Fic: Hearts Speak
Series: Leave it Behind
Author: Autumn
Email: autumnleaves@autumnpenguins.com
Disclaimer: Joss Whedon owns all.
Rating: R
Category: Angst
Summary: The Scoobies awake to find themselves speaking in iambic pentameter-a creature far more obscure than ancient Sumerian!
Author's notes:
Story order so far it: E equilibrium, The Lesser, Of Two Evils, Lost, You Can't Go Home Again, Warning Signs, Soul to Squeeze, Hearts Speak
Takes place a few days after 'Soul to Squeeze'
This is totally inspired from 'Once More with Feeling' since I love the idea of not being able to hide from song. But, it'd be impossible to try that here, so I decided on a slightly different take of spilling the innermost secrets.
************
The Summers home had remained quiet, despite the fact that two young women lived there, with frequent visits from two witches, an ex-demon, a vampire, a robot and a man. Giles had chosen wisely to stay away since his encounter with Buffy.
"So, those are the options for schooling as of now." Buffy finished up nervously.
"School, I miss it. Wow" Dawn retorted.
"Never thought I'd hear you say that in my life."
"Guess funny things happen in the afterlife."
"Dawn, what's with the rhymes?"
"Dunno. Seems normal at the time."
"Why can't I stop?" Dawn shouted.
"I like soda-pop." Buffy said, and with a sign headed over to the phone, there was clearly something unnatural going on.
*************
Anya and Xander had run over to Willow and Tara's earlier that morning. They'd all been completely freaked out by the random spewing of couplets. "It's horrible, everything rhymes, and its like we're all really bad poets!"
"Most of us didn't even know it." Tara supplied.
"End the madness!" Xander cried.
"Stop the bad-ness" Willow cringed as she involuntarily concluded the rhyme.
"Maybe this is like that time we all lost our voices." Anya referred to the Gentlemen's visit to Sunnydale two years ago.
"And some of us enjoyed the moistness." Willow remembered the first real spell she and Tara had performed together.
Upon realizing what she'd said, she clamped her hand over her mouth.
"That was something we all needed to know."
"Makes some of us really grow." Xander let out.
"We need Giles, cause this sucks."
"Too bad he's a giant fuck." Tara related.
"Let's stop talking, and try writing."
"Perhaps it'll keep us from fighting."
The four fell into silence, and began attempting to write only to find that their language became far too flowery and strayed into iambic pentameter. They didn't consider including Buffy or Dawn, figuring the two needed their space. Before they could leave, the telephone rang and Willow went to answer it. "It's the Slayer."
"I guess we'll see her later."
"Damnit don't open your mouth!"
"Cause the wrong thing always comes out?" Anya glared at Xander, echoing something he'd said at the apartment.
"Let's just pick up Buffy."
"Fine, get all huffy."
*****************
"I wanna go over to Spike's." Dawn said when Buffy returned from her phone call.
"Dawn, he's just not-right."
"He is too me."
"Can't you just let it be?"
"Okay, you try getting pulled out of the ground." She said angrily.
"Dawn, didn't you miss being-ya know around?"
Dawn bit her lip so hard that it bled to keep from letting a 'no' slip past her lips. "Let's just talk about this when we don't have to talk about it."
"Yeah, don't need to pile on more shit."
Dawn laughed at Buffy's expression from the curse word, and the two shared a smile.
"You can go over to Captain Peroxide's"
"Thanks. Makes me all glowy inside." Dawn said quickly.
"That comment I'm gonna remember."
"Hopefully not until December."
"I'll just get my coat."
"I'll sacrifice a goat."
Buffy pouted, the whole rhyming thing was just getting way out of control. And a few of the things that Dawn hat uttered troubled her. She knew instinctively Dawn was saying exactly what she was feeling. "I want Dawn to be happy in her life. With anyone who isn't Spike." Buffy muttered to herself.
After a small debate, Buffy had convinced Xander to drive over to the cemetery, which held Spike's crypt. She walked Dawn to the door and informed Spike that any threat to her sister would result in a very colorful stabbing. The Slayer left, and went to confront the one person she really didn't feel like reciting poetry too-Giles.
**************
"So Nibblet, what's with the time-share?"
"I wanted to be here-more than anywhere."
"And school doesn't bring forth such jubilation?"
"I died. I think I'm past formal education."
"Why don't you get out what's really on your chest?"
"And not hold it in, like all the rest." She said bitterly.
Dawn took a deep breath, and let out what had been bubbling to the top. It was only a matter of time before it came out, and she just felt like she could trust Spike. He had always taken her seriously, and he actually knew what she'd gone through. Dawn's blue eyes met Spike; the pain in them was evident.
"I fell off the tower and hit the ground
Pain hit me, and it was all around
Surging, swirling the world was on fire
As I fell, I floated higher
And then it was gone
I was done, I wasn't Dawn
There wasn't dark, there wasn't light
And yet something inside me felt alright
I couldn't see, I had no eyes
And I felt I wasn't alive
That was okay, it was right
But now-all is night
I woke up screaming, in fear
Flesh and bone, dirt and hair
The world took me back
I lay on my back
I'm not a part of this world
The key is far too old
I wasn't meant to exist
And I hit my last exit
Yet here I stand
With blood in my hands
And dirt on my soul
But it's not mine, not mine alone"
*********
TBC, with more poetry, lighter tone and Buffy and Giles have some interesting words.