I have a challenge for my readers. I still haven't decided on a name for
Spike and Buffy's baby. I have a few ideas but nothing set in stone. So if
you can think of a good name, send it to me. My only requirements are that
it has to fit into the story and make sense for them to pick that name.
Chapter Sixty-Eight: Strange Thing, Mystifiying
"What exactly are we looking for?" Xander asked, staring a large book in front of him. "Because all I've gotten out of this is a headache."
"Well you'd better keeping looking," Spike snapped from his position at the window. He had been watching for any sign that Dante was nearby. "Because if we don't figure out a way to stop him a headache is going to be the least of your worries."
"There's no trace of Dante anywhere," Dawn said, looking up from the computer. She'd been searching on the internet for any mention of Dante.
"If both the Council and vampires were anxious to keep him under wraps then there isn't likely to be any trace of him," Giles said.
"We might find something if everyone would help," Willow said, taking a moment to look up and glare at Anya.
Anya was sitting on the stairs to the upper part of the store, a book was on her lap but she wasn't reading it. She was leaning against the railing, her eyes closed and her complexion reminded Spike of the demon that had been hanging out with Angel.
Anya opened her eyes and started to speak but Buffy spoke first, "Not now," She said, looking at both Anya and Willow. "Save it until later."
"There won't be a later if we don't find that stone," Willow said. She looked over at Spike, "Do you remember anything more about it?"
Spike shook his head, "No, I've told you everything I can about that night."
Willow studied him and said, "What if I cast a spell, one that would pull the memory of that night out of your head and show it to us, like it was a movie. We might see something that you've forgotten." She raised her hands to cast the spell.
Spike moved out of range, "No bleeding way."
"Why not?" Willow asked. "It's the best source we've got."
Spike looked around for some help. There was no way in hell that he was going to let Willow dig around in his mind, especially about that night. He looked at Buffy for support but she was ignoring him. She was pacing around the shop, her hands alternating between holding her back and resting on her stomach.
Tara came to his rescue, "Don't," She told Willow. "If he doesn't want it then don't."
"We could learn something that could save the world," Willow protested. "Spike might have forgotten something that's important."
"Read their minds," Spike said, gesturing to Andrew and Jonathan. They'd wisely stayed quiet. "They've been Dru's lapdogs while she cooked up her scheme, they might know something."
"They don't remember anything," Giles said. "The past few months have been a blur. I suspect that Drusilla had them under some kind of mind control."
"You sure that they don't remember anything?" Buffy asked.
"Quite," Giles said in a tone that said exactly how he knew this.
"That's why we need Spike's memories," Willow said.
"No," Spike repeated. He was not going to let anyone see that night. They wouldn't find anything anyway and he didn't want to deal with the looks of disgust and horror that he'd get when they realized what had happened that night.
"Forget Spike's memories," Buffy snapped. "Let's just find the damn stone." She glared at everyone and then resumed her pacing.
Everyone, except Anya quickly turned back to their books or computer. Spike stepped away from the window and walked over to Buffy.
"You okay, luv?" Spike asked.
"I'm fine," Buffy snapped. She stopped and rubbed her back. "I think I might have hurt something when Drusilla pushed me. My back hurts more than usual." She glared at Spike, "Or it's your son sitting on a nerve."
Spike grinned, "Already getting on your nerves, that's my boy." He reached over and put his hand on her stomach. Nothing happened," Guess he sleeps during the day."
Buffy looked down at her stomach, "Definitly, he kicks all night." She looked up at him, her face surprisingly vulnerable, "If we don't stop Dante, then this baby won't have a chance."
"We'll stop him," Spike said.
"Is there something you're not telling us?" Buffy asked. "Something about that night?" She could tell that he wasn't telling the whole story.
"I've told you everything you need to know," Spike said.
Buffy accepted that. She knew that there were things about Spike that she didn't know, things that he'd done in the past. It was a different time, almost a different person and right now she didn't have the time or energy to argue about it. Spike wasn't going to risk her life, the baby's or even his own by withholding something important.
There was a flurry of activity over at the table. Spike and Buffy joined them to see what was going on.
"We found something," Dawn said.
"What?" Buffy asked.
"There's some mention of the stone that can defeat Dante," Giles explained. "It says that the powers given to the Slayer were taken from her and put into a stone."
"Which we already knew," Spike said. "Tell us something we don't."
"It says that the stone was hidden away. There's a vague reference to it appearing in Cleopatra's court. There's no mention of it after that."
"Any description?" Buffy asked.
Giles pointed to a drawing in the book. The stone was large and round. There was no reference of what color or what size the stone actually was.
"Great," Anya said, moving from her perch on the stairs. "That tells us...nothing."
"It tells us something," Willow said. "At least we have an idea of what to look for." She glanced at Anya, "Do you know anything about this?"
"Why should I?" Anya asked.
"You're a 1000 year old ex-demon," Willow pointed out. "Didn't the name Dante ever come up?"
"No," Anya said. "And before you ask I don't know anything about that stone either."
"What exactly is this stone supposed to do?" Dawn asked.
"It holds the power that was used to originally defeat Dante," Giles said. "If Dante is exposed to that stone the same power will destroy him once and for all."
"Couldn't we try to call the power of the past Slayers like we did before," Xander suggested. "Wouldn't that work the same as the stone?"
"No," Giles said. "According to this only the stone will destroy him."
"And no one knows how to find it," Willow said. "What if we did some kind of tracking spell? Something that could lead us right to where the stone is. If we followed it then we could stay ahead of Dante and maybe find the stone in time."
"Good theory," Anya said. "Except for that stone is probably buried somewhere in Europe or Africa. How are we supposed to get to it in time?"
"We can teleport," Willow said, excitedly. "I've studied the technique and I think I can do it."
"Willow," Tara said, cautiously. "I don't think that's a good idea. You've never tried that before and it would take more magic than you're supposed to use."
Willow shook her head, "We don't have time to worry about that. If I can teleport to that stone we'll have it and be able to stop Dante in time."
"No," Tara insisted. "It's too dangerous."
"What other choice do we have?" Willow asked. "We have no idea where this stone is and the blocking and protection spell isn't going to last forever."
"We can run," Anya suggested. "Dante can't be up to full power yet. If he had then he'd already be here. If we put some distance between us and Dante then we might be able to buy some time."
"That's not a bad idea," Xander said. "But where would we run to?"
"Los Angeles," Spike said. He hated the idea but had no choice. "Angel knows the legend a little better than I do and he has other resources that we don't." He gestured to Andrew and Jonathan, "We have their van and we could be there in three hours."
Giles nodded, "I hate to admit it but we're in over our heads here. We need more help." He looked around, "Any objections?"
No one objected. Even Willow had to admit that Anya's idea made the most sense. They needed help and Angel was probably the only one who could help. None of them really wanted to run but they'd already tried everything that they knew.
"Let's go then," Spike said. He wasn't in any hurry to see Angel again but he was anxious to put some between them and Dante.
"Wait," Buffy said. She had been strangely quiet during most of the discussion. She'd wandered over to the counter and was leaning against it, her hands on her stomach.
Spike hurried to her side, "Luv, what's wrong?"
Buffy let out the breath she had been holding, looked up and said, "Nothing, let's go."
"You sure?" Spike asked.
"I'm sure," Buffy snapped. "Let's go."
She brushed past Spike and stormed out of the Magic Box. Willow quickly lowered the barrier before Buffy could reach it. Then she and everyone else hurried after her, carrying books and other magic supplies they might need. Spike ran outside, covering himself with a blanket, and jumped into the back of the van.
Spike sat down on the floor behind the driver's seat and Buffy sat down next to him. Giles climbed into the driver's seat, with Xander in the passenger's seat. Anya sat on the floor behind him. Willow and Tara sat towards the back of the van with Dawn. Jonathan and Andrew were cowering in the farthest corner.
"Everyone ready?" Giles asked. He didn't wait for an answer. He started the van and drove as fast as he could in the direction of Los Angeles.
Chapter Sixty-Eight: Strange Thing, Mystifiying
"What exactly are we looking for?" Xander asked, staring a large book in front of him. "Because all I've gotten out of this is a headache."
"Well you'd better keeping looking," Spike snapped from his position at the window. He had been watching for any sign that Dante was nearby. "Because if we don't figure out a way to stop him a headache is going to be the least of your worries."
"There's no trace of Dante anywhere," Dawn said, looking up from the computer. She'd been searching on the internet for any mention of Dante.
"If both the Council and vampires were anxious to keep him under wraps then there isn't likely to be any trace of him," Giles said.
"We might find something if everyone would help," Willow said, taking a moment to look up and glare at Anya.
Anya was sitting on the stairs to the upper part of the store, a book was on her lap but she wasn't reading it. She was leaning against the railing, her eyes closed and her complexion reminded Spike of the demon that had been hanging out with Angel.
Anya opened her eyes and started to speak but Buffy spoke first, "Not now," She said, looking at both Anya and Willow. "Save it until later."
"There won't be a later if we don't find that stone," Willow said. She looked over at Spike, "Do you remember anything more about it?"
Spike shook his head, "No, I've told you everything I can about that night."
Willow studied him and said, "What if I cast a spell, one that would pull the memory of that night out of your head and show it to us, like it was a movie. We might see something that you've forgotten." She raised her hands to cast the spell.
Spike moved out of range, "No bleeding way."
"Why not?" Willow asked. "It's the best source we've got."
Spike looked around for some help. There was no way in hell that he was going to let Willow dig around in his mind, especially about that night. He looked at Buffy for support but she was ignoring him. She was pacing around the shop, her hands alternating between holding her back and resting on her stomach.
Tara came to his rescue, "Don't," She told Willow. "If he doesn't want it then don't."
"We could learn something that could save the world," Willow protested. "Spike might have forgotten something that's important."
"Read their minds," Spike said, gesturing to Andrew and Jonathan. They'd wisely stayed quiet. "They've been Dru's lapdogs while she cooked up her scheme, they might know something."
"They don't remember anything," Giles said. "The past few months have been a blur. I suspect that Drusilla had them under some kind of mind control."
"You sure that they don't remember anything?" Buffy asked.
"Quite," Giles said in a tone that said exactly how he knew this.
"That's why we need Spike's memories," Willow said.
"No," Spike repeated. He was not going to let anyone see that night. They wouldn't find anything anyway and he didn't want to deal with the looks of disgust and horror that he'd get when they realized what had happened that night.
"Forget Spike's memories," Buffy snapped. "Let's just find the damn stone." She glared at everyone and then resumed her pacing.
Everyone, except Anya quickly turned back to their books or computer. Spike stepped away from the window and walked over to Buffy.
"You okay, luv?" Spike asked.
"I'm fine," Buffy snapped. She stopped and rubbed her back. "I think I might have hurt something when Drusilla pushed me. My back hurts more than usual." She glared at Spike, "Or it's your son sitting on a nerve."
Spike grinned, "Already getting on your nerves, that's my boy." He reached over and put his hand on her stomach. Nothing happened," Guess he sleeps during the day."
Buffy looked down at her stomach, "Definitly, he kicks all night." She looked up at him, her face surprisingly vulnerable, "If we don't stop Dante, then this baby won't have a chance."
"We'll stop him," Spike said.
"Is there something you're not telling us?" Buffy asked. "Something about that night?" She could tell that he wasn't telling the whole story.
"I've told you everything you need to know," Spike said.
Buffy accepted that. She knew that there were things about Spike that she didn't know, things that he'd done in the past. It was a different time, almost a different person and right now she didn't have the time or energy to argue about it. Spike wasn't going to risk her life, the baby's or even his own by withholding something important.
There was a flurry of activity over at the table. Spike and Buffy joined them to see what was going on.
"We found something," Dawn said.
"What?" Buffy asked.
"There's some mention of the stone that can defeat Dante," Giles explained. "It says that the powers given to the Slayer were taken from her and put into a stone."
"Which we already knew," Spike said. "Tell us something we don't."
"It says that the stone was hidden away. There's a vague reference to it appearing in Cleopatra's court. There's no mention of it after that."
"Any description?" Buffy asked.
Giles pointed to a drawing in the book. The stone was large and round. There was no reference of what color or what size the stone actually was.
"Great," Anya said, moving from her perch on the stairs. "That tells us...nothing."
"It tells us something," Willow said. "At least we have an idea of what to look for." She glanced at Anya, "Do you know anything about this?"
"Why should I?" Anya asked.
"You're a 1000 year old ex-demon," Willow pointed out. "Didn't the name Dante ever come up?"
"No," Anya said. "And before you ask I don't know anything about that stone either."
"What exactly is this stone supposed to do?" Dawn asked.
"It holds the power that was used to originally defeat Dante," Giles said. "If Dante is exposed to that stone the same power will destroy him once and for all."
"Couldn't we try to call the power of the past Slayers like we did before," Xander suggested. "Wouldn't that work the same as the stone?"
"No," Giles said. "According to this only the stone will destroy him."
"And no one knows how to find it," Willow said. "What if we did some kind of tracking spell? Something that could lead us right to where the stone is. If we followed it then we could stay ahead of Dante and maybe find the stone in time."
"Good theory," Anya said. "Except for that stone is probably buried somewhere in Europe or Africa. How are we supposed to get to it in time?"
"We can teleport," Willow said, excitedly. "I've studied the technique and I think I can do it."
"Willow," Tara said, cautiously. "I don't think that's a good idea. You've never tried that before and it would take more magic than you're supposed to use."
Willow shook her head, "We don't have time to worry about that. If I can teleport to that stone we'll have it and be able to stop Dante in time."
"No," Tara insisted. "It's too dangerous."
"What other choice do we have?" Willow asked. "We have no idea where this stone is and the blocking and protection spell isn't going to last forever."
"We can run," Anya suggested. "Dante can't be up to full power yet. If he had then he'd already be here. If we put some distance between us and Dante then we might be able to buy some time."
"That's not a bad idea," Xander said. "But where would we run to?"
"Los Angeles," Spike said. He hated the idea but had no choice. "Angel knows the legend a little better than I do and he has other resources that we don't." He gestured to Andrew and Jonathan, "We have their van and we could be there in three hours."
Giles nodded, "I hate to admit it but we're in over our heads here. We need more help." He looked around, "Any objections?"
No one objected. Even Willow had to admit that Anya's idea made the most sense. They needed help and Angel was probably the only one who could help. None of them really wanted to run but they'd already tried everything that they knew.
"Let's go then," Spike said. He wasn't in any hurry to see Angel again but he was anxious to put some between them and Dante.
"Wait," Buffy said. She had been strangely quiet during most of the discussion. She'd wandered over to the counter and was leaning against it, her hands on her stomach.
Spike hurried to her side, "Luv, what's wrong?"
Buffy let out the breath she had been holding, looked up and said, "Nothing, let's go."
"You sure?" Spike asked.
"I'm sure," Buffy snapped. "Let's go."
She brushed past Spike and stormed out of the Magic Box. Willow quickly lowered the barrier before Buffy could reach it. Then she and everyone else hurried after her, carrying books and other magic supplies they might need. Spike ran outside, covering himself with a blanket, and jumped into the back of the van.
Spike sat down on the floor behind the driver's seat and Buffy sat down next to him. Giles climbed into the driver's seat, with Xander in the passenger's seat. Anya sat on the floor behind him. Willow and Tara sat towards the back of the van with Dawn. Jonathan and Andrew were cowering in the farthest corner.
"Everyone ready?" Giles asked. He didn't wait for an answer. He started the van and drove as fast as he could in the direction of Los Angeles.