Time Frame: The end of the movie and post-Chosen

This story contains several gay relationships, consider yourselves forewarned.

Rating: T

Pairings: Dave/Becky

Final Note: Reviews, beta reads and constructive criticism are all welcome.

Legalities: All B:TVS characters are that of the Mighty Whedon and his glorious intellect. All rights to Sorcerer's Apprentice belong to Disney. This work is meant only in celebration and nothing ulterior.

Balthazar Blake was dying. The ground beneath him was warm with magic, Dave's magic. The boy was more powerful than he could have ever imagined. The Prime Merlinian was found and he had defeated Morgana herself. It was over. Veronica was free and perhaps she could take Dave as her apprentice. If the cost of these things was his life, then so be it. For his student, for the women he loves, in this park, by these steps, Balthazar would die knowing he did what he sought out to do. He was dying, but he was dying well.

Dave was in tears from his panic. The circle of healing he had cast was not working. The lightning he summoned in his hands that he used as a mystical defibrillator was not working. Once, twice, a third time he sent spell-shocks into his friend's, his teacher's body. It would arch upwards in convulsions, then limply fall back to the ground. The shocks were not working. Veronica sobbed, matching the terrified gibberish Dave was uttering.

"Balthazar! Get up!" Another shock of electricity convulsed Balthazar's body, causing it's torso to arch upwards. Nothing but another strangled sob from Dave. Salty tears fell as the apprentice saw the ancient sorcerer's eyes darken.

Balthazar was dead.

"Get out of the way." Spoke a voice above him. He readied plasma bolts on both hands to defend himself. Before he could cast his spells, the magicks in palms flickered and died, then Dave was wholly thrown to the side by an unseen force. Getting up, he saw a redheaded woman hunched over his friend's body, pressing her ear to Balthazar's chest, as though listening for a heart beat. Dave knew there would be none and gave a throaty yell in protest. She gave him a look, her face screwed with resolve. She wore a black dress jacket over a white blouse. Denim jeans and athletic shoes finished her very mundane appearance. Whoever she was, she spoke with an edged authority, a contrast to Balthazar's mostly softly eccentric teaching style.

"How long's he been dead?" she demanded from a still sputtering Dave. He could not offer her words, Veronica spoke in his stead.

"A few moments no more than a minute." Veronica answered and the redhead's hands glowed as she pressed them to Balthazar's chest. The newly freed Merlinian gasped as she could feel the power radiating from this woman. It was different from her's or Balthazar's. Even Horvath's magic, as twisted and dark as it had become, was still familiar in construct and sensation.

This magic was different. It was like the smell of forests after rain or the rushing sensation of wind on your face. It was earthy and warm.

"What are you doing?" choked out Dave. The redhead ignored him and the glow grew into a harsh light spearing out from beneath her palms. Then the loud fzzt of electrical-discharge and the redhead was violently thrown back on her rear end with pained grunt.

"What is that? That's Morganian, right?" She spoke in a light daze. Dave and Veronica could only look at each other, then back to the redhead.

"Come on people, what kind of magic hit Blake?" the young woman raised her voice and gained their attention.

"The last visage of Morgana possessed him after she left my body."

"That circle's supposed to enhance magic, help him heal!" Dave exclaimed. The desperation in the skinny young man's voice made it clear to Willow, Balthazar Blake was- is, she corrected, important to him.

"It's helping, trust me. It's what's keeping this whole thing salvageable." Willow sighed as she got back to her hands and feet. She dusted her hands off on her jeans and looked to Dave. "I'm Willow by the way."

"Dave." the apprentice gave a worried nod.

"I am Veronica." the Merlinian supplied.

"Do you both know magic?" Willow asked, the two nodded. "Good, I need you to make a connection to him," Willow looked to Veronica. A soft shimmer in the air snaked from Veronica and touched Balthazar's still form. Willow watched and nodded satisfied with the work. The red-head began weaving her hands through the air, a quick mumbling of words and she focused. "I'm casting Avagadro's Orb, it can act like a container for an essence. We can use it to bring him back."

"Avagadro? Like the constant? The gas law guy?" Dave said with disbelief.

"What? A guy can't do science and magic?" Willow retorted. Dave felt sheepish at those words.

"I wasn't...I mean, I do physics. It's just..."

"Yeah, I know, its a kinda' surprise." Willow interjected. "A lot of old scientists dabbled in the arts, even Newton knew how to use numerology." As Willow spoke she kept her gaze upon the blue and white spell strand that connected Veronica and Balthazar. A sphere began to materialize before her, reds, blues and greens swirled within. She looked to Dave. "Avogadro understood that sometimes, even in magic, there's a constancy in things, and that little things make up everything." Willow explained as her conjured glowing orb turned a pinkish hue. "Which is what we're going to apply here. A little bit of you is going into here and were gonna use to go into Blake's..." her hesitation was palpable.

"What?" the sorcerer's apprentice exclaimed as Veronica waited patiently.

"His soul, Dave. Your consciousness is going into what is metaphysically, his heart and soul." Willow's graveness was a heavy punctuation to her words, Dave swallowed hard. "Touch the orb and think of Blake." Willow instructed. Dave did as he was told. He reached out and hesitantly placed his palm upon the floating and glowing ball. "You're his apprentice right?"

"Yeah." Dave nodded as he reached out and hesitantly placed his palm around the mystical ball.

"Good, a previous emotional connection makes things simpler." Willow explained.

The orb was warm, almost inviting. Dave, he looked over to Veronica as though for approval. They had barely met but she gave him a reassuring nod. The young apprentice reached out his hand and right be fore he touched the glowing sphere a feminine voice called out.

"Dave!"All looked up to see Becky running down the park path. "Dave!" She called midway and Willow narrowed her eyes as though peering into the distance, yet her eyes stayed upon the newcomer.

"Becky!" The young man answered and threw out his hand in a halting signal to the blonde girl. "Stay back, we're trying to take care of something."

"Is everything okay?" Becky asked with concern.

"Yeah, it's okay, everything's gonna be okay." The apprentice assured himself, then touched the orb. Bright white light began pouring out of his eyes, ears, mouth, and nose bright in thick beams. The magic whipped all around him like a wind, making his clothes fly. Dave vaguely heard a familiar muffled voice maybe yelling from somewhere, and then all he knew was a bright warm light that surrounded him.