Part 10 - Found
Buffy slumped in a chair, staring into the cup in her hands. Angel sat nearby, watching her carefully. Faith had been asleep, still and unmoving, for two days and Buffy had become steadily weaker. It was an effort now for her to sit there and he could almost feel the lethargy pouring from her. Wesley had apologised – hadn't realised the spell would be so strong but had wanted to make sure Faith would be out. He, Cordelia and Angel had continued to search for a body-switching spell while Buffy slept, rising to help them at intervals – which had become less frequent, finally stopping altogether. Wesley had nervously announced that the spell on Faith should start to wear off and Angel had dispatched Cordelia to sit in the next room and wait till she woke up. Cordy had been happy to go, remarking that at least she could watch the TV and give her eyes a rest from all the words in those books. Angel had heard her moving around, heating food in the kitchen and come to the conclusion that Faith was awake.
"Sounds like she's come round," he said quietly.
Buffy lifted her head, the effort almost too much to make and smiled faintly. "But we still don't have the spell to get us straight, do we?" she said into the quiet. Almost as she said the words, a howl of pain reached them. Angel tilted his head to one side, listening intently, relaxing as he faintly heard Cordelia's voice. He looked back at Buffy. "Looks like she's tried something. But I can hear Cordelia – she sounds like she's OK. Wesley's casting must've worked. He's getting far too good at this stuff……I think he's been practising in secret," he added, trying to see if he could raise a smile. Buffy's lips curved slightly, then she sighed and resumed staring into her cup, as if perhaps the spell to switch them back was hidden in its depths.
* * * * *
The whoop of triumph brought Angel and Buffy up from the chairs, Buffy stumbling and almost falling as they ran for Wesley. Angel scooped her up, and carried her the last few metres. Cordy rushed in after them. Wesley, unusually, was jumping around in a circle, a book cradled securely in his arms.
"I found it! I found it!!" he was shouting at the top of his voice. Abruptly he calmed down, standing still, sheepishly smiling at them. "Oh, sorry, sorry, didn't mean to give you all a fright," he said, his smile almost wider than his face. The plaster on the gash Faith had given him was a white smudge against his cheek. "But I found the spell – to switch them back." He hesitated. "And I may have something on the Slayer side – but I'll need to go and see some – people – first." Buffy sank weakly down into a nearby chair, eyes wide with disbelief.
"Thank you………" she breathed. Angel kneeled and enfolded her into his arms. She rested her head on his shoulder, dark hair swinging forward to cover her face, shoulders shaking as she cried.
Typically Cordy broke the emotional moment. "So, Magico-boy, what do we need for this? Do we have it? Can we get it done already?"
Wesley glanced down at the book. "It would be better if I – knew for sure that I could get Buffy's slayer powers back. We could do the spells at the same time, then – don't forget, we'll still have Faith to deal with when the swap is completed. We should probably have them both chained up," he nodded at Buffy, "in case it doesn't work or something. But Faith will still be dangerous. Maybe I can find something……to help her a little – I think I have an idea of what I could use to do it." he mused.
"Help her?" Cordelia repeated doubtfully.
"Yes. You know – take away those nice, pleasant urges she has to kill people. Make her - well, make her a good Slayer again. I'm sure we could help her. Somehow. In fact," he brightened, laid down the book he held and pulled another from the pile, beginning to leaf carefully through brittle and yellowing pages, "I know we can."
