Fragment of Your Imagination
By : Asarielle
Crossover : Lord of the Rings & Buffy the Vampire Layer x-over
Disclaimer : I own all of the following.. Nadda. Get it? Got it? Good!
Summary : To 14-year-old Dawn Summers, the world has become to much. Especially when she is ripped out of her own dimension and thrust into that of another. Once again, she is torn, inside and out.
------------------------------------- Torn Inside and Out------------------ ----------------------
Looking down below, Dawn didn't sense any fear. She wondered at this. She hated heights; she had ever since Buffy had tormented her by threatening to drop her down the stairs when she was young. She had even held Dawn over the ledge. Dawn had threatened that she would tell on Buffy about her late night slip out / get together with her friends. That was when Buffy was 12 and hadn't known any better, but somehow the memory had stuck with her. all up until she found out the truth.
The truth.
Just recently Dawn had learned it. She had learned how her memories were. fake. Fiction. Fables. Tales. Myths. Whatever you wanted to call them, it all meant the same thing. Her memories were big fat white lies. The idea hurt her more than she showed. Sure, she was a brat. She had always been one. Buffy was a bigger brat, though. She always lied to Dawn, never telling her the full truth. It seemed that that memory-fact was true, at least. She couldn't hate Buffy, though. It's not right to hate the dead. And Buffy was dead, six feet under in the ground. Hell goddesses can do that to you, even if you are the Slayer. There had been talk before Glory captured Dawn that they could bring Buffy back. Glorificus had used some kind of mystical energy to destroy Buffy. There was a loophole that would allow them to call on Osiris to bring her back. Once they revealed this, however, they found that they would need Dawn's blood to put in the Urn of Osiris. All because her blood opened up hell dimensions. Glorificus chose this moment of comprehension to barge in a whisk away Dawn. Now there was no hope for the world. The Scoobies would fight, and fail. Dawn knew what she had to do. And for it, she felt torn. Minutes ticked by and Dawn could hear Willow using magick against Glory. Poor Willow. She never was powerful enough. She would be someday, though, if she continued on this path of powerful magick. Speaking of magick, what had happened to shy ole Tara? And Xander, what was he going to try and do to help? And Anya, would she fight this time even though she has left before? Giles, there was no doubt he was going to try to his death to protect this world.
Spike.
Memories attempted to overwhelm Dawn as she thought about the vampire. He had always been there for her after they understood her condition. He had always been there for her. That's more than she could say for Buffy. Ever since Buffy found out, she had tried to protect Dawn. Buffy and Spike. what a futile romance. Mostly considering Buffy loathed Spike's guts while he adored her from every. and Dawn meant EVERY. angle.
A sudden noise brought Dawn out of her reverie. She looked away from the hold near her feet to the man that stood before her. He had helped her once. maybe he could help again. She licked her lips and spoke so he could hear.
"You. you can help me. Untie me. Please. help me. She's coming."
A small ounce of hope was filtering back into her soul as she saw a potential friend standing there. Why then, did a sense of dread overcloud that sense of hope?
The man began to walked toward her while saying, "Well. it seems she's running a bit late, is the thing. And, uh, if her splendidness can't be here in time to bleed you." He began to whisper in an eerie voice. "Hey. Kid. Wanna see a trick?"
It was probably at this moment that Dawn wanted to scream at everything. This dimension, those stupid monks, those fucked up gods. At least now she knew where that sense of dread came from. Though for once in her life, she wished she was and ignorant brat. The wishes of saviors, as Buffy had told her once, was to be like they once were before. But how could Dawn wish this, when before she knew she was nothing? How to explain that to a shrink? Over and over again, a song began to repeat in her head. It had been on the Top Ten a few weeks ago. Something by Natalie Imbruglia. "Torn."
****************************
I thought I saw a man brought to life
He was warm
He came around like he was dignified
He showed me what it was to cry
****************************
This man in front of her. she had trusted him about the spell. The spell that brought her mother back. In the end, she had decided to rip up the picture. but she HAD trusted him. Now he was standing before her, looking smug and quite a bit insane. Standing there before him, she felt her tears begin to run down her cheeks. How could she die when she had never lived?
****************************
Well you couldn't be that man I adored
You don't seem to know
Seem to care what your heart is for
But I don't know him anymore
****************************
This man before her was a monster. She knew this as he began to speak again. "Well, what do you know? It's just about that time. Dawn looked past him to see. Spike. He was her only hope now.
"Spike!"
Spike began to saunter over to the man in front of her. "Doesn't a man stay dead when you kill him?"
The man only looked smug as he replied, "Look who's talking."
"Come on, Doc, let's you and me have a go."
So that was the man's name. Doc. Ugh. Bad taste in names for sure.
"I. do have a prior appointment."
"This won't take long."
"No. I don't imagine it will."
At these words, Spike lunged forward, only to have Doc swing him around and stab him in the back. Spike gasped and walked forward as the knife fell to the floor. "You don't come near the girl, Doc."
Doc seemed surprised at this. "I don't smell a soul anywhere on you. Why do you even care?"
Spike was managing to stay somewhat upright. "I've loved all her family, and her as well."
Doc just seemed to smirk and reply, "Oh." His long tongue flew out while he dropped to the floor and knocked Spike's knees form under him. Doc then got up and pulled Spike's hands behind his back. "To bad she's going to die. Don't feel guilty, she never lived."
Spike, wide-eyed, could only murmur, "Love you," as he fell.
Dawn's eyes got wide as she watched Spike tumble off the side. Why did she always hurt those she loved? Joyce's brain tumor had come into effect because of Dawn. Buffy had died trying to figure out a way to keep Dawn safe. Now Spike. He probably had at least twenty broken bones. Dawn could hear screaming in the background, it was only when her throat stung that she noticed they were her own screams.
Minutes later, Dawn was screaming more from the shallow cuts that Doc was making all over her midsection.
"Shallow cuts, shallow cuts, let the blood flow free."
With each cut to her torso, he was inching closer and closer. Suddenly, a hand reached from over the edge and grabbed Doc's leg. Faintly, she heard Spike's voice utter, "You want Hell? I'll meet you there soon." With that, Doc tumbled over the edge.
****************************
There's nothing where he used to lie
My conversation has run dry
That's what's going on
Nothing's fine I'm torn
****************************
Leaning over, Dawn could see Doc hit the ground. Spike's arm was inching its way up to the top. Finally, Dawn could see his whole body swinging onto the platform. When he was finally up there with her, he found Doc's knife and cut her bonds. Before Dawn and Spike walked away, Dawn looked back. A light was beginning to glow below the tower. Weary eyed, she looked towards Spike.
Licking her lips, she began to say all of her thoughts up to this point. "Spike? I love you. Please remember that. I know you don't love me the way you loved Buffy, but it doesn't matter. Nothing really does now, huh? I have to jump or everyone dies. Tell the group that I love them all and that I'm sorry I couldn't stay. Everything is my fault, so now I'm going to make it better. I'm going to keep all of you alive so you can actually live the life that I was forbidden. So that you all can live. I have to jump."
Spike was shaking his head. "Don't do it bit. It'll kill you."
"I know. But it's worth it right? The world should live? That's what I'm hoping, 'cause otherwise there is no reason to do anything, at all. Mom died, Buffy died, and now it's my turn. Make sure the others understand. You have to be strong. I've learned the lesson Buffy was trying to teach me. The hardest thing in this world, is to live in it. Live. if only for me."
****************************
I'm all out of faith
This is how I feel
I'm cold and I am shamed
That I can't love you anymore
****************************
Dawn turned away from Spike, tears falling down both of their cheeks. His a blood red, hers oddly the same.
****************************
Illusion never changed
Into something real
I'm wide awake
And I can see
The perfect sky is torn
****************************
There was a rip in the fabric of this dimension. The portal was a cloud of energy that shot out electricity and demons. She swallowed as a dragon swept by. The illusion of her life faded away as she took a step closer to the end.
****************************
You're a little late
I'm already torn
****************************
Dawn now felt empty. Was this how a savior always felt? Was this Buffy's life after fifteen?
****************************
So I guess the fortune teller's right
Should have seen just what was there
And not some holy light
Which crawled beneath my veins
And now I don't care
****************************
Cordelia had had a vision. Seemed she had been right about Dawn. Her blood was a holy light of any kind, instead her blood was meant to destroy. And now she didn't care. Apathy was taking over.
****************************
I had no luck
I don't miss it all that much
There's just so many things
That I can touch I'm torn
I'm all out of faith
This is how I feel
I'm cold and I am shamed
That I can't love you anymore
****************************
Now that Dawn mulled over the idea, she wouldn't want to go back to the memories. She would rather have reality than a lie. Emptiness settled inside as she thought this. She really was torn.
****************************
Illusion never changed
Into something real
I'm wide awake
And I can see
The perfect sky is torn
You're a little late
I'm already torn
Torn
****************************
No on could save her now. With a running start, she dived over the edge of the platform to meet her fate. The fate of death.
****************************
I'm all out of faith
This is how I feel
I'm cold and I am shamed
Lying naked on the floor
Illusion never changed
Into something real
I'm wide awake
And I can see
The perfect sky is torn
****************************
Minutes seemed like hours as Dawn felt the energy surged through every particle of her body, burning her from the inside out. Hell was nothing compared to this. Knives seemed to jab at every part of her body, willing her to scream more than she already was. Her voice began to grow hoarse. Her eyelids began to grow lazy and drooped. Dawn forced herself to stay awake and try and see out of the energy ball. Faintly through the energy, she could see Willow holding Tara and crying. Giles was also crying while Xander was holding Anya, his face a mask of grief. She had hurt the Scoobies to save the world.
Dawn felt her last ounce of strength go out as she fell to the floor. She couldn't feel anything, and soon realized that she was floating in the air while her body was on the ground. Suddenly, something pulled at her navel, and Dawn found herself floating higher and higher as she screamed mentally for her friends. She wanted so to erase their grief. She wanted Willow's arms around her, comforting her once again. Feeling Willow's aura, she held on. Mostly she did this in hopes that she wouldn't leave. It was all for nothing. Farther up she went by the second. As she was pulled farther and farther up, it got hard to see anything. How could she even see things without any eyes? Questions were quickly put to the back of her mind as she found that she was in outer space. Not only that. she was being dragged toward a black hole. that was blue. Now how did that work out? Didn't matter. She went through it, all the while feeling like she was being plopped into a blender and made into puree.
After twelve more oddly bluish-yellow black holes, Dawn was mentally exhausted. She would've been physically exhausted if she had a body. The only reason she was conscious was because. well. her consciousness and her subconscious were watching the same thing. so it was practically impossible to fade away into dreamland.
Out of nowhere, Dawn's vision suffered from a very, very bright light. I mean VERY bright light. It could hardly even be considered a light since it was surrounding her whole body. Suddenly, Dawn could see a city. There were waterfalls and trees everywhere. The largest shock, however, came when she got near enough to a circle of stone to see a body very like that of her own. She began to float closer to the ground and as she did, she could hear what they were saying.
"Who is she?"
"We shall find that out at a later time if we can discern whether or not she is alive."
A man with shaggy brown hair knelt down to her form and put his fingers on her neck.
"Her skin is cool and her pulse is absent."
"Sad it is that one so young as she would end up here, dead."
The shaggy-haired brunette had not yet removed his hand from her throat. It was at this moment that Dawn was once again tugged at her navel, if she even had one, and soon she found herself feeling tremendous pain all around her body. It seemed that the cycle right now was pain, tugging, peace, pain, et cetera.
The man jumped back from her, startled, as he felt a pulse beneath her skin.
"Nay, she is now alive and warm. What could cause such an anomaly?"
"I know not. Though I suspect that she should be taken quickly to the Healing Houses."
"We are wasting our time!"
"Silence yourself and sit down. This occurrence has caught us all by surprise. We need to handle this before further going. This human may be a sign of good will. or that of evil."
"How sure are you that she is human?"
"She does not have the ears of the elves, the stout body of a dwarf, or the size of a hobbit. What else would she be?"
The voices began to blend into each other as the pain became unbearable. It now felt like she was made up of fragments of a crayon that were slowly being melted back together. In other words? Hell was once again challenged in the 'worst pain' category of life. Dawn's pain right now was definitely winning. The last thing Dawn thought of as she once again fell asleep was. 'Who is the girl beside me?'
By : Asarielle
Crossover : Lord of the Rings & Buffy the Vampire Layer x-over
Disclaimer : I own all of the following.. Nadda. Get it? Got it? Good!
Summary : To 14-year-old Dawn Summers, the world has become to much. Especially when she is ripped out of her own dimension and thrust into that of another. Once again, she is torn, inside and out.
------------------------------------- Torn Inside and Out------------------ ----------------------
Looking down below, Dawn didn't sense any fear. She wondered at this. She hated heights; she had ever since Buffy had tormented her by threatening to drop her down the stairs when she was young. She had even held Dawn over the ledge. Dawn had threatened that she would tell on Buffy about her late night slip out / get together with her friends. That was when Buffy was 12 and hadn't known any better, but somehow the memory had stuck with her. all up until she found out the truth.
The truth.
Just recently Dawn had learned it. She had learned how her memories were. fake. Fiction. Fables. Tales. Myths. Whatever you wanted to call them, it all meant the same thing. Her memories were big fat white lies. The idea hurt her more than she showed. Sure, she was a brat. She had always been one. Buffy was a bigger brat, though. She always lied to Dawn, never telling her the full truth. It seemed that that memory-fact was true, at least. She couldn't hate Buffy, though. It's not right to hate the dead. And Buffy was dead, six feet under in the ground. Hell goddesses can do that to you, even if you are the Slayer. There had been talk before Glory captured Dawn that they could bring Buffy back. Glorificus had used some kind of mystical energy to destroy Buffy. There was a loophole that would allow them to call on Osiris to bring her back. Once they revealed this, however, they found that they would need Dawn's blood to put in the Urn of Osiris. All because her blood opened up hell dimensions. Glorificus chose this moment of comprehension to barge in a whisk away Dawn. Now there was no hope for the world. The Scoobies would fight, and fail. Dawn knew what she had to do. And for it, she felt torn. Minutes ticked by and Dawn could hear Willow using magick against Glory. Poor Willow. She never was powerful enough. She would be someday, though, if she continued on this path of powerful magick. Speaking of magick, what had happened to shy ole Tara? And Xander, what was he going to try and do to help? And Anya, would she fight this time even though she has left before? Giles, there was no doubt he was going to try to his death to protect this world.
Spike.
Memories attempted to overwhelm Dawn as she thought about the vampire. He had always been there for her after they understood her condition. He had always been there for her. That's more than she could say for Buffy. Ever since Buffy found out, she had tried to protect Dawn. Buffy and Spike. what a futile romance. Mostly considering Buffy loathed Spike's guts while he adored her from every. and Dawn meant EVERY. angle.
A sudden noise brought Dawn out of her reverie. She looked away from the hold near her feet to the man that stood before her. He had helped her once. maybe he could help again. She licked her lips and spoke so he could hear.
"You. you can help me. Untie me. Please. help me. She's coming."
A small ounce of hope was filtering back into her soul as she saw a potential friend standing there. Why then, did a sense of dread overcloud that sense of hope?
The man began to walked toward her while saying, "Well. it seems she's running a bit late, is the thing. And, uh, if her splendidness can't be here in time to bleed you." He began to whisper in an eerie voice. "Hey. Kid. Wanna see a trick?"
It was probably at this moment that Dawn wanted to scream at everything. This dimension, those stupid monks, those fucked up gods. At least now she knew where that sense of dread came from. Though for once in her life, she wished she was and ignorant brat. The wishes of saviors, as Buffy had told her once, was to be like they once were before. But how could Dawn wish this, when before she knew she was nothing? How to explain that to a shrink? Over and over again, a song began to repeat in her head. It had been on the Top Ten a few weeks ago. Something by Natalie Imbruglia. "Torn."
****************************
I thought I saw a man brought to life
He was warm
He came around like he was dignified
He showed me what it was to cry
****************************
This man in front of her. she had trusted him about the spell. The spell that brought her mother back. In the end, she had decided to rip up the picture. but she HAD trusted him. Now he was standing before her, looking smug and quite a bit insane. Standing there before him, she felt her tears begin to run down her cheeks. How could she die when she had never lived?
****************************
Well you couldn't be that man I adored
You don't seem to know
Seem to care what your heart is for
But I don't know him anymore
****************************
This man before her was a monster. She knew this as he began to speak again. "Well, what do you know? It's just about that time. Dawn looked past him to see. Spike. He was her only hope now.
"Spike!"
Spike began to saunter over to the man in front of her. "Doesn't a man stay dead when you kill him?"
The man only looked smug as he replied, "Look who's talking."
"Come on, Doc, let's you and me have a go."
So that was the man's name. Doc. Ugh. Bad taste in names for sure.
"I. do have a prior appointment."
"This won't take long."
"No. I don't imagine it will."
At these words, Spike lunged forward, only to have Doc swing him around and stab him in the back. Spike gasped and walked forward as the knife fell to the floor. "You don't come near the girl, Doc."
Doc seemed surprised at this. "I don't smell a soul anywhere on you. Why do you even care?"
Spike was managing to stay somewhat upright. "I've loved all her family, and her as well."
Doc just seemed to smirk and reply, "Oh." His long tongue flew out while he dropped to the floor and knocked Spike's knees form under him. Doc then got up and pulled Spike's hands behind his back. "To bad she's going to die. Don't feel guilty, she never lived."
Spike, wide-eyed, could only murmur, "Love you," as he fell.
Dawn's eyes got wide as she watched Spike tumble off the side. Why did she always hurt those she loved? Joyce's brain tumor had come into effect because of Dawn. Buffy had died trying to figure out a way to keep Dawn safe. Now Spike. He probably had at least twenty broken bones. Dawn could hear screaming in the background, it was only when her throat stung that she noticed they were her own screams.
Minutes later, Dawn was screaming more from the shallow cuts that Doc was making all over her midsection.
"Shallow cuts, shallow cuts, let the blood flow free."
With each cut to her torso, he was inching closer and closer. Suddenly, a hand reached from over the edge and grabbed Doc's leg. Faintly, she heard Spike's voice utter, "You want Hell? I'll meet you there soon." With that, Doc tumbled over the edge.
****************************
There's nothing where he used to lie
My conversation has run dry
That's what's going on
Nothing's fine I'm torn
****************************
Leaning over, Dawn could see Doc hit the ground. Spike's arm was inching its way up to the top. Finally, Dawn could see his whole body swinging onto the platform. When he was finally up there with her, he found Doc's knife and cut her bonds. Before Dawn and Spike walked away, Dawn looked back. A light was beginning to glow below the tower. Weary eyed, she looked towards Spike.
Licking her lips, she began to say all of her thoughts up to this point. "Spike? I love you. Please remember that. I know you don't love me the way you loved Buffy, but it doesn't matter. Nothing really does now, huh? I have to jump or everyone dies. Tell the group that I love them all and that I'm sorry I couldn't stay. Everything is my fault, so now I'm going to make it better. I'm going to keep all of you alive so you can actually live the life that I was forbidden. So that you all can live. I have to jump."
Spike was shaking his head. "Don't do it bit. It'll kill you."
"I know. But it's worth it right? The world should live? That's what I'm hoping, 'cause otherwise there is no reason to do anything, at all. Mom died, Buffy died, and now it's my turn. Make sure the others understand. You have to be strong. I've learned the lesson Buffy was trying to teach me. The hardest thing in this world, is to live in it. Live. if only for me."
****************************
I'm all out of faith
This is how I feel
I'm cold and I am shamed
That I can't love you anymore
****************************
Dawn turned away from Spike, tears falling down both of their cheeks. His a blood red, hers oddly the same.
****************************
Illusion never changed
Into something real
I'm wide awake
And I can see
The perfect sky is torn
****************************
There was a rip in the fabric of this dimension. The portal was a cloud of energy that shot out electricity and demons. She swallowed as a dragon swept by. The illusion of her life faded away as she took a step closer to the end.
****************************
You're a little late
I'm already torn
****************************
Dawn now felt empty. Was this how a savior always felt? Was this Buffy's life after fifteen?
****************************
So I guess the fortune teller's right
Should have seen just what was there
And not some holy light
Which crawled beneath my veins
And now I don't care
****************************
Cordelia had had a vision. Seemed she had been right about Dawn. Her blood was a holy light of any kind, instead her blood was meant to destroy. And now she didn't care. Apathy was taking over.
****************************
I had no luck
I don't miss it all that much
There's just so many things
That I can touch I'm torn
I'm all out of faith
This is how I feel
I'm cold and I am shamed
That I can't love you anymore
****************************
Now that Dawn mulled over the idea, she wouldn't want to go back to the memories. She would rather have reality than a lie. Emptiness settled inside as she thought this. She really was torn.
****************************
Illusion never changed
Into something real
I'm wide awake
And I can see
The perfect sky is torn
You're a little late
I'm already torn
Torn
****************************
No on could save her now. With a running start, she dived over the edge of the platform to meet her fate. The fate of death.
****************************
I'm all out of faith
This is how I feel
I'm cold and I am shamed
Lying naked on the floor
Illusion never changed
Into something real
I'm wide awake
And I can see
The perfect sky is torn
****************************
Minutes seemed like hours as Dawn felt the energy surged through every particle of her body, burning her from the inside out. Hell was nothing compared to this. Knives seemed to jab at every part of her body, willing her to scream more than she already was. Her voice began to grow hoarse. Her eyelids began to grow lazy and drooped. Dawn forced herself to stay awake and try and see out of the energy ball. Faintly through the energy, she could see Willow holding Tara and crying. Giles was also crying while Xander was holding Anya, his face a mask of grief. She had hurt the Scoobies to save the world.
Dawn felt her last ounce of strength go out as she fell to the floor. She couldn't feel anything, and soon realized that she was floating in the air while her body was on the ground. Suddenly, something pulled at her navel, and Dawn found herself floating higher and higher as she screamed mentally for her friends. She wanted so to erase their grief. She wanted Willow's arms around her, comforting her once again. Feeling Willow's aura, she held on. Mostly she did this in hopes that she wouldn't leave. It was all for nothing. Farther up she went by the second. As she was pulled farther and farther up, it got hard to see anything. How could she even see things without any eyes? Questions were quickly put to the back of her mind as she found that she was in outer space. Not only that. she was being dragged toward a black hole. that was blue. Now how did that work out? Didn't matter. She went through it, all the while feeling like she was being plopped into a blender and made into puree.
After twelve more oddly bluish-yellow black holes, Dawn was mentally exhausted. She would've been physically exhausted if she had a body. The only reason she was conscious was because. well. her consciousness and her subconscious were watching the same thing. so it was practically impossible to fade away into dreamland.
Out of nowhere, Dawn's vision suffered from a very, very bright light. I mean VERY bright light. It could hardly even be considered a light since it was surrounding her whole body. Suddenly, Dawn could see a city. There were waterfalls and trees everywhere. The largest shock, however, came when she got near enough to a circle of stone to see a body very like that of her own. She began to float closer to the ground and as she did, she could hear what they were saying.
"Who is she?"
"We shall find that out at a later time if we can discern whether or not she is alive."
A man with shaggy brown hair knelt down to her form and put his fingers on her neck.
"Her skin is cool and her pulse is absent."
"Sad it is that one so young as she would end up here, dead."
The shaggy-haired brunette had not yet removed his hand from her throat. It was at this moment that Dawn was once again tugged at her navel, if she even had one, and soon she found herself feeling tremendous pain all around her body. It seemed that the cycle right now was pain, tugging, peace, pain, et cetera.
The man jumped back from her, startled, as he felt a pulse beneath her skin.
"Nay, she is now alive and warm. What could cause such an anomaly?"
"I know not. Though I suspect that she should be taken quickly to the Healing Houses."
"We are wasting our time!"
"Silence yourself and sit down. This occurrence has caught us all by surprise. We need to handle this before further going. This human may be a sign of good will. or that of evil."
"How sure are you that she is human?"
"She does not have the ears of the elves, the stout body of a dwarf, or the size of a hobbit. What else would she be?"
The voices began to blend into each other as the pain became unbearable. It now felt like she was made up of fragments of a crayon that were slowly being melted back together. In other words? Hell was once again challenged in the 'worst pain' category of life. Dawn's pain right now was definitely winning. The last thing Dawn thought of as she once again fell asleep was. 'Who is the girl beside me?'
