Song lyrics for 'Blurry' by Puddle of Mud are in between these lines : --------

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Envai Gold

Opna Black

Henyo Orange

Keitu Blue

Deygo Light Green

Yetchu Yellow

Sirus Turquoise

Ferro Purple

Gio Silver

William Red

The colour represents that particular power's magic colour.

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

Spike lay in the sun. He had to be in power form of course, but he chose to remain in his own shape, just not in vampire form. He breathed in the air, as if he could breathe in the sun also. If what happened today ended happily or unhappily, either way he would not lay in the sun again.

"William?"

Spike stood, sighing and turned around to face an orange haze.

"Henyo, it is good to see you."

"I come only to tell you that Masteress Opna knows what blocks Gio has placed around the mortal and is prepared to remove them."

"Good, what about Sirus?"

"Sirus is prepared."

"And Tara?"

"She is calmed since you spoke to her."

Spike nodded, remembering his short meeting with Tara. She had been scared for Willow especially when she was told that the redhead's soul could be banished for eternity. Spike had done his best to soothe her and quickly explained what he needed from her. The last few days had been hectic in general now that Spike thought about it. The Summers Residence and Angel's Hotel had been evacuated in case Willow did escape, and everyone – including Giles, Oz, Riley, Sam, Willow's parents, aunts, uncles, cousins, Xander's parents, Cordelia's parents, Jonathan, Andrew, Buffy's dad and Faith had been taken to Marseilles in France where they could easily go through a dimensional portal if Willow did find them.

"So all is prepared?"

"Indeed it is, William."

"Fine. We start as soon as Masteress Envai and Masteress Opna wish. Both the girl and myself are prepared. Bring all the powers to this dimension. We are ready."

"Very well, William. I bid you well."

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

One year and a month since they left Sunnydale

Marseilles, France.

"A-Angel…"

"Yeah?"

"You know…how you're Spike's sire?"

"Yeah…"

"Can you feel him? Know if he's ok? Or maybe…his emotions?"

_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_FLASHBACK_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_

No one will ever invent a word for the surge of emotion that tore through Angelus's body when he heard the smug tone of Darla's voice that night. Vamping, Angelus snarled at his sire and turned to Dru.

"Can ye feel him, childe?"

"William…. Spike…his heart is stony, Daddy. He wants to be spiky. Hard…he SCREAMS SIRE. HE SCREAMS FOR HIS SIRE. HIS BLOOD SIRE. HIS BLOOD SCREAMS FOR YOU."

Drusilla's head fell back and she continued to roar for William, for Spike. Angelus ignored the searing pain he felt in his chest and called within himself, within the demon to the very core of his sire/childe relationship with Will, and cried out to his childe's blood. The force of the reply sent Angelus crashing into the wall behind him.
"Will." He moaned, the pain that his childe felt crashing into the older vampire's body with a force that was unparallel to any other he would ever feel.

_+_+_+_+__+_+_FLASHBACK_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_

"He's…not exactly in vampire form, I think. I can't feel him right now, no."

And that's why I haven't been able to rest, he added privately.

"Oh. Right, OK."

"I'm sorry, Buffy."

"I'm sorry too, Angel."

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

Spike was antsy. There was no other word for it. The WAITING was excruciating. Dammit! Why weren't they here? Bloody Hell!

And then he felt it. The gentle tremor that came before a Power entered a dimension other than it's own.

The blonde had expected a slightly larger tremor since there are about an infinity-worth of Pow-

His thoughts were cut off as the whole earth shook beneath him.

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

Marseilles, France
Giles

Giles skimmed the paper and leant forward to pick up the cup of tea just being presented to him.

"Merci beaucoup, C'est combien?"

"Deux cent Francs, Monsieur."

"Voila, merci."

The waitress nodded and walked away. Giles had been feeling agitated all morning and it had just become progressively worse during the day. He wondered if maybe a cup of tea would relax his tense muscles. The warm elixir soothed him as his insides warmed up in the way that only tea could generate. Just as he relaxed into his chair, the earth shook beneath him.

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

Marseilles, France.
Oz, Buffy, Dawn and Angel

"I can't imagine Willow with black hair." Oz commented, absently.

Buffy turned to look at him, not sure if he was insane or demented…or both.

"Plus veins." Dawn added.

Buffy was beginning to feel more and more uncomfortable. She glanced at Angel who was frowning.

"What?"

The broody vampire looked at her and seemed confused over some sort of…itch.

"Nothing, it's just…I've felt unusual all day and now it's worse. I think Spike might be in vampire form…But I don't know…"

They all gazed at him, questioning.

"Because I feel like I'm lying in the sun…not burni-"

Their conversation was cut short as the earth shook beneath them.

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

Marseilles, France
Anya, Xander, Cordelia and Faith

Am I just in HELL right now? Xander didn't think it could get much worse. Anya knew a little about Cordelia, who knew nothing about Anya or Faith who somehow just KNEW by the other three's actions what was going on.

"So, you're half-demon?" Anya addressed Cordelia.

"You're WHAT?" Xander spun round to look at Cordelia.

"Only recently. And yeah. Don't look at me like that Xander. That look is reserved by any woman that sees your teeny little d-"

"You saw WHAT?" Anya yelped.

"Erm…sorry are you dating him?"

"I'm his ex-fiancée."

"You nearly got MARRIED?"

"So, which one of y'all made him a man?" Faith's voice rung out, smugly.

"Probably the full-demon." Cordelia remarked.

"I thought it was you." Anya confessed.

"WHO WAS IT?" they both turned on Xander.

"Erm…."

"Me." Faith trilled.

"YOU SLEPT WITH PSYCO-BITCH?" Cordelia screeched.

"I had gathered from your conversations that the other slayer was not an ally."

"Damn right, I'm not."

"Ladies…ladies…" Xander shot nervous glances between all of them.

Anya shook her head and sat down, "I don't feel so great."

Cordelia frowned and went towards the vengeance demon. "Have you felt strange since…?"

"This morning." Anya finished the sentence.

The two demonesses glanced at each other uneasily.

"We should tell Giles, we might be picking up on something." Anya stated.

"Yeah, we'll check Angel, see if he's getting this too."

But before they could leave, the earth shook below them.

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

The shaking carried on for what seemed to everyone to be a very long time. It was accompanied by a strong wind and a few moments of extreme heat. The cabin in which Spike and Willow had been staying was broken and all that remained was a transparent golden square-ish glob suspended slightly in the air with Willow, standing full force, obviously working on breaking the gold down. Suddenly, deciding to store her magic, she stopped her curses and snarled.

Spike, having ensured Willow's containment, looked around the area. For about a mile, as he estimated, the landscape was bare, parched earth, cracked from severe dehydration.

"Bloody Hell, even the waterfall's gone."

"Power William."

Spike shook himself out of his daze and noticed the several circles of powers around himself and Willow. All the white powers were to the right and all the black powers were to the left. Willow was empowered; the golden square was filled with momentary bursts of magic that just spilled over Willow's brimful supply.

Spike bowed. "Masteress Slidethenvai , Masteress Juichowolopna."

All the powers were in a thick mist form. Spike's eyes glanced over the semi-circle that was the white magic side. At the front, facing him were Envai, Henyo and Keitu. Behind these three the first circle started. Spike nodded at the few he was closely acquainted with, noticing that they were standing in order of rank. The innermost circle were more powerful that the outermost circle. That was why Spike smiled when he saw the purple haze that was Ferro, present in the first circle. Being a necessary part of the proceedings, Ferro had been brought forward, but Spike could sense its discomfort at being between powers that were much greater than itself.

"Power William."

Spike flinched at the black magic that was thick in Opna's voice.

"Yes, Masteress Juichowolopna"

"Gio is unaware of these proceedings. Whenever you are ready, I will summon it here. Envai and myself have agreed that Gio will heed my summons more that those of Envai."

"I agree, Masteress Juichol-"

"Enough with the formalities, William. Time is running out. 'Opna' will DO."

The urgency in the Masteress's voice was evident and both black and white powers alike shared a shudder of fear.

Spike nodded. "Very Well. Please summon Gio Omal."

Opna seemed almost to nod, and in a millisecond, a silver haze appeared. It's shock and confusion was apparent.

"Opna. Good to see you. I didn't realise there was a party."

"Ready, William?"

"Indeed, I am, Masteress Envai."

With a single 'breath', Gio's haze became smaller and fainter and Ferro's became larger and stronger in colour.

"The curse…?"

"Gone."

William nodded. Envai removed Willow's golden confines and Opna pulled away the now visible black magic that surrounded her.

"I won't risk her absorbing more power from any of the other powers here. I am putting you and Willow in a sphere, cut off from us. When you need Sirus, just call for him."

Envai passed this thought to Spike's mind just before encircling Spike and Willow in an orange bubble and pushing it into the air.

"BASTARD!!!" Willow hissed and threw a ball of mixed magic at Spike. Unable to dodge it, Spike was hit with the full force of the magic. It was more powerful than anything he had experienced. The energy was overwhelming. If he had been in vampire form, not even his dust would have still existed.

"Bellio!"

Red magic encased Willow like a second skin and Spike took a moment to regain his powers. Just as he stood, Willow broke through Spike's magic and shot another ball of her own at him. This time, Spike managed to just dodge it and sent up a deep fog to obscure Willow's vision. Quickly, he pulled upon Envai's magic, silently muttering a memo to self 'apologise for stealing my masteress's magic'. He threw it at Willow and it held her tightly, allowing Spike a quick moment to get his bearings. The mixed magic would overpower Envai's magic eventually, but there was still time.

"Willow." Spike whispered, but his voice filled her every vein, was carried through her blood and echoed with her heartbeat. "Willow. So much pain, Willow. So much pain…I can feel it. He soothes your pain doesn't he Willow? You don't even remember why you hurt so much to begin with. Remember Buffy, Willow?"

Her body, rigid with magical tension, seemed almost to flinch at the distant memory of-

"The Slayer."

BAM BAM BAM BAM BAM Memory upon memory was pulled from Willow's mind and thrown into her face. Distant voices, trinkets, pictures, encircled her mind in a way that she could not ignore. Over and over until she shook her head in agony and froze.

"You remember don't you Willow? You can see her. She's your friend Willow. You remember, don't you?"

----EVERYTHING'S SO BLURRY-------

"How about Oz, Willow?"

Her breath caught in her throat as Spike assaulted her mind with images, touches, moments, words, songs…things that seemed so distant she wasn't even sure it was her in those memories.

"And Giles?"

BAM BAM BAM BAM BAM BAM BAM BAM BAM

"And Anya?"

BAM BAM BAM BAM BAM BAM BAM BAM BAM

"Angel BAM? Faith? BAM? Kendra? BAM"

" Do you remember how it used to be, Willow? GOOD and bad."

BAM BAM BAM BAM BAM BAM BAM BAM BAM

"Cordelia? Joyce? Riley?"

BAM BAM BAM BAM BAM BAM BAM BAM BAM

 "Xander? Do you remember, Xander? I didn't even have to ask you. I felt it. You remembered him on your own."

BAM. BAM. BAM. BAM. BAM. BAM. BAM. BAM. BAM.

-------And everyone's so faint---------

BAM. "You remember them don't you? A little. I can tell. Remember, Willow."

---------An' everybody's empty--------

"They're…Willow….they're taking you somewhere….can't you see them Willow. In your mind. In your memory. They're there. Don't you remember, can't you feel how much they love you?"

--------An' everything is so messed up---------

"Something hurts." Willow's voice cracked, hoarse and saturated with pain.

"Maybe it's this."

And with that, Spike was gone. And a girl with a sad smile was standing there, tilting her head and staring. And then, Willow remembered.

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

--------Without you

I cannot live at all-------------

"TAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA-" Somewhere in her screams, she turned to sobbing, ugly heavy sobs that pulled her body into a gruesome contortion of pain and remembrance.

"Remember." His voice was back, and suddenly, there was no resistance towards the memories. These ones…they surrounded her like a warm blanket. Soothing voices, images, bracelets, presents. Smiles and Touches. Laughter and Light…so much light…something strange, panging…almost like heartburn…but nice….bracing…icy but in a good way…lulling and safe and…

"That's love, baby."

Willow looked up and Tara was smiling. Tara was smiling. Tara was smiling. Tara.

"I love you Willow."

"You're here."

"No, Willow. I'm not. I died, Will, remember?"

BAM.

"Hey, Will?"

"Yeah?"

"You'll be ok."

"But…"

----------My whole world surrounds you------------

"No, buts. You'll be ok. You'll be ok because I love you. And I trust in you. I know you'll be ok, because I want you to be. I want my Willow to go out there and be the person I love. Because hate can't bring me back, Will. But love…Love can keep me close."

"I'm right here, Will." Tara's hand reached out and Willow's eyes, deeply sunken in her sallow face, followed it with a look of desperation.

"I'm here." Tara's fingers grazed over the bleeding chest before her and seemed almost to hold Willow's heart still for a moment. "I'm in your humanity, Will. You lost me. You promised you'd always find me, baby. Find me now."

"I'll always find you."

Tara smiled and nodded. "No more of this. Let it go, Will. You'll be ok. I'm here."

---------------I stumbled and I crawled---------------

Slowly the humanity within her body stretched its lazy legs and pushed out the black magic in her soul. The veins disappeared. The black-knotted mess regained its rich red colour. The cuts and bruises that lined her body, seeped out silver fluid and scabbed over. The broken, splintered bones were healed. The deep slice down her chest healed and a small black horse, seemingly galloping was left right above her heart.

"There's my Willow. Keep riding on, baby. Whatever happens."

And Tara was gone.

~*~(~(~(~****~*~*~******~~~**~*~*

Willow shook her head, an empty feeling deep inside her that seemed vast and unfathomable.

"Willow."

"William."

"I'll look after you, Willow. You're not alone. I'm here for you."

"I'm scared."

"I know. Do you trust me?"

"You saved me, William. You saved me from…"

"Don't think about that now. Just trust in me and that I'll take care of you, Willow."

---------------An' you can be my someone----------------

"I trust you, William."

"You'll be ok."

Willow's lower lip trembled and Spike pulled her to his chest as they fell to the bottom of the sphere, ugly sobs again heaving the redhead's body. Only this time, she had Spike there to lean against- giving her support, and love, and a little seed of hope. A little seed of hope within her, that would grow and take away the pain…and one day…. she wouldn't feel empty anymore…. one day…. that seed would grow so big…no more pain….

------------------You can be my seed------------------

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

The strain of the past…everything caught up with her mortal body and soon, Willow was in a deep and much-needed slumber. There was a moment of slight unrest as Gio was finally destroyed as the natural balance shifted slightly and then steadied. Spike bade the powers goodbye and set about getting a place to live for the next few months. As much as the newly-returned-to-vampire-form-again-power would have loved to take Willow back 'home', there was still much to be done. The Slayer and her compadres would have to move to another hell mouth and Angel Investigations would have to move to Sunnydale to replace them. Willow would not be able to adjust back into a 'familiar' environment with any ease – no, best would be to take her somewhere new for a new start. Envai and Opna had created a small amount of the 'mixed magic' and used it to stop Willow from EVER being able to call upon even the weakest form of power. Everyone would have to be explained this of course.

Spike sighed and glanced over at Willow. There was an unusual attachment between them. There was a sense of responsibility on William's part, and a sense of dependence on Willow's side. The more he tried to explain it the worse the explanation sounded. But it was simple really.

------------You know that I'll protect you

From all of the obscene--------------

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

The End of 'Quarantine' and the beginning of 'Living'.