If There Was No Buffy

Chapter Seven

Plans of Action

"Tara, why don't you look for that locator spell? Spike, I know you don't think you need anything, but if you're going out Slayer hunting tonight, I'd feel a whole lot better if you took a weapon or two with you. Something not deadly, but defensive."

"I'll see what I can find. Dawn, care to help me?"

"Sure!"

"In the meantime," Willow continued, "I'm going to give Angel a call. I think it would be a good idea if he gets Wesley to call the Council to see if these Slayers are really real, and if Giles is supposed to be with them."

After a few minutes Spike and Dawn came back into the kitchen, weaponless. Willow was just hanging up the phone. "Wesley said he'd call. It's around ten o'clock at night there, but there should still be somebody to answer the phone. So, where are the weapons?"

"Not exactly sure what you meant about defensive weapons," Spike said. "All you have are swords, axes, stakes and daggers. And Holy Water – which is pretty much useless against Slayers."

"Well, maybe I can cook up some kind of protection spell. Not too many of them for vampires, but maybe I can work around one."

"A protection spell!" Dawn exclaimed. "Then that means I can go to?"

"No Dawn, it doesn't mean that at all. Protection spells are very person-specific. You don't just come up with one Willy-Nilly."

"Willow, I promise you – neither Willy nor Nilly will be anywhere around tonight."

"You sound more like Buffy all the time."

"So you'll let me go?"

"I'll have to think about it. Now you go fix up the basement like you said you would."

"Come on, Spike," Dawn said, dragging him toward the stairs. "We'll make this better than any crypt you've ever lived in."

Tara had come into the kitchen toward the end of the conversation. "So you're not going to let her know?"

"Heck no, I'm not! I want her to be safe, not reckless. Do you have any idea what kind of chances she'd take if she knew I already charmed Buffy's cross and necklace she's wearing?"

"Oh, I can imagine. But look what I found."

Tara had the index fingers and thumbs of both hands together, about a foot apart; she was holding an almost invisible, platinum strand of hair.

"I found it on the back of the chair Mr. Giles was sitting in."

"Good! So why don't you find the locator spell while I'm waiting for Wesley to call."

"I'll start looking in your books."

Just then the phone rang and Willow answered it.

"Hello…Oh, hey Cordy…I thought maybe Wesley or Angel... All of them? Must be some big ol' demon nest for sure…Did you hear anything about?… Oh. How come?... Oh yeah, that was on the news. It's that bad, huh?... Nothing at all? Wow… So you'll let us know just as soon as you hear something?... Good … Oh, by the way, you know we never get to talk or anything, and I was just wondering about you and Wesley – any old sparkage there, or new?... Oh. Well. That's good. It's good to have friends …Yeah … Umm, I know you didn't ask, but Xander is really doing okay. He and Anya are living together. They're kind of talking about getting married ... Oh, you did know. Okay. Well, call us…Okay. 'Bye."

"Nothing?"

"No. It's that freaky blizzard that hit everybody over there last night. All the power lines are down from the wind and the ice. Even the cell towers are iced over. Nobody can call in or out. But Cordelia said she'd call us just as soon as she heard anything."

"What were you saying about her and Wesley? Are they together?"

"No, she said they were just friends. But back in high school they seemed like they might get all snuggley wuggley. But then all of a sudden – they didn't. We never did know what didn't happen. Of course at the time we were more concerned with the mayor ascending into a giant snake demon and eating everybody."

"I'll look for the locator spell."

"And I guess I'll do two protection spells. If I don't I have a feeling Dawn will be going out of Buffy's bedroom window – again."

By eight thirty Spike and Dawn were back in the kitchen. Spike had a couple of stakes and two bottles Holy Water, just in case. Willow handed him a small wooden cross wrapped in several layers of plastic wrap to keep from burning his hands. She handed Dawn a small leather sac that smelled of Patchouli.

"And just what is this sodding cross supposed to do?"

"It's part of the protection spell. The thing you fear the most is what will protect you."

"Is that why I've got this stinky bag?" Dawn asked. "You know I hate the way this stuff smells."

"Well, if you don't want it, you can always stay here."

"You know, it's really not so bad – once you get used to the stink, I mean the smell."

"I thought so. Spike, the protection spell will wear off in a few hours. It's hard to make one for vampires that will last."

"What about mine?" Dawn asked. "How long will it last?"

"About the same. Also, Dawn, you should know it only works for supernatural protection. If a vampire or demon hits you or tries to grab you…."

"He'll explode?" Dawn cut in, grinning.

"No. He'll be expelled backward away from you. Giving you the chance to RUN AWAY!"

"But if he picks up a rock and throws it at you, it will hurt," Tara added.

"Now you two are starting to sound like the M twins," Dawn retorted.

"And one last thing," Willow continued. "Every time the spell is used, it gets weaker – less effective, so don't think you'll be invulnerable forever."

"Okay."

"And there's this." Willow handed Dawn a clear crystal with the strand of platinum hair wrapped and tied around it. "Once you guys get outside where it's dark you will see it's glowing dark green. The closer you get to them the brighter it gets. But if it turns bright white you'll be as close to them as we are right now."

"Then we should be off," Spike said.

"Be careful!" Willow warned. "Don't take any chances, and DON'T do anything stupid!"

"No, Mother, I won't," Dawn said over her shoulder as she followed Spike out of the back door.

"She'll be fine," Tara assured her. "Spike will protect her."

"I know," Willow said softly as she closed the door.

To Be Continued