Title: Return
Author: Ivytree
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: All characters belong to Joss Whedon, UPN, Mutant Enemy, etc. Well, almost all.
Feedback: Please!
Summary: The Spike Show. An alternative ending for season 6. Souled-up (really souled-up) Spike, the Scoobies, and friends battle to keep the Hellmouth closed.
----------------------------------------------------
RETURN
Part 35. She That Bids the Poet Sing
Buffy fell to her knees, staring numbly at the edge of the chasm where Spike and Willow had disappeared into blackness. Clem patted her back clumsily.
"Don't worry, Spike will find her, Slayer," he said. "He won't let you down! Here come your reinforcements, too."
As he spoke their demon forces began to trickle in. Zevra and one of the Fyarls (they never could tell them apart, even Spike) and Eddie and Ezzi approached across the lawn, from separate directions.
"Hi, guys!" Clem said. "What's it like out there?"
Zevra halted near Buffy and leaned on her spear, her orange eyes serious.
"We think there's a coordinated attack coming, Slayer. We've seen a few groups of vampires and demons heading this way, but they disappear when the see us coming. We killed many, of course. But they run from us."
Buffy rose and wiped her eyes. This was no time for wallowing. They still had work to do.
"They'll make a last-ditch attempt to break the spell," she said briskly. " We just have to hold them off 'til midnight. It's almost eleven; only an hour to go."
They stood around her in a loose circle. Marvin and the second Fyarl had joined them by this time; Al, Mezzi, and Jeff had yet to arrive - maybe vamps or something had held them up. Buffy trusted Al and Mezzi to take care of themselves and Jeff, too, so she wasn't worried.
"Spread out, but not too far," she directed. "We should keep within sight of each other; I don't want them to be able to pick anyone off, understood?" At their nods of assent, she continued, "Good. Let's stay alert and ready for attack. Bring your weapons, and follow me."
Spike dashed back down the corridor. His cunning plan to throw the hell-beasts off Willow's scent should work for the time being. Now to get her out of here. He leapt back over their rock, and dropped down beside her again.
"Okay, step one accomplished," he said, taking up their conversation as if he'd never left. "Step two, major running away." He looked at her. "So what was your idea?"
"Oh!" Actually she seemed pretty chuffed about it; a definite gleam appeared in her green eyes. "Okay; see, there's one kind of spell I was always really good at -"
"Willow, I can't give you your power back even for this -" he began uneasily.
"No, no! I get that, okay? But you've still GOT it, right?" she said. "The power? And I know the spell."
"There's no time for you to teach me -"
"Take it from my mind," she said, meeting his eyes squarely, her expression resolute. "And then use my power to carry it out. You can do that, right?"
"Willow - " He had to look away for a moment. He was almost shocked; her suggestion betokened a degree of faith in him he'd never expected. If he needed to breathe he'd be breathing hard; as it was there was tightness in his chest he couldn't quite explain to himself. "You sure you want that?" he said finally. "You want me of all people mucking about in your mind?"
"I trust you, Spike," she said firmly. "I know this will work."
He looked at her searchingly, but she didn't appear frightened or even uncertain, just determined.
"If you're really sure," he said, touching the side of her face lightly.
"Do it, Spike," she said, keeping her eyes on his.
He cupped her smudged face between his now grubby hands and concentrated briefly. A very faint flicker of pure bluish light glowed between them for a moment. Then he took his hands away, and grinned.
"Clever girl," he said.
Willow grinned back. "Told you."
"Now to get you out of this, well, hell-hole; we'll do your spell just as we leave - don't want to be caught in it, do we?" He studied the walls of the cavern carefully. "I've got something that'll help us get out, but we need to be higher up. And we should be watching for beasties, as well."
He rose cautiously, pulling her up, and pointed to an area of incline which looked scalable; she nodded her understanding. Keeping a wary eye out, they crept towards it hand in hand.
"I don't think I can climb that," Willow said when they reached the foot of what looked like a sheer wall from close up. "It's too steep."
"No, but I can. I want to get us to that ledge up there, see it?"
She nodded. "But -"
"If you put you arms around my neck and cling to my back, can you keep hold of the axe, too? 'Cause we'll need it - the calm before the storm, this is."
"Sorta like a baby monkey hanging on to its mommy in a nature program? Well, except for the axe part. Yeah, I can do that; I'm pretty strong - just not, you know, a vampire."
"Hey, you had your chance, girl; more than one, if I recall," Spike said good-humoredly. "Right, let's go then."
He crouched down slightly, and boosted her onto his back. She wrapped her legs tightly around his waist and her arms around his neck, still clutching the axe. She was right - she was strong. Her leg muscles squeezing his midriff and her arms pressing uncomfortably against his windpipe were toned and powerful. Well, that was one worry off his mind; at least she wouldn't fall. He started up the incline, finding handholds and footholds with his acute vision that she couldn't even see, and using his super-strength to lift both of them.
They were making good progress, when he heard Willow catch her breath.
"Uh, Spike?"
Her voice in his ear was willfully perky. He gripped an outthrust rock with both hands, and pulled them up another three feet.
"Yeah?" he gasped. He didn't need air to breathe, but her arms around his neck made it remarkably difficult to talk.
"I don't know if you noticed -"
He felt for another hold, and his fingers found a hollow at the furthest extension of his right arm.
"- But there's one of those cracks with flames shooting out of it right near that ledge."
With a powerful pull he drew them upward another two feet.
"And if it catches you I'll be riding on a big pile of dust. Not to mention being sort of scorched myself. And falling and breaking my neck, probably."
They had almost reached the ledge. He acknowledged her worry with a grunt, and was still for a moment. A blue-white light washed over both of them. Then with a final effort, he pulled up another few feet, dangled for a precarious moment, and dragged himself over the rim. Willow rolled off his back onto the ledge, and they both lay panting for a moment.
"Hey!" she said. "What the heck was that?"
"Flame protection spell." He couldn't help giving her a rather smug smile; she wasn't the only one with some nifty witchery up her sleeve, thanks very much. "My boffins cooked it up. There's a sunlight protection one, as well."
"Wow! Cool! And it'll work on me, too?"
"Should do. It's temporary, but I'm hoping we won't need it for long. There's enough juice left to renew it, too." He didn't mention that it hadn't exactly been tested out yet. Why worry the girl? It was all they had.
The humming white noise and shimmering white light of the barrier spell washed over Giles' senses; the incredible joined power of scores of sprites, spirits, and minor deities, summoned by who knew how many metaphysical Watchers, flowed through him easily, freely, and without strain of any kind. He felt wonderfully buoyant and - well, the only word was purified, in tune with nature, humanity, the world, and the universe. It was rather glorious, actually.
He could see what went on all around him; he was dimly aware of Buffy, Clem and the demon army, and even of Spike and Willow in the darkness not far below; the bond of knowing between him and the other three spellcasters was particularly strong. At this moment he knew, understood, and loved the deep-seated goodness he sensed in Anya, Xander, and even Jonathan without reservation.
Around and beneath them he sensed other beings, too, steeped in evil, perceptible only as a lack - lack of individual volition, of moral context. And in his mind was the faintest flavor of another personality, a woman of great strength and intelligence, and also great sorrow, obviously the ghost who had briefly taken her place among them.
Spike had somehow passed to him the knowledge, the power, and even the skill to end their spell whether he himself survived or no. Giles knew that the time to do just that was approaching; he knew, too, that danger would strike at them, and soon. But if they could only hold out a bit longer the peril of the Hellmouth would be greatly diminished, perhaps for good; and Giles would do whatever it took to ensure that end result. Whatever it took.
TBC
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"ALONE amid the battle-din untouched
Stands out one figure beautiful, serene;
No grime of smoke nor reeking blood hath smutched
The virgin brow of this unconquered queen.
She is the Joy of Courage vanquishing
The unstilled tremors of the fearful heart;
And it is she that bids the poet sing,
And gives to each the strength to bear his part."
Dyneley Hussey
Author: Ivytree
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: All characters belong to Joss Whedon, UPN, Mutant Enemy, etc. Well, almost all.
Feedback: Please!
Summary: The Spike Show. An alternative ending for season 6. Souled-up (really souled-up) Spike, the Scoobies, and friends battle to keep the Hellmouth closed.
----------------------------------------------------
RETURN
Part 35. She That Bids the Poet Sing
Buffy fell to her knees, staring numbly at the edge of the chasm where Spike and Willow had disappeared into blackness. Clem patted her back clumsily.
"Don't worry, Spike will find her, Slayer," he said. "He won't let you down! Here come your reinforcements, too."
As he spoke their demon forces began to trickle in. Zevra and one of the Fyarls (they never could tell them apart, even Spike) and Eddie and Ezzi approached across the lawn, from separate directions.
"Hi, guys!" Clem said. "What's it like out there?"
Zevra halted near Buffy and leaned on her spear, her orange eyes serious.
"We think there's a coordinated attack coming, Slayer. We've seen a few groups of vampires and demons heading this way, but they disappear when the see us coming. We killed many, of course. But they run from us."
Buffy rose and wiped her eyes. This was no time for wallowing. They still had work to do.
"They'll make a last-ditch attempt to break the spell," she said briskly. " We just have to hold them off 'til midnight. It's almost eleven; only an hour to go."
They stood around her in a loose circle. Marvin and the second Fyarl had joined them by this time; Al, Mezzi, and Jeff had yet to arrive - maybe vamps or something had held them up. Buffy trusted Al and Mezzi to take care of themselves and Jeff, too, so she wasn't worried.
"Spread out, but not too far," she directed. "We should keep within sight of each other; I don't want them to be able to pick anyone off, understood?" At their nods of assent, she continued, "Good. Let's stay alert and ready for attack. Bring your weapons, and follow me."
Spike dashed back down the corridor. His cunning plan to throw the hell-beasts off Willow's scent should work for the time being. Now to get her out of here. He leapt back over their rock, and dropped down beside her again.
"Okay, step one accomplished," he said, taking up their conversation as if he'd never left. "Step two, major running away." He looked at her. "So what was your idea?"
"Oh!" Actually she seemed pretty chuffed about it; a definite gleam appeared in her green eyes. "Okay; see, there's one kind of spell I was always really good at -"
"Willow, I can't give you your power back even for this -" he began uneasily.
"No, no! I get that, okay? But you've still GOT it, right?" she said. "The power? And I know the spell."
"There's no time for you to teach me -"
"Take it from my mind," she said, meeting his eyes squarely, her expression resolute. "And then use my power to carry it out. You can do that, right?"
"Willow - " He had to look away for a moment. He was almost shocked; her suggestion betokened a degree of faith in him he'd never expected. If he needed to breathe he'd be breathing hard; as it was there was tightness in his chest he couldn't quite explain to himself. "You sure you want that?" he said finally. "You want me of all people mucking about in your mind?"
"I trust you, Spike," she said firmly. "I know this will work."
He looked at her searchingly, but she didn't appear frightened or even uncertain, just determined.
"If you're really sure," he said, touching the side of her face lightly.
"Do it, Spike," she said, keeping her eyes on his.
He cupped her smudged face between his now grubby hands and concentrated briefly. A very faint flicker of pure bluish light glowed between them for a moment. Then he took his hands away, and grinned.
"Clever girl," he said.
Willow grinned back. "Told you."
"Now to get you out of this, well, hell-hole; we'll do your spell just as we leave - don't want to be caught in it, do we?" He studied the walls of the cavern carefully. "I've got something that'll help us get out, but we need to be higher up. And we should be watching for beasties, as well."
He rose cautiously, pulling her up, and pointed to an area of incline which looked scalable; she nodded her understanding. Keeping a wary eye out, they crept towards it hand in hand.
"I don't think I can climb that," Willow said when they reached the foot of what looked like a sheer wall from close up. "It's too steep."
"No, but I can. I want to get us to that ledge up there, see it?"
She nodded. "But -"
"If you put you arms around my neck and cling to my back, can you keep hold of the axe, too? 'Cause we'll need it - the calm before the storm, this is."
"Sorta like a baby monkey hanging on to its mommy in a nature program? Well, except for the axe part. Yeah, I can do that; I'm pretty strong - just not, you know, a vampire."
"Hey, you had your chance, girl; more than one, if I recall," Spike said good-humoredly. "Right, let's go then."
He crouched down slightly, and boosted her onto his back. She wrapped her legs tightly around his waist and her arms around his neck, still clutching the axe. She was right - she was strong. Her leg muscles squeezing his midriff and her arms pressing uncomfortably against his windpipe were toned and powerful. Well, that was one worry off his mind; at least she wouldn't fall. He started up the incline, finding handholds and footholds with his acute vision that she couldn't even see, and using his super-strength to lift both of them.
They were making good progress, when he heard Willow catch her breath.
"Uh, Spike?"
Her voice in his ear was willfully perky. He gripped an outthrust rock with both hands, and pulled them up another three feet.
"Yeah?" he gasped. He didn't need air to breathe, but her arms around his neck made it remarkably difficult to talk.
"I don't know if you noticed -"
He felt for another hold, and his fingers found a hollow at the furthest extension of his right arm.
"- But there's one of those cracks with flames shooting out of it right near that ledge."
With a powerful pull he drew them upward another two feet.
"And if it catches you I'll be riding on a big pile of dust. Not to mention being sort of scorched myself. And falling and breaking my neck, probably."
They had almost reached the ledge. He acknowledged her worry with a grunt, and was still for a moment. A blue-white light washed over both of them. Then with a final effort, he pulled up another few feet, dangled for a precarious moment, and dragged himself over the rim. Willow rolled off his back onto the ledge, and they both lay panting for a moment.
"Hey!" she said. "What the heck was that?"
"Flame protection spell." He couldn't help giving her a rather smug smile; she wasn't the only one with some nifty witchery up her sleeve, thanks very much. "My boffins cooked it up. There's a sunlight protection one, as well."
"Wow! Cool! And it'll work on me, too?"
"Should do. It's temporary, but I'm hoping we won't need it for long. There's enough juice left to renew it, too." He didn't mention that it hadn't exactly been tested out yet. Why worry the girl? It was all they had.
The humming white noise and shimmering white light of the barrier spell washed over Giles' senses; the incredible joined power of scores of sprites, spirits, and minor deities, summoned by who knew how many metaphysical Watchers, flowed through him easily, freely, and without strain of any kind. He felt wonderfully buoyant and - well, the only word was purified, in tune with nature, humanity, the world, and the universe. It was rather glorious, actually.
He could see what went on all around him; he was dimly aware of Buffy, Clem and the demon army, and even of Spike and Willow in the darkness not far below; the bond of knowing between him and the other three spellcasters was particularly strong. At this moment he knew, understood, and loved the deep-seated goodness he sensed in Anya, Xander, and even Jonathan without reservation.
Around and beneath them he sensed other beings, too, steeped in evil, perceptible only as a lack - lack of individual volition, of moral context. And in his mind was the faintest flavor of another personality, a woman of great strength and intelligence, and also great sorrow, obviously the ghost who had briefly taken her place among them.
Spike had somehow passed to him the knowledge, the power, and even the skill to end their spell whether he himself survived or no. Giles knew that the time to do just that was approaching; he knew, too, that danger would strike at them, and soon. But if they could only hold out a bit longer the peril of the Hellmouth would be greatly diminished, perhaps for good; and Giles would do whatever it took to ensure that end result. Whatever it took.
TBC
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"ALONE amid the battle-din untouched
Stands out one figure beautiful, serene;
No grime of smoke nor reeking blood hath smutched
The virgin brow of this unconquered queen.
She is the Joy of Courage vanquishing
The unstilled tremors of the fearful heart;
And it is she that bids the poet sing,
And gives to each the strength to bear his part."
Dyneley Hussey