Chapter 26
Beta'd by Always_jbj
Xander sat huddled in the corner of the room, the spell had been completed some time ago but he had not uttered a word since.
Willow and Buffy stood hesitantly at the door to his room, both wanting to rush in and comfort their friend yet neither quite sure exactly ‘who’ would greet them once they passed through the protective barrier that separated them.
“I’m nothing,” Xander’s voice was rough and low, “I shouldn’t exist. I should be dead, dead, dead.” He turned accusing eyes towards Buffy. “You let me die! But I’m still here.” He brought his hands up to inspect the flesh before him. “You both died too; we all die when it changes.”
Tears began to course their way down Buffy’s face, he still blamed her, she was sure of that.
Xander pulled himself slowly across the floor. “Why am I here?” he sounded confused, his voice small and unsure. “Why do you care?” Flashes of memory danced before his eyes, ‘What was real and what was from the spell?’
“Xander?” Willow called tentatively to her friend.
“Will?” Memories of hateful words being spat in her direction flashed before him. “God, the things I said.” Horror crossed his face as he looked from Willow to Buffy. “Why are you even here?” Xander’s expression hardened slightly as though he were expecting… something.
“We love you Xander, we want you to get better.” Buffy watched him carefully, it felt as though they had broken Travers’ hold, but part of her was still hurting from his ugly words earlier. A noise coming from down the hallway drew her attention.
“Hey Buffy.” Dawn walked slowly towards them. “How’s Xander?”
“Dawnie you shouldn’t be here.” Buffy didn’t want her sister present if Xander were to lash out again.
“Someone’s come to visit.” Dawn stepped to one side. “He says he can help.”
An elderly man stepped into view. “Hello my dear, a pleasure to finally meet the Slayer. Buffy isn’t it?” Extending his hand he grasped hers with a strength that belied his frail form. “I’m Samuel Giles.” He turned his attention to the others. “Now let me see if I can get this right, the young vampire gentleman would have to be Spike.” He gave Spike a wink. “Seems to me you would give our young slayer a run for her money. Now these two lovely ladies would have to be Willow and Tara.” He smiled at each of them before turning to look into the room where Xander sat.
Without hesitation he stepped through the barrier. “And this would be Xander.” He slowly circled around Xander; he looked to be deep in thought as he studied the form before him. “It was a foolish thing to do…that spell.” He glanced towards those gathered at the door. Samuel sighed, “Thankfully, though, it seems to have had a positive effect.” He turned his attention back to Xander. “I can help you if you truly want it. You’ll have to leave here of course and come with me.”
“Go with you where?” Xander rose shakily to his feet.
“You need to know more about the creatures you claim to despise, their beginnings as well as your own.” Samuel focused solely on Xander. “You can assist me in the archives while you learn.”
“But what about Travers?” Willow was the first to realise that if Xander were to leave with Giles’s uncle he would be walking straight into the enemies’ domain.
“No need to fear, young lady. Your friend will be well cared for, and Quentin has no power in the catacombs. Nor does any of his evil magic; although he’s completely unaware of that fact.” Samuel reassured them all. “It will give Xander an opportunity to work from the inside, preparing for your attack.”
Xander stood silent, his mind racing over what was offered him. He knew that if he stayed where he was his old resentments would surface once again. He had always felt like the odd one out, the one that the others pitied and kept around out of sympathy, the one that had no real purpose. The Zeppo. Xander studied the others carefully. Spike and Tara stood at their partners’ backs, both offering silent support, neither offering any words of condemnation or accusation; and he knew he deserved both. From Spike especially, after all the vampire was the one who had suffered the most from his bitter and manipulative tongue. Part of him really couldn’t understand why his friends were so ready to accept him back, after all he had said, not only recently but through the years. He looked deep into Buffy and Willow’s eyes, seeing the hope and pain that clouded them he turned to Samuel. “I’ll go with you.”
Samuel nodded. “I’ll give you some time to say your farewells. There are some people here I would very much like to meet.” He took Xander’s hand and led him to the barrier at the door. “Perhaps you should begin now.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*
Sarah and Rupert Hoston sat quietly in their home. Stacy lay playing on a rug on the floor, cooing at the toys scattered about her. Sarah especially enjoyed the times that she watched the baby for Spike and Buffy. Ever since being separated from her own child she had enjoyed lavishing her attention on the children of others. Even after one hundred human years, and almost two and a half thousand Midian years, her heart ached for her lost son.
She knew that she may perhaps get a chance to finally meet her son; after the battle if all went well. The prospect elated and terrified her. A noise at the door shifted her attention from her musings, turning she slowly rose from her chair and headed towards the elderly man standing framed in the entranceway.
Frowning she tried to place the man before her, he was no resident of Midian but somehow he was familiar. A tingling sensation began to grow within her, her whole body seeming to strain towards the stranger at the door. Looking deep into his eyes Sarah suddenly knew. “Samuel!”
“Hello, mother.” Samuel lifted a hand to stroke it gently down the cheek of the woman he had dreamed about all his life. He had thought it odd at first, to dream a face so different to that of the woman who had raised him. After he realised that Katherine was not his birth mother he had stopped resisting the dreams. He’d wondered, though, if his mind had simply created and image, or if it had been formed from some long distant memory.
“Come in.” Sarah stepped back allowing him entrance as she hastily wiped the tears from her face. “Rupert, we have a visitor.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Spike sat in the middle of the training field, face tilted to the sun, eyes closed as he let the warmth dance cross his skin. “So, luv, you and your mates all sorted?” He turned to face Buffy as she crossed the wide expanse of grass to reach his side.
As she sat Buffy curled into his side. “I think so, starting to be anyway.” She sighed softly.
“So the whelp’s gone with the old man?”
“Yeah. Xander and Samuel left a little while ago. I hope he’s going to be ok.” Buffy worried her bottom lip. “I know Samuel said that Travers can’t hurt them down in the catacombs, but he is really old. What if Travers sends people to attack them? I know that Xander can fight but what if there are too many of them. He can’t defend himself and Samuel.”
Spike gave a small chuckle; sometimes his slayer could miss the blatantly obvious. “I don’t think you need to worry about that happening.”
“Huh?”
“Really, Slayer, sometimes I wonder how you managed to survive as long as you have.”
Buffy shrugged. “Well I have died twice.”
Spike sobered, pulling her close. “Yeah, well don’t be tryin’ for a third. What I meant was, didn’t you get any feelings off the old man?”
Buffy frowned as she focused her thoughts on what had happened when she met Samuel for the first time. “I was kinda distracted at the time, but yeah I think I remember…” She paused concentrating, before her eyes widened in realization. “My tinglies went off, more then they have the whole time I’ve been in Midian.”
Spike nodded. “Old boy’s got power, an’ more than just from bein’ half demon. I’m thinking he’s learnt a few tricks over the years.” Spike brushed his lips across Buffy’s forehead. “’m kinda pleased he’s on our side. An’ he’ll look after the whelp just fine.”
“You’re not just saying that to make me feel better?” Buffy closed her eyes as she savoured the feel of his lips on her skin. “Cause it’s not too late to get them back, you know.”
“’m not just sayin’ it, Slayer. The whelp’ll be fine.”
Buffy sighed. “It’s all starting isn’t it? I can’t keep pretending that it’s not.”
“It started a long time ago, luv.” Spike watched as Buffy stared out at the field before her, a wistful look dancing across her face before being replaced with one of determination.
“Samuel said that’ll he’ll send word when the time is right.” Buffy stood brushing herself off. “We need to be ready to move as soon as he does.”
“Meeting time then?” Spike waited a moment before standing next to her. “You go rally the Scoobies and I’ll get the others.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Buffy stood at the head of the table in the small meeting room they’d all gathered in when first arriving in Midian. Spike sat to her right and Dante to her left, the others scattered about the table forming small groups depending on the part they were to play in the upcoming battle against the council.
Buffy, Spike and Isabo had been training those suitable for combat. They would be the first wave, moving throughout the council as they searched for Travers. Buffy hesitated a moment, realising that those they led would suffer the most casualties. All going into battle knew this, but the thought that she was leading some into certain death made her heart hitch; if she were to lose someone close to her now… If she were to lose Spike… She felt a cool hand slip into hers, squeezing lightly, Buffy looked down, memorizing the way their hands entwined. The glint of the gem catching her eye. “Jayela! How quickly can you make Amaran gems?”
Jayela smiled serenely at the petite blonde. “Now that I have my apprentices I am able to complete the blessing very quickly.” She motioned to Willow and Tara.
“Are you able to create enough to protect our forces?” Buffy studied the priestess’ face carefully.
“It’s a very good idea, Buffy. However the gems are only of use to vampires; and those of that particular demonic nature within our numbers already possess their own gems.” Giles quashed Buffy’s idea before it had chance to take root.
Jayela turned to stare at Giles in astonishment. “Why do you think that?”
Giles cleared his throat, suddenly nervous about being called to task over his research. “When Spike arrived in Sunnydale searching for the gem I researched it extensively. It was largely believed to be a myth, Spike however, managed to prove that the gem was indeed a reality. There was nothing in my research to indicate that the gem was desired by any demon species other than vampires.”
“And from this you concluded that it was only effective for vampires?” Jayela let an amused smile play across her lips. “It is true that the blessing is more outwardly noticeable in vampires, they are after-all those who’s weaknesses are the most widely known. The blessing, however, bears no prejudice, it will protect all, human and demon.
Buffy felt relief wash through her at Jayela’s words. “So can you do it?”
“The creation of the gems can take a lot of power. They are much more effective if they are created individually for the person who is to bear them.” Jayela waited for Buffy to process this information.
“Buffy do you think that is wise? Despite the knowledge that the gems will offer protection to all, I would advise caution.” Giles leant forward slightly to address his slayer, “The magic’s wielded by Jayela, Willow and Tara will be an integral part of our offensive against the council. To leave their powers depleted could severely disadvantage us.”
“Maybe not, Giles.” Willow looked thoughtful. “Tara and I have been reading up on Amaran protection blessings as part of our studies.” She turned to face Jayela. “Could we do a general blessing on a large number of stones?”
“Perhaps we could do several blessings, however, the power needed would require the participation of all members of the order, and would still leave us drained for days. The general blessing could not be guaranteed either, to be most effective there needs to be a personalization to it.”
“What if we blessed items that belong to each individual, rather than stones?” Tara asked hesitantly. “Would that be personal enough for the blessing?”
Jayela smiled widely. “That is an ideal solution, Tara.” She turned her gaze back to Willow as though waiting for the redhead to add more to the conversation.”
Willow chewed her bottom lip as her mind raced through ideas to help strengthen the blessing. Tara had thought of a solution to the personalization problem, now all they needed was a way to prevent the entire order from being drained of power. “Could we…?” Willow frowned before continuing hesitantly, “The place that Tara and I visited when we first arrived, the Great Tree. It’s a place of great power isn’t it? What if we were to do the blessing there, would the powers of the tree help to strengthen the blessing without draining us too much?”
Jayela nodded before addressing the others at the table, “It seems my apprentices have found an ideal solution to the slayer’s request.”
Spike spoke up before they could move on from the topic, “They still won’t be as strong as mine though will they?” He held his hand up to show his ring.
“No, the spell will still be diluted somewhat,” Jayela confirmed.
“Well before you start on mass producing the others, can you make a proper one for the slayer?” Spike questioned.
“Of course.” Jayela smiled at the vampire’s concern. “Perhaps we could begin with blessing items for those gathered here.”
“Buffy first!” Spike insisted.
“Of course,” Jayela assented. “Perhaps you can give some thought to an item that she would be able to use, something that cannot easily be removed from her person.”
Spike nodded, “Got something in mind.”
“Excellent. Now that we are assured that our forces won’t unexpectedly become leaderless during the battle,” Giles offered his support for the plan, “may I suggest that we move on to the next order of business?”