They all sat quietly around the coffee table in the lounge. No one wanted
to break the uncomfortable silence. Xander coughed and began to talk. "Are
we going to have a funeral?"
"They're being sent back to England to their families and they will have the funerals. I spoke to Giles and he said we aren't allowed to go over there."
"Why not?"
"Uh, something about the families wishes or something."
"Oh, well we can have a memorial service here. Right Buffy?"
"Uh, sure whatever."
"So, what do we do now?"
"I want to summon the girl again."
"What? Willow, I don't think so."
"She could be able to help us"
"Willow, she's just a girl with too much power that she doesn't know how to control. Besides, look what happened to you last time you tried that."
"Xander, I'll be careful. But I need to ask her some questions."
"Can't you just call her up and talk to her over the phone or something?"
"Xander, we don't know her name or her phone number. That's gonna make the phone call idea a bit too hard."
"Red, I don't want you to do this."
Willow placed a comforting hand on Spike's shoulder. "I know. But you can be the one in the room with me if it'll make you feel better."
"How come evil can be in the room with you, but I can't?"
"If there's to much life in the room, she won't be able to hold on very long. And since Spike is dead, technically, I'll be the only living one in the room till she comes, and I might be able to find out some more stuff about her."
Xander sighed. "When are you going to do it?"
"I still have the stuff upstairs, so I'm going to try now." Willow stood and Spike followed her up into Buffy and Xander's room. Willow reassembled the circle of candles and she and Spike started lighting them.
"You know, if you don't want to go through with it pet, no one would blame you."
"You're so sweet Spike, but I need to. If the others try it again, they could really hurt themselves, or her. And I'm the only one powerful enough to hold her here. Okay, so stand by the door and close it please. When she comes, only one of us can talk at a time, so be quiet okay?" Spike nodded reluctantly and Willow sat herself in the center of the candle circle.
She breathed and closed her eyes. She tried to imagine the young girl appearing in the room in front of her. The curtains shook and the window slammed shut. The candles flickered and nearly blew out.
---
"Okay, now, focus. You want to be able to control where you go. If you want to go to New York, imagine looking across at the Statue of Liberty. For now, just imagine sitting on the couch downstairs watching the off TV."
"April, she want's me there again. Do I go?"
"Yes, go, stay calm and try and stay as long as you possibly can. If you feel like you're losing it, get her to share her energy with you."
"Shouldn't I be taking your hands or something?"
"No. This time I want you get there on your own. Just relax, breathe, and close your eyes. And if she asks you for your name, don't tell her your real one, make one up"
"Like what?"
"You'll think of something. Go, she's calling you."
Paige closed her eyes and let herself be taken whereever she was wanted. She felt a bang and cold wind and she was, once again, surrounded by a circle of glowing candles. The redhead was there again but this time she didn't jump out of the circle.
---
The girl appeared in the circle but Willow didn't get out. "Red? Isn't this the part where you get out of the circle? You know, when she comes in?"
Willow shook her head and the red hair flew at her cheeks. "If I stay in, there's more of a chance she can hold herself longer." Spike nodded and went back to leaning on the doorframe.
Willow stood up and was about 6 inches taller than the young girl. "Hi again. Listen, what do you know about deaths in Sunnydale?"
"Huh? Why do you keep bringing me here? I was about to transport myself downstairs." The girl shifted her weight so she was leaning on her right leg.
"Oh, yeah sorry. It's just, some friends of mine were killed. One by a vampire, one by something else. And we thought maybe you might know what is happening."
"Me? No one tells me anything. Can I go now?"
"What's your name?"
Paige thought fast. "Taylor."
"Oh, pretty name. I'm Willow, and this is Spike." She indicated to the blonde vamp near the door and 'Taylor' spun round to look at him.
"Spike? Oh my god, I've heard of you. Big bad sired by Drusilla vampire, chipped and then sould. And weren't you once in love with the Slayer?"
"How did you know that?"
"I read books. You're like in all the diaries. Oh, I'm slipping, I can't hold on."
"Here, quick take my hands." Willow extended both her hands and the young girl took them. "Concentrate on staying here, don't let the darkness take over."
After a few minutes, 'Taylor' felt herself steadying and was able to release Willow's hands.
"How do you know that stuff about me?"
"I told you, I read. So, is that all you called me for?"
"I wanted to know if you knew anything about the deaths in Sunnydale. But obviously you don't, so if you want to, you can leave."
"I want to know how you know those things about me." Spike's voice growled and he sent her an evil glare. She flicked her eyebrows at him and tipped her head. Spike growled louder and he lunged at the girl. His hand shot at her throat and he tried to grip it. His hand went right through her neck and came out the other side.
"Hello? I'm stuck in the other realm, remember? I'm not all here, so I'm unhurtable."
Spike put both hands to her throat and squeezed the image tightly. Her mouth opened and she let out a small squeak.
---
In the darkness, Paige felt the cold hands round her neck, squeezing her throat tightly. "Stop, stop" her voice came out a squeak.
---
"Spike! Stop it, right now. Out of the circle." Spike's grip tightened and slowly the girl vanished from Spike's grip. "Spike, what the hell was that about? She's never going to come back now!"
"She was pissing me off."
"Strangling her was not the way to go Spike. You can sleep on the couch tonight." Willow stormed out of the room leaving the door swinging behind her.
"Bugger you Taylor"
---
"Paige? What happened?"
"Idiot strangled me. If I was, at first his hand could go through me, then he kept trying and he strangled me. God, the pain." Paige collapsed on the bed and laid her head down on the pillow.
"Okay, try to send yourself downstairs and get all your body there."
Paige focused her energy and imagined sitting on the couch downstairs. Suddenly, she was sitting on the couch. April came running down the stairs. "You did it!"
"Uh, yeah."
"Okay, now try and go out into the back yard."
Paige closed her eyes and saw the green grass and the trees spreading off into the horizon. When she opened her eyes, she was standing in the backyard. April ran out of the house. "You did it! You did it!"
"Yeah, I noticed."
"That's fantastic. Now, with practice, you'll be able to get all of you to America!"
"Yeah. Can I go to bed? I'm really tired now."
"If you can transport yourself, then you can take a nap" April crossed her arms in a satisfied manner when Paige closed her eyes and tried to imagine her room. She was there and she laid down on her bed and drifted off to sleep instantly.
---
"Did it work? Are you okay?"
"I'm fine. We know her name's Taylor. A certain someone decided it would be fun to strangle the stuck between realms girl."
"Spike what? Is she okay?"
"I don't know. She got herself out of there pretty quick when he started strangling her."
"But, the chip? How could he? He, it's still working right?"
"Yeah, but cause Taylor was stuck in between realms, she wasn't a real person, so he could hurt her without the chip activating."
"So, but you, your okay aren't you?"
"Yes Xander. I'm fine. The magic, her power, didn't effect me this time. She's learning to control it. Whoever's teaching her is good."
"So, does she know anything about the deaths?"
"No. She did know who Spike was though. Big bad sired by Drusilla vamp, chipped and then souled. Then she asked him if he was once in love with the Slayer"
"And how did she know this?"
"She told us she reads a lot. That was all she said about that."
"What do we do now?"
"I don't know. Wait for the big bad to show?"
"Guess so. You guys want to stay for tea?"
"Sure."
---
"Now sir?"
"Yes. I want it to all hit so fast they don't know what's coming."
"Any preferences?"
"Hmmm. Get Dru in there."
"Are you sure? She's not always trust worthy?"
"Who's in charge, You or me? Get Dru in there."
"Yes sir."
"It's about it hit hard."
---
"Really April? Really?"
"Yes Paige, really. But if you can't control yourself,"
"I'll be good, I'll be good!"
"Sit down girl. If you can't control yourself, I won't let you go."
"I'm controlling myself, see?"
"Yes okay. Do you know the plan?"
Paige nodded eagerly. "If you aren't home by 11 tonight, here. I will be there so fast you can't say 'Hot potato'. All you have to do is go there, find him, talk to him, and come home. If he gives you another address, keep it and you can go back tomorrow. Okay?"
"Okay. Can I go now?"
"Have you got everything?"
"Uh huh. I have three stakes, an axe, a cross, a notebook and pen, a jacket all in a nice black backpack. Can I leave?"
"Okay. But remember if your butt isn't back here by eleven, consider yourself royally screwed. Go. Have a good time. Don't party too hard!"
Paige stood up off the bed, pulled the black backpack over her shoulders and closed her eyes. In her mind's eye, she imagined herself standing in the heart of LA. She spun a bit but less than the times before. The darkness wasn't so dark and she landed with a thud in an alley.
"April? Well, that's good." She walked out of the alley and found herself entering a busy street. There were neon signs flashing club names and shops. People were walking arm and arm down the street.
"This is so cool!" She pulled the paper with the address on it out of her pocket and studied it. "Where am I now?" She walked to the end of the street and looked up at the street sign. She was on 53rd street and she needed to get to Apartment 7b in Apartment Morgan building on Ilsco Street.
"Why didn't you bother to give me a map April. Damn you" She ran her hand through her hair.
"Do you need some help?"
"Uh, yeah, I'm trying to get here." She pointed to the writing on the scrap paper at the guy from no where. "Okay, so you go straight down that road and then turn left then right and kept turning left. You can't miss it."
Paige looked at the young guy who was trying to help. "Huh?"
The man laughed. His laugh was gentle and friendly. "Thought so. Not from LA are you?"
Paige shook her head. "England. Is it that obvious?"
He smiled. "Just a bit. Come on, I'll take to there."
"Thank you. I'm Paige, by the way."
"Tyler. Nice to meet you." He stuck out his hand and Paige shook it.
"You too. So, lived in LA long?"
"My whole life. How come you're here?"
"Visit. I'm trying to find my brother."
"Any luck?"
"I dunno, this is the first stop."
"Ahh. So, how old are you Paige?"
"15, you?"
"16. How old's your brother?"
"Umm, 23? Don't actually know. I haven't seen him since I was like 6 so."
"Did he move out or something?"
"Something like that. How 'bout you? Any brothers or sisters?"
"One younger sister. She's 7. Maggie. Cute kid, pain though."
"Aren't all siblings? Mind you, I got to be the pain." She flashed him a kinky grin and he laughed again.
"Your parent's let you wander LA streets alone in the evening?"
Paige sighed. "My parent's don't care."
"Your parent's too huh?"
"Yours don't either?"
"Couldn't give a shit. My dad's an alcoholic and my mums in jail."
"Oh god. I'm sorry."
"Don't be. She's better there than at home beating the shit out of us. And my dad's cool. He's never home anyway."
"Who takes care of Maggie?"
"Me. I get her up and drop her at school, help her with her homework, feed her. All the stuff parent's should be doing."
"Oh, that's got to be ruff. I never met anyone like that. Mind you, I have like one friend so."
"One friend, in England? I dunno, you seem like the kinda girl who gets on well with people."
"Yes, well, I might actually get on with people if I was ever allowed out. I'm serious in, 15 years I've been out like 3 times. With a Nanny. Don't get to know a whole lot of people that way."
"Your parent's are over protective huh?"
"Very, which is weird cause they're hardly ever home. I'm sorry, you don't want to hear the terrible life of a stranger."
"No, no. I'm sort of the anti social at school. All the people know about my folks are I'm now officially a freak. Besides, you're not exactly a stranger anymore. I know your name is Paige and you come from England and"
Paige laughed. "Okay, okay. I get the point."
"You're cute when your smile."
"Uh, thanks."
*Thanks for the reviews so far. BTW (and you American's are a bad influence on me), Blake is Madison's brother. Thanks for the cool thoughts Gidgetgirl! Keep reading!*
"They're being sent back to England to their families and they will have the funerals. I spoke to Giles and he said we aren't allowed to go over there."
"Why not?"
"Uh, something about the families wishes or something."
"Oh, well we can have a memorial service here. Right Buffy?"
"Uh, sure whatever."
"So, what do we do now?"
"I want to summon the girl again."
"What? Willow, I don't think so."
"She could be able to help us"
"Willow, she's just a girl with too much power that she doesn't know how to control. Besides, look what happened to you last time you tried that."
"Xander, I'll be careful. But I need to ask her some questions."
"Can't you just call her up and talk to her over the phone or something?"
"Xander, we don't know her name or her phone number. That's gonna make the phone call idea a bit too hard."
"Red, I don't want you to do this."
Willow placed a comforting hand on Spike's shoulder. "I know. But you can be the one in the room with me if it'll make you feel better."
"How come evil can be in the room with you, but I can't?"
"If there's to much life in the room, she won't be able to hold on very long. And since Spike is dead, technically, I'll be the only living one in the room till she comes, and I might be able to find out some more stuff about her."
Xander sighed. "When are you going to do it?"
"I still have the stuff upstairs, so I'm going to try now." Willow stood and Spike followed her up into Buffy and Xander's room. Willow reassembled the circle of candles and she and Spike started lighting them.
"You know, if you don't want to go through with it pet, no one would blame you."
"You're so sweet Spike, but I need to. If the others try it again, they could really hurt themselves, or her. And I'm the only one powerful enough to hold her here. Okay, so stand by the door and close it please. When she comes, only one of us can talk at a time, so be quiet okay?" Spike nodded reluctantly and Willow sat herself in the center of the candle circle.
She breathed and closed her eyes. She tried to imagine the young girl appearing in the room in front of her. The curtains shook and the window slammed shut. The candles flickered and nearly blew out.
---
"Okay, now, focus. You want to be able to control where you go. If you want to go to New York, imagine looking across at the Statue of Liberty. For now, just imagine sitting on the couch downstairs watching the off TV."
"April, she want's me there again. Do I go?"
"Yes, go, stay calm and try and stay as long as you possibly can. If you feel like you're losing it, get her to share her energy with you."
"Shouldn't I be taking your hands or something?"
"No. This time I want you get there on your own. Just relax, breathe, and close your eyes. And if she asks you for your name, don't tell her your real one, make one up"
"Like what?"
"You'll think of something. Go, she's calling you."
Paige closed her eyes and let herself be taken whereever she was wanted. She felt a bang and cold wind and she was, once again, surrounded by a circle of glowing candles. The redhead was there again but this time she didn't jump out of the circle.
---
The girl appeared in the circle but Willow didn't get out. "Red? Isn't this the part where you get out of the circle? You know, when she comes in?"
Willow shook her head and the red hair flew at her cheeks. "If I stay in, there's more of a chance she can hold herself longer." Spike nodded and went back to leaning on the doorframe.
Willow stood up and was about 6 inches taller than the young girl. "Hi again. Listen, what do you know about deaths in Sunnydale?"
"Huh? Why do you keep bringing me here? I was about to transport myself downstairs." The girl shifted her weight so she was leaning on her right leg.
"Oh, yeah sorry. It's just, some friends of mine were killed. One by a vampire, one by something else. And we thought maybe you might know what is happening."
"Me? No one tells me anything. Can I go now?"
"What's your name?"
Paige thought fast. "Taylor."
"Oh, pretty name. I'm Willow, and this is Spike." She indicated to the blonde vamp near the door and 'Taylor' spun round to look at him.
"Spike? Oh my god, I've heard of you. Big bad sired by Drusilla vampire, chipped and then sould. And weren't you once in love with the Slayer?"
"How did you know that?"
"I read books. You're like in all the diaries. Oh, I'm slipping, I can't hold on."
"Here, quick take my hands." Willow extended both her hands and the young girl took them. "Concentrate on staying here, don't let the darkness take over."
After a few minutes, 'Taylor' felt herself steadying and was able to release Willow's hands.
"How do you know that stuff about me?"
"I told you, I read. So, is that all you called me for?"
"I wanted to know if you knew anything about the deaths in Sunnydale. But obviously you don't, so if you want to, you can leave."
"I want to know how you know those things about me." Spike's voice growled and he sent her an evil glare. She flicked her eyebrows at him and tipped her head. Spike growled louder and he lunged at the girl. His hand shot at her throat and he tried to grip it. His hand went right through her neck and came out the other side.
"Hello? I'm stuck in the other realm, remember? I'm not all here, so I'm unhurtable."
Spike put both hands to her throat and squeezed the image tightly. Her mouth opened and she let out a small squeak.
---
In the darkness, Paige felt the cold hands round her neck, squeezing her throat tightly. "Stop, stop" her voice came out a squeak.
---
"Spike! Stop it, right now. Out of the circle." Spike's grip tightened and slowly the girl vanished from Spike's grip. "Spike, what the hell was that about? She's never going to come back now!"
"She was pissing me off."
"Strangling her was not the way to go Spike. You can sleep on the couch tonight." Willow stormed out of the room leaving the door swinging behind her.
"Bugger you Taylor"
---
"Paige? What happened?"
"Idiot strangled me. If I was, at first his hand could go through me, then he kept trying and he strangled me. God, the pain." Paige collapsed on the bed and laid her head down on the pillow.
"Okay, try to send yourself downstairs and get all your body there."
Paige focused her energy and imagined sitting on the couch downstairs. Suddenly, she was sitting on the couch. April came running down the stairs. "You did it!"
"Uh, yeah."
"Okay, now try and go out into the back yard."
Paige closed her eyes and saw the green grass and the trees spreading off into the horizon. When she opened her eyes, she was standing in the backyard. April ran out of the house. "You did it! You did it!"
"Yeah, I noticed."
"That's fantastic. Now, with practice, you'll be able to get all of you to America!"
"Yeah. Can I go to bed? I'm really tired now."
"If you can transport yourself, then you can take a nap" April crossed her arms in a satisfied manner when Paige closed her eyes and tried to imagine her room. She was there and she laid down on her bed and drifted off to sleep instantly.
---
"Did it work? Are you okay?"
"I'm fine. We know her name's Taylor. A certain someone decided it would be fun to strangle the stuck between realms girl."
"Spike what? Is she okay?"
"I don't know. She got herself out of there pretty quick when he started strangling her."
"But, the chip? How could he? He, it's still working right?"
"Yeah, but cause Taylor was stuck in between realms, she wasn't a real person, so he could hurt her without the chip activating."
"So, but you, your okay aren't you?"
"Yes Xander. I'm fine. The magic, her power, didn't effect me this time. She's learning to control it. Whoever's teaching her is good."
"So, does she know anything about the deaths?"
"No. She did know who Spike was though. Big bad sired by Drusilla vamp, chipped and then souled. Then she asked him if he was once in love with the Slayer"
"And how did she know this?"
"She told us she reads a lot. That was all she said about that."
"What do we do now?"
"I don't know. Wait for the big bad to show?"
"Guess so. You guys want to stay for tea?"
"Sure."
---
"Now sir?"
"Yes. I want it to all hit so fast they don't know what's coming."
"Any preferences?"
"Hmmm. Get Dru in there."
"Are you sure? She's not always trust worthy?"
"Who's in charge, You or me? Get Dru in there."
"Yes sir."
"It's about it hit hard."
---
"Really April? Really?"
"Yes Paige, really. But if you can't control yourself,"
"I'll be good, I'll be good!"
"Sit down girl. If you can't control yourself, I won't let you go."
"I'm controlling myself, see?"
"Yes okay. Do you know the plan?"
Paige nodded eagerly. "If you aren't home by 11 tonight, here. I will be there so fast you can't say 'Hot potato'. All you have to do is go there, find him, talk to him, and come home. If he gives you another address, keep it and you can go back tomorrow. Okay?"
"Okay. Can I go now?"
"Have you got everything?"
"Uh huh. I have three stakes, an axe, a cross, a notebook and pen, a jacket all in a nice black backpack. Can I leave?"
"Okay. But remember if your butt isn't back here by eleven, consider yourself royally screwed. Go. Have a good time. Don't party too hard!"
Paige stood up off the bed, pulled the black backpack over her shoulders and closed her eyes. In her mind's eye, she imagined herself standing in the heart of LA. She spun a bit but less than the times before. The darkness wasn't so dark and she landed with a thud in an alley.
"April? Well, that's good." She walked out of the alley and found herself entering a busy street. There were neon signs flashing club names and shops. People were walking arm and arm down the street.
"This is so cool!" She pulled the paper with the address on it out of her pocket and studied it. "Where am I now?" She walked to the end of the street and looked up at the street sign. She was on 53rd street and she needed to get to Apartment 7b in Apartment Morgan building on Ilsco Street.
"Why didn't you bother to give me a map April. Damn you" She ran her hand through her hair.
"Do you need some help?"
"Uh, yeah, I'm trying to get here." She pointed to the writing on the scrap paper at the guy from no where. "Okay, so you go straight down that road and then turn left then right and kept turning left. You can't miss it."
Paige looked at the young guy who was trying to help. "Huh?"
The man laughed. His laugh was gentle and friendly. "Thought so. Not from LA are you?"
Paige shook her head. "England. Is it that obvious?"
He smiled. "Just a bit. Come on, I'll take to there."
"Thank you. I'm Paige, by the way."
"Tyler. Nice to meet you." He stuck out his hand and Paige shook it.
"You too. So, lived in LA long?"
"My whole life. How come you're here?"
"Visit. I'm trying to find my brother."
"Any luck?"
"I dunno, this is the first stop."
"Ahh. So, how old are you Paige?"
"15, you?"
"16. How old's your brother?"
"Umm, 23? Don't actually know. I haven't seen him since I was like 6 so."
"Did he move out or something?"
"Something like that. How 'bout you? Any brothers or sisters?"
"One younger sister. She's 7. Maggie. Cute kid, pain though."
"Aren't all siblings? Mind you, I got to be the pain." She flashed him a kinky grin and he laughed again.
"Your parent's let you wander LA streets alone in the evening?"
Paige sighed. "My parent's don't care."
"Your parent's too huh?"
"Yours don't either?"
"Couldn't give a shit. My dad's an alcoholic and my mums in jail."
"Oh god. I'm sorry."
"Don't be. She's better there than at home beating the shit out of us. And my dad's cool. He's never home anyway."
"Who takes care of Maggie?"
"Me. I get her up and drop her at school, help her with her homework, feed her. All the stuff parent's should be doing."
"Oh, that's got to be ruff. I never met anyone like that. Mind you, I have like one friend so."
"One friend, in England? I dunno, you seem like the kinda girl who gets on well with people."
"Yes, well, I might actually get on with people if I was ever allowed out. I'm serious in, 15 years I've been out like 3 times. With a Nanny. Don't get to know a whole lot of people that way."
"Your parent's are over protective huh?"
"Very, which is weird cause they're hardly ever home. I'm sorry, you don't want to hear the terrible life of a stranger."
"No, no. I'm sort of the anti social at school. All the people know about my folks are I'm now officially a freak. Besides, you're not exactly a stranger anymore. I know your name is Paige and you come from England and"
Paige laughed. "Okay, okay. I get the point."
"You're cute when your smile."
"Uh, thanks."
*Thanks for the reviews so far. BTW (and you American's are a bad influence on me), Blake is Madison's brother. Thanks for the cool thoughts Gidgetgirl! Keep reading!*