Fiction- FaGC09- Gathering Storm03

Title: For A Good Cause

Chapter Title: Gathering Storm- Part Three

Author: Restive Nature

Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to BtVS. They belong to Whedon & Mutant Enemy. Nor do I own any rights to other shows represented through the rest of this fictions. All shows belong to their respective owners. In the case of this chapter, that wold include Angel, Charmed, Harry Potter, Dark Angel and Twilight. No infringement is intended and this fiction is for private enjoyment only.

Rating: Various, up to R

Chapter Rating: PG

Genre: Crossover

Type: BtVS/ Various

Pairing: Various

Summary: When threatened by an old foe not their own, how else can the combined forces of the Scoobies and the Fang Gang respond? By having an auction!

Spoilers/ Time line: This is post series for both Buffy and Angel. Other shows and will be discussed within each chapter that it pertains to.

Feedback: Always welcome!

Distribution: Ask first please.

A/N: This is a response to the Twisting the Hellmouth “The Bachelor/ Bachelorette Challenge.

For A Good Cause

Chapter Nine

Gathering Storm- Part Three

“Hey,” Leo called as he Orbed back into the house. He was standing in the foyer and turned when he caught sight of Piper and Wyatt in the living room. They were on the floor, getting Wyatt some tummy time. There was a ring of toys around their son and he was wiggling and cooing, most likely, as far as they could figure, happy at sensing his father's return.

“That was quick,” Piper commented, glancing at her watch. “Did'ja find him?” she wondered.

“I did,” Leo nodded as he entered the sitting room. “Are Paige and Phoebe still here?”

“Yup,” Piper confirmed. “Upstairs,” she pointed towards the ceiling. “Paige wants to make charm bags for the house.”

“Mmm,” Leo nodded absently. “I'll just go get them, so they can hear this too.”

“No need,” Paige announced as she came off the last step into the hallway, Phoebe right behind her. “We just finished the list and I'm not so sure Piper's gonna want this stuff in the house.”

“Lemme see,” Piper demanded, holding her hand out for the sheet of paper. Paige obligingly handed it over and then took a seat while Phoebe dropped to the floor to coo at the nephew she adored. Wyatt responded happily. The eldest sister glanced over the list and made several disgusted faces. “Ugh, you go that right! What kinda witch uses this stuff?”

“Voodoo priestesses,” Phoebe supplied distastefully, though her features remained happy for Wyatt's benefit. “Pretty powerful protection spell. In a general sense. But your powers are more effective. It's a ward, not a deterrent.”

“So demon's could still get in,” Piper surmised.

“We can keep it in the 'down the road' column,” Paige offered and Piper shrugged. “If we have to,” she added.

“Well, I want to hear what Leo found out,” Piper decided, looking up at her husband. He took a seat on the sofa behind her and waved at his son that was facing in that direction. The child worked to push himself up to a seated position to see around.

“Yes, what's the deal on this?' Paige turned to address him.

“Well, as I said,” Leo explained casually, “Lorne's an empath. This whole thing is on the up and up, as charity auctions go. The thing is,” he paused here, wincing slightly, “these people that are putting the auction on, they're in trouble and not just the financial kind.”

“What does that mean?” Piper demanded warily.

“It means that the king of the genies got a hold of them,” Leo sighed and waited for the expected outbreak of worry. He wasn't disappointed. He waited until all their exclamations and yelps of panic were out of the way and then continued. “They've had a spell put on them that they haven't been able to break. So they decided to throw this charity auction to help good people. They have to perform a task for said person before the geas can be lifted. And rather than being caught out by some random person, or worse, a demon saying the words, they've sequestered themselves until the auction.”

“And from there, they're going to find people that need actual help and help them, all while raising funds for their organization?” Paige surmised as Leo nodded. She brightened visibly and glanced at her sister's. “That's really cool!”

“But that doesn't answer the question of why us?” Phoebe pointed out. “I mean, did they want our help trying to break the spell? What?” The others looked at her and then to Leo for the answer.

“That's easy too,” Leo sighed and then pressed a hand to Piper's shoulder. “Don't freak out too much, but Lorne was at P3.”

“He was?” Piper's voice rose in disbelief and then she twisted around. “When? How come I didn't see him? Green skin! Horns! Hard to miss!”

Leo chuckled and leaned his elbows on his knees as he began to explain further. “As it turns out, Lorne has been touring the country. He actually had a show in Vegas for a while. People believed he just wore full make up. But he had heard that P3 was the club for performers,” he offered and Piper's eyes widened with pleasure.

“Well that's nice,” she muttered with a slight chuckle.

“Anyway, he stopped by in the afternoon and you were there,” Leo recited. “He came in, not far and he told me that you were singing along with the radio. He saw everything and left.”

“Left?” Piper repeated. “Why, if he's a good demon, would he leave?”

“Probably because if you'd seen a demon walk into your club you would have blown up first, ask questions later,” Paige supplied dryly and Piper shrugged philosophically. That was pretty much a given.

“And that's one of the things he saw,” Leo concurred. “He wasn't going to risk his hide when he was supposed to help.”

“Help how?” Phoebe wondered. Leo sighed again and then looked down at his son.

“Lorne saw that there is evil after Wyatt,” he told them quietly. It wasn't a shock. They knew this already. “He also saw that there was a specific instant that we would be too late.” Again there were gasps of surprise and Piper visibly shaking. “It's okay,” Leo soothed, not just his wife, but all of them. “Lorne said that these people have someone who will be able to help. We'll save Wyatt.”

“But why do we have to wait?” Piper demanded. “Why can't we go get this person now!”

“It's okay,” Leo repeated. “They need all their people there right now. It's safer for them and apparently safer for us. I did check in with the Elders on the way back. They agree. This cause, this auction needs to happen. For more than just us. There are a lot of people out there that need their help. Wyatt's going to be okay until we need their help.”

“You're sure?” Piper asked doubtfully, her hands itching alternately to blow something up and to scoop up her child and not let him go.

“I'm sure,” Leo nodded. “And if we really need it, I can talk to this group about getting some help. But the Elders are confident you three can handle everything until then.”

There was a long silent pause before Paige leaned forward. “So, two questions Leo? Who exactly are these people and how are we going to afford to pay for a 'slave'?” she made air quotes for the last comment.

“Oh, well, Lorne assured me that they've got that worked out,” Leo answered the second question first. “When it's our turn to bid, he'll use a pass word to alert us. And as for affording it, they aren't going to quibble over the price. If they get a dollar, great. But they won't let the bidding get too high.”

“Well that's a relief,” Piper grumbled. “Not like there's a lot of money rolling in around here.”

“What about who they are?” Phoebe reiterated. Leo looked sheepish and rubbed a hand over the back of his neck.

“That I can't really answer,” he explained as the sisters gave the expected snorts and eye rolls, like they had been expecting that bit of news. “The thing is, they're a group of people who do good. They're not under the Elders pervue. But because of what they're doing, the forces of good are coming together to make it happen. It's kind of a one shot deal where everyone cooperates for the greater good before we all go back to our own corners.”

“Well, I like the sound of that,” Paige decided perkily. “And I mean, hey, who's to say that it wouldn't ever happen again. We can like, make some new contacts for the future.”

“That would be good,” Phoebe nodded. “But there are no witches or anything?”

“Oh, a few,” Leo nodded, relieved that the news was taken so well. “But since they're affiliated with this group instead of others, like I said, the Elders let them be.”

“They don't have Whitelighters?” Paige wondered in surprise. From what she had understood, every witch had one watching over her. Or in some cases, him.

“They don't yet,” Leo smiled enigmatically and then finally gave in to the impulse to get down on the floor and play with his son.

FaGC~FaGC

“Severus?” the woman's low voice rang out quietly in the darkened alley of Hogsmeade Village. It was one of the few places in the British Isles that consisted of an entirely magical population. And yet, she was still wary. She had right to be, Severus Snape, current Defense Against the Dark Arts professor at Hogwart's School for witchcraft and wizardry, decided.

He had been pleased at his promotion, one he had lobbied for, for years. But it came at a price he was finding abhorrent. But then, much of his life was that way and he had to make the best of it that he could. “Here Narcissa,” he answered, using his sibilant voice, much like their “master's” to guide her down the proper path. He could feel her relief, palpable in the air.

While it would have been easier to meet in Diagon Alley, in London, as there were more meeting places that those of their ilk gravitated to, they could not risk someone looking to further themselves with the Dark Lord, overhearing their discussion. Hogsmeade was better and Snape was just relieved that Narcissa had been close. Using a weekend of shopping for the quainter items found in Hogsmeade, as an excuse to check on her beloved son. And he had news that she needed to hear.

“What is it Severus?” the woman asked worriedly, wringing her hands slightly as she moved into the shadows beside him. “Has Draco...?”

“No,” he answered immediately. He didn't need Occlumency, the art of reading an opponent's thoughts, to know where the direction of hers lay. He had promised, Sworn with the Unbreakable Vow that he would do everything to help the boy in the task that Voldemort had set him to. And to that end, he had an idea to present to the boy's mother. “There is other news,” he offered, his eyes darting knowingly around the alleyway, reaching out with preternatural senses that had kept him alive all these years in the turbulent situations he constantly dealt with.

“What is it?” she asked on a slight gasp.

“Dumbledore has been invited to a magical gathering in the Americas,” Snape revealed and saw that she had not connected dots yet. But it was smart of Narcissa Malfoy to remain quiet. She had learned that painful lesson well over the past few years. She waited for him to continue. “The gathering is being heavily protected by wards. Wards that I fear our Lord will not be able to break unless he has studied them before hand. Unfortunately...”

“They would not put them in place until necessary for the gathering,” Narcissa surmised, “and so would give himself away, were the Dark Lord to be there.”

“Exactly,” Snape sighed. “But I do not believe that this is some idle gathering. I've looked into the matter and I believe that these Americans are offering their assistance to those in need.”

“What do you mean?” Narcissa was puzzled now.

“They are bartering their abilities to those who have need of them,” Snape explained further and saw the woman's eyes widen.

“But, the Statue of Secrecy,” she protested softly and Snape shook his head.

“They are not revealing themselves to the muggle community,” he told her, his eyes still darting. He was just waiting for the moment that Bellatrix or another of her ilk came looking for Narcissa. Bellatrix made no bones at all about not trusting Severus and had her supporters within the Death Eaters on that subject.

“So why do you believe I should know about this?” Narcissa wondered, having reached her limit for idle speculation.

“Because it might very well be possible that we can find additional help with Draco,” Snape offered in the sneering tone that most expected from him. “As I'm sure he's made clear to you, as he has to me, he is not... desirous of my help, or of confiding in me as he might once have.”

“Yes,” Narcissa sighed, glancing down at her white knuckled grip of her own hands. “He made that quite clear this afternoon.” She raised her eyes to the other man. “I tried...”

“I understand,” Severus nodded, raising one hand to grip her upper arm through her cloak. “If things are to work out as I understand, he may be more amenable to outside help that he believes he has chosen. I, of course, would remain in close contact and will step in should the need arise.”

“Yes, of course,” Narcissa breathed out shakily. “But how...”

Severus smiled grimly. There was no need to explain to the woman how he had come by it, but it was there. “I have procured an invitation for the Malfoys to this gathering. I will present it to the Dark Lord as a chance to extend our foothold.”

“But he is not ready to move on from the current locales,” Narcissa frowned.

“All the more reason to send an emissary in now,” Snape smirked. “Draco is young, handsome, charming when he wants to be. He will be the perfect choice to keep the foreigners off balance and yet at the same time, help him with his tasks.”

“Yes,” Narcissa breathed, a hint of a smile on her face. She was still for a moment, but Severus could see the calculations running through her mind. “When is the gathering to be?”

“It is better that you don't know beforehand,” Severus warned. “I will announce the information I have gathered, after I have posted this by way of Muggle system. Draco will bring it to the Dark Lord at the next gathering. That will give us just enough time to convince him of our plan. We must work carefully Narcissa,” he warned. She nodded again and then, straightening her gloves, gave him an artful, polite nod.

“Very well Severus,” she smiled coldly. “I look forward to hearing from you. Please, try not to be a stranger this year. You've always been welcome.”

“I thank you Narcissa,” Snape returned, just as coolly, having sensed as she did that the conversation needed to be at an end. “I will of course, have to see what I may manage between my schedule.”

“Good evening Severus,” she returned and turned away to move out of the alley. Snape heard her greet another Death Eater, artfully steering the man away from the alley with the simplistic need of a mulled wine at the Three Broomsticks. With a satisfied sound, Snape whirled around, departing in the other direction. Now to inform his true master that the pieces had been laid.

FaGC~FaGC

“Mister and Missus Cale?” the middle aged man approached the couple, sitting together before the desk of another police officer, in the station precinct closest to their neighborhood in Seattle, Washington. The woman's head had been bowed while her husband tried to comfort her. But the man looked up and squeezed his wife's arm from where he had been previously rubbing at it soothingly.

“Yes, Officer...?” he asked as he rose from his seat. His wife simply looked up, misery etched on her face. Anyone would feel sympathetic to them, having come in to report that their son had been kidnapped. And still no word had been had from the kidnappers. No notes, no ransom, no telephone calls. It had been over a week and things were looking grim for young Logan Cale.

“I'm Detective Schaefer,” the detective introduced himself. “I understand that you've been talking to Detective Weiderson?”

“Yes,” Mr. Cale nodded. “That was who took the original report. We received a call this morning that there might be something...”

“That was me, Mr. Cale,” Schaefer sighed and then gestured to the chair that Cale had recently abandoned. “Please, have a seat.” Watching warily as Schaefer moved around the desk, Cale sank back down even as his wife twisted around in her seat. Schaefer, as he took his seat at the borrowed desk, he was still new enough to this post that he hadn't been assigned one yet among the veteran Seattle cops, thought about his previous job.

Working in Sunnydale California, a cop saw a lot of strange things. Really strange. And luckily, they'd had their own version of a super hero that had often times saved the people that the cops couldn't. So when Buffy Summers had dropped hints that it was time to abandon town, Dale Schaefer was one of the ones who had listened.

Relocating his family had been horrible. But at least they had survived. And looked froward to things being normal now. Or at least more normal than what they'd been their previous dozen years. But when Dale had seen signs that he thought he wouldn't outside of that God forsaken town, he had not buried his head in the sand as another might. Of course bad things happened in the world over. That was why each country, state, province, city, town, even each home, had their rules and security measures. That was why there were cops. And if the bad things were in that town, chances were they were in other towns too.

So when Dale had overheard Weiderson talking about the weird images on the security camera on the Cale case, the marks left on the front steps of the Cale home that didn't match up to anything he recognized and thusly dismissed as a random unintentional mess, he swung into action. It wasn't difficult for Dale to talk Weiderson up, asking about the lab results from testing the mess and being informed that the material didn't match up to anything in the police or the FBI's database. By the end of those fifteen minutes of work related chat, and mentioning in passing that they'd had a weird case sort of like this, which was the truth, back in Sunnydale, Weiderson actually invited Dale to have a look.

And look he had. He'd seen in an instant what someone not in the know had missed completely. He had wisely though, feigned ignorance, explaining that the marks he had seen, that didn't show up in the databases were different. And the children involved had been killed at the scene. The moment Weiderson thanked him and headed off, Dale had begun the task of tracking down the one person that he might get answers from.

She hadn't answered, but he had gotten the help he, the help that the Cale's desperately needed. And that was what he had to figure out how to tell them right now. He stared at them both and then sighed before tapping one finger on the file folder that he had carried with him. “I hate to say it, Mister and Missus Cale,” he could see their sharply indrawn breaths straightening their spines harshly. They were preparing for the worst. “We have no new leads on your son's whereabouts.” Mrs Cale closed her eyes briefly before nodding. “I do however, have a suggestion about some people that you can contact that specialize in matters like this.”

“Like what?” Mr Cale demanded. “The FBI? We've already talked to them!”

“Not the FBI,” Dale shook his head and leaned forward. “These people are not police or feds. They are not private investigators. Off the record here? They're not licensed for this at all, but they get results. Good results. If you want your boy back, then these will be the people to do it. I've even taken the liberty of contacting them. They're willing to take the case on, but they can't meet you here. You'll have to go to them.”

“Why are you telling us this?' Mrs Cale asked in a whisper as Dale slid the envelope containing of all the strangest things, a gala benefit invitation, across the desk.

“Because I don't believe that there is only one way to accomplish a task like this,” Dale sighed. “Because I've seen a lot of things go down that could have been different, been better if people hadn't buried their head in the sand. No one should live with the fear that you are right now. I'm not gonna let bureaucracy or red tape get in the way of resolving this with your son home where he belongs, safe and sound.” He gestured to the envelope and gave the woman a sad little smile. “These people are unconventional. But they care. She cares. Much more than you or I will ever know.”

Whatever conclusions that the Cale's made at his words, it didn't worry Dale. All that did worry him, was that they would take his advice. Take the invitation, use it and get their son back. Because he knew that horrible pain. Sitting day after day, wondering if this would be the day his son came home. And more than that, the fear of what monster might be possessing him when Dale Junior did knock on that door.

FaGC~FaGC

“That should be fine Edward,” Carlisle smiled at his adopted son. The words themselves were not adequate to describe the relationship between the two, but it was all they had. At least to the world at large that saw them as strange enough anomalies in the first place, presenting themselves as an adoptive family with five teen aged children for parents that barely looked out of their young adult stage themselves.

“Yes,” Edward nodded. He could hear what Carlisle was not saying, given that he was not only a vampire, but a mind reader as well. His adoptive father was going over several ideas he had to look into, given the subject matter that Edward had presented him with not minutes earlier.

Both were seated comfortably in Carlisle's home study. And to Edward's surprise, Carlisle had been completely prepared for the subject he brought up, but listening to the elder vampire's thoughts on this, he realized that it all followed a natural progression.

Upon realizing the depth of love that Edward had for the human girl, Bella Swan by name, and seeing the happiness she brought not only to him but nearly the entire family, Carlisle and Esme, his wife, had discussed and thought of many scenarios of how this relationship would play out. They were not always correct in their beliefs or hopes, but knowing that Bella had agreed to marry Edward, well, it was better than many of the alternatives they were aware of.

A touching moment flashed in Carlisle's mind and made Edward smile fondly. They all, the entire family and even the communities they lived in were all aware of how deeply Carlisle loved Esme and how committed the pair were to one another.

“You don't need to hide those feelings,” he teased easily. “We're all aware-!” whatever Edward had been about to say to his father figure and mentor where lost when another voice intruded upon his mind violently and Edward twisted in his seat.

“Son?” Carlisle asked quietly. He knew the signs of Edward hearing something that was not good news or particularly welcome.

“Alice?” Edward called, but his voice didn't rise above a normal conversational pitch, since they were all vampires, their hearing was superior enough to hear one another all over the house. “What...?” he began, but the images that she was receiving through whatever power she had brought with her into her Vampiric life, that of visions, took hold of him again. “Bella!” he gasped and whether it was reflexive or a warning to Carlisle or both, was unimportant. He was out of his seat and heading for Alice's position in the living room with Carlisle a nanosecond behind him.

They found her leaning on the back of the sofa, Jasper, her husband and Emmett, the final brother in this incarnation of family life in Forks Washington, seated on the floor before the gaming console, twisted around, their concern evident. Esme and Rosalie, Emmett's wife were not present as the two had elected to go hunting together. A not uncommon occurrence, but Esme at least would be dismayed by what her precognitive daughter was seeing.

“What is it?' Edward demanded harshly as he halted at Alice's side. The dark haired pixie like Vampire shook her head slowly, her lips parted on a gasp and slowly, too slowly, the vision eased.

“I couldn't see,” she announced aloud for the entire family. “I couldn't see the danger to Bella.”

“Bella's in danger?' Emmett's booming voice clarified. “Again? Didn't we just do this?”

“Right now?” Jasper asked doubtfully, his eyes moving back and forth between his wife and brother. He knew as well as anyone else, that if the danger were immediate, both Alice and Edward would have been on their way to save her already. Unless their interference made things worse. That was always a possibility, given the unfortunate company that Bella sometimes kept in the form of their natural enemies, the Quiluete reservation werewolves.

Alice shook her head in the negative. “There's some danger stalking her,” she informed them as a group, though her eyes were on Edward. “But I couldn't see it clearly.”

“What about the second part?' Edward wanted to know next. “That thing?”

“What thing?” Emmett demanded, his tone holding a petulant note. He always hated being left out of things.

“Perhaps Alice could explain her whole vision to us, and then we may discuss it,” Carlisle suggested, ever the voice of reason within their coven. With a sigh, Alice darted around her favorite brother to seat herself beside her husband, needing his comfort and not just the physical representation of it. He completed a strange triumvirate within the Cullen coven, able to sense and manipulate emotions in whatever manner and degree he deemed necessary. With a weary sigh, Edward followed and took a seat on the empty couch, followed by Carlisle, who leaned forward to regard Alice with a kind, encouraging smile. “What did you see, precisely?” he prompted.

“A shadow of something stalking Bella,” Alice spoke immediately, though quietly, as if she were afraid that the words would set Edward off. But he heard that worry in her mind the moment her brain expressed it and he sent her a flat look. “It will kill her. Eventually,” Alice's voice was as flat as her brother's pained stare.

“There's nothing we can do?” Carlisle wondered as Jasper snaked his arm around his wife's waist. She leaned her cheek on his shoulder as he pressed a kiss to her dark hair.

“I'm not sure,” she frowned, a crease appearing between her eyebrows as they furrowed. “I saw us, you and I, Carlisle, at a hotel. There was a benefit. And a very strange being, green with red horns and eyes. He seems... safe. Peaceful. He was singing to us. At least I think that's what he was doing.” She stiffened for just a moment and then smiled. “There was a sign.”

“What did the sign say?” Jasper asked softly.

“Featuring the green velvet fog, Lorne and his Lornettes,” she recited from her memory. But before anyone could ask further, Edward's attention had snapped to their large bear sized brother.

“Emmett?”

“Going to Vegas,” Emmett grinned and held his hand up to Jasper to be high fived, but his empathic sibling just raised a single eyebrow. He lowered it and then shrugged before turning to the rest of the family that was assembled. “Remember a few years ago? I wanted to go, but Rosie wanted to visit the Denali coven instead?”

“That's who you wanted to see?” Alice frowned. And then pulled back slightly, looking confused. “I didn't see that.”

“Because it was just a thought,” Emmett shrugged. “I saw the ad, but the dates weren't right. It wasn't long after that his show folded and he disappeared from the scene.”

There were understanding nods. Emmett often, well most all the time acceded to his wife's wishes. He enjoyed making Rosalie happy and was willing to make sacrifices of his own to keep her that way.

“But I don't think it was Vegas,” Alice finally decided, glancing at Edward once more. “The room didn't look familiar. But there was definitely a correlation between the two visions, coming together like they did.”

“Well it should be easy enough to figure out,” Emmett decided. “That's what they created the Internet for, right?”

“Yes,” Carlisle nodded. “Emmett, who don't you start on that, since you are most familiar with this Lorne person. Alice, any details you could help him with would be appreciated. Edward,” he turned to the first son he had created, a soft amused smile crossing his lips.

Edward, nonplussed at what he heard in his father's thoughts nodded. “You assume correctly Carlisle. I'll be back later.”

As he stood from the couch and moved to the front door, Emmett finally made the correct connection as he scoffed, “again? Didn't he just see Bella like half an hour ago? Not like she's in danger right this sec- oh, wait, this is Bella we're talking about here. But really?”

“Young love Em,” Jasper chuckled before Edward was leaping off the porch to begin the exhilarating run to culminate in a feeling beyond anything he could describe, to be with his love once more. “It's young love.”