At their whoops of joy, he added, "I need ta do a spell. Know anywhere that's still open?"
They all looked at each other and laughed, if not a little hysterically. Giles answered him, "I *own* the only Magic Shop round here. Come on."
They all clambered into the van (don't ask me where they got the van, I decided that they got themselves a van to get all of them - and the weapons, over there), Giles driving, Doyle - holding Buffy, in the passenger seat, and everyone else in the back.
As they sped to The Magic Shop, Doyle explained why he was there, and where he had come from.
"Ye see, I died a noble death, so I was sent t' a dimension where all noble workers of the PTB go. But I was'na' ready ta die, an' I would'na' accept it, so I kept vigil at the entrance, 'opin' tha' one day, it would open wide enough fer me ta get out, instead of just lettin' people *in*. A Course, when tha' Glory one opened all the dimensional port'oles, she also opened mine, so I legged it, before the PTB could stop me."
He stopped here, as Giles wanted to ask him something. "I'm sorry Doyle, but what - or who, are the PTB?"
Doyle grinned at the recollection of where he had first heard that phrase - and from whom. "Sorry Giles, phrase I caught from 'Delia, PTB stands fer Powers Tha' Be - the people tha' give me these min'-numbin', 'ead-splittin' migraines wiv pictures."
However, Doyle's face darkened when he remembered who had received the visions upon his death. His eyes glowed red, as his anger started to show the demon within. Willow gasped and pointed, "D-Doyle? Y-y-your eyes, they're, they're.."
Doyle took a deep breath and calmed down, focusing on the situation at hand. The red faded, and his eyes returned to normal. "Sorry Red, jus'a few bad memories. Well, where was I? So, I only jus' escaped, but then this one 'ere," nodding affectionately at the body of Buffy, "Closed the port'ole, 'fore any other demons could escape. Not only did she save the world - again, *an'* save 'er sister - again, she also set me free."
By this time, they had arrived at The Magic Shop, and, Buffy in his arms, Doyle carried her towards the door, which swung open to admit him (even though Giles had locked up before they left,) - a residue of the Powers bestowed upon him after his death, with the others behind him.
He laid Buffy down and rattled off the remainder of the story as he started to gather all of the stuff that he would need to perform the spell.
"I believe tha' I was set free so I could 'elp ye lot save 'er, as the only people who know 'ow ta set people stuck in there free, are those who are there - as you are given the spell on admittance. Stupid really, as ye canna perform it, it 'as ta be performed on Earth, by someone who at least *knew* ye, better if a close mate."
By this time, he had more or less everything ready.
" 'ave any of ye got anythin' of sentimental value ta Buffy? Or anythin' tha' belongs ta 'er?" he asked.
Giles turned around and unlocked a cabinet before returning with a book, Buffy's first Slayer Diary, and gave it to Doyle.
Willow had one of Buffy's favourite bracelets, which she had borrowed and was wearing. She took it off and gave it to Doyle.
Xander looked at Doyle for a minute, before nodding, and, fishing around in his wallet, he found a picture of the 'original' Scooby Gang, Giles, Buffy, Willow and himself. He looked down at it and smiled sadly, before handing it over to Doyle.
Dawn routed through her pockets, and, with a sheepish look on her face, handed over Buffy's favourite stake, Mr. Pointy, to Doyle.
Everyone seemed to assume that that was it, but Doyle turned to Spike and asked, "Spike? Ye have summat ye wanna add?"
Spike looked up, surprised, but nodded in reply. He rooted through the deep pockets of his duster for a couple of minutes, but eventually come up with a rumpled, wrinkled, and rather tear-stained picture. He looked at it for a minute. It was a picture of himself and Joyce, taken by Dawn, in the Summer's kitchen. Joyce was laughing, while he was looking on, a grudgingly amused grin on his face, as they clinked their mugs of hot chocolate. In front of Spike were quite a few empty marshmallow packets.
He traced a finger lightly over Joyce's happy, smiling face, before handing it over to Doyle.
The group gaped at the picture in surprise, and at the emotion now visible on Spike's face, but Doyle ignored them, and placed the photograph with the other treasures in the middle of the circle he had created.
He took a deep breath, and the others joined hands as he started to speak;
"Powers That Be and your Oracles, heed my call.
I, Allen Francis Doyle, have fulfilled my atonement in the mortal realm.
I now ask this of you.
I ask that you return the Slayer to this world.
It was considered there not to have been a nobler death than mine,
Yet hers was much more noble than any other.
A Slayer better there has yet to be - if ever,
She is needed here.
She held the power to overcome Angelus,
She held the power to overcome William The Bloody,
Two Master Vampires decimated.
The ability to invoke their love and respect.
A more powerful Slayer there has yet to be,
May never will there be,
A more powerful Slayer than she.
Return her!
To save humanity from the dark forces,
Return her!"
He paused to throw some herbs into the middle of the circle.
"Loved by so many, and needed by so many more,
Return her!"
Then everyone else in the circle (that is, Giles, Dawn, Willow, Xander, Anya and Spike - Tara was too weak, having only just became sane once more) also started to chant;
"Return her!"
"Return her!"
"Return her!"
"Return her!"
"Return her!"
"Return her!"
Giles, breaking free of the ring chant, shouted "Return her to us!!!!"
Willow immediately followed his lead, and shouted "We love her!!"
Then Xander shouted, "Bring back our Buffy!"
Then Anya shouted, "She is needed here!"
Then Dawn shouted, "Give me back my big sister!!!"
However, Spike's proclamation was the loudest and most determined (as well as the most surprising),
"JUST BLOODY WELL BRING *BACK* BUFFY ANNE SUMMERS!!!!!!! I NEED ME BLEEDIN' SLAYER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Suddenly, there was a brilliant flash of pure blinding white light above their heads, followed by a thunderous bang.
They all covered their eyes at the light, and their ears at the sound.
Then there was a loud scream and a thump, as a body landed on the table, then a gust of wind blew out every candle, and the shop was in complete darkness.
While the humans waited for their eyes to adjust to the darkness, Doyle and Spike slipped into their demonic visages to be able to see better.
They all looked at each other and laughed, if not a little hysterically. Giles answered him, "I *own* the only Magic Shop round here. Come on."
They all clambered into the van (don't ask me where they got the van, I decided that they got themselves a van to get all of them - and the weapons, over there), Giles driving, Doyle - holding Buffy, in the passenger seat, and everyone else in the back.
As they sped to The Magic Shop, Doyle explained why he was there, and where he had come from.
"Ye see, I died a noble death, so I was sent t' a dimension where all noble workers of the PTB go. But I was'na' ready ta die, an' I would'na' accept it, so I kept vigil at the entrance, 'opin' tha' one day, it would open wide enough fer me ta get out, instead of just lettin' people *in*. A Course, when tha' Glory one opened all the dimensional port'oles, she also opened mine, so I legged it, before the PTB could stop me."
He stopped here, as Giles wanted to ask him something. "I'm sorry Doyle, but what - or who, are the PTB?"
Doyle grinned at the recollection of where he had first heard that phrase - and from whom. "Sorry Giles, phrase I caught from 'Delia, PTB stands fer Powers Tha' Be - the people tha' give me these min'-numbin', 'ead-splittin' migraines wiv pictures."
However, Doyle's face darkened when he remembered who had received the visions upon his death. His eyes glowed red, as his anger started to show the demon within. Willow gasped and pointed, "D-Doyle? Y-y-your eyes, they're, they're.."
Doyle took a deep breath and calmed down, focusing on the situation at hand. The red faded, and his eyes returned to normal. "Sorry Red, jus'a few bad memories. Well, where was I? So, I only jus' escaped, but then this one 'ere," nodding affectionately at the body of Buffy, "Closed the port'ole, 'fore any other demons could escape. Not only did she save the world - again, *an'* save 'er sister - again, she also set me free."
By this time, they had arrived at The Magic Shop, and, Buffy in his arms, Doyle carried her towards the door, which swung open to admit him (even though Giles had locked up before they left,) - a residue of the Powers bestowed upon him after his death, with the others behind him.
He laid Buffy down and rattled off the remainder of the story as he started to gather all of the stuff that he would need to perform the spell.
"I believe tha' I was set free so I could 'elp ye lot save 'er, as the only people who know 'ow ta set people stuck in there free, are those who are there - as you are given the spell on admittance. Stupid really, as ye canna perform it, it 'as ta be performed on Earth, by someone who at least *knew* ye, better if a close mate."
By this time, he had more or less everything ready.
" 'ave any of ye got anythin' of sentimental value ta Buffy? Or anythin' tha' belongs ta 'er?" he asked.
Giles turned around and unlocked a cabinet before returning with a book, Buffy's first Slayer Diary, and gave it to Doyle.
Willow had one of Buffy's favourite bracelets, which she had borrowed and was wearing. She took it off and gave it to Doyle.
Xander looked at Doyle for a minute, before nodding, and, fishing around in his wallet, he found a picture of the 'original' Scooby Gang, Giles, Buffy, Willow and himself. He looked down at it and smiled sadly, before handing it over to Doyle.
Dawn routed through her pockets, and, with a sheepish look on her face, handed over Buffy's favourite stake, Mr. Pointy, to Doyle.
Everyone seemed to assume that that was it, but Doyle turned to Spike and asked, "Spike? Ye have summat ye wanna add?"
Spike looked up, surprised, but nodded in reply. He rooted through the deep pockets of his duster for a couple of minutes, but eventually come up with a rumpled, wrinkled, and rather tear-stained picture. He looked at it for a minute. It was a picture of himself and Joyce, taken by Dawn, in the Summer's kitchen. Joyce was laughing, while he was looking on, a grudgingly amused grin on his face, as they clinked their mugs of hot chocolate. In front of Spike were quite a few empty marshmallow packets.
He traced a finger lightly over Joyce's happy, smiling face, before handing it over to Doyle.
The group gaped at the picture in surprise, and at the emotion now visible on Spike's face, but Doyle ignored them, and placed the photograph with the other treasures in the middle of the circle he had created.
He took a deep breath, and the others joined hands as he started to speak;
"Powers That Be and your Oracles, heed my call.
I, Allen Francis Doyle, have fulfilled my atonement in the mortal realm.
I now ask this of you.
I ask that you return the Slayer to this world.
It was considered there not to have been a nobler death than mine,
Yet hers was much more noble than any other.
A Slayer better there has yet to be - if ever,
She is needed here.
She held the power to overcome Angelus,
She held the power to overcome William The Bloody,
Two Master Vampires decimated.
The ability to invoke their love and respect.
A more powerful Slayer there has yet to be,
May never will there be,
A more powerful Slayer than she.
Return her!
To save humanity from the dark forces,
Return her!"
He paused to throw some herbs into the middle of the circle.
"Loved by so many, and needed by so many more,
Return her!"
Then everyone else in the circle (that is, Giles, Dawn, Willow, Xander, Anya and Spike - Tara was too weak, having only just became sane once more) also started to chant;
"Return her!"
"Return her!"
"Return her!"
"Return her!"
"Return her!"
"Return her!"
Giles, breaking free of the ring chant, shouted "Return her to us!!!!"
Willow immediately followed his lead, and shouted "We love her!!"
Then Xander shouted, "Bring back our Buffy!"
Then Anya shouted, "She is needed here!"
Then Dawn shouted, "Give me back my big sister!!!"
However, Spike's proclamation was the loudest and most determined (as well as the most surprising),
"JUST BLOODY WELL BRING *BACK* BUFFY ANNE SUMMERS!!!!!!! I NEED ME BLEEDIN' SLAYER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Suddenly, there was a brilliant flash of pure blinding white light above their heads, followed by a thunderous bang.
They all covered their eyes at the light, and their ears at the sound.
Then there was a loud scream and a thump, as a body landed on the table, then a gust of wind blew out every candle, and the shop was in complete darkness.
While the humans waited for their eyes to adjust to the darkness, Doyle and Spike slipped into their demonic visages to be able to see better.