Magics So Deep
Morning finally dawned in London and Buffy found herself slumped over on the couch in the parlor. William was sitting in the chair opposite her, just staring into the empty fireplace. She quickly sat up, smoothing her hair as best she could.
"William, are you alright?"
He didn't speak. His eyes were glued to the dead, charred remnants of yesterday's fire, as if he were in his own little world. He didn't even blink.
Buffy bit the inside of her lip before she stood and left him alone. She climbed the stairs slowly, as if the movement caused her pain. Something in the pit of her stomach was beginning to churn uncomfortably, like the feeling you got when you think you've failed a test. The hallway on the second floor had the faint smell of death as she made her way to her bedroom. She assumed her seat by the window and stared out at the early morning. The street was barren, too early for even the street vendors to be hawking their wares. Buffy assumed that the doctor and his assistants had taken Anne's body away, what with the increased chance of disease spreading. She glanced down at the ring that had started all of this and let out a sigh.
"Why am I here?"
She got no response. She'd almost given up trying to figure out a way to get home. After all she had no idea what specifically about the ring had sent her here in the first place. What she wouldn't give for Giles' massive book collection at that moment. What she wouldn't give for Giles himself. She stared out the window for a few minutes longer before changing into a new dress and freshening up. By the time she returned to the parlor William had at least moved to a standing position. She took quiet steps into the room so as not to startle him and placed a hand on his arm. He looked at her, his eyes vacant.
"You should eat something."
He tried to form words but he found his throat was coarse, like roughly hewn wood. She simply led him by the hand into the dining room. As best she could, she prepared a meager breakfast of bread and jam and some lukewarm porridge. They ate together in silence but not the content silence they had developed. This was hollow and strained. Buffy could read the pain in his features and it tugged at her heartstrings. Finally, as they both set down their utensils, William spoke.
"We…we will have to have a service."
"Right…of course."
"She wanted to be buried at the parish on the Eastern side of town." He spoke as if it took immense energy to get out each word.
"We can do that…where did they take her?"
"The undertaker. Oh God, Anne." Tears began to roam free down his cheeks again and his body shook with grief.
Buffy reached out and wrapped his hand in her own. "You'll be alright. She'd want you to be strong for her."
"She's really gone. I loved her so very much."
"I know you did. And your mother knew that too."
--
The free period seemed to fly by. Both Willow and Xander were so wrapped up in their research that neither heard the bell.
'Find anything?" Xander asked, closing a book and resting his head on it.
"Nothing. We don't even know what we're looking for." Willow turned to look at Giles. "Did you find anything?"
Giles cleared his throat. "I…I'm afraid not. You're right. We don't have any idea what we're looking for. We have no idea what sort of spell may have been used or who had cast it."
Xander's eyes lit up. "What about Amy? You know…she was into the black arts."
"Amy's a rat, Xander. Pretty sure she can't cast spells. Besides, why would she want to send Buffy to the past?"
"Oh…right. Good point."
Giles just watched them and shook his head. They weren't going to get anywhere theorizing about impossibilities.
"You two should go to class." He hated having to send them away, especially when they could be useful in finding answers. But the librarian in him couldn't reconcile keeping them from their classes.
"But Giles…we can help…and besides I don't feel much like learning."
Both Giles and Xander looked surprised at Willow's comment.
"Who are you and what have you done with Willow? What kind of crazy world is this?" Xander asked.
Willow just rolled her eyes. "I just…can't focus on school with Buffy missing, is all. I just wish we had more to go on."
Before Giles could say anything more, the phone in his office began to ring. His brow creased in confusion as he went to answer it.
"Hello?"
"Rupert, it's Joyce."
"Oh, hello. Um, is everything alright?"
"I was just…have you found anything?"
"No I'm afraid not. I promise we'll call you first thing we have something." He hated having to repeat those words, admitting their defeat. He knew how anxious Joyce must be and it bothered him that they couldn't give her better news.
He returned to the main library to find Willow and Xander swapping books. Neither seemed to notice he'd taken the call. Resigning himself to the fact that he could not make them leave, he sat down across from Xander and picked up a book.
Out in the hallway, Snyder stood glaring at the students as they passed by on their way to class. How he loathed them but he had no choice but to be in the school. Cordelia and her friends walked by and he just shook his head.
"Students. I hate student." He began to walk back to his office when he collided with a man. Snyder looked up in annoyance. "Watch where you're going."
"So sorry. I was hoping you could tell me where I might find the library."
Snyder raised an eyebrow at the man's accent. He looked familiar but he couldn't figure out why. Something about the face but whatever the connection was, Snyder wasn't going to make it standing there. "That way." He pointed behind him.
"Thanks mate." The man walked away, a small grin on his face. He reached the library and was about to walk in when he heard voices from within. He peered through one of the circular windows to see three people sitting at a table surrounded by books.
"Bugger it!" He let go of the door and started to back away. Unfortunately he used more force than he intended and the door squeaked loudly. "Damn!"
From within, Giles looked up. "Is someone there?" he called out. Giles moved to stick his head out the doorway but found the hallway to be empty. "Strange."
A short distance away, the other man stood heaving for breath. Something had gone wrong. The spell hadn't worked. He shook his head. There wasn't time for aggravation. He could still complete his plan. It would simply take a little finesse.
--
Morning blurred into afternoon and Buffy found herself sitting in the parlor once more, just sitting by William's side. She'd tried to convince him to go to the parish to discuss having a service for Anne but he could barely make it from one room to the next. Secretly, Buffy was getting tired of it. Shortly after their mid-day meal, she stood up and crossed her arms over chest.
"William, get up. We're going out. No more moping around the house."
He simply looked at her. How dare this woman tell him what to do in his own home? He opened his mouth to lash out but found he couldn't. He knew, deep down, she was only trying to help.
"I…I can't, Anne."
"Yes, you can." She took him by the hand and dragged him to his feet.
She ignored his protests as she led him out of he house and across town to the parish. She allowed him to collect himself before talking to the priest. Buffy stood by and watched the two men discuss the arrangements. She'd learned enough in the short time she'd been in the time to know that women, outside the home were to keep quiet when men transacted business of any kind. When William finally shook the Father's hand and joined her by the gate, Buffy could tell he was near tears again.
"May we go home now?" he asked, his voice weak with emotion.
"Let's go home."
They took the long way back to the house. They could both use the air. The house had definitely taken on an unpleasant smell.
"So…when's the service?"
"Two days from now. It will give us time to prepare."
She squeezed his hand. "Good. That's…good."
As they continued walking, Buffy began to sense that something was following them. The sky was still bright with sunlight so it couldn't be vampires. Nonetheless she glanced behind her. The street was vacant.
"Something wrong?" William inquired.
"No. I just thought I heard something."
The following two days passed as somberly as the others since Anne's passing. Still, Buffy managed to keep William's spirits up even if it meant just sitting by the fire with him and reading. The day of the service however, William was up with the sun, racing about the house trying to keep himself occupied. He tried not to think of the sad and sympathetic looks he would receive from his fellow mourners.
"William, sit down and eat something. You've been running around all day."
"I…I can't sit, Anne. I'm too…nervous."
"Nothing's going to happen…nothing bad anyway. I promise."
He gave her a small smile and an appreciative glance. She was just as good to him as his mother had been. Perhaps it was a stroke of fate that Anne had walked into his life at just that right moment.
Afternoon slowly began to melt into evening and Buffy made sure to bring a stake or two just in case. She and William linked arms, making their way out to the parish. The plot had been dug and the coffin lay in the ground. William did his best to keep his composure as the priest began the ceremony.
Just beyond the gate two figures stood watching. They were hidden from the last vestiges of the sun by the thick leaves of the tress. Neither of them spoke as the priest read on from the Bible. Finally the taller of the figures broke the silence.
"We will suck the life out of them both, my sweet."
"How can you be certain. She kills our kind, Angelus. Not even you can survive a stake through the heart."
"I won't have to my dear. She won't have time enough to breathe when I bleed her dry. I'm going to enjoy her. I've always wanted to taste a Slayer."