CROSS ROADS
Part 15
It had all happened so fast. There had been no time to respond quickly enough to save Willow. Dru was going to take her and there was nothing any of them could do to stop her in time as her fangs began to bite into Willow's throat.
Spike stared at Dru in anger and a touch of envy. He couldn't help that. He had wanted to do that to Willow some day but his love beat him to it.
Angel and Xander were both moving toward Dru to stop her, but by then the damage might be too much and too late.
But something happened.
Dru's eyes opened in horror. "What?!"
Suddenly, as if picked up by some unseen force, Dru flew over the table and crashed onto the floor hard. Willow had her hand on her neck and was amazed that there were no marks on her neck. Then she looked and she saw Jeremiah standing there. Dazedly, she blinked and he was gone.
Jeremiah had tossed aside Dru as if she were a doll.
Xander took Willow aside and he looked at her neck, moving her hair aside with one hand and holding the lantern up with his other hand. "Oh, God, Will! What...are you okay?"
"O-okay..." Willow stammered. She looked at Xander. "Bad date. C-can we go home now?"
Xander opened his mouth to respond but a hand clamped down onto his shoulder. He turned to face Spike.
"Did you just hit my woman?!" he demanded.
"Spike," Angel said, as he glanced at the seven vampires who were watching them closely. "He didn't hit Dru. But if we don't do something about your guests, it isn't going to matter anyway."
Spike wasn't listening. He made a grab for Xander's arm and he pulled hard, causing Xander to spin around to face him. The motion was fast and Xander found his hand losing its grip on the lantern.
The seven vampires began to move forward.
The lantern began to sail upward.
Angel turned his head and he saw the advancing enemy. "Spike!" he cried out. And this time, something in his tone broke through Spike's senses.
Willow, Spike, and Xander turned to see the new threat approaching. Then the lantern finally decided to descend. It had sailed high into the air, but now the truth of the matter was at hand. For whatever must go up must therefore inevitably come down. It crashed at the feet of the head vampire, causing him to look down in horror. The lantern not only shattered, but because of the impact he burst into flames.
Spike, Xander, Willow, and Angel brought their hands up to shield their faces from the heat and the sudden brightness. The vampire began a bizarre dance on the floor.
Spike frowned. "Balls and bloody hell!!" he shouted. He turned to glare at Xander. "You strike my girl, and now you try to burn my house down?!" He pointed at him angrily. "When my truce with Angel is done with, you'd better not be anywhere near me!"
"Fine by me," Xander agreed. "Your breath stinks like rot anyway."
Spike frowned.
Xander looked around him. "Damn it! I could really use a weapon right now!"
Angel silently agreed. He quickly picked up one of the antique chairs and raised it above his head.
"NOOO!!" Spike shouted.
But it was too late. Angel brought the chair down hard and he smashed it into pieces. He picked up two of the broken legs, one of which was very sharp, and he tossed one to Xander. Xander looked at it appreciatively. He had been given the sharpest leg.
Spike glared at Angel. "Do you know how much that cost me!"
"Don't blame me..." Angel pointed at the visitors. "Blame them."
Spike glared at his guests and he sighed. "Why the bloody hell not?" He retrieved a leg for himself. "I think it's about time you blokes pay for this damage...with your lives!"
The burning vampire was screaming in agony and because of his dancing back and forth across the floor, his companions were not so ready to make a charge for their prey. But suddenly, a figure raced toward the burning vampire. No one had seen where he had come from but he had a sword and it sliced through the air. The sword sliced through the vampire's neck. As the burning head began to fall, it burst into dust along with its body and the dust and ashes fell to the floor.
Lenox spun around to face the remaining six vampires with his sword at the ready.
Willow stared in astonishment. She knew who that was. "M-Michael?" she inquired.
Stacy appeared at her side and put her arms around her. "We're both here, Willow."
Willow turned to look at her. "Stacy!" She hugged her.
Buffy stepped to Angel's side and smiled wryly. "The Calvary's here. Who are your friends?"
"Doesn't matter," Lenox growled. "Let's dust them." He charged at the nearest one with his sword, but the vampire saw it coming and stepped back. He came back with a flying kick that Lenox turned his side into. Then he wrapped his arm around the leg and he came down with the sword.
The vampire cried out in pain as the sword sliced into his leg. Lenox dropped the leg abruptly, spun around and swung at his throat. The vampire turned to dust.
Whether it was the sudden motion of the attack from Lenox, or it was something else, the other vampires charged as a group. Spike ran himself into one and they both tumbled onto the floor. Angel and Buffy soon found themselves each fighting one. That left two who remained and those two were heading for Xander, Willow, and Stacy.
Xander braced himself with the wooden leg and put himself in front of Stacy and Willow.
But suddenly, Stacy gently pulled Xander back. She looked at the approaching vampires and gathered her faith. "Shield us!!" she shouted.
The vampires suddenly charged at them but it was as if they had struck an invisible wall. They collided into air as rock hard as a brick wall and they stumbled back. Shaking their heads in disbelief, they stared at ahead of them as they tried to see what it was that they had run into. What their eyes could not see were four angels standing side by side with their shields in front of them. Xander, Willow, and Stacy couldn't see the angels either...but they knew that something was there.
The two vampires glared at Stacy.
She looked right back at them. She raised a hand toward them. "GET BACK!!" she shouted. Her voice seemed to echo along the walls.
The unseen angels grabbed the vampires and carried them into the air. To Xander, Willow, and Stacy it seemed like the vampires were flying through the air across the warehouse where they hit the far wall hard and vanished from sight. They got up from the floor and made for their escape.
There was a long pause as Xander and Willow stood together, staring at where the vampires had gone. Then they looked at each other. Slowly, they turned around and they stared at Stacy as if seeing her for the first time.
"Please don't take this the wrong way, Stacy, but..." Xander took a deep breath and he pointed at her enthusiastically. "...I love you!"
Buffy, Angel, and Spike had managed to dust their opponents with a minimum of trouble. But then Buffy had to play the peacemaker as she saw Lenox regarding Spike and Angel suspiciously.
"Listen," she said, "I can't vouch for Spike, but I can for Angel. He's a good vampire. He really is, so-"
"I know." Lenox nodded. "He has a soul."
She stared at him blankly. "You...know that already? You...you seem to know a lot."
He looked at Spike. "What's your story?"
"I have a truce with Angel," Spike said through clenched teethe. "A very short truce."
"For your sake, it better be longer."
"Was that a threat, mate?"
Lenox glared at him. "I'm not your mate." He shook his head. "I don't make threats."
"And I don't like you! Nor that woman of yours with her invisible friends!" Spike nodded his head. "Yeah, that's right! I know about your guardian angels..." He put his hands on his hips and glared around him. "AND THEY'RE NOT BLOODY WELCOME IN MY BLOODY HOUSE!!"
"The only reason you're still alive is because of your truce with Angel. And don't piss off the angels. They may tear you apart."
"Enough!" Buffy called out. "Look. We have to get Willow out of here. Can we do that please? Before any more testerone outbursts?"
Xander had been watching them until he felt a hand grab at his arm.
"X-Xander..."
Xander turned his head and he found Willow at his side. Something was wrong. She was looking at him fearfully. Her eyes were a little glassy and her breathing was shallow. She was trembling.
He had a sudden feeling of panic as he put his arms around her to keep her from falling. "Will?! Oh, God...Willow! Y-you're shaking."
Willow looked at Xander's face. She looked until she couldn't look any more. She lost focus, closed her eyes, and she lost consciousness. Xander held her and looked at her face, despair setting in.
"Willow!" Buffy cried out. She hurried to Xander's side, fearing for Willow.
Stacy placed her hands on Xander's shoulders and tried to guide him. "We have to get her onto the table, Xander," she said gently.
Xander nodded numbly but he picked up Willow and placed her gently onto the table.
"Now that's what I call setting the table," Spike said with a whistle.
Angel, Buffy, and Lenox shot him a look.
Spike tried to look innocent. "What? Did I say something?"
"Say anything more and I'll end the truce with a table leg in your heart," Angel promised him.
Lying on the table, Willow suddenly looked quite peaceful, as if all she was doing were just sleeping. Her breathing was steady and Xander hoped that was a good sign.
Spike tried to pretend he hadn't spoken his first comment out loud. At least he hadn't meant to say that out loud. He cleared his throat. "What the bloody hell is wrong with her?"
Stacy glanced at him. "It's called Post-Traumatic Stress Syndrome."
"Th-that's a very long terminology, right?" Xander asked nervously. "I'm simple enough to know that big words like that usually mean that that it's not a good thing."
Stacy gave his shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "It's stress, Xander. Everything that Willow has been through within the past two days has caught up with her. She's going to be fine." She turned to look at her husband. "Michael...we still need to get Willow to a hospital."
Lenox nodded his head as he approached the table. He re-sheathed his sword and he cast a wary glance at both Spike and Angel. Then he reached for Willow and gently picked her up. "Where's the nearest exit?" he asked.
"Right this way, mate," Spike replied. Then he frowned at Lenox. "Sorry." He began to lead the way. Lenox carried Willow behind him as Stacy and Xander followed.
Angel and Buffy stood together and watched them go. "Are you okay?" Angel asked her.
Buffy tried to keep her composure and was successful for the most part. She took a deep breath and looked at him. "Willow has gone through so much, Angel...I saw the mind games they played on her. I-I just hope she'll be okay."
Angel put his hand under her chin and raised her head toward him. "Willow is going to be all right, Buffy. She's safe now." He paused. "She needs her friends and family right now. So go with her. Give her your love. That's all she needs."
"What are you going to do?"
"There's not much I can do until sundown. But Spike and I will look for those two visitors that took off."
Buffy hugged him. "Be careful, Angel."
He smiled wryly at her. "Words to live by."
Then he was gone.
Buffy hurried to catch up with the others.
____________________________________________
TO BE CONTINUED --
Part 15
It had all happened so fast. There had been no time to respond quickly enough to save Willow. Dru was going to take her and there was nothing any of them could do to stop her in time as her fangs began to bite into Willow's throat.
Spike stared at Dru in anger and a touch of envy. He couldn't help that. He had wanted to do that to Willow some day but his love beat him to it.
Angel and Xander were both moving toward Dru to stop her, but by then the damage might be too much and too late.
But something happened.
Dru's eyes opened in horror. "What?!"
Suddenly, as if picked up by some unseen force, Dru flew over the table and crashed onto the floor hard. Willow had her hand on her neck and was amazed that there were no marks on her neck. Then she looked and she saw Jeremiah standing there. Dazedly, she blinked and he was gone.
Jeremiah had tossed aside Dru as if she were a doll.
Xander took Willow aside and he looked at her neck, moving her hair aside with one hand and holding the lantern up with his other hand. "Oh, God, Will! What...are you okay?"
"O-okay..." Willow stammered. She looked at Xander. "Bad date. C-can we go home now?"
Xander opened his mouth to respond but a hand clamped down onto his shoulder. He turned to face Spike.
"Did you just hit my woman?!" he demanded.
"Spike," Angel said, as he glanced at the seven vampires who were watching them closely. "He didn't hit Dru. But if we don't do something about your guests, it isn't going to matter anyway."
Spike wasn't listening. He made a grab for Xander's arm and he pulled hard, causing Xander to spin around to face him. The motion was fast and Xander found his hand losing its grip on the lantern.
The seven vampires began to move forward.
The lantern began to sail upward.
Angel turned his head and he saw the advancing enemy. "Spike!" he cried out. And this time, something in his tone broke through Spike's senses.
Willow, Spike, and Xander turned to see the new threat approaching. Then the lantern finally decided to descend. It had sailed high into the air, but now the truth of the matter was at hand. For whatever must go up must therefore inevitably come down. It crashed at the feet of the head vampire, causing him to look down in horror. The lantern not only shattered, but because of the impact he burst into flames.
Spike, Xander, Willow, and Angel brought their hands up to shield their faces from the heat and the sudden brightness. The vampire began a bizarre dance on the floor.
Spike frowned. "Balls and bloody hell!!" he shouted. He turned to glare at Xander. "You strike my girl, and now you try to burn my house down?!" He pointed at him angrily. "When my truce with Angel is done with, you'd better not be anywhere near me!"
"Fine by me," Xander agreed. "Your breath stinks like rot anyway."
Spike frowned.
Xander looked around him. "Damn it! I could really use a weapon right now!"
Angel silently agreed. He quickly picked up one of the antique chairs and raised it above his head.
"NOOO!!" Spike shouted.
But it was too late. Angel brought the chair down hard and he smashed it into pieces. He picked up two of the broken legs, one of which was very sharp, and he tossed one to Xander. Xander looked at it appreciatively. He had been given the sharpest leg.
Spike glared at Angel. "Do you know how much that cost me!"
"Don't blame me..." Angel pointed at the visitors. "Blame them."
Spike glared at his guests and he sighed. "Why the bloody hell not?" He retrieved a leg for himself. "I think it's about time you blokes pay for this damage...with your lives!"
The burning vampire was screaming in agony and because of his dancing back and forth across the floor, his companions were not so ready to make a charge for their prey. But suddenly, a figure raced toward the burning vampire. No one had seen where he had come from but he had a sword and it sliced through the air. The sword sliced through the vampire's neck. As the burning head began to fall, it burst into dust along with its body and the dust and ashes fell to the floor.
Lenox spun around to face the remaining six vampires with his sword at the ready.
Willow stared in astonishment. She knew who that was. "M-Michael?" she inquired.
Stacy appeared at her side and put her arms around her. "We're both here, Willow."
Willow turned to look at her. "Stacy!" She hugged her.
Buffy stepped to Angel's side and smiled wryly. "The Calvary's here. Who are your friends?"
"Doesn't matter," Lenox growled. "Let's dust them." He charged at the nearest one with his sword, but the vampire saw it coming and stepped back. He came back with a flying kick that Lenox turned his side into. Then he wrapped his arm around the leg and he came down with the sword.
The vampire cried out in pain as the sword sliced into his leg. Lenox dropped the leg abruptly, spun around and swung at his throat. The vampire turned to dust.
Whether it was the sudden motion of the attack from Lenox, or it was something else, the other vampires charged as a group. Spike ran himself into one and they both tumbled onto the floor. Angel and Buffy soon found themselves each fighting one. That left two who remained and those two were heading for Xander, Willow, and Stacy.
Xander braced himself with the wooden leg and put himself in front of Stacy and Willow.
But suddenly, Stacy gently pulled Xander back. She looked at the approaching vampires and gathered her faith. "Shield us!!" she shouted.
The vampires suddenly charged at them but it was as if they had struck an invisible wall. They collided into air as rock hard as a brick wall and they stumbled back. Shaking their heads in disbelief, they stared at ahead of them as they tried to see what it was that they had run into. What their eyes could not see were four angels standing side by side with their shields in front of them. Xander, Willow, and Stacy couldn't see the angels either...but they knew that something was there.
The two vampires glared at Stacy.
She looked right back at them. She raised a hand toward them. "GET BACK!!" she shouted. Her voice seemed to echo along the walls.
The unseen angels grabbed the vampires and carried them into the air. To Xander, Willow, and Stacy it seemed like the vampires were flying through the air across the warehouse where they hit the far wall hard and vanished from sight. They got up from the floor and made for their escape.
There was a long pause as Xander and Willow stood together, staring at where the vampires had gone. Then they looked at each other. Slowly, they turned around and they stared at Stacy as if seeing her for the first time.
"Please don't take this the wrong way, Stacy, but..." Xander took a deep breath and he pointed at her enthusiastically. "...I love you!"
Buffy, Angel, and Spike had managed to dust their opponents with a minimum of trouble. But then Buffy had to play the peacemaker as she saw Lenox regarding Spike and Angel suspiciously.
"Listen," she said, "I can't vouch for Spike, but I can for Angel. He's a good vampire. He really is, so-"
"I know." Lenox nodded. "He has a soul."
She stared at him blankly. "You...know that already? You...you seem to know a lot."
He looked at Spike. "What's your story?"
"I have a truce with Angel," Spike said through clenched teethe. "A very short truce."
"For your sake, it better be longer."
"Was that a threat, mate?"
Lenox glared at him. "I'm not your mate." He shook his head. "I don't make threats."
"And I don't like you! Nor that woman of yours with her invisible friends!" Spike nodded his head. "Yeah, that's right! I know about your guardian angels..." He put his hands on his hips and glared around him. "AND THEY'RE NOT BLOODY WELCOME IN MY BLOODY HOUSE!!"
"The only reason you're still alive is because of your truce with Angel. And don't piss off the angels. They may tear you apart."
"Enough!" Buffy called out. "Look. We have to get Willow out of here. Can we do that please? Before any more testerone outbursts?"
Xander had been watching them until he felt a hand grab at his arm.
"X-Xander..."
Xander turned his head and he found Willow at his side. Something was wrong. She was looking at him fearfully. Her eyes were a little glassy and her breathing was shallow. She was trembling.
He had a sudden feeling of panic as he put his arms around her to keep her from falling. "Will?! Oh, God...Willow! Y-you're shaking."
Willow looked at Xander's face. She looked until she couldn't look any more. She lost focus, closed her eyes, and she lost consciousness. Xander held her and looked at her face, despair setting in.
"Willow!" Buffy cried out. She hurried to Xander's side, fearing for Willow.
Stacy placed her hands on Xander's shoulders and tried to guide him. "We have to get her onto the table, Xander," she said gently.
Xander nodded numbly but he picked up Willow and placed her gently onto the table.
"Now that's what I call setting the table," Spike said with a whistle.
Angel, Buffy, and Lenox shot him a look.
Spike tried to look innocent. "What? Did I say something?"
"Say anything more and I'll end the truce with a table leg in your heart," Angel promised him.
Lying on the table, Willow suddenly looked quite peaceful, as if all she was doing were just sleeping. Her breathing was steady and Xander hoped that was a good sign.
Spike tried to pretend he hadn't spoken his first comment out loud. At least he hadn't meant to say that out loud. He cleared his throat. "What the bloody hell is wrong with her?"
Stacy glanced at him. "It's called Post-Traumatic Stress Syndrome."
"Th-that's a very long terminology, right?" Xander asked nervously. "I'm simple enough to know that big words like that usually mean that that it's not a good thing."
Stacy gave his shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "It's stress, Xander. Everything that Willow has been through within the past two days has caught up with her. She's going to be fine." She turned to look at her husband. "Michael...we still need to get Willow to a hospital."
Lenox nodded his head as he approached the table. He re-sheathed his sword and he cast a wary glance at both Spike and Angel. Then he reached for Willow and gently picked her up. "Where's the nearest exit?" he asked.
"Right this way, mate," Spike replied. Then he frowned at Lenox. "Sorry." He began to lead the way. Lenox carried Willow behind him as Stacy and Xander followed.
Angel and Buffy stood together and watched them go. "Are you okay?" Angel asked her.
Buffy tried to keep her composure and was successful for the most part. She took a deep breath and looked at him. "Willow has gone through so much, Angel...I saw the mind games they played on her. I-I just hope she'll be okay."
Angel put his hand under her chin and raised her head toward him. "Willow is going to be all right, Buffy. She's safe now." He paused. "She needs her friends and family right now. So go with her. Give her your love. That's all she needs."
"What are you going to do?"
"There's not much I can do until sundown. But Spike and I will look for those two visitors that took off."
Buffy hugged him. "Be careful, Angel."
He smiled wryly at her. "Words to live by."
Then he was gone.
Buffy hurried to catch up with the others.
____________________________________________
TO BE CONTINUED --