A Buffy & Spike fiction | THE GNOSIS
Title: The Gnosis
Synopsis: Back in the Magic Box, Buffy, Giles, Anya, Willow, and Dawn had a visit from a mysterious gentleman. A Buffy & Spike fiction.
Note: A continuation of 'Forevermore'. I write immediately after an episode airs. I write immediately after an episode airs. I don't read spoilers nor early bird reviews, plus I don't get next week's previews (!), so all my post-episode fictions are pure speculations :)
Rating: G
Date Written: Wednesday, 19 April, 2001 : 4:00:00 PM
Author: The Resident Web Vampyr © 2001.
Credits: Buffy the Vampire Slayer is a property by Joss Whedon and the powers that be. Click here for more.
Characters in play: Buffy Willow Anya Dawn Doc Warren Giles Spike



part four.

The following day, Buffy and Willow dropped by the Magic Box and talked about what had transpired the previous day. Giles was in the stock room taking inventory of newly received potions, tomes, and chicken feet. Anya was in her usual overly-courteous mood with the customers, not forgetting to say thank you for their money and wishing them to please visit the store again.

Willow, feeling embarrassed, was genuinely sorry for inadvertantly letting Dawn get a hold of the witchcraft book.

"Buffy, I'm really, really sorry about what happened," said Willow, her eyes pleading. "I didn't realize that she would actually perform the spell. I-I just thought it would make the pain go away... but I was wrong," said Willow in a sorrowful voice.

Buffy looked at her and realized she couldn't hold any grudges against her. Willow was her best friend .

"Will-"

"I was careless!" cried Willow. "I almost alter the natural order of things, mess the space-time continum, what ever you call it," she said heavily. "'Guess I'm not a very good Wiccan... and I'm definitely a very bad friend." Willow paused. "Can you forgive me?"

Buffy reached for her hand and reassured her, "Willow, it's not your fault."

"Huh?"

"Okay, part of it was your fault," Buffy smiled. "But Dawn wouldn't have gotten to the point where she could perform the spell without any help from somebody else."

Buffy was still convinced that somebody helped her little sister. Who that individual was, she wasn't sure. Spike was her primary suspect though, the vampire who never seemed to stop stalking her and her family, not even last night when he said he would stay out of her life.

Forever.

Such a powerful word, yet its meaning was not taken seriously anymore. Especially by a vampire like Spike, Buffy thought. He may say forever, but somehow Buffy was not relieved, she knew sooner or later, Spike would do something. Something stupid.


***


The shop's bell rang. A odd-looking gentleman entered. He was wearing a long overcoat that almost touched the ground, a fedora, and a pair of spectacles that were pushed down on his nose. He started to look around the shop for merchandise.

Giles rejoined Buffy and Willow at the table carrying manuscripts, a pouch of potions, and a jar of chicken feet.

"I swear not to order these things anymore..." said Giles, disappointed. "So, Buffy, any news from your father yet?" he asked.

Buffy shook her head bitterly. It was silent for a moment, then Giles started to speak, "One ancient book was definitely missing from the shelf, and a couple of viles, which I presumed Dawn took for the resurrection spell."

"Dawn promised me that she'll give the books back today," said Buffy. "She'll probably be here any minute now."




part five.

Dawn walked past the busy corner two blocks from the Magic Box. She had promised to return the books she borrowed from Giles and Willow. Spells, after all, are not things I should mess up with, she thought. But what if, I succeeded with the spell? Do I really want a mom that's half-dead? I mean, Doc can't even promise that she would turn out normal, right? Even with a good DNA. I guess I will never find out.

She sighed.

Perhaps I should've accepted that grieving tonics instead. Dawn smiled.


***

Back in the Magic Box, Anya was telling another customer her standard "be back" goodbyes. The odd-looking gentleman came up to her to pay for his merchandise.

"Is there anything else sir?"

"No, that's about everything," said the man. "Splendid place you got here," he said, looking around the store. A shining orb caught his attention. "Is this for sale?" the odd-looking gentleman asked, holding the orb with his hands.

"Oh no, it's our lucky charm," said Anya, getting back the orb from the man. "Me lucky charm," she grinned, mimicking an Irish accent. "I'm kidding. It's actually a Dagon sphere."

"I know..." Anya looked puzzled, "You know?"

"Let's just say, I know stuff..." said the man, reaching for his merchandise.

"Uhm, here you go," Anya handed the man his change, wondering what he meant by his statement about knowing stuff.



part six.

Doc left the Magic Box hurriedly. He couldn't risk his identity over some shining orb, although it would be a very good addition to his collection. He halted outside the door, mulling over the Sphere. After a minute, he skittered away.

As he was turning up the corner, he passed Dawn, who was walking the opposite way.

"...You just keep in touch. Let me know how it goes..."

Dawn had a strange feeling after she walked past that old man. She stopped and looked around. A familiar reptilian tail slightly protruding under his coat caught Dawn's eye. She gasped.


***

Giles reminded Willow not to make the same mistake again. Spells are not to be taken lightly, he added. And especially not to be handed over to a kid.

"Yep. I learned my lesson. Don't underestimate the power of witchcraft," said Willow. "Dawnie!"

Dawn slowly closed the door behind her and smiled nervously. She reckoned that Doc might have said something about her.

"Hey," she calmly replied and walked towards Anya. "Did an old man wearing a hat and a heavy coat come here a moment ago?"

"Yeah, why?" answered Anya, recognizing her description.

"Uhm, nothing," Dawn said tentatively. "What did he want?"

"The usual stuff," said Anya "...eye of rat, sweat of flies, lizard tails..." "

Tails?" asked Dawn.

"I would have given him a complimentary chicken feet if he wasn't in such a hurry," said Anya, beaming.


***

Doc stopped at a street corner and looked across the intersection to a store. He was waiting for someone to appear and once and for all confirm his fears. He blinked once, revealing two completely black eyes.

A young man walked out of the corner mart carrying a box full of assorted things such as wires, tools, batteries, books, and magazines. A piece of clothing, resembling a pink dress, was also visible. He seemed to be rushing to wherever he was going. Another man appeared outside the mart and lurked in front of the store. He was in his mid-twenties, casually dressed, and sporting spiked, dark-brown hair.

"There you are..." Doc whispered.


***

Also by The Resident Web Vampyr Against One, Stronger than Desire, Sweetness Follows, Glorious, No More, An Ode to Spike and Buffy, Checkpoint, Blood Lies, Crushed/I was made to crush you, I was made to love you too, The Bloody/Misere Mani, Forevermore/The Gnosis. Visit www.vampyrslayer.cjb.net for more.