Buffy's party, part the third

[good_soldier]

...the hell...?

That thing...it got all shiny, and people were passing it around...it was one of Buffy's birthday presents. All I know was that I felt somebody push me, just before the mother of all flashbulbs went off...

When I could see again, half the party was missing.

BuffyWas

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[shy_witch]

Oh, Goddess no...

Willow.

She was right here, next to me, and then that thing, and now she's gone, not even a trace.

Miss Kitty Fantastico yowls sadly from the corner, half-hiding under a pillow, and it nearly breaks my heart.

[ozwolf]

After I blink a whole lot to get the stars out of my eyes (and not doing that good a job I might add...really sharp eyes=really fucking sensitive eyes. So it hurt. Bad. "What the..." I look around, and spot Faith and Tara, so that makes me breathe a sigh of relief...only...We're missing a whole bunch of people. "Anyone hurt?" I ask first, even though it looks like people are okay, and besides the migrane the flash to my eyes is giving me, I'm fine. I look Faith and Tara over sharply, just to be sure.

[_faith_]

Instinctively, I move toward Oz. "What the fuck just happened?"

Where'd they all go? And...how?

[ozwolf]

"I don't know..." I say. But whatever Lorne warned me about? This is it.

[_dawnie_]

"Buffy!" I cry out, looking wildly around. My sister's just gone. And Willow. And Angel, and Giles...

[ozwolf]

I walk over to Dawn and put my hands on her shoulders. "Dawn, calm down, ok? Shh."

[_dawnie_]

"But she's gone. What if she d--"

Died. Like she did before.

Tears begin to slip down my face, and I can't stop them.

[ozwolf]

I give her a hug, not my normal motif, but the girl looks like she needs it. "No, Dawn." I say with honest belief in my tone. No...Lorne would have warned about that, right? "There's no bodies, right? They're just...gone somewhere. We'll have to figure out where."

[_rayne]

I'm not expecting the room to fill with light. By the time it explodes I've backed halfway down the hall, so I'm spared the worst of the flash. But I hear the slayer's sister scream, and the confusion that follows...where'd they go? What exactly had happened?

Too risky to look now; I slip through the kitchen and out the back door. I can do a little reconnaissance tomorrow and find out what the damage is.

[taco_craving]

Once the light fades, I shake my head to get rid of the lingering sparkles.

"Wesley? What was...?"

I look around and see that he's gone. Along with a lot of the room.

"Wesley? NO!"

I feel a sense of panic, and fear that he is dead. Or lost to another dimension. I know that tears are about to start, but I try to be strong for the moment.

[shy_witch]

"It's Fred, right?"

I make my way across the room, to her side, one hand gently touching her shoulder.

"We'll find them, Fred. Whatever happened, they're not dead, and I think, down deep inside, you and Riley and I would know if they were."

My eyes dart around the rest of the room, taking a quick headcount.

"Who else is missing?"

[taco_craving]

Thanks to Tara, I realize I can't give in to my fear that Wesley went through a portal. I give her a wavering smile, and say, "Yeah, I'm Fred. You're probably right. I think I would feel it if Wesley were dead."

I quickly look around, searching for the rest of the L.A. group. I also realize that Buffy has vanished.

"Who else is missing? Oh, no. Cordy, Angel, and Gunn are gone. I think Buffy might be missing, too."

Trying to stay strong, I try to keep calm. I also say a silent prayer that Wesley and the others are still alive.

"Any others? Is there anyone else from your group that you don't see?"

[shy_witch]

"Anya," I say immediately, thinking that, wherever they've gone, hopefully there aren't any rabbits.

"And W-Wuh-Willow," I stammer out, lower lip trembling. "She was right next to Buffy when whatever it was h-happened."

And I'm stuttering again.

Miss Kitty Fantastico peers out from her hiding place, rubbing against my ankle, offering her best brand of support. That comes close to pulling out tears, but I suck them back with a shuddery breath. The last thing Dawn needs now is to see me fall apart. Have to be strong, for her.

Strong like an amazon, comes Willow's voice in my head.

[ozwolf]

I look over at the two soft spoken girls and wish there was something I could say that would make them feel better.