Title: Pony (The Evil Within - Chapter 10)
Author: Nimue
Rating: PG -13
Pairing Buffy/Spike. Most major characters included.
Feedback: Yes, please
Disclaimer: All characters belong to Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, UPN,
Fox... Just Borrowing. (with, of course, the exception of Emma, who
belongs to Buffy and Spike)
Summary: Buffy is horrified by what she finds right in front of her
front door. Giles is confronted by Draconius' plans. Xander thinks
figures out what happened to him and what might happen next, but in
the process, hurts Anya more than he knows.
Pony
Spike couldn't help but chuckle, tension escaping through the simple relief of laughter. Buffy stood in front of him, frozen in place, eyes as wide as saucers. She felt Spike's hand on her shoulder, squeezing gently, his breath blowing against her cheek.
"Again, I ask, what is that?" Buffy snarked.
"Hi," Clem said, waving with his free hand. In his other, a nylon leash connected him to the large and furry neck of a creature who was currently occupied licking Dawn's face. It's enormous pink tongue lapped Dawn's skin as the teen giggled wildly.
"H'lo Clem. See you did as I asked," Spike said, still speaking from over Buffy's shoulder.
"Sure nuff, Spike," Clem answered, smiling. He was always smiling. Dawn was cross legged on the welcome mat, trying to defend herself half heartedly from the onslaught on slobber. Anya stood to the side, staring at the creature with a mixture of amusment and disgust.
"Is that a pony?" Buffy asked. The dog looked young, but was already the size of a full grown lab, its paws as big as soup plates.
"It's a puppy, love," Spike answered, brushing her hair behind her ear and kissing her cheek.
"Puppy?" she exclaimed, craning her head back to look at him. "It's going to get bigger?"
"Quite a bit, Buffy," Clem answered happily. "Only 10 weeks old."
"Spike! What did you do?" Buffy spun around and stared at him in shocked surprise.
"Slayer can't exactly run round with a toy poodle," the Vampire answered, smiling softly.
"True. She's already got one lap dog," Anya remarked, raising her eyebrows at Spike. Spike smirked at the former demon over the top of Buffy's head.
"So... you got a... Yeti?" Buffy argued, turning back to look at the gigantic dog. Dawn was still giggling gleefully, scratching the pooch behind the ears and rubbing her face in its fur.
"It's a Bull Mastiff," Spike corrected. "Looks fierce, but gentle as a lamb, Pet."
"Spike, if it steps on Emma, we won't find her for a week."
"Buffy, I checked it out. Wonderful with tots," he retorted, trying to settle her. "You agreed we should get them a dog," he reminded.
"But... I thought... I thought you meant a cocker spaniel or one of those mini dogs..."
"What kind of image would that be?" Spike huffed, puffing into his remotest big badness. "Vampire. Slayer. Key. Peacemaker. Trotting bout town with a sodding teacup Yorkie. Ooh, a threat!"
"So you get a horse?"
"I like him, Buffy," Dawn squealed. "It is a him, right?" The girl craned her head and glanced underneath the dog. Clem nodded at her. "Yeah, he's a he," she said quite seriously.
"Quite enough women in this house," Spike commented.
"Speaking of *in*," Anya said, gesturing at the door. Buffy moved to the side, still wide eyed, Spike's arms wrapped around her waist. The entourage moved into the house, Clem being pulled behind the rambunctious pup. Spike reached down and patted it's huge head as it trotted past.
"See, Pet, gentle as a lamb."
"We *will* talk about this," Buffy remarked as the dog scampered into the living room, throw rugs curling under its wake, a torch lamp tipping as it tore through the living room. Clem caught the lamp, righting it and setting it behind the end table. The demon shot a sheepish grin at Buffy.
"Nice dog, Buffy," he said, nodding his head approvingly.
The dog darted for the couch. Emma sprung awake, staring at the foreign creature in shock as it bounded towards her at break neck speed. Buffy lurched forward trying to grab the baby, but the dog skidded to a halt, sitting obediently at the foot of the couch. Emma leaned forward wondrously, staring into the puppy's happy wide eyes, her lips parting into a grin.
"Think she likes him," Spike whispered encouragingly into Buffy's ear. Buffy shh'd him like a child. The giant puppy sat completely still save for the thumping of it's tail on the floor. It sniffed the baby softly, hearing her giggle as it's nose touched her cheek.
Buffy lurched forward again as the dog's mouth opened, but stopped short as a slow, purring growl came from its mouth. The puppy was calm, but the sound was like nothing they'd ever heard. Completely non-threatening, but a growl none the less. As Buffy's hand reached Emma, the child's lips parted and it repeated the sound the dog made exactly.
Buffy glanced back at Spike. He stared at the scene, brow furrowed, much as the rest of the group. The dog again opened it's mouth, letting out a short, deep bark. Emma stared at him, her head tilting as she studied its kind face. Suddenly, her mouth opened, copying the sound but an octave higher. The dog stared up at her, then lowered its head to the cushions in a gesture that Spike could only describe as supplication.
"Did Em just..." Dawn began.
"Talk to the dog?" Anya finished.
"No," Buffy answered, not quite sure what to believe himself. "Of course not." She was shaking her head, staring at the still puppy and the delighted child who was now tugging on the dog's ears like a normal two year old.
"Think she might've," Spike commented, his head cocked to the side, staring at the little girl as if she were magical. In a way, she was.
"She has the ability," Cyrus said quietly, uttering his first words since the ruckus on the porch cut short their conversation.
"What?" Buffy asked, still dazed, crossing her arms over her chest.
"The Peacemaker does, I should say. How can one be expected to bring peace to all dimensions unless one speaks all languages?" Cyrus pointed out. Seems obvious enough, Spike thought, but he'd never really sussed the whole thing out. She was his daughter, not a Chosen One.
"*Dog* is not a language," Buffy argued.
"To you, maybe not. But they do communicate. Emma just seems to be able to converse with them in their native tongue."
"So, she's Dr. Dolittle?" Dawn asked, caught between alarm and amusement.
"In a sense," Cyrus replied, turning his attention to the teenager. "Except the language she hears, she understands instinctively. The dog did not speak and Emma translate its voice into English in order to understand."
"She thinks in dog too?" Anya asked, her head moving from child to dog, to parents, to Watcher.
"In any language. In *every* language."
"How come you didn't tell us about that part of the Prophesy?" Buffy asked, her annoyance with the entire evening rising.
"Seemed common sense," Cyrus responded. "No offense." It never occured to the Watcher that his words could be harsh. Maybe the Vampire was correct in that he needed to brush up on his people skills.
The room was silent. Emma had gone back to her normal, playful, toddler self and was hanging off the puppy's neck as it licked her arms and hands. "Wow," Clem muttered, nodding at the little girl and turning his head towards Spike and Buffy. "Neat little girl you have there."
"You can say that again," Dawn sighed, patting the dog's head as Emma used him for a jungle gym.
"Wow what?" Tara asked as she glided through the doorway, Willow hanging onto her hand.
"Wow, that's a big doggie!" Willow bubbled, walking into the living room. The dog's head spun, looking at the two women. Instinctively, the pup pinned it's ears; a gesture that went unnoticed, as it sat obiently at Emma's dangling feet. The baby clamboured down the dog's back and onto the floor, toddling off towards the kitchen. Dawn and the gargantuan housepet scampered at her heels.
"Nice dog," Tara commented, smiling slyly. "Sometimes, it's good to adopt them full grown."
"It's a puppy," Buffy snapped, glaring at Spike.
"Puppy?" Willow said, raising her eyebrows.
"Puppy."
Spike clapped his hands together, trying to change the subject. "Glad you birds are here." Buffy shot a warning glance at her lover, letting him know that in *no* uncertain terms was this conversation over.
"What's up, Spike? " Tara asked, saving him from the Buffy evil glare of anger.
"We need to patrol. Imagine Red here has filled you in on the spell?"
"Body hopping. Someone in the gym. Hard to tell," Tara repeated, ticking off the highlights with her fingers.
"Right," Spike agreed. "Demon on the loose after us," he continued, gesturing at Buffy and then himself. "So we go kill it."
"A violence nightcap?" Willow grinned.
"More like foreplay," Anya snarked as she walked past toward the kitchen. Buffy's turn to smirk at the blunt former demon.
"Regardless," Buffy continued, her tone made more serious by her general annoyance with the entire evening. "The spell can only effect one at a time, so no one, *no one*, is *ever* alone with Emma. Two at a time, at least. Not even the pony."
"The pony.. I mean, the dog, wasn't in the gym, Love," Spike responded, catching the mistake a bit late.
"Spike?" Buffy snarled, glaring at the Vampire.
"Right," Spike conceeded. Choose your battles when sparring with the Slayer. "Not even the dog."
"Got it," Willow answered, nodding.
"What about Xander?" Buffy asked, turning her attention back to Spike.
"Best he's not here, Love. We aren't sure if..."
"I know but what if he decides to come here?"
"Anya?" Spike called. The woman appeared from the kitchen doorway. "Where's Harris?"
"I told him to stay home and sleep it off. He was all... wonky."
"Good. Best thing," Buffy commented. "So, do you have the rules?"
"Got it," Tara responded. "No alone, no ponies."
"No jokes," Buffy said seriously. "It could be anyone. I'm not playing around with Emma's life."
"S...sorry," Tara said, involuntarily rubbing her head and looking down at the floor. Her mood instantly changed, as if a switch had flipped in her head.
"Tara," Buffy said, softening, "I'm sorry. I'm just on edge. Big meanie demons. Body hopping spells. Gargantuan farm animals in the house." Another evil look shot in Spike's direction.
"No, it's OK," Tara said softly. "We'll make sure nothing happens."
Slowly, she headed off towards the kitchen, her head hanging low, her quiet humming almost imperceptible even to Spike's Vampire ears.
*****
Giles awoke to a faint glimmer of light. It was cold. He flexed his hands, but realized he was restrained, metal clasped tight around his wrists and ankles. The smell of death, of burning flesh, was pungent, assaulting him. The back of his head pounded in what sounded like hail on a tin roof.
As he eyes swum open, the faint glimmer became the glow of a fire. Painfully, he craned his head, noticing he was chained fast to the cavern wall in the center of a circle. The circle had been painted onto the wall. It smelled like blood. Giles could only see the edges of the pattern, but he already knew.
The Eye of the Fates.
"Watcher," the same voice hissed, bring Giles' memories flooding back. The cold reptilian hiss.
"Show yourself," Giles demanded, mustering courage in the face of inescapable misfortune.
"What would you like to see?" the creature answered, stepping into the fire light, it's voice becoming flat but human. A small angular woman, dark hair, dark eyes, similar in height to Buffy, stepped into the glow. The woman, unbeknownst to Giles, who had drawn the others to the school.
"Who are you?" Giles asked, blinking at the vision.
"Whomever I need be," it answered, its voice changing to a cracked whisper, dry as the desert. Rough as sandpaper. The visage changed and a hunched old hag appeared before him. Her eyes glowed a blood red.
"*What* are you?" Giles asked, cringing at the sight.
"The face you place on evil," it answered, hissing, shifting again. It's limbs melted into it's body and its frame elongated like a cobra ready to strike. A long, pink tongue darted out, licking its horrid, scaly lips, then slid back into its cavernous mouth. Giles shuddered at the thought of the beast so close that it had touched him.
"You had said that I should die," Giles said calmly. Actually, he thought, death might be a comfort compared to the atrocities this creature could visit upon him.
"No," it answered, shfting again, morphing into a beautiful, raven haired woman. Her voice became spiced and rich and luxurious. "I made you an offer," it purred, coming closer, it's fingers playing under the Watcher's chin. Giles turned his head from the creature's hypnotic beauty. "Kill the child or die."
"And I made a choice," Giles said, defiantly.
"And I did not *like* your choice," it purred, pressing rub red lips to his cheek. "So the offer has changed."
Giles sighed. "What then?"
"Well, it's not an offer at all anymore, really," it said coyly, walking away. Its perfect round backside sauntering towards the fire. "It's more of a win win proposition." The creature spun on one stiletto heel and stared at Giles.
"And what is that?"
"Kill the child and live forever," it answered simply.
Giles swallowed, watching it stalk the cavern like a panther. "I will not kill Emma."
"Wrong," it said sharply, stopping in its tracks. It stared at the Watcher with empty, black eyes. "You see, the symbol behind you is...."
"The Eye of the Fates," Giles interrupted.
"Correct," it said, smiling, glistening white teeth glittering in the fire light. "I control you." Giles craned his head to look again at the looping, endless pattern, then looked the beast in the eye.
"You cannot will me to destroy them."
"I can," it said. "I will. Or you will die resisting and I will kill the Star anyway."
*****
"Ahh!" Xander shouted, sitting bolt upright in his bed, sweat pouring down his face, dripping in rivulets down his chest. The nightmare. Too real. Kissing Willow. Blackness. Giles.
He swung his legs over the side of the bed, leaning forward to catch his breath. The evil had been in him. He could feel its vapour trail linking him to Willow and to the darkness and somehow to Giles. It was gone now. Of that, he was sure. But he could feel the rawness in his veins as if acid had been pumped from his heart and singed every inch of his body.
"Will," he muttered to himself, reaching towards the bedside table. Fumbling for the phone. His breath hurt, his mind racing, his heart exploding in his chest from the force of the nightmare.
As the phone rang, it came back to him. Dawn's eyes. So bright they burned his pupils. It consumed her, then him, then all of them. But the light was really darkness. His head had hit the wooden floor with a thud and he could feel it pour into his ears, his eyes, his mouth. Like tar. Burning. Exploding. The Eye. The Dragon. A man in a suit. A hunched old woman with red eyes. A child suspended in darkness. Emptiness. Blackness. Then Willow.
'Hi, you've reached Tara and Willow. We can't come....'
"Damn it!" Xander snapped, slamming the phone into the receiver.
Willow.
Emma.
Xander frantically picked up the phone, punching in Buffy's exchange. It rang only once before a chipper, giddy voice answered. "Hello?"
"Dawn?" Xander croaked, his voice dry and cracked.
"Yeah, Xander. You still sick?" Dawn asked. Xander could hear barely coherent words and giggles from the baby in the background.
"I'm fine. Where's Buffy? I need to talk to her."
"Patrol."
Xander thought a moment. "Then put Spike on."
"He's with Buffy. He's *always* with Buffy," Dawn commented, then giggled again. "Emma easy," Xander heard her say to the child. "Anya, can you get her out of the water bowl?" Xander shook his head, trying to think.
"Dawn, put Anya on."
"Sure." There was a pause.
"Hey, Pookey," Anya chirped into the phone. "How are you feeling?"
"Fine," he croaked. "Have you seen Willow?"
"Sure, she's in the living room. But what do you need her for?" Anya asked, her insecurity bubbling to the surface. Panic took control and Xander lunged at the floor, grabbing his pants and almost dropping the phone as he forced them on.
"Ahn, listen. I can't explain, but *don't* let Willow near Emma."
"What? Why?"
"I know what happened in the gym."
"Yes. The body hopping spell. No one alone with Emma until we know who and how it jumps," Anya repeated from memory.
Xander sighed, gritting his teeth. "It was me," he admitted, pulling his shirt on and buttoning as he talked. "And now it's Willow."
"How? How do you know?" Anya stuttered, all chirpiness gone from her voice. She glanced around the corridor and watched Willow and Tara talking to Cyrus in the living room.
"I.. I remember now that it's gone," Xander answered, trying his shoes as he spoke.
"How... how did it jump?"
"I... I don't know," Xander began. 'Consequences, Harris,' Damn it, Spike. "Anya, we kissed."
"Who? Us?"
"Me... and Willow."
The line was silent. Not even breath. "Ahn? Ahn, I..."
"What?" she said, her voice void of emotion.
"I want to explain. I need to explain, but there's no time. I'm on my way over."
"Don't come here," Anya retorted flatly.
"Anya, I can explain..."
"As much as I want it to be because I *don't* want to see you, you can't come because Buffy said no. Spike..."
"What?" Xander was standing now, his body moving towards the door, tethered only by the phone cord.
"You heard me," Anya replied.
"Anya..." Xander sighed, "I..."
"Don't.Come.Here.," she whispered, tears building. "Besides, even if I did think you could explain it sufficiently, someone needs to tell Spike and Buffy."
Xander processed her words. Maybe she would give him a chance to explain. No time. "OK. Anya, please, *please* keep Willow away from Emma. I'm going to find them."
"Just don't come here," Anya whispered softly, tears spilling from the corners of her eyes. Quickly, she hung up.
As Anya looked around the room, trying to hide her feelings from Dawn, to compose herself before she moved along with her night, she noticed the toddler clinging to her leg. Anya reached down, scooping the baby into her arms. Dawn was silent, patting the dog and watching them cautiously.
"Let's get her to bed," Anya whispered, wiping the tears off her cheeks and burying her face in Emma's soft hair. "Please."
To be contd.
Pony
Spike couldn't help but chuckle, tension escaping through the simple relief of laughter. Buffy stood in front of him, frozen in place, eyes as wide as saucers. She felt Spike's hand on her shoulder, squeezing gently, his breath blowing against her cheek.
"Again, I ask, what is that?" Buffy snarked.
"Hi," Clem said, waving with his free hand. In his other, a nylon leash connected him to the large and furry neck of a creature who was currently occupied licking Dawn's face. It's enormous pink tongue lapped Dawn's skin as the teen giggled wildly.
"H'lo Clem. See you did as I asked," Spike said, still speaking from over Buffy's shoulder.
"Sure nuff, Spike," Clem answered, smiling. He was always smiling. Dawn was cross legged on the welcome mat, trying to defend herself half heartedly from the onslaught on slobber. Anya stood to the side, staring at the creature with a mixture of amusment and disgust.
"Is that a pony?" Buffy asked. The dog looked young, but was already the size of a full grown lab, its paws as big as soup plates.
"It's a puppy, love," Spike answered, brushing her hair behind her ear and kissing her cheek.
"Puppy?" she exclaimed, craning her head back to look at him. "It's going to get bigger?"
"Quite a bit, Buffy," Clem answered happily. "Only 10 weeks old."
"Spike! What did you do?" Buffy spun around and stared at him in shocked surprise.
"Slayer can't exactly run round with a toy poodle," the Vampire answered, smiling softly.
"True. She's already got one lap dog," Anya remarked, raising her eyebrows at Spike. Spike smirked at the former demon over the top of Buffy's head.
"So... you got a... Yeti?" Buffy argued, turning back to look at the gigantic dog. Dawn was still giggling gleefully, scratching the pooch behind the ears and rubbing her face in its fur.
"It's a Bull Mastiff," Spike corrected. "Looks fierce, but gentle as a lamb, Pet."
"Spike, if it steps on Emma, we won't find her for a week."
"Buffy, I checked it out. Wonderful with tots," he retorted, trying to settle her. "You agreed we should get them a dog," he reminded.
"But... I thought... I thought you meant a cocker spaniel or one of those mini dogs..."
"What kind of image would that be?" Spike huffed, puffing into his remotest big badness. "Vampire. Slayer. Key. Peacemaker. Trotting bout town with a sodding teacup Yorkie. Ooh, a threat!"
"So you get a horse?"
"I like him, Buffy," Dawn squealed. "It is a him, right?" The girl craned her head and glanced underneath the dog. Clem nodded at her. "Yeah, he's a he," she said quite seriously.
"Quite enough women in this house," Spike commented.
"Speaking of *in*," Anya said, gesturing at the door. Buffy moved to the side, still wide eyed, Spike's arms wrapped around her waist. The entourage moved into the house, Clem being pulled behind the rambunctious pup. Spike reached down and patted it's huge head as it trotted past.
"See, Pet, gentle as a lamb."
"We *will* talk about this," Buffy remarked as the dog scampered into the living room, throw rugs curling under its wake, a torch lamp tipping as it tore through the living room. Clem caught the lamp, righting it and setting it behind the end table. The demon shot a sheepish grin at Buffy.
"Nice dog, Buffy," he said, nodding his head approvingly.
The dog darted for the couch. Emma sprung awake, staring at the foreign creature in shock as it bounded towards her at break neck speed. Buffy lurched forward trying to grab the baby, but the dog skidded to a halt, sitting obediently at the foot of the couch. Emma leaned forward wondrously, staring into the puppy's happy wide eyes, her lips parting into a grin.
"Think she likes him," Spike whispered encouragingly into Buffy's ear. Buffy shh'd him like a child. The giant puppy sat completely still save for the thumping of it's tail on the floor. It sniffed the baby softly, hearing her giggle as it's nose touched her cheek.
Buffy lurched forward again as the dog's mouth opened, but stopped short as a slow, purring growl came from its mouth. The puppy was calm, but the sound was like nothing they'd ever heard. Completely non-threatening, but a growl none the less. As Buffy's hand reached Emma, the child's lips parted and it repeated the sound the dog made exactly.
Buffy glanced back at Spike. He stared at the scene, brow furrowed, much as the rest of the group. The dog again opened it's mouth, letting out a short, deep bark. Emma stared at him, her head tilting as she studied its kind face. Suddenly, her mouth opened, copying the sound but an octave higher. The dog stared up at her, then lowered its head to the cushions in a gesture that Spike could only describe as supplication.
"Did Em just..." Dawn began.
"Talk to the dog?" Anya finished.
"No," Buffy answered, not quite sure what to believe himself. "Of course not." She was shaking her head, staring at the still puppy and the delighted child who was now tugging on the dog's ears like a normal two year old.
"Think she might've," Spike commented, his head cocked to the side, staring at the little girl as if she were magical. In a way, she was.
"She has the ability," Cyrus said quietly, uttering his first words since the ruckus on the porch cut short their conversation.
"What?" Buffy asked, still dazed, crossing her arms over her chest.
"The Peacemaker does, I should say. How can one be expected to bring peace to all dimensions unless one speaks all languages?" Cyrus pointed out. Seems obvious enough, Spike thought, but he'd never really sussed the whole thing out. She was his daughter, not a Chosen One.
"*Dog* is not a language," Buffy argued.
"To you, maybe not. But they do communicate. Emma just seems to be able to converse with them in their native tongue."
"So, she's Dr. Dolittle?" Dawn asked, caught between alarm and amusement.
"In a sense," Cyrus replied, turning his attention to the teenager. "Except the language she hears, she understands instinctively. The dog did not speak and Emma translate its voice into English in order to understand."
"She thinks in dog too?" Anya asked, her head moving from child to dog, to parents, to Watcher.
"In any language. In *every* language."
"How come you didn't tell us about that part of the Prophesy?" Buffy asked, her annoyance with the entire evening rising.
"Seemed common sense," Cyrus responded. "No offense." It never occured to the Watcher that his words could be harsh. Maybe the Vampire was correct in that he needed to brush up on his people skills.
The room was silent. Emma had gone back to her normal, playful, toddler self and was hanging off the puppy's neck as it licked her arms and hands. "Wow," Clem muttered, nodding at the little girl and turning his head towards Spike and Buffy. "Neat little girl you have there."
"You can say that again," Dawn sighed, patting the dog's head as Emma used him for a jungle gym.
"Wow what?" Tara asked as she glided through the doorway, Willow hanging onto her hand.
"Wow, that's a big doggie!" Willow bubbled, walking into the living room. The dog's head spun, looking at the two women. Instinctively, the pup pinned it's ears; a gesture that went unnoticed, as it sat obiently at Emma's dangling feet. The baby clamboured down the dog's back and onto the floor, toddling off towards the kitchen. Dawn and the gargantuan housepet scampered at her heels.
"Nice dog," Tara commented, smiling slyly. "Sometimes, it's good to adopt them full grown."
"It's a puppy," Buffy snapped, glaring at Spike.
"Puppy?" Willow said, raising her eyebrows.
"Puppy."
Spike clapped his hands together, trying to change the subject. "Glad you birds are here." Buffy shot a warning glance at her lover, letting him know that in *no* uncertain terms was this conversation over.
"What's up, Spike? " Tara asked, saving him from the Buffy evil glare of anger.
"We need to patrol. Imagine Red here has filled you in on the spell?"
"Body hopping. Someone in the gym. Hard to tell," Tara repeated, ticking off the highlights with her fingers.
"Right," Spike agreed. "Demon on the loose after us," he continued, gesturing at Buffy and then himself. "So we go kill it."
"A violence nightcap?" Willow grinned.
"More like foreplay," Anya snarked as she walked past toward the kitchen. Buffy's turn to smirk at the blunt former demon.
"Regardless," Buffy continued, her tone made more serious by her general annoyance with the entire evening. "The spell can only effect one at a time, so no one, *no one*, is *ever* alone with Emma. Two at a time, at least. Not even the pony."
"The pony.. I mean, the dog, wasn't in the gym, Love," Spike responded, catching the mistake a bit late.
"Spike?" Buffy snarled, glaring at the Vampire.
"Right," Spike conceeded. Choose your battles when sparring with the Slayer. "Not even the dog."
"Got it," Willow answered, nodding.
"What about Xander?" Buffy asked, turning her attention back to Spike.
"Best he's not here, Love. We aren't sure if..."
"I know but what if he decides to come here?"
"Anya?" Spike called. The woman appeared from the kitchen doorway. "Where's Harris?"
"I told him to stay home and sleep it off. He was all... wonky."
"Good. Best thing," Buffy commented. "So, do you have the rules?"
"Got it," Tara responded. "No alone, no ponies."
"No jokes," Buffy said seriously. "It could be anyone. I'm not playing around with Emma's life."
"S...sorry," Tara said, involuntarily rubbing her head and looking down at the floor. Her mood instantly changed, as if a switch had flipped in her head.
"Tara," Buffy said, softening, "I'm sorry. I'm just on edge. Big meanie demons. Body hopping spells. Gargantuan farm animals in the house." Another evil look shot in Spike's direction.
"No, it's OK," Tara said softly. "We'll make sure nothing happens."
Slowly, she headed off towards the kitchen, her head hanging low, her quiet humming almost imperceptible even to Spike's Vampire ears.
*****
Giles awoke to a faint glimmer of light. It was cold. He flexed his hands, but realized he was restrained, metal clasped tight around his wrists and ankles. The smell of death, of burning flesh, was pungent, assaulting him. The back of his head pounded in what sounded like hail on a tin roof.
As he eyes swum open, the faint glimmer became the glow of a fire. Painfully, he craned his head, noticing he was chained fast to the cavern wall in the center of a circle. The circle had been painted onto the wall. It smelled like blood. Giles could only see the edges of the pattern, but he already knew.
The Eye of the Fates.
"Watcher," the same voice hissed, bring Giles' memories flooding back. The cold reptilian hiss.
"Show yourself," Giles demanded, mustering courage in the face of inescapable misfortune.
"What would you like to see?" the creature answered, stepping into the fire light, it's voice becoming flat but human. A small angular woman, dark hair, dark eyes, similar in height to Buffy, stepped into the glow. The woman, unbeknownst to Giles, who had drawn the others to the school.
"Who are you?" Giles asked, blinking at the vision.
"Whomever I need be," it answered, its voice changing to a cracked whisper, dry as the desert. Rough as sandpaper. The visage changed and a hunched old hag appeared before him. Her eyes glowed a blood red.
"*What* are you?" Giles asked, cringing at the sight.
"The face you place on evil," it answered, hissing, shifting again. It's limbs melted into it's body and its frame elongated like a cobra ready to strike. A long, pink tongue darted out, licking its horrid, scaly lips, then slid back into its cavernous mouth. Giles shuddered at the thought of the beast so close that it had touched him.
"You had said that I should die," Giles said calmly. Actually, he thought, death might be a comfort compared to the atrocities this creature could visit upon him.
"No," it answered, shfting again, morphing into a beautiful, raven haired woman. Her voice became spiced and rich and luxurious. "I made you an offer," it purred, coming closer, it's fingers playing under the Watcher's chin. Giles turned his head from the creature's hypnotic beauty. "Kill the child or die."
"And I made a choice," Giles said, defiantly.
"And I did not *like* your choice," it purred, pressing rub red lips to his cheek. "So the offer has changed."
Giles sighed. "What then?"
"Well, it's not an offer at all anymore, really," it said coyly, walking away. Its perfect round backside sauntering towards the fire. "It's more of a win win proposition." The creature spun on one stiletto heel and stared at Giles.
"And what is that?"
"Kill the child and live forever," it answered simply.
Giles swallowed, watching it stalk the cavern like a panther. "I will not kill Emma."
"Wrong," it said sharply, stopping in its tracks. It stared at the Watcher with empty, black eyes. "You see, the symbol behind you is...."
"The Eye of the Fates," Giles interrupted.
"Correct," it said, smiling, glistening white teeth glittering in the fire light. "I control you." Giles craned his head to look again at the looping, endless pattern, then looked the beast in the eye.
"You cannot will me to destroy them."
"I can," it said. "I will. Or you will die resisting and I will kill the Star anyway."
*****
"Ahh!" Xander shouted, sitting bolt upright in his bed, sweat pouring down his face, dripping in rivulets down his chest. The nightmare. Too real. Kissing Willow. Blackness. Giles.
He swung his legs over the side of the bed, leaning forward to catch his breath. The evil had been in him. He could feel its vapour trail linking him to Willow and to the darkness and somehow to Giles. It was gone now. Of that, he was sure. But he could feel the rawness in his veins as if acid had been pumped from his heart and singed every inch of his body.
"Will," he muttered to himself, reaching towards the bedside table. Fumbling for the phone. His breath hurt, his mind racing, his heart exploding in his chest from the force of the nightmare.
As the phone rang, it came back to him. Dawn's eyes. So bright they burned his pupils. It consumed her, then him, then all of them. But the light was really darkness. His head had hit the wooden floor with a thud and he could feel it pour into his ears, his eyes, his mouth. Like tar. Burning. Exploding. The Eye. The Dragon. A man in a suit. A hunched old woman with red eyes. A child suspended in darkness. Emptiness. Blackness. Then Willow.
'Hi, you've reached Tara and Willow. We can't come....'
"Damn it!" Xander snapped, slamming the phone into the receiver.
Willow.
Emma.
Xander frantically picked up the phone, punching in Buffy's exchange. It rang only once before a chipper, giddy voice answered. "Hello?"
"Dawn?" Xander croaked, his voice dry and cracked.
"Yeah, Xander. You still sick?" Dawn asked. Xander could hear barely coherent words and giggles from the baby in the background.
"I'm fine. Where's Buffy? I need to talk to her."
"Patrol."
Xander thought a moment. "Then put Spike on."
"He's with Buffy. He's *always* with Buffy," Dawn commented, then giggled again. "Emma easy," Xander heard her say to the child. "Anya, can you get her out of the water bowl?" Xander shook his head, trying to think.
"Dawn, put Anya on."
"Sure." There was a pause.
"Hey, Pookey," Anya chirped into the phone. "How are you feeling?"
"Fine," he croaked. "Have you seen Willow?"
"Sure, she's in the living room. But what do you need her for?" Anya asked, her insecurity bubbling to the surface. Panic took control and Xander lunged at the floor, grabbing his pants and almost dropping the phone as he forced them on.
"Ahn, listen. I can't explain, but *don't* let Willow near Emma."
"What? Why?"
"I know what happened in the gym."
"Yes. The body hopping spell. No one alone with Emma until we know who and how it jumps," Anya repeated from memory.
Xander sighed, gritting his teeth. "It was me," he admitted, pulling his shirt on and buttoning as he talked. "And now it's Willow."
"How? How do you know?" Anya stuttered, all chirpiness gone from her voice. She glanced around the corridor and watched Willow and Tara talking to Cyrus in the living room.
"I.. I remember now that it's gone," Xander answered, trying his shoes as he spoke.
"How... how did it jump?"
"I... I don't know," Xander began. 'Consequences, Harris,' Damn it, Spike. "Anya, we kissed."
"Who? Us?"
"Me... and Willow."
The line was silent. Not even breath. "Ahn? Ahn, I..."
"What?" she said, her voice void of emotion.
"I want to explain. I need to explain, but there's no time. I'm on my way over."
"Don't come here," Anya retorted flatly.
"Anya, I can explain..."
"As much as I want it to be because I *don't* want to see you, you can't come because Buffy said no. Spike..."
"What?" Xander was standing now, his body moving towards the door, tethered only by the phone cord.
"You heard me," Anya replied.
"Anya..." Xander sighed, "I..."
"Don't.Come.Here.," she whispered, tears building. "Besides, even if I did think you could explain it sufficiently, someone needs to tell Spike and Buffy."
Xander processed her words. Maybe she would give him a chance to explain. No time. "OK. Anya, please, *please* keep Willow away from Emma. I'm going to find them."
"Just don't come here," Anya whispered softly, tears spilling from the corners of her eyes. Quickly, she hung up.
As Anya looked around the room, trying to hide her feelings from Dawn, to compose herself before she moved along with her night, she noticed the toddler clinging to her leg. Anya reached down, scooping the baby into her arms. Dawn was silent, patting the dog and watching them cautiously.
"Let's get her to bed," Anya whispered, wiping the tears off her cheeks and burying her face in Emma's soft hair. "Please."
To be contd.