Part Six
+Delirium+
It had been a very long night. So much had happened in such a little time. There were so many people who didn't understand what was happening. And, at the same time, there were too many people who understood all too well what was happening.
Too many knew the consequences.
Not enough knew the cure.
If, there was even one.
*
The first thing she noticed that it was cold. Her skin seemed moist and clammy. It was strange. She had never felt as she did in this moment. Slowly, she opened her eyes, expecting for bright light to hit her sensitive retinas.
But, there was nothing. She saw nothing. Heard nothing.
"Hello?" She called, then realized with a jerk that nothing had been said.
Her ears popped, painfully, a rushing sound filling her head. It was like she was in an airless vacuum.
Something wasn't right.
Tears sprung her eyes as she vainly tried to do…something. But, were they real tears? Or, was she just imagining them. Was she even here? Was she even herself?
"Dawn." Something said, breaking the vacuum-like bubble she was in.
The sudden sound hurt her ears. She instinctively covered them, shocking herself when she felt her own flesh beneath her fingers.
"Dawn. Listen to me. Focus on my voice."
She tried, oh did she try. But, it was so hard not to get lost in the nothingness that surrounded her.
"Imagine hard ground beneath your feet. Imagine walking. Imagine being."
Dawn did. She imagined herself in the park. Walking, in flip-flops. Feeling the cool grass fold under her.
"Good girl." The voice said. "Open your eyes."
Dawn did. She gasped at what she saw.
Nothing.
An endless, pulsating sky of nothing.
"Oh God." Dawn mumbled, stumbling in nauseating dizziness.
"Shh." The voice soothed. "Shh, it's ok. Just focus. On one thing."
Dawn tried. The gray mass seemed to be pulsating. Seemed to move and reach out for her. Dawn fell to her knees and was dimly surprised when it hurt to hit the ground. She looked at her hands. So pale and tiny against the gray nothing.
"Where an I?" Dawn whispered, mostly to herself.
"You're in the limbo." The voice said, sounding hauntingly familiar.
"This is a nightmare." Dawn mumbled, fascinated by her hands.
"It is." The voice agreed. "This a nightmare that you're living in, no pun intended."
"Am I dead?" Dawn asked in a shaky voice.
"Yeah. You are." The voice sympathetically said.
"I-I don't remember." Dawn stammered, confused.
"Don't try too. Ignorance can be bliss. Enjoy it while it lasts." The voice said bitterly.
"Who are you?"
"A friend. Your guardian angel, so to speak. I'm here to lead you."
"Lead me where?" Dawn asked tiredly.
"To your destiny."
*
The floor was cold. And hard. She lay there, staring at the cracking ceiling. She was exhausted, her mind racing, conjuring half-thoughts and unfinished wishes. The coppery smell of blood filled her nostrils with every breath she breathed. It made her excited, murderous, and tremble with cold dread all at the same time. Tara's blood. Her blood. Her sister's blood. Warren's blood.
A low snarl filled the room.
Again and again, the image of him killing Dawn played in her mind.
The click of the gun.
The sound the bullet made as it made it's way through the long tube of the gun.
"No."
The sound of her voice echoed among the stone walls. The sound ceased the movie in her head. Made it go blank. For that, she was grateful. Extremely, utterly grateful.
"Well, well, well. What do we got here?" A voice boomed, making her wince.
Slowly, she turned her head, knowing full well who it was.
Spike.
She trembled in fear.
He walked to her and kneeled down. He trailed a cold fingertip down her cheekbone. She shivered and turned her head away.
"What's this?" He asked. "Baby doesn't want to see me?"
She whimpered.
He laughed. His eyes gleamed evilly as he grabbed her by her arms and dragged her up. He slammed her against the wall and she saw stars. All of the ferocious anger that had filled her so completely was gone, replaced by fear.
"Bet your little Angel never had ya up against a wall, now did he?" He murmured into her ear. "This could be fun."
"Noooo…" She moaned, a long, low, pitiful sound.
'Angel.' She thought. 'Angel, save me…'
Spike tore open her sweatshirt.
'Angel… Please…!'
In her mind, she pleaded and cried for her savior.
But, he didn't come.
"NO!" Buffy screamed then, clawing the vampire.
"Bloody hell, girl!" He roared and backhanded her.
She didn't know where she found her strength.
She brought up her knee and dug it up into his groin. His eyes bulged and he stumbled away.
"No!" She screamed as she staggered hurriedly away from him. "I won't let you have me!"
"Too late." Spike smirked. "I'm in you, Slayer. You feel me. You writhe for me. You're mine." He murmured and lunged for her.
Buffy rushed to the mausoleum door and got out. The first rays of sun hit Spike and he started to smolder.
"Fucking bitch!" He screamed in pain.
Tears streaming, knees weak, Buffy ran away from the sun lit graveyard.
In her mind, she once again pictured herself curling into a ball. The Slayer within her stepped in front of her and protected her.
'I can help you' The Slayer whispered soothingly. 'Let me help you.'
In her mind, Buffy nodded.
She was safe, like this.
The Slayer would protect her.
*
Cordelia had stopped shaking long ago. She just seemed cationic at the moment. Angel worried for her. How many more of these could she take? How much more torment could Cordelia relive?
"She'll be fine." The one named Dinah said to him,.
He looked at her. Her shortly cropped black hair seemed to move on its own, her eyes sparkling like flowing blood.
"She must be ready." Geneva said in a soothing voice. "She must know."
"She's not strong enough!" Fred cried.
"Silly human girl." Vara laughed. "This seer, she is stronger than any of you know. Why, she could have had the potential for a Slayer."
"Vara." Celeste growled. "Do be quiet." She looked at Angel. "Geneva is right. Cordelia must be ready for what is to come. This Slayer, Buffy, will be coming soon. You must know the lock to which the key goes to, before you are able to open the door."
"The key?" Wesley asked. "Why does that sound familiar?"
"It is a figure of speech." Dinah scoffed. "I hate the mortal realm…"
"She's hurting, Angel." Cordelia muttered softly. "She is running. Hiding in herself. God, she hurts…" Cordelia stifled a sob.
"When will she come?" Angel asked, his expression almost feral.
"Soon, my warrior." Geneva smiled. "Soon."
"I need to know!" Angel exploded. "I need to know how I can help her!"
"You can't. Not now. It's far too late." The one called Aura softly said. Her sapphire blue eyes glimmered with tears. "It's too much, too hard, too late."
"She's killing." Cordelia murmured. "She wants their blood. An eye for an eye."
"You're very right." Geneva said. "The Slayer will kill those who have hurt her. Except one demon."
"Spike." Cordelia said with anger.
"Yes. She cannot face him, he who broke her." Celeste finished.
"I'll kill him then." Angel growled.
Vara laughed. "I have no doubt you will. But, just be careful that don't lose yourself in that temper of yours, boy."
Cordelia stifled another sob. "She'll be here soon. And, when she comes, all hell is going to break loose."
"Can't we stop her?" Fred asked.
It was Wesley who answered.
"No. You cannot. If you get in her way, she'll surely kill you. This isn't the first time something like this has happened."
"Tell us." Angel ordered.
Wesley looked at his tense features. "It's just like what happened with Faith kill a human. Slayers have killed before. Just like they have been…violated. Trust makes Slayers weak. Why do you think the Council forbade friends and family. Trust."
"Buffy didn't trust Spike!" Angel exclaimed.
"Yes she did." Cordelia said, still staring. "With her life."
"She thought Spike wouldn't hurt her. She thought she could stop him. She didn't and now the poise of control and power is gone. Her perception of evil is blurred. The one she trusted hurt her. Everything she sees is classified as evil, in her mind." Wesley said.
Vara clapped. "Very good, counselor."
Cordelia groaned and looked like she was going to vomit. "She's going to kill Warren. And Jonathon and Andrew. And, there's nothing any of us can do." She paused. "I hope she annihilates the bastards. I hope they suffer!" She hissed.
"Cordelia!" Fred gasps.
"Oh, just stop!" Cordelia yelled. "They killed her sister. What did Dawn do? Nothing! She was just a kid… A baby in this world…"
No one said anything.
Because, she was right.
*
Xander squealed to a stop in front of the Magic Shop. Willow rushed out, leaving the door open. The rain had stopped and the dawn was coming. Willow rushed into the building and froze at the damage.
"Tara!" She gasped, seeing the girl laying in a pool of crimson blood and gasp.
"Oh God…" Xander moaned.
"Xander?" A voice whimpered.
"Ahn?"
Willow rushed to the fallen girl and cradled her blood stained body. "Tara, Tara, Tara…" She gasped. "No!"
"Is she dead?" Anya asked, being cradled by Xander in his arms.
"Tara…" Willow moaned. "Open your eyes…"
There was no response. The girl wasn't breathing. She wasn't moving. Willow pushed her fingers against her neck, praying for a pulse.
She gasped.
There was none.
"No!" She screamed. "Tara!"
Anya buried her head in Xander shoulder as he called 911.
The stench of coppery blood filled the air they breathed.
*
"What are we going to do?" Andrew stuttered, his whimper echoing in the empty condo.
The 'Three' were huddled in the bathroom of Giles' condominium. Giles, himself, was laying unconscious on the living room floor.
"Guys? We're going to die." Andrew rambled.
"Andrew. Shut up." Warren snapped.
"It's your fault." Andrew whined. "Whatever you did made the Slayer angry!"
Warren held his hands over his bleeding wound. He could feel himself growing weak and woozy.
There was a sudden thud downstairs.
The 'Three', stopped, silent.
Another thud.
"Oh, man!" Jonathon sighed, fearfully.
Thud. Up the stairs.
"Damn you, Warren!" Jonathon cursed.
Andrew whimpered.
Thud. Outside the door.
"God, oh God, oh God…" Andrew chanted.
And the door opened…
*
The monitors connected to the pale, blonde girls beeped annoyingly, assuring everyone that she was alive.
Willow held her hands, tears rolling down her cheeks.
'Severe head trauma…swelling of the brain…chance of permanent loss of conscious.'
That's what the doctors had said.
They didn't know how bad Tara's injuries were. Her heart had stopped in the Magic Box and paramedics had revived her. The swelling of the brain and lack of oxygen to the brain may cause brain damage.
Willow sobbed softly.
Buffy had done this. Buffy had carelessly thrown Tara into the glass case, not caring the she hadn't opened her eyes. Not caring the she'd lost so much blood…
Her eyes narrowed and darkened.
Buffy did this.
Her lips twisted into a snarl.
It was Buffy's fault.
Tears rolled down her cheeks in rage and sorrow.
Buffy would pay.
TBC