In Her Hands
A/N: It's up to Buffy to grant the Shanshu Prophesy to either Angel or Spike, who will she chose? The love of her life Angel or the vampire that's stuck by her side throughout everything. And how will she react when she knows Spike is alive?
CHAPTER FIVE
'Bittersweet Memories'
*You turn me off at the push of a button
And you pretend that I don't mean nothing
I'm not a saint that's easy to tell
But guess what honey you ain't no angel*
Angel and Spike alongside Faith stood in the middle of the desert.
"Are you sure it's here?" Asked Faith
"According to Wes... He's never wrong" sighed Angel
"Okay so what happens now? I make with the bleeding then what?"
"You spill a few droplets of blood on to the earth, I say the incantation, the monastery appears and Spike and I go in find out who gets the prophesy..." Said Angel
"Right then let's get this show on the road" smirked Spike surveying the area
"Look I'm all for you being a real boy but what if Blondie gets the mojo?" Whispered Faith
"Then it was meant to be, this prophesy is hundreds of years old" said Angel
"But all your good deeds will go unrewarded"
"That's the thing about redemption Faith, maybe there is no reward. You know that"
"C'mon let's do this thing before the sun comes up and we get dusty" Spike complained
"Ready?" Asked Angel
Faith nodded and slit the palm of her hand with a knife
"Monasterium surgere populum, in lucem veritas" Angel spoke the incantation. "Sit fortissimus vivere"
"Rise monastery of the people; let the truth come to light" Spike spoke "let the champion live"
The sandy earth began to tremble and crack, as a huge building pushed its way to the surface.
"Whoa" Spike gasped
"Pretty bitchin' huh?" Faith smiled "Slayer blood is a pretty powerful thing"
"You're not wrong" Spike smiled
"Good luck" Said Faith walking away from the vampires
"Are you ready for this?" Asked Spike
"Ready as I'll ever be" Angel told him, as they both walked up to the monastery
XXXXX
Buffy walked through the door of her apartment to find her sister and her friend gathered around the kitchen table "hey guys" she smiled
"You're back!" Dawn hollered pulling her sister into a hug
"Yeah" Buffy smiled embracing her
"How was it?" Asked Willow
Buffy sighed heavily "Uh not easy" she admitted "Just going back there gave me the wiggins, I mean it's just a crater now and it still gives off that evil vibe, and once you get past that it's just filled with memories" she bit her lip to stop herself from crying
"I wish you would have told us you were going Buff" said Xander
"I would've but... It was something I had to do on my own y'know, just get it outta my system" she smiled
"Well I'm glad you're back, one of the baby slayers called apparently there's been some sort of magical disturbance in Vegas" said Dawn
"Vegas? That's Faith's jurisdiction..." Buffy told her
"Yeah but she couldn't get hold of her, one of the slayers down there said she was on a secret mission" said Dawn
"Oh... Okay uh I'll see if I can reach her, if not I guess it's another road trip to Vegas" Buffy sighed
XXXXX
Angel and Spike walked along the candle lit corridor for what seemed like hours. Finally they reached a door with carvings of demons and slayers over it; it seemed as if the carvings told a story.
"Weird" said Angel studying the door
"What is?" Asked Spike
"The carvings... They seem awfully familiar to me"
"Right... Well the door isn't gunna open itself" said Spike going ahead and giving the door a shove.
As the door burst open, several demons snapped their heads to look in their direction
"Oh very smart" Angel groaned as they came rushing towards them.
"I didn't know there'd be demons did I?!" Spike groaned.
One of the demons swung a sword in Spike's direction he managed to block it and disarm his opponent, before several more demons attacked him
Angel wasn't doing much better he was surrounded by four of them, he did as only he knew and threw a series of punches followed by roundhouse kick after roundhouse kick. It seemed these demons were surely getting the better of the pair of vampires on the road to redemption.
XXXXX
Faith walked back to her truck and got inside she noticed her cell phone flash, she had a few missed calls of some of the girls she was training... And Buffy.
"Well that can't be good" she said to herself, calling Buffy back.
"Hey B" she greeted
"Faith where are you? The girls are worried said you haven't checked in" Faith could hear the panic in Buffy's voice
"It's all good, I'm fine. What's up?" She asked
"Uh one of the girls called and said that there had been a magical disturbance, an earthquake but definitely of the magical variety. What's going on?" Buffy asked
"Okay B I'm gunna have to ask you to calm down a little okay? There was a magical disturbance, I was the disturber okay? There is nothing for you to worry your pretty little head about alright?" Faith reassured
"You were the magical disturber? Why?" She asked
"A friend needed a favour" she told her
"What kind of favour? Are you evil again?"
Faith laughed "No, it was Angel I had to help him out with something."
"Angel?"
"Don't worry everything is under control. Now I've gotta get back to slayer central and give those girls a talk about what 'only call Buffy in emergencies mean' okay?"
"Okay... Faith just be careful"
"I will goodnight B" Faith hung up the phone. She desperately wanted to tell her about Angel and the fact that Spike was alive but she had been sworn to secrecy by Spike and perhaps he had a good reason, because if he didn't she knew that Buffy would go all kinds of Jackie Chan on his ass.
XXXXX
Spike had just got done beheading his last demon, whilst Angel lay battered and surrounded by body parts of the demons they'd just taken out. Spike slumped to the floor.
"Well not that, that wasn't fun but I don't wanna do it again" Spike sighed
"Right there with ya" Angel groaned sitting up.
"So we just came for a beat down? Makes a change from the last time we went on this mission we just beat the hell out of each other" Said Spike
"I remember" said Angel wincing at the gash that ran along his torso.
"You're looking in bad shape mate"
"I'm fine, let's just get this over with" he said as he staggered to his feet
"I'd say it's pretty much just the beginning" said a woman dressed in white with a radiant light around her.
XXXXX
"So did Buffy tell you what Faith helped Angel with?" Asked Xander
"Nope she didn't say, is he still working for that evil law firm?" Asked Dawn
"As far as we know" said Willow
"Maybe we should look into it" said Xander
"You don't trust him?" Asked Willow
"He's not exactly got a good track record when it comes to not being evil" he reminded them.
"Neither has Faith" Dawn raised an eyebrow
"Good point maybe we should find out what's going on" said Willow.
XXXXX
Angel stood in awe at the figure before him "Cordy?"
"Hey" she smiled
"What is going on?" He asked
"So I guess when I said one last job for the powers that be was a little incorrect. I'm your spirit guide"
"Spirit guide? For what?"
"Where's my sodding spirit guide!" Spike complained
"Same old Spike" a familiar voice was heard
"Glinda?" He asked
Tara stood beside Cordelia both of them looking beautiful as ever.
"Answered your question Spike?" Asked Cordelia. "Now c'mon we've got a few things to show you before you see him"
"Him? Who's him?" Asked Angel following them into another room with a large baptismal font in the centre of the room that lit the room with it bright white light.
"What the bloody hell is this?" Asked Spike
"It's a baptismal font full of the worst things the two of you have ever done. One memory is picked out by your subconscious and replayed to yourself" said Tara
"And what's that gunna do?" Asked Angel
"Make things clear" smiled Cordelia "Who's first?"
Angel sighed heavily "Me"
XXXXX
Willow, Xander and Dawn sat around the kitchen table with various books and snacks scattered around them. Buffy entered the apartment with her school books under her arm.
"Whatcha doing?" She asked
Immediately Xander and Dawn shut their books and Willow closed her laptop "Nothing" they replied in unison
"Well that pretty much means something doesn't it" she said moving closer to the kitchen table and picking up a book "The Encyclopaedia of the Occult?" Buffy raised an eyebrow.
"What's that doing here?" Xander asked nervously
Buffy proceeded to pick up another book and read the title aloud "A book of Pagan Rituals? Guys what's going on?"
"Angel's evil!" Xander blurted
"What?" Buffy asked
"Jump the gun much Xander!" Willow threw him a look "He's not evil at least we don't think so, we're just trying to work out what he asked Faith to do, y'know seeing as how she's being all secretive maybe there's something we should know" Willow babbled
Buffy sighed "Maybe you're right..." She took a seat "What do you have so far?"
XXXXX
Angel stepped up to the font "now what?" He asked
"Look deep into the light" said Cordelia
As he looked into the font he saw glimpses and flashes of his past bad deeds, then one became clear.
*Romany 1898*
Angelus lay on a bed, with red silk threads. He lay still and thoughtful, Darla burst through the door with a young girl in her clutches.
"Hello lover" she smiled "I brought you a gift" she threw the girl over to him
She whimpered as she fell on to the bed next to him.
"Darla my love, how sweet" he licked his lips seductively. He slipped into his vamp face and slid his fangs into the girl's neck, she cried out until he had drained her of life.
*The Next Evening*
Angel and the rest of his group had been hunted down by the gypsy family of the girl he killed the previous night, he ran through a wood until he reached the camp, where the young girl's body lay dressed in white with rose petals covering her lifeless body. He panted hard, as he fell to his feet in front of the bonfire in the middle of the camp. They had chased him there.
"Nici mort, nici al fiinţei, Te invoc spirit al trecerii. Redă trupului ce separe omul de animal" the elder woman spoke with her hands cast above an orb "asa sa fie"
Angelus stared over at the elder woman as she continued to chant.
"Utrespur aceastui" she chanted.
The orb glowed brightly for a few seconds then faded to black.
*Present Date*
Angel stepped back tears streaming down his face. He gasped as he felt the pain of the young girl's family.
"Angel..." Said Cordelia "Did you see what you needed to?" She asked
"Yes" he sobbed.
"Spike you're next..." Tara smiled thinly
Spike stepped up to the font, again glimpses and flashes of his bad deeds floated around in the font, as his vision became clearer.
*Sunnydale 2002*
Spike slipped in through Buffy's front door, and heard the water running upstairs. He placed his leather duster at the bottom of the hand rail and headed upstairs.
He braced himself before opening the door, with a sigh he opened it. And saw Buffy clutching her back.
"You hurt? You're not moving so well" he noticed
Buffy sighed as she stood by the sink "Get out" she spat not making eye contact with him
"We have to talk" he said closing the door behind him
"I really don't" she managed to look at him. If looks could stake he'd be a goner.
"Well this isn't just about you... As much as you'd like it to be"
"You spoke. I listened. Now leave" she said crossing her arms over her chest
Spike sighed a little "I'm sorry. Not that it matters anymore, but I needed you to know that"
"Why?" She asked
"Because I care about you"
"Then you might wanna try the not sleeping with my friends"
"I didn't go to Anya for that. I was looking for a spell"
"You were gunna use a spell on me?!" She asked completely outraged.
"It wasn't for you! I wanted something" he placed his hand on his chest "anything to make these feelings stop! I just wanted it to stop!"
Buffy looked taken aback by his comments
"You should have let him kill me" he sighed
"I couldn't do that" she said softly
"Why?" He asked
"You know why" she said moving toward the tub
"Because you love me"
"No I don't" she said harshly, turning the taps off
"Why do you keep lying to yourself?" He asked
"How many times-" she quickly composed herself "I have feelings for you, I do. But it's not love, I could never trust you enough for it to be love"
Spike laughs "Trust is for old marrieds, Buffy. Great love is wild and passionate and dangerous. It burns and consumes"
"Until there's nothing left, love like that doesn't last!"
"I know you feel like I do" he paces around her "you don't have to hide it anymore"
"Spike, please stop this" she rolls her eyes
He puts his hands on her waist and pulls her towards him, immediately Buffy resists
"No..."
"You love me"
"Ow, no. Stop it" she tries to push him away.
They struggle as Spike tries to kiss and grope Buffy.
"Spike, what are you-"
Buffy loses her balance and cracks her back on the edge of the tub.
"Ow" Buffy cried out "Spike I'm hurt!"
She fell to the floor, groaning in pain. Spike climbs on top of her still trying to kiss her as she continues to fight him off.
"Let it go, let yourself love me" he pleaded
Buffy slides onto her stomach trying to get towards the door, but Spike pins her down preventing her from getting to the door.
"No! Stop it" Buffy cried
"I know you felt it... When I was inside you" he said still tugging on her robe.
"No, ow, Spike please" she sobbed "Please Spike please"
"You'll feel it again Buffy"
"Please don't do this" she sobs even more
"I'm gunna make you feel it" he said ripping the front of her robe open
"Stop!" Buffy screams, with one last surge of slayer strength she sends him crashing into the sink and the wall, she scrambled to her feet closing the front of her robe.
Spike climbs to his feet.
"Ask me again why I could never love you" she sobbed, shaking in fear.
Suddenly Spike realises what he's done "Buffy, my god. I didn't-"
"Because I stopped you!" She said through gritted teeth "something I should've done a long time ago"
Tears run down Buffy's face, as Spike stands in front of her looking horrified at what he just tried to do.
*Present Date*
Spike fell to his knees, shaking with emotion.
"Spike..." Tara laid a hand on his shoulder. "C'mon" she gave him a reassuring smile.
Spike looked over at Angel, he still looked the same as when he finished his trip down memory lane.
"Are you okay?" Asked Angel
"M' fine, let's get this over with" said Spike wiping the tears from his eyes.
XXXXX
"Maybe we should just call Angel, see if he's evil?" Dawn pouted slamming down yet another useless book.
"Good idea Dawnie, nothing says we're on to you like a 'hey are you evil?' Conversation" Buffy quipped
"Y'know that's not such a bad idea" said Willow
Buffy raised an eyebrow
"Not calling Angel but maybe calling Wesley or Fred?"
"And you think they'll give us the info we need?" Asked Xander
"Worth a shot?" Willow shot him her resolve face picking up the phone.