Chapter 13

Willow had on her resolve face. She tapped her foot impatiently on the floor of the Magic Box.

“Stop doing that. You’re scaring away all the consumers with that face.” Anya made a Vanna White motion at the outside as a couple of window shoppers looked in and walked away. “SEE! Xander, make her stop.” She whined the last part and stomped her foot in the direction of her fiancé.

“Well, Ahn, she kinda has a point.”

“Yeah, a point of scaring away money.”

“Anya, while I must confess that losing money was not what I had in mind when I opened the store…”Giles paused to wipe his glasses on his sweater. “I’m afraid that Willow does have a point here.”

Willow arched her eyebrow at Anya and the ex-demon let out a grunt of frustration.

“Fine! Take her side. See what I care!” And she sat down in a huff at the research table. “Don’t see what good it is to go look for them anyway, they don’t want to be found.” She mumbled.

“Look, Ahn. I saved you a nice jelly donut. Yum! Yum!” Xander held the donut in front of Anya’s face and made it dance. “See, it’s just like the dancing snacks in the commercials at the movie theaters.”

Anya snatched the donut away and smiled a little. “Those little snacks are pretty funny. The way they all follow each other to the little food stand never knowing that they are on their way to be digested by large, overindulgent people…makes me miss vengeance.”

Xander looked at her, his mouth opened. “Sometimes…you scare me, you know that right?”

Willow snatched the note sitting in Tara’s hand and waved it in the air.

“Hello! Missing persons here! Back on topic.”

“Yes, um, what have you done since you found the note?” Giles asked. He was cleaning his glasses again.

“We called Angel’s office, and, um,” Tara paused. “Some girl, Cordelia, maybe?”

“Cordelia! As in Cordelia Chase!” Xander looked aghast.

“Hey, I remember that girl. She’s the reason I lost my amulet. She wished vengeance on you!” Anya stared pointedly at Xander and gasped. “That makes her your ex…I don’t know how I feel about that.”

“Well, she works for Angel so we thought she might know something, but she didn’t.” Tara finished up by twisting her hands together and half shrugging her shoulders.

Giles threw his hands in the air. “You are all bloody impossible. You know that, don’t you? Willow, read the damn note again. There has to be a clue.”

Willow smoothed the crumpled note onto the table and cleared her throat.

Dear Willow and Tara,

I know that you’re going to be worried when you see that me and Buffy are gone…that should probably be Buffy and me, shouldn’t it? Anyway, don’t be. Spike will take good care of us. I know that everyone doesn’t like him, but he’s my best friend and he loves Buffy. Please don’t look for us. Spike says that this is what Buffy wants. She needs to sort stuff out. I’ll try to write or call soon.

Xoxo

Dawn

P.S. Thanks for bringing back my sister.

“Well that’s a whole lot of nothing,” Xander snorted.

Tara looked at him. “Well, we know that Spike didn’t take his car, it’s still near his crypt.”

“We also know that Angel never came back, so he must still be with them.” Willow added on. “Angel’s going to have to stop in L.A. Whether he goes on with them or stays behind is a different story.”

“Right…so we’re going to LA?” Xander asked.

“Well, that does seem the most likely thing to do,” Giles answered.

“Okay, so LA here we come.” Xander ended the meeting with a smack of his palm on the table.

XXX

When Spike woke up he was aware of two things. First was that Buffy was still sleeping. Second was that he wasn’t the only one in bed with her. A smile skimmed his face at the sight of a sleeping Dawn curled up on the other side of slayer. The smile quickly disappeared as Angel walked into the room.

“Here, I thought you might be, er, hungry.” Angel struggled to keep his emotions in tack as he handed the mug to Spike.

“Thanks, mate. Mighty nice of you.” Spike said as he slid off the bed, and resumed his vigilance from the chair. He accepted the mug and took a sip. “Ug, are you trying to poison me? What did you do to this?”

Angel looked confused.

“This stuff tastes rancid.” Spike thrust the mug back to Angel.

Angel hesitantly took a sip of the mug and laughed.

“Cordy,” he said with a twinkle in his eye. “She’s got this notion that cinnamon adds flavor to the blood.”

“Well, she’s bloody wrong. Tastes awful. Although I wouldn’t say no to some Wheatabix if you’ve got some lying around.”

“Hmm, hello. People sleeping here.” Dawn sleepily sat up on the bed.

“Correction, people were sleeping here.” Buffy groaned and rolled over as she became the attention of all three people in the room.

“Buffy! You’re awake.” Angel shot over to her side. “How do you feel?”

“Um, not so good with a side of blech. I think I want to brush my teeth though.” Buffy held her hand in front of her mouth as she spoke.

“Oh, I packed all your toiletries. Come on, I’ll show you where the bathroom is.” Dawn jumped to her feet, and hurried over to the pile of bags on the floor. She rummaged a bit before pulling out a clear make-up bag.

Buffy took a deep breath, and sat up. She wavered a moment before closing her eyes to steady herself.

“Hmm, sorry. The room’s a little spinny. Just give me a second…”She swallowed hard.

Spike quickly scooped her up, and ran her to the bathroom just in time for her to dry heave over the toilet. He held her hair back and rubbed her back as Angel’s figure entered the doorway.

“Dawn is getting some soup and toast. We need to get some food into her.” Angel paused a moment as Buffy sat up and leaned back against Spike. Her face was red and sweaty, and her breathing was heavy. “Wesley and Fred have a theory. That’s actually what I was coming to talk to you about.”

“What kind of theory?” Buffy muttered as she closed her eyes.

“A theory about why you’re sick.”

“Well?” Spike demanded. “Are you planning on enlightening us?”

“Look, I don’t understand it. You’ll have to ask one of them, but they need a blood sample to confirm it,” Angel shot back.

“You two fight like five-year olds, you know that?” Buffy said. “Have a blood sample. Hell, have two if it will help. I don’t care.”  She paused suddenly, and eyed Angel wearily. “No one’s going to bite me to get this sample, are they?”

Guilt flickered over Angel’s face briefly. “No. We’ll use a syringe. I’ll get Wesley.” He turned and walked out of the door.

Buffy turned to face Spike. “I’m feeling better now. I think I’d like to take a shower.”

“Are you going to be okay in here?” He asked worriedly.

“Well, if I feel the need to puke, I’m already in the bathroom.” Buffy smiled as she tried to joke.

Spike didn’t move. “Maybe I should get Niblet to sit in here with you.”

Buffy sighed. “I want to shower by myself. If I need something I’ll scream, okay?”

“Fine, but I’m standing outside the door,” he resolved as he helped her to her feet.

“Fine.” She shut the door behind him. A hot shower seemed like the greatest idea in the world.

XXX

Chapter 14

A little while later found the members of Angel Investigations sitting in the lobby with Buffy, Spike, and Dawn. Buffy was slowly eating a bowl of soup, and trying to ignore the stares of everyone around her. Wesley and Fred were heatedly discussing the blood sample under the microscope, Gunn was slowly polishing a broadsword, Cordelia was filing paperwork, and Angel was on the phone with someone named Lorne. Finally, Wesley removed his glasses and approached Buffy.

“If you don’t mind me asking, how long were you gone?”

“147 days,” Spike’s answer was automatic.

Cordelia looked up sharply. “You counted? That’s a little obsessive.”

Spike merely shrugged at her.

“Er, yes, well, um,” Wesley cleared his throat. “Well, our theory is correct, but I’m not sure how to explain it…”

“Oh!” Fred perked up and half ran out from behind the desk. “I’ll do it. Okay, so, uh, when a person, er, passes away and is buried in the ground, well, obviously their body stops working. Meaning that blood stops flowing, cells stop regenerating, and such. So, the organisms that live in the ground help to begin the decomposition process.”

Buffy was slowly losing color from her face as the thought of herself decomposing in the ground began to take shape in her head. Dawn and Cordelia were looking rather ill as well, and Wesley decided to take over the topic.

“Yes, well, when Willow applied the spell, your cells were reanimated, but they first had to fix the, er, decomposition that had occurred. So, your body began producing an overabundant amount of cells to help. However, the regeneration didn’t stop when it finished.”

“Isn’t that what happens when someone gets cancer? You’re saying that Buffy has cancer?” Cordelia asked.

Wesley looked surprised that someone had caught on so quickly, but Fred interrupted.

“Kinda, sorta, but not really. Cancer is caused by an increase of white blood cells that turn around and begin attacking other cells. However, it would appear that what is happening to Buffy, although similar, is beginning to clear itself out on its own. In the time that we’ve had her blood sample, the cells have already begun to slow down.”

“She’s suffering from what Fred and I have decided to call an inter-dimensional flu.” Wesley finished.

“So, she can take some Tylenol Flu and be done?” Dawn asked.

“Er, I think the best thing she can do is rest,” Wesley said.

“When this all clears up, will my memory return?” Buffy asked.

“Well, we’re not sure.” Fred threw an uncertain glance toward Wesley. “We think that might be something different entirely.”

“I have Lorne coming to read her this evening. Hopefully that will tell us something,” Angel said.

“Who is Lorne?” Buffy asked at the same time Spike asked, “What do you mean read her?”

Gunn chortled and muttered out loud, “Hope you can sing.”

Angel gave him a look before answering. “Lorne is an empathy demon. He reads people’s auras when they sing, and sets them on their true path in life.”

Dawn looked amused at the thought. “You mean Buffy’s gonna have to sing? You people have obviously never heard her shower rendition of ‘Violet’.”

“You don’t have to sing on key for Lorne to read you. I mean, he read Angel just fine, and that was like nails on a chalkboard.” Cordelia stated ignoring the look she received from Angel.

“And what did the great ponce sing? Was it something soulful?” Spike’s eyes gleamed with evil delight. “Did the little demon tell you to brood more?”

“Oh, shut up Spike.” Angel snapped.

XXX

Lorne burst through the hotel doors just after sunset.

“Angel-cakes, I’m here. Where is that little ball of sunshine that I’ve been hearing so much about?”

Dawn stood in the middle of the room surveying the green demon who had stopped in front of her. He was wearing a bright blue button down shirt under a red blazer with matching red pants.

“Well you’re a ball of something, aren’t you sweet stuff?” Lorne cocked his head to one side and regarded the teen for a moment.

“You’re not here to read her.” Spike appeared suddenly and placed his body between Dawn and Lorne.

“Whoa, the protective vibe. I dig it. No harm here bleachykins.”

“She’s in the garden.” Angel appeared at the top of the stairs. “She wanted to meet with you alone.”

Lorne nodded as his eyes shifted between Spike and Angel. He was sensing something between the two vampires, but he couldn’t quite put his finger on it. Love for the girl in question…animosity…and something else. Hmm, maybe they would sing later. The demon made a sharp turn, and headed out the doors into the garden.

XXX

Chapter 15

Two full hours passed with Buffy and Lorne in the garden. The group that had been impatiently waiting began to thin. Spike paced the lobby, throwing apprehensive glances at the garden door, Angel, under Cordelia’s watchful gaze, methodically cleaned and re-cleaned each of the weapons in his cabinet, and Dawn tapped her fingers rhythmically on the couch.

At the sound of the garden door opening, all movement stopped and eight eyes snapped toward Lorne as he hurriedly closed the door again behind him. Lorne leaned against the door and closed his eyes. He was exhausted, physically and mentally drained. The thought of having to explain what he had learned, and the impending outbreak from the group, made his mouth dry.

“Don’t suppose you’ve got a sea breeze hiding behind that counter Cordy?” He hopefully looked at her as she shook her head. “How ‘bout some water then?”

Cordelia quickly moved into the other room to fetch the drink as Lorne collapsed on the couch next to Dawn. He drank the entire glass of water as the group began to fidget again.

“Well,” Spike couldn’t take it anymore. “Are you going to tell us what’s going on or are we suppose to guess?”

Lorne sighed. “Look, I’m not sure how to say this, and I’d really like to bring in someone else to look at her.”

“Why? What’s wrong with Buffy? She’s okay, isn’t she?” Dawn eyes widened and she glanced toward the closed garden doors.

“Why do you need someone else? Thought you were supposed to be some great demon who sets people on their true path in life.” Spike couldn’t keep the sneer at of his voice.

“Why don’t you let him speak before making judgments, William?” Angel’s eyes flashed at the bleached vampire, and Spike crossed his arms and leaned against the counter behind him.

“Alright kiddies, hold onto your seats cause this is going to be a bumpy ride.” Lorne started. “What do you know about re-incarnation?”

“That’s when you die and get reborn as someone else, right?” Dawn asked.

“Sorta sweetiekins. See if everyone simply died and was reborn, the population numbers would always stay the same.”

“But they don’t. The population has been steadily increasing for years.” Cordelia said.

“Right…”Lorne trailed off a moment. “When a person dies, their soul essentially breaks apart. Each part goes to a different place. Their bare essence will go to heaven or hell or what have you, but the other pieces will fuse with different parts of different souls to be reborn into new people.”

“So, you’re saying that when a person is born, their souls are comprised of parts of several different people?” Angel glanced nervously at Cordelia. He didn’t know if he liked where this discussion was going.

“What the bloody hell is that supposed to mean, and what does it have to do with the Slayer?” Spike advanced angrily at Lorne.

Lorne threw his hands up in the air. “Come on now buddy. Truce, alright? I just call it as I read it, and right now we have a big problem in the form of a cutesy little blond out there.”

Spike paused a few feet from Lorne, arms crossed and foot tapping impatiently on the floor. “Get to the bloody point.”

Lorne sighed and nervously glanced from Spike to Angel before continuing. “Right, so when blondie over there, er, passed on, her soul separated from her body and went on its merry way. Part of her went to heaven, part of her went into other people, and her slayer part most likely went into another slayer…and that’s not counting the part of her that’s lodged inside this cutie right here.” All eyes turned toward Dawn, who squirmed uncomfortably.

“Why would part of Buffy go into Dawn?” Cordelia’s question reminded Dawn of how well the monks’ spell had worked, and she glanced at Spike for help.

“Not important,” Spike answered ignoring Lorne’s quizzically look.

“Alright, so, when the little red witch does her little spell, presto-change-o, you have life. But, and this is the big but kiddies, the spell was only meant to bring a person back to life, and separating the parts of soul that had gone into other people would destroy them. So, that girl that’s sitting out there isn’t really there.”

“What do you mean, she really isn’t here?” Dawn asked.

Lorne looked at her sympathetically. “The spell only brought back her bare essence, the part of her that was in heaven and the slayer part…which I’m not sure how that happened.”

“Will she get her memory back?” Dawn glanced panic stricken at Spike.

“I don’t know sweet pea. I have a friend who runs a coven, and I’d like to bring her in to get her opinion. She may have a better idea of how to fix this than I do. What do you think about that Angelkins?” Lorne looked up and for the first time realized that Angel was no longer in the room.

XXX

Angel quietly snuck away from the group and crept out the garden doors. Everyone was so immersed in what Lorne was saying that they didn’t notice. Buffy was sitting on the stone bench staring off at the flowers imbedded in the shrubbery. He approached her slowly.

“Are you going to stare at me or are you going to sit down?” She asked without turning around.

“I came to see how you were doing?”

“Fine for a person who doesn’t exist.”

He sat down next to her. “You exist.”

“Not according to Lorne. This part of me, the part that’s walking and talking and all that…it was in heaven. Heaven. And you know what? I can’t even remember if I was happy there. And all the parts of me that should remember things, those parts don’t exist together anymore.”

“We will find a way to make you whole again. Please believe me.” He tried to put his arm around her but she shrugged him off.

“You can’t.” She hissed. “Because if you do, other people will die. Somehow I don’t think killing innocent people falls into the champion realm.”

“There has to be a way to not kill people, but if there isn’t then I will. If you want me to, I will.”

“What if I don’t want you to?”

“Then I will do whatever you ask me too.”

“What if I ask you to let me leave?”

“I would leave with you.”

“Why?”

“Because I love you.”

“You’ve left me before when you loved me. Why would this be different?”

“Because…”

“What if I said that I wanted Spike to go with me instead?”

“I wouldn’t let you go.”

“Why not? He loves me too.”

“He doesn’t love you. He can’t love you. He has no soul. He’s obsessed with you. He’s evil.” Angel’s voice rose in anger.

“Spike isn’t evil, and he does love me. I don’t understand this whole no soul equals evil thing that people keep bringing up. Every diary entry regarding Spike brought up that point. What does a soul have to do with evil and love?”

“You need a soul to love-”

“No you don’t, you need emotions.”

“A soul governs your sense of right and wrong-”

“That’s a conscience.”

Angel stood up angrily, but Buffy continued. “Everyone keeps saying that Spike is evil because he has no soul, and that you are good because you have a soul. But, the jails are filled with people-humans-who did vile and evil things, and they have souls. You can’t tell me that the hundreds of incarcerated people around the world are cosmic fuck-ups born with no souls. I think your problem is that you are upset because you can only love me when you have a soul, and when you don’t, I merely become your obsession.”

“How can you say that to me?”

“It’s what I read in the diaries.”

Angel squatted down in front of Buffy and placed his hands on the sides of her shoulders. “I love you.”

“Do you? What did you do when you found out that I had died?”

“My world ended that day. I joined a monastery to help heal my soul.”

“Do you know what Spike did while you were finding your inner peace? He took care of my sister. He stayed and helped my friends.” She looked him square in the eye, and continued softly. “Where were you they brought me back?”

He lowered his eyes. “I was here.”

“Spike found me…after I crawled out of my grave…He took care of me.” Buffy reached out a hand to Angel’s chin and raised it so that he was looking in her eyes again. “I’m not the girl that fell in love with you…I’m sorry. From what I read, she seemed like a great person, but she died. I don’t know what’s going to happen to me now, but I do know that this new person that I’m becoming…she needs Spike. He-he gives me strength.” She stood up then. “I’m tired, and I still don’t feel well. I’m going to bed.” And with that, she turned and walked back into the hotel, leaving Angel still squatting in the garden, tears streaming down his face. 

XXX

Chapter 16

Only Spike and Cordelia awaited Buffy when she entered the lobby of the hotel. Lorne had left with Dawn, after a much-heated debate and a few threats from Spike about Dawn’s safe return, to find his coven friend. He had also been hoping to learn a few things about the strange girl passing herself as the slayer’s sister.

Buffy paused at the foot of the stairs and gazed at Spike tiredly as Cordelia slide past her and out into the courtyard.

“How are you feeling?” Spike asked cautiously. He had heard the tail end of the conversation between her and Angel, and was frightful of making the wrong move.

Buffy shrugged. “What kind of answer do you want?”

“Whatever one you want to tell me.”

“My stomach’s kinda churny, and my head hurts. Where’s Dawn?”

“Went out with Lorne for a bit.” Spike moved so that he was leaning on the railing of the stair opposite her. He badly wanted to sweep her into his arms, to tell her that everything would be okay, but he couldn’t. He stood frozen by the gaze of her eyes.

Minutes passed by like eons as neither moved. Finally with a sigh, Buffy slowly stepped forward and pressed her head into Spike’s chest as her arms wrapped around him. Automatically, he gathered her to him, and inhaled the scent of her hair deep into his lungs.

“I’m tired,” she whispered into his shirt. Her body gave off a little too much heat, and Spike knew that her fever had returned. His jaw clenched. Bloody demon had tired her out.

“I’ll take you to bed,” he whispered back, his voice lost in her hair.

“An-and you’ll stay with me?” She looked like such a little girl as she tilted her head back to look at him. “Keep the nightmares away?”

“Always luv, always,” he said as he led her up the stairs.

XXX

Angel had not moved from his crouched position in the garden as he solemnly watched the Buffy and Spike show. Should be me holding her. Should be me comforting her. My mark, my girl, MINE!  He was aware of Cordelia’s presence, but he made no indication of it as he watched Spike lead Buffy up the stairs. Whirling from his position, he sat down on the cement bench with a thud. Cordelia sat tentatively down next to him.

“Stop.”

“Stop what?” he asked dully.

Cordelia cupped his chin, and forced him to look at her. “Stop feeling sorry for yourself.”

Angel pulled his face out of her hand, and turned to look at the Jasmine growing in front of him.

Cordelia sighed and pulled off one of the flowers to hold it to her nose. “I just love the scent of Jasmine, don’t you? It’s funny, all these flowers growing out here and nobody really tends to them. Nobody tells them they need water or they need sunlight, the flowers just know. They blossom from their buds just as nature intended.”

“So, you’re saying that Buffy is intended to be with Spike” Angel couldn’t keep the growl out of his voice.

“No, I’m saying that you need to let her grow and guide herself to where she needs to be.”

Angel’s voice softened slightly. “What if she decides that she needs to grow away from me?” His eyes questioned Cordelia’s with a hint of misery as she slid closer to him and put her head on his shoulder.

“She won’t.”

“How can you be so sure?”

Cordelia lifted her head and met Angel’s eyes. “Because you’re a good man Angel, and everyone deserves to have someone like you in their life.” She tangled her fingers in the hand he had resting on his knee, and placed her head back on his shoulder. They sat unmoving, unspeaking until the sun began to glow in the horizon.

XXX

Lorne’s eyes kept making sidelong sweeps to the teenaged girl sitting next to him. Her aura baffled him. One moment he’d be sure that he was sitting next to Buffy, until he’d glance over, and the next moment he’d be sitting next to someone completely different. It was almost like the girl’s aura was attempting to change itself.

“So sweet cakes, why don’t you tell me a little about yourself?”

Dawn’s fingers traced patterns on the window. “What would you like to know?”

“Everything and anything. Why don’t you pop out a little ditty for me? Nothing boy bandy though ‘cause that stuff leaves a nasty after headache.”

Dawn laughed as she turned to face the demon sitting next to her. It never ceased to amaze her how her life-long lesson of “all demons are bad” had been completely revoked in the past year. Like with Spike. Everyone despised him because he’d apparently tried to kill them in years past, but Dawn found it easier to believe that the group made up those stories because, Spike? The first time Xander had told her about killer Spike, she’d giggled and tried to imagine the vampire who’d let her paint his nails in “Bashful Pink” just because she’d pouted her lower lip at him, would be the same vampire who held a broken bottle to Willow’s face. Not even possible. And Anya? The same Anya who taught her how to do the money dance at the close of the day at the Magic Shop, how could that woman be the same person who eviscerated men for pleasure? Again, not possible. Now there was this funny green demon sitting in the car next to her, begging her to sing songs and calling her different types of muffins.  

“Can I sing to the radio?” she asked reaching for the button without waiting for a reply. The first station she hit upon was just starting Madonna’s “Ray of Light.”

“Ohh,” Lorne breathed out. “Try not to kill Maddy, okay Muffin Bran.”

Dawn wasn’t listening as she bobbed her head and swayed her body to the beat of the music.

“Zephyr in the sky at night I wonder, do my tears of morning sink beneath the sun.” Her voice cracked slightly at the raise in pitch at the next verse and Lorne inwardly cringed, but keep his fingers tapping the beat on the steering wheel. He grinned widely as she threw her arms in the air at the start of the chorus, and swayed her hair over her face.

“QUICKER THEN A RAY OF LIGHT. QUICKER THEN A RAY OF LIGHT. QUICKER THEN A RAY OF LIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIGHT!”

Dawn laughed as she did her best techno dance imitation in the car. Suddenly Lorne’s entire body froze as he was assaulted with images of Dawn’s life. He slammed on the brakes, and the car skidded off the road, over the curb, and shuddered to a stop half on the sidewalk. He leaned over the steering wheel gasping for breath. Dawn’s face was a look of terror as her hands gripped the side of the door. Madonna still sang cheerfully from the stereo. “Zephyr in the sky at night-” Lorne switched the radio off.

“You okay?” Lorne turned his head, and slowly pushed back the veil of hair covering Dawn’s face. “I’m so sorry sweetie. I guess I was a little unprepared for that.” He grimaced as he watched a myriad of tears spill forth from the girl’s eyes.

“I-I didn’t mean it,” she sobbed. “I’m sorry. I always make everything such a mess.” Her voice hiccupped, and she let out a small wail.

“Hey! Hey,” Lorne crooned as he unbuckled his seatbelt and pulled Dawn against his chest. “It’s okay. Everything’s going to be okay. You’ve had a bit of an…abrupt start of life but-hey who hasn’t? You didn’t hurt me, just surprised me. That was an odd thing to read. Haha, you went from nothing to fifteen, complete with full sets of memories. Just a little shock on poor old Lorne’s system.”

“Am I…Am I k-keeping Buffy’s m-memories from her by-by being here?” she sobbed against his chest.

“No, pumpkin. Actually that little part of her that’s in you, it barely exists anymore. You’re a stubborn thing, you’ve claimed that piece and changed it into your own.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means, my former little green key, that you are now a real girl. 100% all Dawn.” He grinned down at her as she lifted her face to meet his eyes. After a moment, she smiled back at him. “Alright, let’s go find Melinda. We got ourselves a slayer to heal.”

XXX

Willow pulled her car up to the Hyperion Hotel, and shuddered remembering the last time she was here. The time she had to tell Angel that Buffy had died. She remembered sitting on the round couch, hugging herself tightly, waiting for someone-anyone to show up. The emptiness had surrounded her, leaving her with nothing but vivid memories: her fingers entering Glory’s mind to suck out Tara’s essence, the power that flowed through her as she scattered the thoughtless crazies so that Spike could race up the tower and get Dawn, the cry from Xander as he watched Anya get hit, the look on Giles’ face as she caught him over Ben’s body, the portal opening above them, and Buffy. Buffy saving the day with her death. Buffy’s body landing with a sickening crunch on the pile of bricks in front of them. Giles’ carrying her body back to the house. Dawn leaning on Spike, wiping her dreaded blood on his duster, sobbing into each other. Anya poking Buffy’s body, screaming at her to get up and stop being such a sissy, slayers didn’t die from falling.

And then Angel had arrived, and she had seen the look on his face. She watched as he collapsed to his knees, but he made no sound other than to mutter out Buffy’s name. The silence in the room stretched on, and Willow had spent the time staring at the wall over the door. Cordelia had finally dragged Angel to his feet, and pulled him upstairs, leaving Willow with Wesley and some people she didn’t know. Introductions were not made. Finally, she just left the funeral information with Wesley, and had gone back to her car and driven home. No one from L.A had come to the funeral, although Xander had been convinced he’d seen Angel hiding behind a tree.

“The door’s locked,” Xander announced pulling Willow out of her memories. “I knocked, but no one answered.”

“Does anyone have a cell phone?” Tara asked. There was a collective no from the surrounding group.

“Well, now what do we do?” Anya asked. “We can’t just sit in the car until so one shows up. We’ll look like a group of psychos.”

Giles began polishing his glasses on his sweater. “Well, I suggest we find somewhere to stay until morning. I would assume they open at 9 a.m, so that should be a safe time to come back.”

“But what about Buffy and Dawn?” Xander asked.

“Well, I’m sure that where ever they are, they have already been there for, what, one or two days now? A few more hours won’t make much of a difference,” Giles said as he herded the group back to the waiting cars.  

XXX

Chapter 17

Buffy made Spike stop at the bathroom on the way back to her room. For a brief moment, she thought the soup was going to make a reappearance, but luckily, nothing happened. She grudgingly allowed Spike to carry her to the bed. He made a move toward the chair after making sure she was all tucked in.

“Where are you going?” Buffy asked.

“Just gonna sit in the chair.”

“Oh.” Her eyes shifted back toward the quilt covering her.

“Wot’s wrong, luv?”

“I just-I, um…”

He nodded as he understood what she was trying to articulate, and pulled the covers back before crawling in beside her. He lay on his back and pulled her head onto his chest. A sigh escaped his lips as she snuggled into him.

“Did you know my mom?” Buffy asked suddenly.

“Yeah, great lady, yer mum.”

“Will you tell me about her?”

Spike glanced down to find Buffy peering sleepily up at him.

“ I suppose, but you need to close your eyes first.” He waited until she complied before continuing. “Firs’ time I met your mum was at your school. It was back before you and me got along so well, and…I was, er, attempting to kill you. She bashed the back of me skull in with an ax, she did. Haha, told me to ‘get the hell away from her little girl.’ You inherited her spunk, you know?” Spike paused, waiting for a reaction or a rebuttal for his admitting that he had tried to kill her, but none came. “Strong woman, your mum. Very little fazed her. She used to make me a cuppa hot chocolate with those little marshmallows in it. That was after we got along better, obviously. She always…she always treated me like I meant something, you know, always listened to me and…trusted me. Don’t know why she did, asked her once. You know what she told me? She said that there was just something about me that she liked.” He snorted here. “Can you imagine that, the slayer’s mum liking something about a soulless vampire?” He smiled again wistfully. “She reminded me of my own mum…”Spike trailed off to look down at Buffy again.

The slayer was fast asleep, her head on his chest and one hand resting on his stomach. Spike ran his fingers absentmindedly through her hair, marveling at the strands as they slide down his fingers.

XXX

It was Buffy’s moans that first woke Spike up. His shirt was soaked, and her cheeks glistened with tears. Bollocks! Wonder how long she’s been cryin’ like that.”

Buffy began to toss against him, and Spike quickly tightened his grip around her shoulders.

“Shh, luv. It’s okay. Wake up now. ‘ve got ya.”

He felt her nails rake across his chest, and Spike bit his lip when he noticed that she had scratch marks on her arms. Bloody hell, someone slip a mickey in my blood that I don’t notice she’s scratching the shite out of herself?

“Buffy, pet, you’ve got to wake up now. Yer safe. Nothin’ gonna hurt you here.” Spike sat up against the wall pulling Buffy up with him.

Her eyes popped open at the sudden movement, and she immediately stilled.

“You with me there, kitten?” Spike tried to get her attention to focus on him.

“I was there again,” she whispered. “But now I c-I can’t remember,” Buffy’s voice raised in panic.

Spike tightened his arms around her trembling body. “ ‘T’s okay. Everything’s gonna be okay.”

“Spike?” Buffy’s hands clawed for purchase against his shirt, and his neck moistened as her tears began to flow again. “Spike!”

Spike tipped his head down to meet her face.

“Why is this happening to me?” she sobbed into him. “What did I do to deserve this? I was a good girl, wasn’t I? I was-I was a good girl.”

He didn’t know what to do. Angry Buffy he could handle, Nightmare Buffy he could handle, Confused Buffy he could handle, but this-this was different. This he didn’t know how to handle.

Spike closed his eyes. “You were a good girl, luv. You were the best girl.” He rubbed his hands up and down her arms.

“I was a good girl…I was…I was a good girl…”Slowly Buffy’s sobs subsided as she fell back asleep.

“You ARE a good girl,” Spike whispered as he pressed a kiss to the top of her head.

XXX

Gunn was assaulted by a group of people as he arrived to unlock the doors at the Hyperion.

“Excuse me sir, we are looking for Angel. Is he around presently?” Giles asked the young man.

Gunn turned to look at the ragged group, key dangling off one finger.

“Depends on who wants to know.”

“Uh y-y-y-es, of course. Um, my name is Giles-Rupert Giles and I’m actually looking for two girls by the name of Buffy and Dawn Summers.”

“And you want Angel to help you find them?”

“W-w-well, we have reason to believe that he might actually be with them. You see, they disappeared after a visit from him.” Giles removed his glasses and began wiping them against his sweater.

“Well if I see him, I’ll be sure to relay the message.” Gunn turned to walk into the building.

“Hey, we know that Buffy’s with him.” Xander couldn’t keep the anger out of his voice. “So, why don’t you go find deadboy and tell him that we’re here to take her home.”

Gunn spun around. “I’m sorry, I don’t remember talking to you boy.”

“Who you calling boy?” Xander got up in Gunn’s face.

“Oh, I know you ain’t trying to start shit with me. Not this early in the morning.”

“Xander,” Willow put one hand on his shoulder. “Xander, come on.”

Anya walked up to Gunn as Willow pulled Xander backward.

“Hi!” Anya put on her best customer service smile and put out her hand. “I’m Anya. I’m a fellow independent business owner. I compliment you on your fine establishment.”

Gunn looked at her a moment before shaking her hand.

“So,” Anya clapped her hands together. “May I have a tour of your business, and spend time discussing ways of improving financials with you?”

Gunn cocked his eyebrow and threw a long toward the rest of the group.

“Is she for real?”

“Oh, yes,” Anya answered for herself. “I am a hundred present real business owner. See, look. I have business cards. They have my name on them.” She pulled out a stack of business cards from her purse, and handed several to him. “You can just pass those out to your friends.”

Gunn glanced down at the card, and the back up again. “Sunnydale, huh? I was warned you people might show up. Better talk to Cordelia, she’s in charge of these things.”

“Yes, we will talk to Cordelia.” Anya grabbed Xander’s hand and whispered loudly to him as they walked through the doors. “See, you just need to know how to talk to people.”

Gunn shook his head as he watched the line of people enter into the Hyperion.

XXX

Fred was sitting cross-legged on the red couch with her back to the door. She looked up as Gunn stepped in front of her.

“Morning Charles. You are not going to believe what I’ve been working on, I’ve been waiting for Wesley to show up so that I can go over these finding with him. See the blood sample that we took from B-”

“Fred!”

She jumped at the force with which Gunn said her name. He placed his hands on her shoulders and spun her around to face the group of people gathered behind her.

“Oh-Hi!” Fred waved awkwardly. “I’m Winifred, but you can just call me Fred.”

“Hello Fred! I’m Anya and this is my fiancé, Xander.” Anya stepped up to shake Fred’s hand, dragging Xander behind her. “This is Willow and Tara, and the stuffy English guy is Giles.”

“Pleased to meet y’all.” Fred giggled nervously and looked at Gunn, who shrugged.

“Don’t look at me, found ‘em waiting on the front porch.”

“Does Angel know?” Fred’s whisper was loud enough for Giles to hear.

“No, I told them I hadn’t seen him yet, but now that’s over with.”

“Oops, sorry.”

“So I take it then, that Angel is present here?” Giles pushed his glasses up his nose.

“I’m right here, Giles.” Angel walked out of a door located behind a desk. Cordelia followed him out.

“Yo Angel, man. I didn’t tell them nothing.”

“Morning all! Fred, you are not going to believe-oh!” Wesley walked in through the door and stopped at the sight of the apparent L.A. vs Sunnydale standoff.

There was an awkward silence as the two groups stared at each other.

“Mr. Giles, is there something we can do for you?” Wesley asked trying to be courteous as he walked toward the counter to set down the books he was carrying.

“Yes, Wesley. You can give me back my Slayer,” Giles answered.

“She doesn’t want to go,” Angel said.

“And who are you to make that decision?” Xander asked.

“STOP!” Cordelia held her hand up, and slowly walked between the two groups. “All of you stop.”

“You gonna stop us, Queen C?” Xander sneered.

Cordelia’s eyes snapped toward him. “Alexander Harris, you are going to stop talking and listen for two minutes of your life.”

“Hey, you can’t speak to him like that,” Anya protested. “Only I get to speak to him like that.”

Suddenly Cordelia’s face scrunched up like she was going to sneeze. Her hand reached for her forehead, and her body began to convulse.

“VISION!” Gunn yelled as Angel leapt forward to catch Cordelia as she started to fall.

“I-I’ll get some water.” Tara headed off to the water cooler in the corner of the room as the rest of the Sunnydale crowd watched the A.I. team hold down the former cheer-leader’s shaking body.

XXX

Chapter 18

Spike was still asleep when Buffy woke up, his breathing in perfect rhythm with hers. It was strange, sleeping with someone technically dead. When they first curled up, he was cold, but as the night wore on, his body warmed against hers…like sheets on the bed.

 As she shifted to observe him better, he reacted by tightening his hold on her and muttering, “ ‘T’s all right, luv,” in his sleep as he rolled on his side to face her.

Buffy stilled and watched in amazement as his breathing, that had been so normal, became sporadic and sudden when his body wasn’t in such close proximity to hers. It was almost as if his body had been breathing as a comfort to her, and without her there, breathed more as an afterthought.

She ghosted her hand over the features of his face. He looked so…peaceful as he slept. It was hard to believe that this man, this vampire, lying next to her had been her mortal enemy in her earlier life. Buffy wasn’t stupid. She had read the entries in the diaries about his attempts on the lives of her and her friends. She shuddered in horror at the thought of the man she’d let share a bed with her, had once tried to rip her throat out with his fangs.

And yet, at the same time, she found it hard to believe that the person lying next to her, the person who had rescued her and held her and comforted her, was that same man. When she had looked closer into the diary entries, Buffy had almost been able to trace a tiny pattern of change in the vampire’s deeds, as he slowly went from trying to kill her to taking a beating from a Hell God to protect her sister. It had been a minute pattern, and she wondered if her former self had even been aware of it.

It was such a contrast to Angel. Angel, to whom page after page was dedicated long-winded entries, filled with flowery speech and true love promises. Buffy could see how her young self was so immediately taken by him, tall and dark and everything promised in fairy tales. Plus he had this…presence, like he filled the room just by being there. And yet, everything surrounding the two of them seemed so…dramatic, so surreal. He died and went to Hell, but came back. She died and went to Heaven and came back. They loved each other, but they couldn’t be with each other, blah, blah, blah. How Romeo and Juliet. But Romeo and Juliet never ended up together, did they? Looking at Angel…she felt…nothing. He still loved her, Buffy could tell by his eyes. They searched and searched, hoping each time for a glimmer of remembrance in hers. It made Buffy feel bad, that he held such hope when she had none. And, to be honest, if her memory returned and forced her to became that sad, broken little girl waiting for him to throw her a crumb…she’d be pissed.

Again, the two men contrasted each other. Spike’s love for her was simple, “I love you. I would do anything for you. I accept you.” While Angel’s was more “I love you, but I can’t be with you. I’m leaving you, but I don’t want you with anyone else.” Angel put her on an unreachable pedestal, Spike made her real. Angel demanded of her, Spike gave to her. Somehow, Buffy didn’t think she’d been so perceptive before she died.

Buffy sighed as she snuggled back into Spike’s arms, and felt a brief spurt of amusement as his breathing fell into sync with hers. His eyelids fluttered and opened.

Spike blinked in surprise as he opened his eyes to find Buffy’s face mere inches from his own. He still kept thinking that he was going to wake up at any moment, alone and lying in his crypt. The thought that she had turned to him for comfort above everyone else still had him reeling in shock. She had turned to him, not the Scoobies, not Nibblet, not the bloody watcher, and not- NOT the poof. Him. God, she was so close that he could almost brush her lips with his own, and he wanted to. God, how he wanted to.

“Hey,” he said softly.

“Hey, yourself.”

Spike brought up his hand to push back some of Buffy’s hair. She closed her eyes and sighed as he touched her.

“You know, a bloke could get used to this.”

“What, my hair?” she joked.

Spike shook his head and allowed his hand to stroke her cheek.

“Waking up next to someone so beautiful.”

“Stop, you’re going to make me blush,” Buffy said leaning her face into his hand.

“You’re cute when you blush, pet.”

“Spike? Can I ask you something?”

“ You can ask me anything.”

“Do you…do you wanna…kiss me?” Her eyes lowered demurely toward the comforter.

Spike’s hand tangled itself in her hair, and he slowly brought her closer. He kissed her gently at first, but as her hands lackadaisically moved up his arms, the kiss became more desperate. He had dreamed about this kiss for almost a year, a kiss given from her freely and without disgust.

 Spike pulled back a little to look at Buffy’s face. Her eyes were still closed. Quickly, before she could change her mind, he trailed a row of kisses up her jaw line and down her neck, alternating between soft and breathy and hard and sucking. Buffy let out a low moan as he hit the pulse point on her neck, and fisted her hands around his shoulders. Somewhere in the back of her mind, little alarms were going off at having a vampire’s face in her neck, but Buffy ignored them. Spike just felt so good. 

The door flew off the hinges, and before either could react, Spike was sent flying across the room.

XXX

“Cordy? Cordy, talk to me. What do you see?” Angel asked the still shaking girl.

“Can someone please explain what the hell just happened here?” Xander asked.

“Yes, of course.” Wesley answered. “Cordelia receives visions from the Powers That Be about future misfortunes, and then we try to advert them.”

“And these visions cause horrible, body shaking seizures?” Willow asked her eyes wide on Cordelia.

“Um, yes,” Wesley said. “Unfortunate side-effect.”

“How utterly fascinating,” Giles said. “How often is she right?”

“Oh, she’s always right.” Fred said. “And then it’s all fighting and killing and cleaning.”

“Um, killing and cleaning?” Tara asked.

“After a vision, Cordelia always goes on a dusting spree.” Fred answered.

“Oh,” was Tara’s response.

“How long has she had these visions?” Anya asked.

“Two years maybe,” Wesley guessed. “Why do you ask?”

“It’s just that I’ve never seen a human have visions like that without getting the back of their head blown out.”

“ANYA!” Xander exclaimed at the same time Gunn asked, “You mean these visions are going blow out the back of Cordy’s head?”

“Buffy!” Cordelia’s eyes finally flew open and her body stopped shaking. She covered her eyes with her hand to shield out the light.

“What about Buffy?” Angel urged.

“She’s fighting…she’s afraid…”

“What is she fighting?” Angel asked.

“I don’t know…I can’t see it…Spike’s there…he’s all fanged face…”

“Where Cordy? I need you to tell me where.”

Cordelia closed her eyes and scrunched her face up.

“I-I don’t know. I’m sorry Angel, I don’t know.”

“Shh, it’s okay. Rest now, I’ll take care of it.” Angel motioned toward Willow and Tara to take care of Cordelia.

He walked up to Anya and grabbed her by the elbow, pulling her off to the side.

“Hey!” She snapped. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

Angel spun around to face her.

“You are going to tell me everything you know about those visions.” He crossed his arms over his chest and stared at her.

Anya sighed and made a futile wave in the air with her arm.

“Look I don’t know much. I was doing vengeance on this guy in colonial America back in the 1600s, when I heard about this girl who had visions of the future. The colonists thought she was a witch, and they were going to burn her, but before they could she had this huge vision-all twitching and convulsing with the screaming and eyes rolling back her head-when suddenly the back of her just blows out.”

Xander had walked up to them mid-explanation, and made a grimacing noise at the last part of Anya’s story.

“You’re telling me.” Anya snorted. “I was standing behind her at the time. Do you know how long it took to get the stains out of my clothes?”

Angel leaned forward into Anya’s face. “You’re telling me that those visions are going to knock the back of Cordy’s brain out of her skull?”

“Well, yeah. I mean the headaches alone…”

“Headaches, what headaches?” Angel looked over at Wesley.

“She’s never made mention to me about any headaches, just a little after vision sluggishness that usually resolves itself after we save the person.”

Fred stepped up to them and raised her hand. “Um, now that you mention it. That kinda makes sense. I mean, those convulsions do rattle her brain around a bit. I could definitely see a concussion being possible.”

“Perhaps we could research into this a bit. Find out if there’s something we can do for her,” Giles mused thoughtfully.

“Uh, Hell-o!” Cordeila weakly sat up. “Not that I’m all un-happy girl that you guys are discussing me, but the words Buffy, Spike, and in trouble just passed out of my lips. Shouldn’t you people be a little more worried?”

“Buffy.” A strange look crossed over Angel’s face, and he suddenly took off up the staircase. 

XXX

Chapter 19

If he’s touched so much as a hair on her goddamn head, I’ll stake him. No! I’ll kick the living crap out of him, then I’ll stake him. I’ll torture him with crosses and fucking holy water. So help me, if he’s hurt her.

Angel was almost growling as he rounded the corner to the door of Buffy’s room. That’s when he heard it; her accelerated heart rate, her quickened breathing. Angel felt his demon face slide forth as he reached the door. Without hesitating, he kicked the door clean off the hinges. That’s when he saw. Buffy’s head tilted off to the side, Spike’s face buried in the crook of her neck, her arms scratched and clutching at his shoulders. His reaction was pure instinct.

With a snarl, Angel crossed over, seized Spike by the back of his neck and tossed him across the room. Spike hit the wall, cracking the plaster, and fell to the floor on his face. Angel ignored Buffy’s scream as he picked Spike up by the back of the neck again, and threw him to the other side of the room. Spike landed on his back this time, and managed to prop himself up on his elbows as Angel came at him again.

“Problem, Angelus?” he sneered in full vamp face as he brought up his leg to kick Angel away from him.

Angel stumbled backwards but didn’t fall. His hesitation allowed Spike to stand himself up, and counter Angel with a right hook to the jaw.

“STOP!” Buffy called out from the bed. Both vampires ignored her.

“I knew you couldn’t be trusted.” Angel managed to get a hit into Spike’s nose.

“Trusted to do what?” Spike wiped the blood off with the back of his hand, and hit Angel back in the stomach.

“Couldn’t resist that third slayer notch in your belt, could ya?” Angel’s head bounced back as Spike’s fist connected.

“What the bloody hell are you talking about Peaches?” Spike delivered a side-kick to Angel’s stomach that knocked him through the broken door and into the hallway. Spike followed the kick through by tackling Angel back into the wall when he had tried to stand up.

Buffy yanked the covers off the bed, and bolted to stand between the two vampires. She moved faster than either expected her too, and Angel couldn’t stop the punch he had started to throw. He hit her square on the jaw, slamming her backward into Spike’s chest.

Her reaction surprised her. Buffy stood up and gave Angel a right hook that sent him careening into the wall, sending a cascade of plastering raining down. She stood there shocked as the entire group of people came rushing upstairs to see what the commotion was.

“How-how did I…? I didn’t mean to…?” Buffy’s eyes were wide with shock as she watched Angel slowly get up and brush himself off.

Spike came up behind her and placed his hands reassuringly on her arms.

“It’s alright, luv. Slayer’s have extra strength, remember? To help with the killings of big bads. Didn’t hurt ‘im, much the pity. ”

“What the hell did you do to him?” Cordelia faced off with Buffy accusingly. “He came up here to help you, and this is how you repay him?”

Buffy’s eyes slide from Cordelia to the group from Sunnydale standing behind her.

“I-I didn’t mean to…I just wanted them to stop…”

“Stop what?” Cordelia crossed her arms over her chest.

“Spike was trying to drink from her.” Angel glared at Spike over Cordelia’s shoulder.

“I wasn’t trying to drink from her you foreheaded freak.” Spike glared back over Buffy’s shoulder.

“I SAW you!” Angel started to move toward him.

“Prove it!” Spike leaned forward.

“Stop!” Buffy held her hand up. “Look, Spike wasn’t trying to feed from me or hurt me or harm me in any way, alright?”

Angel looked down at Buffy with hurt gleaming in his eyes. “But I saw him with his face buried in your neck.”

“What was Spike doing with his face in your neck?” Xander asked as the red creeped into Buffy’s cheeks. “Oh!” He started to say something else when Willow interrupted him.

“Xander,” Willow hissed. “We agreed no judging, remember?”

“I don’t remember agreeing to letting Spike suck on her neck,” Xander hissed back.

“Wot are you lot doin’ here anyway?” Spike asked, allowing his glare to shift from Angel to the Scoobies.

“We came looking for Buffy and Dawn, of course.” Giles elbowed his way to the front of the group. “Hello, Buffy.” He smiled fondly at her, and started to move toward her. Sadness clouded his eyes as she backed away from him. “Oh, I forgot that you don’t remember me. My name is Rupert Giles. I was, er, am your watcher.”

“Perhaps some tea is what everyone needs,” Wesley spoke up from the back of the group. “Why don’t we let Spike and Buffy, er, freshen up, and we’ll all move back downstairs and have tea.”

“Yes, tea sounds good,” Giles agreed turning to shoo the group down the stairs.

“Yes, cause tea is the English cure for everything,” Willow muttered as she moved down the hallway. “It’s like, ‘hey your toe fell off- have some tea.’”

Tara took Willow’s hand in hers, “I think they drink scotch in the case of missing toe.” And the two girls smiled at each other.

 Cordelia lightly took Angel by the arm.

“Come on,” she said softly. “This wasn’t my vision. I don’t think he’s going to harm her.”

Angel allowed Cordelia to lead him down the hallway, but his glare never left Spike’s eyes.

XXX

“Wake up munchkin pie, we’re here.”

Dawn groggily opened her eyes and sat up, ignoring the crick in her neck as she took in her surroundings.

“Are we still in L.A.?” she asked wiping the corner of her mouth with her sleeve.

“Not exactly, more like a suburb if you will.” Lorne replied, running his head over the back of his head.

Dawn stepped out of the car and slowly turned around to get a better look. In front of them was a large almost castle-like mansion set back in behind a fortress of trees. A dirt path wove its way through lush gardens past a fountain and to the main entrance of the house.

“Wow! Just…wow! How does no one know about this?” Dawn asked as she followed Lorne up the path.

“Magic, sweat pea, magic. Now, uh, don’t mind Minda, she’s a tad…odd.” Lorne knocked on the front door, and it opened to reveal a girl barely older than Dawn.

“Hi there cutie. We’re here to see Melinda, she available?”

“The Goddess is in mediation, would you like to wait in the tea room?” The girl blinked at Lorne from behind her dark bangs.

“Yeah, sure. Tea sounds good. Don’t suppose you could rouse up something to eat? Muffin here and I are a bit hungry.”

The girl nodded and beckoned for them to follow her. She led them down a long hall richly decorated in various oriental rugs, and gold-framed portraits. Dawn opened her eyes as wide as possible to take in everything at once: the wood floor, the spiraling staircases, the random books left carelessly lying on tables (books that she was sure Giles would have a heart-attack if he saw), and the large bay windows. She tried to peep in each doorway as they passed: a library, a room of deity statues, a room filled with some type of scientific research looking stuff, and an astrology room of sorts.

Finally the girl paused outside of what could only be the tearoom, and ushered them in. The room was filled with squishy chairs and sofas. In the center was a round table already laid with a handsome tea set and some finger sandwiches.

“Please make yourself comfortable. Let us know if you need anything.”

Lorne and Dawn sat down at the small table and made quick work of the sandwiches. Right as they finished, the door opened again and Dawn gasped at the woman that entered the room. She was tall, almost six feet, with long white hair that cascaded down her back in soft curls. Her dress, also white, was floor length, and she almost seemed to glide rather than walk.

“Lorne, how lovely it is to see you again.” The woman lightly kissed Lorne on the cheek before she turned to face Dawn. “What a delightful young girl you have brought to see me. Pray child, what is your name?”

“D-Dawn Summers.”

“Dawn, what a superb name for a girl like you. I am so glad that you’re mother didn’t give an unfittingly plain name like Jenny or Sarah. One meets far too many girls with those names. We have six Jenny’s and three Sarah’s here right now. It is much too confusing to keep them all straight.”

The woman sat down majestically at the table and poured herself a cup of tea before continuing.

“My mother named me Melinda, and I think that it suits me perfectly. Although, I used to want to be called Chalindria, but I’m glad that name never took. I would make a dreadful Chalindria, don’t you think?”

“I think that you would have been perfect no matter what your name is, Minda. Not to press matters, but we’ve got a major problem with some big time uncontrolled mojo.” Lorne leaned his elbows on the table. “Seems someone we know did a reanimation spell.”

Melinda looked shocked.

“A reanimation spell? But who would dare? It’s been outlawed for almost a century…did it work?”

Dawn spoke softly.“It-the spell brought back my sister, but she can’t remember anything.”

Melinda sighed.

“That is why the spell was outlawed. It’s too complicated for even the highest of priestesses. Too many factors, too many places for souls to go… Tell me about your sister. She didn’t come back a zombie, did she?”

Lorne shook his head.

“No, her friend is a powerful witch. Probably the most powerful, untrained witch I’ve ever come across. This girl got a bit of schooling and a giant size suitcase of control, she might rival you, Minda.”

“Hmm, tell me more about the sister. Does she have full motor control?”

“Full what?” Dawn asked.

Melinda looked at her.

“Full motor control. Is she functioning like a normal person?”

“Oh, yeah.”

“And her higher brain functions. Can she process thought?”

“Yeah, she’s just like she always was…just without any memories of who she is or who everyone else is.”

“Told ya, Minda. Girl’s got power flowin’ through her…Just one more thing we need to mention. The little munchkin that’s been brought back from demise is the Slayer.”

“THE SLAYER!?” Melinda suddenly got a look of understanding on her face. “OH! The last slayer to die, the one that defeated Glorificus, she had a friend who dabbled in witchcraft, didn’t she? I had heard rumors of a growing power over there, but I try never to pay attention to rumors. I should have guessed something amiss when you walked in here with a transdimensional key with you.”

It was Dawn’s turn to be surprised.

“Y-you know that I was a key?”

“You still are sweetheart, and you are the most well constructed one that I have ever met.  You have powers that you have yet to imagine. If you like, you may enter into an apprenticeship with other girls like you. I think there is a girl with transdimensional powers at our school in Egypt.” Melinda paused for a moment, studying Dawn. “First and foremost, however, I should like to meet this witch and your sister. I assume this is why you came Lorne?”

“You hit the nail on the head, Goddess. She’s staying with some friends of mine in L.A.”

“Is it the vampire with a soul? I’ve been dying to meet him. I heard that he actually got the oracles to turn back time. I’ve been trying to get them to do that ever since Elvis died. I had tickets to see him perform that week, and do you know that they wouldn’t refund me?”

“Now that is a travesty Minda. I’m gonna catch a few zzzz’s while you pack if you don’t mind. That drive is worse than sitting through a Ben Affleck movie, the only good part is the ending.”

“Of course. I will have one of the girl’s show you to a room.”

XXX

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