DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT: This story cannot be sold or used for profit
in any way. Copies of this story may be made for private use only or
posted in fanfic archives for general distribution, but must include
all disclaimers and copyright notices.
SPOILER WARNING: Occurs before the last season of SWAM and between
the first and second seasons of BtVS.
RATING: PG13
CONTENT WARNING: This story depicts scenes of violence and/or their
aftermath. If depictions of this nature disturb you, you may wish to
read something other than this story.
SUMMARY: The new girl at Sunnydale has a weird secret all her own -
one that Willow will soon share.
DISCLAIMER: Buffy, Giles, the Slayerettes and all other characters
who have appeared in the series "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" together
with the names, titles and backstory are the sole copyright property
of Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, Inc., Kuzui Enterprises, Sandollar
Television, 20th Century Fox Television and the Warner Brothers
Television Network. Alex Mack, her family, Danielle Atron and all
other characters who have appeared in the series "The Secret World
of Alex Mack" together with the names, titles and backstory are the
sole copyright property of Viacom International, MTV Networks,
Nickelodeon Television Network, Nickelodeon Productions, Hallmark
Entertainment, and Lynch Entertainment. No copyright infringement
was intended in the writing of this fan fiction. All other
characters, the story idea and the story itself are the sole
property of the author. I'm too broke to be sued, anyway. (But if
anybody thinks my literary skill presents that much a risk, feel
free to *HIRE* me!)
A/N: Remember, this was written long before I ever heard of Spike or
Mayor Wilkins or how deeply stupid Sunnydale cops could be.
A/N 2: In spite of what happens to her in the first section of this
story, I really do like Alex's mom. I just needed a reason for her
to go "special forces" without redesigning her character. The
question of whether Alex will become a Slayerette is answered.

* * * * *

The Secret World of Willow Rosenberg
(a BtVS/SWAM crossover)
by Dalton S. Spence <dalton.spence@...>

"I guess I'm not so ordinary anymore." - Alex Mack

*Part 5*

Barbara Mack had already had a perfectly horrible day. It began
simply with a run in her pantyhose and the discovery she had left
her emergency pair on her dresser. It escalated when her professor
called her aside after class to tell her that she would have to redo
a major assignment because she had badly misunderstood the question
being posed. (Her instructor admitted the wording was ambiguous, but
was only allowing the second chance because she had worked very hard
on it.) In her next class she discovered that her partner in an
important project that was due next week had completely forgotten to
do her part of the research, so the planned quiet weekend at home
with her family would instead be spent in the college library.

The end of the day brought no relief. As she was leaving the campus,
her husband George called her on her cellular explaining that he
would have to work late at the lab *again* tonight, and asked her
apologetically to get the groceries and dry cleaning from the local
mall that he had forgotten to pick up the night before. She called
home three times on her drive back to Sunnydale to ask Alex to do
this chore for her, but the first two times there was no answer and
the other time the line was busy. Finally, her car stalled on her
way out of the mall, forcing her to endure five minutes of horn
honking and name calling until she could get it started again.

As she hefted a bag of groceries in one arm and slammed the car
door, she thought savagely, //What *ELSE* can go wrong today!?!//
When she turned around she got her answer. Two men and one woman
wearing strange grotesque masks were suddenly blocking her path to
the house. Startled, she dropped the bag and screamed.

The apparent leader of the group, a short dark-haired man with
Gallic features immediately apologized. "Pardon moi, madame," he
sneered with a strong French accent, "did we startle you?" He then
smiled sinisterly showing a mouth full of sharp discolored teeth.
Feeling a odd wetness about her feet, Barbara glanced down at what
were once her favorite shoes, now soaking in broken eggs and milk
from a leaking carton. At this final indignity, something inside her
snapped, and with an inarticulate scream of rage she let loose a
devastating karate side kick that caught the man unprepared and sent
him crashing to the ground. Unfortunately, she slipped on the mess
under her feet, and her momentum sent her slamming head first into
her car knocking her unconscious. It was just "one of those days".

* * * * *

This was the sight that greeted the two girls as they looked out the
window beside the front door; Alex's mother slumped against the car,
a short vampire sitting on the ground shaking his head groggily, a
much larger one trying to stifle his chuckles and a female vampire
shaking her head sadly at both of her companions. "What are we going
to do?" asked a frightened Alex.

Willow thought quickly. "Morph around the side of the house, then
around the driveway until you are behind, then under the car. When I
distract them, double-morph your mom back to house the way you came.
Once you're inside you'll be safe."

"How will you distract them?"

"Don't worry, I'll think of something. Now, GO!" Seeing that none of
the vampires were paying attention to their victim, Alex quickly
morphed over to her, then waited as instructed.

//Ok, here's where we see what these powers can do.// With that
thought, Willow concentrated on the bushes behind the vampires,
causing them to rustle violently. All three turned to study them
intently.

"I can't see anything," said the woman nervously. "Guido?"

The larger vampire shook his head. "Me neither. Must have been the
wind?"

As he got to his feet, the short one protested, "But there *WAS* no
wind!" He turned to the car to finish the job he started, then
cursed foully. While the three of them had been looking for a
nonexistent ambush, Alex had taken her mother around the side of the
house. By the time any of them realized she was gone, Alex's mother
was already lying on the living room couch.

Willow chose this moment to make herself known. "Lose something?"
she asked cheerfully as the vamps began looking in and around the
car for some sign of their chosen prey. Holding a crucifix and large
water pistol filled with holy water, she stood just inside the
threshold, safe behind a barrier the uninvited could never cross.

The trio froze, then slowly turned to face the voice that addressed
them, relaxing slightly when they realized the girl was not
blond. "Well well, if it isn't the Slayer's pet hacker," said the
short one attempting to recover his dignity. "I suppose *she's*
inside tending to her injured mother. I suppose you won't tell us
how you managed the rescue? Very bad form, sending a lackey to do
her work."

"What are you talking about?" Willow asked, getting confused.

"Come on now!" the woman said. "We find pretty boy over there
watching the place, then a blond woman carrying groceries drives up
who takes Pierre down with a single kick. It doesn't take a rocket
scientist to figure out who lives here. I'm just surprised she isn't
out here right now trying to take a crack at us."

//Dear God, they think this is Buffy's house!// "What have done with
Angel?" she asked, knowing that he would have shown up by now if he
could have.

"Don't worry," said the woman, "he still ... survives. The Anointed
One has many interesting plans for the traitor. If the Slayer wants
a chance to rescue him, see that she comes to the Bronze tonight
after closing."

"Alone," added Guido. "No Watcher, no Slayerettes, no associated
hangers-on. And of course, no cops. If we see anyone else, they had
better bring a dust-buster." With this the three vampires vanished
into the night.

* * * * *

"So your mother's okay?" Buffy asked Alex later at the library where
they were having their council of war. Willow had immediately called
Giles, who had called Buffy suggesting that they spend the time
until the closing of the Bronze working out a plan of attack.

"Aside from a headache she was fine. We told her she was alone when
we found her beside the car, and she figures the attack was just a
hallucination brought on brought on by a very stressful day. My
dad's with her now, and they went to bed early." She no longer had
any doubts about joining the team. When the vampires had attacked
her mother, they had made it *personal.* "So how are we going to go
after these slimeballs?"

"*WE*," answered Buffy, "are doing nothing. This my fight."

"Don't tell me you are going to get all protective again," moaned
Willow. "Every time you do this, you *KNOW* what happens."

"You heard what they said. If they see anyone else, Angel dies."

Willow and Alex looked at each other, a silent communication passing
between them. "Then they won't see anyone," Alex answered with a
grin, "but you *aren't* going alone."

Once again Giles was quick on the uptake. "If you're saying what I
think you're saying..." He paused for a moment, as if marshaling
objections, then said, "I think it's an *EXCELLENT* plan!"

"Huh?!?" the three girls responded, one in confusion, two in
surprise.

//It's nice to be able to surprise them once in a while,// Giles
thought smugly. "I'm not a stodgy old fool, you know! I can still
recognize a pair of aces in the hole." Seeing Buffy's smile as she
finally clued in, Giles continued. "The only thing I must insist on
is that you refrain from any direct physical confrontation. Neither
of you has Buffy's instincts, skills or strength. Leave the slaying
to her. Instead, use your abilities to confuse, distract, and
confound them, and most importantly, to rescue Angel." Turning to
Alex, he said seriously, "If it is at all possible, try to avoid
using that `double-morphing' trick you rescued your mother with.
Angel is a vampire, and there is no telling what his condition has
done to his molecular structure."

"I understand," replied Alex equally serious. "The last thing I want
is to re-enact `The Fly' with a vampire. Look, none of them knows
about *me* yet. Why don't I go to this Bronze place before it closes
and scout the territory. When it does, I can morph somewhere and
wait for you to arrive."

"Ok," Buffy allowed hesitantly, "but be on your guard. At the first
hint you've been made, get out of there as fast as possible."

Willow added, "And if you see Xander or Cordelia, tell them they
have to get over here ASAP."

"Cordelia? You mean Cordelia Chase?" Alex asked incredulously. "Are
you telling me the bitch queen of Sunnydale is a Slayerette?"

"More of an associated hanger-on," answered Willow with a grin. "She
knows, but is trying very hard to forget. Has this deathly fear of
associating with losers."

"Then why should she listen to me?"

"Don't worry. If she gives you a hard time, just suggest we want to
thank her for her help, and if we can't do it privately we'll have
to come to the Bronze and do it publicly. Then get out her way."

Giles shook his head and looked pointedly at his watch. "If you want
to get there before closing you had better leave now."

"Right," agreed Alex, "I'll see you there then." Just as she reached
the door, she turned around and asked sheepishly, "Does anyone have
cab fare?"

<-- to be continued -->

A/N 3: Unfortunately this was as far as I got. If anyone wants to
help me with the next scene, I'd be glad for the assist. (Unfinished
fanfic is terrible for the karma and deserving of Shepherd
Book's "special hell".)

--

Dalton "aka Dr. Schubert or YademosEbyam for my sins" Spence