CHAPTER NINE: The Bridge
Xander had to make two pots of coffee the next morning – everyone had switched into extreme research mode. "I'm gonna talk to Tara," Dawn said when she'd finished a hasty breakfast.
Everyone else looked up from their own breakfast in shock when Faith leapt up and said, "I'll come too." Dawn looked at her with curious incredulousness. "I had one of those 'death-by-Tara-and-Willow' dreams," Faith explained. "I wanna ask Tara something."
"Whatev'," Dawn said after a moment. "Let's go." The two girls disappeared from the kitchen and could be heard clomping up the stairs. Anya frowned and stabbed her oatmeal with her spoon.
"How come I haven't gotten to talk to Tara yet?" she whined. Xander patted her shoulder.
"Don't worry, Ahn. You'll get your chance," he said reassuringly.
"Unless Dawn unleashes her possessive side," Buffy pointed out. "Of course, then Faith won't be contacting Tara either."
"Oh yeah, did you two have sex last night?" Anya asked shamelessly. It took all of Buffy's willpower to keep herself from throwing her oatmeal at the ex-demon.
…
"Hey Dawn, hey Faith, how are you?" Tara asked when she was drawn to the two living girls. Dawn was about to say something, but Faith spoke faster.
"I had a dream where you and Willow killed me, just like the others did. Only…I was already in my dream, so the reference to me was…well…me."
Tara frowned in thought at Faith's words while Dawn frowned in annoyance at the fact that the rogue had spoken first. "I've got a suspicion about those dreams," said Tara. "Something or someone is trying to prevent all of you from uniting me and Willow, so it's sending you these dreams in order to try and convince you not to do it. I think the Powers That Be interfered with Anya's, Buffy's, and Dawn's dreams to let them know you were coming, Faith. Then, once you entered the picture, our mysterious opposing force tried to make you not want to bring Willow and me together either. But I still can't figure out what and why." Tara's shoulders slumped and she hung her head. "That's all I have to offer."
"That's more than enough, Tara," Dawn said. "You don't even really need to help us at all – " Tara's head snapped up and there was more fire and anger in her eyes than Dawn had ever seen.
"I'm thinkin' that was the wrong thing to say…" Faith murmured, shrinking back a little. But Tara did not attack. As angry as the young woman was, her kind nature prevented her from hurting anyone she loved. When she spoke, the blonde witch's quiet voice had an undertone of fierce resolve.
"The woman I love more than anything in all the realms is sitting in Hell as we speak, surrounded by spiders and rats, alone, without me. Anything I can do to get her by my side I will do without hesitation, and I refuse to just sit and watch and wait for something to happen."
Dawn was stung. Though Tara's tone was not harsh, it was an obvious reprimand. It was the second time Dawn had made Tara angry, and she was beginning to wonder if it was even right for her to contact the witch anymore. The young Summers girl sat in silence as Faith spoke instead.
"We'll get Red back to you. We'll get it done."
Tara arched an eyebrow. "Red, huh?" Faith just shrugged in response, then all three of them frowned as a chill wind began to swirl around them.
"This isn't supposed to happen…" Dawn stated fearfully.
"I kinda figured that," was Faith's retort.
"Uh oh…" Tara was looking down at the rope that connected her to Faith and Dawn. Strands of black were encompassing the golden thread, almost as if to suffocate purity with evil. Without warning, the wind became so fierce that it was a deafening roar in everyone's ears. All three girls held on tight to the connection, though they knew it wouldn't last long. "I have one last thing to tell you!" Tara shouted over the wind. "I heard Giles singing last night and it made me remember something! There's a bridge – " The connection snapped.
Faith and Dawn were hurled into the walls of Dawn's room where they both hit with a sickening thud. The two girls crumpled to the floor as everyone else in the house bolted up the stairs. Faith groaned and tried to sit up, but Dawn, who had no Slayer strength, didn't move.
"Dawn? Dawnie?!" Buffy cried as she entered the room, kneeling beside her sister along with the rest of the Scoobies.
"I think she's just knocked out," said Faith, a little disgruntled that no one seemed to care about her. She became less disgruntled however when Buffy flew to her side and kissed her forehead firmly before helping her to her feet.
"Downstairs. Everybody. We need to know what happened," Buffy said firmly. No one argued. Xander stooped to pick up Dawn before they all hurried down the stairs.
…
"So lemme get this straight, we've got the Powers That Be telling us to get the girls back together and another power telling us to keep them apart and their trying to smack us at the same time?" Xander asked. The Scoobies were all in Buffy's living room, Dawn finally awake and grouchy.
"Not all of us," Buffy said. "So far, just the girls."
"Probably because we all had the closer connections to Tara," Anya said. "Except you, Faith, but also being female you can relate to female angst. It's all quite logical."
"By whose logic?" Faith quipped.
"What else did Tara say?" Giles interrupted, turning to Faith and Dawn. Dawn took the initiative.
"Tara said she saw you singing last night, singing a song that reminded her of something," the young Summers girl said. "She managed to shout something about a bridge before the connection was snapped."
Giles frowned a moment, taking off his glasses and polishing them. "Why yes, I was playing 'Bridge Over Troubled Water' on my guitar."
"Huh?" Buffy asked in confusion.
"Like a bridge over troubled water," Faith suddenly sang softly. "I will lay me down." There was a stunned silence, and Faith blushed. "What?" she asked, noticing everybody's expressions.
"I didn't know you could sing," Buffy said, her mouth agape. Faith just blushed deeper and shrugged.
"Huh…that song sounds dirty," said Anya. Everyone rolled their eyes.
"Way to keep it touching, Anya," said Xander.
"What?" the ex-demon asked innocently.
"Ok," Buffy interjected. "So we know there's some bridge, maybe one that'll get Willow through Hell without, er, too much trouble… Giles? Any knowledge you could enlighten us with?"
Giles paused and rested his elbows on his knees. "I can't remember anything specific details, but I vaguely recall reading something about a bridge in Hell. I can call the Watcher's council, perhaps – see if they have anything that could help us."
"Will they agree to that? So far my experiences with any Watcher other than you have been rather…interesting," Buffy said. Giles rolled his eyes, but in amusement.
"I can assure you, Buffy, that they'll help. I can't assure you they'll be happy about it, but they will. They do owe me plenty of favors, anyhow."
Buffy grinned wryly at this. "In the meantime, let's the rest of us try to find something local. Xander? You and Dawn search the net, try and find anything. Faith? You and Anya check through the spellbook Tara had you find and go through her other books along with Willow's too. I'll check with Spike." She paused, realizing that she had unwittingly gone into boss mode. "Um, everyone cool with that?"
"Five by five, B," said Faith, showing off her usual cocky smile.
Buffy sighed in relief. "Right then. Battle stations, everyone. Willow's going to heaven if I have to drag her ass there myself."
…
Spike was awakened by a fairly hard slap upside the head. Judging by the force behind it, he knew instantly that it was Buffy.
"Ow! What?! Bloody hell, woman, what?!"
"Need info. You might have it. If you do, I want it. Simple enough for you?"
Spike glared at her. "No. Maybe if you drew me a little picture?"
"Good idea! I'll draw it with your entrails!" Spike sat up fast.
"All right, I'm listening. What do you want?"
Buffy sat opposite him on his bed. "You ever hear of a bridge over Hell?" Spike frowned.
"Yeah, what of it?"
"Well, if Willow can use it instead of having to hike through every level of Hell, we're going to make sure she crosses. Do you know anything more about the bridge?"
Spike was looking at Buffy incredulously. "Are you off your rocker? Nobody crosses that bridge! It exists, yeah, but it's like an extra level of Hell!"
"Just…tell me about it," Buffy cut him off. She wanted Willow out of Hell almost as desperately as Tara did. "Can it be crossed?"
Spike sighed. "Yeah, it can. It's bloody difficult, but it can be done. There's some major mojo that goes with it though, and someone has to be on the Purgatory-Limbo-whatever end."
"Tara can cover that," Buffy said. "But what's this about a big spell? And what about the other side of the bridge?"
Spike shrugged. "I haven't got a bloody clue. All I know is that if Red thinks she's in Hell now, she'll be right surprised about what's on that bridge…"
Buffy literally threw her hands up in exasperation. "My God, you're becoming as cryptic as Angel! Could you maybe be a little more specific?"
Spike shrugged again, though with a bit more aggravation. "I said I don't know! All I know is that it's supposed to be worse than almost anything imaginable."
"Comforting, coming from you," Buffy shot back. "Thanks for the info. I guess I'll have to save staking you for later."
"I'm touched," Spike called sarcastically after her as she left.
…
"I have some information," Giles announced proudly as he entered the dining room with a pad of paper and a pen in his hand. Faith and Anya were behind a bunch of books while Xander and Dawn were glued to the computer. The Watcher's words snapped them out of their monotonous searches, however, and they all looked up at him.
"Whatcha got?" Faith asked. Giles sat down at the remaining seat at the table while everyone crowded around him. Giles showed them what he'd written down.
"Well, there is indeed a bridge over Hell, aptly named the Hellbridge."
"How original," interrupted Dawn dryly. Giles rolled his eyes before continuing.
"Anyone in Hell can cross the Hellbridge so long as it's anchored on one side and someone is waiting for them at the other end of the bridge, which is just outside the gates of Hell."
"Tara can do that," said Anya. "But how is the bridge anchored? It's not like we can walk down a seriously long flight of stairs and nail it down to the floor of Willow's Hell-cell."
"Didn't you work there once? Maybe you could get free passes," Dawn mocked.
"You almost opened the door there, remember?" Anya replied in retaliation.
"Guys…chill," said Faith. "How do we anchor the bridge?"
"Well, Dawn was on the right track when she searched for a spell where we would all join forces," Giles said. Dawn smirked in triumph while Anya rolled her eyes. Not noticing either of these actions, Giles went on. "A group of vessels on earth can use a powerful conjoining spell to anchor the bridge. However, they must keep the bridge anchored until the person crossing the bridge reaches the other side."
"Did the Council tell you what the spell is?" Xander asked. Giles shook his head.
"They didn't know what it was. They're looking through all their old volumes now to try and find it."
"Well, at least they're being helpful for a change," Xander said a bit glumly.
"To continue," Giles said a little sternly before truly continuing. "The person crossing the bridge faces…or actually suffers…many vigorous trials along the way. The ritual of the crossing is called Incedo Per Incendium, which literally translates to 'Walk Through Fire.'"
"Hey, like that song we did," said Anya. "Remember?"
"All too painfully," replied Giles. "In any case, the trials are supposed to be…"
"Disturbing," said a voice from behind the group. Everyone turned to see Buffy wearing a solemn face. "According to Spike it's like a whole 'nother Hell – just on a bridge."
"Wh-what sort of things will Willow have to face?" Dawn asked fearfully. When Buffy didn't respond, Dawn paled. "You…don't know?"
Buffy shook her head. "What I do know is this. You are going to teach Anya and me the speaking spell so we can tell Tara and Willow all of this."
"God! Finally!" said Anya.
"Why not me too?" Dawn asked angrily.
"Trust me when I say that what we have to talk about is really not for young ears," Buffy said calmly.
"That and Tara's kinda pissed at you," Faith added. Buffy and Anya looked at her in shock.
"Thanks a billion, Faith," Dawn growled, her voice dripping with venom. The rogue shrugged.
"Just tellin' it like it is."
"Hmph."
"Dawn," Buffy began. "You can explode at Faith later. Right now I need you to teach Anya and me the spell so we can talk to Tara and Willow. It really is important, Dawn. I need you on this."
Glaring at her sister and the ex-demon, Dawn finally got up from her chair. "Fine," she said grudgingly, and Anya and Buffy followed her up the stairs.
"I think I'm going to be very thankful that I missed the conversation," Xander said.
"Ditto that," was Faith's reply.