*********************************************
Willow looked over suspiciously at Wood. He was awfully quiet, and there was a look on his face like- no, this was Wood. He wouldn't turn against them. Then, again this wasn't for the greater good. just the greater good of Spike.
'Hey Xander, can you hear me?' Willow asked telepathically.
'Yea. Oh, hey cool. I thought only witches could do this! Hey can you hear me singing this? Happy Birthday to you. Happy-'
'Xander stop! Act normal. I think Wood's up to something. Watch his eyes. It's like he's not even here.'
'Well, what do you want to do?'
Willow knew there was no time to take any chances. Her eyes turned black as she filled herself with magicks. "By the power of Osiris, I command thee!" She yelled, her power throwing Wood up against the wall of the library.
Wood never believed the cute redhead could actually have tried ending the world until now. "What the--"
"Don't speak," Willow ordered and his mouth immediately shut by the force of her power. Willow still knew how dangerous magicks were. After everything that she had been through, she'd never forget. Even now, as she used Forces from the Earth to keep Wood from moving, she felt a twinge in her stomach of both pain and excitement. She felt the pain from past memories and a fear of losing herself, and yet the excitement of knowing if only she could delve a little deeper into the power, she'd succumb to blissful magicks again. Willow quickly tossed the thought out of her mind and returned to the matter at hand: Robin Wood.
"Now Wood, why don't you tell us what's really on your mind?"
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"Oh really. Now, I may not be psychic, but the look on your face as we were just talking was nothing short of evil. Look, I know how you feel about Spike," Willow said, weakening her magickal force, "but all of this research isn't just for him. This could be a breakthrough on our knowledge about the First." Willow insisted and she released the magicks that had bound him against the wall. He fell. "So please, Wood, if you know anything that could help us, please tell us immediately."
Wood noticed the redhead's yearn for the power she'd just lost, and he found it rather amusing.
"I'm sorry none of you seem to trust my decision making skills, but I want to stop the First just as much as the rest of you!"
"So there's no information you're holding back?" Willow asked weakly.
"I have absolutely no information that could help us figure out what the First is up to," Wood confirmed. Which was true, he thought. Wood knew nothing about the First. The only knowledge his research had let him be privy to was the future of Spike's existence: Dust!
**************************************
"William. William, baby wake up," Laney whispered in his ear softly. William groggily opened his eyes to see his curly fiery-haired lover staring back at him. "William, you slept through the entire production!" Laney giggled.
And in fact it was true. The two of them were the only people filling the theatre which had moments ago been filled with people hearing the phrases "What light through yonder breaks?" and "A rose by any other name would still smell as sweet". But now the room was quiet and filled with the silent unknown that haunts every empty theatre.
"I'm sorry, baby love. I didn't snore or anything did I?"
"Only during the death scene. I thought it added to the effect, but that Cecily girl your mother is so fond of kept sending dirty glares your way."
"She is a bit of a snob isn't she? I always thought--"
And it was here William gained the delayed memory his true self: Spike, the vampire with soul. As he did, Laney once again turned cold and blue. A gold chain dangled from her neck with a pendant at the end as she cried out in agony, her body limp, dead. From behind Spike, a second Laney made her way down the isle. She held the youthful exuberance and poise of the Laney who was moments ago alive.
"Tragic isn't it? The way I'm just lying there, cold, tortured, alone. You did it, you know. You killed me."
"The First," Spike whispered. These nightmares just seemed to be getting better and better.
"At your service. You're wondering why this is happening to you? Why you deserve the pain of reliving my death again and again?"
Spike nodded slightly in the affirmative. He tried with all his might to resist the pull of insanity the First sent off.
"Here's your answer, sweetheart: Love." Spike looked confused, trying to comprehend. "The answer's plain in front of you and you can't even see it, can you? For everybody you love, you bring unbearable pain. That is your plague, William."
"Don't call me that. You're bloody lying," Spike spat back at the Laney double.
"Oh, really? I may be manipulative but I'm not a liar. Think about it. You tortured and killed me."
The First morphed into Cecily. "My reputation was ruined when you were done with me!"
Cecily changed into Drusilla, who carefully placed her teeth upon Spike's neck, and bit into the air, making Spike moan softly. "As for me, my hands were chained behind my head, like this (Dru demonstrated, in a way that sent shivers down Spike's spine) as you offered my life to the Slayer."
Drusilla morphed into Spike's mother, becoming old and frail. "I gave you life, boy. And how do you repay me? You turn me into a demon and then kill me a second time!"
Spike's mother turned away for a second, changing into Buffy before turning back around. "And me? Not only did you try to rape me, but soon you'll-- Well, I've said too much already."
And with that, The First disappeared, leaving Spike alone in the dark, dank theatre, only to awake from the nightmare moments later in yet another cold sweat.
Willow looked over suspiciously at Wood. He was awfully quiet, and there was a look on his face like- no, this was Wood. He wouldn't turn against them. Then, again this wasn't for the greater good. just the greater good of Spike.
'Hey Xander, can you hear me?' Willow asked telepathically.
'Yea. Oh, hey cool. I thought only witches could do this! Hey can you hear me singing this? Happy Birthday to you. Happy-'
'Xander stop! Act normal. I think Wood's up to something. Watch his eyes. It's like he's not even here.'
'Well, what do you want to do?'
Willow knew there was no time to take any chances. Her eyes turned black as she filled herself with magicks. "By the power of Osiris, I command thee!" She yelled, her power throwing Wood up against the wall of the library.
Wood never believed the cute redhead could actually have tried ending the world until now. "What the--"
"Don't speak," Willow ordered and his mouth immediately shut by the force of her power. Willow still knew how dangerous magicks were. After everything that she had been through, she'd never forget. Even now, as she used Forces from the Earth to keep Wood from moving, she felt a twinge in her stomach of both pain and excitement. She felt the pain from past memories and a fear of losing herself, and yet the excitement of knowing if only she could delve a little deeper into the power, she'd succumb to blissful magicks again. Willow quickly tossed the thought out of her mind and returned to the matter at hand: Robin Wood.
"Now Wood, why don't you tell us what's really on your mind?"
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"Oh really. Now, I may not be psychic, but the look on your face as we were just talking was nothing short of evil. Look, I know how you feel about Spike," Willow said, weakening her magickal force, "but all of this research isn't just for him. This could be a breakthrough on our knowledge about the First." Willow insisted and she released the magicks that had bound him against the wall. He fell. "So please, Wood, if you know anything that could help us, please tell us immediately."
Wood noticed the redhead's yearn for the power she'd just lost, and he found it rather amusing.
"I'm sorry none of you seem to trust my decision making skills, but I want to stop the First just as much as the rest of you!"
"So there's no information you're holding back?" Willow asked weakly.
"I have absolutely no information that could help us figure out what the First is up to," Wood confirmed. Which was true, he thought. Wood knew nothing about the First. The only knowledge his research had let him be privy to was the future of Spike's existence: Dust!
**************************************
"William. William, baby wake up," Laney whispered in his ear softly. William groggily opened his eyes to see his curly fiery-haired lover staring back at him. "William, you slept through the entire production!" Laney giggled.
And in fact it was true. The two of them were the only people filling the theatre which had moments ago been filled with people hearing the phrases "What light through yonder breaks?" and "A rose by any other name would still smell as sweet". But now the room was quiet and filled with the silent unknown that haunts every empty theatre.
"I'm sorry, baby love. I didn't snore or anything did I?"
"Only during the death scene. I thought it added to the effect, but that Cecily girl your mother is so fond of kept sending dirty glares your way."
"She is a bit of a snob isn't she? I always thought--"
And it was here William gained the delayed memory his true self: Spike, the vampire with soul. As he did, Laney once again turned cold and blue. A gold chain dangled from her neck with a pendant at the end as she cried out in agony, her body limp, dead. From behind Spike, a second Laney made her way down the isle. She held the youthful exuberance and poise of the Laney who was moments ago alive.
"Tragic isn't it? The way I'm just lying there, cold, tortured, alone. You did it, you know. You killed me."
"The First," Spike whispered. These nightmares just seemed to be getting better and better.
"At your service. You're wondering why this is happening to you? Why you deserve the pain of reliving my death again and again?"
Spike nodded slightly in the affirmative. He tried with all his might to resist the pull of insanity the First sent off.
"Here's your answer, sweetheart: Love." Spike looked confused, trying to comprehend. "The answer's plain in front of you and you can't even see it, can you? For everybody you love, you bring unbearable pain. That is your plague, William."
"Don't call me that. You're bloody lying," Spike spat back at the Laney double.
"Oh, really? I may be manipulative but I'm not a liar. Think about it. You tortured and killed me."
The First morphed into Cecily. "My reputation was ruined when you were done with me!"
Cecily changed into Drusilla, who carefully placed her teeth upon Spike's neck, and bit into the air, making Spike moan softly. "As for me, my hands were chained behind my head, like this (Dru demonstrated, in a way that sent shivers down Spike's spine) as you offered my life to the Slayer."
Drusilla morphed into Spike's mother, becoming old and frail. "I gave you life, boy. And how do you repay me? You turn me into a demon and then kill me a second time!"
Spike's mother turned away for a second, changing into Buffy before turning back around. "And me? Not only did you try to rape me, but soon you'll-- Well, I've said too much already."
And with that, The First disappeared, leaving Spike alone in the dark, dank theatre, only to awake from the nightmare moments later in yet another cold sweat.