Part 2

I finally decided to stay in London for the whole week. I told myself I'd never had the chance to just do the 'tourist' thing, and that's what I've been doing. At least, my body's been doing that. My mind? That's been torn between worry about Spike, and thoughts of 'what if I contact Meena?'. I don't know how many times I've almost thrown her number away, and then panicked when I couldn't immediately find it. And now, two days before I'm due to fly back to Rome, I'm sitting in my hotel room, my hand on the phone. I've almost called the number three times already, just stopping before it connected each time. This time, I pick up the receiver and punch in the numbers, holding my breath until I hear it connect. Meena answers immediately, then tells me the connection's bad, and that she'll call me back in a moment. The connection sounded fine to me, so I assume she's just finding somewhere she can talk more easily.

When she calls back, we agree to meet in Holland Park. She describes exactly which bench to use, telling me to take the tube to Kensington High Street, and enter the park from there. I follow her instructions, and when I get there, she's sitting where she said she would be, on the fifth bench. It's a dampish day, so there're few people sitting in the park, although there's a steady stream of people walking past.

"So, have you reconsidered, Miss Summers?" she asks, looking excited.

"I wouldn't be here if I hadn't," I answer. "And please call me Buffy."

"So, would you like to dream of your love's past?"

"I'd like to know exactly how you'd arrange that."

"As to how? I can't really explain how I do it. My mother taught me the ritual, but it's very simple. I would come to your hotel room, or wherever you wish to have your dream. You would prepare yourself for sleep. I would ask you to drink something - it's herbal, nothing I can't buy in a health food shop - and I'd stay with you as you fall asleep, calling out to the past to visit your dreams. You would just have to concentrate on the person you wish to see, and you will dream of him."

"How long would I sleep?"

"It varies, but no longer than a normal night's sleep."

"And you have someone who can tell me how it worked?"

"Yes. Anna has gone on a retreat for trainee Watchers, but she'll be back in three days."

"I'm due to go back to Rome before then. Can I phone her?"

"Ah, no. She wasn't allowed to take her mobile with her. The only way to contact her is to go through the Council, and then Mr. Giles would find out. This magic is sacred. It cannot be used for the benefit of men, or in the presence of men. If he found out, he would require that I tell him about it, and I couldn't do that. I would lose the chance to become a Watcher, and I would have to return home to an arranged marriage. I wish to live a different life from that of my mother and I believe this is the only opportunity I will have to achieve that."

"I see," I answer, getting up from my seat. "Maybe this isn't a good idea after all."

"But it is, Miss … Buffy. How else are you going to know about him? It's only a dream. It can't hurt you, honestly. I'll even let you see me mixing the herbs for your drink. That way you'll know it's safe."

She looks so sure. And I did make a point of asking around about her. She seems to be genuine. She's frighteningly clever, looking at her record since she started her training. This retreat she's talking about is standard after a year of Watcher training. She did hers within two weeks of starting. She's now, after one year, according to her tutors, at the equivalent level of a five year student. Only her youth and general naivety have prevented her being sent out to a placement appropriate for her understanding. There's no hint of anything about her to cause concern. And, on top of that, I just feel I can trust her.

"Ok," I reply. "When?"

"Tonight, if you like."

And so we agree on a time, and I tell her where I'm staying. She promises to pick up what she needs, and meet me there later.

When I leave her, I wander down the High Street, looking in store windows, wondering just what I'm doing. It's probably not going to work. I know that. I'm not going to dream about Spike's life, and if I do, it'll come from my imagination and not history. I must be really desperate to even attempt this. But then, that's exactly what I am.

Later that night, I'm watching Meena mix up the herbs. She was right - there was nothing suspect in the mix, and everything was in sealed packs. I'm as ready as I'm ever going to be.

I decided to dress for comfort, so I'm wearing some sweats and a tank top. I showered before Meena got here, and I even remembered to brush my teeth. She pours boiling water from the kettle in the room over the mixture, filling one of the mugs supplied, then filters it into another one. She adds a dash of cold water, and hands it to me.

I sip it, grimacing slightly at the taste. It's not really unpleasant, it's just got a slightly mentholly overtone that seems rather overpowering.

"Don't rush it," she suggests. "Drink it slowly. It's intended to help the relaxation, so it isn't a good idea to rush anything. In fact, if you want to go and sit on your bed, that will probably work well too."

I do as she suggests, sitting, propped up on some pillows, and wait. She's just started to chant in a language I don't recognise when the door opens. Giles is standing in the doorway, a look of outrage on his face.

"Meena! What are you doing? If you've harmed her …"

"Giles! How did you get into my room? Why …"

Giles holds up a key ring with an array of keys hanging from it. "The Council of Watchers has a number of privileges in this city. In an emergency, there aren't many places to which I couldn't obtain a key if I need it."

To my surprise, Meena is still chanting. It's as if she hasn't noticed Giles at all. Giles seems to realise that too, as he comes into the room and walks towards her.

"Meena!" he yells, but it makes no difference.

I go to her too, but she seems to be totally oblivious to what's happening in the room around her. I turn to Giles, confused by his sudden entrance, and trying to understand it.

"Giles, what do you think Meena's trying to do? Why did you think I was in danger?"

"I don't know, exactly. I knew there was more to her coming to see you the other day than she admitted, so I've been having her watched. Then we had a stroke of luck. During the retreat this week, one of the other trainees let it slip that Meena performed some sort of ritual on her. She was in a trance at the time, and answered a question about her father and how she had come to know him. Meena considers herself to be a practitioner of some sort of magic but she neglected to tell me about it because it's apparently sullied by the presence of a man. It's obviously arrant nonsense, designed to keep the information from me so that she would gain my trust. When I heard what had happened to this other girl, I put two and two together, especially with your vulnerability as regards Spike, and tried to find Meena. When she was observed entering your hotel, I came straight here."

"And was this other girl harmed by what Meena did?" I demand.

"Not as such, at least, there's no outward sign, but she'll need to be watched in case there's some hidden damage."

"So, you came here on the possibility that Meena was going to try to hurt me. Why didn't you call and warn me? If you had, I'd have told you that Meena was here at my invitation and that everything was fine. As it is, I think your sudden arrival has traumatised her to the point where she's caught in a trance. Your presence here defiles something she considers sacred. I think you should leave."

My voice is cold. I'm angry that he felt he had to break into my hotel room - especially since he had no evidence at all.

"Buffy, I really don't understand your attitude here. The girl's obviously deranged. How else can you explain her current state? Tell me, what has she done to you?"

"She made a drink with some herbs from the health store. The ingredients are all there, and the packages were all sealed. Take a look. There's nothing suspect there at all."

He walks to the tray, and while he does so, I move towards Meena. I ease her down into a chair. She moves easily enough, but the haunting chant continues without a pause.

"It seems harmless," Giles admits, having examined the herbs. "Is that it? May I?" He gestures towards the cup in my hand, and I pass it to him. The sooner I can convince him that I'm safe, the sooner I can work on getting some help for Meena.

Giles first sniffs, then takes a sip of the drink, swirling it around in his mouth as if tasting a fine wine. He walks towards the tray where the kettle sits and lifts the other mug ready to spit out his mouthful, but something stops him, and he seems to swallow. As soon as he does that, I feel a lethargy creep over me, making my limbs feel leaden and my eyes heavy. Instinctively, I make my way back towards my bed, noticing that Giles seems to be moving towards its twin. I fall onto the bed, unable to stand any longer, and then everything is dark.