Author's notes: I apologize profusely for the delay. The holidays were not kind to my free time, and one of my "presents" was apparently a really nasty cold. This story will be finished, hopefully in a timelier manner than this last delay would indicate. The final chapters have already been mostly written (I don't always write in order), so the ending to the story is a certainty in the future. Here's a nice, detailed summary to catch everyone up with the happenings.
Summary: Previously – Connor stopped off at the mansion to rest before going to find Angel. Xander was powerless to stop Angelus from attacking his next "meal". Willow worried before making a fateful decision. Gnash waited impatiently for Willow to invoke his orb. Anya's information finding ventures in the demon circles turned up little information except that whatever was brewing was likely very powerful. Angel was glad to see Connor and so was Spike. Buffy took charge, sending Angel and Connor out to kill demons and suggesting Willow and Tara do a protection spell on the house to protect Dawn. Buffy decided to do a little interrogating herself. After the protection spell was finished, Tara cooked some dinner, but her increasing anxiety about Willow's behavior spooked her to rush to the magic box.
Chapter 8: Setbacks
By the time she reached the street for the Magic Box, Tara had almost convinced herself that she'd only been paranoid. There could be a perfectly logical explanation as to why Willow had both the book and the orb and hadn't given her any indication that she was taking them. Okay, okay, so there wasn't really any. Tara would take even an illogical explanation at this point as long as it didn't point to Willow doing something rash. They had a whole day left, and each of them had rested at least once. Surely Willow wouldn't have panicked yet. With the added benefit of the food she now brought, they would certainly be in good shape to get some major inroads into their problem. As her thoughts dwelled on the food, though, it occurred to Tara whose idea it'd been to make the dinner and exactly what cooking that food had done. It had given Willow an excuse to leave ahead of her. Alone. When Xander's life was on the line.
Her car wheels squealing from sudden acceleration, Tara raced the last two blocks to the shop, skidding to a stop in the first available parking space. Almost in defiance, she snatched the carrying basket of chicken and potato salad from the seat beside her as if the physical act of taking the food with her demanded that everything be okay. I bring food, therefore we will eat it, and all will be well, her brain supplied, and she vaguely recognized the panic of her thoughts. She slammed the car door without bothering to lock it and ran to the shop's entrance. Fumbling a moment at the front door, she muttered, "Come on. Come on," as she twisted the key in the lock and tried desperately to curb her growing fear. As she ran, the door closed behind her, mercifully locking on its own, because Anya would be upset if her store was left open. Now Tara knew she was losing it. She forced herself to come to a halt and take a breath. Putting the basket of food on the research table, she planted on a neutral face and asked Anya calmly, "Have you seen Willow?"
The worried look Anya gave her told Tara that her calm façade was crumbling.
"Don't worry. Willow's here. She's right back there in the training room. Geesh, separate you two for…"
Tara didn't catch the rest. The scent of magic in the air told her all she needed to know. Running to the training room door, she threw it open then hesitated. She knew she shouldn't have been, so why was she so surprised to see Willow there in the middle of the training room floor, pentagram and candles around her, energy manifesting around her body in seductive swirls?
"Willow, no!" The words came just a moment before she rushed forward. Willow showed no reaction to her presence, though, even when she yelled her name again, not five feet from her. Willow's chanting remained on the same even tone, as if she wasn't even aware of anyone else's presence. Panicking, Tara looked wildly around the room, trying to think of a safe way to end the spell and break the magic barrier, but a movement seen in the corner of her eye made her jerk her focus back to Willow and to the orb resting on its pedestal in the top triangle of the pentagram. There was something odd, something wrong with the orb. It looked almost alive. Tara had a sudden urge more powerful than any she'd ever felt. Without further thought, she reached through the magic barrier and grabbed the orb, smashing it against the floor.
Three screams echoed through the training room, bouncing off the walls and shattering what semblance of harmony remained in the night. The screams reduced to two, and finally to only one as Willow watched the shattered pieces of the orb infuse into Tara's skin and the familiar, soft eyes turn a harsh, glowing green.
"Shh," said a voice that sounded deceptively like Tara, but that Willow instinctively knew held none of her warmth. "Everything's all right, baby."
Willow didn't know why she quieted like the voice asked her to, because nothing could be farther from the truth. Nothing was likely to be all right ever again.
...
Gnash slipped off his chair. Few things surprised him, but that had been totally unexpected. And wonderful. He smiled evilly as he picked himself up off the floor and briefly considered reconnecting his window right away. He decided it wasn't necessary; he could catch up in a moment. Right now he wanted a few moments to thoroughly gloat. He'd been sure that the red-haired witch would be ensnared by his orb's trap, host to a powerful and insidious demon, but that it was the other instead was just too perfect. Though less powerful, she was the more level headed, and would likely be just as missed because of it. And the other witch would be consumed by guilt, its gnawing ache affecting her judgment and clouding her ability.
He leaned back and took a slow leisurely breath. His brief tearing of the dimensional barriers earlier today had allowed several nasty demons to slip through, and they were now merrily making their way about Sunnydale, keeping that odd, disconcerting Connor and his vampire father busy. He wasn't sure why the strange boy concerned him so much, but of all the potential foes in this scenario, that one worried him most. Magical power he understood. Feelings he could manipulate. But that boy had strange motivations he couldn't understand. They were even stranger than his vampire father's.
Speaking of vampires, he supposed it was time to go bring Angelus something to eat again. It was also time for another distraction of sorts. Since the powerful witch was left on their side, he better give her something to use her powers on besides trying to save her lover too quickly. Well, since she wanted that annoying Xander back so badly, he supposed she'd use her powers for that. Besides, watching her try to decide what to do - save her lover or save her friend - would be amusing. He'd make it more difficult.
Taking a piece of cloth from his pocket, Gnash ran it casually through his fingers. It belonged to the boy, Xander, taken from his shirt last time he'd visited. Originally meant to be an indication that he had the boy, it would now serve another purpose. Using his abilities, he made sure it was clear, and there it was: a strong essence of the other dimension. The witch would be able to use this to track him… well as long as she had an amplifier. Gnash sighed. He almost hated to part with it, but he'd find another one. He picked up the gaudy trinket and donned his Vishnak demon disguise. Hmm, now what could he get her to do in order to earn his generous help? He'd think of something outrageous, then compromise, giving her the means to find Xander on her own as payment. So generous of him. Sometimes he was so good at this, he almost amazed himself. Well, he better hurry; his new ally would likely be arriving soon, and he couldn't wait to meet her.
...
Buffy had left Ms. Nice Gal about three exits back. Far past being moved by screams or pleading, she took to her task with cold efficiency. She wanted information, and she wanted it now. That she had to cause a few demons pain to get it no longer concerned her. Too many times she'd had to see her friends and loved ones scared or hurt. Both Giles and Spike had been tortured. Her mother and sister had been kidnapped to lure her into a trap. Cordelia and Willow had been taken for use as sacrifices. There was more, she was sure, but she didn't want to be bothered and hell, that list was enough of an excuse right there. Xander was coming back, period, end of story, and woe be it to anyone or anything that denied her the means to do it. She pressed the cross onto the vampire's chest again, almost mesmerized by the smoke rising from his skin. Predictably he screamed.
"I can keep this up all night," she informed him. "I'm not even tired."
"Come on, Slayer, I don't know what you expect me to know…" He cut off, screaming instead as she put the cross to the back of his hand this time. He tried to twist his hand away, but both were held tight, bound at the wrists to a sturdy chair. Struggling for a moment, he tested the bonds then jerked his head up. His golden stare locked with hers. "Look, I only know it has something to do with your pet, okay," he said desperately. "And that's only rumor. I don't even know for sure."
"I don't have any pets," Buffy said, her mouth quirking in genuine confusion. "What the hell are you talking about?"
"Your vampire. Spike! Spike!" he said hastily.
With her cross hovering a mere inch from his skin, Buffy halted. She took the cross away, folded her arms across her chest, and scowled at him. "What about Spike?" She wasn't about to explain to this vampire that Spike wasn't just Spike, but Angel as well. She doubted that most of the vampire population was privy to that bit of information, and she intended to keep it that way.
"Word on the street is that there's a demon out to get him."
Buffy scoffed. "There's almost always a demon out to get him. That's nothing new."
"This is a powerful one. Into magic."
Buffy thought about the Vishnak demon and its powerful magic, but Angel had been right there when Xander was taken. If the demon had wanted Spike, why would it take Xander if Spike was right there? She decided to ask the question. Maybe she'd get lucky. "A Vishnak demon?"
"I don't know what kind of demon, but Vishnaks… Well they are pretty rare. Good with magic, though," he amended as he warily eyed the cross dangling from her fingers. "So it could be."
Damn, he doesn't know, Buffy thought.
"But Vishnaks tend to work in groups," the vampire was continuing. "And it was my impression that this was a lone demon."
Geesh, once you got them talking, then they won't shut up, Buffy thought. Kinda like Spike, she added with a smirk. Must be a vampire thing.
"And Vishnaks are usually pretty flashy. Making trouble all over…"
Buffy looked at him almost murderously. "I know all that. I am the Slayer. I know a little about demons, you know." She didn't have to tell him that it was Anya and Angel that had filled her in. Better to keep her reputation intact. "So if you don't have anything more to add that's actually useful…" She removed a stake from her back pocket.
"Hey wait! You said I could go if I told you what I know, and I did that!"
Buffy sighed. Stupid vampires and their good memories. Well, at least this way, he could spread the word that she meant business. Maybe next time, she'd get her information easier. She wasn't about to just let him go unscathed, however. "You know I can't let you go scott free, though. What would the demons say?"
"That you are a fair, good guy who keeps your word?" the vampire asked hopefully.
"They'll still say that. But this way they'll also know I'm not a push over." She put down the stake. "You'll make sure to tell them that, right?"
"Sure, whatever you say, Slayer," he promised with a sigh of relief.
Buffy almost felt bad that he was relieved. Almost. She picked up a nearby pipe and started breaking bones.
...
Willow stood motionless, all her instincts having left her in the face of Tara's transformation. She should have chanted a protection spell or a binding spell of some sort to keep Tara there until she could figure out what to do, but she couldn't find her voice.
Anya broke the silence. "What is going on in here?" She stood uncertainly in the doorframe, glancing nervously from Willow to Tara.
"I have to go now," Tara's voice said. A wave of her hand shoved Anya out of the doorway, causing her to fall clumsily.
That was enough to break Willow out of inaction. "No, Tara, wait!" When Tara turned back to look, she raised her hand. "Thicken!"
Tara was caught momentarily until her eyes glowed even brighter and she spoke in a language so ancient, Willow couldn't place it. The barrier shimmered and dissipated, and she walked from the room without any further acknowledgment. Usually one for self-preservation unless Xander was involved, Anya remained out of her way, even shrinking further from the unknown threat. Willow tried another spell, but this time her opponent was ready and deflected the magic before it even reached her. The backlash of her own spell knocked Willow over, leaving only Anya to watch Tara leave out the front door.
"What did you do?"
Perhaps because it was Anya asking, Willow bristled slightly at the insinuation that this was her fault, even if it was true. Then it really sunk in. "Oh, God, Tara."
"Is obviously not herself," Anya said as she moved further into the training room. "Now what did you do, because we're going to have to do something about this and unless we know what we're up against…"
"The orb," Willow answered softly. "It was the orb."
"Great," Anya observed sarcastically. "Well, I guess we found out what was on that missing page, huh? Apparently the power comes from letting a demon in. Just great."
"Look, not helping much," Willow snapped. "Besides you were the one who was all for using it. 'Use the orb Willow. Get powerful Willow, so we can save Xander'," she added mockingly.
Anya huffed. "Oh, that's really helping. Let's mock the scared former demon. You're the one who should've known better."
Willow waved at her absently as if trying to disregard her. "Okay, we need to do a locating spell to find out where she went. And we need help. More resources. Find out how to undo the possession. We have to find out how to fix this." Willow knew she was babbling to a hostile audience, but she couldn't stop herself.
As if to confirm her thoughts, Anya said, "By all means, because every time you mess up with the magic, it's so easy to fix."
Willow glared at the other woman as she pushed past her. She rushed into the shop, grabbing distractedly at the books piled around. But after a minute she realized that her panic was causing her to reach out blindly with little purpose. Willow stopped and tried to calm herself. "Anya, I need your help. Will you help?"
"I'll help," Anya agreed, all fire gone from her now resigned voice. She moved grimly towards the books and started looking.
...
Connor smirked as yet another demon exhaled its last, gurgling breath. Stepping back from the body, he looked into Angel's eyes questioningly, and Angel knew he was looking for approval. He nodded, giving it. Over two hundred years later, and Angel still remembered that need for affirmation, the desire to see pride and acceptance in a father's eyes. Connor was young and not yet ready to realize that most of the time you only had your own sense of worth to rely on. He would have time to learn that later.
"Where are all these demons coming from?" Connor asked as he prodded the strange creature's body with his foot. He cocked his head to study it with a frown.
"I'm not sure," Angel answered, "but I don't think it's a coincidence that they're here now. I think someone is trying to keep us busy."
"They're doing a good job," Connor noted. He took in a heavy breath and exhaled, watching with vague interest as the body starting fizzling and evaporating. "Should we be trying to find out what the real trouble is? What this is a diversion for?" he asked doubtfully.
Angel thought for a moment, aided by a feeling he interpreted as a "Hell, no!" from Spike. "Well, we can't let these things run loose," he reasoned. "And besides, that's not what we do, is it?"
"Buffy did tell us to go kill the demons," Connor agreed with an expression that most closely resembled relief.
Killing demons is what Connor knew. It made him feel useful. Angel knew it was too late to undo everything that Holtz had taught his son. It was better to let him know that what he could do was helpful rather than make him feel inadequate for the things he couldn't do as well. Angel, himself, was glad that there was someone else to pick up the mental slack this time. Angelus may have been a planner, but Angel, and apparently Spike, preferred action. There seemed to be plenty of that tonight.
Connor's head jerked up at the sound of running, inhuman feet. By the time Angel joined him, they were almost bowled over by two fleeing vampires. Angel reached out to clothesline one of them. Connor tripped the other. They sprawled on the damp earth of the cemetery amidst a flurry of curses.
"Are you insane?" one of them asked him.
"That one's human," the other observed as he sat up. He cocked his head towards Connor.
Angel vamped out, letting Spike come to the forefront. "You better not even consider touching him, mate."
"Oh, hell, no. That's him. That's Spike," the first vamp observed. He was the shorter of the two, but he looked somewhat meatier than his counterpart.
The second vampire growled, as he got up. "Well, he better tell his slayer that she's crossed the line this time."
Spike raised his eyebrows and cocked his head. "Oh, and how's that?"
"She's gone insane. We found Charlie babbling that the Slayer got him," the shorter one said.
"She'd broken almost every bone in his body and left him there," the other observed as if that was some incredibly rude breech of Slayer etiquette. "If I were you, Spike, I'd reconsider my options before she goes Charles Manson on you, next."
Spike chuckled. "Newsflash, morons," he told them as he discreetly pulled a stake. "She's a vampire slayer. You're vampires."
"And you're what? A fluffy, little bunny?" the shorter one observed incredulously. Then he snickered.
Spike staked him before he had a chance to finish his snicker. "Oops," he said, though he didn't sound or feel the least bit sorry. He turned gold eyes on the second vampire.
The remaining vampire, not being completely stupid, realized he was outnumbered. "Okay, um look. I don't want to cause any trouble."
"You do that just by being here, mate," Spike observed. He casually flipped his stake. "But seeing as how you might be useful for spreading the word, I'll let you go. For now."
"Don't do me any favors, traitor."
Spike sighed heavily, looking like he was going let that roll off his shoulders, then he shrugged and slugged the guy instead. "Okay, I won't," he said to the downed vamp.
Connor arched his eyebrows and crossed his arms. "They just can't help themselves, can they?"
Spike dragged the vampire back up, lifting his feet off the ground as he held him firmly around the neck. "Bloody stupid, vampires are today. Maybe the embalming fluid fries their brain or something?"
"I'll have you know my sire buried me himself…"
"Don't care," Spike observed as he squeezed the vampire's neck harder. "And I'd shut your gob if I were you. Slayer's not the only one who can break bones. Now listen up! You tell your buddies that my slayer wants information, and those of you who have it, better give it up nice and easy, or we'll both rip your limbs off and let you do a nice Monty Python's Black Knight impersonation. Got it?"
The vampire nodded as vigorously as his position allowed, and Spike dropped him. Connor was at the ready to back him up with a battleaxe. The vampire gained his balance then stood there momentarily, almost as if he were frozen.
Spike rolled his eyes. "Um, go?" he said, shaking his head in disbelief. He watched the vampire rush shakily off into the night. "I give that one two months, tops."
Connor nodded then looked up, sniffing the air. "Fun's over," he observed. "More demons are coming."
Spike smirked around his fangs. "On the contrary, then. Fun's just starting." He patted Connor on the shoulder reassuringly before rolling his neck. Then he looked down and found the battleaxe Angel had brought, tested the balance out of habit, and braced himself for round two.
...
Gnash popped into the Magic Box just as Willow and Anya had settled somewhat shakily down to research. Willow startled and raised her hand, eyes going black.
"Don't," Gnash told them. "Or you'll never find your friend." He hoped that his Vishnak demon glamour was similar enough to the one he'd used before. Sometimes he couldn't remember all the gory details, and Vishnaks did differ from each other more than most demons did. This was especially true of the garish shock of hair which could come in a rainbow of colors atop their egg-shaped heads. Gnash often wondered if there was a preference among the demons for one color over another. Now though, he had other concerns.
"It hasn't been forty eight hours," Anya observed. Somehow despite the slight trembling in her voice, her tone sounded more annoyed than anything else.
"I didn't want to wait anymore. Don't you want your friend back?" he asked solicitously.
"What do you want?" Willow asked. Her tone was all business.
"A Fulgor amulet. Then I'll bring you your friend."
Anya's mouth dropped open while Willow's face furrowed in thought as she tried to place the object he had indicated. The former demon spoke first. "I want Xander back, yes, but you can't have that. First of all, I don't have one, and second…"
"It disintegrates things. And people," Willow finished for her.
"So?" Gnash prompted.
"Well for one, it could disintegrate us," Anya pointed out, "and ahem, I don't have one," she reiterated with a hint of that annoyance Gnash remembered from the night she'd accidentally popped in on him offering vengeance. He tried not to smile at the memory.
He made a show of being put out, sighing heavily. He really did enjoy impersonating Vishnaks, because they were such drama queens. Overacting was never a problem. "Fine, then, go ahead and put your friend's life in mortal danger," he huffed.
"We could give you a Sethoz stone," Anya offered. "It makes you invisible for short periods of time."
Gnash scrunched his forehead in thought. Actually that would be rather useful to him. He always did seem to be quite lucky in such matters. He smirked at the disapproving face the red-haired witch was making at Anya, as if the former vengeance demon didn't know that what she offered had potential for trouble. Humans could be so condescending. Accepting Anya's offer would be all the more sweet for making her the take charge woman of this encounter. He almost would've been inclined to accept anything she offered just for that reason alone. She might've regrettably decided to leave her vengeance demon job behind again, but she still had that same fire and determination that she had when she'd popped into his home. Even now she had her hands on her hips, looking at him disapprovingly for taking too long, or perhaps because she thought he was leering which of course he was. Gnash couldn't stop a smile. "Well, it isn't what I wanted, but I shall compromise. I will take the Sethoz stone, and you can have this." He took the piece of Xander's shirt from his pocket and showed it to them.
"That's Xander's," Willow said, reaching for the piece of material. Gnash pulled it out of her reach but not out of view.
"How will that get us Xander back?" Anya asked dubiously.
"With the help of this," Gnash explained as he produced a garish talisman. Willow's eyes were drawn away from the piece of shirt to the talisman, and Gnash could tell that she immediately sensed the potential for its power. Her eyes lit up with understanding and perhaps a longing. Maybe she thought she could use it for other things as well: like saving her lover. If she could pull that off, Gnash would be intrigued enough that he almost wouldn't mind losing his new ally: almost. He'd have to fight the witch of course if that happened. He did have his pride. "With the piece of shirt and this." He held up the talisman. "You will be able to find the dimension your friend is in and retrieve him. Of course it will take a lot of power."
"I have power," Willow told him defiantly.
"I'm sure you do. Be glad I can use your Sethoz stone, or I would make you use that power to get me a Fulgor amulet. Do we have a deal?"
"Yes," Anya said hastily. "Let me get you…"
"Anya!" Willow admonished.
"It's Xander, Willow. Do you really want to take the chance of a magic duel and potentially burn up our only chance of rescuing him?" Anya asked as she indicated the fragile piece of cloth that Gnash held.
"Maybe we should wait…"
"No, no more waiting! Give the demon what it wants, get it out of here, and let's save Xander." She was walking to the shelves behind her counter. She quickly found what she wanted, holding it up to show the demon. Willow was glaring at her, but starting to look resigned. "Give the shirt and the talisman to Willow," Anya directed him.
"You first," Gnash said.
"No, you first." Something in her eyes told Gnash she wouldn't budge on this point. She truly was a magnificent woman. He put the shirt piece and talisman on the table and lifted his hands. Anya threw him the stone which he snatched effortlessly out of the air.
"Nice doing business with you ladies." Before they could say anything else or more importantly, try any magic, Gnash teleported himself out of there.
Back in his home, he couldn't wait to try his new toy, but first he had a demon witch to meet. He put his Sethoz stone safely away and smiled. Even now, he could feel the magic wards shimmering at the edges of his aura, signaling him of an approaching being. Deciding that it wouldn't do to be rude to the lady, Gnash crossed the room and opened his front door.
TBC
