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In Nightmares
Legolas walked softly beside Buffy. She had been very quiet all day and there were dark circles under her eyes. He was worried about her and judging by the manner in which she had been treated all day so was everyone else. Before she awoke after her nightmare the company had decided not to mention the episode of the night before. The fear was that the memory might upset her further. Now Legolas wasn't certain they had made the right decision. It couldn't be good to brood about something so long maybe it would help her to talk about things.
"Is everything all right Buffy?" he asked tentatively.
"Mmm? Did you say something?" Buffy looked up at the elf groggily.
"Are you feeling well?"
"Fine," she smiled faintly. "I'm just so tired. Don't know why though I got plenty of sleep since Frodo took my watch."
"Perhaps your sleep was not peaceful."
"Oh, you mean like bad dreams?" Legolas nodded. "I don't remember dreaming about anything."
"Let's stop here for now," Gandalf said. In all honesty they could have travelled a few more miles but he was concerned about Buffy. She didn't look well.
Buffy was grateful for the chance to rest. She had had to put all her concentration into putting one foot in front of the other without collapsing in exhaustion all day. She guessed she just wasn't used to travelling on foot for such a long period of time. She ate a bit of the food Sam cooked and then fell on her pallet into a deep sleep.
* * *
Pippin and Merry sat watching Legolas. Everyone else was asleep and the two hobbits were studying the elf's ability to sleep with his eyes open. Pippin waved a hand in front of the elf's face. No reaction. Interesting. Merry made a face and Pippin stuck out his tongue. Nothing. It was a little disconcerting actually, since it was difficult to tell just by looking at him whether or not he was asleep. A noise from behind them drew their attention. Buffy lay unmoving on her pallet but she seemed to be trying to say something. They crept closer.
". . . flowers. . ." she murmured. Merry smiled, he liked flowers.
Suddenly Buffy's face tensed and her head tossed to the right. Her hands clutched at her blanket.
"Mom?" Her voice was barely a whisper and Pippin had to strain to hear it. "Mom? Mommy?"
Merry and Pippin looked at each other. They both had a bad feeling about this.
"Mom? Mom, wake up!" Buffy was crying now. Her tears marking a shiny path down her cheeks. She began to jerk and accidentally hit Merry in his shoulder causing him to fall back.
"We better wake someone up." He groaned holding his injured shoulder. Pippin reached over to Legolas who was closest and tapped him sharply. The elf came awake with a start, immediately alert and reaching for his bow.
"What is wrong?" He asked when he saw that no orcs were invading their camp. Pippin nodded his head to where Buffy lay. She was sobbing now. Legolas quickly moved to her side.
"Should we wake the others?" Merry asked.
"Not yet," Legolas put a hand on Buffy's shoulder.
"Mom! Please!" She cried out and latched onto Legolas's arm. Her grip was painfully tight but he didn't shake her off.
There was so much pain in her voice. He reached out with his other hand to brush some of Buffy's hair off her forehead but as soon as his hand touched her skin Legolas was pulled out of himself. No longer sitting beside the slayer with two hobbits at his side Legolas found himself standing in a house. It was unlike any house he had been in before but still the atmosphere of home pervaded the walls. Buffy stood in front of him. She was dressed strangely in some sort of red tunic and blue leggings. She was frozen, looking down at something. He moved to her side and his eyes widened as the obviously dead body of a woman came into view. Tears fell down Buffy's face one after the other in quick succession. He placed a hand on her shoulder and she turned sharply to face him.
"You have to help her," she pleaded with a sad, desperate light in her eyes. Flash.
Legolas jerked and then blinked. He was back inside himself. Buffy was quiet now and the hobbits were looking at him strangely.
"What did you do?" Merry asked.
"I am not aware of having done anything," Legolas was breathing heavily. "I just - she just-"
But the elf never finished. He simply moved back to where he had been sitting before and stared silently out into the night.
* * *
As before Buffy seemed not to remember anything of the previous night. Legolas wanted to ask her about the dream but she had no recollection. She did not seem as tired as before but she was still very quiet. They walked swiftly all day and Buffy barely said two words to anybody. When it came time to rest she skipped eating all together and collapsed into slumber instead.
"There is something other than exhaustion wrong with her," Aragorn said to Gandalf.
The wizard's eyes narrowed in thought, "I do not know what it could be but I do agree with you. I only wish I knew what troubled her so I could help."
The object of their worry was once again lost in nightmares. They came one after the other in a relentless tide that would not let her be. She fought the Master and died. Angel told her he loved her as she stabbed him through his heart. Faith killed and Buffy couldn't stop her. Her parents fought about her. Over and over again Buffy relived the most painful moments of her life. Then it stopped. Buffy was back in the dark forest and the black stone hung in the air. Saruman stepped from the shadows and approached Buffy slowly and with purpose.
"I remember. . ." Buffy said softly to herself.
"How have you been sleeping Buffy?" Saruman inquired with hooded eyes.
"You've been doing this."
"Very astute of you. I have done all this and I can make it all go away. Every bad memory that haunts you. You will never have to think on them again. Just cooperate -"
"No. Let's make this short. I am not nor will I ever help you or your crazy dark lord."
"Such a pity," Saruman murmured. "You could have been great but instead you will suffer and die like all the rest. And I put extra emphasis on the suffering."
* * *
Buffy didn't wake up. No matter what anyone did she slept on caught in the throws of violent nightmares that made her cry out often and thrash brutally. Gandalf racked his brain for a solution. It had to be a spell. It must be. But who would want to - ? Saruman. Of course, the wizard cursed himself for not realizing what was happening earlier before things got this bad. Now it may be too late. Both Aragorn and Legolas were holding Buffy down while Frodo tried to get some water down the girl's throat. Gandalf sat by Buffy's head and placed a hand on her forehead. He had to find a way in.
"What is it? Gandalf? Do you know what is wrong?" Aragorn asked.
"Saruman has trapped her in her nightmares. She does not realise she dreams. She believes the nightmares to be real and therefore her body is unable to wake."
"Can you help her?" Legolas asked.
"I do not know. I must find a way into her dreams to remind her that they are not real. If she understands she is only dreaming she should be able to convince herself to wake up." Gandalf closed his eyes in concentration. After a few moments the wizard cursed soundly and sat back from Buffy.
"The way is blocked. Saruman has done his work well."
"Blocked? What do you mean?" Aragorn stroked Buffy's hair.
"When Saruman first cast the spell he must have covered his tracks by blocking any entrance into her mind. So that I would not be able save her." The wizard hung his head in defeat.
"There has to be a way!" Frodo cried. They had to help Buffy!
"There is," Legolas said quietly.
Gandalf raised his eyes and pinned the elf with his stare, "What do you mean?"
"I can go, I can get in."
* * *
Legolas stood at the edge of a high tower. Wherever he was it was a dark place. He felt no presence of trees or grass. Below him a bright light bloomed and cracked with energy. He turned carefully on the precipice to see Buffy speaking urgently to a young girl. The girl was crying and shaking her head. Buffy said she had to do it. She called the young girl Dawn. Suddenly Buffy turned a began running for the end of the platform. Legolas felt a moment of panic. She was going to jump!
"Buffy no!" He cried and held out his hands to stop her but it was no use. She ran past him as if he wasn't there and leaped of the tower. Flash.
He was in a large room. Buffy and a much taller man fought fiercely, their swords a blur in the night. The man pinned her against the wall and was about to drive his sword through her heart when Buffy's head snapped up. She caught the blade between her palms and attacked with renewed vigour. Legolas watched as a swirling cloud of light appeared at the man's back. Quickly she had the man on his knees as she raised her sword to finish him. But she stopped and looked down in shock at the man. She touched his face and kissed him softly as she drove the sword into him. The light closed around the man and disappeared with him with a sudden swirl and crack of energy. Buffy stood, the sword clutched in her hand. She stiffened suddenly and turned to look at Legolas where he stood behind her. Recognition passed through her wet eyes.
"Legolas?" she asked in confusion. Flash.
Buffy ran past Legolas with another dark haired girl. Another man popped out in front of the two girls and dark one grabbed him and quickly buried a sharp wooden object in his chest. Red blood bloomed on the man's shirt and he coughed more up out of his mouth. Buffy stepped back in horror then bent down to the man but he was already dead. Legolas approached slowly, he had to get Buffy's attention. The girl's were arguing now but Buffy suddenly stopped and looked at the elf where he stood beside her.
"We killed him," she said.
"She killed him." Legolas corrected.
"It's my fault as well."
"Buffy this is not real. You are dreaming."
"Not real?" Buffy shook her head. "This is as real as it gets."
Flash.
They were back in the house from the night before. This time Buffy was holding some strange object in her hand and talking into it. She put it down and began to blow furiously into the dead woman's mouth. Legolas was horrified. He stepped over and placed a hand on Buffy's head.
"She's dead." Buffy stated quietly. "I miss her."
"Who was she?"
Not who is she, who was she. Buffy choked out, "My mother."
Legolas kneeled down in front of the distraught girl as tears poured out of her eyes. He placed a hand on either side of her head and forced her to look at him.
"Buffy listen to me, this is not real. You are dreaming but you must awake now."
"But this happened, I remember. It is real."
"No, Saruman has trapped you in your nightmares." He wiped the tears from Buffy's cheeks.
"Saruman? I - I remember -"
"You must wake yourself. If you want find a way to return home you must first open your eyes."
"Home? But I am home." Buffy shook her head. "No, no I fell. I am not home. Saruman. . . he said he would send me home."
"He lies," Legolas said vehemently.
"I know, he is evil. He said - he is doing this to me. If I agree to help him, to spy on the Fellowship for him he will stop. I said no and then - oh the nightmares!"
"All you have to do is wake Buffy. Then it will all be over."
Green eyes met blue and Buffy said softly, "It will never be over."
Flash
Legolas blinked rapidly and looked down at Buffy who returned his gaze with open eyes. She was awake. He sighed in relief. She sat up slowly and noticed everyone gathered around.
"Buffy you are awake." Frodo said in relief.
"You should rest some more," Aragorn handed her a cup of some warm liquid and Buffy obediently took a small sip.
"Do you remember what happened?" Boromir asked.
"I remember," she said but left it at that. It had all been so real. As if she had been going through all of those horrible memories for the first time. But she hadn't been alone.
"Thank you," she said to Legolas with a smile that failed to reach her eyes.
