Taking Over Me
Disclaimer: It ain’t mine. Although watching season 5 of Angel–great motivation. Anyway, it all belongs to Joss Whedon and those very nice people at Mutant Enemy.
Rating: This chapter is pretty much PG or so, but overall PG-13
Timeline: Post-Chosen AU
Warnings: None for this chapter
Summary: Inspired by the Evanescence song ‘Taking Over Me’. Buffy’s broken, and noone is sure how to fix her.
~~~
You don’t remember me
But I remember you
I lie awake and try so hard
Not to think of you
~~~
Chapter One
Dawn clenched her jaw to keep the tears at bay. Hearing her broken sister’s sobs was something she would never get used to. Sighing deeply, she knocked on the bedroom door tentatively. “Buffy, You have mail. From LA.” She heard a choked hiccup, and then the door opened a crack. Slowly it revealed red-rimmed eyes sunken into a gaunt face. “Here,” Dawn whispered softly.
Buffy took the package and opened the door wider. “Thanks, Dawnie,” she croaked. Her voice was harsh from crying and disuse. “Can you...I don’t want to open it alone. Not if it’s from Angel.”
With a small nod and an almost imperceptible smile, Dawn followed her sister over to the rumpled bed.
“Was there a letter?”
“I dunno. It might be in the envelope.” She paused, looking at Buffy stare into her tiny hands at the package. “Do you want me to check?” Buffy nodded silently, handing it over. Dawn ripped it open and picked up the paper that fluttered out. It was indeed a letter, and she read it without a sound, eyes widening in what would have been a comic matter had there been any good humor left in the room. Her suspicions were confirmed when she peeked into the envelope’s dark recesses. Unwillingly, Dawn let out a tiny gasp, causing Buffy to look up.
“What is it?”
Dawn shook her head, not saying a word as she handed over the envelope and the letter. Buffy read the letter quickly, her lip trembling as she read the last lines.
Buffy, you have grown into a wonderful young woman. You aren’t the sixteen year old girl that fell in love with me anymore. Although, I think that there will always be a part of us that will love each other, even as we move on in our separate lives. As much as it hurt me at first to realize it, you truly loved Spike. And even without a soul, he gave you more than I could. He gave you hope. The strength to live on. To beat the First. That is why I’m giving you this. To remember your champion. I’m not doing this out of spite for my grand-childe. William the Bloody, who used to be one of the last remaining of the Aurelian line. I’m doing it out of love. For both of you. Never forget love, Buffy. It’s a blessing...and in some cases, a curse. Mostly, though, it’s a gift. Love with your entire being, and William will never be forgotten.
-Angel
Buffy dumped the sole content of the envelope into her outstretched palm. The moment she recognized the amulet, however, she dropped it as if she had been burned.
“No. How could this help? It’s the wretched thing that took him from me!” Dawn’s heart broke as her sister looked at her, green eyes filled with hurt and fear. Tears were spilling down her hollow cheeks. “I can’t.”
“Can’t what, Buffy?” Dawn had been wrong to trust her voice, as it cracked on those three words.
“Destroy it.” Buffy’s voice was hard and cold, and her bony hands were clenched into fists. Dawn nodded sadly and made a move to retrieve the amulet, but a skeletal arm and harsh voice stopped her. “No,” Buffy ground out. She bent down and closed her fingers tightly around the ugly necklace. With every ounce of strength the frail-looking slayer possessed. She hurled the offending object at the wall.
Then it happened.
As the amulet shattered into tiny pieces, gleaming like dewdrops, a brilliant flash filled the room. There was a rushing noise, and both Summers women screwed up their eyes as shrieks and an inhuman roar joined the cacophony. The shards of the amulet seemed to melt and stretch as they converged on a single point. The once reflective surface began to turn to a pale flesh like color as a body was formed. Dark brown curly hair sprang forth from a bald head. The final shard of crystal rose into the air, growing and becoming a white, flowing substance that was neither gas nor liquid. It writhed and undulated above the shaking naked figure before becoming a great gleaming ball. In an instant, it flashed to a clear blue and back again before settling over the figure and entering it, causing it to glow with an ethereal light. Then it all stopped. The noise, and the glowing. The figure formed by the amulet’s shards was gleaming with a sheen of sweat. Suddenly, it fell from its position hovering inches above the floor and crumpled with a choked whimper.
Buffy looked at Dawn, who was obviously as frightened and intrigued as herself, and let a single tear slip from her eye before she got up. Slowly, Buffy made her way to the decidedly male naked figure.
He-whoever ‘he’ was-was laying in a sort of fetal position, his face covered by a mess of unruly curls as well as his arm. He was shuddering and twitching, and seemed to be mumbling incoherently to himself. Or maybe it was simply the grunts and whimpers of someone in pain, Buffy did not know. Taking a deep breath, she touched his shoulder lightly. His head snapped around to look at her with inhuman speed.
Tears were falling freely from his terrified eyes. His lips were parted slightly, allowing him to take shallow, ragged breaths. The light from the setting sun cast shadows across the sharp planes of his face, over the unnaturally high cheekbones. He gave another pitiful whimper as he laid his head back down. Buffy’s hand flew to her mouth as she, too, fell to the floor.
“Spike?”
~~~
But who can decide what they dream
And dream I do
I believe in you
I’ll give up everything just to find you
I have to be with you
To live
To breathe
You’re taking over me
~~~
squawks
05/18/17 04:16 am
pj! I remember wishing one of your stories would be finished seriously about a decade ago. Amazing. I just tried an old password I used to use and amazingly got in too. Memories!
pj
03/20/17 01:20 am
10 yrs later, i finally rem my username and password. Pari, you rock. Hope you are well.
Rabbit_moon1
12/23/16 01:12 pm
I donate every month. Please donate to keep this site up!
AudryDaluz1
10/06/16 08:34 am
Great post.
Chrissel
08/31/16 03:45 pm
And anyone else who loves this site, it's worth mentioning there's a nifty little "Donate" option just below the shout box here! ;)
Chrissel
08/31/16 03:43 pm
Just wanted to take a moment to thank Pari and all the mods for maintaining such a great site!
05/18/17 04:16 am
pj! I remember wishing one of your stories would be finished seriously about a decade ago. Amazing. I just tried an old password I used to use and amazingly got in too. Memories!
pj
03/20/17 01:20 am
10 yrs later, i finally rem my username and password. Pari, you rock. Hope you are well.
Rabbit_moon1
12/23/16 01:12 pm
I donate every month. Please donate to keep this site up!
AudryDaluz1
10/06/16 08:34 am
Great post.
Chrissel
08/31/16 03:45 pm
And anyone else who loves this site, it's worth mentioning there's a nifty little "Donate" option just below the shout box here! ;)
Chrissel
08/31/16 03:43 pm
Just wanted to take a moment to thank Pari and all the mods for maintaining such a great site!