Balam landed with a thud at Lucifer's feet. The fallen angel was at his most beautiful when his anger soared to a fevered pitch. Sitting on a throne made from human and demon bones alike, Lucifer's long slender fingers drummed a staccato beat, creating the only sound in the otherwise empty room.

"Since when is it your choice as to what is given and what is received?" A finely arched eyebrow rose, questioning one of the most feared creatures in Hell.

"Never, my lord, I spoke on your behalf. Everyone knows you wish for Constantine's ultimate return," Balam's voice dripped with every ounce of charm and humility he could muster. The last time the higher echelons had seen their ruler this angry was directly related to the decrease in their population.

"Step over to the balcony, my sweet, and tell me what you see." Large black wings rose from his back, each feather's tip sparkled with fire and brimstone. When they moved, the sound of death and destruction filled the air.

Balam strode over to the balcony that afforded a complete view of Hell. He saw the pits of despair with demons brandishing whips over bent and broken bodies. The scent of sulfur swept over him. Inhaling deeply, he tasted death, blood, anger, hate, fear, and - no, it couldn't be. Looking further out, Balam saw what no self-respecting demon would believe. In the distance, a beacon glowed softly. Its colors shifted from white to the purest gold. The light covered a spot where the Soldier Demons patrolled, gathering those who tried to escape back for more endless torture. Balam couldn't believe what he saw. There, in the middle of Hell, sat a refuge of hope. His keen vision saw that even the air was pure, with no sign of smoke or fire. He turned back to his master, shaken to tips of his evil toes.

"What happened? How could this occur?"

"It's that girl. She completely wiped out any demons that came near her. There's no way to retrieve the ones that she's rescued. No matter what I send at her, they never come back. It's futile; so, I stopped sending them. Now, I have to post extra sentries around the area to keep any more from getting to her. As if that wasn't bad enough, now she's venturing further afield. If she isn't removed quickly, I will have no choice but to go to war. My numbers are decreasing so rapidly that if it doesn't change soon, I won't have any other choice."

"Why not destroy her, my lord?" Balam watched Hell's ruler in confusion, wondering how these events could come about in so little time.

"The damned 'rules' forbid it. She isn't my creature and never has been. If I do anything to harm her, then I open the door for Michael to march on my kingdom. Now, go back, and I don't care if Constantine wants you for a personal sex slave. MAKE THIS HAPPEN!" Lucifer shouted, causing the ground to shake. Outside the fires blazed higher, demons and humans alike cringed in fear. "If that woman isn't gone soon, you won't need to worry about returning. Do we understand each other?" Fire blazed deep within crystal blue eyes until they glowed with the purest heat evil could provide.

Balam shook his head and found himself once more at Papa Midnight's.

Adjusting to the time difference in Hell was difficult for Buffy. A day seemed to last forever. She went out each morning in an effort to find survivors; she couldn't think of a better name for the hurt and broken victims she rescued.

It had all started with Veruca's rescue. The battered werewolf followed after Buffy like a faithful puppy. Buffy's light wrapped around Veruca, giving her a feeling of warmth and safety. Each person she rescued joined along crawling, hobbling, and stumbling along following behind the only light in this dark place. Buffy and her merry troops stopped outside a building that appeared partially livable. Peering up at the sign above the door that read 'Caritas'. She wrinkled her nose while she attempted to decipher the name. Shrugging her shoulders, she announced that 'Carrot Toes' had just become their new home. Buffy pushed open the door, stopping when she heard a loud 'pop.' She hesitantly stepped into the building. When nothing happened, she sighed with relief as a welcoming feeling greeted her. Buffy turned back the others gifting them with a beautiful smile, which caused Veruca to whine and move closer to Buffy's side. The blonde werewolf fought the urge to roll over and whimper in glee.

"How did you get here, Buffy?" Veruca asked the question on everyone's mind.

"Portal, jumped to save my sister," Buffy's answer short and tense. Her normally snappy quips were missing as the realization hit her that she would never see Dawn or the Scoobies again. This time no one could help her decide what to do. She not only had to fend for herself, but also had the responsibility for six other people. Buffy turned back to the others, squaring her shoulders to address them. "Okay, everyone, my name is Buffy Summers, and I'll be your Slayer for the evening. It looks like this is a good place to set up shop. How about we see what we can find to help make it more comfy? We'll look for whatever else we need tomorrow. I'm pooped and sure that you are too."

Everyone nodded in unison as their feet shuffled forward, hoping to find a place to lay their weary bodies. They weren't sure how long this peace would last, and planned to take full advantage while they could. Veruca seemed to be the only one among them who could remember her own name. She figured that it had to do with her werewolf status. Her body could take more abuse, allowing her to hold on to small pieces of her former life. Buffy asked each person their name. As each answered in turn, "Nobody!" it brought back the memory of her time in Hell when she had run away to LA. Empathy entered her large green eyes. With a soft smile, and a tilt of her head, she looked at each person carefully. There were three men and two women, not counting Veruca, ranging in age from their early twenties to late fifties. Buffy didn't ask them why they were here; she just assumed it was their home planet. She gathered her small flock, giving each one a task. Working together they quickly cleaned and straightened 'Carrot Toes' until it resembled a youth hostel.

Each 'day' matched the one before, Buffy fought demons, rescued people, and brought them back to Sanctuary. People that she rescued occupied the buildings surrounding Carrot Toes. The days lasted forever here, Buffy felt as if a year passed rather than twenty-four hours. Her body adjusted to the long days and equally long nights. Someone explained that time flowed differently in each area of Purgatory. Buffy remembered Angel's time in Hell being five hundred years when only four months had passed on Earth.

Thinking about Angel made her wonder if he had accepted her gift. It saddened her to realize that she wouldn't share his new life, but that didn't really surprise her. When Angel left after her mother's funeral, Buffy knew that the comfort he offered differed from the way it used to be. He had made a life for himself in LA and didn't plan on changing it for anything or anyone - not even her.

Allowing her mind to skip to more mundane topics, she admitted that her strange clothes certainly were durable. No matter how many demons she killed, nothing marred the beautiful golden clothes. Buffy didn't much care for the glowy lights that followed her. With no other choice than to accept them, they did provide a bonus by scaring off the weaker demons.

Constantine went to see Beeman first. Before he considered taking the job, he wanted to be armed and loaded. He didn't plan on walking in unarmed. They seemed to think he should trust them, but the people Constantine trusted were few and far between. Beeman turned from his work table, behind the pin reset at the Hollywood Bowl Lanes. The little man wore large coke bottle glasses that couldn't take away from intelligent, but gentle, grey eyes.

"John, what brings you down?" Beeman smiled at his friend. He understood the stoic man standing before him. John Constantine was on a mission and Beeman admired his determination to wipe out every evil possible. It didn't matter that his real goal was absolution for his suicide.

A half-smile quirked at the normally solemn face. The small, wise man held a special place in John's heart and he trusted him implicitly. "I need special stuff for a big job and everything you can find out about Slayers, especially one named Buffy Summers."

The partially bald head bobbed up and down, already cataloguing weapons and resources for information. "I remember reading about Slayers when I was a boy. How soon do you need everything?"

"Yesterday. Something big is going down, and this girl is smack dab in the middle of it. I'll be back after I talk to Ether to see what he found out on the information highway." John shook his head as he watched the small genius already lost in his own little world.

Father Hennesy, better known as Ether, took a deep drink of whisky before removing the amulet John had given him almost five years ago. Ether's eyes rolled up in his head, when they returned they showed pure white. Several blessed moments of silence hovered in the air before being shoved aside as the voices came at him. Hands roamed over the newspapers.

He told me that he lost his dog…No, please, I'll give you whatever you want…Don't hurt my baby.

The voices went on until he touched an out of town paper. "Hero, Sister, Daughter, Loved, Safe…..Slayer…..HOPE!" The other voices stopped when the priest pulled the paper forward.

"A Slayer with family and friends, how unusual. Somehow, I think this is what John is looking for, the question is; Why?" Before he could ponder the question longer, a knock sounded at his door. Gratefully, Ether returned the amulet to its resting place around his neck. Surprisingly, he didn't crave another drink. What didn't surprise him was who stood at his door - John Constantine. "Come in, John. Found what you're looking for, not sure how, but think it's important. Do you know anything about Slayers?"

Shock showed on Constantine's face. "Not much, supposedly they're mystical warriors. Why? Do you know more?"

"Sit down, I have a long story to tell you." Ether waited until the younger man made himself comfortable. "Slayers are more than mystical warriors. Archangels created them, knowing that the world needed help, and Slayers were to provide it. Each one gave a piece of themselves to the first Slayer, providing her with the capability to access their gifts - strength, foresight…well you get the picture. None have ever accessed every gift, but I think this girl might have accomplished the impossible.

John mulled over what Ether told him. "Can you show me what you found?"

The alcoholic priest pointed at the article in the Sunnydale paper. "There's going to be a dedication ceremony this Saturday for the local high school. It's being dedicated to Buffy Summers. The interesting thing about Sunnydale is that it sits on the Hellmouth. It's a mystical convergence that leads straight into Hell. Its pull draws demons from everywhere. What the paper doesn't say, unless you know how to read between the lines, is that this town knows what's happening. They also know that Buffy Summers made a difference when she was alive. Now, tell me what is going on here." Ether's normally awkward demeanor around Constantine was gone. He still felt the peace from the voices that remembered this one, young girl.

"Michael and Balam are here." The simple announcement sucked the life from the small room.

Ether fell back into a chair. "B-but, why? John, quit being so close mouthed, and tell me what's happening. Is this it? Is it the End of Days?" A shaking hand crept up to clasp the amulet, rubbing it for calming strength.

"It will be unless I do what they want. I'm supposed to walk into Hell and come out with Buffy Summers in tow. Seems someone messed up her trip and she landed in the land of Luci. Girl doesn't even realize she's in the big numero uno - Luci's prime real estate. She jumped through a portal to save her sister and the world. Thought it lead to a hell dimension, but not 'the Hell Dimension.' Luci's upset cause she's killing off his pets. If someone doesn't go in and bring her out, he's threatening war." Constantine couldn't stop the smile from curling up his lips at the thought of Lucifer fearing a woman.

"A Slayer in Hell! How could that even happen? Each one that dies in service is sent to heaven. They're given a choice of eternal rest or the opportunity to become a Warrior Angel in Michael's army. John, you have to get her back." Ether's eyes begged him to help Buffy.

Constantine didn't say a word, just sat looking out the window, lost in thought. This girl ends up in Hell and both sides are doing everything they can to get her out. Why didn't anyone try to help me? Why was I punished for trying to make the pain and fear stop? I didn't ask to see those things. Why would they make see that and not help me?"

"Cuz, you were supposed to grow up to do what you're doing now. You were given the power to see what others couldn't. Rather than using your suffering to make you stronger, you chose death. It's ironic that going to Hell forced you to become what you were meant to be all along."

"Who the hell are you?" Constantine growled at the stranger, standing up in one smooth move, his gun already in his hand, and pointed at the stranger's head.

Standing in the room where no one had been standing before was a man in an ugly green suit with a brown bowler hat in his hands. "Name's Whistler," he answered with a distinct Bronx accent. "You wanted to know about the kid, so here I am. Although, got to tell you, Constantine, the clock's a ticking."

Constantine looked at Whistler with dark, serious eyes. His 'gift' allowed him to see what lay behind the balance demon's mask. "If you think I don't know what you are, then you're the one wasting time."

"Fine, we'll play it your way." The accent was gone, replaced by a heavenly voice. It was a voice that could only belong to an angel; a true angel, not the half-breeds that populated the Earth.

Ether watched with wide eyes, clutching his rosary beads while silent prayers rang through his mind. The room flooded with light, and when it disappeared, standing where Whistler once stood was a majestic, ethereal being; a serious-faced man with flowing silver hair, violet eyes, wearing a rainbow colored cloak that flashed and glowed in his aura.

"My name is Ariel. I am the Keeper of the Sacred Wisdom and the Angel of the Earth. It was my honor to guide Buffy Summers when she needed it most. I would have done the same for you, if you had chosen that path. She is a strong willed Warrior of the Light, who ultimately chose to fight to protect those weaker than her. That's what she's doing as we speak. Constantine, the choice is yours. Help the world by bringing Buffy Summers out of Hell, or refuse. Are you ready for this world to end? Is your life prepared to be judged on that final day?" Wise lavender eyes stared at him waiting for a reply.

Constantine fought the urge to squirm. "There isn't much choice there. I can go to hell or I can go to HELL!"

Ariel grinned a very Whistler-like smile. "You do have a way with words. So, what's it going to be?"

"Fine, I'll go and get her, but this will square me on the sheets right? No, big 'X' by my name on the records," Constantine's voice sounded as wistful as he was capable of being.

"John, you can't negotiate with an Archangel for a place in Heaven," Ether admonished his friend.

Ariel gave a loud bark of laughter that filled the air with tinkling bells. "There are no guarantees what the final outcome of your help will render. The choice is yours." With those cryptic words Ariel/Whistler disappeared.

Lucifer, ever impatient, decided to try to change the status quo himself. The idea of adding Buffy to his legions appealed to him. Appearing on the Sanctuary's outskirts, he felt revulsion when waves of peace and safety swept over him, so strong they almost forced him to leave. Buffy's approach changed his mind. She walked towards him like a proud queen, ignorant of the picture she made with whites and golds surrounding her. Lucifer expected wings to pop from her tiny shoulders, when she stopped several yards away from him.

Buffy looked around, trying to pinpoint where the strong vibes were coming from. They filled the air with a strange smell. Her keen eyes noticed an odd shape in the shadows to the left. Buffy cautiously moved forward. "Step out of the shadows," she demanded in a voice that brooked no argument. Her breathed hitched in her throat when a man too beautiful to be real stepped forward.

His hair looked like spun gold, falling in soft curls to his shoulders. It surrounded a pale, luminescent face with a sculpted jawline and eyes of the purest silver. He gave her a soft seductive smile from full, ripe, red lips. Lucifer moved with the grace only possible for an angel. He stood almost seven feet tall, with broad shoulders, exuding strength. "Hello," his voice swept over her, creating a sensual shiver in Buffy.

Her eyebrows went up, along with her spidey sense. Every person she'd seen in the forsaken place was broken. Now, here out of the blue, appeared an Adonis, Buffy was blonde, not stupid. Something about this man reminded her of Glory, which was not good. "Who are you, and what do you want?"

Buffy's tone surprised Lucifer. He found women the most susceptible to his charms. Not sure how to proceed, Lucifer did the natural thing, he tried harder. "I've come to help you. I can take you away from all this." He waved his hands to encompass the surroundings. "You will be treated like royalty."

"And you will do this because…" Buffy crossed her arms, arching a pale blonde brow.

"You deserve it. You shouldn't be down here taking care of peasants. If you came with me, there are servants to fulfill your every wish." Lucifer gave her a blinding smile.

Buffy gave an unladylike snort. "Sorry, I've been around enough vamps to know nothing's free. What do you want from me?"

"To simply leave this life and come to my kingdom. I can promise you riches and power beyond your wildest dreams."

Constantine, Ether, and Chas walked into Papa Midnite's. Constantine called ahead, warning him to close down the club. The ex-voodoo priest agreed without hesitation. Chas drank in everything he saw as they passed through the now empty club. He knew it was much more than it appeared.

Stopping at the door to turn back to his friends, Constantine warned, "There's a lot going on here. I need you guys to watch my back." A huge golden gun appeared from somewhere under his coat. Crosses decorated the gun, its strap, even the ammunition, which also held holy water. Brass knuckles created from crosses graced each hand. Black jeans, t-shirt, and a long black duster soaked in holy water then allowed to dry replaced his usual black suit. Steel toed boots whose soles were created from an intricate grid work of crosses and holy words protected his feet. Constantine armored himself with every possible weapon in an effort to have a fighting chance before stepping back into Hell. This wouldn't be his first return trip, but this time he planned to be there longer, not to mention with a return passenger.

"John, I knew that you would do the right thing." Gabriel moved towards him, stopping when she saw the mistrust in his eyes. Her shoulders slumped and she moved back to her place beside Michael.

"How are you planning on getting 'us' back?" He directed his question at Michael, not bothering to look at Balam or Balthazar. Constantine would never believe either demon, no matter what assurance they gave him.

"What are they doing here? This needs to be done quickly and secretly," Michael growled, pointing at Chas and Ether. He fought to control his temper at the way this situation was spiraling out of control. Didn't this man understand the situation? A truce between Heaven and Hell doesn't occur every day.

"They're here to cover my back. I trust them. You, maybe, them," he pointed to Balam and Balthazar, "never."

"Can we get this done already? If I have to stay near all this goodness much longer, I'm going to explode," Balthazar spoke in his soft, smooth voice. The next moment he was flying across the room slamming into a wall.

"Shut your mouth," Balam growled, eyes flashing a blazing red warning. "Do you want to go back and tell our Master that we failed because you kept talking?" He allowed the threat to hang in the air. Balthazar gathered what dignity he could as he slowly got to his feet. Straightening his tailored suit, he returned to his place at Balam's side. "That's better."

"We can open a portal for you to walk through. It will take you as close to the Slayer as we can get. There shouldn't be anything to stop you, but if you want to take your arsenal, be our guest," Michael explained as Balam nodded in agreement.

"Sure, there won't be Soldier Demons on my tail the minute I step back on Luci's stomping grounds." Constantine's face said more than words about how much he trusted their words.

Michael held his temper, thanks to Gabriel's soothing presence. "You don't have to believe us, Constantine. The truth will be before your eyes. Just bring her back as quickly as possible."

Constantine turned his back on the Archangel leader and a King of Hell. Looking at Chas' face, it was full of wonder with a hard edge of determination showing through. He realized that he'd underestimated the young man. 'If' he made it back, Constantine planned to do something about it. He turned to Ether, noticing again the differences in the priest. Ever since he'd listened to the voices about Buffy Summers there was a sense of calm about him. Constantine wasn't used to this from the normally nervous, scared man.

"Well, boys, I guess it's time to rock 'n roll. Chas, Ether, you two just make sure they're ready to get us back out. You know what to do if they try a double-cross."

They had sat down in Constantine's stark apartment, discussing an emergency plan in the event this was a set up. Ether and Chas had one opportunity to force the others to return Constantine. They each held half of a sacred cross. Neither knew where their friend had obtained the relic, but knew that it could clear a path for their friend's return.

A salt circle lay in the middle of the floor with Michael at its north. Balam hissed as he stepped onto the southern most point. Gabriel and Balthazar started to step towards the east and west points, when Constantine stopped them.

"No, I want Ether and Chas to the east, and Midnite, you take the west."

Gabriel gave Constantine a hurt look, but Balthazar smiled in glee at not having to stand up for his sworn enemy. Balam glared at his minion, then snapped his fingers and ordered, "Stand at the door and make sure no one enters." The smirk melted from the normally snarky demon's face as he sulkily obeyed.

Michael and Balam stared into each others eyes. Suddenly, a bright, golden light rushed from the Archangel's body to meet a deep, blood red beam sent by Balam. As the two beams met, they created a pure, glowing blue. Lightening bolts shot out, hitting the ceiling before the light rolled, back creating an opening in the center. Chas' eyes grew large with fright when he realized that he could see straight into Hell. It resembled a post-apocalyptic, LA cityscape. Dragging his eyes away, he watched Constantine as his hand stole down into his pocket where his half of the cross lay warm against his side.

Constantine squared his shoulders and strode forward. "Here goes nothing." He moved to the center of the opening before disappearing. The others watched as he landed on his feet, before quickly moving away from the portal. He looked around, finding the silence that surrounding him disconcerting. Constantine would almost welcome a Soldier Demon about now. This couldn't be Hell. No tortured screams filled the air. In fact, the air smelled cleaner, purer than he remembered. Constantine walked towards a light, several hundred yards away.

Buffy stayed several feet away, ignoring the pull she felt to move closer to the gorgeous being. She'd learned her lesson with Dracula. If didn't matter how pretty this 'man' was, she wasn't going to believe that he didn't have something up his sleeve. Nobody gave away the things he talked about without a price. In fact, he reminded her of the last meeting with the Watcher's Council. It took her a little while to figure out that they were trying to fool her into believing she had to jump through hoops for them.

"And, I win everything behind Door #1 because?" Buffy crossed her arms, waiting for him to tell her the real reason behind his kind offer.

"Child, you hurt me with you mistrust. I know you have fought for years to protect others, and I want to give you the rest you deserve."

Another voice joined their conversation, "Luce, you got some splaining to do."

Buffy and Lucifer turned to see a dark haired, serious faced man, armed to the teeth.

"Constantine, it took you long enough. Have you seen what is going on here? It is unacceptable." Lucifer forgot his audience; the situation caused his anger to overcome his idea to woo Buffy to his side.

Constantine started laughing. Buffy looked from one man to the other, noticing that they were complete opposites. Obviously they had issues to work out; she decided not to stay for the pissing contest that would inevitable come next.

Slipping from sight while they stared at each other, she made her way back to the Sanctuary. The only good thing she could say about this place was that no one felt hunger or thirst, which was good since food and water weren't available. She greeted each person she passed by name. No one remembered their name, so, Buffy and Veruca gave them new ones. Buffy finally made it back to Carrot Toes. It didn't look the same as it did when they first found it. She had her own room, which she retreated to before anyone could bring her a problem to solve. Buffy sat on her makeshift bed, closing her eyes to meditate. The realization hit her that the gorgeous man that had tried to convince her to leave was Lucifer, Satan, the Big Kahuna of the Big Bads. Buffy expected horns, tail, and pitchfork, not GQ, drool worthiness. Speaking of drool worthiness, the guy with the big gun, that didn't sound right, anyway he was still a hottie. She wondered why the two hated each other. Shrugging a shoulder and deciding it wasn't her business, she was too wired up to rest. Buffy got up to see to the many problems that awaited her in Sanctuary.

Constantine and Lucifer glared at each other until they realized that Buffy wasn't there. "See what you did, you scared her off. I almost had her too. A few minutes more, and she would have joined Hell's Army to fight by my side."

The normally cryptic, closed off man laughed out loud; a real laugh, something he hadn't done since he started his war against evil. "Do you really think she would fall for that pretty face? Mike said she was a smart one, so I'm guessing she turned you down." Lucifer roared before he sent Constantine through the air to land in a heap on the ground. "You can kill me if you want Luci, but then who's going to take her off your hands? I might not mind the return trip, if she's here looking after the place."

Hell's ruler could barely contain himself. He wanted Constantine's soul back in his control. Lucifer saw the cancer that ate away at the other man's lung. In the blink of an eye, he shoved his fingers into Constantine's chest pulling out the cancer. There, in his hands, the nicotine and cancer from years of smoking dripped through the Devil's fingers. "I know you, Constantine, given enough time you will be mine again. Now, get out of here, and take her with you. This isn't an unlimited offer. If you're still here in one hour, then all bets are off." With a flash of bright red lights, he disappeared.

Buffy walked through Sanctuary, making sure that everyone was all right. The argument between Lucifer and Constantine played repeatedly in her head. Veruca came looking for her like she always did. The once vicious werewolf was a mere shadow of her former self. The long years of abuse she'd suffered in Hell had left her broken. When Buffy rescued her from the demons torturing her, Veruca had seen hope in the form of the blonde Slayer. She knew that Buffy still didn't realize that she wasn't in a hell dimension, but Hell itself. No one planned on telling their protector the truth. The Slayer saw each person as her responsibility to protect, no matter what they did to end up in Hell. She didn't allow anyone in Sanctuary to harm anyone else. Buffy resembled a western sheriff, walking the town streets to keep the citizens safe, even if it was only from themselves.

"Did you find anyone today?" Veruca's large brown eyes watched Buffy's face. Each day when Buffy went out, she feared that she either wouldn't return, or that she would learn the truth. Veruca made it her business to ensure that neither happened.

"No, someone found me, but he was a fruit. He kept talking about making me his queen, as if. I guess he thought his pretty face would convince the dumb blonde to fall at his feet in thanks." Buffy shrugged a shoulder, failing to mention the fruit's name. She'd accepted her fate, living each day as if it were her last, which it very well could be. Her life was here now, helping the people she could and killing any ooglies she found. Her scalp tingled, causing her to stop walking, looking around, she found Constantine walking towards her. Buffy saw the bruises on his face. She figured that he and the smarmy guy, she still couldn't think of him as the Lucifer, got into it after she left. "Who are you and what do you want?" She didn't raise her voice, but it boomed between them.

Veruca felt fear race down her spine. She had heard the rumors about this man. He couldn't be any other, except the infamous Constantine. In her heart, Veruca knew that her time in Sanctuary was about to end. Nothing would stop this man from taking Buffy from Hell. She saw the truth in his eyes when he glanced at her.

Constantine got his first real look at Buffy. Glowing was the only description that came to mind. Her skin, hair, eyes, even her clothes caused a golden light to surround the small blonde. He expected to see wings at any moment, and wasn't disappointed. Something in the way he looked at her caused Buffy's spine to stiffen. This man had a darkness that surrounded him. It was different than anything she had ever seen or felt before. She didn't realize that her wings popped out of her slender shoulders. Since there weren't any mirrors here, Buffy couldn't know that she looked every bit the Warrior Angel.

"Name's Constantine and I was sent here to take you back home." He watched her reaction with unfathomable, dark eyes.

Buffy laughed at him. "Right, you're my fairy godmother and you came to take me to the ball. Why should I believe you? Who sent you and why?" Crossing her arms over her chest, she waited for an answer.

Veruca tried to pull Buffy away, only stopping when the Slayer gave her a sharp look. The blonde werewolf almost howled in frustration. She knew it would only be a matter of time before Buffy would leave.

"You weren't meant to end up in Hell. In fact, no one is sure how it happened. Your being here is screwing up the balance. If you don't come with me, then you're going to start the final battle between Heaven and Hell. Neither side is ready for that to happen. So, let's go, we have to leave now or ole Luci is going to keep you and me."

"Are you telling me this is Hell? H…E…L…L, hell for real hell, not just a dimension that the Devil visits for laughs?"

"Yes, that is Luci's own personal amusement. He's not happy with you right now. Seems you've been taking away his favorite toys and being an all around pain in the butt, which by the way, gotta congratulate you on." Constantine gave her a one-sided smile. It looked strange, almost as if his mouth wasn't sure how.

Buffy tried to come to terms with idea she was in Hell and had told the Devil to take a hike. Oh, she knew that he was Devil, but the idea that this was his home address never crossed her mind. No one ever said that Glory was a big wig here. Could she walk away from the people that depended on her? Weren't they her responsibility? "What about the others, can I take them with me?"

Constantine shook his head. He felt tempted to try and knock her out before their time ran out. "No, sorry they belong here, you don't! If you don't come with me, then you're damning everyone on Earth to the End of Days."

"Why should I believe you? You were all chummy with the biggest bad of all time." Buffy glared at him, not wanting to believe that she had to leave these people behind to be tortured.

"Ask your friend there, she knows who I am. I can see it in her face. Everyone here knows about me and how much Luce hate me."

Buffy whirled around to confront Veruca with accusing eyes. The blonde werewolf wouldn't meet the gold-tinted green eyes. "Is it true, V? Did I change everything by being here? Is everything and everyone I fought and died for in danger? Tell me!" Her voice boomed, causing the ground to tremble beneath their feet. "Don't you understand that I would've helped you without endangering everyone else?"

"Please, we just wanted a chance for some hope. That's what you are to us." Tears fell down Veruca's cheeks as she fell to her knees, pleading with Buffy to understand. A small hand brushed them away causing Veruca's breath to hitch.

"This is touching. In case you didn't hear me before, we're running out of time."

Buffy slowly turned around to stare into deep brown eyes. Hers glittering with emerald fire as she advanced on him. "Look tall, pale, and cryptic, if I couldn't hear your heart pounding I'd swear you were a vampire. V may not have told me everything, but I've got a feeling you haven't either, so back off before I kick your ass." All three turned when they heard clapping followed by snickering coming from behind them.

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