Life; Version 2.0
by Kirayoshi
Time Keeps On Slipping...
[reviews]
Chapter four
Time Keeps On Slipping
"Time keeps on slipping and slipping and slipping,
Into the future...
I want to fly like an eagle
To the sea
Fly like an eagle
Let my spirit carry me
I want to fly like an eagle
Til I'm free
Fly on through the revolution..."
--Steve Miller Band
"Fly Like and Eagle"
The first sensation that pricked Willow's awareness was the dappled sunlight filtering through thin floral curtains. She lifted her arm to shield her eyes from the light, only to feel a sharp jab in her arm. Slowly looking down, she noticed the tube in her arm leading to a plastic pouch on a rack by her bed.
She tried to lift herself out of the bed, only to feel a gentle pressure against her shoulder. "Easy, Willow," Buffy said soothingly as she gently pushed Willow back onto the bed. "Don't try to make any sudden moves. You're just recovering from a nasty flu." Giles sat in a nearby chair, looking anxiously at Willow's frail form.
"B-Buffy?" Willow muttered weakly.
"As famed in song and story," Buffy smiled, holding out a small white paper bag. "And I brought some friends, Ben and Jerry." She handed Willow the paper bag, and Willow withdrew a pint of Cherry Garcia. "Still your favorite, right?"
"Thanks," Willow smiled faintly. She accepted the spoon Buffy handed her and slowly ate a small spoonful of cherry ice cream.
"I must say," Giles started, and Willow couldn't mistake the paternal emotion that pervaded his proper British demeanor, "that you gave us quite a scare yesterday."
"The doc told me you're recovering from that flu that's going 'round," Buffy commented. "That must be why you've been a no-show at school."
"Buffy, I—" Willow started, but Buffy rose her hand to interrupt quietly.
"No, Willow," Buffy assured her. "You don't have to explain anything. After all that happened..." she paused slightly, gauging Willow's features, determining whether she should continue. "Look, all I'm saying is that I understand. You needed to cope, you needed some downtime alone, to decompress, to mourn—Xander told me about the stones on the grave. I understand, Willow. Don't worry."
"No, you don't understand," Willow stammered hurriedly, "it's not like that. I mean, yeah, I did need to get my head on straight, but the flu is different. I went out and infected myself."
Giles startled so hard he nearly fell out of his seat. Buffy's head snapped back so fast that Willow wasn't convinced she didn't suffer whiplash. "Whatchu talkin' 'bout, Willow?"
Willow inhaled slowly and began. "It involves time-travel, Buffy." Buffy lowered her head slightly; she had half-expected Willow to revert to her younger, more innocent manner after Angelus killed Oz and Jenny Calendar succeeded in resouling him. She found herself again aching for her friend, wishing fruitlessly that she could alleviate the pain that Willow felt, the horrors she had witnessed.
"There's a demon in this hospital, Buffy," Willow began. "It's called die Kinderstod, its name means 'child death', and it's been killing children in this hospital."
"Okay," Buffy squared her shoulders, shifting effortlessly into 'Slayer-mode'. "Describe it, and I'll take it down."
"That's the thing," Willow groaned faintly. "I don't know what it looks like. Y'see, only little kids or people who are very sick can see it."
"So you got yourself sick," Buffy mused, half to herself, her voice raising slightly, "so you could take on die Kindergarten yourself?"
Giles for his part barely contained his anger. "What the Devil were you thinking?" he practically exploded. "I happen to be aware of the legends of die Kinderstod, and know how powerful he's reputed to be. Did you think you could contend with a demon that powerful in your current condition?"
"Giles," Buffy shot back at her Watcher in a quietly intense monotone, "calm down. Anger's not helping anything here." Giles gritted his teeth but returned to his silent observation. She noticed Willow sinking back in her bed, her eyes widening slightly in fear. She calmed herself and lowered her voice. "Look, I'm not mad at you or anything, I'm just trying to understand. Did this demon do something to me in the future? Like maim me or something?"
Willow gave her head an almost imperceptible shake. "No, nothing like that. But I just couldn't let you face die Kinderstod alone." She paused for a moment, and Buffy could see the tendons in her neck tightening. "Your mom told us about Celia. How she died in a hospital." Buffy said nothing, but nodded once in confirmation. "Buffy, die Kinderstod killed Celia. He climbed on top of her in her hospital bed and... and..." She felt hot tears fall on her cheek and made no motion to dab them away. "I'm sorry, Buffy. I just didn't want you to hurt anymore." Her head drooped miserably on her chest, causing Giles to relinquish the last spark of anger he felt for Willow's recklessness.
"Sh, sh, sh," Buffy immediately scooped her friend up in her arms and slowly smoothed her hand over Willow's back. "It's gonna be okay. We'll take down this Kinderstod thing. You and me."
"You're not gonna infect yourself, are you?" Willow asked, worry etching her brow. "I mean, I wouldn't mind the company in the hospital and all, but..."
"Relax," Buffy gently placed a finger on Willow's lips, effectively silencing her babble. "After visiting hours tonight, I'll swing by and we'll hunt him together. You be my eyes, Willow. You tell me where to hit and I'll hit. Okay?"
"Sounds like a plan," Giles admitted. "I apologize for snapping at you, Willow. I was merely concerned for you. You must understand, unlike Buffy who fights her destiny tooth and nail," he punctuated this comment with a not-unkind glare at the frowning Slayer, "you jumped into the fight with both feet. Believe me; I would never decry your courage. Just your occasional recklessness. I hope you understand."
"Yeah, I guess I do," Willow admitted. "It's just that so much has happened, or will happen I mean. And my trying to change things before blew up in my face...I mean, there must be some reason I'm here, in the past. To make up for all the pain I caused, all the destruction..." She fell silent, unable to fully explain to herself, let alone her best friend and mentor, her innermost heart.
A poignant silence stretched before them, broken finally by Giles' gentle voice. "I won't lie to you, Willow, and say that I understand fully what you've gone through. But consider this; you say that you've been given a chance to atone for your mistakes. Perhaps the best way to accomplish that feat would be to learn from your own example. To avoid the pitfalls that led to your dependency on black magic in the first place."
"In other words," Willow said sadly, "to hang up the wand and cauldron and leave the magic to the experts."
"Nothing like that," Giles shook his head. "Just to approach any studies in magic slowly. I confess that I may have let my own experiences cloud my judgment, and for that I apologize. I believe the power that you tapped into is still a part of your psyche, even if your younger body hasn't had the chance to acclimate itself to such power. Jenny—uh, Miss Calendar and I spoke at length last night about you, and she wishes to tutor you properly in the disciplines of magic. We both do, actually. Sometimes, it's not so much about knowing how to do a thing, but knowing how not to do a thing that matters."
Willow rose her head, daring to look into Giles' gray-blue eyes. She sensed the truth of his words, the lack of artifice in the tone of his voice, the genuine concern and—she could scarcely believe it but was that pride?—in his eyes. Nodding rapidly, she added, "I'd like that, Giles. But still, what about all the things I know about the immediate future? So much is gonna happen, so many threats, an apocalypse every six months or so practically..."
"Hey, sounds like another day at the office, right Giles?" Buffy quipped, only to win a sour stare from her Watcher. She shrugged her shoulders and fell silent.
Giles returned his attention to Willow. "Perhaps it would be more beneficial, Willow, if you were to write down what you know, while it is fresh in your mind. If you wish I will bring some notebooks tomorrow so you can write down the pertinent facts."
"Could you do that?" Willow asked. "Maybe if I just get it down on paper, I can concentrate on getting my own life back on track."
"I'll bring them with me if you're busy, Giles," Buffy offered. Giles nodded his agreement, and Buffy smiled happily to Willow. "There we are, problem solved. And tonight we'll take care of our hospital boogey-man."
"I'll be glad of that," Willow agreed. "I mean, the sooner we get rid of—" Willow's voice suddenly pitched a couple of notes higher. "Uh, that is the sooner you get my assignments for the next week or so from school tomorrow and get them back to me, the easier it'll be for me to catch up. Oh, hi, Mrs. Summers," she added, waving at the figure in the doorway.
"Hello, Willow," Joyce half-smiled at the nervous redhead. Buffy turned her head toward her mother and waved casually while Giles nodded calmly. "Feeling any better?"
"Yeah, a little," Willow admitted. "Still a little feverish, but Buffy's given me the cure for that." She lifted the ice cream carton and displayed it to Joyce.
Joyce regarded Willow with a hooded expression. "No more nasty vampires around, huh?"
"Uh, vampires," Willow gulped audibly. "Oh, you mean when I was delirious, right? Sorry 'bout that, just an old childhood nightmare. Saw a Hammer Studio film marathon with Xander once over five bags of microwave popcorn when I was a kid. Real cool, but later there was an ick factor..."
"Easy, Willow," Joyce answered knowingly. "Buffy told me about it last night, right after she staked that one vampire, what was his name, Buffy?"
"Spike, Mom," Buffy answered calmly. Turning to Willow, Buffy added, "She knows, Will." Giles swallowed hard, and started to tug at his collar with his finger.
Joyce glanced at the librarian with a mock-angry glare. "There are things I wish to discuss with you later, Mr. Giles," she intoned gently but solemnly. "That is, if you have the time."
"Uh, yes, Mrs. Summers," Giles stammered as he rose from his seat and slowly inched his way toward the door. "I'd be, uh, glad to explain, that is, to answer any questions you may have. Uh, if you'll excuse me," he finished as his hand wrapped around the door handle, "I believe I have an appointment, uh, elsewhere. Yes. Get well soon, Willow, uh, goodbye." He rapidly ducked behind the door and closed it behind him. Buffy started to chuckle at Giles' moment of pure fear despite herself.
"Wow!" Willow whispered. She recalled how this scene had played in her own timeline, and was relieved that Buffy wouldn't have to face being thrown out of her own house in this world. Then she realized what Joyce had said, that Spike was no more. After all that Spike would do to Buffy and the others for so long, the thought of a world without that smug British bastard left her nearly giddy with relief. "So you know about Buffy being the vampire slayer?" Joyce nodded. "And you're cool with that?"
"'Cool' is a relative term," Joyce answered slowly. "Let's just say for now that I'm coping. I'll still be afraid for Buffy and whatever she faces at night, and I'll make her the biggest chocolate cake in history when she retires, but until then I'll stand by her." Flashing a sidelong stare at Buffy, she added, "Just so long as you're no longer dating any vampires."
Buffy couldn't resist the urge to rag on her mother. "This from the woman who once dated a robot."
Joyce scowled at her daughter. "You are a demon-child."
Buffy put on her most innocent face. "I live to torment you," she answered sweetly. "Is that bad?"
Joyce's stern exterior cracked as she chuckled at Buffy's expression. "Daughter's duty, I suppose," she answered, leaning forward and taking her daughter in a welcoming hug.
Willow felt a rare and reassuring warmth suffuse her spirit as she watched Buffy hugging her mother. She was grateful for the chance to witness this hard-won moment of happiness, especially after all that they had gone through, and would go through...
A sudden flash of insight flashed inside Willow's mind, causing her heart to race and a thin sheen of perspiration to form on her brow. "Uh, Buffy," Willow squeaked slightly, "not that I'm not glad to see you and all, cause I am, but I need to talk to your mom for a moment. Alone."
"Uh, sure, Will," Buffy answered, reluctantly leaving her post at Willow's bedside. She considered why Willow would want her out of the room for a moment, but figured that she simply needed a mother figure. With her own parents constantly absent, Buffy realized that it made perfect sense for Willow to see Joyce as a foster-mother type. "You two talk, then I think Xander wanted to spend some Willow-time. You sure you okay, Willow?"
"I'm fine, Buffy," Willow answered. "Thanks for asking though."
"Love ya, Willow," Buffy waved goodbye as she left the room.
Joyce regarded the closed door with a faint air of melancholy. It never quite occurred to her before how little she knew her own daughter. Since seeing Buffy dust that unpleasant vampire Spike the night before, Joyce found herself looking at the last two years of her daughter's life in a new light. All those times she seemed to be starting fights, getting into trouble at school, showing absolutely no responsibility, she was secretly out there, protecting the sleeping world from monsters. She shook her head sadly, praying for patience. Turning back to the girl in the hospital bed, she asked, "What did you want to talk to me about, Willow?"
"Well," Willow hesitated, uncertain exactly how to proceed in this matter. "It's kind of complicated, and I'm pretty sure that you'll think I'm a nutcase halfway through it."
"Willow," Joyce answered, "considering what I've seen recently, I'm prepared to take quite a bit on faith. You're a friend of my daughter's, and I'm grateful for that. You can tell me anything, Willow. If there's anything I can do to help you, I will, with a glad heart."
Willow looked into Joyce's eyes, and saw only acceptance. She took another spoonful of Cherry Garcia for courage, and started; "Mrs. Summers," she started, "you ever watch 'Quantum Leap'?"
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Joyce exited Willow's room quietly, standing next to the closed door for a second, staring blankly ahead of her as she considered what Willow had told her. She wasn't even aware of her daughter as she approached from the waiting room.
"Hey mom," Buffy asked, breaking Joyce's reverie. "You got a slow leak?"
"Huh?" Joyce asked, slightly dazed as she found herself looking into Buffy's questioning gaze. "Oh, fine. I'm fine, I guess. I just had a fascinating talk with Willow. I..." She shuddered like a wet dog shaking the water out of his fur before collecting herself. "I'm sure you're aware of this, Buffy, but your friend Willow is a remarkable woman."
"She is, mom," Buffy nodded emphatically. She leaned toward her mother and spoke in a faint whisper. "You wonder how I survived as long as I have as the Slayer? She's why. Xander, Giles, Cordy...especially Willow...I'd have lost a long time ago without them."
"I see that," Joyce replied knowingly. "She was asking for you and Xander."
"Gotcha." Buffy waved at Xander and Cordy, who were sitting closely and chatting in the waiting room. "Xander, Cordy, we're up." Xander and Cordy joined Buffy, Xander carrying a huge bouquet of Mylar balloons, and they three entered Willow's waiting room.
As her daughter spent time with her friends, Joyce quietly approached the front desk and made arrangements for a complete physical and MRI. From what Willow had told her, it seemed the only prudent course of action.
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One week later;
Principal Snyder was in the middle of some paperwork when he heard a sharp rap on his door. "Go away," he barked at the door. "I'm a busy man, and I have no time for whatever tom-foolery..." He found himself silenced as four people entered his office. "What part of 'I'm busy' don't you get?"
"Excuse me, Mr. Snyder," a tall African-American gentleman answered, producing a wallet from his jacket pocket and flashing the badge inside for Mr. Snyder's approval. "I'm Detective Burke, Sunnydale PD, this is my partner Shelby," the shorter white man next to him showed his badge, causing Mr. Snyder to smile inwardly. Finally here to place that Summers girl behind bars, he mused silently. "And I believe you know Miss Meade, head of the school board, and your computer teacher Miss Calendar," Detective Burke continued. Snyder glanced toward Jenny, and backed up in his seat at the almost feral gleam in her eyes.
"Charmed, I'm sure," Snyder answered brusquely. "Look, I appreciate your interest, but as you can see, I have work to do..."
"Not anymore you don't, Mr. Snyder," Miss Meade answered. She dropped a folder on Mr. Snyder's desk. "We've collected this information regarding your refusal to investigate the distribution of performance enhancing steroids among the members of the Sunnydale swim team. I am prepared to forgo pressing charges against you, in exchange for your immediate dismissal from the faculty, without the customary severance package, of course."
Snyder gaped like a suffocating fish, blinking furiously. "Miss Calendar discovered the plot from an anonymous source, and we already have Coach Marin in custody," Meade continued. "And he was more than happy to implicate you."
"Please, ladies, gentlemen," Mr. Snyder grinned like a nervous attorney. "Are you going to take the word of a disgruntled gym coach and school nurse?"
Jenny glanced at Miss Meade with inquisitive eyes. "I don't recall anyone mentioning a school nurse. Do you?"
"Not at all," Detective Burke answered. "Not at all."
"Mr. Snyder," Miss Meade leveled a disdainful gaze at the hapless school official. "The way I see it, you have two choices; you can either make your statement to the police, and choose to clear out your desk now and avoid prosecution, or you may clear out your desk after your arraignment. Either way, you are no longer employed by this school."
"But...but..." Mr. Snyder was unable to speak in more than fleeting single syllables as the Miss Meade and the two detectives filed out of the office. Jenny stood quietly for a moment, taking one last look at the broken little man as he slumped in his chair. "You..." he growled, pointing a shaky finger at Jenny Calendar. "You did this...you set me up...you ratted on me!"
Jenny shook her head with something akin to sorrow. She found herself almost feeling sorry for the small man sitting before her. Almost, but not quite.
"I informed the police to protect the students," Jenny answered plainly. "Unlike you, I actually give a damn about their future. Goodbye, Mr. Snyder. You won't be missed." She strode out the door and back toward the library without turning back.
Giles, Buffy, Willow, Xander and Cordy were gathered around the main table as Jenny walked in smiling. "Willow," she spoke in a voice filled with laughter as she entered the library, "your information was right on the money. Mr. Snyder is out of here like Vladimir."
"YES!" Xander jumped out of his chair and started to jump wildly up and down in the same place, his arms outstretched. Willow grinned hugely at the sight while Cordy covered her eyes with her hand in embarrassment, and Buffy observed the spectacle with a crooked eyebrow. "So," she pursed her lips as Xander's wild dancing wound down, "that's a Snoopy Dance."
"Is that what that was?" Giles asked sardonically. "I would have guessed St. Vitus' Dance." Xander, sufficiently mollified, resumed his chair in silence, fending off a hard glare from Cordy. "First thing tomorrow," Cordy whispered through clenched teeth, "I'm giving you some dance lessons." Xander raised his eyes slightly, although he did admit to himself that the prospect of extended close contact with his girlfriend would not be entirely without compensations.
"So, Miss Calendar, who's taking Snydley's job?" asked Buffy as she glanced toward Willow.
"As far as I know," Jenny answered, "an interim principal will be appointed tomorrow for the rest of the school year, then a permanent replacement will be chosen over the summer. Hopefully one more conscientious than his or her predecessor."
"That shouldn't be too difficult," Giles agreed heartily. "Well, with Snyder removed, and the threat of Angelus, Drusilla and Spike eliminated, we may have a quiet stretch for the next few months."
"Quiet patrols," Buffy happily added. "I can deal with that."
"There is the problem with the stone of Acaltha," Willow said hesitantly. All heads turned toward her, making her feel slightly uncomfortable. "Uh, that is, in my time, Angelus, Spike and Dru tried to use the stone to resurrect the demon Acaltha and plunge the world into a living Hell."
"Oh, that trick again," Xander mock-complained.
"Except that Angel's not in town anymore," Buffy observed, "and Spike and Dru are clogging a street-sweeper somewhere."
"But that leaves this whole hunka Acaltha," Cordy spoke up, "just waiting for some undead skanky evil to get their slimy hands on it."
"So, what do we do?" Jenny asked. Again all eyes turned to Willow. The red-head shifted in her seat, thinking for a second. Finally, she shrugged her shoulders and said, "I don't know. I really don't know!"
Buffy patted Willow's hand reassuringly in her own. "Feels refreshing, doesn't it?"
Willow smiled, glad to again be blessed with Buffy's unconditional love and friendship. "Yeah, it is."
"Yes," Giles harrumphed. "Well, we should develop a strategy to prevent the stone from falling into the wrong hands. Not that there are any actual right hands, but still if we could locate the stone, I may be able to arrange for the Council to procure it."
"Keep it out of harm's way, that's always of the good," Cordy agreed.
"Yeah, Cordy," Xander quipped, "you should always keep household chemicals and evil apocalyptic stones at least four feet off the ground and away from flammables."
Cordy stared sourly at Xander, Buffy chuckled and Giles shared a private humorous response with Jenny. Willow, for her part, felt truly at peace for the first time in a very long time.
She had begun to sponge the darkness from her soul, and atone for her moment of weakness. It would be a long road for her to travel, and she no longer knew for certain what lay ahead.
But one look at Buffy's eyes, and a gentle touch of her hand, reminded her that some things would always be constant. Friendship, loyalty, love, and the belief that her own goodness would overpower whatever darkness she faced, without or within.
Willow smiled as she prepared to aid Giles in his research. And for once, she looked forward to tomorrow.