-------------------------------------------------------
This one was for all the marbles.
Dawn was scared. For the moment, she was in a small room with Buffy, her mother and Lama Dorgi. She had a rare courage for one so young, and our success tonight would be due in no small part to her contribution.
So was I, scared, and my whole life had been focussed oon this moment.
I defy anyone to be otherwise as we entered the Chapel at St. Ignatious. Sister Maria entered. When she was finished, she would join the others in the main Sanctuary.
Father Blackwell was already prostrate before the altar.
Everything was as ready as it would be.
Sister Maria looked at me. "It's time," she whispered and left the room.
Buffy and Dawn came through the door next.
Dawn smiled shakily at me as she moved towards her spot. I returned her smile, and waited as she hugged Buffy one last time, before sitting on her cushions. It was necessary that our eyes were level with each other. Buffy closed the door silently behind her.
I was able to keep track, fuzzily, with a portion of my mind, and the first depth was easy to reach. Two cleansing breaths in unison, and we were there. We were still aware of our bodies, and would be through the next few levels. But eventually, even that would pass.
For the time being, we co-ordinated our breathing.
Buffy entered the Sanctuary, being careful to avoid Father Blackwell, and sat beside her mother. "They've started," she whispered.
Mrs. Summers nodded, a tear escaping. She had promised herself , she would remain calm, but this was the second of her daughters that she was losing to this fight. She wondered how may other mothers had to go through with this.
Oh, she had listened while Buffy and Giles explained what Dawn really was, and how the Monks of Dagan had played with her mind, her memories. Made her think she had two daughters, instead of just one, like she actually had. As much as she loved Buffy, her real daughter, she loved
Dawn, and was scared she would never see her again.
"Buffy took her Mother's hand, as if she sensed what she was thinking.
"She's gonna be okay."
Candles flickered as we reached the fifth depth, and my perception of Dawn was that of an extremely bright light. Everyone's perception was different so I don't know how what her perception of me was, bright and dim. I sensed her keeping pace with me, as I began to sink even lower.
"Buffy's starting to wig." Willow glanced at her friend, and saw how jumpy she was. "Think it's starting."
Tara grabbed her hand. "Its going to be okay."
Xander over heard that, but wished there was something he could do. He started praying every prayer he had ever learned when he was in Sunday School, and those few occasions he had attended church. He hoped that it didn't matter that he wasn't Catholic.
Giles sat quietly beside Mrs. Summers. He had never felt more helpless.
Lama Dorgi slipped into a meditation of his own.
I was aware of floating in ether. In front of me, the brightness I saw as Dawn, and closing in on us, a huge red angry sphere.
"Dawn," the word was thought not spoken, but directed at the brightness in front of me "Can you understand me?"
"Yeah," came the response. "It's like I'm thinking your thoughts, not just mine. That big red thing is it..."
"Yes. Now think of my mind as part of your mind, as your mind as part of mine. I will do the same."
"Okay."
Slowly, and delicately our minds came together, touched, mingled, became as one.
"And the Blessed of the Lord shall take the key..."
The Dawn that was me and the me that was Dawn watched at the ether around us filled with the angry redness, and reached deep down inside ourselves."
"They've been in there a long time." Anya looked queerly at Xander. "What are you doing?"
Xander didn't stop to answer.
The evil struck first. Trying to force a wedge between us. We were expecting it, but even so, we were hard put to drive out the wedge, that had almost fulfilled its task. We reached even deeper, and the Dawn that was still her began the process of willing open the vast stores of energy
that she knew to be hers.
The me that was I cautioned her to take great care, not to open to wide an opening, lest all the power pent up inside came rushing out in a flood that no one less than Divine could hope to control.
She nodded and concentrated even more than she had been. The opening grew, but its growth slowed, until I told her no more.
Buffy squirmed in her seat. Every Slayer sense was on full alert, and she ached with the need to do something. Preferably something violent. She glanced around the church. Willow and Tara were holding hands, their eyes squeezed tightly shut. Giles sat on the other side of her
mother, silently looking straight ahead. Xander was bent over, near double, in his seat his lips moving. She could barely make out the words to the Lord's Prayer.
--------------------------------------------------------
We thought of a spot light, focusing the power of the Key on the evil that roiled about us.
There was a gnashing and a grinding of teeth.
But the evil moved away from us. It fought, sending streamers of energy, causing us to flinch when the energy struck us.
The spot light became a flood light, streaming controlled energy, pushing the evil back, towards the vortex it surely must have come from.
I reached into the stores of my own reserves, and added that to the stream."
------------------------------------------------------------
"Giles," Buffy bounced in her seat. "Pray."
"What?"
"Prayer, look, this is a church, surely we can do that much Look, what was it that Xander said when we discussed the type of energy, Dawn had, and he said it was the kind that was released at rituals. What if it's prayer, the power of faith that she collects? Maybe we can't help
her directly, but we can recharge her batteries. We gotta do something. It can't hurt right."
You want us to pray to Dawn?"
"No, not to her, but for her and Father Rosenberg."
"Oh," Giles took Mrs. Summers hands into his and lowered his head. After a moment of confusion, Mrs. Summers did the same.
"Willow," Buffy rushed into the seat beside her.
"Pray"
"What pray, but, here, I'm Jewish."
"Doesn't matter, recite a psalm, something. Look, he's been trained in all the religions, I don't think it'll matter if its a Jewish prayer."
"Oh Okay."
--------------------------------------------------------
Red streamers writhed around us as we pushed back the evil, whence it came. It slid from on side to another, but we re-focused, and continued the steady push that was depleting Dawn at a rate faster than anticipated.
------------------------------------------------------
Xander slid into the seat next to Buffy, who was holding her mother's hands. Riley and Willow pushed into the seat in front of them, and Lama Dorgi suddenly appeared along with sister Maria and Brother Michaud.
They linked hands and bowed their heads together.
-----------------------------------------------------------
It was nearly finished, we were dangerously depleted, and the fight would end. Already it was beginning to sputter. But a voice deep within us told us not to give up, that the help we needed would soon be here.
Almost at the moment of despair, we sensed it. An orb of white energy floating in the ether beside us. We reached, with our minds, and gathered it up, restored Dawns depleted reserves, and re-focused our efforts.
--------------------------------------------------------
"Mom?"
"Wha..." Mrs. Summers struggled a wake to see Dawn squeezed into the pew.
"Dawn?...OH BABY!" Mrs. Summers enveloped her youngest daughter in a deep hug, which was soon joined by Buffy and the rest of the Scooby gang.
"Mom," Dawn squeaked. "He won't wake up, and he's all covered with blood."
"What was that hon?" Mrs. Summers motioned that everyone should back up, give her room.
"Father Rosenberg. We pushed this big bluish red thing back until went though this swirling hole thing, and closed it, an then we started coming back like, only he didn't come back." Dawned looked at Lama Dorgi. "He's doing it isn't he?"
"What's he doing?" Willow looked confused.
Buffy was moving towards the Chapel as Lama Dorgi explained. She looked in to see a lance of morning light illuminating the Figure of Father Rosenberg, sitting in the direct center of the cleared area, where he had been, exactly as he had been the night before.
Lama Dorgi entered the room behind her, followed by the others.
"He's still breathing, but its kind of weak."
"Such a thing would be draining. Perhaps all he needs is to replenish his strength. At any rate there is nothing we can do."
"He's not?"
"I do not believe so. We were careful not to choose his beliefs for him, and took care to see that he had all the options before him, before we allowed him to choose. As a Catholic he must believe in the sanctity of the gift of life. " He sighed. "At any rate, there is nothing we can do. Except wait."
-----------------------------------------------------
Buffy was the last to leave the chapel, and closed the door silently behind her. It was the beginning of a new day, and she hoped that she would not have anything much to worry about, and then she groaned.
An important mid term was coming up, and she hadn't even started preparing.
She wondered what Willow was doing, and hurried over to find out.
"Willow," She heard Dawn say as she closed the distance between them. "It's about Father Rosenberg." Dawn sounded nervous. "It's something that I would want to know, if I were you, but I don't know if I should say anything, or wait until he can tell you, but he might not be able to tell you, but I think you really need to know."
"I don't think he'll mind you telling me then." Willow winked conspiratorially. "We just won't tell him."
"Okay, it's just that..."
"Dawn?"
"He's your brother."
Buffy scurried past, maybe if she really applied herself, she could get at least half the questions right.
This one was for all the marbles.
Dawn was scared. For the moment, she was in a small room with Buffy, her mother and Lama Dorgi. She had a rare courage for one so young, and our success tonight would be due in no small part to her contribution.
So was I, scared, and my whole life had been focussed oon this moment.
I defy anyone to be otherwise as we entered the Chapel at St. Ignatious. Sister Maria entered. When she was finished, she would join the others in the main Sanctuary.
Father Blackwell was already prostrate before the altar.
Everything was as ready as it would be.
Sister Maria looked at me. "It's time," she whispered and left the room.
Buffy and Dawn came through the door next.
Dawn smiled shakily at me as she moved towards her spot. I returned her smile, and waited as she hugged Buffy one last time, before sitting on her cushions. It was necessary that our eyes were level with each other. Buffy closed the door silently behind her.
I was able to keep track, fuzzily, with a portion of my mind, and the first depth was easy to reach. Two cleansing breaths in unison, and we were there. We were still aware of our bodies, and would be through the next few levels. But eventually, even that would pass.
For the time being, we co-ordinated our breathing.
Buffy entered the Sanctuary, being careful to avoid Father Blackwell, and sat beside her mother. "They've started," she whispered.
Mrs. Summers nodded, a tear escaping. She had promised herself , she would remain calm, but this was the second of her daughters that she was losing to this fight. She wondered how may other mothers had to go through with this.
Oh, she had listened while Buffy and Giles explained what Dawn really was, and how the Monks of Dagan had played with her mind, her memories. Made her think she had two daughters, instead of just one, like she actually had. As much as she loved Buffy, her real daughter, she loved
Dawn, and was scared she would never see her again.
"Buffy took her Mother's hand, as if she sensed what she was thinking.
"She's gonna be okay."
Candles flickered as we reached the fifth depth, and my perception of Dawn was that of an extremely bright light. Everyone's perception was different so I don't know how what her perception of me was, bright and dim. I sensed her keeping pace with me, as I began to sink even lower.
"Buffy's starting to wig." Willow glanced at her friend, and saw how jumpy she was. "Think it's starting."
Tara grabbed her hand. "Its going to be okay."
Xander over heard that, but wished there was something he could do. He started praying every prayer he had ever learned when he was in Sunday School, and those few occasions he had attended church. He hoped that it didn't matter that he wasn't Catholic.
Giles sat quietly beside Mrs. Summers. He had never felt more helpless.
Lama Dorgi slipped into a meditation of his own.
I was aware of floating in ether. In front of me, the brightness I saw as Dawn, and closing in on us, a huge red angry sphere.
"Dawn," the word was thought not spoken, but directed at the brightness in front of me "Can you understand me?"
"Yeah," came the response. "It's like I'm thinking your thoughts, not just mine. That big red thing is it..."
"Yes. Now think of my mind as part of your mind, as your mind as part of mine. I will do the same."
"Okay."
Slowly, and delicately our minds came together, touched, mingled, became as one.
"And the Blessed of the Lord shall take the key..."
The Dawn that was me and the me that was Dawn watched at the ether around us filled with the angry redness, and reached deep down inside ourselves."
"They've been in there a long time." Anya looked queerly at Xander. "What are you doing?"
Xander didn't stop to answer.
The evil struck first. Trying to force a wedge between us. We were expecting it, but even so, we were hard put to drive out the wedge, that had almost fulfilled its task. We reached even deeper, and the Dawn that was still her began the process of willing open the vast stores of energy
that she knew to be hers.
The me that was I cautioned her to take great care, not to open to wide an opening, lest all the power pent up inside came rushing out in a flood that no one less than Divine could hope to control.
She nodded and concentrated even more than she had been. The opening grew, but its growth slowed, until I told her no more.
Buffy squirmed in her seat. Every Slayer sense was on full alert, and she ached with the need to do something. Preferably something violent. She glanced around the church. Willow and Tara were holding hands, their eyes squeezed tightly shut. Giles sat on the other side of her
mother, silently looking straight ahead. Xander was bent over, near double, in his seat his lips moving. She could barely make out the words to the Lord's Prayer.
--------------------------------------------------------
We thought of a spot light, focusing the power of the Key on the evil that roiled about us.
There was a gnashing and a grinding of teeth.
But the evil moved away from us. It fought, sending streamers of energy, causing us to flinch when the energy struck us.
The spot light became a flood light, streaming controlled energy, pushing the evil back, towards the vortex it surely must have come from.
I reached into the stores of my own reserves, and added that to the stream."
------------------------------------------------------------
"Giles," Buffy bounced in her seat. "Pray."
"What?"
"Prayer, look, this is a church, surely we can do that much Look, what was it that Xander said when we discussed the type of energy, Dawn had, and he said it was the kind that was released at rituals. What if it's prayer, the power of faith that she collects? Maybe we can't help
her directly, but we can recharge her batteries. We gotta do something. It can't hurt right."
You want us to pray to Dawn?"
"No, not to her, but for her and Father Rosenberg."
"Oh," Giles took Mrs. Summers hands into his and lowered his head. After a moment of confusion, Mrs. Summers did the same.
"Willow," Buffy rushed into the seat beside her.
"Pray"
"What pray, but, here, I'm Jewish."
"Doesn't matter, recite a psalm, something. Look, he's been trained in all the religions, I don't think it'll matter if its a Jewish prayer."
"Oh Okay."
--------------------------------------------------------
Red streamers writhed around us as we pushed back the evil, whence it came. It slid from on side to another, but we re-focused, and continued the steady push that was depleting Dawn at a rate faster than anticipated.
------------------------------------------------------
Xander slid into the seat next to Buffy, who was holding her mother's hands. Riley and Willow pushed into the seat in front of them, and Lama Dorgi suddenly appeared along with sister Maria and Brother Michaud.
They linked hands and bowed their heads together.
-----------------------------------------------------------
It was nearly finished, we were dangerously depleted, and the fight would end. Already it was beginning to sputter. But a voice deep within us told us not to give up, that the help we needed would soon be here.
Almost at the moment of despair, we sensed it. An orb of white energy floating in the ether beside us. We reached, with our minds, and gathered it up, restored Dawns depleted reserves, and re-focused our efforts.
--------------------------------------------------------
"Mom?"
"Wha..." Mrs. Summers struggled a wake to see Dawn squeezed into the pew.
"Dawn?...OH BABY!" Mrs. Summers enveloped her youngest daughter in a deep hug, which was soon joined by Buffy and the rest of the Scooby gang.
"Mom," Dawn squeaked. "He won't wake up, and he's all covered with blood."
"What was that hon?" Mrs. Summers motioned that everyone should back up, give her room.
"Father Rosenberg. We pushed this big bluish red thing back until went though this swirling hole thing, and closed it, an then we started coming back like, only he didn't come back." Dawned looked at Lama Dorgi. "He's doing it isn't he?"
"What's he doing?" Willow looked confused.
Buffy was moving towards the Chapel as Lama Dorgi explained. She looked in to see a lance of morning light illuminating the Figure of Father Rosenberg, sitting in the direct center of the cleared area, where he had been, exactly as he had been the night before.
Lama Dorgi entered the room behind her, followed by the others.
"He's still breathing, but its kind of weak."
"Such a thing would be draining. Perhaps all he needs is to replenish his strength. At any rate there is nothing we can do."
"He's not?"
"I do not believe so. We were careful not to choose his beliefs for him, and took care to see that he had all the options before him, before we allowed him to choose. As a Catholic he must believe in the sanctity of the gift of life. " He sighed. "At any rate, there is nothing we can do. Except wait."
-----------------------------------------------------
Buffy was the last to leave the chapel, and closed the door silently behind her. It was the beginning of a new day, and she hoped that she would not have anything much to worry about, and then she groaned.
An important mid term was coming up, and she hadn't even started preparing.
She wondered what Willow was doing, and hurried over to find out.
"Willow," She heard Dawn say as she closed the distance between them. "It's about Father Rosenberg." Dawn sounded nervous. "It's something that I would want to know, if I were you, but I don't know if I should say anything, or wait until he can tell you, but he might not be able to tell you, but I think you really need to know."
"I don't think he'll mind you telling me then." Willow winked conspiratorially. "We just won't tell him."
"Okay, it's just that..."
"Dawn?"
"He's your brother."
Buffy scurried past, maybe if she really applied herself, she could get at least half the questions right.