Good evening, All,
Well, it's drawing to a close. One more chapter of the regular story, then, by popular demand, an adult content chapter. Lastly, the epilogue. I hope to have the last regular chapter out on Wednesday. A big shout out to my betas for being so wonderful and speedy. And for putting up with me!
I hope you enjoy the chapter. Please let me know what you like. Oh, and for those of you who wrote me and said that you felt sorry that Dawn didn't have a chance to say goodbye to her mum. Ye of little faith..
So, email me, review me, do what you must, but *please* give me feedback! I need to know if you guys really want this to continue, knowing what most of you now know about the show.
Enjoy!.
*Cheery Vibes*, Nimue
"As sick as it sounds, in my little head, there's a little Sunnydale, and a widdle Spike and a widdle Buffy and Spike wubs Buffy." James Marsters 14 July 2002
Title: Flash (Chapter Thirty-five of The One)
Author: Nimue
Rating: PG -13
Pairing: Buffy/Spike. Most major characters included.
Feedback: Yes, please
For instant notification of fic releases, straight to your mailbox, please visit Always_Everyday at yahoogroups.com. Also, please visit the wonderful fan listing that Rachel put together. Sign up today and link to your website (or just sign up to say hi!).
Disclaimer: All characters belong to Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, UPN, Fox... Just Borrowing. (With, of course, the exception of Emma and William, who belong to Buffy and Spike)
Summary: Buffy and Spike's transformation is complete. The rest of the gang all wait in the hospital to discover Xander's fate after the van accident. Spike tries to convince Buffy that she will be forgiven her transgressions. Anya rushes to see if Emma can help Xander. And Dawn receives a visitor in an unlikely place.
~~~~~
Flash
As the light consumed them all, Anya reached through the glow, pulling Emma and Will to her. Buffy and Spike crumbled to the floor as Joyce became the light, glowing and translucent and then simply, gone.
The lovers fell towards one another, catching each other's falls until they landed on their knees, hands clasped, heads thrown back, mouths agape and filling with white light. Will began to run towards them, but Emma pulled him back, smiling sweetly at her little brother. This was something bigger than them all.
Spike raised his head, still bathed in the white glow and looked at her. Buffy brought her eyes to meet him. They locked, their souls swirling almost visibly around each other in the air. His hand rose to her face. She nuzzled her cheek into his palm. Spike drew her closer, nearer, until their lips touched.
The light exploded around them, a violent swirl of white and red and black and love and light and anger and lust. Everything that made them and balanced them and taught them. Every emotion they had, surrounded them in a spectrum of colored light as his lips caressed hers.
The light began to fade. Buffy blinked, shaky even on her knees. Spike's eyes glowed yellow, flickering at Buffy in the moonlight until he shook his head and they burst into blue. Unending, adoring blue.
She opened her mouth to speak but found she couldn't. The world was spinning. Then the world went black.
~~~~~
"She going to be okay?" Anya whispered, picking Will up and comforting the frightened boy. Spike was sitting on the floor, cradling Buffy's head in his lap. Stroking her hair. Holding her unconscious form against him.
"She'll be right as rain, Pet," Spike answered, feeling her inside herself again. "Just knackered. Been through a lot."
Anya nodded, avoiding the million remarks that she could think of to say. If Rupert had taught her one thing, it was that sarcasm wasn't always welcome. "Do you want me to stay?"
Spike leaned back against the bed frame, exhaling deeply. Emma had moved next to him, holding her mum's hand. Buffy'd want to see the kids when she awoke, but she might need some. time. to come to terms with what had happened. Another thought tore through him at precisely the same moment.
The van.
"Anya," Spike began, his voice picking up urgency. "On the way here, there was. an accident."
Anya quirked an eyebrow. "You seem ok."
Spike rolled his eyes in annoyance. "Not me, woman. The Wolf and Harris."
"Xander?" Anya asked, her face suddenly becoming pale. They may have not been right for one another for the long haul, but they'd both always care.
Spike nodded, softening. "Bad one, Pet. They were on their way here to help you defend the Mite."
Anya's face became impossibly whiter. "They were?"
Again, the Vampire nodded. "Trying to help the Peacemaker." Spike prodded.
A light bulb went off over Anya's head and she looked to Emma. Emma smiled softly, stretching her hand out to her surrogate aunt. "Can I take her.?"
Spike brushed a stray golden hair from his daughter's face and smiled. "Do you mind going to help your uncle Xander?"
Emma shook her head, leaning forward to kiss her father's forehead. "No, daddy. But you'll take care of mum?"
"Course," Spike answered, smiling at the little girl. "Always do, right?"
Emma smiled. "Always," she whispered, moving towards Anya. "Aunt Anya? We need to get Pony too. The red thing on Gramma's wrist made him sleep."
"Enchanted?" Spike asked.
Anya shrugged. "Must have. I wondered why he didn't move. He better hurry up and get disenchanted because there is no way in hell I can pick up that monster."
"I can do it, Aunt Anya," Emma said smiling and heading out the door.
The demon turned to follow. Spike's voice stopped her. "Thank you."
She turned, looking at the two of them wrapped around each other on the floor. A soft smile broke on her face. "You'd have done the same."
Spike nodded, watching her walk out the door.
~~~~~
Giles rushed through the heavy double doors of the ICU, a place with which he had grown uncomfortably familiar. Seems that they should have their own wing, he thought senselessly as the urgency coursed through him like white fire.
A flash of red at the far end of the waiting area caught his eye. He turned, finding three women surrounding a somewhat battered looking man in the corner. The Watcher stopped, eyeing them for a moment. Their worried faces. Their frantic speech. Their quiet strength. Many things had changed over the years, but they were not among them.
"Willow?" Giles asked, beginning towards the small group.
The woman's head shot up, eyes wide and frightened. She spotted the Watcher and nearly jumped out of her seat, stumbling towards him with arms outstretched and tears threatening to explode from those huge, childlike eyes. "Xander," she gasped as she tumbled into Giles' embrace.
"What is it, Willow? You said there'd been an accident?" Giles asked, stroking the girl's hair. Cradling her head against his chest.
He could feel her nod against his sweater, but she didn't speak. A voice answered him from the corner. "We were trying to get to Anya and the kids. There was this. it looked like a little girl. in the road. Xander thought. I thought. he swerved. We went off the cliff," Oz answered, wincing as he scratched at a bandage over his forehead. Other than a nasty gash and a dislocated shoulder, he had walked away from the wreckage in one piece.
Giles nodded solemnly. "An illusion, no doubt, created by Draconius and his witch to prevent you from aiding Anya." He ducked his head and brought his hand up to raise Willow's face. She looked at him the same way she had when they'd first met and she'd been an awkward teenager. This lost, scared, brave little face wanting guidance. "Can you tell me how he is, Willow?"
Willow swallowed hard, wiping her eyes absently with the back of her hand. "He. coma. lots of blood and broken things. Don't. I can't."
Again, Giles nodded, pulling her head back to his chest. "I'm glad you're all right, Oz," he comforted; his own heart heavy at Xander's condition. "Is there a prognosis?"
"Not good," Tara whispered, cradling Dawn against her chest. Dawn was still, as if she were asleep, except for the silent stream of tears.
"Has there been any news from Anya or Spike?"
Tara shook her head. "We had a chance to tell him.a.about the pawn." Dawn winced at the word. She wanted to be there. Wanted to see her mother once more. Even if it wasn't her. It wasn't fair. None of this was fair. "He went after Buffy."
"Let's hope he managed to pull off one of his disorganized yet effective rescues," Giles commented, smiling slightly. He paused, his face blanking. An idea raced through his head. "Xander and Oz were trying to help protect Emma?"
Oz nodded. "Wanted to get there before the pawn. And. uber Buffy."
"So the Peacemaker.." The Watcher couldn't even finish the sentence before Willow's head shot up.
"Emma can save him!" She exclaimed. "Giles, we have to. We have to find her."
The Watcher laid a hand on Willow's shoulder. "Can you relax enough to meditate? Contact Anya telepathically? She's quite susceptible to."
Willow nodded until it looked like her head might pop right off her shoulder. "Un hunh. Just. I need quiet."
"There's an empty, small waiting room down the hall," Tara contributed, smiling quietly.
The redhead smiled and spun on a heel, darting out the door.
Dawn stirred next to Tara. "I. I need to go to the bathroom."
"Want me to come?" The soft spoken woman asked, brushing Dawn's hair behind her ear. Dawn shook her head like a child.
"Nah. Need some alone time."
"O.okay," Tara answered, helping the girl up and patting her soft hand. "It. it'll be okay, Dawnie."
"Yeah," she answered, turning towards the doors. "But which part?"
~~~~~
Buffy stirred, her cheek brushing the denim of Spike's jeans. She felt. different. Safe. Familiar. Like she'd been caught in a nightmare and now was finally awake.
"You all right then, Love?" A familiar, soothing voice purred from above her. Soft, strong hands stroked up and down her back.
She looked up to see beautiful blue eyes staring back at her. They made her smile. He was there. He was okay. Everything's okay now. "I think I'm me-ish."
Spike helped her to a sitting position, wrapping a blanket from the bed around her shoulders as she shivered. Gently, he pulled her flush against him, knowing that the bliss of waking from the bad dream would soon be replaced by the horrors of the memories she'd doubtless retain.
As if he heard her thoughts, which may have been the case, she stiffened, her head moving from its rest against his shoulder to bolt upright. Spike held her tighter against him, as if hoping to hold in the raging wave of guilt that was about to crash into her. "Buffy, we're okay," he whispered softly.
Her face was horrified, her eyes filling with tears. "Where. where are they?"
"Anya has them, Love," Spike answered in that same, soothing tone. "Didn't harm a hair on their heads."
Buffy relaxed, but only slightly. "Did. did they see me. like that?"
Spike quirked an eyebrow, turning her face to him. "Like what, Pet? "
"All. demon possessed," she whispered, under her breath.
He sighed, squeezing her shoulder. "You looked like you, Buffy. Just the eyes. Little like that First Slayer bint, but with better hair."
"This isn't a good time for the snarkiness," Buffy snapped, turning her face away again. "Did they see me or not?"
Again, Spike sighed deeply. "They did." His voice was small. Almost inaudible.
Her face dropped towards the floor. "Did I. Did I attack them?"
"No, Pet," Spike comforted. "Got to bout where you are right now. Were talking to Emma on the floor when I came in." It was the truth, he justified. She didn't need to have the fact that she'd exposed Emma's throat shoved back into her frightened mind now. He'd help her deal with it when she remembered.
"I didn't. I didn't bite her?" Buffy asked, the first of many tears dripping down her cheek and plopping onto the blanket.
"No, Love. Didn't take a bite of a one of us," he answered, letting his fingers press slow circles into her back to relax her. "Had a little tussle with your sis, but she came out all right."
"Dawn?" Buffy asked, swinging her head around toward him.
"Less there's another Summers girl to wrap me round their sodding finger," Spike answered, smiling softly. "Don't fret, Love. Talked to her. She knows it wasn't you. She'll be fine."
"Oh, God," Buffy murmured, her face dropping again. Spike raised it, forcing her to look into his eyes. To see the love he had for her. The love she needed to find again for herself.
"Buffy," he whispered, capturing her green gaze. "It wasn't you."
"It was," she answered, silvery streams pouring down her cheeks.
Spike shook his head. "Was the demon, Pet."
"Your demon," Buffy answered, her voice shaking in time with her shivering body. "You never."
"You never met me when it first took over," Spike interrupted. "Wasn't much different. Took a few days before I got a hold of things."
"Yeah, I bet you went right out to attack your family," Buffy retorted, taking her anger at herself out on him.
"Not straight away," Spike answered, stroking her check with his thumb. "Probably would've had Dru not taken me away. Was right uncontrollable for a bit."
Buffy stared at those adoring blue eyes. "You knew it would be like this. That's why you took the kids away."
He nodded slowly. "Did what I thought was best, Pet."
"You were right," she whispered, her eyes falling toward the floor again. "God, Spike. How am I ever going to face them after.?"
"Seems to me, Pet, that we've all been under a spell or two. Really no different. The whelp taking a turn as a hyena. Little wedding spell that made arch enemies into sappy love birds and the like." he comforted, smiling down at her.
Buffy chuckled. "Funny how that one turned out."
"I'm not a sap," Spike huffed, with forced indignance eliciting another chuckle from Buffy.
"You really think they'll forgive me?"
Spike pulled her closer. "Nothing to forgive, Pet. We're none the worse for wear." He leaned in, brushing his lips against hers. She gave in, letting the soft caress soothe her. Make her whole again. As she melted into the safety of his arms, a thought hit her like a freight train.
"There's something you're not telling me," she gushed, sitting up to look at him again.
A confused look passed over the Vampire's face until he realized that she had no idea what had happened with the van. She'd been there. Seen it. Had to be stuck in her memory somewhere, but she couldn't place it. That and a niggling worry were creeping about in his own mind that she had to have sensed. "There is," he answered softly.
"What. Who did I hurt?" Buffy asked, her voice rising in panic.
"No, Pet," Spike corrected, turning her to face him again. "You didn't do it. On the way here. there was an accident."
"What kind of accident?" Her face was tight with worry, her shoulders stiff and straight.
"Car," Spike responded. "The whelp and Oz .."
"Are they okay?" Buffy gushed, her eyes widening with renewed terror.
Spike closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. "The Wolf was about when I got there, but Harris was out. Was alive, but . Pet, he wasn't looking too good."
Buffy hopped to her feet before Spike could finish the sentence. "We have to go to them."
"Sure you're up to it, Love?" He asked, taking her hand and letting her haul him from the floor.
"I have to be," Buffy whispered, tossing the blanket onto the bed. "We need to be there for them."
Spike nodded his agreement and wordlessly led her from the house.
~~~~~
Dawn stood hunched over the sink, splashing water over her tight face. Crying made you so puffy and sore, she thought as the water soothed her salt stained skin. Why did they have to cry so much? Why was bad stuff always happening?
Maybe because a prophesied Vampire, a Vampire Slayer, the bringer of Peace and a mystical Key all called the same place home. That much power was enough to screw up any one life. Toss in a couple of Witches, an Immortal, a few demons, a Wolf and a few relative humans and it was no wonder that mystical baddies found them fun to play with.
She tossed her hair back, bringing herself to look at her reflection in the mirror. What she saw stopped her cold.
"Mom?"
The woman in the mirror smiled. Dawn swiveled her head, but no one was behind her. Before the image could fade, Dawn turned back to the glass. "Mom?" She repeated, the tears beginning anew.
"Hello, Dawn," Joyce answered, reaching out to touch her daughter's face.
"What... are you okay?"
"Fine," Joyce answered. "I'm back home now. "
"H.heaven?" The girl answered.
Her mother nodded. "Cyrus set it right."
Dawn was quiet a moment, not sure she really wanted to know the answer to the next question. "In. in time?"
Joyce smiled at her daughter. "In plenty of time. I even got to see Will and Emma and Buffy and Spike before."
"Before you had to go again," Dawn whispered, looking down.
The soft, familiar hand raised Dawn's face to her's. "And I wanted to see you."
Tears streamed down Dawn's cheeks as she stared at her mother's kind face. There were no words to describe how much she missed her mom. Missed her pancakes and her cocoa and her talks and even her nagging. Missed having her arms wrapped around her when she was scared. Her shoulder to cry on. Her laughter to come home too. "Mom," Dawn sighed, reaching out to touch the face in front of her. Letting her fingers graze the familiar contours of her mother's face. Etching it again and forever into memory.
"I love you, baby," Joyce whispered, taking Dawn's cheeks in her palms and kissing her daughter's forehead.
Dawn hitched, a sob wanting to burst free. "I love you too, Mommy."
Joyce smiled sadly. "I have to go now, but take care of your sister, okay?"
"Okay," Dawn answered, grabbing her mother's hand and holding on for dear life.
"It will be okay," Joyce whispered, pulling away. "Just remember how much I love you. How much Buffy and Spike and those kids love you."
"I know," the girl replied, watching her mother's face begin to fade.
"How much I love you," the disappearing voice said quietly.
"Thank you, Mom," Dawn answered as the last of her mother twinkled out of sight.
To be contd.
Well, it's drawing to a close. One more chapter of the regular story, then, by popular demand, an adult content chapter. Lastly, the epilogue. I hope to have the last regular chapter out on Wednesday. A big shout out to my betas for being so wonderful and speedy. And for putting up with me!
I hope you enjoy the chapter. Please let me know what you like. Oh, and for those of you who wrote me and said that you felt sorry that Dawn didn't have a chance to say goodbye to her mum. Ye of little faith..
So, email me, review me, do what you must, but *please* give me feedback! I need to know if you guys really want this to continue, knowing what most of you now know about the show.
Enjoy!.
*Cheery Vibes*, Nimue
"As sick as it sounds, in my little head, there's a little Sunnydale, and a widdle Spike and a widdle Buffy and Spike wubs Buffy." James Marsters 14 July 2002
Title: Flash (Chapter Thirty-five of The One)
Author: Nimue
Rating: PG -13
Pairing: Buffy/Spike. Most major characters included.
Feedback: Yes, please
For instant notification of fic releases, straight to your mailbox, please visit Always_Everyday at yahoogroups.com. Also, please visit the wonderful fan listing that Rachel put together. Sign up today and link to your website (or just sign up to say hi!).
Disclaimer: All characters belong to Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, UPN, Fox... Just Borrowing. (With, of course, the exception of Emma and William, who belong to Buffy and Spike)
Summary: Buffy and Spike's transformation is complete. The rest of the gang all wait in the hospital to discover Xander's fate after the van accident. Spike tries to convince Buffy that she will be forgiven her transgressions. Anya rushes to see if Emma can help Xander. And Dawn receives a visitor in an unlikely place.
~~~~~
Flash
As the light consumed them all, Anya reached through the glow, pulling Emma and Will to her. Buffy and Spike crumbled to the floor as Joyce became the light, glowing and translucent and then simply, gone.
The lovers fell towards one another, catching each other's falls until they landed on their knees, hands clasped, heads thrown back, mouths agape and filling with white light. Will began to run towards them, but Emma pulled him back, smiling sweetly at her little brother. This was something bigger than them all.
Spike raised his head, still bathed in the white glow and looked at her. Buffy brought her eyes to meet him. They locked, their souls swirling almost visibly around each other in the air. His hand rose to her face. She nuzzled her cheek into his palm. Spike drew her closer, nearer, until their lips touched.
The light exploded around them, a violent swirl of white and red and black and love and light and anger and lust. Everything that made them and balanced them and taught them. Every emotion they had, surrounded them in a spectrum of colored light as his lips caressed hers.
The light began to fade. Buffy blinked, shaky even on her knees. Spike's eyes glowed yellow, flickering at Buffy in the moonlight until he shook his head and they burst into blue. Unending, adoring blue.
She opened her mouth to speak but found she couldn't. The world was spinning. Then the world went black.
~~~~~
"She going to be okay?" Anya whispered, picking Will up and comforting the frightened boy. Spike was sitting on the floor, cradling Buffy's head in his lap. Stroking her hair. Holding her unconscious form against him.
"She'll be right as rain, Pet," Spike answered, feeling her inside herself again. "Just knackered. Been through a lot."
Anya nodded, avoiding the million remarks that she could think of to say. If Rupert had taught her one thing, it was that sarcasm wasn't always welcome. "Do you want me to stay?"
Spike leaned back against the bed frame, exhaling deeply. Emma had moved next to him, holding her mum's hand. Buffy'd want to see the kids when she awoke, but she might need some. time. to come to terms with what had happened. Another thought tore through him at precisely the same moment.
The van.
"Anya," Spike began, his voice picking up urgency. "On the way here, there was. an accident."
Anya quirked an eyebrow. "You seem ok."
Spike rolled his eyes in annoyance. "Not me, woman. The Wolf and Harris."
"Xander?" Anya asked, her face suddenly becoming pale. They may have not been right for one another for the long haul, but they'd both always care.
Spike nodded, softening. "Bad one, Pet. They were on their way here to help you defend the Mite."
Anya's face became impossibly whiter. "They were?"
Again, the Vampire nodded. "Trying to help the Peacemaker." Spike prodded.
A light bulb went off over Anya's head and she looked to Emma. Emma smiled softly, stretching her hand out to her surrogate aunt. "Can I take her.?"
Spike brushed a stray golden hair from his daughter's face and smiled. "Do you mind going to help your uncle Xander?"
Emma shook her head, leaning forward to kiss her father's forehead. "No, daddy. But you'll take care of mum?"
"Course," Spike answered, smiling at the little girl. "Always do, right?"
Emma smiled. "Always," she whispered, moving towards Anya. "Aunt Anya? We need to get Pony too. The red thing on Gramma's wrist made him sleep."
"Enchanted?" Spike asked.
Anya shrugged. "Must have. I wondered why he didn't move. He better hurry up and get disenchanted because there is no way in hell I can pick up that monster."
"I can do it, Aunt Anya," Emma said smiling and heading out the door.
The demon turned to follow. Spike's voice stopped her. "Thank you."
She turned, looking at the two of them wrapped around each other on the floor. A soft smile broke on her face. "You'd have done the same."
Spike nodded, watching her walk out the door.
~~~~~
Giles rushed through the heavy double doors of the ICU, a place with which he had grown uncomfortably familiar. Seems that they should have their own wing, he thought senselessly as the urgency coursed through him like white fire.
A flash of red at the far end of the waiting area caught his eye. He turned, finding three women surrounding a somewhat battered looking man in the corner. The Watcher stopped, eyeing them for a moment. Their worried faces. Their frantic speech. Their quiet strength. Many things had changed over the years, but they were not among them.
"Willow?" Giles asked, beginning towards the small group.
The woman's head shot up, eyes wide and frightened. She spotted the Watcher and nearly jumped out of her seat, stumbling towards him with arms outstretched and tears threatening to explode from those huge, childlike eyes. "Xander," she gasped as she tumbled into Giles' embrace.
"What is it, Willow? You said there'd been an accident?" Giles asked, stroking the girl's hair. Cradling her head against his chest.
He could feel her nod against his sweater, but she didn't speak. A voice answered him from the corner. "We were trying to get to Anya and the kids. There was this. it looked like a little girl. in the road. Xander thought. I thought. he swerved. We went off the cliff," Oz answered, wincing as he scratched at a bandage over his forehead. Other than a nasty gash and a dislocated shoulder, he had walked away from the wreckage in one piece.
Giles nodded solemnly. "An illusion, no doubt, created by Draconius and his witch to prevent you from aiding Anya." He ducked his head and brought his hand up to raise Willow's face. She looked at him the same way she had when they'd first met and she'd been an awkward teenager. This lost, scared, brave little face wanting guidance. "Can you tell me how he is, Willow?"
Willow swallowed hard, wiping her eyes absently with the back of her hand. "He. coma. lots of blood and broken things. Don't. I can't."
Again, Giles nodded, pulling her head back to his chest. "I'm glad you're all right, Oz," he comforted; his own heart heavy at Xander's condition. "Is there a prognosis?"
"Not good," Tara whispered, cradling Dawn against her chest. Dawn was still, as if she were asleep, except for the silent stream of tears.
"Has there been any news from Anya or Spike?"
Tara shook her head. "We had a chance to tell him.a.about the pawn." Dawn winced at the word. She wanted to be there. Wanted to see her mother once more. Even if it wasn't her. It wasn't fair. None of this was fair. "He went after Buffy."
"Let's hope he managed to pull off one of his disorganized yet effective rescues," Giles commented, smiling slightly. He paused, his face blanking. An idea raced through his head. "Xander and Oz were trying to help protect Emma?"
Oz nodded. "Wanted to get there before the pawn. And. uber Buffy."
"So the Peacemaker.." The Watcher couldn't even finish the sentence before Willow's head shot up.
"Emma can save him!" She exclaimed. "Giles, we have to. We have to find her."
The Watcher laid a hand on Willow's shoulder. "Can you relax enough to meditate? Contact Anya telepathically? She's quite susceptible to."
Willow nodded until it looked like her head might pop right off her shoulder. "Un hunh. Just. I need quiet."
"There's an empty, small waiting room down the hall," Tara contributed, smiling quietly.
The redhead smiled and spun on a heel, darting out the door.
Dawn stirred next to Tara. "I. I need to go to the bathroom."
"Want me to come?" The soft spoken woman asked, brushing Dawn's hair behind her ear. Dawn shook her head like a child.
"Nah. Need some alone time."
"O.okay," Tara answered, helping the girl up and patting her soft hand. "It. it'll be okay, Dawnie."
"Yeah," she answered, turning towards the doors. "But which part?"
~~~~~
Buffy stirred, her cheek brushing the denim of Spike's jeans. She felt. different. Safe. Familiar. Like she'd been caught in a nightmare and now was finally awake.
"You all right then, Love?" A familiar, soothing voice purred from above her. Soft, strong hands stroked up and down her back.
She looked up to see beautiful blue eyes staring back at her. They made her smile. He was there. He was okay. Everything's okay now. "I think I'm me-ish."
Spike helped her to a sitting position, wrapping a blanket from the bed around her shoulders as she shivered. Gently, he pulled her flush against him, knowing that the bliss of waking from the bad dream would soon be replaced by the horrors of the memories she'd doubtless retain.
As if he heard her thoughts, which may have been the case, she stiffened, her head moving from its rest against his shoulder to bolt upright. Spike held her tighter against him, as if hoping to hold in the raging wave of guilt that was about to crash into her. "Buffy, we're okay," he whispered softly.
Her face was horrified, her eyes filling with tears. "Where. where are they?"
"Anya has them, Love," Spike answered in that same, soothing tone. "Didn't harm a hair on their heads."
Buffy relaxed, but only slightly. "Did. did they see me. like that?"
Spike quirked an eyebrow, turning her face to him. "Like what, Pet? "
"All. demon possessed," she whispered, under her breath.
He sighed, squeezing her shoulder. "You looked like you, Buffy. Just the eyes. Little like that First Slayer bint, but with better hair."
"This isn't a good time for the snarkiness," Buffy snapped, turning her face away again. "Did they see me or not?"
Again, Spike sighed deeply. "They did." His voice was small. Almost inaudible.
Her face dropped towards the floor. "Did I. Did I attack them?"
"No, Pet," Spike comforted. "Got to bout where you are right now. Were talking to Emma on the floor when I came in." It was the truth, he justified. She didn't need to have the fact that she'd exposed Emma's throat shoved back into her frightened mind now. He'd help her deal with it when she remembered.
"I didn't. I didn't bite her?" Buffy asked, the first of many tears dripping down her cheek and plopping onto the blanket.
"No, Love. Didn't take a bite of a one of us," he answered, letting his fingers press slow circles into her back to relax her. "Had a little tussle with your sis, but she came out all right."
"Dawn?" Buffy asked, swinging her head around toward him.
"Less there's another Summers girl to wrap me round their sodding finger," Spike answered, smiling softly. "Don't fret, Love. Talked to her. She knows it wasn't you. She'll be fine."
"Oh, God," Buffy murmured, her face dropping again. Spike raised it, forcing her to look into his eyes. To see the love he had for her. The love she needed to find again for herself.
"Buffy," he whispered, capturing her green gaze. "It wasn't you."
"It was," she answered, silvery streams pouring down her cheeks.
Spike shook his head. "Was the demon, Pet."
"Your demon," Buffy answered, her voice shaking in time with her shivering body. "You never."
"You never met me when it first took over," Spike interrupted. "Wasn't much different. Took a few days before I got a hold of things."
"Yeah, I bet you went right out to attack your family," Buffy retorted, taking her anger at herself out on him.
"Not straight away," Spike answered, stroking her check with his thumb. "Probably would've had Dru not taken me away. Was right uncontrollable for a bit."
Buffy stared at those adoring blue eyes. "You knew it would be like this. That's why you took the kids away."
He nodded slowly. "Did what I thought was best, Pet."
"You were right," she whispered, her eyes falling toward the floor again. "God, Spike. How am I ever going to face them after.?"
"Seems to me, Pet, that we've all been under a spell or two. Really no different. The whelp taking a turn as a hyena. Little wedding spell that made arch enemies into sappy love birds and the like." he comforted, smiling down at her.
Buffy chuckled. "Funny how that one turned out."
"I'm not a sap," Spike huffed, with forced indignance eliciting another chuckle from Buffy.
"You really think they'll forgive me?"
Spike pulled her closer. "Nothing to forgive, Pet. We're none the worse for wear." He leaned in, brushing his lips against hers. She gave in, letting the soft caress soothe her. Make her whole again. As she melted into the safety of his arms, a thought hit her like a freight train.
"There's something you're not telling me," she gushed, sitting up to look at him again.
A confused look passed over the Vampire's face until he realized that she had no idea what had happened with the van. She'd been there. Seen it. Had to be stuck in her memory somewhere, but she couldn't place it. That and a niggling worry were creeping about in his own mind that she had to have sensed. "There is," he answered softly.
"What. Who did I hurt?" Buffy asked, her voice rising in panic.
"No, Pet," Spike corrected, turning her to face him again. "You didn't do it. On the way here. there was an accident."
"What kind of accident?" Her face was tight with worry, her shoulders stiff and straight.
"Car," Spike responded. "The whelp and Oz .."
"Are they okay?" Buffy gushed, her eyes widening with renewed terror.
Spike closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. "The Wolf was about when I got there, but Harris was out. Was alive, but . Pet, he wasn't looking too good."
Buffy hopped to her feet before Spike could finish the sentence. "We have to go to them."
"Sure you're up to it, Love?" He asked, taking her hand and letting her haul him from the floor.
"I have to be," Buffy whispered, tossing the blanket onto the bed. "We need to be there for them."
Spike nodded his agreement and wordlessly led her from the house.
~~~~~
Dawn stood hunched over the sink, splashing water over her tight face. Crying made you so puffy and sore, she thought as the water soothed her salt stained skin. Why did they have to cry so much? Why was bad stuff always happening?
Maybe because a prophesied Vampire, a Vampire Slayer, the bringer of Peace and a mystical Key all called the same place home. That much power was enough to screw up any one life. Toss in a couple of Witches, an Immortal, a few demons, a Wolf and a few relative humans and it was no wonder that mystical baddies found them fun to play with.
She tossed her hair back, bringing herself to look at her reflection in the mirror. What she saw stopped her cold.
"Mom?"
The woman in the mirror smiled. Dawn swiveled her head, but no one was behind her. Before the image could fade, Dawn turned back to the glass. "Mom?" She repeated, the tears beginning anew.
"Hello, Dawn," Joyce answered, reaching out to touch her daughter's face.
"What... are you okay?"
"Fine," Joyce answered. "I'm back home now. "
"H.heaven?" The girl answered.
Her mother nodded. "Cyrus set it right."
Dawn was quiet a moment, not sure she really wanted to know the answer to the next question. "In. in time?"
Joyce smiled at her daughter. "In plenty of time. I even got to see Will and Emma and Buffy and Spike before."
"Before you had to go again," Dawn whispered, looking down.
The soft, familiar hand raised Dawn's face to her's. "And I wanted to see you."
Tears streamed down Dawn's cheeks as she stared at her mother's kind face. There were no words to describe how much she missed her mom. Missed her pancakes and her cocoa and her talks and even her nagging. Missed having her arms wrapped around her when she was scared. Her shoulder to cry on. Her laughter to come home too. "Mom," Dawn sighed, reaching out to touch the face in front of her. Letting her fingers graze the familiar contours of her mother's face. Etching it again and forever into memory.
"I love you, baby," Joyce whispered, taking Dawn's cheeks in her palms and kissing her daughter's forehead.
Dawn hitched, a sob wanting to burst free. "I love you too, Mommy."
Joyce smiled sadly. "I have to go now, but take care of your sister, okay?"
"Okay," Dawn answered, grabbing her mother's hand and holding on for dear life.
"It will be okay," Joyce whispered, pulling away. "Just remember how much I love you. How much Buffy and Spike and those kids love you."
"I know," the girl replied, watching her mother's face begin to fade.
"How much I love you," the disappearing voice said quietly.
"Thank you, Mom," Dawn answered as the last of her mother twinkled out of sight.
To be contd.