Chapter 8: Restoring a Soul
*****Where We Left Off*****
Everyone looked at Willow. "A vampire's soul can be restored. I've restored Angel's twice. Spike got his back—those are friends of ours," Willow explained.
"Will, you can't go around curing vampirism by giving them back their souls. There's no way to predict how a person would react to all that guilt anyway. Besides, we've unbalanced things enough," Xander said with a pointed look.
"If you can do it, please, you must!" Sara begged, tears in her eyes. "I died and came back to find my father and Oliver dead. I can't have my sister a monster! Please!"
"If you can restore Laurel, we need you to do it," Felicity told her sister, giving her a beseeching look of her own.
"Are you sure?" Diggle asked. The supernatural gave him the wiggins, but he couldn't deny the things he'd seen the past few months.
"I think you all have lost enough," Willow said, her eyes full of compassion. "If I can do this, Xan, I should."
Xander sighed, reluctantly agreeing. "Fine. It won't be easy to find the ingredients for the spell," he reminded her.
"I know. Let's get started," Willow said. She looked at Malcolm. "You need to go find some vamps or something to kill—make yourself useful."
Malcolm nodded and slipped out. The Arrow team noticeably relaxed at his absence.
"I hate that guy," Roy grumbled.
"He's a tool. We can use him. When he's no longer useful, I'll deal with him," Willow assured them. "I'll call you guys when I'm ready to do the spell." She left and Xander followed.
"That's your sister? She's hot!" Sara said with a cheeky grin.
"She's single and gay," Felicity said with a suggestive wink, causing the guys to laugh and tension to leave the room.
"So how exactly are you back?" Roy asked Sara. "You were dead for months. How is it possible?"
"Nyssa dug up my body when she came to town looking for me. She took me to her father, but he never told her his Pit worked. The Lazarus Pit is the source of his power. He's been alive a lot longer than the fifty years his body looks," she shared. "He brought me back with the Pit and kept me in seclusion. Nyssa only found out recently that I was alive."
"So he killed Oliver for nothing?" Felicity asked in outrage.
"Oliver lied when he claimed he killed me. He was protecting Malcolm Merlyn," Sara said in disgust.
"He wasn't protecting Malcolm; he was protecting Thea," Felicity pointed out.
"You know he drugged, Thea? She really didn't know what she was doing. Finding out almost destroyed her," Roy shared.
Sara nodded. "I know that the Thea I've known and loved would never willingly hurt me," she said.
"How did you escape? " Felicity asked.
"Rumors of the darkness spreading in Starling reached Ra's. News of my father's death was given to him. I didn't believe it, though. I begged Ra's to release me so that I could come back home," Sara explained. "He would only do so if I vowed to stay away from Nyssa."
"Harsh," Roy said with a wince.
Felicity hugged her. "I'm so sorry! But I'm so happy you're back!" she exclaimed. For a long moment, she clung to Sara, absorbing her strength. Then she pulled back, her eyes filled with tears. "You're back but Oliver's gone."
A single tear rolled down Sara's cheek. "I know," she said. "Did he ever realize he loved you?"
Felicity was surprised by the question and blushed as she nodded. She gave the guys a glance. They didn't know his last words, not fully. "He did. He told me after our one failed date before pushing me away. Then again before he left," she shared.
Sara gave her a sad smile. "He finally woke up," Sara said. "He always was stubborn—and slow."
Diggle chuckled, but Felicity looked stricken. "I never said it back; I was afraid of losing him," she admitted.
Sara gave her a sympathetic look, putting her hand on Felicity's shoulder. "He knew," she said confidently.
"You think so?" Felicity asked hopefully.
"Everyone knew!" Roy exclaimed with a grin.
Felicity smiled, wiping her cheeks. "It's been so hard without him," she shared.
"But we have help now," Roy reminded her. "Your sister, Xander, and the slayers."
"Slayers?" Sara asked.
"Willow and Xander are best friends with the original vampire slayer, Buffy Summers. When they battled the first evil, Willow activated all the potential slayers in the world—there's hundreds of them. We have a dozen here fighting with us," Felicity explained.
"I've never heard of them," Sara said. Then she frowned. "Ra's mentioned running into a group that was formidable. He never explained."
"They're superpowered. Extremely strong, heal fast, and fight like you," Felicity said, grinning.
"They've been a big help," Diggle said.
"So tell me about this sister. I didn't know you even had one," Sara said.
"I didn't know either. Xander suggested we might be related because we are both brilliant, babbling hackers," Felicity said, grinning. "He was right. She's my half-sister. I did a DNA test. Same father."
"That's amazing, Felicity," Sara said, happy for her.
"She's teaching me magic!" Felicity said excitedly. "She says I can be a witch, too, like her."
"Is that what she is?" Sara asked.
"Oh, I guess we didn't really explain," Felicity said with a sheepish smile. "She's into Wicca. She's Jewish, too, like me, but she's into magic, obviously, since she's a witch. I guess, it's something that can be genetic. She says some people like Xander have no nature ability and can barely be part of a spell. Others like her mentor Giles can practice magic by learning spells. Then there are some like us that have a natural ability—kind of like Roy for fighting and flipping around."
"Do you really think she can restore my sister?" Sara asked, afraid to hope. Laurel was silent, only glaring down at them.
"I do. She can do incredible, unbelievable things," Felicity said. "By activating the potential slayers, she changed the world."
"I just want my big sister," she said in a forlorn voice.
"If it can be done, you'll get her back. We all will," Felicity said, giving her a reassuring smile. "Where are you staying? Does your mom know you're back?"
Sara looked pained at the mention of her mother. "She's already buried and mourned me twice. How can I put her through this again?" she asked.
"How can you not?" Roy asked pointedly. "If I had a parent that loved me, I'd want them to know I was alive."
"Does she know about my sister?" Sara wondered.
Felicity shook her head. "Your father never told her," Felicity answered. "He really believed he could get through to Laurel. He didn't understand that her soul was gone, replaced by a demon. He believed in her so much."
"Right up until she killed him," Diggle said grimly. His words hung in the air as no one had a response.
"So back to my original question," Felicity said to her, changing the subject. "Do you have a place to stay?"
"I'll find some place," she said with a shrug.
"You can stay with me," Felicity offered. "Or you can crash at the Queen mansion with the slayers."
Sara considered. "I just left a group of fighters. I'm not very social these days," she said, wrinkling her nose in distaste at the thought.
"What? No desire for a slumber party with a dozen hot girls?" Roy asked with a teasing grin.
Sara smiled. "Since you put it that way…," she said with a laugh. "But no. I'll stay with you if that's okay."
"It's perfect," Felicity said. "Let's go."
"What about Laurel?" Sara asked, gesturing.
"She'll be fine. I'll stop by the butchers in the morning and bring her some blood," Felicity said even though the idea filled her with distaste.
Sara nodded reluctantly. "Okay. I guess we can go," she said.
*****Two Days Later*****
Sara spent the two days working out and keeping an eye on Laurel, who taunted her with vile things. The more hours that passed, the more Sara realized just what Xander had meant. That thing hanging slightly suspended was not her sister.
When Felicity came in with Xander and Willow, she threw down the baton. "Please tell me you have the stuff! I can't handle listening to her anymore!" she complained.
Willow gave her a sympathetic look. "I know it's rough. Just remember. That is a demon in your sister's body, using her memories to torment you," she said. "Good news, though. I got the last ingredient I needed to give Laurel back her soul. The orb needed is particularly rare. It's what the soul will be housed in when I call it forth. Then I'll put it in Laurel."
"Really?" Sara asked excitedly.
"Yes. We'll do the spell in two hours. I want Dig and Roy to be here because I promised I'd wait for them," Willow said.
"How's this going to work?" Felicity asked her.
"I just have to get Osiris to release the soul and that's mostly it," Willow said with a shrug.
"You've done this before, right?" Sara asked.
Willow nodded. "My best friend Buffy was in love with a vampire, who had a soul back in high school. But Angel was cursed. One moment of happiness with Buffy and the soul was gone. I put it back twice," she said.
"Good. I just want her to be the person that she was," Sara said, looking up at Laurel, who was glaring.
"You think giving me back my soul is going to make me like you more? You're still the tramp who slept with my boyfriend and lied about being dead for years!" Laurel snarled.
"Ignore her," Willow said, putting her hand on Sara's shoulder. "It won't be easy to be burdened with the knowledge that her dad is dead. But we can make sure she understands that it wasn't her that killed him anymore than it was Angel who put me in the hospital and killed my favorite teacher back in high school."
"You've lived a very strange life, haven't you?" Sara said in bemusement.
"You don't even know the half of it," Willow said with a wink.
"We were going to get some dinner before working the spell," Felicity said. "Do you want to come with us?"
"Are you going?" Sara asked Willow.
"No. They're going to bring me back something. I want to work on the spell," Willow said.
"Is it okay if I stay and help?" Sara asked.
"Sure," Willow said, giving her a bright smile.
"We'll bring you back a burger," Felicity said.
"With onion rings," Sara asked, smiling. "Thanks."
Felicity and Xander went to the nearest Big Belly Burger. As Felicity slid into a booth across from him, she realized that this was the first time they'd eaten together without Willow there. Suddenly, she felt nervous.
Xander must've read her mind. "Strange not having Willow here, huh?" he asked, giving her an easy smile.
"It's okay," Felicity said, giving him a warm smile. She liked Xander. He made her feel oddly comforted and safe at the same time. It was weird because he wasn't the fighter that Oliver had been. Maybe it was the way he carried himself—always watchful.
"See if you keep smiling at me like that then I may start getting ideas and that way leads to badness. I have rotten track recorded with women," Xander said with a rueful grin.
Felicity's eyes widened in surprise. "What?" she asked. She wasn't prepared for him to notice her as a woman and not just Willow's younger sister. Felicity wasn't sure if she wanted any man to look at her ever again.
"You're beautiful, brave, brilliant, and funny. And single. I am three of those things myself," Xander said with a cocky grin.
Felicity laughed. "Beautiful, brave, and funny?" she inquired.
"Brave, funny, and single," he corrected. "Perpetually single." He gave a sad sigh.
"So bad luck with the ladies, huh? You've never dated one of the slayers?" she asked curiously.
Xander shook his head and shuddered. "Those girls are like my sisters. I've got dozens and dozens of pesky, annoying sisters!" he declared. "I crushed on Buffy when she moved to our high school. She turned me down. Then I got possessed by the spirt of a hyena and almost raped her while the rest of the pack was busy eating the principal. Then I almost got raped myself by a substitute teacher that turned into a giant preying mantis. She would've eaten me afterward if Buffy hadn't saved me. Then there was a sweet little mummy girl, who had to kill others to say alive. I could go on but that way leads to madness!" Xander said with shudder.
"Wow! And I thought my hacker ex who went to prison was embarrassing!" Felicity said.
Xander scoffed. "Prison? Try an ex-vengeance demon. My only real love Anya was a 1000-year-old ex-vengeance demon, specializing in giving payback on the behalf of scorned men!" he shared.
"I feel really boring in comparison," Felicity said. "Just regular heartbreak."
"I had that with my only serious high school girlfriend, Cordelia," Xander said. "But I had my first sexual experience with Faith, the dark slayer. It was so fast that I'm not sure what happened."
"Not a fond memory? I thought first times with guys didn't matter except for the bragging rights," Felicity said. Although she spent most of her time with men, none had ever been so frank with her. It was nice.
"I'm best friends with a girl, so I have feelings!" Xander boasted.
Felicity laughed, enjoying him. When their food arrived, it was easy to forget for a brief time the hell that seemed to always await outside the restaurant doors.
After an hour, they took back food to their friends. Willow gave them a curious look. "I'm starving! What took so long?" she asked, grabbing the bag from Xander.
"We were having a good time what can I say?" Xander said with a shrug and a wink.
"Really?" Willow asked with interest. She looked back and forth between the two. "So do you guys have sparkage?"
"What?" Felicity said, suddenly feeling strange as everyone stared at her.
"Are you attracted to my Xander? 'Cause that would be like the best news ever!" Willow said gleefully.
Xander held up a hand to stop her. "Sheesh! Can't a guy enjoy a simple meal with a pretty girl without you playing match maker?" he asked.
Willow pouted. "So sue me for thinking the idea of my best friend and sister is the best idea ever!" she complained.
"Do I get a say?" Felicity asked with a pointed look.
"You don't like Xander?" Willow asked, a note of shock in her voice.
Felicity gave Sara a beseeching look. "Of course, I do!" she replied.
"How about instead of harassing Felicity, who isn't quite over Oliver's death and doesn't want you match making, you focus on the spell?" Sara declared.
Diggle and Roy exchanged glances. Even though they'd grown to like and respect Xander, they weren't quite ready for Oliver's presence to be gone from their lives.
"Fine," Willow said in resignation. The idea, though, of Felicity and Xander had been birthed weeks ago. She wasn't about to drop the subject forever. However, she was smart and knew not to push. Her new baby sister was still hurting over Oliver. They spent about ten minutes eating. Then Willow announced that it was time and walked to the small table that Sara had moved in front of Laurel. Not so close, though, that she could kick out if she somehow got loosened from her magical restraints.
"Is it time?" Felicity asked, casting an anxious look up at Laurel, who was glaring malevolently at all of them.
"It is," Willow said. She looked at Sara. "Are you ready?"
Sara nodded. They all spread out, encasing Laurel in a circle. Felicity stood on Willow's right, wanting to watch what she did. Sara was on her left while the men were behind her for the most part.
Sara watched as Willow worked her magic. She stared at the beautiful redhead in awe. Power was coming off her in waves. When she called out to Osiris and the glass orb lit up, Sara blinked.
"Is that it?" she asked.
"Not quite. I got her soul. Now I've just got to place it back in her body," Willow said.
It wasn't long before Laurel screamed in agony or anger and then slumped over, appearing unconscious in her magical restraints.
"That should do it," Willow informed them.
"Really?" Felicity asked, her mouth agape.
"Yep," Willow said.
They all stared at Laurel and waited.
******To Be Continued******