By Clueless One
Rating: R
Disclaimers: BTVS & Angel belong to Joss Whedon, UPN, WB, and ME respectively. I'm just borrowing them for a bit.
Summary: Spike returns to Sunnydale after a lay over in the City of Angels. Buffy and Dawn are getting their lives sorted out; Willow is back from her detox in England. Xander and Anya move on with their lives hoping to discover whether they're traveling the same path. Meanwhile one of the Old Ones wakes, and begins searching for her bloodline, and reclaiming her family. She's old as mankind Hell-bent on restoring the world to the way it was when she last walked upon it, and seeking revenge on the one who was created to destroy her: The Slayer.
Spoilers: All of Season Six of BtVS and Three of AtS set in an Alternate Season Seven and Four respectively although a few ideals have been borrowed from this season ;)
A/N: Wow! Shame on me huh? I'm sorry about not updating, but I've been stuck on this story especially this chapter. I really have no excuse, except to say writer's block sucks. Anyway here's the next part hope someone's still willing to read this.
Feedback: Please? I like feedback. The more the better. And I would like to think everyone who has reviewed this so far. Thank you.
Chapter Four. What dreams may tell.
"All that we see or seem is but a dream within a dream."
- Edgar Allan Poe
Sunday morning found Buffy sitting at an empty table in the Magic Box, mentally giving thanks for the small break in her luck so far this morning. One of those breaks being that she had made it to the shop before Anya could find Connor. She was also thankful Connor was still here, and that Dawn was actually going to try to and talk to Spike today. "Anya."" Buffy said startled as the Magic Box's owner walked into the store.
The recently brunette Vengeance Demon cocked her head to the side and brushed a stray strand of hair from in-front of her eye. "Buffy, why are you in my store at Eight AM?" Anya asked before her eyes widened. "Oh no! The worlds not ending is it? Because I just got all of this lovely money yesterday." She opened the cash register holding up a handful of cash. "Plus I have a meeting with Hallie and D'Hoffryn, and I really don't want Spike to have been the man to have given me an org-"
"Anya!" Buffy stopped her before she could embarrass her further. "The worlds not ending."
"Oh," a beat. "Why are you here then?"
Buffy sighed, looked at Connor sitting in the corner listening to her sister, he certainly has the brooding thing down, then sighed again. It was going to be a long day she decided. Thankfully Dawn was still here for a while to help her through it.
"Anya I'd like you to meet C-Steven." she began finally.
***
A few hours later outside the Crawford Street Mansion Dawn was getting an up close look at the ivy covered building for only the second time in her natural life. The first had been only a few nights before. Sure she had memories of this place, but they had never really happened. She was never kidnapped by Angelus and held in the courtyard as a trap for her sister. Never forced to have tea with Drusilla as she argued with her dolls over what her blood would taste like. She had never met Spike who for some reason had looked at her, then back to the other room where Angel and Drusilla were, cursed, and let her go. She could remember that night clearer then almost any of the false memories she had. The fear she had felt as the platinum haired vampire wheeled himself in, spun himself in the chair in front of her, then tilted his head raising an eyebrow.
"Scared?"
"N-no." she had lied.
He smirked. "Cant fool me you know that right." He moved the wheelchair back and forth around her in a half circle. "I can smell it on ya Platelet. Fear. Delicious fear."
"So."
"Brave girl ain't ya? Big sis would be proud 'aven't seen you cry once since me sire brought you 'ere. You do know you're 'is bait? Slayer's gonna discover you missing, come to find you, only then Angelus'll kill her. Or 'e'll just torture you. Maybe sire you and send you back, make the Slayer kill you 'erself." Dawn heard Angel moan in pleasure from off in another room then heard Drusilla cry out in a shriek of pain.
"Bastard." Spike swore under his breath. "Tosser's gonna want to use you like he's using her. Like he used Col-" He shook his head muttered a "Bloody 'ell" before he unchained her. "You're free bite size. Now get the fuck outta here."
"Thank you." He glared but she moved over to him, hugging him. She couldn't explain why, she just did, then shot out of the mansion running and not stopping until she was home. Even after all these years she had never said a word about it to Buffy.
Funny that her first memories of him would install trust. Damn it, every memory she had of him gave her more reasons to trust him. The monks who created her had chosen to do that, to make her trust him, and now she wondered why. And if they had also make him care about her? About her sister so that he would protect them? Did he even really care at all? Or was it the monks spell? Because it seemed awfully easy for him the way he had betrayed them and left. Taking that trust and shattering it on a cold bathroom floor. Trust…well fuck trust, and fuck him for that matter if he thinks he can just come back, and I'll put my faith blindly in him again. She wouldn't do that, but she would try to move on, perhaps even give him a chance. Nothing more. She came here to confront him and have it out like she wanted to do the night before. So yes she would put the past behind them tonight, but nothing would ever be like before.
Dawn opened the door letting herself inside. She had gone by Spike's crypt this morning but Clem said he was gone, moved out, and was here instead. She remembered the layout of the mansion from the night before and found the master bedroom easily, but she wasn't prepared for what she saw inside. Spike sitting huddled against a wall, head lowered in his hands, and a thin white sheet wrapped around his legs covering his waist. In the center of his chest was a massive red burn peeling to reveal pale skin underneath. His torso lined with dozens of white scars some small, some large, and some crisscrossing. They reminded her of the cutsthe few cuts on her own body.
"Spike?"
"Bit? Dawn. What are you doing here?"
What was she doing here? She was angry, hurt, and had wanted to hate him. Really wanted to hate him. Because hate…it was good for times like this, it would make things easier, but one look at him sitting there broken and she couldn't. She couldn't hate him. "What did you do to yourself?"
He laughed, not the rich deep laugh that she had only heard a time or two, or the smug cocky chuckle he so often used, but instead it was a low almost maniacal giggle. The kind of sound crazy men made in movies. She took a step back. "What'd I do? Been askin' myself that?"
"Spike what happened you look like shit."
"Wasn't' s'posed to see this." Spike pulled the sheet up over the scars protectively. He looked frightened. "Shouldn't have seen me like this." He shook his head indigo eyes flashing golden for a brief second. "Look, step out and give me a minute would you? Least give me a chance to get some bleedin' clothes on then we can talk or you stake me or whatever you came over at this ungodly hour for." Now that sounded like Spike. She nodded and left the room.
***
London
Alone in The Council Library Giles turned a yellowed page in a leather bound book. He had searched for information regarding Lilith but found nothing more then old legends, myths, and a lot of useless drivel. So less then two hours ago he had switched his research over to The Order of Aurelius. Well versed on The Master and his descendents he began looking into the life of Aurelius himself. He already knew the Order was passed over to The Master near the end of the fourteenth century and that it was the last time Aurelius was ever sighted. Unfortunately little else was known about the Vampire Prophet, except his writings. Giles found himself wishing he could find more of them, but he knew he wouldn't. Just as he knew he was wasting precious time here. The Council would have the books he needed locked away in the vaults with everything else they had decided was too dangerous for people to stumble upon. Sighing he gave up.
The rest of his day had been spent transcribing everything he had found about the Prophecies and Lilith, which wasn't much more then he had the night before, as well as the names of a dozen or so books Buffy would should request from the Council. Sadly it was the most he could do.
He closed his eyes. The passage about the Champion and the Warrior was still plaguing his thoughts. He could reason with himself to understand Angel's part, the Power's had chosen him, but the other? He had read through every Watchers' Diary on Spike since Angel first named him years ago. The discrepancies in the volumes were vast and everything from his age to his life as a human conflicted in each entry. Added to the two years he had spent in the vampire's company it only fueled the problems even more. Spike was never one to revel more of his past then need be, at least not to him, yet in that time things had slipped. His age for one, which had been a surprise, he had expected him to be at least a century older, and his cockney accent for another. Cobbler more like. But it was during the summer that Buffy had been dead that he truly discovered the complexity that was Spike.
It was that Summer he saw a vampire mourn the loss of a human girl, and he had witnessed a soulless demon ridden with guilt for failing to save two girls atop a tower when they had needed him most. Not just any demon he reminded himself but William the Bloody. The Slayer of Slayers.
Fact was the only conclusive information he could find was from one Dr. Lydia Schellain. Her thesis, "William the Bloody: Victorian Chivalry and the Demon it Created," was truly a fascinating read, and strangely, if reluctantly, he found it fit with what he knew first hand of the vampire's behavior pattern.
He remembered Dr. Schellain had been to Sunnydale during the ordeal with Glory and had met with Spike. He had boosted for weeks about the girls infatuation with him. Giles glanced back at the document noting it had been written in 1996 nearly twenty years after he killed his second Slayer. Giles wondered what else she now knew of William the Bloody.
***
Willow sat at the counter of the Magic Box working the register and listening to Xander and Buffy fight. It wasn't how she had wanted to spend her Sunday, but after Xander had insulted the entire demon community, as well as Anya someone had to mind the store. It was aggravating the way he could be so stubborn over things and so thoughtless towards others.
"No. No. No, and let me punctuate that with a hell no."
"Xander-" Buffy began to say.
"No! First the Bleached Wonder comes waltzing back into our lives, now all a sudden you have custody of Deadboy's son, and you want me to let it move into my apartment."
"Fine. If you don't want him there we'll find somewhere else for Steven."
"How about shipping him back to Los Angeles where he belongs?"
"Xander! What the hell is wrong with you?"
"You really want to know what's wrong with me Buff? I'll tell you. It's the fact that you're letting that thing come back into our lives after what he tried to do to you."
Buffy's voice lowered. "I've told you what happened with Spike is between him and me. It's none of you-"
"That's where your wrong this is my business."
Here we go, thought Willow, Round 99.
"No Xander it's so not."
"You allowing that animal free rein in Sunnydale is asking for trouble. He's dangerous."
"Not to us. Not anymore."
Pacing Xander rubbed his eyes. "Yes he is. He'll turn on you Buffy. No matter how tame you think he is, he will turn on you."
"I'm not having this argument anymore. You have problems Xander. Get over them." Buffy said before turning around and walking out.
***
In the small back room of the Magic Box Steven lay on his side wishing Dawn were still around and trying to ignore the shouting. He had met Xander, who he thought had liked him until he found out what he was. Then he went berserk and Steven went from being a person to a thing. An abomination. An atrocity, and oh yeah he seemed to remember being called the Spawn of Satan at one point. He had never been judged for being what he was until now, and never given a chance to prove himself. He couldn't help but wonder if that's how Angel had felt, or Spike for that matter. Had he been no better then Xander in judging someone before he knew them?
A soft knock disturbed him from his thoughts. He sat up. "Come in." He smiled seeing Buffy open the door, he wasn't sure what he thought of her. He was impressed by her abilities, and genuinely liked and he trusted her, but being around her was awkward. Perhaps it was because of her history with his father.
"Hey, sorry about all of that."
"It's ok."
"No it's not. The things he said were out of line and wrong."
He looked up at her. "Buffy? Do you think you could tell me a little about Angel? What he was like around you?"
"Yeah, I think I can."
***
Los Angeles
The old adage that the road to hell is paved with good intentions has certainly held true. Six months ago Wesley Wyndam-Pryce had a purpose in life, a part in a mission helping the hopeless, friends who were closer then family, and now what did he have? Nothing. Well that wasn't quit true. He had quite literally a hell of a fuck whenever he wanted her, but he also had hatred, guilt, self-loathing, and an ever growing sense that he was slowly damning his soul. He had no idea if the hatred was for himself or for his friends, who had left him alone in the hospital after his throat had been cut, perhaps it was both. Either way, he found, he didn't really care.
"It seems the other vampire has left, and isn't coming back." Lilah said as she straddled his lap. He leaned back onto the leather sofa in her office.
"Should I care?" he asked.
"No I guess not. I thought you might be interested in why he suddenly left after three months. For a while I was beginning to think he had replaced you."
He moved his hands up her thighs and passed the hem of her skirt finding the thin fabric of her panties. "Really luv, do you think anyone can replace me?"
"I wish." She moaned as he slid his fingers under the damp silky material.
"Ms Morgan?" The door opened as Gavin came barging inside. In one swift motion Lilah was off his lap and smoothing her skirt.
"I thought we had gone over how to knock already. Do you need another lesson?" He narrowed his eyes. "Fine what is it?"
"There seems to be a situation with the psychics."
"Situation?"
"Yes, they're dead."
"Dead?" Lilah asked sounding shocked. Wes took a sip of his bourbon listening to them all the while.
"We also were sent a memo from the Senior Partners. There's a woman -vampire actually at the airport. She's responsible for the psychics. She doesn't like to be probed."
"Anything else?"
"We're to pick her up and assist her in any way she wishes while she is in town."
"Who is she?" Wes asked joining them.
"Her name Mr. Pryce, is Lilith." Gavin said, causing Wesley to nearly choke.
***
Over the summer Spike had grown accustom to the nightmares of his past, yet the more vivid the dream and traumatic the memory, the more he found himself regressing into William's personality afterward. And bugger it all if the Bit hadn't shown up when "William" was the most exposed.
"So what did you want?" he asked after he had let her back in. He walked barefoot over to the bed, wearing only black jeans and black shirt that hung from his sides unbuttoned. There was no use in hiding the scars now, she had already seen them.
She didn't answer.
"You here to kill me? Threaten me? What? Just tell me what you want."
She was sitting in an old wooden rocker across from him. "I didn't want anything from you."
So that's how this was going to be. "Then why are you 'ere? You want an apology Bit? Want me to say I'm sorry for leaving? Well I can't." He saw the hurt in her eyes for just a second. "I'm sorry I had to leave. I'm sorry for hurting you and your sis, but I'm not sorry I left."
"Why?" She asked. She rubbed the corner of her eye. "Why did you leave?"
"I told you I had to find control."
"I don't understand. You tried to rape Buffy, and then when we needed you, you were gone. I needed you Spike after I found Tara and and…" She began to cry. Soft whimpers at first, followed by low sobs. Spike moved over to her, pulling her to him.
"I never wanted you to be 'urt. Never."
She reached out her small warm hand touching the healing scar of the burn.
"What is that?"
"It's a souvenir from my little journey of self-discovery."
She sniffled. "Buffy said you went to Africa. Why?"
"Promise you can keep a secret? I don't want big sis knowing. Not yet."
She nodded. "After…you know…I went to see a friend. I wanted to be sure that I would never do that again, I wanted to be the kind of man who would never do that. So I went to see 'er and she told me of a legendary demon healer who could help me. I found the bloke and passed his trials." He grinned. "Remind me to tell you about them. Anyway I passed and got to have my wish." He watched her digesting the story.
"What did you wish for?"
"My soul Bit, I went and had my soul restored."
Her eyes were wide as saucers her mouth agape. "You're soul?"
"S'what I said."
"How about the other scars?"
"I went a little crazy afterward. Felt I deserved a little self mutilation. Dug at myself pretty bad till Peaches caught me at it."
"Tell me about the trials."
***
Love's Bitch that's what I am, what I've always been.
Giles was astounded as he sat in the small coffee shop. Across from him an attractive woman was seated, her honey colored hair was done up in a bun and a pair of thin wire spectacles lazily resting on the bridge of her small nose. In his hand he held a journal, opening it he began reading the first few paragraphs again for the fifth time.
"It has been over one hundred years since I have written much less told honestly of my life, yet here I sit in London, not far from where it all began. Where I was born, and where I died. Where I was reborn into a world of darkness…and where I set forth on a journey in hopes to be born yet again. I have three days before my trip to Africa. So I thought I should add this little opening as well as fill Lydia in on what has happened in the last year. Add it to the little memoir she had me write a year ago. Who'd have thought I'd let a Watcher talk me into chronicling my life in such brutally honest detail. I trust her though, more then that I actually like her. She knows what I am, and though fearful at first, treats me like a person, for that I consider her a friend. It's her help that has allowed me to take up this endeavor. To seek out this legend.
For twenty-four years I was a man. For over a hundred and twenty a demon. For the last two I have walked the edges outside of each. No longer could I be true to my nature, to be a monster. I can't be the monster I am, but I also cant be the man I find myself wanting to be. I lack what could make me him. I learned that the other night. I never understood it before but I do now, I know the importance of that piece I lack. My own personal Jiminy Cricket. So that is the reason for my upcoming trip.
Dr. Schellain has vowed to deliver this to you all if I don't contact her and inform her the trails have been passed. If I fail it's my death, wager Harris be glad about that, hell after what I did you all will. Although if I pass…if I can beat this…I can restore my soul. What good could that do me though you may be asking? Nothing I have no grand delusions of a soul giving a me a happy ending. I know what it did to Angel, 'tis why I want it. I deserve to feel the guilt. To suffer for what I've done. And at least then I would have control…real control not a piece of silicone in my head. And Buffy can have what she deserves. Justice and who knows…there's always someday. I have to hope for that someday. If she can love that bastard Angelus with a soul and can forgive him for what he did without…who knows.
So here we now go gather the wife and tuck away the kiddies, and come hear the show. The life of William the Bloody.
I was born in London, on March 27 in the year 1856 of our Lord, the son of Jacob and Mary Whitmore. My life was ordinary, quite mundane in fact. I attended Oxford, dreamed of love, and fancied myself a poet. Father died before I reached my twenty-second year, and as the eldest son it became my responsibility to run the bank my father had owned, though I was inadequately qualified and proceeded to run it into the ground and my family nearly into poverty as well. At the time of my death I had two younger brothers Michael seven, Mathew twelve, as well as a younger sister Colleen fourteen: All of which I slaughtered. We'll delve deeper into that later though, first I'll tell of the last party I attended, and a very posh event it was, this social gathering of London's finest families. Snobbish bunch they were, old money my mother called them. As we all know old didn't take to new money, and seeing as how both believe that no money is beneath them…woe to be there from the working class…"
"Remarkable."
"It is isn't it. I just hope you understand what I have done by showing you this Mr. Giles."
"Pardon?"
"I promised William not to publish this unless…well my allowing you to read this has violated my oath to him. "
"But the Council…information like this should be…it challenges everything we have been taught. Everything that we are. For Christ's sake Lydia if this is true William the Bloody willingly sought out a soul. A sodding soul." He had trouble believing it, after years of listening to him rant about Angel and his soul. He knew somehow the platinum headed annoyance would become ensouled from the way the prophecy read, but that he did do it himself. Amazing.
"Oh it's quite true I can assure you of that. After all I was the one who helped him reach Africa, and Mr. Giles, frankly we both know the Council's opinion on vampires with souls, now do we not?"
"Yes I suppose so." He remained silent for a moment trying to decide how much he could trust this woman. Spike trusted her. He felt a momentarily pang of something at the thought and wondered why. Not because a part of him was envious that the vampire trusted her more then him. No, certainly not that. The woman had risked her career as a Watcher to help Spike, perhaps even risking her life in doing so. "Tell me do you truly value your relationship with Spike more then your life as a Watcher."
He watched the conflicting emotions play out on her face. "Why?"
"I need your help, and what I need may will put me as well as whoever helps me at odds with the Council. You are at Quentin's right hand and as so you have access to places…"
Her eyes widened, "Are you asking me to betray-"
He stopped her. "What I am asking is for you to help me do what I can in order to help my Slayer, as well as…as Spike. When I asked to meet you I told you that Spike's…life as it is might be in danger. It still is, but I fear now his soul is as well." He handed her a sheet of paper with a copy of the two prophecies. "Read them." He told her. "If this occurs all that Spike has been through this summer will be for naught. All of my Slayer's battles, all of her sacrifices, everything the Council claimed to strive for will be for naught."
He concentrated on her as she read the prophecies noticing her face remained impassive, Giles began to think he had been wrong in asking or expecting her help. She surprised him. "What is it you need?"
"I need into the vaults."
"What's in there that you could possibly hope to find?"
"The truth."
***
Death. Everywhere she looked all she could see and smell was death. Buildings burning around her creating raging infernos, bodies lining the streets, bodies hanging from light poles ushering a procession towards the center of town.
"Where am I"
"Hell." Buffy turned looking at the young woman standing in front of her, she smiled, then smoothed her dark blue dress. She looked slightly younger then herself with black hair and deep brown eyes that held such innocence and love that she almost didn't recognize her. Almost.
"Dru."
" I'm not here to fight." Buffy nodded feeling for some strange reason calm and not threatened in her presence.
As they moved through the town she began to recognize it. "This is-"
"Sunnydale." Drusilla finished
"What happened here?" she asked unable to believe this was her home, and that she had allowed this to happen.
"Nothing yet…perhaps nothing will…if you can stop it."
"What?"
"Shh," The reflection of the surrounding fires danced in her glistening eyes under the pale moonlight. "There's not enough time. So much you need to know, but I'm not able to tell you." They were suddenly standing outside her home on Revello Drive everything quiet and peaceful. "I can't stay here like this long. It's all too clear and it hurts so much." Oh my God, Buffy thought, she's sane or at least partially. "I can see I was wrong," she smiled weakly. "I'm not the one he needs. She wants him."
"Who?"
"The Old Ones' spawn, Evil's Darkest Birth is again awake."
"I don't-"
"I know a secret" she pointed to the house. "The girl in there is the Key," she whispered. Buffy tensed, her body instinctively preparing to fight.
"If you try to hurt my sister…"
"No! You must protect her Slayer. She must be protected…so special…so shiny. Don't you see it? Can't you feel it? She's more then your sister, she's a part of you and…She must be protected. She's the future and our William'll need her. Just like he'll need you."
She was at a lose. "Why do you care?"
Dru looked down her lips twitched upwards into a sad smile. "I've always loved my family you know." She shook her head. "She's coming Slayer and she must be stopped. She's going to reclaim her family." Her voice faltered then strengthened into a low growl. "My family. She wants my family and she wants to destroy you, Slayer, forever. I don't want to be with her, and I don't want William or Daddy or even that Angel beast inside daddy to be with Her. I'd rather they have you."
"How can I stop her?"
"It's all dark...so dark, I know the only chance is his family. Daddy and my lost little brother. My Spike." Dru reached out and stroked her cheek. "You and his girl. There's so much of my... of him in her, and so much of you. He'll need you all, but most of all he'll need you. He'll need the real you. "
"Real me? What do you-"
Dru's eyes blazed gold with the demon surfacing. Before Buffy could think or move Drusilla had grabbed her arm and spun her around so that she was behind her. Buffy struggled trying to free herself, cursing herself all the while for trusting the psychotic bitch. Drusilla's cool breath caused a shiver of fear to race down her spine as she whispered into her ear. "In the end you'll be alone. The Slayer is always alone. But if they make the right choice the Chosen One can stop her. It's up to you, only you can end it. Only you. You think you know what you are? What's to come? You haven't even begun." Drusilla finished as her fangs sunk into Buffy's neck.
Buffy woke her pulse racing in the pitch black of her bedroom. The dream had been so real so vivid, so frightening. It was a Slayer Dream she was sure, warning her of something coming. Something bad. Buffy took a calming breath then reached to her neck feeling where she had been bit in the dream.
***
California's Maximum Security Penitentiary For Women
Tic Toc…Tic Toc…
She sighed, her slippered feet making small swooshing sounds on the hard cold floor as she paced to and fro around the dark tiny cell. She stopped and sat on the edge of the bed tucking her left leg under her. It wasn't fair.
Tic Toc…Tick Toc…
In the darkness she nervously picked at the cuticles of jagged bitten fingernails. Scratching them down and picking at the skin around them.
Tic Toc…Tick Toc…
She hated that fucking clock. For over two years now it ticked and it tocked, and it never stopped. Before she had learned to live with it by reminding herself that for every tic she was one second closer to achieving her freedom. One second closer to serving her penance and getting a shot to redeem herself on the outside. But that was then. Now the sound made her nauseous for with every tic and every toc she knew she was a second closer to a different sort of freedom, and a different sort of prison. Her body hijacked and all she would be is a broken soul, never having the chance to find redemption.
Tic Toc…Tic Toc…
This is the life that never ends it goes on and on my- She stopped singing the song in her head and brought her hand to her mouth yawning. Silently she chuckled at the absurdity of it. She was bored tonight even knowing what was about to happen. The life that never ends…Yeah right. For her the end would be sooner rather then later, but still even with that knowledge she was bored. Thoughts of a quick nap entered her mind, the sirens would wake her after all if tonight was the night. She shook her head, sleep would lead to more dreams and dreams were something she had enough of lately. Starting over a year and a half prior with her first Slayer Dream. A nightmare really, and it wasn't filled with the cryptic bullshit B complained of usually having either.
In the dream she watched Buffy atop a tower as she kissed her sister's cheek, turned and ran diving into the swirling mass of energy. She felt the release and contentment of her fellow Slayer. The world was safe, her family and friends safe, and at last she would feel peace. Faith woke crying that night for the first time since she broke down in Angel's arms. She knew it was real Buffy was dead. She had been so horrible to the Blond Slayer and now she would never make it up to her, never be forgiven. Never atone for trying to screw over her life.
Then months later she experienced her second dream. Again she felt Buffy's as her eyes opened only to find darkness, trapped, and choking unable to breathe. The terror and confusion as she reached up feeling the box she was in. Her hands bruising, being torn, scraped, and skin cracking as she pounded, pushed, dug, ripped, and finally shattered her way through. Only to have six feet of earth come pouring down covering her blood soaked hands, and falling into her mouth and eyes. Filling her nose suffocating her under its immense weight. The pain and fear was unbearable as she looked around after digging her way out seeing a world she had left months before. Her peace was gone. Yet again Faith had wept when she woke, torn between the joy that she felt knowing Buffy was alive, and the heartbreak of knowing that she had been ripped from heaven.
The third was several months later. Buffy underground with Dawn, an apocalypse averted. "Death was her gift," the words swirled in her mind as she watched Buffy. Cliched as it was B had experienced an epiphany. She had been given another chance at life and given another chance to love. Give. Forgive.
In a cave she saw a familiar vampire willingly face horrendous trials to attain a soul. Then the same vampire full of despair and with his sanity in question, rescued a starving and crazed Angel. Buried deep underground she had seen something Ancient that would soon wake, full of hate, and thirsting for blood. For months the dreams came after that. Countless images flashed by her as she slept nightly. In the morning only fragments remained, but she knew she was witness to the events of the future. A future rent in blood, death, and misery. Hers. Buffy's. Angel's. The Scoobies. The world's. Some things were always the same in them. Buffy fighting against the odds until the end. Angel and the blond vampire, torn battling their own souls. Other things changed, events moving in a different order, but always that thing in the cave won. Her memories of these dreams were jumbled but she had written down what she could remember, most of it anyway. Some things, important things she knew, for some reason she wasn't allowed to tell them. Her journals had been mailed yesterday along with letters to Angel, Wesley, and Buffy about what was going to happen. So much was at stake, and she could make it so clear with what was locked inside her head…only she couldn't. Not even for herself. She hoped what she could give them would be enough.
Tic Toc…Tic…
She yawned again, and laying back she gave into sleep.
Her eyes opened to see a short dark haired man standing in the shadows, leaning on the bars of the cell door. "This can't be allowed to happen." he said. His voice was drawn low with an Irish accent.
"Huh?"
"You know what I'm talking about doll, those visions you've been seeing of the future…your future to be exact."
"What do you know about it."
He shrugged then winked. "Lets just say I know a thing or two about visions meself."
She looked around. "This is a dream isn't it?"
"You're a bright one." She scowled at his comment. "Yes it's a dream. But that doesn't make it any less real. You've seen what will happen to you Faith. You'll die in this cell, and you know what will rise in your place. "
"Who in hell are you?"
"Lets just say I'm a friend of a friend."
What kind of answer was that? She wondered. "Why are you here?"
"Like I said you're going to die in this cell and rise a vampire. You've seen that much, but They haven't shown you what happens next, or what you'll do. Unfortunately, that's why I'm here."
"What?" She asked as her head began to throb. "Ah!" she cried out in pain. "What's happening?" Faith clutched her head, a searing pulse thrumming through her brain.
"It's a vision they're different when they come to you this way directly from The Powers themselves instead of as a dream. Hurts like a bitch this way, believe me, I know." He said sadly.
Faith helplessly watched herself rise from the ground her mind a red haze filled only with hunger. A flash and she was surrounded fighting Angel and his friends. With a snarl she rushed at them again being followed into the battle by a young man in black leather and an auburn haired woman. Another flash and she was with Angel -no Angelus- in front of them bound to the wall was the bleached haired vampire from her other dreams. They laughed as they tortured him, preparing him to be broken and purged by their Mistress. Another flash and they were in Sunnydale Buffy lying dead at the feet of her Mistress. Spike and Angelus on either side of the ebony skinned beauty as they marched towards the High School and the Hellmouth.
Panting Faith drew herself into a ball as the visions ended.
"So you see She needs you to be turned. In truth that's how it's supposed to go down you've seen it yourself now."
"Who in the hell are you?" She choked out.
"Just a friend of a friend who doesn't want to see this future happen."
"Why are you here? Dammit give me a straight answer." She demanded not hiding the anger that was growing.
"Well see, it's destined that they sire you in this cell. You have to see to it that they don't. I'm not saying things will be peachy or even that the future can be changed, but without you they will be weakened."
"How?"
"That's a tricky question. It's all about Balance. The Powers. The First. Good. Evil. Light. Dark. Right. Wrong. Fries. Onion rings. It's all Balanced out. Tit for tat and all that. One side wins for a while, then the other takes over. At least that's how it was meant to be. Now there's a third equation butting its head in. Chaos. It creeps in changing things even stealing the warriors from each side. Now this Chaos it's neither good nor evil, it's simply there. It brings the power to tip the scales in the favor of whichever side can wield it. The power to create one's own destiny. Chaos has its Champions now, people outside the Powers influence. The same as Good has its Champions, just like Evil does."
"I don't understand." Faith told the dark haired man.
"Try it this way. Take Angel, now he was a right bastard for a good many years. One of Evil's Champions, but that was the demon. His soul on the other hand was destined to be one of Theirs so They intervened. Now he's both a Champion for Good and for Evil, neither one is sure which he will be on in the end but for now it's balanced out. Then there is that other Vampire. Spike. He was a legendary Dark Warrior never meant to fight the good fight, but that's where Chaos came in. He was given the chance to create his own destiny and the choice he is making isn't sitting well with some people on either side. They strive ultimately for Balance and he just shook the entire field. But as you saw that will change. Lilith will have you. You will help them defeat Angel. He will lose his soul. Angelus will turn Spike to their side. Humanities only hope will die. This world will be their Hell. And it will all begin with you kid."
"You said I have to stop it. Tell me how."
"Well seeing as how normally I'm working on behalf of The Powers I shouldn't tell you this. But if you want to change your destiny, embrace Chaos. Create your own fate and shift the damned Balance."
"How?"
"Think about it. You're smart you'll figure it out. That's what Slayers do." He winked at her again. "You better end this dream and get some real sleep. You have a long day ahead of you tomorrow."