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Chapter 28 Every Night I Save You

The corridor was cold. He kept walking even though it was very dark. He heard voices so he continued to walk toward the voices. Soon he found himself in a large room. He sensed the presence of other people so he called out for her.

"Buffy". It was a muffled cry really. She was lost and he had to find her. He could feel her so close yet drifting farther from him. He continued to search the room and it became lighter. He could now make out figures in the room standing around the bed. Was this Anne's room? He must have gotten turned around somewhere. He moved closer to the bed.

They were all just standing and staring. What were they looking at? He moved a little closer until he saw the girl just lying there. Her hair was covering her face a little and something didn't seem quite right. She didn't look as he had remembered. He moved the hair from her face and quickly retreated. "Buffy". He cried out to her again but no answer would be given. Before he could touch her again she began to age like a mummy. The gruesome image continued to age until there was nothing left but bones. He began to scream in agony. He didn't save her. He was too late.

Spike awoke to his own screams. He soon discovered that he was covered in sweat and lying in bed. He tried to gather his wits. He sat up and ran a hand through his hair. The room looked familiar and it all came rushing back to him.

"Bloody nightmare." He knew where he was and he was grateful it had only been a nightmare. It had seemed real enough and he was still shaken. Suddenly he remembered last night and he reached across the bed to touch Buffy. The bedcovers were strewn about and she was not there.

He thought to himself she couldn't have gone far without telling him. Maybe she went to the bathroom. He decided not to worry and wait a little. He got up from the bed and went to the window to look outside. The sun was just starting to rise. It must still be very early.

Spike retrieved his clothes from the floor and noticed that Buffy's clothes were missing. Of course, it was all she had to wear and it wouldn't be good for her to go out naked. The word naked brought back thoughts from last night. He remembered how wonderful she felt and how he had whispered words he had dreamed of saying to her for a long time.

Suddenly the worry crept back again. How long had she been gone? He then remembered the necklace and how it must have been discarded to the floor along with their clothes. It was missing as well. He decided that looking for her was his only choice. Spike then made his first decision on his own since arriving in this place. He needed to get Willow and Giles and find his beloved slayer.

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Willow and Giles were awake and getting ready when Spike knocked on their door. "Spike, what are you doing here already this morning? Where is Buffy?" Giles was surprised to see Spike when he opened the door.

Willow looked up when she heard Giles talking. She was a little surprised as well to see Spike. When they had parted last night they agreed that they would most likely not see each other again until the ritual. Buffy had left the key with Giles and Willow so they could let themselves out if the doors were locked again.

"How did you get in here?" Willow looked puzzled. "The door wasn't locked Red. I don't think anyone has been around to check on you this morn'in." He took a deep breath and then continued. "Buffy is missing."

That last sentence got their attention. "What do you mean Buffy is missing? She was with you last night. What happened?" Giles' voice was getting higher now and he was pacing as usual.

Spike thought of what happened last night and thought he should probably skip that part in his explanation. Buffy wouldn't appreciate him letting out their little secret just yet. Plus he hadn't had a chance to talk with her yet this morning either, so he wasn't sure what her feelings were about last night.

"She was missing when I woke up this morn'in. I thought maybe she went to the bathroom so I waited around for awhile and then thought I better come and get you." Spikes voice was grim. He was really worried and it showed in his face and his voice.

Willow could see he was distressed. "We need to find her. If the King has her we need to get to her fast. The spell has to be performed at the right time for this to work. I hope for all of our sakes that he hasn't started the ritual yet."

Giles was still pacing. "Yes, let's go and look for her. With any luck she is just downstairs getting a bite to eat. I'm sure she is fine." The look on Giles face told everyone that he didn't believe that but no one said a word. They all knew the situation.

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It didn't take long to search the kitchen and dining room and to figure out that no one was around. The castle was eerily quiet and empty of people.

"He must have taken her to another part of the castle, maybe to get her ready for the ritual." Giles was removing his glasses and pressing the bridge of his nose with two fingers. This was a sure sign of distress and the others felt it as well. Spike and Willow were starting to panic.

"We have to find her Giles. I need to do the spell before the ritual starts. There is an order that has to be followed. I'm not sure what will happen if we miss our window." Willow was pleading now at Giles to think of what they should do next.

Spike remembered the basement door. It was the only part of the castle that they hadn't been able to search. It had to be where he was keeping Buffy.

"I think I might know where Buffy is bein' kept. There is a door to the cellar but it is locked. The key that Buffy had didn't fit. I would bet that this room is where the ritual is bein' held." Spike knew it was the only place that made sense.

Giles spoke up quickly. "Show us where this door is Spike." They all hurried as Spike led the way around and down the stairs to the cellar door.

"This is it. It's locked and Buffy and I couldn't break it. We thought the key she had would open it but no luck." Spike tried to give them the short version of what had happened with the ghost of Anne when they were there last.

Willow looked at the door again. "It doesn't have that kind of key. She placed her hands on he door and closed her eyes. This door can only be opened with magic." Giles and Spike both looked at her. "I can feel the magic."

It was a lot to ask and they knew that. Giles was the first to ask. "Willow, you are the only one who has a chance of getting this door open. Do you know what kind of magic it will take?" It worried him to ask her but she was their only hope.

"I am sure that the symbols have something to do with it but I'm not sure. It's like a combination lock, the same as the curse. The symbols tell the tale but they also give the cure. I figured a sort of specialized reversal spell would work on the curse, so maybe the order of the symbols will unlock the door." Willow was trying to make sense of it all.

"Right then. Reverse it or whatever you need to do and open this sodding door." Spike was getting restless now and angrier by the minute. The king had his slayer and he had to do something.

"That's just it. I don't know how. It could be any number of combinations." Tears were running down Willow's face. She needed to help her friend but didn't know if she could. The ritual would be over before she figured out the right combination.

Spike raised his fist in a fit on anger and hit the door. His fist hit one of the symbols and a light flashed and the symbol retreated into the door. They all looked at the door in astonishment.

"What the bloody hell just happened?" Spike has no idea what he had done and Giles put his fingers up to the door and inspected it.

"It looks as it these symbols can be depressed into the door. Maybe if we press them in reverse order the door will open." It was worth a try. Giles continued pressing the symbols, each lighting up and disappearing into the door in sequence. When he was finished nothing happened.

Spike was even angrier now. "Well that certainly did nothin'." Giles inspected the door further but found nothing. Willow spoke up and said to try turning the dragon head. She told Giles to be careful. The magic she felt could be waiting on them behind the door as well. Giles tried and they all heard a loud click. Spike grabbed the door knob and it turned without effort.

The door creaked open into a large dark hallway lit only by torches on the wall. This was a scary place and they had no idea where they were going or who they would find. Just then they heard a very loud scream. The scream of a woman.