Chapter 10
"I found something," Willow's yell had them all looking up. Hopeful faces stared questioningly at her. The sound of footsteps was heard, as Angel rushed into the room, almost healed, dragging Cordelia behind him.
This was the third day of searching. They took turns sleeping, and after witnessing an actual vision on the second day, seeing the debilitating pain their friend suffered, it renewed all their efforts. Buffy, Xander, Gunn and Spike dealt with that vision, since Angel was never more than a few feet from Cordelia since his declaration of love. He refused to leave her , and because the Scoobies were around and it hurt too much to yell, Cordy gave in. For the first time ever, she let them see the pain she was in after a vision. Somewhere in the last few days, Angel had extracted a promise from her – No more hiding, and so she didn't cover it up.
Angel never left her side, and neither did Fred, or Dawn but for the rest eventually the watching the pain was too much for them. Gunn left the hotel, and didn't return for hours, looking like he had been in several fights…the results of which were several dead vampires.
Spike started drinking, and Wesley and Giles buried themselves further into their books, burying out the screams of pain, and the sight of their friend convulsing on the floor, her vampire's arms surrounding her, holding her, trying to anchor her, tears running down her face as she relived the victim's pain, and her own, over and over again.
"How the hell did she hide that?" Buffy yelled, banging her fist through the wall. It gave way, superior slayer strength no match for walls decades old.
Xander hadn't said a word since it happened. He went to the car, reached into the boot for the old toolbox that was always there, and silently began fixing the wall. He disappeared into the hotel after that, and from various areas of the hotel, areas closed off, they could sometimes hear the faint sounds of a hammer.
Those sounds were echoed by pots banging as Anya, hid in the kitchen. Not for the first time she didn't know just what to do in the situation.
"She was always good at hiding things," Willow answered, floating a few feet above ground. Buffy reached her hand up, and pulled Willow to the ground. Whenever Willow's emotions grew out of hand, her magic went out of control.
Angel and Fred tiptoed out the room, Cordelia was finally asleep. Dawn stayed, curling up on the bed, keeping an eye on her.
The rest watched as his face hardened, the second he walked out, and not knowing what to do or say, followed him to the basement. And then they watched as he began to hit the punching bag over and over again, until the bag broke and the chain attaching it to the ceiling gave way under the strain. Buffy joined him then, offering herself to fight him. She understood this. Fighting to rid yourself of the anger. It was her way to deal, her way of being the friend she should have been.
The two beat each other up, a battle that raged furiously, quick, efficient moves, fast, furious actions – the anger at Cordy's fate that he couldn't show her. Not now. And when Buffy stopped, Spike gave himself to the fight, the familiarity of years of similar fights. The two vampires were just a blur as the fought, the kicks and punches so fast, vampire speed at its maximum the human eye had trouble taking it in.
No one understood this better than Spike, after all. It would have continued, despite their bodies limits, but something stopped dark haired vampire. Without warning, Angel paused suddenly and ran up the stairs.
"Her heartbeat's changed," Spike told them, where they sat, watching the two of them going at it, "She's waking up."
"You can hear it from here?" Anya asked.
"Not really. Its too far, but if your focus is on it, you can tune all else out, until all you hear is that beat," Spike said wearily, and collapsed next to Buffy.
Things returned to normal, normal as in research mode, after Cordelia woke up, to find Angel at her bedside, no trace of the anger visible. She looked deeper and saw the traces in the dark recesses of his eyes, but let him keep it, not saying much. She didn't let them dwell on the pain, after that.
Her presence brought them all back together. With new desperation the search began again, Dawn's constant optimism since her talk with Cordelia, and Connor kept them all going. Looking at his face was enough to turn all of them into mush. Watching him with Cordy had them all making silent promises to keep her alive.
It was why now, Willow's yell had gathered them together, waiting for something. Anything. Hope.
"What? What did you find?" Angel asked eagerly. If he was human, he would have been out-of-breathe.
"It's a healing spell," Willow said, and at the happiness on their faces had to clarify, "Not a cure, but…"
"It will buy us some time," Wesley finished for her.
"Lets go do it, then," Gunn said, and stood up enthusiastically. Fred was already up.
"Come on, Cordy," Angel, grabbing her arm. She didn't budge.
"Tell them all, Willow," Cordy said to the red-headed witch.
Willow swallowed. "You know about it," she asked. Cordelia nodded, and Willow wasn't too surprised. Cordelia was really efficient when it came to research. There hadn't been anything that they had found so far that she hadn't already known, and discarded. "There are side-effects," Willow added reluctantly.
"What kind of side effects?" Spike asked. Angel had wrapped his arms around his Seer again, holding her tightly to him.
"The spell uses the body's energy to heal the part that is damaged, in this case Cordy's brain. It will need to replenish the energy and that takes time," Willow said.
"It will leave me bedridden, not able to move," Cordelia cut right to it.
"But it will heal her?" Fred asked hopefully.
"Yes, but, the next time she has a vision, the damage will begin all over again, and the spell becomes less effective the more you attempt to use it." The happiness on their faces diminished.
"I won't do it," Cordelia said, "I won't spend what I have left lying in a bed."
"Cordy," Angel pleaded.
"I'm sorry, Angel. I just can't."
"Okay," he said sadly, seeing the determination in her face. The two turned to walk back out, a slump easily visible in his shoulders.
"Wait," Fred yelled. Angel turned back, hopefully.
"What if we…we can try, yeah it might work, won't it, Willow?" Fred said, words tumbling out.
"Fred! Fred," It was Anya who yelled her name.
"Tried what?" Dawn said, looking at Fred if she had all the answers.
"Used the spell, but not Cordy's energy," Fred said and she ran to her computer, typing figures in furiously. Her excitement was infectious, and Willow, Giles and Wesley seeing where she was going also began calculations.
Giles grabbed the book Willow was holding and read the spell, his brain working frantically.
"It could work," Willow said, "We just have to figure out how to collect the energy, and how to transfer it."
"It could work," Wesley repeated, trying to find a transfer spell.
"Wait," Cordy's shout interrupted them, "I don't want anyone else bedridden. You can't just take someone's energy."
"You can have mine," Angel immediately said.
"No," Cordy yelled, "No, Angel. It isn't right."
"But…"
"It wouldn't work anyway, Angel," Willow interrupted, "You're technically dead, you don't have living energy, so she can't use yours."
Cordelia looked smug.
"She can have mine," Gunn, Wesley, and Xander said together. Cordelia started to cry.
"You don't have to do that, guys," she said, pushing away the tears away furiously.
"No one has to be bedridden," Fred told them, looking up, "We can use a little from everyone, and collect it, so it only affects a little. It might not be totally enough, but I am sure we can work something out."
"What about mine?" Buffy asked curiously.
"What about yours?" Giles questioned.
"I'm the slayer. My blood is different. Maybe my energy is as well," Buffy told them.
Willow, Giles, Wesley and Fred stared at her in shock. They hadn't thought of that.
"You're right, Buffy," Wesley said slowly, "Maybe…" he trailed off.
"Her energy is different," Lorne supplied helpfully.
"What do you mean?" Giles asked, his professor mode fully on.
"Anyone else lost here?" Xander asked.
"Shut up, Xander," Anya told him, listening.
"Its a different colour. And there's more of it," Lorne replied.
"Of course. She's the slayer. She needs more," Giles said, looking like a big puzzle had been solved.
"If she uses mine, I won't be bedridden," Buffy said. This actually seemed simple to her.
"But you won't have slayer strength for a while," Cordelia said to her, trying to make sure Buffy understood the consequences.
"Of course, Dawn's energy is even more different," Lorne put in, interrupting.
"Dawn?" Buffy asked.
"Me?" Dawn turned to Lorne.
"The Nibblet?" Spike moved to stand protectively behind her.
"What's different about her energy?" Wesley asked, when Lorne stared at Dawn curiously, seeing something the rest couldn't see.
"Its pure. Powerful. Clear," Lorne replied. "The Slayer and the princess have a little bit of that as well."
"Of course," Fred said, "They are all links, creations of the PTB's. Their energy would be different. Dawn's the key, Cordy's the Seer, and Buffy's the slayer. Plus Dawn was created from energy, well we all were, but Dawn was an actual matter conversion," Fred paused for a breathe. The others waited for her to finish. Once you got to know her a little, you figured out that some of these rants went somewhere, "Dawn's energy would work. We wouldn't even need anyone's else's," Fred finished.
"I can save Cordy," Dawn said, looking excitedly at Cordelia and Buffy.
Cordelia seemed shocked. She sat down suddenly, pulling Angel with her. He didn't say anything, waiting this time, for something to come out. Something real. Something that could save her.
Gunn, and Xander were silent as well.
Dawn ran to Cordy, "You were right, Cordy. I am a miracle. I get to be yours," she jumped up and down excitedly.
"This could actually work," Wesley said, and he Giles began scribbling a new incantation, that would include a transfer of energy from another source. The word spurred the rest into action. Willow, grabbed Anya's arm and the two ran to get the ingredients, not waiting for a confirmation.
"Isn't this great, Buffy?" Dawn said, hugging her.
"It won't hurt her?" Buffy asked. She couldn't not ask. It was one thing to risk herself, but Dawn was different.
"No, I don't think so," Wesley looked up from his scribbling.
"You'd better be more clear than that, mate," Spike growled.
"I wouldn't let anything happen to Dawn," Giles reassured them all.
"You okay," Angel asked Cordelia worriedly. She hadn't said a word, and was just sitting there.
"I don't know. Its all happening so fast," Cordelia replied to Angel's question.
Willow and Anya ran back into the room. The brain trust started consulted furiously in one corner. Giles and Wesley, working in unison began to draw the pentagram on the floor, while Willow and Anya placed the items in place. Now that they had come up with a plan of action, no matter how temporary, they were not wasting any time. There wasn't any to waste. They were running against a clock, and Cordelia was on borrowed time. Whatever they did, it had to be now.
"Are you sure?" Cordelia looked at Buffy and Spike, asking permission.
They exchanged a look, and than glanced at Dawn, who was waiting impatiently by Willow for it to start, before Buffy answered the question.
"It would be an honour," Buffy replied. And suddenly she felt clear, free. Angel smiled, a real smile, for the first time in days. He thanked her with his eyes. And then turned and nodded to his grandchilde. Spike nodded back solemnly.
"Okay, then," Cordelia said, and walked to the shaped diagram on the floor, where Wesley and Willow were waiting for her. She stopped before she could step inside, and grabbed Dawn's hand.
"Thank you," she told the girl softly. Dawn wrapped her arms around her, "You got your miracle, Cor. Connor gets his mother, and Angel gets to keep you," and for a second there, the teen was the older and wiser one.
Both of them stepped inside the pentagram together. Giles and Anya stood on one side, near Dawn watching her carefully while Wesley watched Cordelia.
"I am going to use some of the principles of reiki," Willow told them both, "Drawing energy from the room to perform the spell, and using the pentagram to contain the energy flow so it doesn't escape. The spell will let the transfer between the two of you work. Giles said that he doesn't even think I will have to do much, just temporarily change your form to its original, Dawn, and it should happen naturally."
Cordelia and Dawn nodded. Dawn looked at Buffy and smiled reassuringly at her sister. Across the room, Gunn held onto Angel's arm to prevent him from moving any closer.
"Are you ready?" Wesley asked them.
"Yes," Dawn and Willow answered.
Cordelia looked at Angel. He mouthed the words, "I love you," to her, and it was enough.
"Yes," she told the waiting room, her voice sure as ever.
Willow began the incantation, her eyes closed, her hands moving gracefully, her eyes darkening as the power flowed through her.
The others watched hopefully. Both the girls stood still, unmoving as if held by an invisible force. Suddenly the room darkened, and all that was left was the candles, their light flickering with the breeze that arose with Willows words.
The figures in the centre of the circle disappeared, until all that was left was the silhouettes of the two. The light shone from them both, Dawn a bright clear colour, pure energy and Cordelia a colour mix. It was beautiful. The energy by Cordy's head was red, as if bleeding, dying. The room watched in awe as the bright light from Dawn reached out and touched the red in Cordy's energy matrix, mixing, entwining, lightening.
Slowly the colour began to change, as the red got paler, a pink before turning white. Then it began to withdraw, moving back, rejoining the younger girl. The silhouettes began to darken, and finally below a floating Wiccan witch, lay two fallen figures, there eyes shut.
"Wow!" Gunn said. There was nothing else to say. No other way to describe it.
Angel, Spike and Buffy rushed forward surrounding their loved ones. Spike picked up Dawn, and Angel gently lifted Cordelia in his arms.
"Did it work?" Xander asked eagerly.
"Are they okay?" Buffy questioned.
Willow floated back to the ground. Her eyes began to lighten, their journey to return to normal. "They're sleeping," she said.
"Is she healed?" Angel asked, a catch in his voice.
Willow looked at him and smiled, "I think so. We should take a CATscan to check," she said. And then laughed in relief, "Wasn't that cool?"
"Cool doesn't even begin to describe it, girl," Gunn told her, "You can have my six any day."
Fred ran up to Willow and hugged her, "Will you teach me how to float?" she asked, excitedly.
"When will they wake up?" Spike asked.
"In a few hours, I think," Wesley replied. Their bodies need to make the adjustment.
"Dawn is fine, right?" Buffy asked worriedly.
"Her energy matrix is already restabilising," Lorne replied, watching both girls carefully, his abilities allowing him a view no one else could see.
Spike and Angel headed for the stairs. They went into Angel's bedroom, and laid them on the bed, next to each other. Fred, picked up Connor from his crib and carried him to the bed laying him in Cordelia's arms. Almost immediately, both girls shifted in their sleep Cordelia wrapping her arms around her baby, and Dawn shifting her head to curl up into Cordy's side, seeking comfort. Spike lifted the blanket and covered the trio.
Without saying a word, Angel took his seat, in the armchair, and he waited, never taking his eyes of his Seer. Spike did the same, leaning against the wall.
And so the vigil began.
TBC
A/N
Hey ppl
I had a hard time getting onto ffn to post this. I hope this works. Anyway i just wanted to thank all those ppl who gave feedback. I love receiving it, even if it isnt always good. I did try to take your suggestions in hand, however if you flamed without reasons...can't help you there.
Hope you enjoy.
Domino
"I found something," Willow's yell had them all looking up. Hopeful faces stared questioningly at her. The sound of footsteps was heard, as Angel rushed into the room, almost healed, dragging Cordelia behind him.
This was the third day of searching. They took turns sleeping, and after witnessing an actual vision on the second day, seeing the debilitating pain their friend suffered, it renewed all their efforts. Buffy, Xander, Gunn and Spike dealt with that vision, since Angel was never more than a few feet from Cordelia since his declaration of love. He refused to leave her , and because the Scoobies were around and it hurt too much to yell, Cordy gave in. For the first time ever, she let them see the pain she was in after a vision. Somewhere in the last few days, Angel had extracted a promise from her – No more hiding, and so she didn't cover it up.
Angel never left her side, and neither did Fred, or Dawn but for the rest eventually the watching the pain was too much for them. Gunn left the hotel, and didn't return for hours, looking like he had been in several fights…the results of which were several dead vampires.
Spike started drinking, and Wesley and Giles buried themselves further into their books, burying out the screams of pain, and the sight of their friend convulsing on the floor, her vampire's arms surrounding her, holding her, trying to anchor her, tears running down her face as she relived the victim's pain, and her own, over and over again.
"How the hell did she hide that?" Buffy yelled, banging her fist through the wall. It gave way, superior slayer strength no match for walls decades old.
Xander hadn't said a word since it happened. He went to the car, reached into the boot for the old toolbox that was always there, and silently began fixing the wall. He disappeared into the hotel after that, and from various areas of the hotel, areas closed off, they could sometimes hear the faint sounds of a hammer.
Those sounds were echoed by pots banging as Anya, hid in the kitchen. Not for the first time she didn't know just what to do in the situation.
"She was always good at hiding things," Willow answered, floating a few feet above ground. Buffy reached her hand up, and pulled Willow to the ground. Whenever Willow's emotions grew out of hand, her magic went out of control.
Angel and Fred tiptoed out the room, Cordelia was finally asleep. Dawn stayed, curling up on the bed, keeping an eye on her.
The rest watched as his face hardened, the second he walked out, and not knowing what to do or say, followed him to the basement. And then they watched as he began to hit the punching bag over and over again, until the bag broke and the chain attaching it to the ceiling gave way under the strain. Buffy joined him then, offering herself to fight him. She understood this. Fighting to rid yourself of the anger. It was her way to deal, her way of being the friend she should have been.
The two beat each other up, a battle that raged furiously, quick, efficient moves, fast, furious actions – the anger at Cordy's fate that he couldn't show her. Not now. And when Buffy stopped, Spike gave himself to the fight, the familiarity of years of similar fights. The two vampires were just a blur as the fought, the kicks and punches so fast, vampire speed at its maximum the human eye had trouble taking it in.
No one understood this better than Spike, after all. It would have continued, despite their bodies limits, but something stopped dark haired vampire. Without warning, Angel paused suddenly and ran up the stairs.
"Her heartbeat's changed," Spike told them, where they sat, watching the two of them going at it, "She's waking up."
"You can hear it from here?" Anya asked.
"Not really. Its too far, but if your focus is on it, you can tune all else out, until all you hear is that beat," Spike said wearily, and collapsed next to Buffy.
Things returned to normal, normal as in research mode, after Cordelia woke up, to find Angel at her bedside, no trace of the anger visible. She looked deeper and saw the traces in the dark recesses of his eyes, but let him keep it, not saying much. She didn't let them dwell on the pain, after that.
Her presence brought them all back together. With new desperation the search began again, Dawn's constant optimism since her talk with Cordelia, and Connor kept them all going. Looking at his face was enough to turn all of them into mush. Watching him with Cordy had them all making silent promises to keep her alive.
It was why now, Willow's yell had gathered them together, waiting for something. Anything. Hope.
"What? What did you find?" Angel asked eagerly. If he was human, he would have been out-of-breathe.
"It's a healing spell," Willow said, and at the happiness on their faces had to clarify, "Not a cure, but…"
"It will buy us some time," Wesley finished for her.
"Lets go do it, then," Gunn said, and stood up enthusiastically. Fred was already up.
"Come on, Cordy," Angel, grabbing her arm. She didn't budge.
"Tell them all, Willow," Cordy said to the red-headed witch.
Willow swallowed. "You know about it," she asked. Cordelia nodded, and Willow wasn't too surprised. Cordelia was really efficient when it came to research. There hadn't been anything that they had found so far that she hadn't already known, and discarded. "There are side-effects," Willow added reluctantly.
"What kind of side effects?" Spike asked. Angel had wrapped his arms around his Seer again, holding her tightly to him.
"The spell uses the body's energy to heal the part that is damaged, in this case Cordy's brain. It will need to replenish the energy and that takes time," Willow said.
"It will leave me bedridden, not able to move," Cordelia cut right to it.
"But it will heal her?" Fred asked hopefully.
"Yes, but, the next time she has a vision, the damage will begin all over again, and the spell becomes less effective the more you attempt to use it." The happiness on their faces diminished.
"I won't do it," Cordelia said, "I won't spend what I have left lying in a bed."
"Cordy," Angel pleaded.
"I'm sorry, Angel. I just can't."
"Okay," he said sadly, seeing the determination in her face. The two turned to walk back out, a slump easily visible in his shoulders.
"Wait," Fred yelled. Angel turned back, hopefully.
"What if we…we can try, yeah it might work, won't it, Willow?" Fred said, words tumbling out.
"Fred! Fred," It was Anya who yelled her name.
"Tried what?" Dawn said, looking at Fred if she had all the answers.
"Used the spell, but not Cordy's energy," Fred said and she ran to her computer, typing figures in furiously. Her excitement was infectious, and Willow, Giles and Wesley seeing where she was going also began calculations.
Giles grabbed the book Willow was holding and read the spell, his brain working frantically.
"It could work," Willow said, "We just have to figure out how to collect the energy, and how to transfer it."
"It could work," Wesley repeated, trying to find a transfer spell.
"Wait," Cordy's shout interrupted them, "I don't want anyone else bedridden. You can't just take someone's energy."
"You can have mine," Angel immediately said.
"No," Cordy yelled, "No, Angel. It isn't right."
"But…"
"It wouldn't work anyway, Angel," Willow interrupted, "You're technically dead, you don't have living energy, so she can't use yours."
Cordelia looked smug.
"She can have mine," Gunn, Wesley, and Xander said together. Cordelia started to cry.
"You don't have to do that, guys," she said, pushing away the tears away furiously.
"No one has to be bedridden," Fred told them, looking up, "We can use a little from everyone, and collect it, so it only affects a little. It might not be totally enough, but I am sure we can work something out."
"What about mine?" Buffy asked curiously.
"What about yours?" Giles questioned.
"I'm the slayer. My blood is different. Maybe my energy is as well," Buffy told them.
Willow, Giles, Wesley and Fred stared at her in shock. They hadn't thought of that.
"You're right, Buffy," Wesley said slowly, "Maybe…" he trailed off.
"Her energy is different," Lorne supplied helpfully.
"What do you mean?" Giles asked, his professor mode fully on.
"Anyone else lost here?" Xander asked.
"Shut up, Xander," Anya told him, listening.
"Its a different colour. And there's more of it," Lorne replied.
"Of course. She's the slayer. She needs more," Giles said, looking like a big puzzle had been solved.
"If she uses mine, I won't be bedridden," Buffy said. This actually seemed simple to her.
"But you won't have slayer strength for a while," Cordelia said to her, trying to make sure Buffy understood the consequences.
"Of course, Dawn's energy is even more different," Lorne put in, interrupting.
"Dawn?" Buffy asked.
"Me?" Dawn turned to Lorne.
"The Nibblet?" Spike moved to stand protectively behind her.
"What's different about her energy?" Wesley asked, when Lorne stared at Dawn curiously, seeing something the rest couldn't see.
"Its pure. Powerful. Clear," Lorne replied. "The Slayer and the princess have a little bit of that as well."
"Of course," Fred said, "They are all links, creations of the PTB's. Their energy would be different. Dawn's the key, Cordy's the Seer, and Buffy's the slayer. Plus Dawn was created from energy, well we all were, but Dawn was an actual matter conversion," Fred paused for a breathe. The others waited for her to finish. Once you got to know her a little, you figured out that some of these rants went somewhere, "Dawn's energy would work. We wouldn't even need anyone's else's," Fred finished.
"I can save Cordy," Dawn said, looking excitedly at Cordelia and Buffy.
Cordelia seemed shocked. She sat down suddenly, pulling Angel with her. He didn't say anything, waiting this time, for something to come out. Something real. Something that could save her.
Gunn, and Xander were silent as well.
Dawn ran to Cordy, "You were right, Cordy. I am a miracle. I get to be yours," she jumped up and down excitedly.
"This could actually work," Wesley said, and he Giles began scribbling a new incantation, that would include a transfer of energy from another source. The word spurred the rest into action. Willow, grabbed Anya's arm and the two ran to get the ingredients, not waiting for a confirmation.
"Isn't this great, Buffy?" Dawn said, hugging her.
"It won't hurt her?" Buffy asked. She couldn't not ask. It was one thing to risk herself, but Dawn was different.
"No, I don't think so," Wesley looked up from his scribbling.
"You'd better be more clear than that, mate," Spike growled.
"I wouldn't let anything happen to Dawn," Giles reassured them all.
"You okay," Angel asked Cordelia worriedly. She hadn't said a word, and was just sitting there.
"I don't know. Its all happening so fast," Cordelia replied to Angel's question.
Willow and Anya ran back into the room. The brain trust started consulted furiously in one corner. Giles and Wesley, working in unison began to draw the pentagram on the floor, while Willow and Anya placed the items in place. Now that they had come up with a plan of action, no matter how temporary, they were not wasting any time. There wasn't any to waste. They were running against a clock, and Cordelia was on borrowed time. Whatever they did, it had to be now.
"Are you sure?" Cordelia looked at Buffy and Spike, asking permission.
They exchanged a look, and than glanced at Dawn, who was waiting impatiently by Willow for it to start, before Buffy answered the question.
"It would be an honour," Buffy replied. And suddenly she felt clear, free. Angel smiled, a real smile, for the first time in days. He thanked her with his eyes. And then turned and nodded to his grandchilde. Spike nodded back solemnly.
"Okay, then," Cordelia said, and walked to the shaped diagram on the floor, where Wesley and Willow were waiting for her. She stopped before she could step inside, and grabbed Dawn's hand.
"Thank you," she told the girl softly. Dawn wrapped her arms around her, "You got your miracle, Cor. Connor gets his mother, and Angel gets to keep you," and for a second there, the teen was the older and wiser one.
Both of them stepped inside the pentagram together. Giles and Anya stood on one side, near Dawn watching her carefully while Wesley watched Cordelia.
"I am going to use some of the principles of reiki," Willow told them both, "Drawing energy from the room to perform the spell, and using the pentagram to contain the energy flow so it doesn't escape. The spell will let the transfer between the two of you work. Giles said that he doesn't even think I will have to do much, just temporarily change your form to its original, Dawn, and it should happen naturally."
Cordelia and Dawn nodded. Dawn looked at Buffy and smiled reassuringly at her sister. Across the room, Gunn held onto Angel's arm to prevent him from moving any closer.
"Are you ready?" Wesley asked them.
"Yes," Dawn and Willow answered.
Cordelia looked at Angel. He mouthed the words, "I love you," to her, and it was enough.
"Yes," she told the waiting room, her voice sure as ever.
Willow began the incantation, her eyes closed, her hands moving gracefully, her eyes darkening as the power flowed through her.
The others watched hopefully. Both the girls stood still, unmoving as if held by an invisible force. Suddenly the room darkened, and all that was left was the candles, their light flickering with the breeze that arose with Willows words.
The figures in the centre of the circle disappeared, until all that was left was the silhouettes of the two. The light shone from them both, Dawn a bright clear colour, pure energy and Cordelia a colour mix. It was beautiful. The energy by Cordy's head was red, as if bleeding, dying. The room watched in awe as the bright light from Dawn reached out and touched the red in Cordy's energy matrix, mixing, entwining, lightening.
Slowly the colour began to change, as the red got paler, a pink before turning white. Then it began to withdraw, moving back, rejoining the younger girl. The silhouettes began to darken, and finally below a floating Wiccan witch, lay two fallen figures, there eyes shut.
"Wow!" Gunn said. There was nothing else to say. No other way to describe it.
Angel, Spike and Buffy rushed forward surrounding their loved ones. Spike picked up Dawn, and Angel gently lifted Cordelia in his arms.
"Did it work?" Xander asked eagerly.
"Are they okay?" Buffy questioned.
Willow floated back to the ground. Her eyes began to lighten, their journey to return to normal. "They're sleeping," she said.
"Is she healed?" Angel asked, a catch in his voice.
Willow looked at him and smiled, "I think so. We should take a CATscan to check," she said. And then laughed in relief, "Wasn't that cool?"
"Cool doesn't even begin to describe it, girl," Gunn told her, "You can have my six any day."
Fred ran up to Willow and hugged her, "Will you teach me how to float?" she asked, excitedly.
"When will they wake up?" Spike asked.
"In a few hours, I think," Wesley replied. Their bodies need to make the adjustment.
"Dawn is fine, right?" Buffy asked worriedly.
"Her energy matrix is already restabilising," Lorne replied, watching both girls carefully, his abilities allowing him a view no one else could see.
Spike and Angel headed for the stairs. They went into Angel's bedroom, and laid them on the bed, next to each other. Fred, picked up Connor from his crib and carried him to the bed laying him in Cordelia's arms. Almost immediately, both girls shifted in their sleep Cordelia wrapping her arms around her baby, and Dawn shifting her head to curl up into Cordy's side, seeking comfort. Spike lifted the blanket and covered the trio.
Without saying a word, Angel took his seat, in the armchair, and he waited, never taking his eyes of his Seer. Spike did the same, leaning against the wall.
And so the vigil began.
TBC
A/N
Hey ppl
I had a hard time getting onto ffn to post this. I hope this works. Anyway i just wanted to thank all those ppl who gave feedback. I love receiving it, even if it isnt always good. I did try to take your suggestions in hand, however if you flamed without reasons...can't help you there.
Hope you enjoy.
Domino
