Buffy walked the streets aimlessly. It felt like she was missing something so huge that a part of her was gone. Too tired to walk anymore she checked into a cheap motel. She sat on the bed, her eyes never closing, if she didn't sleep she wouldn't dream.
She sat there the entire day and well into the next night when her eyes reluctantly closed and she began to dream. As she held up her hands covered in blood, her eyes wide with horror when suddenly a blond man popped into the dream.
"We interrupt this nightmare for an announcement." He looked at Buffy with the same smile she remembered.
"Hello Pet." He said cheekily.
"Spike?"
She looked down at her suddenly clean hands then back up at him in confusion. "I was dreaming."
"Still are Luv, but you were going to start screaming in a minute and didn't want to scare all of the nice people."
"Why am I doing this Spike?" Buffy asked tiredly, sitting on the floor with a graceless thump.
"Listen Pet, you have suffered badly and you don't want to face it. Not exactly your style," Spike shrugged, "But you've always been a bit daft when it comes to love."
"That's really not fair." She grumbled.
"True though. So instead of talking about it, facing your demons as it were, you locked it away all nice and tight, only it's creeping about in your pretty head and making nightmares."
Buffy looked at him, "So what do I do?"
"Well, your friends think your wiggin Luv, so does the man that loves you. You need to call and let them know you're alright." Spike said.
"What man?" Buffy asked in confusion and Spike sighed in exasperation. "Buffy!" he sighed again, "Never mind, just remember this, true love never dies."
Buffy jerked awake, looking around, disoriented at her surroundings. She pulled out her cell phone from her pocket and dialed a number from memory.
"McLeod."
"Mac, it's me."
"Buffy are you ok?" Duncan asked, wide awake suddenly.
"Sort of. Can you call Giles? I sort of walked out of the hotel." Her voice trailed off in embarrassment.
"That was two days ago Buffy." Duncan replied quietly.
"Oh damn." Buffy sighed.
"Let me know where you are so Angel can pick you up."
"The Sleepy Owl."
"Ah, economy class. Promise me you'll still be there when Angel arrives." Duncan asked.
Silence.
"Buffy." He pleaded.
"I promise." Then she hung up.
Duncan went into the living room and dialed a number from his book.
"Angel, Mac. She's at the Sleepy Owl, you may want to hurry."
"How did she sound?" Methos asked from his bedroom door. His eyes dark and haunted.
"Lost." Duncan sighed, rubbing his face.
Angel walked into the office of the motel, shimmering visibly with impatience. "What room is Buffy Summers in?" He asked the nervous clerk.
"Um, we don't have a Buffy Summers here." He squeaked in terror as Angel glared. "Pretty blonde, about yea high?" Angel held up his hand off the floor to indicate a short woman.
"Oh her," He flipped through the pages, "Um Elizabeth Fall. Room 312"
"Clever." Angel's lip curved and he nodded his thanks and left.
Angel popped open the door without problem and saw Buffy stare at him in confusion. "It's been 2 days?" her voice was weary and lost sounding.
He bundled her up and took her back to the hotel. He didn't speak, didn't trust himself to as he carried her up to his office. Willow was there and so was Giles.
"Buffy, thank the Goddess you're alright." Willow jumped up and helped Buffy sit beside her on the couch.
Giles cleared his throat, then cleaned his glasses, "Buffy, we've let this continue long enough." He said firmly.
"I know." She was unbearably weary.
Willow knelt in front of her friend, gripping her hands gently. "I'm going to try and help you remember, ok Sweetie?"
"OK."
Willow got the room ready, lit several candles and sat in front of Buffy. Buffy's eyes were closed and the scent of the candles was heavy in the room.
"Buffy, you're not alone. I want to go Duncan's dojo."
"OK."
"I want you remember a day that you met someone new. A man."
"Adam." Buffy whispered.
"Yes, Adam."
Suddenly Buffy moaned, every memory flash forwarding until she was standing in front of a warehouse. "No. No!" Buffy moaned.
"Where are you Buffy?" Willow asked quietly.
"It's the fifth warehouse, I've already searched four. I don't want to go in." Buffy whispers.
"Please Buffy, just walk in the door."
"I smell blood. Old blood and fresh blood. It's so strong." Buffy was shaking and Giles went and sat beside her, wrapping his arms around her shoulders.
"It's ok Buffy. I'm with you. What did you do next??"
"I searched the first floor but couldn't find him. I hear a noise." Buffy stiffened, then moved her head as if looking around.
"What do you hear Buffy?"
"It's blood dripping from the ceiling." Buffy whispers.
"Ok, where did you go next?" Willow said quickly.
"Please, don't make me go."
"Buffy, we have to see."
"I run up the stairs, there's blood everywhere. It's in puddles on the floor and it's starting to dry underneath him."
"Who is it Buffy? Who do you see?"
"Methos, oh Methos. Don't leave me!" she cried out, her hand in front of her.
"Is he awake?" Willow asked.
"No, he's dead." Buffy moaned. She leaned forward, hand trembling.
"Dear God, please let him be ok." Buffy prayed.
"They pinned him to the floor with swords. God, there's so much blood. I kneel in it and I touch his face. His eyes are closed, he looks like he's asleep, but here's a dagger in his heart."
"Man oh man." Angel whispered harshly, meeting Giles anguished eyes with his own.
"What did you do next?" Willow asked quietly, wanting this finished.
"I start pulling the swords out of his shoulders, then the daggers out of his hands and feet. I can feel the skin pulling, it partially healed around the blades. There is a horrible sound as I pull them out. It's worse when I pull the swords out of his thighs. Then I kneel and yanked the dagger out of his heart. I want to throw up but I'm glad I'm done." Buffy shuddered, swallowing convulsively.
"You're almost done Buffy, what happened next?" Willow asked, choking a little.
"There so much blood. I reach under his shoulders and drag him out of the puddle and I cradle him in my lap."
Buffy rocks slightly, "Please God, I love him, don't make him leave me too. Please, please." She whispers and tears are streaming down her face. Willow's face was wet with tears too.
"Ok Buffy, what happened next?"
"Oh Willow, I feel him. He shakes slightly and then takes a great big gasp of air. I cup his face in my hands so he sees me first when his eyes open. Oh God, he looks at me and I'm so happy my heart hurts."
"Oh Buffy, that is so great. Methos is alive now and he loves you and wants you to be ok. Can you do that?"
"I miss him Will. I don't want him to leave."
"Buffy, of all of us in your life, Methos would be the one who would stay forever." Willows voice held humor.
"Ok Will." There was unshakeable trust in her voice.
"We're going to sleep with out bad dreams now, Ok?
"Ok Will."
Willow cupped Buffy's face, "Goddess, grant her sleep." Willow chanted softly and Buffy slumped into Giles arms.
Giles stood with a grunt, Buffy cradled in his arms. Angel moved to take her but Giles shook his head sharply, "Call Adam." He said and went to put Buffy to bed.
Willow got off of her knees and wrapped her arms around Angel. His face burrowed into her hair and he held her tight. "I hope she'll be ok, Will." he said, his voice muffled.
"She will be, she's strong." Willow patted his back and went to check on Buffy.
Angel sighed, then dialed the phone.
"McLeod." He sounded depressingly wide-awake.
"It's Angel, we have her."
"Thank you God." Duncan breathed.
"We figured out what was wrong, I think if Adam comes down tomorrow it will be fine." Angel said quietly.
"We'll be there in the morning." Duncan hung up and looked at Methos, "They want us there tomorrow, they think they fixed it." Methos closed his eyes in relief.
