Ladybard chapter 8, by Slayergirl
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There was a message on the answerphone when they got in from patrolling. Buffy listened in horror to Xander's voice. "…So I had to halve the dose, they didn't have any more in stock, and now she's gone missing…"
She called him back. "Xander. Spike and I are going looking for her. Stay put in case she turns up. Page me if she shows."
She turned to Spike. His face was grim as he handed her a couple of stakes. "Just in case. So, we split up?"
She nodded, and they set off in opposite directions.
'Damn, should have told Spike to take her to Revello Drive,' she thought.
'Way ahead of you, love,' a grim voice echoed in her head.
'How – you're reading my thoughts? From the other side of town?' she thought incredulously.
She felt him grin. 'The claim, love, remember? Mutual claim.'
'Does it always happen that way?'
'No. If I'd claimed you, I could control you, influence your thoughts, and read your mind. Mutual claim means we get telepathy, if we choose to use it, but neither gets the upper hand. I can't control you, you can't control me. Influence each other a bit, perhaps, but no control.'
'Sounds like a pretty good deal!'
'Mm. Any sign?'
'No. Spike, if you find her first – she may use magick…'
'I know.'
'Be careful. Look, she may need some controlling, and vampire strength won't help you against magick, so…'
'Don't ask me to do that!' he pleaded mentally. 'She'll feel as though she's been – well, it's like a violation of her mind, her will, her privacy…'
'It may be her only chance!' she insisted.
'Love, it won't stop her for ever,' he thought gently.
'It – might buy us some time. Please, Spike!'
She felt his internal turmoil, knowing how fond he was of Willow, knowing that he didn't want to hurt her, but was afraid that by not enthralling her he'd hurt her more. 'I'll do it,' he thought. 'She deserves a chance. But I'll warn her first.'
'Thank you!' She felt him smile, a little sadly.
'Don't mention it. Where are you now?'
'Near the mall.'
'Any sign?'
'No. You?'
'Your favourite cemetery.'
Where they'd buried the Master. 'Actually, my least favourite.'
'Precisely,' he grinned. 'Wait! Think I've found her!'
Buffy stood silently, feeling Spike withdraw from her mind, trying not to think and distract him.
Spike stood in front of the witch. "Willow?" She looked up at him. "Bit late, isn't it?"
"What's it to you?"
He sat down beside her. "I care, Willow. I don't want to see you get hurt."
"Too late."
"Willow, look at me," he said gently. She looked into his eyes and found she couldn't look away. She felt suddenly paralysed. "Now, I'm not going to hurt you. Just relax. This is to help you, Will."
"What…?"
"Thrall. I'm going to enthral you."
He felt her struggle against it, but his will was stronger than hers.
She blinked. "Spike?"
He put an arm round her. "Sh, it's okay. Everything's okay. No magick, right? Not at the moment. And only ever for good, for fighting evil. For helping Buffy. But only when she asks. See? Not asking you to give it up completely. Just take a rest from it for a bit," he murmured soothingly, hoping she wouldn't realise that stopping her magick was exactly what he intended to do.
She smiled and nodded. He got up and held his hand out to her. She took his hand. "Where are we going?"
"Home. Taking you to Buffy's. Get you a nice, hot drink, tuck you up in bed. Shouldn't wander about in such skimpy clothes, you'll catch cold. And attract vamps. Here," he said as he wrapped his duster around the shivering girl. He searched out to find Buffy. 'Got her. Got her in thrall. Taking her to Revello Drive.'
'Great. Call Xander if I'm not back before you.'
Willow was sitting drinking hot chocolate when she arrived home, and Xander was fretting round her like a mother hen. Spike stood quietly at the window, looking out for her.
"Everything okay?" she asked anxiously.
Xander nodded, going over to her. "She's fine. A little – dazed. I guess that's part sedative, part thrall."
"Xander, don't blame Spike," she implored. "He didn't want to do it. He only did it because I asked him to."
To her surprise, he smiled. "It's okay. I know it's probably our best shot at helping her."
Spike came over to them, as Willow sipped obliviously at her chocolate.
"Spike – said it wouldn't stop her for ever."
Xander looked at the vampire. 'He looks tired,' he thought suddenly. 'Wonder if enthralling does that to you?' "So, how long have we got?"
Spike shrugged. "Depends how strong-willed she is. When I was in her mind, enthralling her, I felt the magick. It's – it's like a demon, in a way, it's trying to take her over. The more she uses it and the more powerful she gets, the stronger the magick gets. But it's like a compulsion, an addiction as well – it wants her to use it, so that she has to use it, then she'll belong to the magick completely – and it'll destroy her. There'll come a time when the power of the magick will be greater than my enthralment."
"Then what?" chorused Buffy and Xander.
He looked down. "Then we lose her to it. This isn't a long-term solution, it's just buying us some time. The thrall is like her chip – how long before the chip stops working? I can't tell."
"Us?" asked Xander, his hopes rising slightly.
Spike smiled. "Us. I've got her in thrall, remember. For the moment, I'm responsible for her actions. But we need to find a proper solution, fast."
'What happens if we don't?' thought Buffy.
'We lose her, like I said.'
'I know, but – what about you? What happens to you?'
He gave a mental shrug. 'Not much. Bit of a headache, maybe.'
'Chip-type headache or normal-type headache?'
'Depends how long she's in thrall.'
'Oh.' She reached out and touched his hand.
Willow was sitting meekly on the sofa. She yawned, eyelids drooping. Eventually she blinked up at them. "Can I go to bed now?" she asked Spike.
Buffy and Xander both saw the look of pain that marred his features for an instant. "Sure, sweetie, go on up," he said gently, as though she was still a child. She smiled at them, and made her way upstairs.
Buffy and Xander turned back to see Spike with his head in his hands on the sofa.
"Hey, Bleach-boy," said Xander, sitting beside him. "Chill, will ya? You know there's no other way."
"I know. I just wish there was," he groaned. "I feel as though I've betrayed her, and you, and Buffy, and Giles, and Tara, and…"
"Okay, you're not meant to have a conscience! What you did was right."
Spike looked at him. "Don't think I'll ever understand you, Harris. I've got your best friend in thrall and you tell me I've done the right thing!"
Buffy knelt beside him. "You're doing it to help her," she reminded him. "There's no other way. You know that."
He grimaced. "I know. Still feel bad about it though."
Xander thumped him on the back, wondering what had happened to the 'Big Bad'. "Lighten up, man, you're sounding like Angel. Have a beer?"
Spike couldn't help smiling at the unlikely offer. "Not now," he said. "More to the point, we need to figure out what to do about Willow."
"More sedatives. They'll be in on Monday," said Xander.
"Not a long-term solution," replied the vampire.
"Addiction clinic? Hypnosis? Counselling?"
"Better ideas, Xander. And we get her to go how?" asked Buffy.
"Well, Spike has her in thrall. He can make her go."
Spike rolled his eyes. "You don't get it, do you? It's not just an addiction, it's like some sort of demonic infection, like…" he turned to Buffy, "that time Angel told me about, you got telepathic after touching a demon? It's like that. She's been infected with magick, and she can't shut it off of her own will any more, just as you couldn't shut out the sounds. The thrall will only help for a certain amount of time – like the pillow or your hands held out the sound for a bit. But eventually, the demon will win out over the thrall. It's not just an ordinary addiction, it's an infection," he stressed. "And the only way to save her is to stop her using magick. Completely, if possible."
They looked crestfallen. "So what do we do?" asked Xander.
"I wish I knew," the vampire replied wearily. Then, speaking his own and Buffy's thoughts, "I wish Giles was here."
*** *** *** ***
There was a message on the answerphone when they got in from patrolling. Buffy listened in horror to Xander's voice. "…So I had to halve the dose, they didn't have any more in stock, and now she's gone missing…"
She called him back. "Xander. Spike and I are going looking for her. Stay put in case she turns up. Page me if she shows."
She turned to Spike. His face was grim as he handed her a couple of stakes. "Just in case. So, we split up?"
She nodded, and they set off in opposite directions.
'Damn, should have told Spike to take her to Revello Drive,' she thought.
'Way ahead of you, love,' a grim voice echoed in her head.
'How – you're reading my thoughts? From the other side of town?' she thought incredulously.
She felt him grin. 'The claim, love, remember? Mutual claim.'
'Does it always happen that way?'
'No. If I'd claimed you, I could control you, influence your thoughts, and read your mind. Mutual claim means we get telepathy, if we choose to use it, but neither gets the upper hand. I can't control you, you can't control me. Influence each other a bit, perhaps, but no control.'
'Sounds like a pretty good deal!'
'Mm. Any sign?'
'No. Spike, if you find her first – she may use magick…'
'I know.'
'Be careful. Look, she may need some controlling, and vampire strength won't help you against magick, so…'
'Don't ask me to do that!' he pleaded mentally. 'She'll feel as though she's been – well, it's like a violation of her mind, her will, her privacy…'
'It may be her only chance!' she insisted.
'Love, it won't stop her for ever,' he thought gently.
'It – might buy us some time. Please, Spike!'
She felt his internal turmoil, knowing how fond he was of Willow, knowing that he didn't want to hurt her, but was afraid that by not enthralling her he'd hurt her more. 'I'll do it,' he thought. 'She deserves a chance. But I'll warn her first.'
'Thank you!' She felt him smile, a little sadly.
'Don't mention it. Where are you now?'
'Near the mall.'
'Any sign?'
'No. You?'
'Your favourite cemetery.'
Where they'd buried the Master. 'Actually, my least favourite.'
'Precisely,' he grinned. 'Wait! Think I've found her!'
Buffy stood silently, feeling Spike withdraw from her mind, trying not to think and distract him.
Spike stood in front of the witch. "Willow?" She looked up at him. "Bit late, isn't it?"
"What's it to you?"
He sat down beside her. "I care, Willow. I don't want to see you get hurt."
"Too late."
"Willow, look at me," he said gently. She looked into his eyes and found she couldn't look away. She felt suddenly paralysed. "Now, I'm not going to hurt you. Just relax. This is to help you, Will."
"What…?"
"Thrall. I'm going to enthral you."
He felt her struggle against it, but his will was stronger than hers.
She blinked. "Spike?"
He put an arm round her. "Sh, it's okay. Everything's okay. No magick, right? Not at the moment. And only ever for good, for fighting evil. For helping Buffy. But only when she asks. See? Not asking you to give it up completely. Just take a rest from it for a bit," he murmured soothingly, hoping she wouldn't realise that stopping her magick was exactly what he intended to do.
She smiled and nodded. He got up and held his hand out to her. She took his hand. "Where are we going?"
"Home. Taking you to Buffy's. Get you a nice, hot drink, tuck you up in bed. Shouldn't wander about in such skimpy clothes, you'll catch cold. And attract vamps. Here," he said as he wrapped his duster around the shivering girl. He searched out to find Buffy. 'Got her. Got her in thrall. Taking her to Revello Drive.'
'Great. Call Xander if I'm not back before you.'
Willow was sitting drinking hot chocolate when she arrived home, and Xander was fretting round her like a mother hen. Spike stood quietly at the window, looking out for her.
"Everything okay?" she asked anxiously.
Xander nodded, going over to her. "She's fine. A little – dazed. I guess that's part sedative, part thrall."
"Xander, don't blame Spike," she implored. "He didn't want to do it. He only did it because I asked him to."
To her surprise, he smiled. "It's okay. I know it's probably our best shot at helping her."
Spike came over to them, as Willow sipped obliviously at her chocolate.
"Spike – said it wouldn't stop her for ever."
Xander looked at the vampire. 'He looks tired,' he thought suddenly. 'Wonder if enthralling does that to you?' "So, how long have we got?"
Spike shrugged. "Depends how strong-willed she is. When I was in her mind, enthralling her, I felt the magick. It's – it's like a demon, in a way, it's trying to take her over. The more she uses it and the more powerful she gets, the stronger the magick gets. But it's like a compulsion, an addiction as well – it wants her to use it, so that she has to use it, then she'll belong to the magick completely – and it'll destroy her. There'll come a time when the power of the magick will be greater than my enthralment."
"Then what?" chorused Buffy and Xander.
He looked down. "Then we lose her to it. This isn't a long-term solution, it's just buying us some time. The thrall is like her chip – how long before the chip stops working? I can't tell."
"Us?" asked Xander, his hopes rising slightly.
Spike smiled. "Us. I've got her in thrall, remember. For the moment, I'm responsible for her actions. But we need to find a proper solution, fast."
'What happens if we don't?' thought Buffy.
'We lose her, like I said.'
'I know, but – what about you? What happens to you?'
He gave a mental shrug. 'Not much. Bit of a headache, maybe.'
'Chip-type headache or normal-type headache?'
'Depends how long she's in thrall.'
'Oh.' She reached out and touched his hand.
Willow was sitting meekly on the sofa. She yawned, eyelids drooping. Eventually she blinked up at them. "Can I go to bed now?" she asked Spike.
Buffy and Xander both saw the look of pain that marred his features for an instant. "Sure, sweetie, go on up," he said gently, as though she was still a child. She smiled at them, and made her way upstairs.
Buffy and Xander turned back to see Spike with his head in his hands on the sofa.
"Hey, Bleach-boy," said Xander, sitting beside him. "Chill, will ya? You know there's no other way."
"I know. I just wish there was," he groaned. "I feel as though I've betrayed her, and you, and Buffy, and Giles, and Tara, and…"
"Okay, you're not meant to have a conscience! What you did was right."
Spike looked at him. "Don't think I'll ever understand you, Harris. I've got your best friend in thrall and you tell me I've done the right thing!"
Buffy knelt beside him. "You're doing it to help her," she reminded him. "There's no other way. You know that."
He grimaced. "I know. Still feel bad about it though."
Xander thumped him on the back, wondering what had happened to the 'Big Bad'. "Lighten up, man, you're sounding like Angel. Have a beer?"
Spike couldn't help smiling at the unlikely offer. "Not now," he said. "More to the point, we need to figure out what to do about Willow."
"More sedatives. They'll be in on Monday," said Xander.
"Not a long-term solution," replied the vampire.
"Addiction clinic? Hypnosis? Counselling?"
"Better ideas, Xander. And we get her to go how?" asked Buffy.
"Well, Spike has her in thrall. He can make her go."
Spike rolled his eyes. "You don't get it, do you? It's not just an addiction, it's like some sort of demonic infection, like…" he turned to Buffy, "that time Angel told me about, you got telepathic after touching a demon? It's like that. She's been infected with magick, and she can't shut it off of her own will any more, just as you couldn't shut out the sounds. The thrall will only help for a certain amount of time – like the pillow or your hands held out the sound for a bit. But eventually, the demon will win out over the thrall. It's not just an ordinary addiction, it's an infection," he stressed. "And the only way to save her is to stop her using magick. Completely, if possible."
They looked crestfallen. "So what do we do?" asked Xander.
"I wish I knew," the vampire replied wearily. Then, speaking his own and Buffy's thoughts, "I wish Giles was here."