Ethan heard their screams from across the hall. He opened his eyes to drifting shapes and grey-cloaked figures drawing him nearer a great black void. They were passing through his body not being able to gain a proper hold on him.

He watched astounded as Rupert and Willow were dragged screaming through his wall, the sound brought tears to his eyes.

Ethan reluctantly dismissed the wards about his room. Taloned hands gripped him and for a brief instant Ethan experienced their pain, and then he was propelled toward the void. Just before a fog clouded his vision, he saw his friends’ limp bodies, frozen and pale, breathless in death. His sense of self preservation won through however and he reinforced his wards just before the void took him, causing an envelope of chaos to form around his body protecting him but also preventing him from helping Willow and Giles.

Rupert took a deep breath, astonished that he could still breathe. He felt chilled everywhere except where Willow’s small frame touched. Willow!

"Willow?" He whispered, shaking her shoulder gently. He smiled as she lifted her head and realised they were still alive. She kissed him hard, pouring passion and relief into the kiss. He returned her passion. She broke the kiss and smiled.

"Rupert? Still?" she looked at him incredulously, he blushed and stroked her beautiful face…

"Always, love, always. Seems we’re trapped, Willow. You alright?" Willow nodded her gaze intent on Rupert’s hand. They each wore a ring made from what looked like hematite. Willow held her hand level with his and stepped closer, the walls glowed then dissolved and they were out of the room and in a corridor.

Before she could utter a word Rupert exclaimed excitedly. "Look, look at this…" She looked at the long tapestry adorning one wall, it was reminiscent of the Bayeaux tapestry depicting the battle of Hastings only it had some extra scenes interspersed through it.

"Y’know what this is?" Rupert ran his hand over the bright silk, Willow smiled up at him, he looked like an excited child. "See? This is proof of alien visitation." Rupert began to interpret the story cloth for them. "Some beings came here, in the tail of Halles comet and landed, and thrived. They had demonic help-" Rupert frowned. "Who wanted them to destroy-No that’s wrong. They asked Watchers for help to build a settlement but instead of helping the Watchers betrayed them and their-their…"Rupert glanced back over the writing. "Centre?" He frowned again. "Was destroyed. Their culture was wiped out by Watchers." Rupert’s hand fell to his side in shock "We-we killed their leader and they turned to demons for help, they could have been our allies, and we blew it!"

Willow’s hand curled round his waist in a gesture of comfort. "Who were they, Rupert?"

"Greys" Rupert said in a monotone. "Willow!" His warning shout came too late they looked on in horror as the apparitions closed on them and swept them through a second wall. The cold metal walls solidified once more drowning their terrified screams.

For a long time Ethan heard nothing. The pressure of wild magic would have crushed an ordinary man. He held on to the hope of escaping his self-imposed prison and helping his friends. Where’s a Slayer when you need one?

"GILES? WILLOW?" Buffy’s voice carried through the house. Ethan smiled. Glory be! A miracle!

"HERE!" He used the last of his oxygen with the shout and shut his eyes to a darkening world.

Buffy raced up the stairs when she heard the desperate cry fearing the worst, her Watcher and her best friend mutilated beyond recognition… She’d had a dream, a nasty one involving monotone monsters, givers of pain and more pain. It wasn’t pretty!

She saw a pair of legs protruding from a half open doorway and pulled on them, Ethan gasped and sat up as she did so, the door slammed shut. He lifted a weak hand to its surface.

"They’re in there, Buffy…Taken by creatures." He staggered upright and tried the door once more, it opened easily on silent hinges. Buffy stepped through first looking warily to right and left.

"There’s no one here Ethan," She stopped in her tracks, the bedcovers were moving, writhing. She blushed a deep crimson and prepared to back off as a body arched away and the covers slipped down revealing a female back with waist length brown hair. Ethan peered round the Slayer with an appreciative leer plastered on his face.

Gasps and moans filled the room as the couple on the bed reached their climax, the man sitting up and clasping the woman to his chest and biting her shoulder as he came.

Buffy shifted awkwardly, Ethan slipped a hand to her bottom and gave it a crafty squeeze. She slapped his hand away. She cleared her throat and the couple started at the sound both stared at their audience.

"Hunters!" Ethan choked out. Buffy stood her ground.

"What have you done with Willow and Giles?" her tone was accusing. They looked at each other and then took in their surroundings.

They changed into dark clothes and got off the bed, Buffy was still wary of them even though technically they were on their side now.

"How did we get here?" Dom asked. Cathy eyed the Slayer suspiciously she had seen a flash of interest cross the Slayers face at Dom’s nudity.

"You tell me! You’ve been exchanged, why? Ethan says that Giles and Willow were carted off by some grey creatures."

Ethan stared at the Hunters hands; they wore rings identical to his own.

"Rings! Look," He held his hand aloft. "They sent them! I told you they couldn’t be trusted! If they’re here then Willow and Ripper are…are…" His face froze in rage and he launched himself at Dom. " You Bastard! Where are they?"

Dom batted Ethan away almost casually as one would swot a fly. Cathy looked after the fallen man. He was pitiful!

"We sent the rings as a contact device. If we were needed you put them together, to create a portal to the Grey’s stronghold, and we will come. Obviously, something’s gone wrong. The Grey’s have taken your friends thinking them to be Hunter replacements. Its imperative we get them back,"

"Why imperative?" Buffy felt her heart drop to her boots, she didn’t like Cathy’s tone.

"Because they’ve not been changed beforehand. They can’t survive in the Grey’s atmosphere more than a day at the most, no human can."

Buffy was confused, "But you’re…"

Dom shook his head. "No, we’re not."

End of part 1

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