Part 13

Stepping into Darkness

Part 13

~~~~~*****~~~~~

"Where could they be?" Buffy paced the floor as Giles kept looking out the window.

"I'm sure they're fine. Fliq can take care of herself," Angel replied, not actually answering the question.

"What do you know?" Buffy looked at him questioningly.

"I...What do you mean?"

"Don't pull that crap with me, Angel. What do you know?"

Angel sighed, cursing himself for allowing a 19 year old to see right into his 343 year old heart, and be able to tell when he was lying, "Well, they might have gone to the Sanctuary. I heard the Sunnydale club was opening tonight."

"What's the Sanctuary?" Buffy asked, confused.

"It's a safe haven for demons and creatures of the night. No violence and no Slayers," Angel added, to emphasize that they shouldn't go charging after them, knowing that that was exactly what Buffy was about to suggest.

"Then how would Fliq get in?"

Angel floundered trying to come up with an answer, but luckily was saved by Cordelia, "Wouldn't the whole Wicca thing mean she was a creature of the night?"

~~~~~*****~~~~~

"Look, Buffy, didn't you hear what I said? You can't go in there."

She didn't look at him, instead, she just kept walking straight ahead, her pace remaining at it's steady speed, "No, but you can."

Angel groaned and hurried to keep up, "What do you think I can do? Fliq's old enough to make decisions for herself and so is Willow."

"They're in there with a bunch of demons, and I don't care what you say, I don't trust that."

"Come on, Deadboy, you telling us you trust this thing completely?" Angel growled at Xander, not noticing as Buffy stopped quickly, causing him to bump straight into her.

"So where do we go from here?" Buffy asked, hands on her hips.

Angel quickly weighed up his options. He could tell Buffy that he didn't know and have her severely pissed off at him, (as well as having to restrain himself from taking a leaf out of his childe's book and strangling Xander), or he could tell her where to go and have Fliq severely pissed off at him. He sighed, *How do I get myself into these situations* Groaning, he walked ahead of Buffy, who quickly started to follow.

They turned into a street and Angel followed the blue mists. He stopped at the end of the street, away from the building, just allowing himself a moment to breathe in the calmness and freedom the mist offered. He sighed, then opened his eyes as he sensed four people exiting the club.

"Looks like I don't have to go in after all," Angel walked towards them, annoyed that he could sense Spike as part of the group. He had his arm around Willow, and from what it looked like, he seemed to be holding her upright.

"Come on, Red. Time to get you home to the Slayer."

"No. Don'...hic...wanna go. I like this place, Spikey. 'S nice."

Spike laughed, "Now Red, we don't want to have Buffy staking me, now do we?"

"She wouldn't dare!"

"Oh she would," Buffy stepped into the light in front of the red head who stopped, a little shocked, before her face widened into a broad grin.

"Buffy! Hello Buffy. It's good ole Buffy. Look, Spike, it's Buffy."

"I see her, pet."

"Buffy's nice, don't you think?" Spike smirked at the Slayer, wagging his eyes. Willow giggled and turned back to face Buffy.

"We're having a great time! Spikey saved me from a meanie of a demon and then we danced and why are you looking at me like that?"

"You're drunk, Will."

"Wow, how very perceptive," Buffy's mouth dropped open at Willow's words as she, like everyone else, was speechless. Spike, however, laughed before quickly turning it into a cough as he caught a look from his sire but noting that Angel was also having a hard time not laughing.

"Will?" Buffy asked.

"What? I don't..." Willow placed a hand on her stomach and turned her head to look at Spike, "Spikey, I don't feel so good."

"Okay, Red, lets take a deep breath. We don't want you puking all over Spike's nice leather duster, now do we?"

Willow snickered then quickly placed a hand over her mouth. Spike took her to the edge of the street, but after a few moments she stood up straight, "I'm okay...but I feel kinda pooey."

Spike laughed, "Let's get you home, Red."

They started to walk when Willow turned quickly and Spike had to catch her from falling, "Ooh, Fliq. We forgot Fliq."

Spike turned his head, "Hey, short stuff. Collect your tongue and get your arse moving." His reply was a simply a raised finger. He sighed.

"I don't think Jeff's gonna let her leave too quickly." Willow said, frowning over Spike's shoulder.

"Bloody prick. Thinks just cause he's famous, he can do what he wants and bugger all to other people."

A few moments later Fliq joined them, groaning as she saw Angel, Xander and Buffy, "So," she said accusingly at Angel as her glamour faded and her face slipped away to be replaced by Buffy's.

"It was Cordelia!"

"So, what kind of demon was he?" Xander asked, looking at the multicolored hair of the retreating form that Fliq had been with. They watched as he joined another two people, one of whom looked a lot like him, from what Xander could see.

"Oh, he's human."

"That's human?"

~~~~~*****~~~~~

There was a roar in the crowd as the man knocked his opponent down, his partner keeping others out of the ring. He climbed the ropes and raised his arms before performing something that resembled a somersault and landed athletically on his opponent.

Xander turned to Fliq, who was still staring at the television, "Again...that's human?"

"Fliq, may I have a word?"

Fliq sighed as she stood up and walked towards the kitchen with Giles. She had been dreading the conversation that she knew was coming. The look that Giles had given her when they had got back had made her feel like a five year old again.

"Fliq..."

"I know, you're very disappointed in me."

"Excuse me?"

"I'm sorry, you remind me a little of my dadthe look I just got meant that he was disappointed in me."

"Oh. I'm just worried. Someone with your power shouldn't be tampering with those kinds of energies."

"Giles, this isn't about being stronger, although it does make me stronger. This is about faith. Faith in the Goddess and God. The practices are a part of that and regardless of some Sacred Duty, I need to follow my heartI need something to believe in."

Giles smiled at her, "You know, I think that's the most I've heard you talk since I met youwithout scowling of course."

Fliq narrowed her eyes, but for a change they were smiling, "I think I resent that." They smiled at each other before Fliq cast her vision to the floor, "Thank you."

"For what?" Giles asked, his confusion evident.

Fliq looked back up at him, "For reminding me of who I used to be, the person I was beforewell a long time ago."

"You're welcome." They walked back into the main room, where the others were seated, "Just promise me that you'll be careful."

"I promise." she smiled and sat down next to Buffy on the settee and joined her in watching Xander and Spike with interest.

"Oh, that is so not true!"

"T'is so. I could kick her arse in a second."

"Chyna? The Ninth Wonder of the World? I don't think so. For a start she's got to be like twins with Xena, Warrior Princess and..."

"Yeah, well I could kick her arse too."

"Oh please."

There was a crash and everyone turned to look as Angel collapsed onto the floor.

Suddenly Anya stood from her chair in the corner, her voice shaking with terror, "It's starting."

Giles, the nearest to him, grabbed Angel's arm as Buffy, Fliq and Cordelia jumped up from their seats and began to help him. Suddenly Angel collapsed in pain again and it took a combined effort to keep him standing. Soon everyone was crowded round, watching as Angel dissipated in a swirl of red smoke.

~~~~~*****~~~~~

"Where's Angel?" No one answered, "Where is he?"

"A spell."

Cordelia turned to Fliq, "Well obviously."

"Hey, don't take it out on me! I meant there's a spell we can use to find out where he is. It's a seeing spell. But we need four people. Four people with real power."

"Oh great, Willow has a hangover, and even then there's only you, her and Anya that can do anything." Cordelia continued as Buffy finally came out of her trance.

"Amy."

"Yeah, Giles, I'm sure her ratness will be of great help."

"Who's Amy?" Fliq asked.

"She's a friend of mine, she turned herself into a rat so that she wouldn't be burned at the stake," They turned to look at Willow, who was (with Spike's help) walking towards them, "But we...I can't turn her back."

"Burned at the stake?"

"Long story," Cordelia sighed, turning to Fliq, "I'm sorry."

"I know," She turned back to Willow, "Take me to the rat and let's see what we can do." Willow moved towards her and Spike was only just able to catch her before she fell.

"Maybe Spike should come with," Willow said, holding onto his arms. "You know, just for support."

~~~~~*****~~~~~

"Okay, so what do we do?"

"Well, you say she called the Goddess Hecate to help her, so I guess we try to reverse the spell."

"That's what I've been trying."

"Yeah, but I've had the books at the Watcher's Council behind my Wiccan learning. I know a spell that might work."

Willow looked confused, "The Watcher's Council let you use their books?"

Fliq smiled, "I never said they let me use their books, I simply said that I had."

"Look can we get on with it?" Spike asked impatiently. Fliq glared at him and then sat down opposite Willow, placing rat Amy in the center. "You're still pretty ill, pet. You sure you should be doing this?"

Willow smiled, "I'll be fine."

The two girls closed their eyes and rolled their heads back a little. Their hands intertwined, closing their bodies in a protective circle. The air hummed with magick and Spike stiffened a little as they cast their circle. There was a pause and Spike shifted on the bed.

"Goddess Hecate, we call to thee. We beseech thee, release the spell that binds this child of the Goddess and God. Release her to her human form. Release the magick that binds her. This is our will, so mote it be," They opened their eyes and clasped their hands around two small glass bottles, pouring their contents in a circle around the rat.

"Hecate, we beseech thee. So mote it be," Both Willow and Fliq's voices ricocheted around the room and Spike's eyes widened as the two were surrounded by a brilliant light, so bright that he had jumped behind the bed in case he set on fire. He opened his eyes and his vision was obscured by blotches of color floating across his field of view. He rubbed his eyes.

"Short Stuff? Red?" He could hear their voices releasing their sacred circle, but they seemed far away. He opened his eyes, "Fliq? Red?"

"Spike! Close your eyes!" Willow yelped as he looked towards them.

There was now a third form, seated in the middle of the circle, "Willow?" Willow smiled at her as she placed a blanket around the naked, shivering form whilst Fliq packed up their ingredients and Spike pretended he wasn't looking into the mirror at them.

"Hey Amy."

~~~~~*****~~~~~

"I'm still confused..."

"What's confusing you?" Willow asked.

"Well, two things. Starting with her," Amy pointed at Fliq, "That's not Buffy."


"I'm Fliq, but we'll fill you in on the way to Giles'."

"Okay."

"What else?" Willow asked, retrieving some clothes for her.

"Him," She pointed to Spike. "What I don't get is that he's a vampire, he tried to bite you but he's impotent..." Spike growled, "...he was dating Buffy who's the slayer and now you two are dating?"

"I was never dating the slayer," Spike said, a little sadly.

"I think she means the spell Spike...the one to have my will done."

"Yeah, the one that me human again for about two seconds."

"What?"

Amy smiled, "'One minute she's a regular human being and the next she's a rat'...that about right?"

"That worked?"

"Yup. You have access to so much power, Willow. You've only just begun to access it."

"Well," Fliq said, closing the chest at the bottom of Willows bed, "if we want to save Angel, she'll have to learn to access it. Fast."

~~~~~*****~~~~~

A cry echoed through the darkened tunnels, piercing the eerie silence. The figure gasped in pain. It screamed in agony and then all was silent. The two figures around it closed in and the red head bent over, touching its bare back.

"Welcome home, Puppy."

~~~~~*****~~~~~

END OF PART 13

Sorry that wasn't too great, but it gets better!!!!

DISCLAIMER: as much as I want him, Jeff Hardy doesn't belong to me! As far as I know he belongs to himself, same with all WWF wrestlers that I might happen to use or mention.