at them, her voice coming off as strong and powerful, giving no room for discussion.

When Stefan and Damon nodded, she nodded back before turning to the rest of the group, she was taking charge here.


She had to.


"Buffy's out. Glory has Elena. Sometime real soon, she's gonna use Elena to tear down the barrier between every dimension there is. So..."
Pausing in her words, the self-appointed leader of the Scooby-Gang turned to Damon and Stefan "If you two wanna continue and kill Spike do it after the world ends, okay? First, we head back to Sunnydale. Xander takes Giles home, to make sure he doesn't get himself killed while he still has vampire blood in his system. Anya's looking after Tara. Spike, Damon..."

Realizing that she planning on pairing the two of them together for whatever job she had, Damon moved to argue.
The second she shot a sharp glare at him, Damon froze, his mouth quickly clamping shut.

He may be a vampire but he was smart enough to know when not to piss off a witch...some of the time.

Willow tilted her head waiting for an argument but when Damon backed down she continued "Check Glory's apartment, see if she's still there. And Damon try anything stupid, like payback...I will get very cranky. Everyone clear?"

With her little speech done, Willow glanced around the room, any signs of the geeky nerdy girl that she once was, were long gone.

For the time being she was their leader.

A strong powerful witch that wasn't to be crossed.

Willow paused as she spotted Anya raise a very hesitant hand in the air "Anya."

"Um.." She stuttered nervously "What will you do?"

Stefan nodded in agreement "What about me? I'm not leaving Buffy."

"Don't worry." Willow assured him "You're coming with me and Bonnie, we're going to help Buffy."

Stefan sighed in relief, he knew the others could track down Elena, and as much as he wanted to be helping find his friend, his main focus was Buffy right now.

While Stefan moved to carefully lift Buffy up into his arms, resting her head against his shoulder, Willow moved over to a fussy Tara.

Tara had been mumbling quietly to herself in the corner, clearly distraught over all of the arguing.


With Stefan focused on Buffy, Spike finally stood back up. Making sure to keep his distance from both Damon and Stefan as he turned to Willow. 

There was one thing missing from their little to-do list.

"Ah, Will..." When she turned to face him he gulped slightly, the redhead could be downright terrifying when she needed to be "Now, uh, don't turn me into a horned toad for asking, but...what if we come across Ben?"

Stefan frowned in confusion "Who's Ben?"

"Cutie Doctor Buffy dumped." Damon answered with a shrug of his shoulders confused as to why Spike was bringing this up. It just seemed so random and unimportant given their current situation.

"When was Buffy dating a doctor?"

Willow rolled her eyes at Stefan's obvious discomfort, she didn't have the time or the patience to deal with jealous vampires. Turning to Spike she shrugged "I don't think a doctor's what Buffy needs right now."

Spike chuckled "Well, yeah, especially not one who also happens to be Glory."

At his words, everyone in the room froze and turned to Spike, looks of confusion crossing their faces.


What the hell was he talking about?

"What do you mean?" Xander asked.

"You know. Ben is Glory." Spike reminded them before frowning as everyone continued to stare at him like he was a nut. He was completely confused.

They had all literally watched Ben turn in Glory not even 35 minutes ago.

Damon and Stefan glanced at each other.

The two of them were beyond confused, they seemed to have missed more than they thought when they were with Klaus.


"You mean..." Willow whispered softly "Ben's with Glory?"

"With, in what sense?" Xander added, utterly bewildered.

"They're working together?" Anya asked with equal amounts of confusion.

Spike glanced between the group completely dumbfounded, this was ridiculous "No. No. Ben is Glory. Glory's Ben. They're one and the same."


Stefan sighed as he adjusted his hold on Buffy "What are you talking about?"


"They share a body!" Spike exclaimed in frustration "Not one hour ago we saw Ben turn into Glory! Ben came, turned into Glory, snatched the Gilbert kid, and –pfft!- vanished, remember?"

When he was met with nothing but silence and skeptical looks, Spike sputtered in disbelief.

He had to be getting pranked here.

"Is everyone here very stoned?"

Slowly it started to click in Damon's brain what had happened.

Glory was smarter than he had thought. She had made sure no one would remember the stupid transformation.

"No one can remember dumbass." He told Spike "My guess, demon God hijacks whatever."

Stefan nodded in agreement.

It made sense, Glory was powerful enough to shield herself, and if she wanted to make sure that no one would find out who the male vessel that contained her was, the best way was by making sure no one would remember if they saw it.

"Glory most probably has witches working for her, anyone who sees the change forgets. We're not exactly human so makes sense it wouldn't work on you."

Still struggling to grasp an understanding of all this new information, Willow turned to Stefan "So Ben and Glory...are the same person." She said hesitantly like her brain didn't want to believe it.


The thought of Ben being Glory was already fading away.


Xander nodded "Glory can turn into Ben, and Ben turns back into Glory."

"And anyone who sees it instantly forgets." Anya finished before all of them turn back to Spike.

"Excellent." Giles breathed out "Now. Do we suspect that there may be some kind of connection between Ben and Glory?"

At the question, Stefan, Spike, and Damon all shared a small groan.

They were really going to have to keep drilling this into the humans' heads.

It was going to be a long night.

Clenching her jaw as she sat in the chair, Glory had practically shoved her into, Elena's eyes narrowed as she spotted one of the minions moving towards her.

As he reached out to touch her, she leaned back out of his reach "Touch me and I'll kill you."

Glory laughed in amusement from the corner of the room as she watched the brunette threaten her minion "Aww look at her, she's a little spitfire." She teased in a mocking tone before rubbing her forehead, trying to ease the massive headache.

Elena shot her a glare before she turned her focus back to the minion, spotting him moving to touch her again, she reacted on instinct.

When you spend years living and training with a vampire Slayer, you really learned to react quickly.

Grabbing his wrist as he reached for her, she yanked him forward smashing his head against the handle of her chair before pushing him to the ground.


"Hey!" Glory exclaimed as she stormed over and grabbed Elena's arm roughly, hauling her up to her feet "I am having a very stressful day, so behave! No mini-Slayer crap. Got it?!"

When Glory tightened her grasp on her arm Elena winced slightly before reluctantly nodding in defeat. Sighing as Glory finally released her, Elena sat back down trying not to flinch away as the now bruised minion stood and moved toward her, drawing across her forehead with a strange black liquid.

"What's he doing?" Glory asked one of her other minions as she watched the battered-up priest move his hand over Elena's face.

At the question, the minion in question halted his movements and turned to his master "I must anoint the Key."


Glory rolled her eyes as she continued to rub her forehead, her headache growing stronger with the second "Really, don't. Go."


While the mentally fragile Glory seemingly does another 180 and started snapping at all of her minions, Elena quickly spotted the small blade in the priest minion's pocket.

So as Glory continues her descent into madness, Elena quickly slipped the blade out of the minion's pocket, before pushing it up the sleeve of her shirt.

Hiding it away.

As all of the minions suddenly rush out of the room, Elena couldn't help but gulp.

It was just her and Glory now.


"You know, you recapture your Godhood and unleash Armageddon..." Glory mumbled to herself as she grabbed a tissue off the table and cleaned the crap off Elena's forehead "...and all of a sudden everybody wants to be part of the inner circle."

Glory sighed before glancing down at Elena "You're a tough one...are you okay?"

Elena froze.

What the hell did Glory just say?

There was no way she had just asked if she was okay!

Elena had to be going crazy right now, or hallucinating.

The woman who had slaughtered an entire army with one hand and taken her hostage was worried about her. If she wasn't so terrified she'd laugh at the absurdity of the situation "Well let's see being held hostage...seems like every other Thursday."

Glory chuckled "Sweetie that's the life of a doppelganger..." 

Elena's eyes widened at Glory's words only making the God smirk slightly "You didn't think I knew? Please I met the first, plus when I realized the Key was a living breathing person I knew there was no way those idiot monks placed it in some regular human."

With that, Glory grabbed one of the chairs dragging it along the floor so she could sit opposite Elena "Look you're going to be going to your new home. As the Key. Trust me it's going to be a lot better than your life as the doppelganger."

As Glory smiled almost sweetly at her, as though trying to cheer her up, Elena felt completely sick to her stomach.

This woman was seriously crazy.

"Hey! Do you want a pizza? No. Pillow? I don't know if this thing gets cable. Doubtful." Glory mumbled as she glanced at the old TV in the corner in disgust.

Elena sighed at The God's insane rambles, she really did not want to be hanging out with Glory right now "Why are you doing this? It doesn't have to be this way."

Glory tilted her head smiling at the young woman "You nervous?" When Elena doesn't answer Glory smirked assuming that was a yes and moved closer leaning forward in her chair toward Elena "I know how you feel. It is your last night. As, you know, a human. This body...You're not gonna need it for long Lena. The Key made you so much more. Being human? It's like a costume for girls like you and me. Being something else...that's what we are."

Elena looked up at her, her eyes darkening "Don't."

"What?" 

Elena scoffed in disbelief at the clear confusion on Glory's face, this woman really couldn't hear just how insane she sounded.

"You kidnap me, threaten my brother's life almost kill my sister, yet you call me Lena like we're old bodies? You really are insane."

**

"I don't know about this..."

At the reluctance in Stefan's voice, Bonnie sighed deeply from her place beside Willow. The two of them had found a way to make a crack in Buffy's mental block so Stefan could get into her head.

It was dangerous, yes, but so far it was their only option. 

Plus, the fact that they had found the spell in Mary's grimoire didn't exactly encourage a lot of trust.

If anything it just increased Stefan's reluctance.

 "Stefan, this is one of Mary's early spells before she got into sacrificial magic. She knew The Slayer of her time. According to her notes, they were close, and when The Slayer was called, she asked Mary to go into her head to try and stop the Slayer-Dreams. To place a block. We would just be amplifying your power, and astral projecting you inside. No dark magic needed."


Despite it all making sense in theory, Stefan was still hesitant.

Going into someone's head like this was risky, but going into a Slayer's head?

Their heads were protected for a reason.

Going in there might just cause more damage, especially considering she already had a fractured mind due to the potion crumbling around her memories.

She had almost died once because of magic being in her head.


"We don't even know if it will work." He argued back.

He didn't want to risk anything going wrong and Buffy getting hurt in the process.

Willow took in a deep breath as she pulled the candles they would need out of her bag and started placing them on the table in the center of Xander's apartment "It's not exactly well-explored territory, but we gotta try."

They were literally out of options.

And they needed Buffy back in the game.


Anya who was watching the group from the couch glanced over at the three of them with worried eyes. Unlike the rest of them, she had actually seen Mary's power back during her time as a vengeance demon.


Trusting any spell created by Marianna Von Swartzschild was risky.


"A spell like this could be really dangerous for Buffy." She piped up her eyes quickly focusing on Stefan "And you. We are literally punching a hole in Buffy's mind, there's no guarantee you will be able to find her. Her head is in a mess with two lives inside, plus thousands of blocks to keep your kind out that could reseal at any second. It will be like a maze, you step through the wrong door and you could get lost in her mind. Trapped there."

Stefan exhaled softly, as he took in Anya's warning.


She wasn't wrong, this spell would be dangerous on a regular mind, but Buffy's mind was fracturing as a consequence of her old memories trying to break free.

If even the slightest thing went wrong, he would be lost in Buffy's mind.

They weren't just using one spell here either.


Bonnie and Willow were using a mix of magic. Two spells layered over the top of each other.

Bonnie's spell would punch a hole in Buffy's mind.

Willow's would be a form of astral projection, transporting him in her head, while also trying to keep her Slayer senses from going into hyperdrive and kicking him out the second he got there.

Two very big powerful spells.

All it took was for one of them to lose focus and he and Buffy would be lost.

For good.



The whole plan was risky and as much as he hated the fact that this was one of Mary's spells, he knew he had to try.

He couldn't leave Buffy like this.

"Doesn't matter. We can't leave her like this."

"Time..." Tara mumbled from her place by the window "Oh, time is coming."

As Willow quickly rushed over to try and comfort Tara so they wouldn't have to worry about her interrupting the spell, Stefan turned over to Bonnie "How long will I have?"

"As long as we can hold it." Bonnie told him before closing the grimoire and looking at him seriously "Stefan, whatever you do...don't get distracted by what you see in there."

At the vague statement, Stefan shifted uncomfortably as it clicked. By going in there he was risking seeing everything.

Every horrible moment, every thought Buffy had ever had.

He would see the good and the bad.

Nodding in understanding he sighed before moving toward the bedroom door, his hand hovering over the handle.

Glancing back over at Bonnie she gave him the go-ahead before waving her hand causing all of the candles to light up, small flames sparking around her.

With that, Stefan headed into the bedroom where Buffy was still sitting motionless in the corner of the room staring into nothingness.

Moving over to her, he crouched down in front of her before slowly taking her hands, letting the darkness consume him.

As his eyes fluttered open, Stefan winced as he was immediately blinded by a bright light. Blinking rapidly as he adjusted to the sudden brightness of his new surroundings, he paused as he finally took in the room he had landed in.

The hole in Buffy's mind had landed in a brightly colored hallway.

There were cream walls with bright plants and vases lined along the walls with an array of art filling the home.

Walking forward he eyed everything carefully. The home he was in was filled with so many sculptures and paintings.

It was clearly the home of someone with a true love for art and history.

Pausing as he spotted a table covered in framed photos, a small smile grazed his lips as he spotted a photo of Buffy and Elena as toddlers, sitting in a sandpit building sandcastles.

It was the same photo Buffy had back on her nightstand in Mystic Falls.

Moving further into what he could only assume was the home Buffy lived in before the Summers family move to L.A. Stefan allowed his eyes to scan everything closely. 

Looking for any sign of where Buffy may be hiding away.

Walking into the living he glanced around the empty room in confusion.

If he was in her home then where was she?

"Hello, Stefan." 


Frowning in confusion at the child-like voice coming from behind him, Stefan spun around only to smile softly.

There sitting at the table playing with her doll was a five-year-old girl with bright golden blonde hair pulled back into pigtails and those exact same forest green eyes.


"Hello, Buffy."

**

"I thought you were supposed to be searching for Glory with Spike."


At Ric's words, Damon snorted as he switched his phone on to speaker just as he entered the penthouse, intent on getting himself a much-needed drink.

After 10 minutes of working with Spike, he had been ready to dive heart-first onto a stake just to get away from the bleached-haired vampire.

 "I was." He argued as he moved into the living room and headed straight for the bar "Her apartment was empty, I left Spike afterward. I was getting really tempted to kill him."

"This isn't a joke, Damon." Ric hissed, making Damon sigh.

He could hear the worry in Ric's voice from the moment he had told him what happened.

From Elena being taken to Buffy going all catatonic, it had sent Ric into that over-protective surrogate father mode. 

"Damon, I think we should all come down there and –"

"Yeah no, Ric." Damon cut him off. They couldn't bring more people into this, it would just make everything more complicated than it already was.

Buffy had sent Jeremy away for that exact reason.

"Look we got this...I'll let you know how it goes."

Before Ric could argue Damon hung up the phone and sighed, as he grabbed the bottle of bourbon bringing it to his lips. Swallowing a large gulp he let the alcohol wash through him, cooling his frustration ever so slightly.

However, before he could truly relish in the taste and feeling the bourbon gave him, his phone started ringing yet again causing him to growl in annoyance.

 "What?!" He grunted out as he stormed towards his bedroom, just praying that nothing else had managed to go wrong yet.

"Wow, is that how you speak to an old friend?"

Damon immediately groaned at the English accent "Mary, the old pain in my ass."

"Aww, you say the sweetest things."

Damon rolled his eyes as he grabbed a clean shirt out of his closet, intent on changing and heading right back to The Magic Box.

He didn't have time for this.

"Get on with it Mary."

Mary chuckled slightly "Fine, I don't have long anyway...Katherine lost her trail on Mikael. Klaus must have people, witches specifically keeping his location secret. I've put her on a new lead. But this means it will be longer..."

"Great." He mumbled before slamming his phone shut, he was getting really sick of everything falling apart.

**

"What are you doing here?" Little-Buffy asked as she glanced up from her tea cozy to look over at Stefan with her big doe eyes.

Stefan smiled at the sight, it was strange seeing her like this.

A human Buffy.

An innocent Buffy.

This was her before all the pain and suffering of being the Slayer had weighed her down.

"Actually, I'm looking for you."

Little-Buffy smiled before looking down at her doll, brushing the hair from its porcelain face "Do you like dolls?"

Stefan chuckled as he moved closer to the little girl "I'm over 160 years old, I think I'm a bit old for them." He told her before pausing as he examined the room.

It didn't make sense.

He just couldn't understand why she would lock herself away in her child self, in a home that was long gone.

"Buffy...what are you doing here?"

"I like it here." 

Stefan sighed before crouching down in front of the child version of Buffy "Buffy...this isn't you...your friends need you. You have to come out."

"Why?" She asked innocently.

Stefan took in a deep breath "Your friends need you, Elena..."

At the mention of her cousin, the front door suddenly opened causing Stefan to jump slightly while Little-Buffy's eyes filled with excitement  "Elena! Jeremy!" She screamed happily as Joyce Summers and Miranda Gilbert walked in through the front door with two brunette-haired children.

Standing Little-Buffy handed Stefan her doll before running over and hugging the 4-year-old version of Elena before looking up at the two adults with teary eyes.

"Mommy..." She whispered sadly, sounding like she was about to burst into tears "Do we have to?"

Stefan placed the doll down before standing and turning to watch the memory in front of him.

He couldn't help but smile weakly as he watched the Little versions of Buffy and Elena holding hands, both staring up at their mothers stubbornly.

Joyce sighed softly before glancing at her sister who gave her a small smile.

Crouching down in front of her blonde-haired daughter she stroked Buffy's hair "I know sweetie, but it's just for a few months. We're not moving to California. Just going for a little while. Well, be back."


Though only three years later, the decision to move to L.A. would become a permanent move instead of a temporary holiday.

Little-Buffy stumped her foot on the ground before shaking her head madly "No. I don't want to leave."

Stefan tilted his head sadly as he watched the young girl refuse to leave her home before frowning as she looked right at him and giggled "He's a doofus sometimes." She said suddenly gesturing to the three-year-old Jeremy who was crawling right into the wall.

 "Buffy..."

"But we can't leave...I have to take care of Elena and Jeremy." Little-Buffy argued stubbornly as she turned her focus back to her family before hugging Elena tightly, the two cousins clutching onto each other tightly, neither wanting to let go.

Stefan sighed, however, the sound of heeled footsteps drew his attention.

 
Turning his head he found himself frozen as standing across from him was Buffy as she was now.

She was wearing a long pink dress as she walked over to one of the shelves in The Magic Box, which just had Stefan all the more confused.


What the hell was happening?

Looking around he couldn't help but curse under his breath.

Long gone was Buffy's childhood home.

He was now standing in The Magic Box.

This was definitely going to be more complicated than he had imagined.

Watching closely as Pink-Buffy placed a book on the shelf he frowned as she froze up for a second, her entire facial expression seemingly changing in less than a second.

A look of despair and defeat crossed her features, however, before Stefan could question it he was suddenly standing in front of a large fire.

"What the hell..." He breathed before his eyes widened as he looked around the desert he was now standing in.

Buffy's head was throwing him around like a toy, not letting him get too close to anything.

 "Not good."

**

"Where's Buffy?" Giles asked as he and Xander walked down the street towards The Magic Box where the rest of the group had agreed to meet once everyone had completed their given tasks.

"Willow and Bonnie are on it." Xander told him "Bonnie is making an opening in Buffy's mind, and Willow is sending Stefan into her head."

Giles paused in his steps and turned to Xander stunned.

He knew that Stefan and Damon had the ability to enter into someone's mind, but they could not entire the mind of a Slayer.

Clearly, whatever magic the girls were using was powerful.

However, what Buffy was experiencing was more than just a normal person zoning out. Bonnie punching a hole in her psyche allowing Stefan to go through Buffy's mind which was already fractured could potentially be extremely dangerous.

Maybe even deadly.

"He's gone into Buffy's mind?"

"Trippy stuff."

Giles sighed before the two of them continued on the path. As much as he didn't like it, the fact, it was done.

Stefan had gone into Buffy's mind and if Bonnie and Willow severed the link now, it could be devastating for both of them.

Trying to focus on anything other than Buffy or Elena, Giles started to form a plan in his head "It might be an idea to head to the hospital. Check on Glory's victims while they're there."

"The mental ward?" Xander asked "Damon and Spike already went. The vegetable section's closed. It's like they all just got up and walked away."

At that moment, Spike appeared crossing the street heading straight towards them, "Glory's flat is empty." He told them.

Xander frowned when he doesn't spot Damon "Where's Damon?"

"Sod buggered off after the flat, said he'd be at The Magic Box later."

Giles grumbled before rubbing his forehead.

He would have begun cleaning his glasses however those had been misplaced following the RV crash, so for the moment this would have to do.

"If Glory is gone then she is likely gone to perform her ritual with Elena and leaving us entirely clueless."

"Not entirely." Spike admitted hesitantly "I know this bloke. Well, not so much a bloke so much as a demon. But still, bookish. All tuned into the nastier corners of this, our magic world."

**

"I came... He came to see you, didn't he?"

At Glory's sudden question, Elena frowned for a moment unsure of what she was talking about. However, as she tried to understand what Glory meant that was when the memories started trying to free themselves.

The magic used to bury them, seemingly being stripped away.

That night Glory had attacked her at the hospital, Ben had been there before but then...Elena blinked slightly trying to force the memories when something flashed before her eyes. The transition of Ben into Glory.

Ben was Glory.

"Ben?"

"Yeah, Ben. You called him to the desert when you were hiding from me. And he came. And then he was me, you remember?"

Nodding, Elena clenched her jaw tightly as it all started coming back to her. Ben and Glory were one and the same, Ben was the human vessel the General had spoken of "Yes."

At Elena's confirmation, Glory fell into a full state of panic, her mental state fracturing "I can't do this!" She exclaimed madly before walking over and grabbing the priest in a desperate fashion "Get him out of me."

"What?" The priest sputtered in confusion.

"Ben! The human meat sack who's infecting me. Do your mojo, make an incision or removal, or whatever you gotta do. Help me! I'm...I'm thinking Ben's thoughts, and I'm feeling his feelings!"

As the magic keeping Glory and Ben separate begins to crack and shake, the God gasped her face momentarily shifting back to Ben before returning back.

"Help me."

"This I cannot do. You risk terrible magics in opening the portal. Nothing comes without a price. This is yours."

Glory growled unhappily before walking over to Elena and wrapping a hand around her neck, causing Elena to gasp and claw at her throat as Glory cut off her circulation.

"We do this now."

**

Standing opposite the bonfire Stefan frowned in confusion as he watches an unfamiliar woman pacing back and forth in front of the flames.

She seemed off, the clothing she wore was old and the way she held herself, she was almost like an animal.

Watching the other woman closely Stefan tried to place her in his mind. There was something so familiar about her.

Slowly it came back to him.

After Buffy's 18th birthday, Buffy and he had started reading about previous Slayers, trying to see if there were any other tests they would have to worry about.

He had seen this woman in one of those books.

She wasn't just any Slayer...she was The First Slayer.

"Death is your gift."

At The First Slayer's words which were aimed at the Buffy sitting on a rock across from the fire, Stefan found himself frozen.

He remembered Buffy admitting what the Spirit guide had told her during her spiritual quest with Giles. That phrase had been haunting her ever since.

"Buffy...don't listen to her." He piped up but his words were muffled over the flames.

Buffy couldn't hear a word of it.

"Death is my gift?" 

"Death is your gift."

Groaning in annoyance as he found himself unable to get Buffy's attention, Stefan stepped forward only for the world to shift around him.



Trapping him once again in The Magic Box, with the Pink Buffy as she approached the shelf yet again.


It was such a harmless moment, something so simple yet it must be so important for her to keep coming back here.


This was the fourth time he had been dragged back to this memory.
 
Something in Buffy's subconscious was fixated on this moment, he just didn't know what.

Before he could even contemplate what was possible running through Pink-Buffy's mind, another Buffy walked right past him her hair pulled back into a high ponytail.

"Buffy?" He called as he turned to follow her, suddenly finding himself following her through the Summers Sunnydale home hallway "Hey, where are you going?"

**

Elena gasped, continuing to claw at Glory's hand which was cutting off her circulation as it tightened around her neck. However, as she gasped for air, there was a part of Elena deep down that wanted to stop fighting.

To let Glory end her right here and now.

A part of her kind of hoped that Glory would kill her.

She didn't have a death wish but a least if she died now instead of later, hundreds maybe thousands of lives would be saved.

Her death, in the long run, would be better for everyone she cared about as well as the world.

Klaus wouldn't have any more hybrids and Buffy and Jeremy would be sad but they would grieve and move on.

Most importantly they would be safe.

Suddenly, Glory released her dropping her to the ground with a violent thud causing Elena to cough violently as oxygen rushed into her lungs.

"I'm just a little emotional right now which, if you're into irony, funny." Glory chuckled before glaring at her minions "Leave. We need a little girl time."

Elena backed away from Glory just as the minions quickly scattered away.

Struggling across the floor, Elena quickly made sure that the knife was still tucked into her sleeve where Glory couldn't see it. She knew in this state Glory would rip her arm from its socket if she spotted it.

"How do they do it?" 


The sudden question caused Elena to frown in confusion before glaring up Glory "What the hell are you talking about?" She snapped her voice hoarse due to the bruising now forming around her neck from where Glory had almost crushed her windpipe.

"People." Glory clarified "How do they function in the world with all this bile running through them? Every day it's, Whoo-oo! You have no control. They're not even animals. They're just these meat baggy slaves to hormones and pheromones and their...their feelings. Hate 'em. I mean really? Is this what the poets go on about? This?"

Elena stared in astonishment as Glory continued to babble on about feelings. She really hated this woman, and Elena Gilbert was not someone for hating.
Rubbing her sore throat Elena coughed once more before climbing back up to her feet. 

"Am I wrong?" Glory pestered "Really, I wanna know."

Elena scoffed "Since you're gonna kill me anyway...fine. It depends."

"So you're saying some people like this."

"Some. Emotions are what make us human. What makes our lives worth living."

Glory rolled her eyes at that "Yeah right. All I see is six billion lunatics looking for the fastest ride out. Who's not crazy? Look around. Everyone's drinking, smoking, shooting up, shooting each other. Or just plain screwing their brains out cos they don't want 'em anymore." Slowly a small sly smirk appeared on her lips "I'm crazy? Honey, I'm the original one-eyed chicklet in the kingdom of the blind. Cos at least I admit the world makes me nuts." 

Elena clenched her jaw and fists as Glory approached her, with that taunting smug gleeful look in her evil eyes.

"Name one person who can take it here. That's all I'm asking. Name one."

Elena shook her head in amusement before looking the God dead in the eye.

Glory was wrong, she wouldn't win.

Elena knew it. 

She could feel it.

"Buffy."

**

"Buffy..." Stefan tried as he sped over so blocking her path, forcing her to actually look at him. As he caught her eye, he placed a hand on her shoulder and looked at her seriously "Come on this is me. I know you, let me help you."

Ponytail-Buffy merely stared up at him blankly, looking right through him as though he was nothing more than a piece of the wall. Pulling out of his hold, she stepped out of his reach and circled around him continuing on her path toward Jeremy's bedroom.

Groaning in frustration, Stefan sighed before following her yet again, trying desperately to get her to even acknowledge his existence "Look talk to me...you can trust me."

"I know." She whispered softly, finally allowing her eyes to meet his as she led him into the room causing him to halt in his movements.

There in the center of the room, instead of a bed and typical furniture, were three headstones.

Each headstone was carved with a familiar name.

Joyce Summers

Jenna Summers

Miranda Summers-Gilbert

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be." Ponytail-Buffy told as she turned to face him. Allowing her green eyes to meet his.

Slowly a weak smile grazed her lips as she stared up at him "I do trust you, Stefan. But you need to understand...death is my gift."

With that, she walked around him but Stefan quickly chased after her.

He refused to let her believe that she was meant for nothing more than death and destruction.

She was kind and smart and full of life.

"Hey, no. I've told you this before and I'll tell you again, this isn't you. You are light, and good and have the purest heart..." Moving in front of her, he tilted his head, gazing at her lovingly as he placed a hand on her cheek "You don't believe this."

"It's a hole." Ponytail-Buffy whispered suddenly causing him to freeze as she took his hand from her cheek, moving it to her chest, placing it over her heart "There's a hole. In my heart...I tried to fill it with Angel...Riley, but it never worked. That hole was you." She admitted before smiling softly as she reached out placing her small hand on his cheek.

Leaning into her touch, Stefan wrapped his hand around hers, relishing in the feel of her skin against his.

"But it's too late." She sighed before pulling away causing his eyes to widen in confusion "Death is my gift. It's what do. What I am."

Without another word, Buffy backed away from him once more, making her way toward Elena's room, where the brunette was currently lying on her back in bed as tears streamed down her cheeks.

 "Buffy..."

"It's really not that complicated." Ponytail-Buffy cuts him off with a small shrug as she sat on the edge of the bed next to Elena before glancing up at him "It's what I do. I mean, come on. You've known me for how long? It's what I'm here for. It's all I am."

Believing her own words, completely certain of their truth, Buffy picked up a pillow and forced it over Elena's face, suffocating her.

"Buffy, stop! No. This isn't you."

Buffy ignored him as she continued to hold down the struggling Elena, frowning in confusion as she spotted the look on his face.

He just wasn't getting this, he didn't understand yet.

He hadn't accepted the truth yet.

Not like she had. 

"What? I keep telling you, Stefan. I figured it out, the hole... it doesn't matter. Death is my gift."

**

"Oh, Ben, this is really not a good time."


At Glory's statement, Elena frowned in confusion before glancing up from her place on the floor just in time to spot Ben forcing his way through.

Taking over the body from Glory.

As Ben took in his surroundings, his eyes widened as he spotted Elena.

Instantly, he rushed over to her, concern filling his eyes "Elena. Has Glory hurt you?"

Elena quickly shook her head, she knew she wouldn't have long till Glory would be back, she needed to get his help quickly. Ben would know the way out of here, she just needed him to get her out of here, at least until she could find the chance to run from him too.

"No, not yet. I need to get out of here." She told him before frowning in worry as Ben groaned in pain and grasped his head.

She could only pray that he wasn't about to shift back into Glory.

"Ben? Are you Ok?"

"Where is it?" He asked suddenly as he stared at his shaky hands.

Elena just furrowed her brows in confusion, she didn't have time for this "Where's what?"

"All the blood. I can feel it...still warm and wet. Glory. Oh, God. She slaughtered hundreds of men. But I can feel them...breaking."

Elena sighed "Ben, you and Glory, she's remembering your life, so I assume..."

"Oh, God." He breathed out in horror and guilt "I'm remembering her. The things she's done. Things she'd going to do."

Not having time to deal with Ben's mental breakdown, Elena glanced over at the door before turning back to him "Yes, she told me. Whatever Magic was separating the two of you, it's fading. Ben, Glory could come back any minute. I need to get out of here."

"I have a job! I have a life!" He exclaimed as he turned to Elena "And Glory? She never once thinks about me in all of this!"

When there was a knock at the door, Elena grumbled before walking over to the door.

Knowing this may be her only chance, she yanked it open grabbing the priest from the doorway.

Slipping the knife out of her sleeve she quickly drove it into his gut, covering his mouth with her other hand to muffle his screams.

Dragging him into the room, Elena quickly slammed his head against the wall, knocking him out cold before dropping his body to the ground with a thud "I'm getting out of here."

"You won't make it far on your own." Ben warned her.

He knew Glory had her minions scattered all over the town just in case Buffy showed up.

Elena getting through all of them on her own...it was almost impossible.

"Then help me." She told him as she glanced down at the demon feeling slightly guilty. She hadn't hit anything important so as long as someone found him he would live.

 "I'll take you as far as I can, ditch you before she comes back."

**

With, Xander and Spike off on a hail mary missing trying to get some intel from an old demon contact, that left Damon with the rest of the Scooby Gang in The Magix Box.

Minus his brother, the witches, and the catatonic Slayer.

Moving toward the bottle of Scotch he knew Giles kept hidden behind the counter for emergencies, he grabbed two glasses before glancing over at Anya "Buffy?" He asked.

"Stefan's in her mind. A Slayer mind is most probably really strange. Could be a while."

Damon groaned in annoyance before pouring himself and Giles a drink. A part of him wanted it to be him who had gone into Buffy's mind to help her, but of course, it had to be Stefan.

Downing the scotch he quickly moved to pour himself and Giles another.

After this week's events, Scotch was definitely needed.

The past week had been hell.

From Klaus showing up, Buffy ending up in the hospital, and the kiss he couldn't stop thinking about, it was a lot.

It had been a complicated seven days.

Hearing the store bell go off, Giles groaned before downing his own glass of scotch.

Today was not the day to deal with people wanting things from his shop.

"We're closed!" Giles called only to have Anya hiss at him "But money!" She moaned only for him to narrow his gaze at her making her sit back in her seat, a pout on her lips.

"I'm afraid I'm not here to shop." 


Immediately, Damon groaned in annoyance at the familiar English accent. Downing his drink he reluctantly turned to face the entrance, and sure enough, stood watching them all was the one and only Original Vampire. 

Elijah Mikaelson.

Today really was getting worse by the second.

"Elijah."

"That's Elijah?" Giles sputtered in astonishment as he stared at the suit-clad Original.

He had never actually met one of the Originals, despite hearing so many tales about them all year from Elena and Jeremy.

Elijah smiled at the Watcher before turning to Damon "We have much to discuss, Mr. Salvatore."

**

"You have got to be kidding me." Stefan exhaled in frustration as he glanced around Buffy's old living room again.

"Hi, Stefan." Little-Buffy chirped up from behind him once again as she sat at her table with her doll "What are you doing here?"

Stefan sighed slightly as the whole scene started over again.

Buffy really was trapped in an endless cycle.

"Actually, I'm, uh... looking for you. Here. Again."

Little-Buffy looked away to play with the doll's hair "Do you like dolls?"

"No." Stefan told her as he crouched down in front of her, hoping he could find something to get her to stop avoiding him. To stop avoiding the emotions she was obviously feeling "Buffy, we've done this before. I need you to stop running from me."

Little-Buffy pouted slightly before looking down at her doll again, trying to ignore his stares.

She didn't want to talk about this.

She just wanted to play with her toys.

"Don't you like it here?"

"Buffy, there isn't enough time." Stefan admitted sadly.

Little Buffy looked away again only to hear the front door open, and just like last time, she handed Stefan her doll before running to her cousins "Elena! Jeremy!"

Stefan groaned in frustration as he watched her lose herself in the memory again. Placing the doll on the table he stood back up, watching the sweet scene for a moment before he heard the familiar footsteps.


And sure enough, walking towards the shelf in The Magic Box, was the Pink-Buffy.

**

"Niklaus has been waiting over 800 years for The Fallen Slayer Prophecy to come true." Elijah explained to Giles, Damon, and Anya as the three sat around at the table in the center of the shop.

Elijah on the hand, remained on his feet, walking around the store, admiring the range of magical objects and texts filling the store as he finally explained the truth of The Fallen Slayer Prophecy.

A Prophecy that had been surrounded by mystery and unanswered questions for centuries.

In truth not even he knew everything. 

"This is a very interesting store. A lovely collection." Elijah complimented Giles as he glanced specifically at the Troll Hammer on the shelf before turning back to the group.

"Thank you." Giles stuttered gratefully, struggling to catch his breath.

He was still in a state of astonishment about seeing an Original Vampire. Elijah was definitely not would he would have imagined when one described a 1000-year-old vampire.

He was so polite and sophisticated, a complete gentleman.

It was blowing his mind!

Damon rolled his eyes as Giles continued to stare at the 1000-year-old vampire.

He was acting like a damn fan girl right now.

"I know this already."

Giles sighed at Damon's tone before turning to Elijah "What exactly is the Prophecy?"

Elijah adjusted his cufflinks before leaning against the counter focusing on the Watcher "In the 13th century, during our time in Spain, my sister Marianna had a vision. The spirits foretold of a Slayer, the strongest of her kind. The Prophecy she was shown stated that the Hybrid would find the Slayer on the Hellmouth, it was foretold that after a mystical event, the two of them would be connected. Both the only ones of their kind. Together they would become the most powerful force on this planet."


Damon just focused on his drink as Elijah continued to monologue, he was so sick of this damn prophecy it just made him want to get drunk "I swear to God if I have to hear that word one more time I'm going to have to write a damn book about it."

Ignoring Damon's outburst, Giles focused on the Original, intent on learning everything he could.


While Damon and Stefan knew about this Prophecy he had no knowledge of the details.

And that not knowing was more terrifying than anything.


Plus, what the hell was the only ones of their kind meant to mean?


Buffy was just another Slayer.


"Perhaps this may help us gain a better understanding of how to prevent it." He reminded Damon who groaned in annoyance before reluctantly nodding, unable to argue with Giles's logic.

"Mr. Giles is right." Elijah told Damon before continuing "Everything in nature has to have an equal. Buffy-Anne is nature's response to Niklaus breaking the Hybrid curse...or at least she will be. Marianna knew that this Slayer would be one that had experienced death. Having returned to the land of the living, as Buffy did after her battle with The Master. A Slayer whose heart was pure and would not fall for Niklaus's charm easily. Hence the balance, a figure of good and evil, to keep the scales balanced."

Pausing in his explanation, Elijah sighed before looking over at both of them, tearing his eyes off the spellbook laid out on the countertop.

Marianna's first grimoire.

"Marianna warned him not to lose his head but Niklaus has a temper one that he struggles to control. His need to control everything was her downfall. Instead of finding the Slayer and letting destiny lead him, he became impatient, he forced Marianna to show him the vision. The Spirits considered it cheating, trying to intervene with destiny. The spell almost killed her. As punishment for allowing destiny to be tampered with, the spirits drained Marianna of her power. She was dying, without the spirit magic flowing through her she would have died."

"That's why she started using sacrificial music." Giles realized as he glanced down at the copy of Mary's grimoire he had made during his last meeting with Bonnie.

It made a lot more sense now, most of the early spells... the ones that Willow and Bonnie were using were written while Mary still had spirit magic.

Elijah nodded "I care very much for Marianna, she is my sister, and Klaus has kept her trapped for what she did. His own form of punishment for her. Her hate for him grew from that day, leading her to alter destiny once more which is why it has taken so long for Niklaus to find Miss. Summers."

Giles let out a long breath, the idea of altering destiny was mindblowing.

That kind of spell would talk large amounts of magic, God knows how many people she would have had to sacrifice to be able to do that.

"If this Prophecy comes to pass Niklaus and Buffy will be more powerful and that bond between them will grow. I can guarantee that no matter how much she fights it many people will die if it comes to pass."

Damon sighed before turning to Elijah, annoyance etched all over his face "As much fun as hearing this story for the billionth time is, do you have a point?"

"I refuse to let my brother gain more power than he already has. Marianna is planning to desiccate Niklaus. This will allow both Buffy-Anne and Elena to live out their lives. Whatever you do Buffy can not risk triggering the Prophecy. I was never clear on what type of mystical event would occur but you need to make sure she is safe. Keep her away from The Tower."

**

"Buffy, please, will you listen to me?" Stefan begged as he once again found himself following Ponytail-Buffy down the hall of her Sunnydale home.

Starting to lose his patience, he sped around her so that he was standing in front of her. Blocking her path toward Elena's room.

He needed a way to change the events of the time loop they were trapped in.

He had to get her out of this loop and get her to admit what happened in The Magic Box.

He had a strong feeling that everything happening was connected to that moment.

"Buffy this isn't you." He told her hoping that she would finally stop and listen to him "You would never do this."

Ponytail-Buffy frowned in confusion at his words "Do what?"

"Killing Elena."

"Why?" She asked genuinely stunned by his answer. That was exactly what she had done, she had killed Elena.

"You don't do this you don't kill humans. Ever. Especially not Elena. You have never killed her."

Sighing deeply, Ponytail-Buffy merely allowed her eyes to meet his, a sweet sad smile grazing her lips as she tried to make him see.

She needed him to understand why she was doing this.

This was the way things had always been.

He needed to accept that.

"Stefan, I did this."

"No, you didn't."

At his utter refusal to accept her words, Ponytail-Buffy rolled her eyes before grabbing his hand.

She would show him what she was, she would make him see the truth.

Dragging him down the hall, leading him away from Elena's room she pulled him to what used to be her art studio before Jeremy had moved in.

When he frowned in confusion at her actions, Buffy inhaled tightly before pushing him toward the door and gesturing for him to open it.

Hesitating slightly, Stefan eyed the door handle closely before finally after what felt like an eternity he pushed open the door.

Instead of a simple art studio, Stefan found himself frozen as he was faced with one of the worst moments of his life.


The day of the sacrifice.


There standing in the middle of the open field were four burning rings each one with a woman in the center.

The Vampire, The Werewolf, The Doppelganger, and The Slayer.

Stefan couldn't help but wince, as he watched Klaus rip out Jules's heart before staking the newly turned Jenna.

Leaving just Buffy and Elena, helpless to defeat the soon-to-be hybrid.

Standing in the doorway, both Stefan and Ponytail-Buffy watched the memory that had haunted them both for almost two years.

The two remained completely silent as they watched Klaus approach Elena who was crouched on the ground in tears.

Stefan took a deep breath as he glanced around the scene, this had been one of the worst days of his life, he had felt like a complete failure.

To this day he still blamed himself for Jenna's death but what was worse was spotting the younger version of himself trying to crawl to the chained Buffy who was screaming in agony as Klaus started draining the life out of Elena.

As he watched his younger self all he could think about was the fact that Buffy had sacrificed her free will and her memories, all to save him and everyone else they cared about.

"Elena!" Sacrifice-Buffy screamed as she pulled at her chains relentlessly being forced to watch Klaus drop her newly dead cousin's body to the ground with a thud.

Unable to watch Klaus drink from Buffy again, Stefan tore his eyes off the horrific scene, focusing back on the Ponytail-Buffy just as she closed the door, hiding away the memory once again.

With Stefan at a loss for words, Buffy smiled up at him weakly "See. This is what I do. What I have to do."

As she moved to walk past him, intent on smothering Elena to death yet again, Stefan reached out catching her arm.

Officially halting her movements.

When she looked up at him in confusion, Stefan sighed deeply before narrowing his gaze down at her "You did not kill Elena, Klaus did. None of this..." He gestured around the Summers' home, which was nothing more than a projection of her shattered mind "...is real. You're stuck in this loop."

Ponytail-Buffy stared at him before shaking her head.

She refused to believe him.

She needed this, this loop was all that made sense.

"I don't know what you're talking about. Excuse me."

With that, Buffy pulled away from him before circling around him and heading back toward Elena's room.

"Buffy...Just talk to me...tell me why are you doing this?"

**

"Stay close to me, don't look back." Ben told Elena as led her through the streets of Sunnydale, taking as many hidden alleyways as he could.

Given that Glory's minions were everywhere, their escape had become a game of cat and mouse.

As she stood behind him, Elena watched Ben skeptically as he moved to look out for the demons.

As much as she liked Ben, it didn't change the fact that at any moment he could change back into Glory.

She knew this was her only chance of escape, she wouldn't be able to escape if Glory took over the body again.

So with her mind made up, Elena silently grabbed onto the lid of the trash can near her before swinging it at his face as he turned to face her.

Knocking him out cold.

"Sorry, Ben." She whispered honestly.

She knew it wasn't his fault, he didn't ask for this but she couldn't trust him.

Glory could appear at any moment.

Running forward she looked around the corner and spotted the fire escape near her. Moving to climb up the trash bins she made her way to reach for the fire escape only for her blood run cold as a feminine voice piped up from behind her.


"Sorry?!"


Gulping nervously, Elena glanced over her shoulder, and sure enough, standing before her with a pissed-off look on her face...was Glory.

"That actually hurt, you millennial puke."

At that moment, Elena knew she had screwed up.

There would be no escaping a second time.

**

Standing yet again in front of the graves belonging to the Original Summer trio, Stefan clenched his jaw in frustration as he spotted Ponytail-Buffy once again making her way toward Elena's room.

Intent on suffocating her to death.

 "Buffy, stop. This isn't you." He exclaimed, just she opened the door but something was different in this loop.

Clearly, her showing him the sacrifice back in Mystic Falls had given him an opening, breaking the loop for a brief moment.

Now, the two of them found themselves standing side by side in The Magic Box, watching as Pink-Buffy walked toward the bookshelf.


Knowing that this was his chance to find out the truth, he quickly turned to Ponytail-Buffy "What is this?" He asked her.

"My gift." She answered having not realized yet that something had shifted in the air.

She was running on auto-pilot at the moment.

"No. This." He argued gesturing to their new location.


Watching as Pink-Buffy placed the book on the shelf, over and over again. 


Clenching his jaw, Stefan turned to glance down at Ponytail-Buffy.

This was the moment that changed everything, he needed to know why.

It could be the key to getting them the hell out of her shattered mind.

"Right here. Whatever happened to you, happened here. Something small but it's something."

Stefan knew he needed her to admit it out loud to herself, she needed this.
Whatever happened here, she was refusing to admit it.

She needed to open herself up to it.

"What, happened Buffy?" He asked her softly, begging her with his eyes to let him in.

To open up.

"Don't go there, Stefan." Ponytail-Buffy whispered as a look of utter despair crossed her features similar to that of the Pink-Buffy.

"Buffy, listen to me, obviously there is something here that you're holding onto. Otherwise, you wouldn't keep bringing me here."

Ponytail-Buffy glanced at him, almost challenging him "Do I?"

Stefan sighed and took a step toward her "This is your mind." He reminded her before glancing back at the other Buffy for a moment, watching as she yet again froze, just as the book slid into its slot on the shelf "Tell me. What happened here?"

Ponytail-Buffy glanced at the other version of herself, and for a moment Stefan could spot the completely broken look on her face.

"This was when I quit, Stefan." She finally admitted softly "Just for a second."

She was finally saying it out loud for the first time, not only to him but to herself.

She had been denying the truth for so long that the words felt so foreign on her lips. 

"I remember."

"I was in the magic shop." Pink-Buffy piped up drawing his attention as she turned to face the pair.

"I put a book back for Giles." Ponytail-Buffy finished as she glanced at the other version of herself, both of them coming to the same understanding.

The Buffy in the pink dress tilted her head slightly at the memory "Nothing special about it. And then it hit me."

Stefan froze as he spotted the look on her face, it was one he had never seen before. Not during all of the battles, he had fought with her. Not when they went up against Katherine or Klaus.


During those battles, she had always had this sense of hope surrounding her. Like she knew they were going to win but this look was different.

It was the look of someone who had given in.

Someone who had accepted their fate.

"What was it?" He asked softly.

"I can't beat Glory." Ponytail-Buffy answered

"Glory's going to win." Pink-Buffy told him.

Stefan shook his head at the two figments of Buffy's subconscious, he had known the real Buffy long enough to know she could handle anything that was thrown at her. It was one of the many reasons he had fallen in love with her "You can't know that."

At his words, Ponytail-Buffy turned to look at him sadly "I didn't just know it."

"I felt it. I have been drawing an unmarked grave for weeks Stef." Pink-Buffy finished as she looked down at her own feet sadly, despair filling her voice "Glory will beat me."

"And in that second of knowing it, Stefan..." Ponytail-Buffy continued before yet again Pink-Buffy cut in, finishing the sentence for her "I wanted it to happen."

Stefan felt his heartache at the pair's statement, the admission of guilt.

That was not something he had expected to hear, it astonished him to hear her like this, the way she was speaking was so strange.

It wasn't the Buffy he knew.

But he wasn't surprised, after everything she had been through, something was bound to finally break her down.

This battle with Glory as well as the upcoming Prophecy was too much for her.

It was wearing her down and in that one moment, as she placed a book on a shelf, she had allowed it to.

Just the idea of it crushed him.

She had been suffering and he hadn't realized.

"Why?" He asked her.

"I wanted it over." Pink-Buffy told him"This is...all of this...it's too much for me."

"I just wanted it over." Ponytail-Buffy finished.

"If Glory wins, then Elena dies."

Looking down at her feet, Ponytail Buffy inhaled tightly, a  broken look falling on her face as the reality of the situation crossed her mind "And I would grieve. People would feel sorry for me." Pausing in her admission she finally met his concerned eyes "But it would be over. And I imagined what a relief it would be."

Stefan glanced in between the two of them before focusing back on Ponytail-Buffy as she spoke "I killed Elena."

"Is that what you think?"

At his question, Ponytail-Buffy scoffed "My thinking it made it happen. It wasn't like the first time, I knew she was coming back, I was the one that gave John that spell! But here...some part of me wanted it. And at the moment... Glory took Elena...I know I could have done something better. But I didn't. I was off by some fraction of a second. And this is why...I killed my cousin...my sister."

Inhaling tightly as he contemplated his options here, Stefan slowly moved in front of Ponytail-Buffy and placed his hands on her shoulders, forcing her to look him in the eye "Listen to me. What you're feeling...what's trapped you in this loop, it's guilt." He explained before cupping her face in his hands, refusing to let her look away and fall back into the loop "You know this, it's a feeling and it's important. It's difficult and painful but it's emotion, emotion is what makes us who we are. You feel guilt for everything you can't save. You always have. You always blame yourself but it's not your fault. You've carried the weight of the world on your shoulders since you were 15. You may not want it, but you do it. Because that is who you are, wanting out for one second does not mean that you killed your sister. It means that you're human, Buffy."

Blinking back tears Buffy pulled out of his reach shaking her head frantically, she didn't believe him.

"I got Elena killed."

Grabbing her hands he pulled her back towards him.

He knew what she was doing.

She could feel the emotions bubbling around her and she was trying to run, but he wouldn't let her.

"Your sister is not dead. Not yet, Elena will die if you stay locked up inside here. You need to come back to us, for her." 

When she still refused to meet his eye, Stefan groaned before cupping her face in his hands once more, leaning his forehead against her own.

"Come back to me Buffy, I will protect Elena as much as I can, but you know that it would kill you if you don't at least try and save her. You will always protect Elena, come back with me. You're the only one that can."

Stefan's eyes slammed open.

Finding himself once again standing in the master bedroom of Xander's home, Stefan froze as he realized he was out of Buffy's mind.

The problem was he had no idea if he had gotten through to her or if she had just booted him out of her head.

Gulping nervously he leaned back glancing up at the still-frozen Buffy, praying that it had worked.

Sure enough, just as he started to panic, Buffy suddenly sat up in her seat, her fingers still entangled tightly with his own as she took in her new surroundings.

Slowly Buffy's eyes moved around the room before focusing on his face.

At the sight of him, Buffy finally felt herself crack, unable to hold it all in.

Sobbing loudly as tears started to fall from her eyes, she collapsed forward, Stefan quickly catching her, wrapping her up in his arms.

As she buried her sobbing face into his shoulder, Stefan kept his arms wrapped firmly around her as he allowed all of those emotions she had been burying for so long to wash through her.

**

"Are you ready?" Mary asked skeptically as she and Elijah stood outside of Klaus's cell ready to finally desiccate him.

To trap him away as he had done to them.

For daggering their siblings and trapping Mary in her amulet.

Glancing up at her brother as he tied their sacrifice to a table, she couldn't help but find herself hesitant.

When it came to Klaus, Elijah had always been conflicted, always looking for something that could redeem the hybrid.

When he doesn't answer Mary rolled her eyes before turning toward the screaming sacrifice, scoffing as she spotted the orange jumpsuit he was wearing "A prisoner really?" She laughed as she moved over to him slamming his head onto the table, using her magic to put him to sleep.

"I will not let you sacrifice an innocent for this." Elijah told her only earning an eye roll from the immortal witch.

Given how many people she had killed, one more life to bring down Klaus's reign of tyranny was nothing to her.

"Once we let him out make contact with his heart, I can't start the sacrifice till you have contact."

Elijah nodded before peeling off his suit jacket in preparation.

Rolling up the sleeves of his dress shirt he clenched his jaw tightly before throwing one last glance in his sister's direction. Moving over to her he shocked her by placing a soft kiss on her forehead before pulling back, glancing down at her with concern-filled eyes "If this does not work, Mari...run." As she looked up at him in shock he cupped her face in his hands, not letting her get a word in "Mari, Niklaus will not hesitate to lock you away for good this time. Without that amulet you are vulnerable. Promise me you will run."

Silence filled the air between the two siblings as Mary eyed him carefully.

For 500 years she had been separated from her siblings due to her choice to protect Katerina.

She had spent most of her time with Kol in the early 20th century, avoiding the rest of the family.

It had been so long since she had seen that protective brotherly care in Elijah's eyes.

It had been so long since someone had shown her an act of kindness.

And as much as she loved Katherine both of them were selfish and had left the other to die countless times over the centuries, but when it came to her family, despite knowing they were furious over her betrayal, she had missed them.

Especially Kol and Elijah.

"I promise." She assured him squeezing his hand tightly before making her way back over to their prisoner.

Intent on burying Niklaus's desiccated form for several decades.

Standing over the sacrifice, waiting for Elijah to approach the gate, Mary looked at him for a brief moment worry filling her.

While Kol had always been the only member of their family that had always taken her side, Elijah was still her big brother.

The big brother who would sing her to sleep when she would have nightmares as a child.

She didn't want to lose him, but they needed Klaus gone.


Gulping slightly she reluctantly waved her hand opening the gate.

The chained-up Klaus looked up from the ground and as he spotted Elijah his eyes flashed yellow his true face allowing itself to take form.

Standing he used all of his strength to rip the chains from the ground before launching himself at his brother.

As the two brothers threw themselves at each other spinning around the room at such speed that Mary couldn't see what was happening, the immortal witch closed her eyes, waiting for the feeling to hit her.

Suddenly she felt it.

Elijah had made contact with Klaus's heart.

Quickly placing her hands on the prisoner's chest she took in a deep breath before allowing the dark magic to flow through her veins "Ocoros Mecantes, Aleora Subsitios. Ocoros Mecantes, Aleora Subsitios."  She chanted only to gasp as the connection was suddenly shattered.

No, no, no.

Swinging her head around her eyes widened in horror and panic as she spotted Klaus launch Elijah into the next room.

Mary hesitated slightly before running after the pair, not willing to let Elijah die for her.

Rushing into the room, her eyes widened as she spotted Klaus standing over Elijah about to dagger him.

Quickly she waved her arm using her magic to send Klaus crashing into a nearby wall.

With Klaus temporarily dealt with, Mary rushed over to Elijah's side helping him back to her feet only to gasp as a familiar hand grasped her hair yanking her head back violently.

Klaus tilted the raven-haired witch's head smirking in amusement as he bit into her neck viciously with his teeth.

Struggling against him, Mary cried out in agony before a wave of magic rushed through her.

Her eyes flashed black as pure dark magic spread through her veins.

As her power filled the air, all the windows in the room shattered and Klaus suddenly found himself pinned to the wall by a large tree branch as several trees come crashing through the windows.

With the dark magic in complete control, Mary turned on Klaus and lifted her arms above her head. As she does branches started filling the room and ripping through the walls.

Branch after branch stabbed through Klaus' flesh as he howled in pain unable to tear himself away from the wall, Mary had pinned him too.

"Mari!" Elijah exclaimed in a panic as he sped over to her and placed a hand on her shoulder trying to calm her.

She was losing control.

If she lost control it would mean the end for everything in a 100-mile radius.

Feeling Elijah's hands shake her out of her focus, Mary gasped at the sudden loss of power before collapsing to her knees as the branches she had summoned quickly slivered out of the room.

Gasping for air, Mary swallowed as she spotted Elijah now crouched down in front of her, concern filling his eyes.

"Marianna?"

Realizing that he needed her to speak, to assure him she was back in control she opened her mouth only to let out a loud scream as Elijah jolted forward in agony.

Mary gasped in horror as his skin slowly turned grey, his body desiccating right in front of her.

"NO!" She screamed as his body collapsed beside her causing her to growl as she finally spotted the cause of his temporary death.

The dagger in his back.

Blinking through her tears the raven-haired witch finally tore her eyes off of Elijah's daggered form, her eyes quickly landing on Klaus, who was standing over the pair of them with a smirk on his face.

Gulping in terror as she stared up at Klaus who seemed ready to finally end her existence the witch paused as something shiny caught her eye.

On the ground by his feet stood her amulet.

Realizing this was her only chance of escape, she glanced at Elijah's form in regret before waving her hand summoning the necklace to her.

And before Klaus could stop her, she grasped the amulet in her palm and teleported out of the room.

**

It was back to business.


"Heard you found the ritual text." A newly fixed-up Buffy Anne Summers piped up as she entered the Magic Box with the witches and Stefan by her side.

While yes, after her mental mind dive rest would be ideal, she really didn't have time for it. Spike and Xander had managed to steal something from the demon contact which meant they had something that could help them figure out where this ritual would be going down.

Instantly, Damon stood from his side, speeding over to his brother who frowned in confusion at the panicked look on his face.

Something was wrong.

Whatever they had found, it wasn't good. That was obvious enough given that everyone in the room looked like they had just been punched in the gut.

Clearing his throat, Giles drew Buffy's attention, trying to figure out exactly how to explain this to her without sending her right back into the coma "Er, something like that, yes."

In an attempt to defer the dreaded conversation for a while, Xander leaned forward eyeing Buffy with a nervous smile "Did you know that...Ben is Glory?"

"So I'm told." Buffy mumbled uninterested before focusing on Giles, she needed to know about this ritual, and now. She was done waiting around for answers, she had to know everything.

"What do we know?"

.

"Erm...well...according to these scrolls..." Giles started "...it is possible for Glory to be stopped."

Bonnie's eyes widened from her place beside Buffy, that was exactly what they wanted to hear right now.

It should be happy news.

Yet something about the way Giles was speaking worried her "That's a good thing right?

When Giles doesn't answer Buffy arched a brow, her expression was clear, she wasn't in the mood for distractions she wanted to know the truth and now.

"I'm afraid it's um...Buffy, I've read these things very carefully, and there's not much margin for error. You understand what I'm saying?"

Buffy stared at him skeptically for a long moment, in all honesty, she didn't understand a word he was saying right now.

He was being extremely vague and it was pissing her off slightly.

"Might help if you actually said it."

Giles smiled nervously before sitting down at the table and taking off his glasses so he could look her in the eye "Glory plans to open a dimensional portal by the way of a ritual blood-letting."

Buffy and Bonnie glanced at each other with the same expression, complete and utter horror.

"Elena's blood." They mumbled in unison.

"Yes." Giles breathed reluctantly "Once the blood is shed at a certain time and place, the fabric which separates all realities will be ripped apart. Dimensions will pour into one another, with no barriers to stop them. Reality as we know it will be destroyed and...chaos will reign on earth."

Buffy gulped slightly, dread filling her gut as she watched her Watcher, praying that somehow he had done his thing and managed to find a way to stop it.

Found a way to save Elena.

"So how do we stop it?"

"The portal will only close once the blood is stopped. And the only way for that to happen is, um...I'm afraid so. Buffy, the only way is to kill Elena."