Warm and Safe2 Wheaton College Employee Wheaton College Employee 2 224 2001-10-12T22:00:00Z 2001-10-12T22:11:00Z 2001-10-12T22:11:00Z 5 1898 10823 Wheaton College 90 21 13291 9.3821

Title: Warm and Safe2

Name: Joy       

Email: SleepingBeauty2@ziplip.com

Rating: PG-13

            Casey and Buffy walked back to the Magic Box in relative silence. Casey comforting Buffy by her presence, "We can work on your mediation so that you can retain the peace you feel with me." Buffy nodded. "Or we could prepare your friends for you to pass again? Give them a chance to say goodbye?" Casey said quietly.

            "I don't think Dawn could handle it," Buffy said simply.

            "She would adjust… The question is do you want to live for her? You aren't technically the slayer anymore. Your job is complete. You finished the race. Your responsibility as the Slayer is done…  Faith is the Slayer now. She has been working hard at gaining peace… We can't always have a Slayer at the Hellmouth. We will find a way to work things out… The question truly is do you want to live for Dawn?" Casey asked as they stood at the door of the Magic Box. "Your choice."

            They entered each grounded in the knowledge that questions would be asked and several had no answers presently. The four Scoobies were mulling over books… researching Casey. "I was born in the seventeen hundreds… I was the mother of the Slayer in Ireland and died giving birth to her. That should narrow your search," Casey said calmly.

            Eight eyes were on her immediately. "I imagine you are a bit perplexed…" Buffy said quietly.

            "Yeah, Buff. Dawn says she's… Holy," Xander mumbled.

            "You seem to be surprised?" Casey commented with a smile.

            "Don't see that much Holiness around these parts," he answered back.

            "True…" Tilting her head to the side and then up again her eyes settled on Tara. "Are we in agreement that Tara has the most natural ability to 'read' a person's essence?"

After glancing around the room, Casey smiled. "Very well, Tara," she said laying her hands palm up to the natural witch, "what do you sense in me? What do you see?"

            Carefully Tara picked up Casey's hands, examining them and mediating upon them. "Your like Dawn but in the reverse… You started human and now are energy… You are warm and safe." Tara opened her eyes and met the crystal blue ones of Casey. In an instant she knew, "You're here because of what we did."

            "Yes…" Casey stated. Tara's eyes found Willow's. Fear pervaded Tara's face. "Fear not child. Although things will work together for good…you will see." Everyone was quiet for a long time.

"The sun has set… I have matters to attend to," Casey said as she looked out the window.
            "Do you know where you are going?" Buffy asked.

"Yes… Thank you… I will be back shortly. Dawn," Casey said drawing the young girl's attention. "Go in the back with Buffy. Show her how to mediate in this plane. I will be ready to teach her when I return." The Summers' girls got up and headed to the training room for quiet as Casey slipped through the door.

Willow stormed into the training room. "Why are you blindly doing what she says?" she barked.

            Buffy turned her face toward Willow. "Sometimes its best to realize that there are things bigger and wiser then us in the universe, Willow," Buffy said pointedly. "You don't always know what is right."

            "What the hell does that mean?" Willow yelled as the rest of the gang entered the enclosed space.

            Dawn thought for a moment, "That means maybe its time I learn my destiny rather then Buffy learning hers."

            "Are you hearing yourselves? You sound like you're under a spell," Willow bellowed.

            Buffy became angry at her words. "Willow do you ever stop to ask yourself if you should do a spell rather then could you do a spell?" Buffy answered rising to her feet. "I don't know if you actually believed that you were going to continue to get to be in charge but your judgment hasn't been the greatest. We are not dealing with the Watcher's Counsel or some other human organization watching over us… This is the Power's that Be that sent her." Buffy's tone softened, "As much as I love you, I trust her more. She is what she says she is… Now Dawn and I are going to mediate." With that Buffy sat back down and left the others to gawk.

            Willow, Tara, Anya and Xander left the sisters in peace. Willow's face hung in shock at what Buffy had said as Tara tried to comfort her. "What is going on?" Willow asked in desperation.

            Anya breathed deeply and said, "Bringing Buffy back was big enough that the Powers took notice. My guess is – Buffy was supposed to die."

            "How can that be? Why would the Powers let Buffy rot in Hell? That doesn't make sense," Willow whimpered.

            "Why did the Powers let Angel leave hell with no warning?" Xander asked. "Maybe it wasn't our job to get her out? Maybe it was supposed to happen later or differently?"

            "Why did Buffy come back shocked and Angel came back animal like?" Willow asked.

            "Maybe Buffy wasn't in hell?" Tara ventured.

            "What?" Willow asked.

            "Well, we were all freaked out about her being back. Maybe she was just telling us what we wanted to hear…that we saved her. Maybe we didn't?" Tara offered. Air was chilly and silent as they digested the possibilities.

            Spike sat alone on top of his crypt looking at the stars, wishing that he could have Buffy with him to see this peace… to keep her happy. Knowing that she had been torn from Heaven, he wanted only to sooth her life and make it less harsh and violent.

            "You truly are an anomaly, aren't you?" a blond woman called from down below. She looked a bit like a ghost in her cream colored dress. "I assure you I'm no ghost," she whispered.

            Spike startled a bit at her having read his mind. Soon Casey decided to reveal her true nature to him. Her body lost most of its form and a pair of large white wings appeared from her back. They spread wide and flapped up to the top of the crypt. She stepped onto the roof with one foot and her body became solid again. "Like my trick, huh?" she said sweetly as Spike stared.

            "What in Bloody hell are you?" he cursed.

            "Swearing is never needed," she scolded crossly. "My name is Casey. I'm a Caddell, the matter of spirit," she smiled.

            "Like Dawn…" Spike thought.

            "Yes, like Dawn," Casey replied.

            "Stop doing that!" Spike snapped as he rose to his feet to jump down from the crypt.

            "Sorry to unnerve you… I need to talk to you," Casey stated.

            "Bout what?" Spike answered eyeing her curiously, on the edge of the roof.

            "Bout Buffy… and you," she said sitting down looking up at the stars.

            "If you're going to tell me to keep my mitts off your pretty Slayer…" he squawked. With one glance Spike knew that wasn't it. "So why are you here?" he mumbled.

            "You are in love… That should not be possible… Your humanity is calling out. The Powers that Be are answering," she said simply.

            "What does that mean?" Spike asked.

            "That means you have done something no other vampire has done… sought redemption." The words hung in the air.

            "Angel…" Spike muttered.

            "Angel has a soul that he seeks redemption for. You have only the remnants of the boy your mother called Cotton. You cry out at night for the love of the Summers' women, that is truly unique," Casey said staring him full in the face.

            Quietly Spike remembered what he could of his life before death and then spoke, "So what do you want? What is this all about?"

            "A free gift… Your soul… You could find your redemption," Casey answered. "You could have Buffy."

            With those words Spike scoffed. "Are you out of your mind? The Slayer will never want a monster like me… She's already danced that dance remember," Spike snapped.

            "I don't know… Buffy seemed quite taken by the notion."

            "Excuse me?!"

            "When I told Buffy you could potentially get your soul back… no strings attached, she quickly asked if that meant no curse…in other words- true happiness. I'd say you aren't a monster in her eyes," Casey pushed.

            He looked at her closely. "Would you be offering me this if Buffy weren't back?"

            She smiled at his perceptiveness. "Yes actually we were. Your love for the Summers' women is what got our attention, not your love of Buffy. Though I have to say the way you spoke to her right after she was raised…that was enough for my recommendation to go forward with or without the Buffy's encouragement… We would have approached Dawn, if Buffy were still in Heaven."

            "You know about that? Of course you know about that… you're from there," Spike said rolling his eyes at his stupidity. "So when can I get my soul back?" he asked in earnest.

            Casey smiled and said, "The sooner the better."

Spike and Casey walked into the back door of the training room where Buffy and Dawn were mediating. "Buffy," Casey spoke in a lingering whisper. Both girls looked up, eyes darting to Spike's presence. Buffy gazed at him shyly, unable to let her eyes linger too long. "I was going to suggest that you join the others in the store… but maybe it would be good for you to watch."

            Buffy nodded simply and stood back from the Spike and Casey. Dawn hadn't a clue what was going to happen, but trusted Casey completely. "Dawn, stand on the mat across from Spike. I'm going to be right behind you whispering instructions in your ear – the way I do at night." Dawn nodded. "You ready?" she asked the young girl.

            "Yeah," Dawn said back.

            "Alright… Close your eyes. Let the peace and darkness fill your mind…" Casey encouraged. "Breathe slowly…Relax… Look for the fire…" she whispered. "Tell me what you see…"

            Dawn said nothing but a fire burned small in mid air in front of her. She reached her hand out to it. "Good Dawn… Call to it," Casey said. The fire grew into a large sphere of suspended flame. Buffy's eyes met Spike's. Neither had any idea that Dawn possessed such abilities.

            "Speak the words aloud Dawn… Call it by name…" Casey whispered.

            "By what name do I call?" Dawn asked in a low voice.

            "Call out to William…" Casey instructed.

            "William!" Dawn shouted.

Anya, Tara, Xander and Willow approached the door cautiously, not to disturb what was taking place. Seeing Dawn levitate a large ball of flames was a bit unexpected.

"William…Come forth…" she called again. The flames popped and danced as they broke off into smaller balls of flames.

"Focus Dawn… Do you see the picture I gave you? Do you see it in your mind?" Casey whispered drawing her hand out toward the fire.

"Yes… The child… I see the child…" Dawn replied.

"Focus on the boy… Call to him in the voice of his mother…" Casey instructed.

Dawn's face skewed for a moment and then she spoke in an old British accent, "William… Cotton… Come home Cotton."

Spike's eyes opened wide at the sound of his long dead mother's voice coming from Dawn's mouth. He was about to speak but one look from Casey silenced him. The balls of flame fell away and one lone flame stood out. The flame grew and became spherical.

"Can you see the flame Dawnie?" Casey whispered.

"Yes," she answered in her own voice.

"Open your eyes…"

Dawn opened her eyes and saw her hand outstretched before her and Casey's arm beside hers. The flame danced in front of her small hand. Dawn's eyes went wide.

"Look what you can do child…" Casey whispered in a smoothing tone. "Now, give the flame to Spike." Dawn struggled to move the flame with her eyes open. "Quiet your mind… Give the ball to him… Close your eyes and concentrate… When it begins to move I will tell you."

Dawn closed her eyes and breathed deeply. After a few deep breathes the flame began to bob back and forth. It leapt forward and then slowly slid toward Spike. "Open up Dawn… and keep moving the flame."

Her eyes opened and she watched the ball roll towards Spike who tilted his head watching it approach. The flame burned brightly right in front of him as he stared at it. "Take your gift Spike," Casey said with a smile. Dawn lowered her arm as Casey wrapped her arms around the young girl in a hug.

Spike's eyes met Buffy's; willing her to understand this was for her. His hand shook as he grasped the flame in his palm. In a moment, a light traveled the length of him from head to foot. Spike gasped as if in need of breath. Buffy took two steps forward to him.

"You remember Buffy? This is normal. The Demon has to learn its place in the body," Casey said as she continued to hug Dawn, cringing at the pain her friend was in. Buffy stilled and waited for Spike to stop quaking.

Spike's body stopped shivering and Buffy went on bended knee to his side. "You okay?" she whispered.

He said nothing but took her hand to rise to his feet. His blue eyes still glowed with the flame. Casey hugged Dawn once more and then stepped forward. With a smile she looked at Buffy then Spike before lifting her hand over his head. She spoke one word… "Remember." Spike's eyes shut and then move rapidly back and forth as if he were in REM sleep.

In a moment Spike opened his eyes again and focused on Casey's face. "Wow…" Casey chuckled as he turned his attention to Buffy who still held his hand. He looked in her eyes and learned towards her. "We have an audience," he whispered directly in her ear before placing a chaste kiss on her cheek. Buffy smiled knowing that later they would not have an audience and he would speak and act as he wished.