The First: Version Slash 6/?
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A loud rasping noise and sudden bright light brought Xander awake with a start. "What?" He didn't wake easily in the best of times and the last weeks had not been.
"It's just me Xander. It's almost noon." Willow's clear voice reached through the haze of sleep. "Are you okay?" There was just a touch of concern there.
Xander sat up slowly, still trying to shake the heavy sleep that had claimed him. "Fine. Weird dreams. Coffee?" He wasn't up for speaking in complete sentences yet.
"Out here. Get dressed. You missed breakfast, but we'll get you something to eat. Then, you and I are going on a shopping trip." Willow didn't elaborate. It would be futile until Xander had his first dose of caffeine.
Twenty minutes later, Xander felt something approaching human. At the very least he was more alert, even if his dream world kept trying to intrude on these daylight hours. "So where is everyone?" Xander asked Willow, having just noticed that they seemed to be alone in the suite.
"Giles, Tara, Cordy, and Wes went on to Alexei's. They were up at the crack of dawn. Who would have thought we'd ever see Cordelia awake and ready to go before six am. Buffy went with them, but by now she's out seeing the vampire hotspots. Apparently Alexei set things up so she would have a guide. It's not just vampire stuff. Buffy said that he wanted her to see how his city ran. She'll be seeing clubs like the one we met him in, and that sort of thing. Angel and Spike are sleeping."
"And what are we doing?"
"Well, apparently because we overslept, we were elected to do some shopping. We need some spell supplies and Giles wants us to check out a couple of rare book stores. Then there's this whole list of stuff that Buffy says she needs if she's going to have stay another couple of weeks in a hotel room. Cordelia had a list too, but thankfully it was shorter. If we manage to get all that finished it was suggested that I make some upgrades to the laptop, at Alexei's expense." Willow's eyes glittered as she said this last.
"That could almost be more dangerous than letting Cordy into the dress stores." Xander began with a smile, but his words faded towards the end and a look of pain crossed his face.
Willow rushed to his side. "What is it? What's wrong?"
Xander slowly shook his head as if trying to clear it of something. "I'm not sure. It was strange. I've been getting these flashes all day long. They're scenes, from my dreams last night. This last, it was intense." He paused, trying to find a way to explain what had just happened in his mind, rubbing absently at his wrist. "Spike and I were up real late. He was explaining all this stuff about bonds and bondmates and claiming. Esoteric vampire crap. I asked him if he thought any of us could be in the prophecy. I don't remember quite how that came about. It was something he said. Anyway he told me that Angel is in love with Cordelia, weird huh? Then he said that he didn't think he could be bound to anyone because of the chip. I came up and went to bed. Must have been too much talk, because I dreamed these really strange things. I dreamed about Cordy and Angel and I dreamed about Spike. There was some kind of ritual and it was weird, because you had to do a spell and Spike bit me." Xander lifted his wrist and held it out as if for inspection. "Here, on the wrist. Anyway, now I'm getting these flashes. Spike just bit in the dream and it hurt. You don't think it means anything. Do you?"
Willow tried to take in all the information that Xander had just given her. It was a little difficult in this garbled form, but after a moment she started putting the pieces together. "You dreamed the bonding ceremony, first between Angel and Cordelia, and then between you and Spike. I think we should talk to Giles. We'll make the magic shop and book store runs and then take care of this. Or maybe I should just call him."
"No. Let's go ahead with the shopping. I feel fine, really. If we call Giles, he'll just want us to go over there right now. Then you'll be stuck doing all the shopping by yourself."
"Okay, but you tell me the very instant anything happens. Do you understand me?" Willow sounded fierce.
"Absolutely." Xander nodded his agreement. Willow grabbed her various lists and they left to begin their shopping trip.
Several hours and six taxis later, they arrived at Alexei's office complex. They stopped at the front desk, where the same woman from the night before greeted them. "Welcome back. I have IDs for you." She handed them each a small laminated badge with their pictures and a number on them. "These will get you into the building at any time of the day or night. You'll need to check with the desk to find out the current passcode on the elevator. It changes every eight hours at midnight, eight am, and four pm. To get the current passcode, you will scan your badges, like this." The woman swiped Willow's badge across a small metal plate. "Normally it will ask you for your voice identification match. All you need to do for that is say your name. As soon as Alexei's cheif of security gets back from lunch, I'll send him up to get your voice verification set up. When the computer confirms who you are, the passcode will flash on this screen for 5 seconds. Remember it, because you can only check it once a day. I'll let you up this time." Willow and Xander took their badges and followed the efficient woman to the elevators, repeating the process of last night.
Madeleine was waiting for them in the lobby. "I'll show you to the library. After today, you'll be on your own. Mr. Nikolaev says you are to have free-run of all but his study and bedroom suite. I would suggest acquainting yourself with the layout as soon as possible." Xander had to wonder where Alexei had managed to find such a dour woman. She reminded him vaguely of the librarian at his grade school. He and that woman had never gotten along. Somehow, he didn't think he'd fare much better with Madeleine. He and Willow were shown in to the vast library they had seen, only briefly the night before.
Wesley was nowhere to be seen, apparently wandering amongst the books somewhere. The others had already returned to their usual routine. Tara sat at a large round table skimming the pages of an ancient looking book, looking for a useful reference. Giles was at another table, examining the things that Tara found. Cordelia was working on a laptop computer, carefully compiling information. Willow had a feeling that Alexei might be getting more than he bargained for in his daily reports. The three of them were so deeply involved in their work that they did not even notice Willow and Xander's entrance.
"Hey guys? We're here. Giles we need to ask you about something." Willow greeted the group. Tara looked up with a warm smile, but quickly went back to her reading. Cordelia didn't even glance over, she was so absorbed in her work.
"You've been to a magic shop I see, and found me some books as well." Giles acknowledged.
"Yeah. There were a couple of the books on your list that we couldn't find. Got all the supplies though, including some extras. Something happened this morning I think you should know about. Xander, tell him." The words weren't a suggestion, or even a request. They were an order, plain and simple. The more Willow had thought about her earlier conversation with Xander, the more concerned she had become. She wanted answers, even if he didn't.
"You're all right, I hope." Giles asked, looking them over for any visible sign of attack.
"Fine. It's really not that big a deal, just some vivid dreams is all." Willow threw Xander a look of warning, "Okay, okay, maybe a little more than that."
Giles sighed, why was nothing easy when it came to this boy. "Just tell me what happened."
"I had these really vivid dreams last night. They were about something Spike and I had talked about. Anyway, when I first got up this morning I was getting these little flashes of the dreams, even after my morning coffee and everything. They were really clear, I could even feel pain from them. That was the last one though. I didn't have any after we left the hotel."
"He dreamed about the bonding rituals Giles." Willow added, not wanting to leave out any potentially important bit of information.
"It's nothing, right. I mean, you know, just dreams." Xander sought reassurance.
Giles took a moment to think. Xander could be right, it could just be dreams, but it could be something more than that. "Generally when dreams are strong enough to intrude on your mind during your waking hours, they are a little more than just dreams. Sometimes they are precognitive, other times they are true visions. We should follow up on this."
"Perhaps I could be of some assistance." A voice called from across the room. It was Marie. When she didn't get a response she continued. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to eavesdrop on you. I have only just risen. I was coming to offer you some help with the research, when I overheard the end of this conversation."
Giles nodded, accepting her explanation. "I understand. How might you be able to help?"
Marie crossed the space to join them. "I don't know how much you know about me."
Cordelia spoke up from the computer, still not turning to look at them. "You're an empath. Don't think I'm not listening guys, just working."
Marie smiled just a bit. "She is correct, but since I was bonded to Karl, I have become something more. Karl had his own psychic and empathic abilities and through our bond, I now share some of those. I can share images with a willing mind. So, if you are willing, I may be able to examine this dream of the young man's. It may help you to know it's nature."
Giles seemed to consider this for a moment. "It may help, but it's Xander's choice, not mine."
"Of course." Marie turned to face Xander. "Are you willing?" Xander reluctantly nodded. "We will need some quiet. There is a small conference room through the door to your left. We will still be close enough that your friends will hear you if you call out."
Xander turned and went through the door without hesitation. Marie followed.
"You are afraid. I know it's not of me." Marie commented after having shut the door behind them.
"No. You don't scare me, but your power does. You'll be able to see into my mind?" Xander sounded uncertain as he answered her.
Marie smiled gently at him. She liked him. "Only what you wish me to see. If you are not willing, I cannot see it. There are those with the power to wrest such things from your mind, but I am not one of them."
"Let's do it."
Marie reached out and clasped Xander's hands in her own. It took her a moment to adjust from the rush of emotions that she could feel with the contact. "Just think about the dream. Don't try to force it, let it in at the side of your brain."
Xander calmed at the soothing tone in Marie's voice and began to focus on the dream. It still came in flashes of imagery rather than the movie version of his sleep, but they were more complete this time. All of them, Alexei's people and the others were in a large room lit only with candles. A ritual was just ending, a ritual that left Cordelia shaking in the grip of Angel. She looked pale and there was just a trace of blood smeared across her lips. Then Willow was there chanting and marking both Spike and himself with some magical mixture. He was quite certain that he didn't want to know what was in it. It only took a few moments for her to complete whatever magic she was performing. Then there was a ceremony, ritual, circles were cast, words were chanted. The images her were less strong, but the sound and touches were there. Cool hands held him close. The chanting never stopped as his own mouth was filled with something, there was a sharp metallic tang and he knew in that instant it was blood. Then there was a quick sharp pain and he felt a cool tongue lapping at his wrist. That was it, it was all he had, the end of the dream.
"Xander. Let the dream go. Come back to us now." Marie's soft voice called Xander back from the dream world that was so very vivid. Marie released Xander's hands and brushed a few stray hairs back from his face in a maternal gesture. "That was difficult. Are you okay?" Her words held concern, her brief sojourn into the mind of one Xander Harris had made her care for him as if he were her own.
"I'll be okay. Did it work? Can you tell me anything?" Xander asked.
"It did work. I think perhaps we should return to your friends, before I tell you the contents of the dream. Just one thing first, what is your relationship with William?" Marie had been in close proximity to both of them in the last two days and while she picked up affecion, loyalty, and protectiveness from both, she would not have thought them to be lovers. The dream made her wonder if she was off in that assessment.
"With Spike? We're friends I guess. He's tried to kill all of us, but since the initiative put the chip in, well he's been there for us. He's fought when he didn't have to, saved Buffy's little sister's life. He's earned our trust and friendship, despite whatever he has done." Xander answered her question truthfully, knowing she would sense a lie.
Marie nodded as if he had confirmed something for her. "Let's go to your friends then."
Giles, Tara, and even Cordelia looked up from their work, when Xander and Marie re-entered the room. "Where's Willow?" Xander inquired.
"I sent her on to complete her shopping. She was fretting and none of us were able to accomplish much of anything." Giles smiled as he thought about the small redhead who played mother to them all from time to time. "Any luck?"
"Indeed. I believe I saw the vast majority of this dream. I can't verify for you what it might mean, but I can tell you some things about it. First and foremost, the rituals used in this dream are well and truly bonding rituals. They are not the same as the ones that tie myself and Karl or Alexei and Katharine. They bear a close resemblance to the ritual that tied Timothy to Nicholas. There was another spell, interwoven into one of the bonding ceremonies in the dream. A spell that I believe your Willow devised. It allowed William to bite, but not indiscriminately. In a way it was a second bond between him and his bondmate. It tied them together. William may bite only when the other consents. It was a complex bit of casting. I do not believe there are many in my scope of experience that could accomplish it." Marie offered.
Giles looked from Marie to Xander, wondering how much more she saw in her brief glimpse into Xander's mind. "There were two rituals. Who did they bond?"
Marie looked to Xander. "It isn't my place to say."
Xander sighed as he stepped forward. "It's okay. They'll have to know sooner or later anyway. The first ritual bound Angel to Cordelia. The second one bound Spike and I."
Giles raised an eyebrow, but that was the only sign of shock on his face. Cordelia on the other hand looked like she might faint at any moment. Xander moved quickly to her. "Come on Cordy, breathe."
Cordy looked at him as if he had grown another head. "Give a girl a minute to adjust would you." Xander knew then that she was going to be okay. He gave her a quick squeeze and turned back to Giles.
"So, now we know they are actual real rituals and not something my brain just spit out. What's the next step?" Xander asked.
"What else, research." Tara picked up a book.
"A good idea. I'll get you a general outline of the spells involved and a list of relevant books. You should be able to figure out the rituals used from them." Marie sat down and quickly wrote on a few sheets of paper. "This should get you started. I'll bring the outline and a more comprehensive list shortly." She reached out a hand towards Xander who clasped her hand in his. "Until later."
Xander begged off of research for a few minutes. He was hungry. As he slipped out of the room and went in search of the kitchen, Xander opened the note that Marie had slipped to him. It was quite simple, asking him to bring Spike, or William as she called him, and meet her in an adjacent room later in the evening. Xander wanted to trust her. She seemed nice and he had already let her in his head. But he didn't know if he should be hiding things from the others. He'd just have to think on it. There were a couple of hours until Spike would be here anyway.
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A loud rasping noise and sudden bright light brought Xander awake with a start. "What?" He didn't wake easily in the best of times and the last weeks had not been.
"It's just me Xander. It's almost noon." Willow's clear voice reached through the haze of sleep. "Are you okay?" There was just a touch of concern there.
Xander sat up slowly, still trying to shake the heavy sleep that had claimed him. "Fine. Weird dreams. Coffee?" He wasn't up for speaking in complete sentences yet.
"Out here. Get dressed. You missed breakfast, but we'll get you something to eat. Then, you and I are going on a shopping trip." Willow didn't elaborate. It would be futile until Xander had his first dose of caffeine.
Twenty minutes later, Xander felt something approaching human. At the very least he was more alert, even if his dream world kept trying to intrude on these daylight hours. "So where is everyone?" Xander asked Willow, having just noticed that they seemed to be alone in the suite.
"Giles, Tara, Cordy, and Wes went on to Alexei's. They were up at the crack of dawn. Who would have thought we'd ever see Cordelia awake and ready to go before six am. Buffy went with them, but by now she's out seeing the vampire hotspots. Apparently Alexei set things up so she would have a guide. It's not just vampire stuff. Buffy said that he wanted her to see how his city ran. She'll be seeing clubs like the one we met him in, and that sort of thing. Angel and Spike are sleeping."
"And what are we doing?"
"Well, apparently because we overslept, we were elected to do some shopping. We need some spell supplies and Giles wants us to check out a couple of rare book stores. Then there's this whole list of stuff that Buffy says she needs if she's going to have stay another couple of weeks in a hotel room. Cordelia had a list too, but thankfully it was shorter. If we manage to get all that finished it was suggested that I make some upgrades to the laptop, at Alexei's expense." Willow's eyes glittered as she said this last.
"That could almost be more dangerous than letting Cordy into the dress stores." Xander began with a smile, but his words faded towards the end and a look of pain crossed his face.
Willow rushed to his side. "What is it? What's wrong?"
Xander slowly shook his head as if trying to clear it of something. "I'm not sure. It was strange. I've been getting these flashes all day long. They're scenes, from my dreams last night. This last, it was intense." He paused, trying to find a way to explain what had just happened in his mind, rubbing absently at his wrist. "Spike and I were up real late. He was explaining all this stuff about bonds and bondmates and claiming. Esoteric vampire crap. I asked him if he thought any of us could be in the prophecy. I don't remember quite how that came about. It was something he said. Anyway he told me that Angel is in love with Cordelia, weird huh? Then he said that he didn't think he could be bound to anyone because of the chip. I came up and went to bed. Must have been too much talk, because I dreamed these really strange things. I dreamed about Cordy and Angel and I dreamed about Spike. There was some kind of ritual and it was weird, because you had to do a spell and Spike bit me." Xander lifted his wrist and held it out as if for inspection. "Here, on the wrist. Anyway, now I'm getting these flashes. Spike just bit in the dream and it hurt. You don't think it means anything. Do you?"
Willow tried to take in all the information that Xander had just given her. It was a little difficult in this garbled form, but after a moment she started putting the pieces together. "You dreamed the bonding ceremony, first between Angel and Cordelia, and then between you and Spike. I think we should talk to Giles. We'll make the magic shop and book store runs and then take care of this. Or maybe I should just call him."
"No. Let's go ahead with the shopping. I feel fine, really. If we call Giles, he'll just want us to go over there right now. Then you'll be stuck doing all the shopping by yourself."
"Okay, but you tell me the very instant anything happens. Do you understand me?" Willow sounded fierce.
"Absolutely." Xander nodded his agreement. Willow grabbed her various lists and they left to begin their shopping trip.
Several hours and six taxis later, they arrived at Alexei's office complex. They stopped at the front desk, where the same woman from the night before greeted them. "Welcome back. I have IDs for you." She handed them each a small laminated badge with their pictures and a number on them. "These will get you into the building at any time of the day or night. You'll need to check with the desk to find out the current passcode on the elevator. It changes every eight hours at midnight, eight am, and four pm. To get the current passcode, you will scan your badges, like this." The woman swiped Willow's badge across a small metal plate. "Normally it will ask you for your voice identification match. All you need to do for that is say your name. As soon as Alexei's cheif of security gets back from lunch, I'll send him up to get your voice verification set up. When the computer confirms who you are, the passcode will flash on this screen for 5 seconds. Remember it, because you can only check it once a day. I'll let you up this time." Willow and Xander took their badges and followed the efficient woman to the elevators, repeating the process of last night.
Madeleine was waiting for them in the lobby. "I'll show you to the library. After today, you'll be on your own. Mr. Nikolaev says you are to have free-run of all but his study and bedroom suite. I would suggest acquainting yourself with the layout as soon as possible." Xander had to wonder where Alexei had managed to find such a dour woman. She reminded him vaguely of the librarian at his grade school. He and that woman had never gotten along. Somehow, he didn't think he'd fare much better with Madeleine. He and Willow were shown in to the vast library they had seen, only briefly the night before.
Wesley was nowhere to be seen, apparently wandering amongst the books somewhere. The others had already returned to their usual routine. Tara sat at a large round table skimming the pages of an ancient looking book, looking for a useful reference. Giles was at another table, examining the things that Tara found. Cordelia was working on a laptop computer, carefully compiling information. Willow had a feeling that Alexei might be getting more than he bargained for in his daily reports. The three of them were so deeply involved in their work that they did not even notice Willow and Xander's entrance.
"Hey guys? We're here. Giles we need to ask you about something." Willow greeted the group. Tara looked up with a warm smile, but quickly went back to her reading. Cordelia didn't even glance over, she was so absorbed in her work.
"You've been to a magic shop I see, and found me some books as well." Giles acknowledged.
"Yeah. There were a couple of the books on your list that we couldn't find. Got all the supplies though, including some extras. Something happened this morning I think you should know about. Xander, tell him." The words weren't a suggestion, or even a request. They were an order, plain and simple. The more Willow had thought about her earlier conversation with Xander, the more concerned she had become. She wanted answers, even if he didn't.
"You're all right, I hope." Giles asked, looking them over for any visible sign of attack.
"Fine. It's really not that big a deal, just some vivid dreams is all." Willow threw Xander a look of warning, "Okay, okay, maybe a little more than that."
Giles sighed, why was nothing easy when it came to this boy. "Just tell me what happened."
"I had these really vivid dreams last night. They were about something Spike and I had talked about. Anyway, when I first got up this morning I was getting these little flashes of the dreams, even after my morning coffee and everything. They were really clear, I could even feel pain from them. That was the last one though. I didn't have any after we left the hotel."
"He dreamed about the bonding rituals Giles." Willow added, not wanting to leave out any potentially important bit of information.
"It's nothing, right. I mean, you know, just dreams." Xander sought reassurance.
Giles took a moment to think. Xander could be right, it could just be dreams, but it could be something more than that. "Generally when dreams are strong enough to intrude on your mind during your waking hours, they are a little more than just dreams. Sometimes they are precognitive, other times they are true visions. We should follow up on this."
"Perhaps I could be of some assistance." A voice called from across the room. It was Marie. When she didn't get a response she continued. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to eavesdrop on you. I have only just risen. I was coming to offer you some help with the research, when I overheard the end of this conversation."
Giles nodded, accepting her explanation. "I understand. How might you be able to help?"
Marie crossed the space to join them. "I don't know how much you know about me."
Cordelia spoke up from the computer, still not turning to look at them. "You're an empath. Don't think I'm not listening guys, just working."
Marie smiled just a bit. "She is correct, but since I was bonded to Karl, I have become something more. Karl had his own psychic and empathic abilities and through our bond, I now share some of those. I can share images with a willing mind. So, if you are willing, I may be able to examine this dream of the young man's. It may help you to know it's nature."
Giles seemed to consider this for a moment. "It may help, but it's Xander's choice, not mine."
"Of course." Marie turned to face Xander. "Are you willing?" Xander reluctantly nodded. "We will need some quiet. There is a small conference room through the door to your left. We will still be close enough that your friends will hear you if you call out."
Xander turned and went through the door without hesitation. Marie followed.
"You are afraid. I know it's not of me." Marie commented after having shut the door behind them.
"No. You don't scare me, but your power does. You'll be able to see into my mind?" Xander sounded uncertain as he answered her.
Marie smiled gently at him. She liked him. "Only what you wish me to see. If you are not willing, I cannot see it. There are those with the power to wrest such things from your mind, but I am not one of them."
"Let's do it."
Marie reached out and clasped Xander's hands in her own. It took her a moment to adjust from the rush of emotions that she could feel with the contact. "Just think about the dream. Don't try to force it, let it in at the side of your brain."
Xander calmed at the soothing tone in Marie's voice and began to focus on the dream. It still came in flashes of imagery rather than the movie version of his sleep, but they were more complete this time. All of them, Alexei's people and the others were in a large room lit only with candles. A ritual was just ending, a ritual that left Cordelia shaking in the grip of Angel. She looked pale and there was just a trace of blood smeared across her lips. Then Willow was there chanting and marking both Spike and himself with some magical mixture. He was quite certain that he didn't want to know what was in it. It only took a few moments for her to complete whatever magic she was performing. Then there was a ceremony, ritual, circles were cast, words were chanted. The images her were less strong, but the sound and touches were there. Cool hands held him close. The chanting never stopped as his own mouth was filled with something, there was a sharp metallic tang and he knew in that instant it was blood. Then there was a quick sharp pain and he felt a cool tongue lapping at his wrist. That was it, it was all he had, the end of the dream.
"Xander. Let the dream go. Come back to us now." Marie's soft voice called Xander back from the dream world that was so very vivid. Marie released Xander's hands and brushed a few stray hairs back from his face in a maternal gesture. "That was difficult. Are you okay?" Her words held concern, her brief sojourn into the mind of one Xander Harris had made her care for him as if he were her own.
"I'll be okay. Did it work? Can you tell me anything?" Xander asked.
"It did work. I think perhaps we should return to your friends, before I tell you the contents of the dream. Just one thing first, what is your relationship with William?" Marie had been in close proximity to both of them in the last two days and while she picked up affecion, loyalty, and protectiveness from both, she would not have thought them to be lovers. The dream made her wonder if she was off in that assessment.
"With Spike? We're friends I guess. He's tried to kill all of us, but since the initiative put the chip in, well he's been there for us. He's fought when he didn't have to, saved Buffy's little sister's life. He's earned our trust and friendship, despite whatever he has done." Xander answered her question truthfully, knowing she would sense a lie.
Marie nodded as if he had confirmed something for her. "Let's go to your friends then."
Giles, Tara, and even Cordelia looked up from their work, when Xander and Marie re-entered the room. "Where's Willow?" Xander inquired.
"I sent her on to complete her shopping. She was fretting and none of us were able to accomplish much of anything." Giles smiled as he thought about the small redhead who played mother to them all from time to time. "Any luck?"
"Indeed. I believe I saw the vast majority of this dream. I can't verify for you what it might mean, but I can tell you some things about it. First and foremost, the rituals used in this dream are well and truly bonding rituals. They are not the same as the ones that tie myself and Karl or Alexei and Katharine. They bear a close resemblance to the ritual that tied Timothy to Nicholas. There was another spell, interwoven into one of the bonding ceremonies in the dream. A spell that I believe your Willow devised. It allowed William to bite, but not indiscriminately. In a way it was a second bond between him and his bondmate. It tied them together. William may bite only when the other consents. It was a complex bit of casting. I do not believe there are many in my scope of experience that could accomplish it." Marie offered.
Giles looked from Marie to Xander, wondering how much more she saw in her brief glimpse into Xander's mind. "There were two rituals. Who did they bond?"
Marie looked to Xander. "It isn't my place to say."
Xander sighed as he stepped forward. "It's okay. They'll have to know sooner or later anyway. The first ritual bound Angel to Cordelia. The second one bound Spike and I."
Giles raised an eyebrow, but that was the only sign of shock on his face. Cordelia on the other hand looked like she might faint at any moment. Xander moved quickly to her. "Come on Cordy, breathe."
Cordy looked at him as if he had grown another head. "Give a girl a minute to adjust would you." Xander knew then that she was going to be okay. He gave her a quick squeeze and turned back to Giles.
"So, now we know they are actual real rituals and not something my brain just spit out. What's the next step?" Xander asked.
"What else, research." Tara picked up a book.
"A good idea. I'll get you a general outline of the spells involved and a list of relevant books. You should be able to figure out the rituals used from them." Marie sat down and quickly wrote on a few sheets of paper. "This should get you started. I'll bring the outline and a more comprehensive list shortly." She reached out a hand towards Xander who clasped her hand in his. "Until later."
Xander begged off of research for a few minutes. He was hungry. As he slipped out of the room and went in search of the kitchen, Xander opened the note that Marie had slipped to him. It was quite simple, asking him to bring Spike, or William as she called him, and meet her in an adjacent room later in the evening. Xander wanted to trust her. She seemed nice and he had already let her in his head. But he didn't know if he should be hiding things from the others. He'd just have to think on it. There were a couple of hours until Spike would be here anyway.