Disclaimer: Don't own 'em, wish I did, and that about covers it.
Author's notes: 1. My first Buffy/Angel fic, so be nice. 2. C.O.S= Change Of scenery 3. Possiblity of pairing Willow with Spike. 4. This is not, repeat not for people that like Dawn. 5. Also a note about my other story: The Child. : this buffy fic is moving faster because of reviews, hint, hint.
Reviews: Yes, please.
Summary: see First Chapter
Chapter #9: Visions realized
"Wow, it is true, you're alive. I kind of knew all along you would turn out to be alive, I mean." Willow began, then crossed the remaining space towards her friend and gave her a hug.
"It's great to see you too, Will," Buffy said tears streaming down her face.
"I had better be getting back downstairs," Angel interrupted, and left the two girls facing each other.
"We'll be down later," Willow told him, as he went through the door. Buffy's face blanched.
"So." Willow started, as an awkward silence filled the room.
"I w-wasn't ready to see you yet. I had some issues to work out, and when you guys showed up." Buffy began.
"You hid up here, in your room. I have to say Buffy that I'm kind of surprised at that. I mean you always would face your problems head on. I admired that about you. To hide is so unlike you. " Buffy looked down at her shoes, ashamed that she actually did hide from her problems. Seeing that Buffy was ashamed, Willow said:
"I'm so happy that you're alive. I'm going downstairs, so I'll see you later." Willow said, giving her friend another hug.
"Yeah," Buffy replied. Willow left, and then the tears that Buffy had suppressed came flowing down her cheeks. She went over to her bed and lay down. Lorne had been passing in the hall, and heard the exchange. He stopped Willow on the stairs.
"You have absolutely no idea what she has gone through in the last two weeks," Lorne started.
"She's gone through hell and back re-adjusting to this life. Do you know she was happy where she was? truly content. For once in her short life, she was able to stop fighting, and just live like a normal person. Then she was ripped from there, and brought back to this, cold, harsh, cruel world. A world she thanklessly fought for. She was a mess for a while; she wouldn't respond to her real name, she called herself Joyce. But, she's been doing it. So she's had plenty of things to hide from, plenty of things to deal with." Lorne finished.
"I-I- had no idea." Willow stuttered.
"You're damn right you had 'no' idea, now I think it's time you went back in there, and apologized." Lorne put Willow in her place, and walked off. Willow walked back to the doorway of Buffy's room.
"Knock, knock," Willow said.
"Yeah, come in Willow," Buffy allowed, her tone betraying her fatigue.
"Well, it has been pointed out to me, that I made a mistake earlier. I said something, about your problems, and I didn't realize the full impact until afterwards. So I'm sorry. I truly had no idea how hard things have been for you this last while." Willow apologized.
"Boy Will you always did have a gift for understatement." Buffy replied.
"Yeah, well do ya wanna talk about it?" Willow asked.
"Where to start, I didn't have to fight." Buffy began mind drifting off.
"I saw my mom, and I didn't have to fight. It was it was such a relief, not having to fight. I could relax, and I could just be. Be quiet, be loud, be with friends, or be alone. I could just be, and I didn't have to fight. And my mom, and I. we would do everything together, we would bake cookies, watch T.V., or we would just sit, and talk about the future, what guys in school I liked, or her plans for the gallery, and I didn't have to fight." Buffy began. There was silence between the pair.
"And then." Willow prompted.
"And then I was suddenly back here. I woke up, laying, tied up on a cold hard, cement floor. It came to me then, that I wasn't with my mom anymore. That we couldn't talk about the future; her plans for her gallery, or what guys I liked in school; it came to me too that I would have to fight. I didn't know where I was; I was fading in, and out of consciousness. I put together, that they were planning to use me, in some way, through little snippets that came through to me. Then, at last came the moment, the one chance when I would have to fight my way out, and I did. Then I ran, and ended up here." Buffy finished telling her story.
"We'll help you through this, and we'll figure out, what happened to you." Willow responded, reaching out, and gathering her friend in a hug. "I think, you, or I, or both, of us should go downstairs." Buffy suggested.
"Are you sure, you're up to it?" Willow asked.
"Yeah, I need to see my friends right now, all of them." Buffy said, a tremulous smile showing on her face. "Let's go now, before I loose my nerve." Buffy urged. The best friends turned, and steeling herself for what was to come, Buffy led the way down the hall, and then to the main stairs.
"And the most strategic places would be to look here, here, and." Angel pointed on the city map.
"There." Buffy pointed. The group grew silent, as they looked towards the source of the voice.
"Well it took you long enough to show yourself." Spike said.
"It's great to see you as too Spike." Buffy spoke.
"Buffy. Is it really you? Is it?" Dawn asked disbelief showing over her features.
"Yes, Dawn, it is." Buffy confirmed standing awkwardly against the front desk. Dawn came forward and impulsively hugged her sister. Buffy returned awkwardly returned the hug. The rest of her friends followed Dawn's lead, hugging her tightly.
"We'll help you through, whatever this turns out to be," Xander attempted to reassure. The group was silent for a while, each lost in their own reveries.
"And now, to the task at hand." Angel's words broke the silence.
"Okay, how do you want to do this, how do you want to search the area?" Buffy asked.
"You, with me, Willow, Dawn, and Spike search down by the docks. Xander's with Fred, Cordy, and Gunn. We meet, back here at daybreak." Angel organized, as the groups broke off. Buffy and Angel were the last to leave the hotel.
"Weapons?" He asked
"Check"
"Okay, let's go." They walked in silence, each lost in their own thoughts. Finally, Angel asked: "So, what was up earlier, I mean you were having some kind of vision, or dream?"
"Dream. You'll have to be more specific. I've dreamed a lot of things lately. About my mom, about my life, about my time on the other side, even about a sister, that I didn't realize I had, until now." Buffy attempted to avoid the question. "It would take a blind person not to notice, that the dreams have been bothering you. But let's start with the one about your sister." Angel guided her to the point.
"Well it begins as Willow, Spike, and Dawn was that her name? Were patrolling. And all of a sudden these vampires come out of nowhere- at least 7 of them. They start fighting, and while six of them are busy with Spike, and Willow, the seventh sneaks around the back, and grabs Dawn, placing one hand over her mouth with some kind of cloth. drags her off into the night. The fighting stops suddenly, just as it began and the six ran off into the night. The vision changes then, it's in a warehouse, and Dawn is lying on a cement floor. She's screaming, as they pull her upright, and drag her across the room. At first, the image of what happens next, is blurry at best. I can see them dragging her across the floor and lying her down on the ground again. Angel they laid her in a casket." At this point, Buffy starts weeping silently.
C.O.S: Docks area, same night
' That was certainly her, back there in the hotel. Although, she's lost something, that spark, that certain spunk, that made her unique, that made her my Buffy. But I suppose that being brought back from the dead will do that to a person. But I've always thought of Buffy as the exception to that rule. I guess not.' Spike thought, while looking around.
"Wow, this area is bigger, than I thought." Willow said.
"Yeah, why don't we split up then, you two go down that way, and I'll go this way." Spike suggested.
"And if we find anything?" Willow asked.
"Yell." Spike told her. The three split off, then, Willow and Dawn going left, and Spike continuing to the right. Barely five minutes later:
"SPIKE!" Willow screamed, as seven vampires, came at them. Spike came running, stake in hand.
"Duck," Spike told her, as an assailant brought attempted to land a kick.
"Now you." She returned, raising her leg, and landing a kick of her own.
"Thanks," came the reply.
The heavy fighting carried on for next few minutes, and neither noticed, but the fighting pair, were being gradually drawn away from Dawn. As suddenly as the attack began, it stopped, and the vampires ran. They paused, and each caught their breaths, while walking back towards where they left Dawn. They stopped right where they parted company.
"Dawn." Willow called out.
"Dawn, the bad guys are gone. You can come out now." Willow called.
"Okay Dawn, this isn't funny anymore. Now you're scaring us." Willow said.
"Dawn, this isn't a game, come out here, right now" Spike called out annoyed. Meanwhile, Spike sniffed the air around him.
"She's not here." Spike informed Willow.
"Oh no" Willow began.
"We just fell for the oldest trick in the book." Spike said.
"Well let's go back to the hotel, maybe there's a chance she went back there." Willow said.
C.O.S.: Warehouse (Yes, I'm finally getting to the bad guys)
" We got her boss," the lackey said.
"Excellent, now bring her in, so I can speak with her." Holtz told him. Two vampires brought, a completely tied up, and gagged Dawn before Holtz, and shoved her into a chair. The gag was ripped off.
"First off, ouch. And secondly, who are you, where am I, and where are my friends?" Dawn fired a bunch of questions at her captor.
"All will be revealed in good time my sweet. All in good time." Holtz calmly told his captive.
"How are you finding your accommodations so far?" Holtz asked.
"If you like being tied up, and gagged then laid out on a cold cement floor, then yeah, I like them fine." Dawn returned sarcastically.
'All the spunk that her sister shows.' Holtz thought to himself.
"I'll try and make you a bit more comfortable." Holtz assured the girl out loud.
"Stand up." Holtz ordered. Dawn stood.
"Turn around." Dawn turned around.
"Yes, yes, you'll do quite nicely." Dawn looked around herself quizzically.
"Slap the bracelet on her." Holtz ordered his lackey. The vampire obeyed.
"You are here to be my slave. You'll do as I order you, if I order you to bring me food, you bring me food, and if I order you to bring someone here, you'll do that too. If you don't obey me, then I will shock you, using the control that I hold. Is that clear?"
"Yes sir." Dawn answered meekly.
"Good, now take her away." Holtz ordered. The same two vampires, that brought her in escorted her out, and laid her down in a rectangular casket.
"NO, NO, DON'T, PLEASE DON'T. DON'T DO THIS TO ME. don't, please don't don't put me in there." Dawn began whimpering as she was placed in the casket. Despite her whimpering, and protesting, the lid was placed on. As she drifted off to sleep, she thought of Buffy, the sister she thought she'd lost, but in reality was only beginning to find.
So, what will our good friend Holtz make Dawn do?
Will Buffy be able to rescue, and remember her sister?
To find this out, and much more, all you have to do is: review.
Toodles, -A.B.
Author's notes: 1. My first Buffy/Angel fic, so be nice. 2. C.O.S= Change Of scenery 3. Possiblity of pairing Willow with Spike. 4. This is not, repeat not for people that like Dawn. 5. Also a note about my other story: The Child. : this buffy fic is moving faster because of reviews, hint, hint.
Reviews: Yes, please.
Summary: see First Chapter
Chapter #9: Visions realized
"Wow, it is true, you're alive. I kind of knew all along you would turn out to be alive, I mean." Willow began, then crossed the remaining space towards her friend and gave her a hug.
"It's great to see you too, Will," Buffy said tears streaming down her face.
"I had better be getting back downstairs," Angel interrupted, and left the two girls facing each other.
"We'll be down later," Willow told him, as he went through the door. Buffy's face blanched.
"So." Willow started, as an awkward silence filled the room.
"I w-wasn't ready to see you yet. I had some issues to work out, and when you guys showed up." Buffy began.
"You hid up here, in your room. I have to say Buffy that I'm kind of surprised at that. I mean you always would face your problems head on. I admired that about you. To hide is so unlike you. " Buffy looked down at her shoes, ashamed that she actually did hide from her problems. Seeing that Buffy was ashamed, Willow said:
"I'm so happy that you're alive. I'm going downstairs, so I'll see you later." Willow said, giving her friend another hug.
"Yeah," Buffy replied. Willow left, and then the tears that Buffy had suppressed came flowing down her cheeks. She went over to her bed and lay down. Lorne had been passing in the hall, and heard the exchange. He stopped Willow on the stairs.
"You have absolutely no idea what she has gone through in the last two weeks," Lorne started.
"She's gone through hell and back re-adjusting to this life. Do you know she was happy where she was? truly content. For once in her short life, she was able to stop fighting, and just live like a normal person. Then she was ripped from there, and brought back to this, cold, harsh, cruel world. A world she thanklessly fought for. She was a mess for a while; she wouldn't respond to her real name, she called herself Joyce. But, she's been doing it. So she's had plenty of things to hide from, plenty of things to deal with." Lorne finished.
"I-I- had no idea." Willow stuttered.
"You're damn right you had 'no' idea, now I think it's time you went back in there, and apologized." Lorne put Willow in her place, and walked off. Willow walked back to the doorway of Buffy's room.
"Knock, knock," Willow said.
"Yeah, come in Willow," Buffy allowed, her tone betraying her fatigue.
"Well, it has been pointed out to me, that I made a mistake earlier. I said something, about your problems, and I didn't realize the full impact until afterwards. So I'm sorry. I truly had no idea how hard things have been for you this last while." Willow apologized.
"Boy Will you always did have a gift for understatement." Buffy replied.
"Yeah, well do ya wanna talk about it?" Willow asked.
"Where to start, I didn't have to fight." Buffy began mind drifting off.
"I saw my mom, and I didn't have to fight. It was it was such a relief, not having to fight. I could relax, and I could just be. Be quiet, be loud, be with friends, or be alone. I could just be, and I didn't have to fight. And my mom, and I. we would do everything together, we would bake cookies, watch T.V., or we would just sit, and talk about the future, what guys in school I liked, or her plans for the gallery, and I didn't have to fight." Buffy began. There was silence between the pair.
"And then." Willow prompted.
"And then I was suddenly back here. I woke up, laying, tied up on a cold hard, cement floor. It came to me then, that I wasn't with my mom anymore. That we couldn't talk about the future; her plans for her gallery, or what guys I liked in school; it came to me too that I would have to fight. I didn't know where I was; I was fading in, and out of consciousness. I put together, that they were planning to use me, in some way, through little snippets that came through to me. Then, at last came the moment, the one chance when I would have to fight my way out, and I did. Then I ran, and ended up here." Buffy finished telling her story.
"We'll help you through this, and we'll figure out, what happened to you." Willow responded, reaching out, and gathering her friend in a hug. "I think, you, or I, or both, of us should go downstairs." Buffy suggested.
"Are you sure, you're up to it?" Willow asked.
"Yeah, I need to see my friends right now, all of them." Buffy said, a tremulous smile showing on her face. "Let's go now, before I loose my nerve." Buffy urged. The best friends turned, and steeling herself for what was to come, Buffy led the way down the hall, and then to the main stairs.
"And the most strategic places would be to look here, here, and." Angel pointed on the city map.
"There." Buffy pointed. The group grew silent, as they looked towards the source of the voice.
"Well it took you long enough to show yourself." Spike said.
"It's great to see you as too Spike." Buffy spoke.
"Buffy. Is it really you? Is it?" Dawn asked disbelief showing over her features.
"Yes, Dawn, it is." Buffy confirmed standing awkwardly against the front desk. Dawn came forward and impulsively hugged her sister. Buffy returned awkwardly returned the hug. The rest of her friends followed Dawn's lead, hugging her tightly.
"We'll help you through, whatever this turns out to be," Xander attempted to reassure. The group was silent for a while, each lost in their own reveries.
"And now, to the task at hand." Angel's words broke the silence.
"Okay, how do you want to do this, how do you want to search the area?" Buffy asked.
"You, with me, Willow, Dawn, and Spike search down by the docks. Xander's with Fred, Cordy, and Gunn. We meet, back here at daybreak." Angel organized, as the groups broke off. Buffy and Angel were the last to leave the hotel.
"Weapons?" He asked
"Check"
"Okay, let's go." They walked in silence, each lost in their own thoughts. Finally, Angel asked: "So, what was up earlier, I mean you were having some kind of vision, or dream?"
"Dream. You'll have to be more specific. I've dreamed a lot of things lately. About my mom, about my life, about my time on the other side, even about a sister, that I didn't realize I had, until now." Buffy attempted to avoid the question. "It would take a blind person not to notice, that the dreams have been bothering you. But let's start with the one about your sister." Angel guided her to the point.
"Well it begins as Willow, Spike, and Dawn was that her name? Were patrolling. And all of a sudden these vampires come out of nowhere- at least 7 of them. They start fighting, and while six of them are busy with Spike, and Willow, the seventh sneaks around the back, and grabs Dawn, placing one hand over her mouth with some kind of cloth. drags her off into the night. The fighting stops suddenly, just as it began and the six ran off into the night. The vision changes then, it's in a warehouse, and Dawn is lying on a cement floor. She's screaming, as they pull her upright, and drag her across the room. At first, the image of what happens next, is blurry at best. I can see them dragging her across the floor and lying her down on the ground again. Angel they laid her in a casket." At this point, Buffy starts weeping silently.
C.O.S: Docks area, same night
' That was certainly her, back there in the hotel. Although, she's lost something, that spark, that certain spunk, that made her unique, that made her my Buffy. But I suppose that being brought back from the dead will do that to a person. But I've always thought of Buffy as the exception to that rule. I guess not.' Spike thought, while looking around.
"Wow, this area is bigger, than I thought." Willow said.
"Yeah, why don't we split up then, you two go down that way, and I'll go this way." Spike suggested.
"And if we find anything?" Willow asked.
"Yell." Spike told her. The three split off, then, Willow and Dawn going left, and Spike continuing to the right. Barely five minutes later:
"SPIKE!" Willow screamed, as seven vampires, came at them. Spike came running, stake in hand.
"Duck," Spike told her, as an assailant brought attempted to land a kick.
"Now you." She returned, raising her leg, and landing a kick of her own.
"Thanks," came the reply.
The heavy fighting carried on for next few minutes, and neither noticed, but the fighting pair, were being gradually drawn away from Dawn. As suddenly as the attack began, it stopped, and the vampires ran. They paused, and each caught their breaths, while walking back towards where they left Dawn. They stopped right where they parted company.
"Dawn." Willow called out.
"Dawn, the bad guys are gone. You can come out now." Willow called.
"Okay Dawn, this isn't funny anymore. Now you're scaring us." Willow said.
"Dawn, this isn't a game, come out here, right now" Spike called out annoyed. Meanwhile, Spike sniffed the air around him.
"She's not here." Spike informed Willow.
"Oh no" Willow began.
"We just fell for the oldest trick in the book." Spike said.
"Well let's go back to the hotel, maybe there's a chance she went back there." Willow said.
C.O.S.: Warehouse (Yes, I'm finally getting to the bad guys)
" We got her boss," the lackey said.
"Excellent, now bring her in, so I can speak with her." Holtz told him. Two vampires brought, a completely tied up, and gagged Dawn before Holtz, and shoved her into a chair. The gag was ripped off.
"First off, ouch. And secondly, who are you, where am I, and where are my friends?" Dawn fired a bunch of questions at her captor.
"All will be revealed in good time my sweet. All in good time." Holtz calmly told his captive.
"How are you finding your accommodations so far?" Holtz asked.
"If you like being tied up, and gagged then laid out on a cold cement floor, then yeah, I like them fine." Dawn returned sarcastically.
'All the spunk that her sister shows.' Holtz thought to himself.
"I'll try and make you a bit more comfortable." Holtz assured the girl out loud.
"Stand up." Holtz ordered. Dawn stood.
"Turn around." Dawn turned around.
"Yes, yes, you'll do quite nicely." Dawn looked around herself quizzically.
"Slap the bracelet on her." Holtz ordered his lackey. The vampire obeyed.
"You are here to be my slave. You'll do as I order you, if I order you to bring me food, you bring me food, and if I order you to bring someone here, you'll do that too. If you don't obey me, then I will shock you, using the control that I hold. Is that clear?"
"Yes sir." Dawn answered meekly.
"Good, now take her away." Holtz ordered. The same two vampires, that brought her in escorted her out, and laid her down in a rectangular casket.
"NO, NO, DON'T, PLEASE DON'T. DON'T DO THIS TO ME. don't, please don't don't put me in there." Dawn began whimpering as she was placed in the casket. Despite her whimpering, and protesting, the lid was placed on. As she drifted off to sleep, she thought of Buffy, the sister she thought she'd lost, but in reality was only beginning to find.
So, what will our good friend Holtz make Dawn do?
Will Buffy be able to rescue, and remember her sister?
To find this out, and much more, all you have to do is: review.
Toodles, -A.B.