Disclaimers – If you want to read the
disclaimers, go to Part 1
Summary – This is the third and last
sequel after "A Higher Power" and takes place just after "The
Next Illogical Step", enjoy.
Thanks - Special thanks go to Ralf and Diana Renee, for all their
help and patience Beta reading this story, pointing out problems and solutions,
and all in all making this a better story.
Feedback – Please send any comments or
suggestions to Alex at keeper444@webtv.net.
Flames will be summarily deleted.
< > Thoughts
Willow woke up
trembling from the disturbing dream. In it Buffy was being chased by a mass of
pure evil from which she couldn’t escape. It was terrible because not only was
it was killing her beloved. It was doing it in slow torturous stages.
Every time
Willow had tried to help the dream Buffy, the magic attacked her lover
weakening her resistance further. Willow shook her head trying to clear the
terrifying vision from her mind. She reached for her lover needing reassurance
and panicked when she found her gone.
Choking down
the sick bile that rose in her throat the witch noticed the sun streaming into
the bedroom window and relaxed.
‘The sun
must’ve woken her up and she went to the bathroom or for a run or something.’
Willow reasoned with herself gaining control of her rapidly beating heart.
A quick glance
at the clock told her it was still very early. For the second time in less than
a month she wondered at her fast recovery from using her magic to the point of
exhaustion. For all intents and purposes she should have been out of it until
noon and still be wasted for another day or two. There really should be no
possible way that she was awake and ready to go at-she rechecked the clock--the
ungoddessly hour of eight in the morning!
She sat up to
wait for her wayward soulmate to return, listening intently for her lover's
soft steps. While stretching, she thought contentedly about the kind of
punishment for her fiances return. It was almost an unwritten rule that neither
was to leave the other alone the morning after a battle like they had the night
before. Buffy was in definite need of a lesson in manners and Willow
knew exactly how she was going to teach her.
After thirty
minutes, when Buffy hadn’t returned, Willow decided it was time to get up and
fix breakfast. It was obvious that Buffy must have gone for a run or over to
Giles' for some training and wouldn't be back until afternoon.
Willow
couldn’t blame her slayer for thinking she wouldn’t be awake for a while yet.
But still, something just didn’t ‘feel’ right about Buffy leaving her this
morning. They always waited for each other to wake-up no matter how long it
took.
She sighed.
<> Might as well go get dressed and at least check over at
Giles’.<> She thought pulling on some sweats. She was on her way out of
the house when she noticed a light coming from under the downstairs bathroom
door. Relieved and curious as to why
Buffy would come all the way down here
Willow
knocked; then she began to get worried when she got no response. “Buffy, open
the door. Are you hurt?” She called out.
<>I’ll
bet she's trying to hide those damn nightmares again.<> Willow thought
angrily. <>I don’t know why she won’t let me help her, she always did in
the past.<>
After pounding
on the door few more time Willow really began to get worried. <> Maybe
she fell?<> The witch reasoned as she got the master key from her desk in
the ‘office’.
The young
redhead almost wished that her lover had fallen because what she found was far
more disturbing.
“Buffy, what
the Hades are you doing?” Willow yelled, when she saw what her roommate was
doing. “You stop that right now!” She realized that she was channeling her
mother, but she honestly did not know what to say.
Willow could
plainly see the horror reflected in her beloved eyes. Then confusion as she
looked down at her legs. When the tiny slayer moved Willow got a view of the
damage she wished she would never have seen: the insides of both her lover’s
thighs were criss-crossed with deep cuts.
Buffy looked
back up to at her, opening her mouth as if to say something, and then closing
it with an audible snap. Her blood covered hands were holding Faith's knife.
Buffy dropped
the knife and began crying uncontrollably. Willow knew she would never forget
the sight, Buffy was sitting on the back edge of the small bathtub. Her
beloved’s blood was everywhere and Buffy had just finished the last of several
cuts on her inner thighs. When she finally got Buffy’s attention Willow knew
she'd never forget the look in Buffy’s eyes. Her pain and fear were evident,
but there was another more subtle emotion just under the surface and it
frightened Willow as well. Buffy was aroused. Reacting on her first instinct
Willow ran to kneel at Buffy’s side.
“Honey why?”
Willow asked her voice soft and full of compassion. “How could you do this to
your self?”
:I let them
die.” Buffy said in a tiny little girl voice. “I have to feel the pain they
felt when they died.”
“I don’t
understand sweetheart tell me what you are talking about.” Willow insisted
quietly but firmly. “Who did you let die?”
When Buffy
couldn’t seem to give her an answer Willow went ahead and got Buffy out of her
blood soaked clothing. She examined the cuts Buffy had inflicted on herself and
while they had bled freely they weren’t serious and with Buffy’s Slayer healing
powers they would probably be mere memories by tomorrow, a memory
Willow knew
she wouldn’t soon forget.
Willow tried
to pry an answer from Buffy about where she'd gotten the idea to hurt herself
like that but all the Slayer could do was weep and shrug her shoulders. In order
to keep Buffy from withdrawing further from her, Willow decided to let the
subject drop for the time being. She also was persuaded by Buffy to not tell
Giles or her mother about the incident.
That was
possibly one of the worst decisions she could have made.
-------------------
Hela had
gently probed the fringes of the two girls psyches looking for an exploitable
weakness, carefully peeling away the layers of their id until she found exactly
what she was searching for.
Deep in the
Slayers subconscious was a deep seeded guilt over the deaths of a few innocents
that she’d not been able prevent.
For some
reason that Hela couldn’t understand, the Slayer felt responsible for the
incidental fatalities that occurred during her war with darkness.
After some
careful manipulations of the youngsters subconscious Hela was able to control
Buffy’s dreams. By doing this she was able to undermine the Slayers abilities
and by doing that it kept her little witch kit preoccupied and unable to combat
Hela effectively.
“Soon little
one.” Hela said to the nude blonde female chained to the Countess’ throne. The
broken vampire nuzzled Helas leg and Hela stroked her hair smiling at the new
pets response. “It won’t be long before I get you some new playmates. You’d like
that wouldn’t you?”
Unable to
speak the vampire nodded her agreement.
“Oh you poor
thing,” Hela said with mock sympathy “Maybe I shouldn’t have pulled out your
tongue, but you wouldn’t shut up and I was hungry.”
Hela let the
scrying sphere dissipate then took the chain holding her pet to her chair and
using it as a leash the Countess led her toward her private quarters, the
female vampire was visibly trembling in fear.
She had every
reason to fear.
.....................
Willow was at
a loss, normally when Buffy was in the grip of one of her nightmares, Willow
would take care of it. If research and/or spells didn't work than all she had
to do is use their spiritual link to go into the Slayers mind and find whatever
personal demon was tormenting Buffy.
Then the two
of them would face it together and the nightmare would soon be gone for a
while, usually. Sure some of them would return but with her Wills to protect
her Buffy never worried about them for long.
This time was different,
research didn’t help. There were no spells to study, and when Willow tried to
enter Buffy's dream all she saw was a vague vision of the Slayer fleeing some
evil mass that was threatening to engulf her. When Willow tried to delve
further into these visions Buffy’s mind would close to and force her out. When
Willow attempted to talk to her best friend about them, Buffy would go into a
deep depression and cry hysterically.
All these
clues led Willow to believe that some unknown force was attacking the Slayer
through her dreams.
She’d tried to
find an answer in the Book of Souls, but every time she went near the tome any
more she found herself drawn to one of the sections that she and Giles had been
unable to decipher. Willow had thought they had beaten it when she'd broken the
symbol code it was originally written in, using what she’d found elsewhere in
the book. But even having the letters didn't help because the language couldn’t
be translated. No matter where they looked, they were unable to find an example
of any language even remotely like it, ancient or modern.
Still every
time she was anywhere near, she'd find herself starring at that section, like
she realized she was doing right now, tracing each beautifully handwritten
letter teaching herself to pronounce each syllable phonetically memorizing it
over and over until it was etched indelibly on her mind and soul. She was
beginning to think she was losing her mind. Then as if that wasn’t bad enough
these new powers and skills began appearing with out warning.
Some of her
new found talents she acquired from the Book of Souls, once she’d learned how
to do something it wasn’t long before she could it almost without thinking,
then with a little practice each power became quickly stronger. For example
levitation, it wasn’t just pencils anymore. She advanced slowly at first by
picking up a small book but instead of taking months to improve, within a week
she was able to pick up Buffy, Giles, even Giles’ car. It was almost
frightening.
What bothered
her even was the ones that just appeared, it was like a voice in her head would
tell her how and suddenly she could see the aura of magic, but last night had
been really scary. Willow didn’t know what caused her to wake up, but as soon
as her eyes were open she knew she was alone again.
Normally when
she and Buffy were asleep they held each other or at the very least they were
touching but, since the girl had died and Buffy’s nightmares had begun again,
it wasn’t unusual for Willow to wake up in the middle of the night to find
herself alone. The first time was the night she’d found her best friend and
lover in the downstairs bathroom cutting herself with Faiths knife.
The memory of
the sight of Buffy sitting on the edge of the tub cutting herself, blood
splattered everywhere, and the horrified look on her face when she realized
what she'd done sprung unbidden into Willows minds eye.
With it she
felt the panic rising in her but before she could jump out of bed to search for
her missing lover, that voice in her had stopped her.
<>Be
calm witch and you will find the one you seek.<> the voice told her.
“But I’ve got
to find her.” Willow said to the empty room.
<>Relax,
all will be well.<> Willow froze for a moment confused by the sudden
intrusion. <>I am not an intrusion.<> the voice informed her.
<>I am a part of you.<>
It was then
that she realized the voice had spoken to her before and every time she
listened something good happened. “Okay self,” Willow said to an empty room
“Tell me, how do I find my Buffy.”
<>Relax.<>
the voice instructed. <>Let your mind become blank.<> Willow sat back on the bed, she closed her
eyes and began to take deep calming breaths.
<>Concentrate
on your beloved.<> it continued. <>Feel how much you love her, how much
you need her.<> Willow filled her mind with images of her blonde Slayer.
She recalled how the sunlight reflected off her hair and the way she'd smile at
her and the look in her lovers eyes whenever she approached.
Within minutes
Willow could feel her senses and emotions begin to reach out, it was as if her
all consuming love and need for Buffy came to life and within seconds had
reached out to every room in the house.
In a flash of
insight she knew Buffy was downstairs in the spare room and she could feel that
Buffy was hurt. Willow jumped out of
bed and after grabbing the first aid bag and was hurrying to her friends side
to help in any way she could. Willow found Buffy kneeling on the floor of the
spare bedroom, her body covered with bleeding cuts and scratches as if she’d
been attacked by a cat.
“Buffy?”
Willow called softly her voice trembling with fear for her love, “Buffy honey,
come on back to bed.” It was spooky,
Buffy just knelt there saying nothing, in fact not making a sound as Willow treated
her wounds. Tears flowed from her eyes but she made no sound, not a gasp, not a
sob, nothing.
Willow
finished tending to the superficial wounds, then she sat cross-legged on the
floor facing her entranced friend. Closing her eyes the young witch began
reaching out with her mind to her lover. Once again all she got were vague
images. She felt her stomach turn as she came into contact with the
reddish-yellow fog that surrounded Buffy's dream. The evil of that force
sickened Willow.
Swallowing her
revulsion Willow pushed her way through the fog. She could taste and smell the
hatred and insanity that permeated the force. Just as she was about break and
see the nature and source of the power plaguing her friend, there was a sudden
surge of power that expelled Willow from Buffy’s mind. Before the witch could
counter-attack the evil was gone.
Buffy’s dull
glazed over eyes came back into focus then closed as she fell into heap on the
floor. Although she was sleeping naturally, Buffy was still crying uncontrollably.
Willow moved to her loves side and taking the sobbing girl into her arms Willow
began gently rocking her whispering and humming softly trying to comfort and
reassure Buffy, telling her that everything was going to be alright.
She knew she
was lying.
With that
‘failure’ weighing heavily on her mind, Willow once again returned to research.
She searched, read, and discarded the rest of that day until her head was
pounding and it was impossible for her to keep her eyes open. Willow pushed
herself away from the desk, she yawned and stretched her aching muscles
stiffened by long hours at the computer.
Too exhausted
to go home, Willow staggered across the room and collapsed on to Giles’ couch
next to Buffy’s already sleeping form.
That night after
another uneventful patrol (four vamps down, goddess knows how many more to go)
the two girls spent nearly two hours trying to get from the jacuzzi to their
bed, then they both fell into a deep exhausted sleep.
<>WAKE
UP!<> Willow woke up with that voice again this time screaming for her to
rise. <>Wake up or your beloved is lost.<> That cleared the sleep induced fog right out
of her brain. She first noticed the clock, it was four A.M. and Buffy was gone.
Using her new found power Willow searched the house, but found her Buffy was
nowhere to be found. Slipping into her robe and slippers, Willow ran out of
their room and downstairs. As she searched, Willow felt a warm breeze coming
from the kitchen.
“Oh goddess
please no!” Willow moaned as she went to investigate.
Entering the
kitchen Willows worst fears were realized, the back door was standing wide
open. Willow ran outside in a panicked frenzy, her mind full of images of what
could happen to her friend, out there unaware of her surroundings, dressed in
only a tank top and boxers,
“She didn’t
even put on her shoes.” Willow said to herself.
Willow
couldn’t figure out which direction to begin looking. Finally as a last resort
she closed her eyes and tried to concentrate.
“Okay, Willow Rosenberg.”
she said under her breath. “Lets see just how good you are.”
Willow began
to take slow deep breaths and cleared her mind of everything except her
overwhelming need for her soulmate. As the feeling rose to the surface it
almost became a living thing with the single-minded urge to find the Slayer,
and reunite her with her one true love.
When it
reached its peak Willow released it and within seconds it was leading Willow at
a dead run in the direction of the Slayer. She came upon Buffy four blocks from
home. She was walking barefoot down the street, leaving bloody foot prints with
every step.
Willow got
around in front of her to try to stop her but Buffy just kept walking in some
kind of trance unknowing, unfeeling, her normally lively flashing blue eyes
dull and lifeless, reflecting no emotion.
Willow tried
yelling at her, shaking her, even slapping her. But Buffy just kept on walking.
Going against her reluctance to use magic on her helpless lover, Willow found
she had no choice.
“STOP!” Willow
commanded. Then looking deep into Buffy's dull eyes she softly said, “Return to
me my life, my love, my reason for being.”
Buffy’s
eyelids fluttered, her eyes focused. “What the..where am...Wills?” Buffy
stammered as she became aware of her surroundings. “Oh gods, not again.”
With moan of
complete despair Buffy’s eyes rolled up, and she collapsed, her mind shutting
from the sensory overload.
Willow knelt
down next to Buffy and examined her for any injuries besides her feet. Finding
nothing else, Willow reached down and gently lovingly caressed her soulmates
cheek then gently brushed a wayward strand of hair from Buffy’s forehead.
“Sleep my
love.” Willow said softly the love she felt for Buffy shining in her dark green
eyes. “Your Wills is here, she'll take care of you.”
Willow stood
up and brushed herself off then looked lovingly down at her sleeping lover. She
quietly chanted a levitation spell, a soft green glow formed around Buffy and
she slowly rose from the ground till she was level with Willows waist. Then,
with a prayer of thanks to the Goddess and hoping nobody would see them, Willow
took her unconscious lover home.
Once there
Willow laid Buffy carefully on their oversized couch and gently but thoroughly
cleaned Buffy’s badly cut feet. “My
poor baby.” Willow whispered sympathetically. “Look what’s been done to your
poor feet.”
Tears fell
unnoticed from the young witches eyes as she removed the shards of glass and
other debris that were lodged in Buffy’s feet.
Once finished
with that she carefully bandaged the Slayers feet, knowing that they’d be
healed by afternoon. Then she examined the rest of her love to make sure there
were no other physical injuries.
Satisfied that
she’d done all she could for now and not wanting to wake Buffy up, Willow
carefully laid down beside the sleeping girl then wrapped her arms around her
troubled soulmate, pulled her close and very gently reached out with her mind
and lightly touched Buffy’s sleeping mind.
Finding her
love to be sleeping naturally Willow mentally soothed Buffy’s restless
subconscious while she physically snuggled as close as she could.
“Tomorrow
Giles *will* give us the night off.” Willow whispered in Buffy’s ear knowing
that her lover could hear on one level or another. “Maybe, if we can get away
from all this for a day, we’ll be able to get a handle on all this and put a
stop to it.”
As Willow
drifted off to sleep, both girls were smiling slightly as the eerie green glow
surrounded them, keeping them safe.
For now.
Giles was
already deep into his research of the Book of Souls, still trying to find some
kind of clue that might help him to come up with a translation for that elusive
section that as yet had defied his attempts
at translating
its mysteries into something he or Willow could understand. A smile crossed his
face when he thought of the young highly talented witch.
<>At
least Willow was able to break the symbol codes.<> he admonished himself.
<>That’s a hell of a lot more than you could old boy. If it wasn’t for
her you’d still be wallowing around in some dusty library lost. I just wish I
could figure out how to translate ancient High Gaelic.<>
Giles felt
this way every time he thought about the petite red head and her incredible
talents, both in research and in the mystic arts and her recent advances.
<>Pretty
soon neither of them will need you at all.<> Giles speculated.
<>Then what will you do with yourself? Really Rupert, you are such an idiot
at times. Neither of them will ever let you leave. So what the hell are you
worried about?<>
His thoughts
were interrupted when he heard his two wayward charges calling his name.
“Hey Giles,
where are you?” Buffy called out as both girls collapsed onto his couch. “Come
on out here. We gotta talk.”
“What is it
Buffy?” he asked entering the room from his study. He looked at the two
obviously exhausted girls. “Good lord you two look positively awful. Was last
nights patrol that bad?”
“Gee thanks. I
hope your better at talkin’ to mom than you are to us.” Buffy scolded him. “You
never tell a woman she looks awful, even if she does.”
“Ah..yes..well..ah
Sorry about that.” Giles stammered, more than a little embarrassed at his tactless
remark and the mention of Joyce Summers, even by her daughter. “I suppose I
could have phrased that better, but that still doesn’t answer my question. Was
last nights patrol that bad?”
“That’s just
the point Giles.” Willow spoke out before Buffy could start to babble again.
“We haven’t had any significant contact since we were ambushed last week and
well, Giles, quite frankly the pressure is starting to get to both of
us."
For the first
time Giles took a really close look at both girls. Both of them were looking
pale and drawn, and Buffy was beginning to develop dark circles under her eyes.
He also noticed that both girls were getting a little jittery.
“Come on
Giles, we're not askin’ for that much.” Buffy said putting on her best little
girl pouty face (she knew he could never say no to that face.) “All we want is
one night off before the wedding and that’s only a few days away.”
“Just one
night to go out and act like two normal people in love.” Willow added. “All we
want is a date, you know, dinner, maybe a movie, maybe a little dancing. A
little quiet, quality time to spend with my
bestest girl.”
“Yeah,
pleeeeese?” they said in unison putting their heads together, making even the
normally reserved Englishman chuckle at their antics.
Giles removed
his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose. He knew he had lost already and
so did the girls. He was just stalling long enough to salvage some small shred
of his dignity before he surrendered. Finally he replaced his glasses and let
out a deep sigh of resignation.
“All right
ladies, I suppose you have more than earned some time to yourselves.” Giles
said, officially surrendering. “If you promise to spend the remainder of the
day resting, then I see no reason you can not have a girls night out so to
speak.”
“We promise.”
Buffy said putting her hand over her heart.
“Swear it,
honest.” Willow joined in.
The girls
jumped and hugged the stoic Englishman, who sputtered and cleared his throat,
blushing bright red embarrassed by their open display of affection. Both girls
left soon after the hugs, chatting endlessly about their plans for their night
out.
Giles smiled,
slightly pleased with himself feeling he'd made the right decision. He heard
the door slam shut and returned to his research.
Buffy and
Willow were making the best of their night off. Deciding to go casual, Buffy
wore a silk blouse tucked into her best designer jeans and a pair of shiny
black ‘cowboy’ boots. Willow wore white pants with a black vest over a blue
denim shirt and a pair of comfortable mules. As planed they stepped out their
front door around 7:30 pm and linking arms the two lovers strolled down the
sidewalk for their much anticipated date.
Their first
destination was their favorite restaurant for a leisurely candle light dinner.
From there they went to see a movie that Willow had wanted to see, but they
spent so much time kissing and groping each other in the dark theater that they
missed most of the movie. So Buffy promised to rent it when it came out on
video.
They left the
movie and walked the streets of downtown Sunnydale hand in hand enjoying the
night air and the pleasant company.
“I wish we
could be like this forever.” Willow said with a wistful sigh.
“Yeah.” Buffy
agreed. “No vamps, no demons, no Slayer, no destiny, just you and me together.
Yeah, I’d really like that.”
Willow let go
of Buffy’s hand and slipped her arm around the blonde girls waist and lay her
head on the Slayers shoulder.
“This is
nice.” Willow whispered happily.
“Uh huh.”
Buffy answered kissing her lovers’ head.
“Do we have to
go home yet?” Willow inquired. “I really don’t want tonight to end yet.”
“Me either.”
Buffy said stopping, “But where should we go?”
“Some place
fun.” Willow said stepping back and seeing the mischievous smile on her lovers
beautiful lips.
“Some place
with decent music.” Buffy said to give
her little witch another hint as to what she had in mind. "Where we can
dance.”
“Somewhere
some of our friends might be.” Willow laughed her eyes lighting up at the
prospect of returning to their old haunt.
“The Bronze!”
They both said at the same time.
Buffy took
Willows hand and began pulling her anxiously toward their destination. They
were both eager to see their favorite old hang out. Neither one of them had
been there since they’d become a couple. In fact, this would be the first
they’d been anywhere that they had hung out at before their coming out.
“Hurry up
pokey.” Buffy called out playfully as she tugged at Willows’ sleeve.
Willow laughed
and allowed her soulmate to drag her through the streets of Sunnydale until
they came to the old warehouse that had been converted into the most popular
dance club in the area. As they approached they could feel the vibrations of
the heavy bass emanating from the club.
“Come on Buffy
slow down please.” Willow pleaded breathlessly. "Let me catch my breath.
What's the big hurry?"
Buffy stopped
and pulled the red head to her, pressing her body tightly against her lovers. Buffy
gazed longingly into the dark green eyes of her universe.
“I can’t wait
to get you on that dance floor.” Buffy growled and ground her pelvis into
Willows. “Those kids haven't seen hot ‘til I get you out there.”
Willow looked
into Buffy’s heavy lidded lust filled eyes and gulped. Her heart was pounding
hard against her chest.
“We could go
home now.” Willow whispered huskily.
“Oh no you
don’t.” Buffy stated firmly. “Dance first, home later.”
She turned and
pulled Willow to the front door of the Bronze. The doorman recognized them and
let them in immediately.
As they
entered the crowded club, Buffy surveyed the room, and spotted Xander sitting
with Cordelia holding hands across a table and gazing into each others eyes.
With Willow in tow Buffy pushed her way through the crowd to their friends
table.
“Hey guys!”
Buffy yelled to be heard above the music and smiling when the couple jumped in
surprise. “What cha doin’?”
She had on her
innocent ‘who me’ face as they sat down at the couples table. When the waitress
arrived Buffy and Willow ordered cokes then Buffy grabbed Willows hand.
“Lets dance,
babe.” Buffy shouted and pulled Willow onto the dance floor.
She pulled her
red haired lover close, the two girls looked into each others eyes, and began
moving to the heavy throbbing beat of the music. It was as if everyone else
ceased to exist and the stars and planets revolved around only them.
The lovers
only stopped dancing long enough to get a drink of their sodas then got right
back on the dance floor. Willow hadn’t danced this much in her entire life, nor
had she ever wanted to until there was Buffy.
Finally after
a particularly long slow dance the two lovers came out of their trance enough
to notice they were the center of attention, even the employees were watching
them.
It was then
they realized how heavy and rapid their breathing had become. They made their
way back to the table where Xander was starring at them slack jawed and
Cordelia suggested they ‘get a room’.
“Lets go
home.” Willow whispered huskily into Buffy’s ear, then bit it lightly to get
her point across.
Buffy nodded.
The girls finished off their drinks, said their good-byes, and headed for the
nearest exit. Laughing and enjoying the cool night air after the steamy stuffy
atmosphere of the club they held hands and headed out in the direction of their
home.
The route home
took them by a poorly lit heavily wooded park that adjoined the oldest of the
towns many cemeteries. As they passed the park, both girls stopped dead in
their tracks when they both heard two distinct terrified screams. They turned
and looked at each other their disappointment showing clearly in their eyes.
“No rest for
the Chosen One, I guess.” Buffy said sadly and shrugged.
“Or for her
faithful soulmate.” Willow added trying to lighten the mood. Then putting on
her resolve face she said. “I’m ready when you are.”
“Couldn’t do
it without you.” Buffy said caressing her friends cheek, only to be interrupted
by another scream.
“Let’s go.”
Buffy turned and kicked a slat out of a near by park bench and picked up the
make shift stake, then took off running across the park toward the screams.
As she ran
after the much faster Slayer, Willow began chanting protection spells. They
crossed the park and entered the old cemetery, running past the old tombstones
and came around an old mausoleum where Buffy came to a sliding halt.
Willow almost
ran into the Slayer and was about to complain when she saw the look on Buffy’s
face, following Buffy's gaze Willow saw why her companion had stopped short.
On a small
rise behind the old mausoleum tied to tall headstones was a young couple that
looked barely old enough to date.
Two rather
nasty looking demons were tormenting their helpless victims. They had already
ripped all the couples clothes off, and judging by the cuts and bruises
covering their bodies, the demons had been torturing the young boy and girl for
quite a while before the Slayer had arrived.
Both of the
innocent victims were fighting for air and looked pleadingly at the Slayer, as
if begging her to save them.
“Hello
Slayer,” a deep voice said from the shadows. “I almost lost control of those
two while we waited for you. I wanted you to see how they die.”
A tall gaunt
vampire stepped from the shadows. As they watched, his face took on the twisted
demented visage of the demon within him. He raised his arm then clenched his
hand into a fist. At that signal, the vampires restraining the demons let them
go.
The two blood crazed
demons attacked their defenseless victims, ripping their living bodies into
small shreds. The couples screams of terror and agony filled the night air,
slicing into Buffy’s ears, etching their final tortures onto her soul.
While Buffy
and Willow watched in helpless horror, as the demons murdered the couple,
several more vampires stepped out of the shadows to join their leader. Before
the girls realized it they were surrounded by their enemies.
“Buffy,
they’re gone.” Willow whispered and looked around nervously at the distinctly
unfriendly circle of vampires. “And I think we’re in trouble.”
“I’d say you
might be right Wills.” Buffy said, losing the look of horror and replacing it
with the cold calculating rage of the Slayer. “Come on you useless blood
suckers, it’s time for you to die.”
With an
impatient growl, Buffy attacked the nearest vampire, dusting him almost before
any of his companions even realized the fight was on.
The rest
became a blur of kicks and punches with the occasional sound of a stake
piercing undead flesh. Willow was casting protective shields around herself and
Buffy.
Several of the
vampires were thrown back into the tombstones smashing several bones. Often
there were more injuries than the vampires supernatural healing could fix
before sunrise, causing them to retreat back to their lairs.
Some were hit
with one of Willows binding spells and found themselves held in one spot so the
Slayer could dust them without any trouble.
At this point
in the fight, Willow was attacked by powerful dark bolts of mystical energy.
Some of it she was able to dissipate, but most of it she deflected towards the
attacking vampires. Every time one of the
bolts hit a
vampire it disappeared in a puff of smoke.
The battle
wore on and Buffy was nearing the limit of her reserves. She could feel herself
slowing down. She stumbled slightly and found herself being slowly being beaten
back by the seemingly endless onslaught of vampires.
Buffy was
beginning to fear that she and Willow would be dead very soon. She knew none of
the vamps had the guts to turn the Slayer or her witch lover.
Suddenly Buffy
felt strength flowing back into her, energizing her body and renewing her will
to fight. She looked back over her shoulder and Willow gave her a weak smile.
Buffy knew Willow was using their spiritual bond to give a portion of her
energy to the Slayer.
Buffy stepped
up her attack, knowing that Willow had drained most of her reserves to support
her. The Slayer knew it wouldn't be long before Willow would be unable to
function at any but the most basic levels.
Finally only
four vampires remained and the Eastern horizon was beginning to lighten with
the promise of the coming dawn. Buffy's heart was pounding like a jackhammer,
and her breath was coming in ragged gasps.
She knew her
clothes were ruined from the blood, sweat and rips resulting from the fight.
She had several deep cuts that were still bleeding freely.
The determined
blonde fell back a step hoping to lure one of her opponents out. Buffy caught a
movement out of the corner of her eye. Spinning to face it, she saw Willow
collapse to the ground.
“WILLS!” Buffy
cried out fearing the worst. She took up a stance over her mate determined to
defend her love to the death, if necessary.
Seeing one of
their opponents go down and the other fall back to a defensive position, the
vampires took the opportunity to attack. Finding some reserve strength Buffy hadn’t realized she possessed, the
slayer attacked and within seconds had reduced her opponents by two swirling
dust clouds.
In a final
desperate effort Buffy tried to stand and face her remaining attackers but
having depleted her strength beyond its limits, the exhausted Slayer fell to
one knee. Try as she might the tiny blonde could only brace herself to sell her
life and that of her lover dearly before falling to the seeming inevitable.
Seeing the
apparent weakness of their seemingly indomitable opponent, the final two vampires
sensed a possibility of the defeat of the legendary Slayer. With a roar of
certain victory, the two undead warriors launched their attack on their
obviously defenseless victims.
Then, just as
the two beasts were launching their attack, the clearing lit up with an
amazingly intense white light that seemed to appear out of no where.
Both vampires
disappeared in flames as Buffy watched in complete amazement. Sensing the
benevolence of the power Buffy allowed herself to collapse next to her slowly
recovering partner. She wondered where the last minute reprieve came from, then
a smirk came to her face as her mind filled with a familiar voice.
<>You
have fought well Slayer.<> the voice of Lugh commended her. <>I
hope my assistance is not an insult, but I thought you could use the
rest.<>
“No insult at
all my friend,” the tired girl said under her breath. “I take it Morrigan and
Brigit are there too.”
<>Of
course they are my child.<> Lugh assured her. <>Their thoughts are
never far from you, as are mine. We sensed your distress and, as it isn’ your
time to cross, I came to your aid. Normally this is not allowed, but this time
the others let me.<>
Buffy started
to question Lugh on his comment but he stopped her.
<>You
are in no further danger my child.<> the Druids deep soothing voice
reassured the exhausted girl. <>Care for your beloved Sorceress. She has
defended you beyond any of our expectations. Only Brigit and Morrigan foresaw
her courage and love for you. They are justly proud of you both and send their
love.<>
“Tell them
that we return their feelings.” Buffy answered and took a deep cleansing
breath. “Will we see you again Lugh, we miss you all a lot.”
<>Of
course my child.<> the voice of Lugh told her. <>We are bound
together as if by blood, we are never far. Now be off with you. When you return
to your sanctuary report all to your watcher, he will help you face your coming
trials.<>
Not sensing
any other threat, and knowing that Lugh was never wrong, Buffy knelt down and
pulled Willows limp body into her arms.
“Wills baby
talk to me.” Buffy said quietly, panic and concern making her voice quiver.
“Come on sweetheart. I can feel your heart beating. I know you’re in there.
Please Wills don’t leave me like this. I need you. Wills, please speak to me. I
love you, Wills.”
Buffy was
crying in fear that somehow her lover had been injured seriously.
“I love you
too.” Willow whispered weakly. “I’m okay, baby. Don’t cry. I just need to shut
down for a while and recharge right now so I can't move on my own right now so
I guess I stay here and you get to watch.
Aren’t you the
lucky one?”
“No probs
Wills, I am the lucky one, I have you.” Buffy said softly, caressing the red
heads cheek, her relief renewing her strength. “Better yet, why don't I carry
you home?”
Gathering the
semi-conscious red head in her arms, Buffy turned towards home. Tired and
injured, she slowly made her way to the one place she felt completely safe, and
was soon approaching the front door of Giles’ townhouse.