TITLE- Cry "Havoc"
AUTHOR- Buffitude
RATING- R
DISCLAIMER- actually, in a sense, they belong to us all, but Joss owns them.
No! No summary...
Tara watched the vampire girl gingerly settle herself cross-legged on the floor, across from her. Her aura was subdued not flaring like it normally did, something was bothering her. Well, it may out during their conversation.
"So. How long have you been able to See" Tara cut to the chase, with genuine interest.
"Always, I guess. I didn't know others didn't until I was in school. The first time I mentioned to another girl about the teachers' lights being pretty colored, I was branded a freak." she told Tara, a hint of pain creeping into her voice at the memory.
"Maelyn do you know about your family? Where they are from" Tara ventured.
" My mother was from a small coastal town in Ireland. She met my dad when he was on a merchant mariner. I think that's what he said. We didn't talk about her much after she left." Maelyn closed her eyes as she spoke, as if it made it easier to recall the story.
"Do you remember her, your mother" Tara prompted gently.
"Some. I was 6 when she returned...she said she was returning to the 'shining shore'. ", Maelyn frowned trying to remember something"I guess she went home to Ireland." She couldn't remember the elusive thing; "She wouldn't take me. I must have been bad...She didn't want me."
Tara sucked in a breath. Oh no. Why did all children think it was their fault when adults leave"NO" Tara rejected her reasoning forcefully"Maelyn, it had nothing to do with you being 'bad'. It wasn't your fault."
"How do you know" She cried out in anger"You weren't the one she left there with ...him" She spat out. "What's with all the questions, anyway"
"Sweetie, calm down. I just know something about your family...your heritage. I know it wasn't you that made her leave."
Maelyn looked at the witch speculatively"What? What do you know"
Tara took her hands in her own and told her everything she had learned about the Sidhe. From her grandmother, from the books at the Magic Box, and from Anya. She watched emotions run the full gamut across Maelyns' beautiful face as she explained to her about her Mother, her abilities and her destiny.
"But that's all changed now. I'm a vampire, none of that applies to me anymore." Maelyn protested, rejecting her heritage, her fear growing. "I'm going to be with Spike. Forever. I'm not returning to any bleedin' Shore" she slipped into Spikes' colorful metaphoric speech.
"Honey, you've kept a lot of your abilities. I don't know what that means, regarding The Return." Tara tried to reassure her"Vampires have extremely long lifespans too, if it does happen it may be centuries down the road."
"I thought you should know. No one told me the truth about my family. It caused a lot of trouble and pain for me." Tara related"Spike saved me from that life, you know."
"Really?" excited to hear about the vamp she loved"How did he do that"
"He punched me in the nose." Tara smiled slyly at Maelyns' shocked look.
"WHAT"
Tara laughingly told Maelyn the whole story, the girl hanging on every word. They were chatting in a friendly manner when the first wave of nausea hit them, causing them to double over in agony, wordlessly falling to the floor.
SLAM!
The training room door banged shut behind them. Spike moved with vampiric grace to the center of the room, half-turning to look at the Slayer over his leather clad shoulder.
She stood with clenched fists on hips, legs spread for balance"I'm waiting."
"Oh do. I think I'll win this game. Vampire here, I've got time." Spike coldly threw at her"What? D'ja forget, luv" Falsely widening his eyes in surprise.
Spike! Just talk to me. You've been wound up since you came in tonight. , Buffy sent to him privately, hoping to shake him out of his snit.
"You shoulda waited on me. I could have given you a go." He gestured around the room; "I'm a bit... tense." He admitted.
He could smell the sweat. I can't get much by him, she snorted to herself. "I saved you some if you think it'd help." She smiled in amusement. "Is this about Maelyn? About today in the kitchen, 'cause I could tell..."
He slipped into gameface, charging her. Her heart jumped in her chest in response but she blocked his pass, flipping him over to the floor. He went to roll away only to have her kick him, rolling him back over. She went astride him, clamping her thighs and knees around him, holding him in place. She slowly took a seat on his abdomen. He looked up at her with saffron eyes, morphing back to his human disguise. He lay his hands on her legs, running them up and down, feeling her rock hard muscles holding him in place. He smirked suggestively.
"Not . Working. Spike. Spill it." She narrowed her eyes at his questing hands. He knew what it was doing to her, and smiled knowingly. Change of tactics, she decided. Buffy slowly leaned forwards until her breasts were against his chest, propping herself on an elbow, chin in hand.
"Spike" she said sweetly"If you talk to me, I'll give you a cookie." She laughingly said, watching his eyes staring at her exposed cleavage.
He gave a bucking movement, unseating her, with a roll, had her pinned beneath him"There now, that's better." He told her. She blew at a wisp of hair on her face, trying to get it out of her eyes.
He moved it aside with a casual touch, caressing down until he grasped her hard by the chin"She and Dawn have been up to their shenanigans again this afternoon." He didn't elaborate but released her to move down her body until he rested his head on her chest, listening to her heartbeat.
Buffy was surprised by his sudden switch of position, but lay under him quietly allowing him to get comfortable, stroking his hair with her hands.
"What, after this mornin' in the kitchen, then THAT foolishness. I had to whip her, Buffy." Buffy was startled by the angst in his voice over meting out the punishment.
"Uhmm...Spike? About the kitchen. What really happened in there" Buffy gently tickled his neck. Stroking the back of his hair.
"She Challenged me."
"What does that mean, though, Spike"
He raised his head to look at her"I thought you read your Watchers' Diaries"
She flushed..."Well, only the parts about...uhm, the stuff Giles made me read...oh for..I AM the Slayer, I only have to know stuff that'll help me fight" She finished lamely.
Spike buried his face between her breasts laughing.
"WHAT! What's so funny, damn it"
"You never were one for the school work, eh luv? Poor Rupert." He rubbed his nose across her material clad nipple, watching it stiffen.
She pushed him off. He sat up grinning at her responsiveness to him. "Challenge", she prompted him.
"Yeah, right. There comes a time in a vampire hierarchy when underlings of the Line will Challenge their superiors. A fight ensues..yadda yadda If the Challenge is won, the underling moves up the Line receiving all that is due the position. Some BloodLines have a lot more Challengin' due to sheer numbers of childer. Angelus always kept a tight family, didn't trust anyone...don't know why he didn't stake me, he thought to a few times when I almost Challenged, but backed off." he reminisced." I'm sure your Watcher had all that in his musty books."
"You can KILL your childe for a Challenge? That seems harsh." Buffy noted.
"We're vampires, pet. We live 'harsh'."
"Why didn't you? To Maelyn...I mean." She carefully asked him, uncertain of his response.
"Hell, a bloke can learn a little control after a 100 years, can't he? Angel puts up with me, an' him not likin' me much. I love her, I guess I can cut her some slack." he grinned at her; " I do feel a bit better now." He jumped to his feet, reaching down to pull her up heard Oz shout his name and Dawn scream.
Willow felt the magic ripple, and buck, as if trying to resist a restraint. It made her dizzy and nauseous. She clutched her abdomen and groaned, she couldn't stop the sound, it was dragged out of her.
"Willow!" Xander cried as he rushed to her.
"NO! Check Tara." she pushed him away, falling from her chair to the floor. Oz shouted for Spike, and came around the table to Willows' side.
"Go check Maelyn and Tara", he told Xander, lifting Willow to sit against him. Her head weakly lolling back eyes closed.
"Bucket." She whispered her face a greenish -grey.
Dawn raced for a trash can and brought it to Oz, who held her while she heaved into it. Dawn ran to Anya to take the damp cloth she had produced from the bathroom. She brought it to Willow, blotting her face gently. Willow moaned"Gods, this is bad."
Spike and Buffy had burst out of the training room door. "What happened"
"Another Quake." Oz supplied them.
Spike bolted for the room where Maelyn and Tara had went for their conference. The first thing he saw was Maelyn, on all fours, a spreading pool of blood under her hands.
"Maelyn" he shouted, springing to her side, catching her up in his arms, frantically trying to assess her wounds.
Tara weakly rolled to her side"It's ok, Spike. It's just her...Lunch."
The whole shop wavered. Almost like a temporal distortion. Spike felt Maelyn stiffen in his arms, he staggered, the wave that passed through the shop making him unsteady.
Xander fell to the floor, holding onto it as if it would keep him from falling through it. When everything settled, Xander looked up at Spike"OK. That was just...wrong."
Spike wasn't looking at him; he was staring at the girl in his arms in dismay"Maelyn." He whispered softly. Xander helping Tara to her feet, arm around her shoulders, looked to see what was the problem.
Maelyn had a shock of white running through her hair, framing her gamine face. Pure white, where before the Quake it was a dark sable.
Warren set up the poster board with the new set of goals written on it, for his presentation. Andrew and Jonathon were bickering over who would get to control Darth Vader, when they got their Golem gaming pieces conjured. He tapped the board with his pointer waiting for their attention. Finally, he cleared his throat. They subsided and shifted into their seats sulkily.
"Hrmph." Warren cleared his throat importantly. "OK. These are the new set of objectives. As you can see...they are a little more. Shall we say, ambitious? But with the control of the Source, it's do-able."
Andrew half raised his hand, pulling it back before shooting it up in the air, waving it. Warren closed his eyes, sighing"What IS it, Andrew"
"Well, it's number 3. Why can't we just caste a spell to Teraform the moon for the base? I mean, wouldn't that be easier than casting the spell to have the spaceship technology to go there and do it" Looking over to see if Jonathon agreed.
"No. Any other questions" Warren smiled. He would recreate the world in less than 6 days, which would in essence, make him a god. Starting with the space port right here in Sunnydale. "If we extrapolate the coordinates, the best place to put it is at the old high school site." Warren lectured, pointing to item 1 on the board. "Let's get to work."
Andrew and Jonathon scuffled over to the pentagram, taking up their positions around the blue and orange light within it. Warren slowly smiled with satisfaction. Joining the pair, he grasped their hands, Jonathon began to chant. Andrew joined in adding his power behind it. The Source bucked and hitched in response to their efforts to control it, but they bent it to do their bidding.
"We have to do something! Now!" Spike demanded, pacing in front of the table"This is killing her, I can feel it."
"It will kill all of us if we don't stop it." Tara responded, agreeing with Spike. Who grudgingly smiled at her for her support of his position.
"OK. We'll try to close the breach. We'll have to do it at night, or Maelyn and Spike won't be able to work with the Triad."
"It'll have to be tomorrow." Oz stated"It'll be the last chance for about three days, that I'll be able to help."
"Why?" Dawn asked, fearing he was leaving.
"Sweetie, it will be his moon-time, he'll be..." Tara hesitated, not wanting to be insensitive.
"Wolf. Dawn, I'll be the Wolf." Oz couldn't meet her eyes. He thought he'd been over the shame that admission invoked. He didn't think he could deal with her fear or disgust of him.
"Oh. Right, the night before, during and after, I remember." Dawn took his hand in hers; "Do you need a place to be? Do you need help"
He smiled at her in relief"No, Xan already did some renovations at my apartment. I'm good."
"But Oz, I thought you didn't wolf-out...you know, with the chanting and the charms..." Willow said, her perplexity wrinkling her brow.
"Mostly, I just sit and read in the cage, but it's not failsafe." looking at Tara uncomfortably, remembering when he'd chased her across campus.
"Oh." Willow said, remembering the same incident.
"I think we need to go home, get some rest. We need everyone at their best for this tomorrow." Buffy ordered her people gathered at the table.
Everyone gathered their stuff and did as the Slayer suggested.
Spike had gently cleansed Maelyns' hair of blood and removed the bloodstained blouse she'd worn since she had gotten sick at the Magic Box. He helped her into one of his silk shirts, buttoning all the buttons for her as she sat on the bed. "I can dress myself." She protested weakly.
"I know you can. Let me do this for you, baby." He said as he got up to fetch her brush and comb. Returning to the bed, he moved her back until she was sitting in the middle of it, before climbing onto it behind her. He stroked the brush down the length of her hair in the back, smoothing behind with his other hand. He touched the braided love knot, remembering her voice singing.
"Sing for me" he requested, wanting to hear her again. She inhaled deeply and sang, the music pouring from her throat. She wove her voice around him. He closed his eyes. He couldn't believe he could be the one sitting with her, listening to her heart-made song. If he were dust the next night, he'd always remember how she took his hands in hers and sang her love for him.
Buffy sat with Willow on the couch, watching her take a shaky sip of the tea Tara had made for them. "We'll stop this, Will. Then you and Tara and Maelyn won't have to go through this again. I'll make them stop, I promise."
Tara appeared from the kitchen wearing a robe Willow had loaned her. "The Mother's dying, Buffy. You saw what the Sources' drain did to Maelyns' hair, she'll die soon if this isn't ended."
"What? Why? Why would it affect her so much more than you, " she looked around to her other friend" or Willow"
"The Sidhe are connected somehow to the Source, a part of the Mother. I don't know exactly. No one does. But in all I have read, they are connected with earth, fire, water, and air. These Quakes harm her more deeply because of it." Tara quietly revealed. "They are nature, a part of creation according to the legends. How much of it is true, how much myth...we'll never know."
Standing abruptly, Buffy announced"Then tomorrow night. It ends."
Oz slid the key into the door of his apartment turning the handle, pushing it open. He flicked on the light, standing aside letting Dawn move across the threshold.
She shrugged out of her jacket, setting it on the floor next to the little table by the door. Her purse followed the jacket. She looked at the tastefully done apartment, glancing over her shoulder at Oz, who had turned to shut the door and fling his keys into the tray on the door side table.
Spying a goofy poster on the wall behind the cage door in the far corner of the apartment, she raised an eyebrow"Dingoes Ate My Baby"
Oz just nodded. He didn't know why he'd kept it. The band hadn't been together for several years but it evoked fond memories, so he'd stashed it away.
"You want something" He asked her moving toward the kitchen. She followed him, taking the opportunity to slide her arms around his waist, laying her cheek on his back when he stopped at the cabinet for glasses.
He sat the glasses on the counter, gently unwinding her arms from around him. He turned to face her. She blinked at him, confused by his withdrawal. Seeing confusion and the beginnings of hurt cross her face, he touched her cheek"Dawn, we're alone in my apartment. It's not a good idea to be too snugly." He explained"Buffy only agreed to this because she knew I'd take care of you, not take advantage."
"Oz..." she protested, but was stopped by his finger across her lips.
"Shush." he ordered"You're young...so young. I know you think you're in love with me..." he began"but what happens three years from now and you realize you've made a mistake" He quietly asked.
Dawns' eyes started to tear...then tears burned away with anger. "How dare you tell me what I feel! Let me tell you something! For all your wise twenty-two years, you don't know anything about the heart. What makes you the expert" She raged.
"Is that what you think of me? That I'm so fickle that I don't know the man I'll love the rest of my life? Oh yeah, Dawns' all like..OOPS! Well, that was a mistake" , she spat at him sarcastically.
"Dawn, it's the Blood-Bond talking." he desperately tried to convince her, and himself.
"It may have been at first, but it's not all it is now and you know it." she replied, still angry with him.
"When this is over, tomorrow, I should go." he told her, feeling his heart clench at his words.
"I'll follow you." she vowed, a wild look in her eyes"I'll sneak out, I'll follow you. I can do it, ask Spike, I do it all the time!" she declared hysterically. "I'll have Spike break your legs, you won't be able to leave." Her voice rising in panic over the thought of him leaving her.
"Don't go Oz" she whispered brokenly"Don't leave me. Wait for me. It's only three years, it'll go by fast...please..."
He couldn't take it anymore, he gathered her to him, rocking her comfortingly. "OK, Sweetheart. I can give you three years, since you are willing to give me a lifetime."
He felt her smile against his shirt.
Xander sat in his lounger, whetting the edge of the battle-axe Giles gave him before he left the last time. He and Anya weren't a part of a Triad, but he'd never let his friends go into a fight without him, and wasn't going to start now.
He had been using his army guy memories, coming up with a strategy. If he could get one of the Triads to concentrate on breaking down the Fortress walls, his job would be to infiltrate and neutralize the target...er...Warren...the Three. That should effectively stop the draining from the Source. They could figure how to heal the breach after that.
He felt Anyas' hands working into his shoulders, massaging his muscles"You're tense. Put down Giles' axe and come to bed."
"Anya, it's my axe. Giles gave it to me. And I've got to sharpen the blade." He responded irritatedly. She pulled the axe out of his hands, with surprising strength. He looked at her and saw tears in her eyes."An, what? What's wrong" He took her arm, guiding her into his lap.
"Xander, we may all die in another night. I don't want to spend the last night I may ever have with you, watching you sharpen cutlery" She sniffled, rubbing her eyes with a child's motion, using her fists.
Xander smiled, she was such a contradiction. She'd lived over a thousand years, yet sometimes exhibited a childlike innocence over the simplest of things. Yet she was all woman. It was the woman he responded to this time, pulling her to him, coming down hard on her mouth with his. She caught fire instantly. He stood, with her wrapped around him and made his way to the bedroom.
Anya was gratified that Xander found her more important than sharpening that stupid axe. He kissed her and carried her to their bed. It was a good thing, because he'd made her legs all weak with that kiss. A sudden thought occurred to her.
As Xander lay her on the bed, he was amused to hear her say"If anyone dies before the wedding, I'll kill them" That's my girl, he thought before he resumed their kiss and all thought fled.
They met at the Magic Box out front. There had been strange reports on the news all day about UFOs' and a huge facility of some kind appearing at the site of the burned out high school. The Scoobies and Buffy waited as Spike and Maelyn showed up, the last to make the rendezvous.
Xander explained the strategy he'd worked out the night before. To his surprise there was a consensus among them. It was a good plan.
As they walked through the streets toward the residential area where the Fortress stood, they saw what looked like shuttlecraft flying in and out of the looming structure. There was a lot of activity around the Fortress.
So much for being able to approach it undetected, the Slayer thought, watching the platoons of white armored Storm Troopers moving around the perimeter of the Fortress.
Oz looked up; the moon was too bright. It would have been better for them had it been during the dark of the moon. As it was, they were illuminated as by a spotlight, he gripped Dawns' hand.
A bright blue beam struck the street behind them, causing a steaming, sizzling hole to appear in the asphalt. They could smell burning ozone. "What the bloody hell was that" Spike snarled as they ran from the beam that struck at them again, missing.
"What? You never saw Star Wars? That's a laser weapon" Oz shouted, dragging Dawn with him, right behind Spike and Maelyn.
"How do we fight something like that" Dawn wanted to know, looking at Xanders' battleaxe, comparing the two, the axe coming up wanting.
"With the Triads, it's now or never, people" Willow shouted over the singing laser blasts as she reached Oz and Dawn. "Stay behind us Tara. Xander, Anya. Once we power up we can shield you until we get the walls down for you to go through." she grabbed Oz by the hand.
The blue vortex leapt into being under Dawns' guidance, it whined like a generator powering up.
Buffy flung out an arm, clasping Spikes' hand in hers as he held to Maelyns'. Their vortex shot into the night sky like a beacon, the electric blue-white energy fluxing as it whirled around them. Their link was strong because of the strong bonds they had with Spike, their Ground. Buffy flung her other hand toward the X-wing fighter strafing toward them. A blue bolt shot from her extended hand, disintegrating the fighter.
"Cool!" she grinned at Spike, who allowed a smile to reach his eyes in response. He was feeling the power Maelyn was generating surging through him on an almost cellular level. He had to concentrate on holding onto her hand. The link hadn't been like this before, but he steeled himself for worse.
Seeing Buffy take out the X-wing, Willow extended her hand palm out in front of her, directing the energy toward the legions of Storm Troopers coming toward them. The blue white energy surged out at her Focus and blasted a wide swath through them. Oz gritted his teeth at the energy surge from Dawn.
A laser blast zinged off the energy field, shooting into the air, blasting one of the craft zipping to and for like angry bees.
Xander yelled over the energy field"Will, aim for the Fortress, we need to take down that wall"
Willow focused her attention on the Fortress looking over a likely place to attack. She noticed that the swath she had cut through the Storm Troopers was being filled as if by magic. SHIT! It WAS by magic! The Three were repopulating the ranks quickly. She aimed another blow at them, smashing them to smithereens.
A separate blue column of energy rose from the Fortress, it was twisted through with a sickly orange-red.
"They've accessed the Source" Tara cried out, pointing at the energy vortex above the Fortress.
Buffy was having her own problems trying to keep the X-wings off of them. It seemed like they were replaced as fast as she shot them down. At Taras' cry, she looked toward Maelyn. She had tears of blood streaking down her face at the energy she was putting out. That can't be good, the Slayer thought. She turned to the Fortress, seeking a weak spot in the wall. Choosing, she blasted it.
Willow chose her spot on the Fortress wall and sent a bolt into it. Buffys' blast of energy hit next to hers. They were though!
There arose a wailing sound that overwhelmed the energy whine of their fully powered Triads. It sounded like thousands of voices raised in shrieks of pain, a keening of many. Tara cried out"Stop! It's the Mother! We're killing Her. The more we fight them, the more they are draining Her to fight back! We have to stop...We are killing Her"
At that instant, Maelyn looked over at Dawn. Dawns' body was suffused in a green glow. DAWN, Maelyn cried out to her telepathically, Are you OK"
Dawn felt as if her teeth were being vibrated out of her head, her entire body was humming! She felt...expanded. Maelyn! I...I feel like I'm coming apart! Help me!
Maelyn felt Dawns' key energy surfacing and she suddenly knew what they had to do. Dawn. You are still a Key. You have to close the breach, or everyone dies. Maelyn called to her.
I'm afraid. I don't want to die! Dawn sobbed into her mind.
I'll come with you, you won't be alone. Would you die, for Love? Maelyn asked her once more.
Dawn knew the answer this time. Looking into Maelyns' eyes she nodded. Around them, oblivious to the choices being made, Buffy and Willow were Focusing energy bursts at the enemy forces.
Spike knew the instant before, that something was wrong. He felt Maelyn breeze through his mind, a soft passing like a kiss, then the small light that was her presence blew out like a candle in a wind.
"NOOO" He roared, as she flung herself away from him, into Dawns' arms. Silver and green...WHOOOMPH! The energy exploded.
A split second prior to the explosion, the Mother had become silent. For that fraction of a second, the Earth was dead. Dawn was a Key. In the seconds before the Earth died, she decided to close as many dimensional portals as possible. After the explosion, not only was the breach healed but also the Hellmouth was irrevocably closed, seamlessly as if it had never been. Her Gift . For those left behind.
Their combined protoplasmic energy flowed across the Earth's' surface, filing in behind the vacuum the retreating Mother left. In a wave, racing around the globe until the nearly dead aura was reenergized. The Earth's' normally blue corona was now tinted with a silver sheen.
The hand that held Willows' when Dawns' Key energy exploded released her, but the resonance backburn went through her, burning out synapses and nerve endings. She dropped as if she were a puppet with cut strings.
Oz felt his hand go through Dawns' as she became insubstantial, her vibratory level raised so high she became incorporeal while wrapped in Maelyns' embrace, the Key energy taking them both. "DAWN" he screamed, before the shock wave blew him back.
Buffy saw Dawn glowing green and Maelyn surge toward her sister, grabbing her in an embrace. Their hair flying straight up, whipping in the energy flow. Twining together. Then they disintegrated. Became green and silver energy that exploded. She heard Spike scream.
The shock wave of immense proportions blew the remaining Triad members away like leaves in a strong wind.
Dawn was aware. She knew this place from the Meld with Maelyn. It was wonderful, peaceful. Where was Maelyn? She promised not to leave her alone.
I'm here. Maelyn/Mothers' voice answered.
Maelyn? You sound funny. Dawn said uncertainly.
I'm still me, but...Dawn, I've got things to tell you, you don't have much time so Listen. The voice of her friend spoke to her.
Why? What do you mean I don't have time? Aren't I dead? I have all the time in the world. Dawn was confused.
Dawn, you can't stay here. Human souls have no place on the Shining Shore. Maelyn/Mother gently told her.
No! You promised Maelyn! Don't leave me! she sobbed, frightened.
Yes, I promised. You won't be alone. You have to go back. Go home. It's not your time, I brought you here, and you don't belong."
Wait! I can't leave you! What about you? Spike needs you. I need you! Dawn rebelliously argued.
Listen Child! the voice of the Mother commanded. Dawn subsided, shocked by the Voice.
I'm where I need to be Dawn. I can never go back, the Mother died. I'm her replacement. I'm Sidhe; this is where I belong. I'm alone here, so many died with the Mother...My own mother..." she let sorrow take her.
Maelyn, I love you. I won't leave; I won't leave you alone. Dawn insisted.
You have no choice, you must leave. But listen...I will never leave you. Tell Spike, if he'll but listen, I'll be with him. He just has to call to me and I'll come.
Dawn didn't understand, How? How will you be with us? If you are now the Mother? Maelyn" She felt herself being forced out of the peaceful place, away from Maelyn, Maelyn! Wait. WAIT!
Tara will know, she heard the voice distantly and then knew no more.
Dawn stood with her arms crossed, tapping her foot; she was upset with Buffy. "It's been three months, Buffy and he's not getting any better. This 'give it time' thing isn't working" she flung at her sister.
Buffy tiredly looked at her sister and felt guilt that she still had a sister, when Spikes' childe was gone. She winced, no that wasn't right. She loved Dawn and thanked the Mother everyday for her existence. It was a miracle, really. The Key energy expended, closing every dimensional door for two continents, sealing the breach in the Source and the Hellmouth. Once gone, it left the human part behind. Well, not exactly. She'd been gone. Buffy had seen her molecules just fly apart. But when she'd waked from the concussive blow out, she found Dawn curled on her side next to an unconscious Oz.
Dawn told them much later what had transpired.
The doctors thought Oz would regain the use of his arm with physical therapy. Which was a relief to him. What good was a three- legged werewolf? he'd wanted to know. What GOOD is a werewolf, at all, She'd responded. That made him laugh, which was of the good. There was precious little to laugh about these days.
Willow...Will. At first her prognosis wasn't good, but Tara had worked some healing magics when the doctors weren't looking. Now it looked as if she may only be paralyzed in her legs. It's taken these three months for her to learn to feed herself and talk haltingly. She gets frustrated but Tara was good with her. Buffy visited everyday, always bringing something for Willow, a puzzle, and a book to read to her, so Tara could get out for awhile.
Anya said Xander still had nightmares about the horror he found in the basement of the Meers' house. He still wouldn't talk about it.
She hoped they died in agony.
And then there was Spike...my god.
"Dawn, he won't see me. He doesn't even want to look at you." She stopped at the pain she'd caused to appear on Dawns' face"I'm sorry Dawnie, I know it hurts. Maybe he can't look at you without it reminding him of ..Her."
"Buffy, I don't care why he won't look at me. I just want him to be ok. I'm scared. Xander said he's not eating. He won't even get drunk now, like at first."
"At least he's not trying to kill himself anymore." Buffy said gratefully, remembering all the times she and Oz or Xander had dragged him home to the crypt before the sun came up.
"He is though. He's dying without her..." She trailed off a sudden look on her face.
"What! What is it" Buffy wanted to know.
"Nothing." at least not until I talk to Tara, Dawn thought.
"That's not nothing. That's Something Face. Tell me." Buffy demanded but Dawn just wheeled around and left the kitchen.
"I need to see Tara." and the front door opened"He's dying and I'm not going to let him go, even if you are willing to." The door banged shut.
"Xander, please... you have to come with me! He won't even look at me, or talk to me, or listen to me" Dawn pleaded with Xander"And he has to listen"
"Dawn, leave him alone. It's too hard for him...for godssake, leave the guy to his grave. It's where he wants to be, now she's gone." Xander angrily chastised the girl. His heart had almost broken at how Maelyns' death had affected the vampire. It was worse than when Buffy died. Much worse. He and Oz were the only ones he could bear to be around...funny about that. He never thought Spike would tolerate him in any capacity, and now he was about the only one whom he could.
"Xander! Please! That's the whole point. According to Tara, she's not really gone! Maelyn gave me a message for Spike before she sent me back." Dawn earnestly told him"Listen child, she said..." And when she was finished, Xander looked up with hope on his face"OK. Let's go get him."
Buffy put her head down and cried. She cried until no more tears would come, and even then sobbed in pain and fear. He'd always been there for her and now there was nothing she could do to ease his pain. Wait. Maybe there was someone who could. Who would know what to do? She walked to the telephone.
"Angel? Yeah, it's me. Angel, you have to come. We're losing him." and she burst into tears."Ok. See you soon." She whispered, hanging up the phone. Hurry, please hurry. She slid down the wall, putting her face into her knees, and rocked herself for comfort.
It was dusk when Xander, Oz and Dawn went to the crypt. They entered the place quietly, no talking to each other. Dawn saw the destruction and couldn't believe it was the same place she had been three months prior to That Night. The shock alone kept her silent.
Xander went to the sarcophagus that used to be a table... Well, after it had been a sarcophagus, Xander thought. Dawn frowned, glancing toward the below chamber entrance. Oz shook his head at her, nodding to the sarcophagus that Xander was shoving the heavy lid from onto the floor. Her hand flew to her mouth, tears in her eyes as she realized where he was.
"Spike. Hey, man. Wake up."
A voice hoarse and cracked with disuse came from the inside of the sarcophagus"Go 'way, whelp."
"Nope. Not this time. Come on, there's something we gotta do." Xander chipperly told him.
"The only thing I gotta do is die. Leave me.", Spike rasped.
"You're already dead, Spike. Now get up. Oz, a hand here" Xander quipped; knowing full well Spike normally would have smirked at the fun being had with Oz's infirmity. Spike didn't even bother to open his eyes.
Oz came over, grabbing the dusty ratty blanket off the floor, shaking it out on the way. It had once been a red satin bedspread, it seemed. Dawn saw the coverlet and almost couldn't breathe...Maelyn... She had to get a grip. Spike needed her.
The two men raised him from his resting-place, wrapping the ruined red coverlet around his nakedness. Spike sighed; "You aren't leaving." he was starting to sound exasperated, he opened his dull yellow eyes. He saw Dawn and was startled into his human face. Which made Dawn gasp. His cheeks were gaunt; cheekbones sharp as blades and his eyes were just sunken bruises of blue.
"Get her out of here." He demanded coldly.
"Sorry, but she's why we're here. She has something to tell you."
"She's' got nothin' I need. GO" He closed his eyes, refusing to see her. Oz and Xander looked at each other helplessly.
"Spike. I don't care if you look at me or not. I can't make you listen. But by God, I'm not leaving you alone.. Not like this. You WILL come and see what I have to show you." Dawn strongly asserted"Bring him!", imperiously marching out the door.
"You heard the bint, bring Me." he snarled at them hatefully. They lifted him from the bed he'd chosen. Xander helped him walk shakily to the door Oz held open for them. Dawn waited for them, turned and led them to the old part of the cemetery, stopping in front of an oak tree.
Gesturing for them to place him next to the tree"Touch the tree, Spike" He ignored her, so Xander took his hands and placed them on the tree. Spike left them there. Dawn opened the small velvet bag and drew out a vial of blood, which she poured on the base of the tree.
"Mother, accept my gift to thee,
I summon to this tree,
Your Presence."
Oz nervously looked at Xander, who shrugged.
"Listen, Spike." Dawn said softly to him, waiting for a reaction...any reaction. It came. His eyes flew open and he grasped the bark of the tree in both hands. He slid to his knees; a wrenching keening sound escaped his mouth. The sound bruised the soul of each who heard it. OH GOD! What have I done? Dawn frantically started toward him, only to be intercepted by Oz.
"No. Wait." He said into her ear as he watched Spike.
"Maelyn" Spike whispered brokenly"Maelyn, Why? Why did you leave me? Why did you choose her..." The cry of a child lost.
I'm here, Spike. I've not gone.
Baby, I've missed you. he sighed a hitching breath.
Me too, you can come here, you know. Now, and be with me. It took her long enough to get you here! She laughingly said.
Not her fault, pet. I've been...dead. he told her honestly.
I saw. Do you still love me? she asked in a small uncertain voice.
Until the end of the world, luv, 'til the end . relief spreading through him.
Do you want me to sing for you? she offered.
Anything, just so I can feel you. He closed his eyes and drifted into the first healing sleep he'd had since she'd been gone.
Dawn walked toward him, placing her hand on the tree, Thanks Maelyn, we...we were losing him.
I could feel it. I think he'll get better now. I'm going to sing for him, will you stay"
Yeah. I have to take him home before sunrise. Dawn answered her, pulling the dirty red blanket over him, sliding his head onto her shoulder. How about The Highwayman? Dawn requested, and leaned her head back onto the tree listening to the Mother sing to her Children.
The man and woman stood at a distance, watching as the drama unfolded. "Do you think he'll be ok, now" Buffy asked Angel, never taking her eyes off the blond man clinging to the tree.
"Time will tell. It's something he has a lot of." Angel answered softly"How about you"
"I don't know Angel, it hurts him to be around me. I ...I don't want to hurt him...or me. I couldn't leave until I knew he'd be all right. I've talked to Oz; he wants to marry Dawn when she turns 18. I think I'll go then." Buffy replied, pain saturating her words.
"I have property in Italy, Buffy. You could stay there. I have money, if you want to travel...whatever you want. Let me do this for you. Please. The Hellmouth is gone, you'd be free."
Buffy turned her eyes up to his, and he flinched at the pain he saw there. How much more could one person stand? He wondered.
"Thank-you." She said simply, turning, she walked away toward home.
Epilogue- Four years later.
The night was warm; a gentle breeze rustled the leaves of the tree she stood beneath, allowing moonlight to play over her. She narrows her eyes as she watches him sitting against the oak tree, his black leather duster surrounding him. He's talking, and the sound of his voice carries in the still night air.
"Yeah, so Oz tells me the Bit is expectin' again. Her Danny is quite the handful, she deserves thatn' after all the stunts she pulled...eh" He chuckled.
She smiled, laying her hand on her abdomen, she hadn't known he'd kept up with her. He still hadn't spoken to her in all this time.
"No. She doesn't know, pet. I'm not ready just yet. Bloody hell! I know it's been four years..." he complained.
"Now, baby, don't be like that." He sighed. "Alright, I guess I have to face her sometime, gettin' all my news from Oz is a bit annoyin'"
She couldn't believe her husband had kept it quiet all this time, that he was telling Spike about how she was doing. Boy, was he going to be in trouble when she got home.
"You think I should? Yeah? I'll go pick somethin' up then for the nipper. I do love the Bit, it's just that I felt that you left me ...chose her over me, you weren't here so I took it out on her."
A silence.
"Maybe I will, but I have a hell of a lot of apoligizin' to do to the Slayer too, when I find her."
"If she still loves me." He hung his head, thinking of the alternative. "I'm ready now, Maelyn. Maybe I'll start out tomorrow, after sayin' g'bye to the Niblett."
Dawn smiled. She'd been watching over him every night for the last four years. Making sure he was never alone, like he had for her that long ago summer when Buffy had died. He was ready. She stepped out of the shadows of the trees. Spike looked up at the movement. He flowed to his feet, walking toward her.
"Start tonight." Dawn said, pressing the address into his hand"She's in Italy."
"Thank-you.", he said simply, taking her face into his hands, pressing a kiss on her forehead. Turning, he walked away toward Home.
