tttsnbchapterfive

Title: The Thing That Should Not Be (Chapter Five)

Author: Luna

Feedback: Always appreciated!

Archive: Luna's Night Moves, Full Moon Romper Room, any one else please just ask first!!!

Rating: PG-13, for the moment. I, however, reserve the right to up the rating should the need arise!!!

Type: Crossover Buffy/WWE/AB

Pairings: None at the moment, though if that changes it will be noted.

Disclaimer: Laurell K. Hamilton and the Berkley Publishing Group do not authorize this author. All characters that you recognize belong to Laurell K. Hamilton except for the ones created by the people in this group. All characters that you recognize belong Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, the WB, and UPN. Vince McMahon owns the WWE. This is solely for entertainment purposes.

Summary: What if someone found another use for 'The Key?"

Spoilers: Buffy: Post Season seven, though I did NOT watch it. Please keep that in mind!! WWE: I'm going to be making this up as I go along so bear with me, those of you familiar with this, the roster split is NOT in effect, at least I don't think it will be. I'll let you know if that changes. Anita Blake: Up to and possibly including CS.

Anything else: I'm using these characters as I see fit. I'm not going to be going against the nature(s) of those involved. At least I hope I'm not. Any comments are welcome as long as they are constructive. ^__^

Author's Notes: I would like to take this time to tell everyone that this has been running around my brain and it refuses to go away so I had to write it or go even crazier then I already am. And a special thank you goes out to my beta and best friend Maggie, without whom NOTHING would ever get done.

Author's Note 2: The email addresses used here are completely made up, so please don't try using them. Don't think many people will do that but I felt the need to mention it anyway.

Side Note: For this fic Dawn is 18 until further notice. I may be upping the age, but to be on the safe side Dawn is of legal age.

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Hazel eyes met a watery blue gaze; the girls shared a shaky smile. Neither girl wanted their last moments to be filled with hatred and heartache. They reached for each other at the same time. Luna and Maggie held onto each other as if the other would disappear the moment their arms moved.

"I don't want to go. I wish I could make you believe that," she whispered into her sister's ear.

"Then don't go," Maggie begged.

"I won't sign her death warrant by staying. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I let her die.' The tears were coming again and she tried to keep them at bay.

"Don't forget me," the doctor sobbed.

"Never," Luna swore hoarsely as the dam burst. Tears coursed freely down her face.

The two separated and the dark haired woman bent down and picked up one of the necklaces, the one marked with Maggie's initial. She closed her eyes and pressed her lips together, trying valiantly to control her emotions. She opened the clasp and as her hands met behind the blonde's neck she said, "The three are one, and the one are three. Let nothing come between thee and me." She laid a small chaste kiss on her sister's forehead.

Noah stepped forward and pulled the other leopard into his arms. He buried his nose behind her ear and let his senses drink their fill of the young woman. Luna's face was pressed into the hollow of the man that she'd come to think of as brother's neck. Their beasts rose as if sensing the parting and wound around each other their furred sides rubbing against one another.

Stepping back Luna reached down and pulled another necklace from the box, this one marked with Noah's initial. "The three are one, and the one are three. Let nothing come between thee and me," she said as she engaged the clasp. She pressed a kiss to his forehead as well.

Maggie"s hands shook; she didn't want to do this. She had lost too many people she cared about already, but she resolved to finish this. Noah's hands enveloped hers as they repeated, "The three are one, and the one are three. Let nothing come between thee and me." They pressed kisses to her forehead. Their tears mingled and became one set of tears wetting them all.

There was a small jolt of power as the pendants' magic began to work. Luna gave her companions a wobbly smile. Now there was nothing to keep their link from working properly, no matter how far apart they were. As their hands linked a surge of power shot through them all.

They could see, hear, and feel the thoughts flowing from the other two. The girls had an easier time sorting through and filtering the thoughts, emotions, and sights flooding their minds. Gently the two women guided Noah through the process of tuning their link, turning it on and off, filtering it so that it didn't overwhelm him.

Luna was used to having Maggie in her head and vice versa. Noah wasn't as accustomed to having the girls in his, at least not this tightly. 'It was going to take some getting used to,' he thought.

"It'll probably take a day or two for it settle down," Luna replied.

Maggie shook her head. "No, this feels different. Like everything is amplified."

The dark haired woman looked a bit sheepish. Noah was the first to notice. "What have you done now," his voice cracked like a whip in the sudden silence.

The blonde shot her sister a disapproving glare before folding her arms over her chest. Her small foot began tapping, a sure sign that she was waiting for an answer.

Luna's pale hand reached up and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. She licked her lips nervously. "It does," she stated simply.

Noah looked confused and Maggie was stunned. "You mean to tell me that these things amplify our link," the doctor inquired in a deceptively calm voice.

The leopard merely nodded her head.

"Why," the blonde asked.

The young woman's blue-green eyes darted around the room before they finally settled for staring unseeingly between her sister and brother. She swallowed the lump in her throat. "Because I wanted you guys to know..." she trailed off tears springing anew to her eyes. Luna once again swallowed the lump that came to her throat. "I wanted you guys to know when, *if*, I," she paused to take a deep breath. "Die," she whispered brokenly.

The softly spoken word reverberated around the room as if it had been shouted. Maggie and Noah stared at Luna. She was hiding behind her hair, hiding what she was really feeling. It was easier this way she told herself. They would know within moments whether or not she had perished. If by some miracle she didn't they would know that too.

Noah roughly grabbed the young woman's arms and shook her. "Don't you say that! Don"t you *ever* say that! You're not going to die. I won't let you," he said fiercely.

"That's not really up to you Superman," Luna returned quietly.

"And it's not up to you either," Maggie interjected. The pair turned their eyes to their third and she said. "You have no way of knowing whether or not those dreams were the only solution. It could have been someone trying to make sure you wouldn't come." The young doctor didn't know why she was saying these things. She didn't want her sister to go, but she wouldn't let Luna be fatalistic about this. Maggie clung tightly to the hope that she *would* see the young leopard again.

Hope flared brightly in Luna. "So Dawn may not even be in trouble, right?"

Maggie's lower lip quivered and tears welled in her eyes. "No Luna, Dawn's in trouble," the tears slowly slid down her cheeks, she wiped at them absently and resolutely finished her thought. "What you saw is only one possible answer to the riddle you face."

The young doctor watched the optimism die on her sister's face and a small piece of her died with it. She knew what she was going to have to do. It was going to take every ounce of courage she could muster but she would do it. She would make sure that Luna did what she felt obligated to do. The doctor knew the female leopard too well. She knew just what buttons to push to make her leave, and every fiber of her being rebelled against what she was planning to do.

Blue eyes met and warred with a blue-green hazel gaze. "What? The dream is only one possible outcome; there are other possibilities. You don't want to go because you don't know the end now. You won't play if you can't be the game master like always?"

Luna was stunned. This wasn't Maggie. It couldn't be. Maggie didn't talk to her that way, not ever! Not even when she had reason to be upset. Almost too stunned to reply, she shook her head, "No, you know that's..."

"Not true? Oh come on, you know it is. You want to an excuse to back out because you can't control the situation and have all the answers. You just don't want to go if you aren't guaranteed to be the star hero in your latest little drama."

Noah wasn't so quiet. "Maggie," he hissed.

She turned glacial eyes to him. "What! You know I'm right, and *she* knows I'm right."

That was the final straw. "Enough," Luna thundered. She looked from Maggie to Noah and back at Maggie. She was confused and hurt and the anxiety this situation was taking its toll on her. One hand reached up to rub her forehead, her eyes shut tightly to keep her emotions in check.

Luna's hands shot out and grabbed Maggie's upper arms. "I don't understand what's gotten into you! Why are you acting this way," the female guard wanted to shake the woman. The blonde merely shrugged her shoulders, knowing that if she said anything it might make Luna change her mind.

Finally at her wits end Luna hugged the doctor to her tightly. Her hands brushed over her sister's blonde mane and down her back. "I'm going, but that doesn't mean that I want to. Or that it doesn't hurt like hell to leave you."

Only then did Maggie finally relent and wrap her arms around her friend. "I know," was all she said.

"Don't forget me," Luna implored thickly. Her emotions were too turbulent to be controlled. The tears slid down her face unchecked.

"Never," Maggie whispered fiercely.

The leopard left the room. She had to pack if she was really going to go. Maggie watched as the other woman left. She collapsed onto the floor, like a balloon slowly losing air. "Never," she declared to the retreating back of her friend and sister.

Noah gathered her in his arms. He finally understood what she had done, and what it had cost her to do it. He held her as she sobbed her heart out. He too let the tears fall. The pair comforted each other as best they could. Loving Luna was hard, but letting her go was harder.

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The locker room was empty except for the three occupants. Their blue eyes met the others, identical maniacal smiles spreading across their faces. They were close. It would only be a little while longer and they would be free.

Yes they would be free to wreak the kind of havoc that only they could. It would be glorious; the kind of death and destruction that would leave cities flattened, and lives broken. It quickened the blood and brightened their already brilliant eyes. They were so close to their objective that they could taste it. The key had been found!

Their hands reached for the others at the same time. It was as if they were one body with three separate parts, their movements seemingly choreographed by some unseen hand. Their eyes closed and they felt the power trip through them.

The chanting began in a low monotone and slowly increased in volume. The energy in the room increased in direct proportion to the chants. Three sets of blue eyes snapped open their sapphire orbs blazing. The vision came to them, and a voice echoed through the nearly empty room.

The three will need more than their fair share. Brothers will come a matching pair. Beware those that seek the knowledge of the key. To save the sun together must come death, cat, and a weeping tree. So it is written so mote it be.

The trio was left shaken. It seemed that there was going to be some opposition to their plan. Two pairs of worried cerulean eyes met the other. The evil smile that appeared reassured them that there was a plan already forming to combat this newest resistance.

Separating they made sure that no one was around as they left the locker room one at a time. Nobody would ever be able to connect them, at least not until they were ready to reveal themselves. The lone figure let loose the laugh that had been building. The other two had no idea that they were going to be left behind, because in the end, there could be only one.

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It was the scream from inside the hotel that seemed to galvanize the girls into motion. They rushed through the double doors and stopped short at the sight in front of them. There were quite a few people filling the lobby most of them surrounding the former May queen.

The air was filled a voice that did *not* belong to the cheerleader. Her lips moved and you could feel the hair-raising energy filling the room. The voice was oddly melodic and a touch deeper than Cordelia's natural tone.

Wesley came back carrying a glass. He passed the medication to her as he pressed the glass into her hand. She took the pills gratefully and after swallowing them handed the glass back to him. Faith helped the seer to her feet and carefully walked her to the round couch.

"Does someone want to explain what that was all about," Buffy asked trying not to sound as apprehensive as she felt.

"Buffy," cried Dawn as she flew across the room and into her sister's waiting arms.

The two girls held one another close, as they allowed their arms to reassure them that the other was okay. The eldest Summers' girl cupped her sister's face, her thumbs running over her cheekbones. "Dawnie, how you holding up?"

Normally this kind of treatment from Buffy would have raised Dawn's hackles. Considering the situation though, being reminded that a Slayer was her sister was just what she needed. She smiled though it did make her look a little goofy. "I'm good. How was your trip?"

The blonde slayer released her sibling, smiling herself. "Not too bad. I didn't know it was going to be a reunion though." Her gaze landed on both Faith and Spike, neither of whom she really wanted to see again. She had mixed feelings about them and wasn't sure how to deal with either of them.

Faith had finally turned herself in and seemed like she was trying to change. Maybe she even had changed, but Buffy was still wary. Once bitten, twice shy, and all that.

Spike, well Spike was a whole different story. She was confused about him. Part of her had been flattered by his attention, but the other part was disgusted that not only had she had sex with him, she had used him to feel anything at all.

Her attention was drawn to the only unknown face in the room. There was something just a bit off about him. Her head fell to the side as she studied him. She was trying to decide what it was about him that sent off faint warning signals.

"Take a picture it'll last longer," came the man's gruff reply.

"Mark," Dawn said sharply.

The man's shoulders shrugged and he crossed his arms over his chest. He looked at the small red head that had yet to say anything. She blinked emerald green eyes at him. There was something about the young woman that raised the hairs on the back of his neck, but for the life of him he couldn't figure out what it was.

A warm welcoming smile broke out on her face and she offered her small hand to the big man. "Hi, I'm Willow, and you are..."

The answering smile on the big bruiser's face was quickly smothered. He extended his own hand and had made two steps toward her when Angel cut him off. He scooped the redhead up in a huge hug and swept her away from the other man. "Willow."

"Angel," the little hacker snapped. "Put me down this minute!" Once she was back on her own two feet. "What's gotten into you?"

"There's a bit of rivalry between brood boy and the newcomer," came Cordelia's faint answer.

Angel shot his seer a dark look, which she returned. Not talking about it was not going to solve anything. The vampire crossed his arms over his chest and glared at Cordelia. He didn't like airing his dirty laundry; why couldn't the young woman understand that?

Willow stepped around Buffy's ex, giving him a warning glare, and once again held her hand out to the other man. "Sorry about that. I'm Willow, and you are?"

The wrestler took her small hand in his own and felt a jolt of electricity shoot up his arm. His eyes snapped to hers and the look of shocked surprise assured him that she hadn't done anything intentionally. "I'm Mark," he finally replied. "I'm also known as the Undertaker, or simply Taker. I work with Dawn."

A smile lit up the witch's features. "Oh, so you're the one looking after our little Dawnie."

"Yeah, I watch out for Shortcake."

The use of the nickname brought the redhead around to face the young woman. "You told him about that?"

"Well it wasn't intentional," the youngest Summers whined. "And could you not do that?"

"Do what," Willow asked confused.

"Talk about me like I'm not standing right here. It reminds me of when I was in high school," Dawn replied, trying not to sound as annoyed as she felt. She knew that the witch didn't do it on purpose, but it made her feel fifteen all over again.

"I'm so sorry Dawn. I didn't mean to."

"I know. It's just a sore spot." Turning to the others. "I know you guys weren't that thrilled with my career choice, but I like what I do. Not only do I get to travel the world, and meet people, I get to help. Find all the activated slayers, and fight evil. It makes me feel like I have a purpose, like all of you."

"You're not patrolling alone are you," Buffy asked, her fear for her sister making her voice harsher than she'd intended.

"No," the Undertaker answered. "She doesn't go out alone."

"Well, not anymore," Dawn interjected.

Buffy closed her eyes and knew she wasn't going to like the answer, but she had to ask any way. "What happened?"

The brunette diva looked at the Phenom and he waved a hand, as if to say "this is your show."

"I was coming back from patrol one night. It had been a slow night and I was going to make sure those that had gone out would make it back to the hotel safely. I was a block away when I was surrounded. There were three of them Buffy. If it'd been one or two I might have been able to hold my own, but even with all the wrestling training I couldn't do much more then hold them off."

Dawn started to shake as she remembered again the mind numbing terror of that night. She wrapped her arms around her torso, trying to still her trembling. A warm arm wound around her and pulled her against a solid chest. The hand that stroked through her tresses let her know that Mark was once again coming to her aid.

"When I was sure that this was going to be the end one of them just dusted. In the confusion I managed to stake one of them while Mark took out the last one." What wasn't said was how the fiend had died. The others didn't need to know and the Undertaker was too afraid of anyone's reaction to tell them.

The young girl and the wrestler shared a look. Again they saw it as if they were still in that dark dingy alley. Marks fangs glistening in the moonlight as they sank into the other vampire's neck and he had drained the other until he was nothing more than dust at their feet. Neither had spoken of it, not then, and they sure as hell weren't going to say anything now.

Buffy noticed the way the older man held her sister and her mind began to wonder just what kind of relationship the two had. Technically Dawn was an adult and could do as she pleased, but the older sister in her wanted to protect the young girl from all of life's harsh realities.

Shaking her head the blonde slayer cleared her mind of those thoughts. Turning to Angel she asked, "So any word about the new help?"

A shrill cry captured the room's attention and sent them towards the office Fred occupied. There seated in front of the computer was a very flushed brunette. She looked both worried and embarrassed. Buffy shifted her gaze from the petite woman to Angel and back again.

Taking the hint the vampire asked, "What happened?"

The little Texan opened her mouth then closed it, her brow pulling together. "Luna just e-mailed me. Here take a look." She swiveled the monitor towards her boss.

TO: texas_fred@aiinvestgation.com

FROM: luna_leopard@hotmail.com

DATE: Sunday August 15, 2004 11:02:34 -0400

SUBJECT: Ready Or Not Here I Come

Hey Fred,

Don't know if you'll actually get this, but I figured the world is a strange enough place you just might. I feel a little rude for not asking you how you're doing or at least paying lip service to the normal pleasantries, but the situation here is such that I just need to get this out.

I don't know if you guys are already aware of it or not, but there seems to be some kind of danger to Dawn. I'm not sure you're going to believe me when I say this, but I've been having dreams about her, not just about Dawn, or you guys in general. These are specific and they've left me feeling like I was ACTUALLY there!!

These dreams I feel are prophetic. Which is what spurred me to send this letter. I've talked with Maggie, who as you can imagine is so very NOT happy with me, and surprisingly enough Noah. They agree with me, and we'll be doing a transportation spell. We're going to need someone to act as anchor though. Don't know who would be the best choice. My first thought is Wesley; he has some knowledge about this stuff. Whoever it is will know when we're doing the spell; we'll be casting for the anchor first, before trying to send my stuff and me through.

Angel: Yes, I am bringing my weapons. I don't go anywhere unarmed! And no, I'm not telling you what I'm bringing. You need to learn to be more trusting. I guard people for a living, okay well there is *some* torture involved, but they were really very bad if they're being sent to "visit" me.

Fred: As promised I'm bringing those samples we discussed. Maggie has them in a container. You can study them to your heart's content. I think you'll find some surprising difference between my world's lycans and yours.

Wesley and Gunn: Can't wait to see you guys again. Are you still too human to play with the were? Sorry, couldn't help it. Okay so maybe I could, I just didn't want to. LOL. I wish the circumstances were better though.

Spike: I'm bringing TOYS! I think you'll really get a kick out of some of them. You still up to teaching me how to take out a slayer? I'll show you mine if you show me yours. And if anyone else is reading this he knows what I mean and he's the only one that needs to. :-P

Well I can't think of anything else to say. I'm all packed. I'm just waiting to hear back from you guys. Hopefully this went through and I'll know something soon. Oh, before I forget, what phase of the moon are you in? And exactly how long has it been since I was there last?

~Luna

Buffy and Angel shared a look before they bellowed. "Spike!"