Chapter 4
"Did you see anything?" The day had gone by and night was coming. Anya and Xander came up the beach looking exhausted.
"Nothing. We covered the whole island. They aren't on it."
"Did you find food or anything?" Giles stood up.
"Yeah. There's some stuff inland."
"Why don't we go get it. Anya, stay here with the others. Tara wants you to help her with a spell that could ease Willow's pain. It has to do with the power of women."
"Ok Giles." Giles steered Xander inward until they were away from the water.
"Willow needs a doctor."
"You don't have much faith in the spell?
"They don't have the materials and Willow is the best."
"What can we do?"
"There's an island across the way."
"I saw it."
"I wouldn't ask this of you but there isn't much time to spare."
"I'll go. How long of a swim?"
"About an hour I believe. Look for Buffy and Spike. If you don't find them or anything useful come back. But if it gets dark stay, we can't risk losing you."
"Got you." Xander and Giles departed. Xander headed for the side of the island closer to the other one. He plunged into the water and began stroking. A rhythm formed and he recalled his brief stint on the swim team. He liked the water but it held a sense of sadness after the events. As he swam thoughts drifted through his head. All of them, they weren't going to be missed by anyone back home. As far as the world was concerned they were isolated to everyone else and depended on each other for stability. If they didn't have each other then what...?
He pulled himself up on the shore and gasped for air. He was tired and didn't want to move. He could see the sun slung low on the horizon. It reminded him of the urgency. He stood up slowly and looked around. He began walking along the edge of the island. Every few moments he called out until his throat began hurting.
He sat down in the sand eventually because a wind blew up. He covered his eyes until it stopped. He noticed half covered bird tracks in the sand. The sun was disappearing over the water and he debated with himself. He wasn't sure he was up for another swim across but he would be exposed all night to who knows what. Living in Sunnydale his whole life had made him wary of nights alone.
Xander gathered the last bit of strength he had, with fleeting thoughts of Willow and immersed himself back in the water. He swam along slowly, glad the current was with him this time. Then he hit something. Xander was pushed under for a minute and struggled. He burst out of the water and looked at the large piece of something in the dying light. It was a large piece of the boat. Xander pulled himself on it, not even caring about the splinters he received and collapsed on top.
Back on the beach the others were circled around Willow. Anya was quiet as she watched the hours tick by. Xander wasn't by far the strongest member of their little group but he had the most courage.
"Don't you guys worry about me. I'm gonna be fine. Enjoy the weather. You don't see weather like this to often." Willow had been babbling constantly since she realized Xander wasn't around. No one had said anything about him but she knew just the same. Her leg was propped up on a little bump of sand and she had a splint wrapped around her swollen knee. They were all sure she was in great pain, but it was just like Willow to try and hide it for everyone else's sakes.
"Yeah." Tara stroked Willow's hand.
"Hey Dawn, want to play a really big tic tac toe. I bet we could use palm leaves for x's and rocks for o's. It could be really fun." Anya offered Dawn. Dawn was sitting cross legged in front of the intertidal zone watching the water run up the beach at her then run away again.
"No thanks Anya."
"Well you should eat. There's those bananas and coconuts Giles got."
"I'm not hungry thanks."
"Monkeys might take them."
"That's ok."
"Hurry back Xander. Please." Anya pleaded with the water.
"Did you see anything?" The day had gone by and night was coming. Anya and Xander came up the beach looking exhausted.
"Nothing. We covered the whole island. They aren't on it."
"Did you find food or anything?" Giles stood up.
"Yeah. There's some stuff inland."
"Why don't we go get it. Anya, stay here with the others. Tara wants you to help her with a spell that could ease Willow's pain. It has to do with the power of women."
"Ok Giles." Giles steered Xander inward until they were away from the water.
"Willow needs a doctor."
"You don't have much faith in the spell?
"They don't have the materials and Willow is the best."
"What can we do?"
"There's an island across the way."
"I saw it."
"I wouldn't ask this of you but there isn't much time to spare."
"I'll go. How long of a swim?"
"About an hour I believe. Look for Buffy and Spike. If you don't find them or anything useful come back. But if it gets dark stay, we can't risk losing you."
"Got you." Xander and Giles departed. Xander headed for the side of the island closer to the other one. He plunged into the water and began stroking. A rhythm formed and he recalled his brief stint on the swim team. He liked the water but it held a sense of sadness after the events. As he swam thoughts drifted through his head. All of them, they weren't going to be missed by anyone back home. As far as the world was concerned they were isolated to everyone else and depended on each other for stability. If they didn't have each other then what...?
He pulled himself up on the shore and gasped for air. He was tired and didn't want to move. He could see the sun slung low on the horizon. It reminded him of the urgency. He stood up slowly and looked around. He began walking along the edge of the island. Every few moments he called out until his throat began hurting.
He sat down in the sand eventually because a wind blew up. He covered his eyes until it stopped. He noticed half covered bird tracks in the sand. The sun was disappearing over the water and he debated with himself. He wasn't sure he was up for another swim across but he would be exposed all night to who knows what. Living in Sunnydale his whole life had made him wary of nights alone.
Xander gathered the last bit of strength he had, with fleeting thoughts of Willow and immersed himself back in the water. He swam along slowly, glad the current was with him this time. Then he hit something. Xander was pushed under for a minute and struggled. He burst out of the water and looked at the large piece of something in the dying light. It was a large piece of the boat. Xander pulled himself on it, not even caring about the splinters he received and collapsed on top.
Back on the beach the others were circled around Willow. Anya was quiet as she watched the hours tick by. Xander wasn't by far the strongest member of their little group but he had the most courage.
"Don't you guys worry about me. I'm gonna be fine. Enjoy the weather. You don't see weather like this to often." Willow had been babbling constantly since she realized Xander wasn't around. No one had said anything about him but she knew just the same. Her leg was propped up on a little bump of sand and she had a splint wrapped around her swollen knee. They were all sure she was in great pain, but it was just like Willow to try and hide it for everyone else's sakes.
"Yeah." Tara stroked Willow's hand.
"Hey Dawn, want to play a really big tic tac toe. I bet we could use palm leaves for x's and rocks for o's. It could be really fun." Anya offered Dawn. Dawn was sitting cross legged in front of the intertidal zone watching the water run up the beach at her then run away again.
"No thanks Anya."
"Well you should eat. There's those bananas and coconuts Giles got."
"I'm not hungry thanks."
"Monkeys might take them."
"That's ok."
"Hurry back Xander. Please." Anya pleaded with the water.