Title: Scars and Bars 11/?

Author: TardisAngel21

Disclaimer: Don't own anything. Buffy the Vampire Slayer is owned by Joss Whedon. Doctor Who /Torchwood are owned by the BBC respectively. Still don't own anything, don't sue.

Buffy , Spike, and Illyria sat in the darkened corner of Duffy's Tavern. The bar was the epitome of the term "dive" and was just empty enough for serious conversations over alcohol and bad music. Spike and Illyria sat silently as Buffy struggled to collect herself as she stared into her now luke warm beer. She fiddled with the glass sliding it across the table back and forth from hand to hand.

"I don't know how to start…" Buffy said as she looked up staring at a spot just over Spike's shoulder.

"How about at the beginning love?" Spike said reaching over and placing his hand over hers.

Swallowing down her fear, Buffy made eye contact with Spike and then turning looked at Illyria before nodding weakly.

"Here goes nothing…" she thought sadly.

"It started a long time ago on a planet called Gallifrey, I went by another name back then, to my friends I was known as Romana…"

The Doctor ran around the console of the TARDIS manically flipping levers, and turning knobs. "Well find her, I promise you."

Nathan sat on the bench in the console room his head in his hands.

Jack sat down next to him and placed a hand on Nathan's shoulder to comfort him.

"Any idea where or when she may have hopped to Doctor?" Jack asked.

The Doctor scanned one of the screens and looking over nodded as he punched in the coordinates.

The three men hung on as the TARDIS took off toward Buffy's location. After a while the motor came to a grinding halt.

Looking at the readout, the Doctor's grin quickly vanished.

"What is it Doc?" Jack asked anxiously.

The Doctor rubbed the back of his neck looking sheepishly.

"Well…." He started.

Nathan got up and stormed over to the Doctor.

"Well what?"

The Doctor took a step back defensively and replied "it seems the TARDIS couldn't get a fixed point of when she landed. It looks like she hopped between a few different time periods. According to the readings I got us as close as I could to her last jump."

"Well that's good isn't it?" Jack said as he placed both hands on the console and leaned forward.

"Not quite, problem is she landed in New York City. I don't know when she landed or even if she's still in town" the Doctor said as he met both men's glares.

"So, what are we waiting for? Let's go find her. I'll search the whole world for her if I have to." Nathan said crossing his arms and looking at the Doctor with contempt.

The Doctor met his gaze and holding it for a while simply nodded.

"Only problem is, if you go searching for her you have no identity. Sure we know who you are but there are lots of people out there."

"Doctor? I think I may have a solution" Jack said.

Nathan and the Doctor both looked at him with mirroring looks of confusion.

Buffy finished her story and sitting back waited patiently for the proverbial crap to hit the fan. Knowing Spike it would hit in 5…4…3…

Spike leaned back and absorbed all the information Buffy or was it Romana? Whoever sat across from him had explained it in full detail.

Picking up his pint of beer he met Buffy's eyes and simply said "I believe you."

Buffy wasn't ready for acceptance, "you're not angry?" she asked in confusion.

Spike simply shook his head and smirked, "I knew you were different when we met earlier, you have an air about you now. That and you smell different."

"I smell?!" Buffy cried leaning her head down to sniff under her arms, for BO, before looking up with a huge smile on her face.

Illyria tilted her head watching the interaction a sad smile upon her face.

"But in all seriousness what would you prefer me to call you love? I'll call you whatever you wish."

Buffy really hadn't contemplated what she wanted to be called. She rolled both names around and looking at Spike simply said "Buffy."

Spike looked over at Illyria and became alarmed as the blue hell goddess looked petrified of Buffy.

"Blue? You alright there?" Spike asked.

"Illyria what's wrong?" Buffy asked noticing how scared the blue demon looked.

"You…Your…" Illyria started before standing up, and dropping to her knees in front of Buffy.

"Illyria? What are you doing?" Buffy asked looking to Spike for some assistance. He just shook his head unsure of what to do either.

"You are one of the ancient ones, I am not alone in this universe" Illyria said bowing her head in submission "I pledge my life and faithfulness to you as your servant."

Spike looked at Illyria with confusion "I thought you Hell goddess' didn't go for the whole servitude."

Illyria glared at Spike before replying coolly, "We don't half breed, but she is one of the Ancient Ones who created us in the beginning."

Buffy sat there in shock at Illyria's behavior. Reaching down she placed a hand lightly on Illyria's head and simply stated "I hereby accept your service Hell Goddess, arise as a Warrior of Time."

"There you go…" Jack said handing a package of information to Nathan.

Nathan looked down at the package unsure of its contents and looking up asked "what exactly is this?"

"That is your identity, you now have a birthday, birth place, and name, social security number the works" Jack explained with enthusiasm.

The Doctor leaned against one of the walls of the TARDIS as he watched Nathan's expressions as he looked through all the paperwork that made him a legal inhabitant of the planet Earth.

Nathan looked up, his hard eyes unnaturally bright as a smile split his face as he exclaimed "Fantastic!"

If the Doctor hadn't been holding onto the wall he would have fallen over. The mannerism and expressions were like looking through a carnival mirror. It was his last incarnation but not.

The Doctor cleared his throat and walking over to the console started turning knobs and pulling levers as the TARDIS made its descent to Earth.

"Jack could I have a word?" The Doctor said nonchalantly.

Jack looked up and nodded before standing and walking over to the Doctor.

The Doctor reached out and placed a hand on Nathan's shoulder.

"We'll be right back."

The Doctor and Jack walked over to an alcove of the TARDIS to speak quietly without Nathan overhearing.

"What is it Doctor? Was it okay to create an identity for him?" Jack asked glancing nervously at Nathan who had become engrossed in his paperwork.

The Doctor rocked back on his heels and smiled, "Yup. I was also just wondering if you had a way of finding him a place to live."

Jack chuckled, "No problem at all Doctor! Give me five minutes and I can find him the best place in Manhattan."

Jack took in the Doctor's expression, "We're leaving him here, aren't we?"

The Doctor looked over at Nathan, a knot forming in his stomach at what he was planning on doing. Looking back at Jack's hard expression he nodded.

"We need to check the other time periods that Buffy jumped to make sure she isn't there. Plus…"

Jack smiled sadly understanding fully what the Doctor was wanting to do, "This will let him become his own person and an individual. Not just a clone."

"Exactly, I'm not saying we're going to leave him helpless, we'll stay here a week then leave. I'll give you the signal when it's time to go."

Jack nodded and the two walked back over to Nathan who didn't notice the forced bounce in the Doctor's steps.

Clapping a hand down on Nathan's shoulder the Doctor grinned, "How about a tour of Earth?"

SIX MONTHS LATER:

Nathan cursed the Doctor for what felt like the hundredth time under his breath as he hauled yet another random customer to their destination in his cab. How dare he and Jack just up and leave him? His job was meaningless and it didn't get him any closer to finding Buffy. Thankfully, he'd be done for the day after dropping off an extremely obnoxious businessman who had bathed in way too much Axe body spray. He took his payment and drove with the windows open to air out his cab to the parking lot to drop it off.

Tonight he was going to try and relax, which seemed impossible in a city that was known for never sleeping. He had overheard one of his co-workers mention a new bar near his apartment "Memories" which had a beer with his name on it. He was sure the Doctor would frown on alcohol consumption but he wasn't here, was he?

He walked the few blocks to the bar and walking in let his eyes adjust to the dim lighting. It was a hole in the wall but it had a jukebox and fresh beer on tap. That's all he needed. Sitting down he waited for the bartender to notice his presence. Crossing his leather clad arms in front of him he sat back and waited. When she turned around he swore he could feel the world spinning away beneath him.

The bartender was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen and he couldn't stop his eyes from welling up. Choking on the lump that formed in his throat, and before he could say her name she stood still before whispering, "Nathan?"

Grinning he simply replied, "Hello Buffy."

TBC.