Part 32, by MARCEE
It was well after midnight by the time the gang had gathered everything they needed for the spell. Tara and Willow sat in the center of a circle formed by the remainder of the gang, including Spike, who was now considered an honorary member. On the floor between the witches laid an ancient scroll, a triangle of yellow powder and, in the center of the triangle, one of Giles' handkerchiefs. Each of the Scoobies had an air of solemnity about them, even Xander - who's been known crack jokes to break the tension in such moments. Instead, everyone remained silent. Spike was seated next to Buffy and although he knew he should be concentrating on the task at hand, he was finding it difficult to ignore the smell of her hair and the heat of her body next to his. Being so close to her; Buffy - alive! It was just...surreal.
"Reperio vultus peto," Willow murmured, eyes closed.
"Exhibeo induco productum," Tara continued.
The triangle of powder began to glow giving an eery yellow cast to the witches' faces. The gang watched in awe.
"Initium!" Willow shouted; her eyes rolled back in her head.
The yellow glow began to spread across the floor. Tara blinked and looked around the room.
"It's begun," she said.
"What do we do?" Buffy asked.
"Follow the path that we are given," Tara answered then looked at Willow.
"What? Right Now?" Xander asked. "We just get up and play 'follow-the-yellow-lit-road?'"
Spike ignored Xander's question, "What about Will?"
Tara turned to the vampire, "She'll be alright. Her powers are stronger than mine; she's concentrating on keeping the path lit for us. She has to stay here while we follow the trail."
"Okay, let's get moving," Buffy stood and the group, minus Willow, headed toward the door. Upon stepping outside, there was an audible gasp. Spike cowered in the shadow of the door, instinctively shielding himself from the yellow light that seemed to fill their world. It took him several moments to realize it was still many hours before sunrise; he felt absolutely foolish and hoped no one had noticed. Dawn giggled.
"It's like daylight out here," Dawn said, snickering quietly.
"Isn't it past your bedtime, Luv?" Spike whispered to her.
Everywhere they looked was colored in yellow light. It seems, if the spell worked correctly, that Giles had been around town a few hundred times.
"Do you think this is what it feels like to be inside a lightbulb," Anya pondered aloud.
"More like we've all been fitted with banana-colored glasses," Xander replied.
Buffy took charge, "Xander, Anya, you guys follow that yellow trail," indicating the line that went directly through the center of town. "Tara, please take Dawn and wait at Giles's apartment. It should be safe there. We can all meet at his place once we've finished our trails. If..." she stopped her self and took a deep breath, then began again, "When we find him, we'll bring him back there," Tara nodded and took Dawn's hand nervously. "Spike - you'll come with me through the cemetery," she pointed at the yellow trail in that direction.
As the gang parted ways, Buffy called back to Anya, "Anya, make sure you lock up the shop so that Willow is safe."
Part 33, by snakes
Buffy and Spike walked in silence towards the cemetery, following the glow of Will's tracer spell. Spike looked over at Buffy, noticing her deeply concerned expression. He wanted to comfort her, but could think of little to say that wasn't likely only to make her feel worse. "Buffy?" "Yeah?" "I wish there was more I could do to help."
Buffy replied gently, "Spike, I had agreed that you didn't have to come with me to try to get Giles back, but you came with me anyway. That's more than enough."
"I couldn't really let you go off looking for a possessed watcher without me there to watch your back. I couldn't let you down again."
Buffy sensed Spike's remorse, and tried to lighten his mood. "Well, we don't know for sure he's possessed. He could just be majorly pissed off that he spent all that money on nice clothes for you, and here you are wearing the same old outfit you always wear" she teased him.
Spike looked down at himself. "Hey! I think I look damn good in this!" he smirked.
Buffy looked him up and down. "I can't deny that" she smirked back. "But it would be nice to see how you look in something else for once."
Spike got quiet again and looked rather hurt.
"Spike? Did I say something wrong?"
"Buffy, I was wearing a whole new outfit the day I finally admitted to you that I loved you. I had them on when I tried to talk to you at The Bronze, and when we were staking out the warehouse. I'd picked out some stuff I thought you might like. Your mum even said they looked nice." He paused for a minute before finishing, "You never even noticed."
Buffy thought for a minute, but couldn't remember him in anything but his same black t-shirt and jeans. "I know I didn't like you much then, at least not that I'd have admitted to, but I wonder why I didn't even notice that you'd changed clothes. Considering that you've always worn the same thing, I would think that a change would be shockingly obvious."
"You didn't notice, because you didn't really see me. You only saw the image of me that you had in your head. You didn't bother to actually SEE me."
Buffy thought about that. "You're right, Spike. It took a long time for me to really start to see you." She looked at him. "Do you still have that outfit?" "Yeah." "When this is all over, will you give me another chance to see you in it? Another chance to really see YOU?"
"Hell, you can see any of me you want, Buffy!" He grinned evilly at her.
She punched him lightly on the arm. "Stop that!" she snapped. But she was smiling at him as she said it. He grin dropped away, and he looked at the ground a bit shyly.
Their friendly banter came to a halt, as the line of light they were following suddenly seemed to twist all over into a knot, before finally straightening out and continuing off into the distance. "I wonder what happened here", Buffy said in confusion, but she began to walk past the knot of light to where the line continued on the other side. She noticed that Spike, however, was walking around the area where the light twisted torturously around itself. He was staring at the area intently.
"Spike? What is it?"
He looked at Buffy, concerned. "Dru was here."
"How can you tell?
"I can't explain it really. I can just feel her presence here."
Buffy felt a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach. "Was Dru here at the same time as Giles?"
"That I can't tell, but based on his erratic movement in the area, I'd guess yes."
"What if she did something to Giles?"
"Buffy, his path continues on from where you're standing. He left here alive. If she'd done anything to him, his trail would have ended here." Spike looked rather concerned himself. "I was wondering if he did anything to her. He was quite stake-happy last I saw him."
They looked at each other, then silently began following the light trail again. They followed it through and back out of the cemetery. They walked up and down streets and back alleys. Both of them were approaching the point of exhaustion when the light trail finally led them into an old apartment building. They found themselves standing outside the door of one of the apartments. "Ok…" Spike said, "Who's going to knock?"
Part 34, by Estepheia
"We're going to see the wizard, the wonderful wizard of Oz..." Xander hummed.
"We are?" Anya asked. "There is a wizard of Oz? Never heard of him. What do we want with him? Oh right, I get it, it's only a movie or song, right?"
"Right." Xander gave her an affectionate hug.
Anya smiled happily.
They were walking along Sunnydale Main Street.
"Looks like the G-Man got himself a little cash." Xander said, when the yellow "road" led them to the bank.
"And a new outfit." Five minutes later they stood in front of a men's clothing store.
"Xander, I was wondering if I shouldn't create a website to put some photos of me in the internet. A lot of women do it, and with the extra money we could get a car."
"What photos? Oh, you mean... No way, Ahn!"
"Why not?"
"Because I don't want the whole world to stare at my fiancee's boobs!"
Anya was about to ask "why not" but then it came to her."
"You're jealous," she stated.
"You bet I am."
Anya nodded proudly. "Okay. Then I won't."
Xander sighed with relief.
"Xander?"
"Yes?"
"Did you notice, I didn't bring this up in front of your friends!"
"Wow, Ahn, you've really come a long way."
He was about to add something really meaningful and funny, when he felt a sudden sting at his shoulder. He whirled around clutching his shoulder but already drowsieness overcame him. It was suddenly difficult to keep his eyes open. As he collapsed he saw a man slowly sauntering towards them. It was Giles but he looked ... all wrong. The man had a beard, he was wearing black jeans, a white shirt, a black vest and a billowing grey coat.And he was carrying a stun gun. Xander also noticed the golden chain of a pocket watch and the purposeful stride of the other man, which was totally different from Giles's normal style. In fact, to Xander Giles looked very much like one of the "Long Riders"
Xander dimly noticed that Anya was kneeling next to him, she was saying something, but he couldn't make out what it was. He wanted to tell her to run away but the words just wouldn't come out. The last thing Xander saw before he lost consciousness was his furious fiancee hurtling herself at Wild West Giles.
It was well after midnight by the time the gang had gathered everything they needed for the spell. Tara and Willow sat in the center of a circle formed by the remainder of the gang, including Spike, who was now considered an honorary member. On the floor between the witches laid an ancient scroll, a triangle of yellow powder and, in the center of the triangle, one of Giles' handkerchiefs. Each of the Scoobies had an air of solemnity about them, even Xander - who's been known crack jokes to break the tension in such moments. Instead, everyone remained silent. Spike was seated next to Buffy and although he knew he should be concentrating on the task at hand, he was finding it difficult to ignore the smell of her hair and the heat of her body next to his. Being so close to her; Buffy - alive! It was just...surreal.
"Reperio vultus peto," Willow murmured, eyes closed.
"Exhibeo induco productum," Tara continued.
The triangle of powder began to glow giving an eery yellow cast to the witches' faces. The gang watched in awe.
"Initium!" Willow shouted; her eyes rolled back in her head.
The yellow glow began to spread across the floor. Tara blinked and looked around the room.
"It's begun," she said.
"What do we do?" Buffy asked.
"Follow the path that we are given," Tara answered then looked at Willow.
"What? Right Now?" Xander asked. "We just get up and play 'follow-the-yellow-lit-road?'"
Spike ignored Xander's question, "What about Will?"
Tara turned to the vampire, "She'll be alright. Her powers are stronger than mine; she's concentrating on keeping the path lit for us. She has to stay here while we follow the trail."
"Okay, let's get moving," Buffy stood and the group, minus Willow, headed toward the door. Upon stepping outside, there was an audible gasp. Spike cowered in the shadow of the door, instinctively shielding himself from the yellow light that seemed to fill their world. It took him several moments to realize it was still many hours before sunrise; he felt absolutely foolish and hoped no one had noticed. Dawn giggled.
"It's like daylight out here," Dawn said, snickering quietly.
"Isn't it past your bedtime, Luv?" Spike whispered to her.
Everywhere they looked was colored in yellow light. It seems, if the spell worked correctly, that Giles had been around town a few hundred times.
"Do you think this is what it feels like to be inside a lightbulb," Anya pondered aloud.
"More like we've all been fitted with banana-colored glasses," Xander replied.
Buffy took charge, "Xander, Anya, you guys follow that yellow trail," indicating the line that went directly through the center of town. "Tara, please take Dawn and wait at Giles's apartment. It should be safe there. We can all meet at his place once we've finished our trails. If..." she stopped her self and took a deep breath, then began again, "When we find him, we'll bring him back there," Tara nodded and took Dawn's hand nervously. "Spike - you'll come with me through the cemetery," she pointed at the yellow trail in that direction.
As the gang parted ways, Buffy called back to Anya, "Anya, make sure you lock up the shop so that Willow is safe."
Part 33, by snakes
Buffy and Spike walked in silence towards the cemetery, following the glow of Will's tracer spell. Spike looked over at Buffy, noticing her deeply concerned expression. He wanted to comfort her, but could think of little to say that wasn't likely only to make her feel worse. "Buffy?" "Yeah?" "I wish there was more I could do to help."
Buffy replied gently, "Spike, I had agreed that you didn't have to come with me to try to get Giles back, but you came with me anyway. That's more than enough."
"I couldn't really let you go off looking for a possessed watcher without me there to watch your back. I couldn't let you down again."
Buffy sensed Spike's remorse, and tried to lighten his mood. "Well, we don't know for sure he's possessed. He could just be majorly pissed off that he spent all that money on nice clothes for you, and here you are wearing the same old outfit you always wear" she teased him.
Spike looked down at himself. "Hey! I think I look damn good in this!" he smirked.
Buffy looked him up and down. "I can't deny that" she smirked back. "But it would be nice to see how you look in something else for once."
Spike got quiet again and looked rather hurt.
"Spike? Did I say something wrong?"
"Buffy, I was wearing a whole new outfit the day I finally admitted to you that I loved you. I had them on when I tried to talk to you at The Bronze, and when we were staking out the warehouse. I'd picked out some stuff I thought you might like. Your mum even said they looked nice." He paused for a minute before finishing, "You never even noticed."
Buffy thought for a minute, but couldn't remember him in anything but his same black t-shirt and jeans. "I know I didn't like you much then, at least not that I'd have admitted to, but I wonder why I didn't even notice that you'd changed clothes. Considering that you've always worn the same thing, I would think that a change would be shockingly obvious."
"You didn't notice, because you didn't really see me. You only saw the image of me that you had in your head. You didn't bother to actually SEE me."
Buffy thought about that. "You're right, Spike. It took a long time for me to really start to see you." She looked at him. "Do you still have that outfit?" "Yeah." "When this is all over, will you give me another chance to see you in it? Another chance to really see YOU?"
"Hell, you can see any of me you want, Buffy!" He grinned evilly at her.
She punched him lightly on the arm. "Stop that!" she snapped. But she was smiling at him as she said it. He grin dropped away, and he looked at the ground a bit shyly.
Their friendly banter came to a halt, as the line of light they were following suddenly seemed to twist all over into a knot, before finally straightening out and continuing off into the distance. "I wonder what happened here", Buffy said in confusion, but she began to walk past the knot of light to where the line continued on the other side. She noticed that Spike, however, was walking around the area where the light twisted torturously around itself. He was staring at the area intently.
"Spike? What is it?"
He looked at Buffy, concerned. "Dru was here."
"How can you tell?
"I can't explain it really. I can just feel her presence here."
Buffy felt a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach. "Was Dru here at the same time as Giles?"
"That I can't tell, but based on his erratic movement in the area, I'd guess yes."
"What if she did something to Giles?"
"Buffy, his path continues on from where you're standing. He left here alive. If she'd done anything to him, his trail would have ended here." Spike looked rather concerned himself. "I was wondering if he did anything to her. He was quite stake-happy last I saw him."
They looked at each other, then silently began following the light trail again. They followed it through and back out of the cemetery. They walked up and down streets and back alleys. Both of them were approaching the point of exhaustion when the light trail finally led them into an old apartment building. They found themselves standing outside the door of one of the apartments. "Ok…" Spike said, "Who's going to knock?"
Part 34, by Estepheia
"We're going to see the wizard, the wonderful wizard of Oz..." Xander hummed.
"We are?" Anya asked. "There is a wizard of Oz? Never heard of him. What do we want with him? Oh right, I get it, it's only a movie or song, right?"
"Right." Xander gave her an affectionate hug.
Anya smiled happily.
They were walking along Sunnydale Main Street.
"Looks like the G-Man got himself a little cash." Xander said, when the yellow "road" led them to the bank.
"And a new outfit." Five minutes later they stood in front of a men's clothing store.
"Xander, I was wondering if I shouldn't create a website to put some photos of me in the internet. A lot of women do it, and with the extra money we could get a car."
"What photos? Oh, you mean... No way, Ahn!"
"Why not?"
"Because I don't want the whole world to stare at my fiancee's boobs!"
Anya was about to ask "why not" but then it came to her."
"You're jealous," she stated.
"You bet I am."
Anya nodded proudly. "Okay. Then I won't."
Xander sighed with relief.
"Xander?"
"Yes?"
"Did you notice, I didn't bring this up in front of your friends!"
"Wow, Ahn, you've really come a long way."
He was about to add something really meaningful and funny, when he felt a sudden sting at his shoulder. He whirled around clutching his shoulder but already drowsieness overcame him. It was suddenly difficult to keep his eyes open. As he collapsed he saw a man slowly sauntering towards them. It was Giles but he looked ... all wrong. The man had a beard, he was wearing black jeans, a white shirt, a black vest and a billowing grey coat.And he was carrying a stun gun. Xander also noticed the golden chain of a pocket watch and the purposeful stride of the other man, which was totally different from Giles's normal style. In fact, to Xander Giles looked very much like one of the "Long Riders"
Xander dimly noticed that Anya was kneeling next to him, she was saying something, but he couldn't make out what it was. He wanted to tell her to run away but the words just wouldn't come out. The last thing Xander saw before he lost consciousness was his furious fiancee hurtling herself at Wild West Giles.