Missing Red
by Bob Head
[reviews]
Author: Bob Head
Disclaimer: None of the characters below (Except for the Slayer's Shadow) belong to me. All the BtVS people belong to Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy and 20th Century Fox. I'm just trying to have fun.
Rating: PG-13
Feedback: Well, Yeah! frank_8281@yahoo.com
Missing Red
Shadow's POV
Damn! There she is again. That's the third time this week she's kicked in the door to this dive. Willie must be going broke replacing them. Ouch! That had to hurt. She tossed that Parvo demon clean to the other side of the bar into the liquor supply. I think it's time for me to slide quietly out of here, so I concentrate and slip through the wall into the building next door. From there I head to my house on the outskirts of town. Moving through walls is a handy talent. Especially with a pissed off Slayer chasing all over town kicking the ass of any demon that even looks at her wrong. But it is kind of tiring.
I guess I better backtrack and explain a few things. These are the Facts of Life in a small town in California named Sunnydale.
Fact 1: Vampires, Demons, and all the things that go "bump in the night " are real.
Fact 2: A lot of really bad things (see above) go on in Sunnydale.
Fact 3: I am one of those bad things.
Fact 4: Sunnydale sits on top of a convergence of mystical energies called a Hellmouth.
Fact 5: The Hellmouth is what draws the bad things to Sunnydale.
Fact 6: The only reason the bad things haven't overrun this town and opened the Hellmouth already is because it has a guardian. A little blonde girl called the Slayer. Her name's Buffy Summers. Yeah, I know, Buffy. Ain't it so cute you could die? And you might if you tell her that to her face. Die, that is.
.
Most of the Demons, Vampires and assorted creatures in this town, including some of the Humans, are Evil. No, I am not going to try to define Evil. I know when I see it and they are. Accept that and move on. For those of you paying attention you may have noticed that I am one of those bad things. I am a Demon. Never mind what kind, you couldn't pronounce it anyway. Am I Evil? No. Not for a long time anyway. That's not to say that I never was, or that I've never done bad things in my very long life. But something happened that changed all that a long time ago.
What's a Slayer? Well there's a British guy around here that tells it better than I do but here goes. Now how does that go again? Oh yeah... "Into every generation is born the Chosen one. One girl in all the world with the strength and skill to fight the Vampires, Demons and the Forces of Darkness." Or something like that anyway. There have been Slayers guarding Hellmouths (yeah, there's more than one) since Men have walked this world. See, thousands of years ago, (don't ask me how many I lost track a long time ago) a group of sorcerers called the Shadowmen saw that the Demons were starting to outnumber the Humans. They decided they needed a Champion to battle them. They mystically captured and bound a Demon and removed a portion of his Essence or power. Then they bound it to a girl in such a way as to make her far stronger, faster and tougher than other humans. Magicks however require that a balance be maintained. So the Shadowmen gave the Slayer a portion of the Demon's power and gave the Demon a part of her humanity. Not a soul exactly. More like human emotions, compassion, even love. For those of you who haven't figured it out yet, I was that Demon.
So, from then to now I've watched over the Slayers. Helped when I could, protected them when I could, saw them die when I couldn't. Most Slayers work alone, except for their Watcher. That's the guy that trains them how to fight the Evils in the world and defend the Hellmouth. The current Slayers Watcher is the Brit I mentioned earlier. His name is Giles. This Slayer is different though, she's got helpers. Kids, her friends from school. They call themselves the Slayerettes. One kid named Xander Harris, his girlfriend Cordelia Chase, Oz Osborne, and her. Willow Rosenberg, computer hacker, witch and best friend of the Slayer. She's missing. That's what has the Slayer on her rampage.
Seems there's this new Demon in town that claims he had a vision on how to beat the Slayer. Six days ago he disappeared. So did a certain redhead. That's when the Slayer went ballistic. Started pummeling every Vamp and Demon she could get her hands on, Always asking one question. Sometimes she screams it, sometimes it's a growl.
"Where's my Willow?!"
So for almost five days now she's been doing this and I'm getting worried. Even Slayers need rest, if she keeps going like this she'll make a mistake, get sloppy, and some damn blood rat might be there to take advantage of it.
Part 2
She's cutting a path of destruction through the demon world the likes of which I have never seen before. And I've been around a long time. Eight days now she's been like this. Eight days of non-stop mayhem and carnage. Two days ago, Willie the snitch closed his bar. Maybe for good. Last night, the other Demon bar in town burned to the ground. Rumor has it the Slayer lit the match. All because of one little red headed witch.
I've been doing some digging the past couple of days, and I finally came up with the who, the when the where and the why. A demon named A'racmos kidnapped Willow, the Slayer's best friend, because he had a vision of a ritual. This ritual is supposed to undo the one that made the first Slayer. Make her human, vulnerable. The where is right near the Hellmouth, either in the church that got buried in that big quake in '32 or in the high school library right above it. The when is in two more days at the dark of the moon on the autumnal equinox. Why kidnap Red? Two reasons. One, to make the Slayer crazy. And it seems to be working. Two, it seems the ritual requires a specific Human sacrifice. That's right, a red haired witch bound to the Slayer's destiny.
Buffy's POV
Eight days! Eight damn days! Is she even... no don't go there! She has to be okay! She has to be. I'm at Giles' apartment, picking up supplies (hope he doesn't ask where his gas can is) and to ask if he's heard anything.
"Unfortunately, no" He says, while I restock my equipment bag with Holy water crossbow bolts and stakes.
"Buffy, I don't think..."
"What, Giles!" I snap at him. "What don't you think I should do!"?
"Buffy, you cannot continue like this! You need rest!" More softly, "What good will it do Willow if you find her location and you 're too exhausted to rescue her."
"Don't you think I know that! Don't you think I spend every minute terrified that I won't be strong enough or fast enough to save her if I do find her!" I know I'm screaming and starting to cry now but I can't stop.
"I'm so scared Giles. Scared that I'm gonna be too late when I do find her. Scared that I won't be able..." I just collapse sobbing into Giles' arms. Pathetic much?
We stay like that for a while, with Giles trying his best to comfort me and me crying my eyes out. Then the phone rings and we both just stare at it for a minute like it was some alien creature. He untangles himself from me and answers it.
"H-hello. Yes this is Rupert Giles."
I sit on the couch drying my eyes and trying pull myself back together, while listening to Giles' half of the conversation.
"Yes, Who is this?"
"Are you sure? How do you know this?"
"Yes, of course, I understand."
"One hour."
"Who was that?" I asked.
"I'm not sure," Giles said, "He claims..."
"What, Giles? What does he claim?" A small note of panic starts to creep into my voice.
"He says..." Hesitating.
My nerves snap. "For God's sake Giles! Just say it, please!"
"He says he may know how to rescue Willow. He wants to meet with me."
"Where?"
"Buffy, I don't think it's wise for you to accompany me." He said softly. "You're just too distraught,"
"To Hell with that! I'm going Giles and if you don't like it that's just too damn bad."
"Fine, I don't have time to argue, but I'd like to remind you this is the first solid lead we've had. If you kill him we may never find Willow."
I felt like he'd slapped me. "If there is one thing you do not need to remind me of it's that saving my Willow is top priority. And don't you ever suggest otherwise again."
Okay, I know that last comment was a little rude but why is Giles suddenly
looking at me like I just grew a second head?
Shadow's POV
I'm waiting on the darkened stage at the Bronze when they get there. I wanted the Brit to come alone, but I guess I should have known better.
"I don't see anyone, do you?" He's whispering but I can still hear him even all the way across the club.
"No, but someone's here, I can feel it." She pulls a stake from behind her back.
"Buffy..." There's a little warning tone in his voice.
"I know!" She snaps. "I'll be careful"
She sounds bad; I can hear the rage in her voice. But more than that, I can hear the fatigue, and the fear. I guess I'd better not put it off any longer.
"Up here..." She whirls, and leaps onto the stage facing me almost before the words leave my mouth. I stand perfectly still knowing she's right on the edge.
"Buffy, calm yourself, we want information not a fight." He speaks in even tones and she seems to listen. This is a good thing.
"Okay Giles," She answers him without looking away from me. "Where's my Willow?"
From the puzzled look on the Watcher's face he's only just starting to figure out what's going on with his Slayer. I wonder if she has yet.
"I gotta ask Slayer, do you even know?"
There's a distrustful look on her face, "Know what?"
"How you say her name, 'my' Willow."
"I don't..." She gets this thoughtful expression then she looks up at me and gives me 'the look'. You know the one, guaranteed to scare the hell out of any newby Vampire in a ten-foot radius. Kind of wasted on me though.
"What difference does it make, do you know where she is or are you just wasting my time. 'cause if you are..." I don't give her time to finish the threat.
"I don't know where she is right now, but I know where she's going to be day after tomorrow." At this I hear a sharp intake of breath from the Watcher.
The Slayer and I both look over at him. "Oh dear Lord,"
"Giles?"
"From the look on his face I think he knows where I'm going with this."
"Giles, what is he talking about."
"Uh... a ritual, it's supposed to be a myth a... uh... a legend." He stammers.
"So this Demon, he wants Will to do this ritual for him? That's why he took her?"
"Not exactly, and his name is A'racmos."
"A'racmos, are you sure?" The Watcher asks.
I just look at him with an irritated expression.
"Giles, share? Who is this Aracnid guy?" Asks the Slayer.
"A'racmos, he is supposedly the oracle of the Demon world. At last account he was living somewhere in India."
Huh, figures the Watcher would know who he is.
The Slayer growls at both of us, "One of you tell me what the Hell this ritual is and what it has to do with my Wills."
I let the Watcher answer. As he speaks I watch the Slayer, while she starts to go wide-eyed and pale. When he gets to the part about the sacrifice, she utters a small whimper and faints dead away.
Part 3
Shadow's POV...
Unbelievable. She fainted. The Slayer that killed the Master, sent Angelus to Hell and has been terrorizing the entire Demon population of Sunnydale just fainted over the possibility that Red might not survive this. I catch her as she falls and lay her down on the stage. The Watcher rushes to the stage and checks her over.
"Oh, thank God, she's just fainted. Exhaustion combined with shock probably."
He looks up at me with something akin to fear in his eyes. "Are you who I think you are?"
"Yes, but we don't want to be discussing this in front of her, do we?"
"No, I suppose not." He says.
I watch as he bundles his jacket and places it under her blonde head. Then I motion for him to follow me to a table across the club.
"Um... Will she be alright up there alone, you think?" Concern colors his voice.
"I'll know if she wakes up. Besides, she needs the rest."
"Yes, I agree. Uh... what exactly should I call you."
"Shadow's as good a name as any."
He stares at me for almost a full minute. "You look human."
"Yeah, well I'm not. Let's just leave it at that okay?"
"Can you prove you are who you say you are."
"How would you like me to do that Rupert? Would you like me to recite the names of the Slayers from the first one till Buffy? Would you like me to tell you about the men who would later become the Watchers Council? About what they did to gain control of the Slayer line? About how, for centuries, the Council has finagled, bought and sometimes outright kidnapped potential Slayers from their parents? Raising them in virtual isolation from the rest of the world so that if they were Called they would be dutiful little soldiers and go off to fight and die for their masters back in merry old England! ?" By the time I finished I was half way across the table and right in the Brit's face. I was breathing hard and I didn't look very Human at all.
Willow's POV
I'm as scared as I've ever been in my life. I don't know where I am exactly, but I'm locked inside a makeshift cell in what looks like a cave. I don't know how long I've been here even because, of course, I forgot wear my watch that day and how was I to know that while the sun was still setting a van with blacked out windows would pull up beside me and a Vamp would snatch me up right off the street like that! Okay that was what Buffy would call a full on babble mode. I've been trying not to do that because it just makes me more scared, but I'm already so scared that it makes me do it anyway.
Sometimes I hear voices through the heavy wooden door that covers the irregular opening of the cave, Most of them I can't make out but one of them is loud, echo-ie and scary sounding. Kinda like what a frog might sound like if it were the size of a really big man...eeewww, scary visual place there. I know he's talking about Buffy because he keeps using the word Slayer and saying something about the appointed time. Oh Goddess, I am so scared! Not just for myself but for Buffy too. I love her so much and I've been too afraid to tell her, afraid that she'll hate me or be disgusted by me. I mean Buffy is as straight as an arrow! Now I'm afraid I'm gonna...That I'm not gonna get to tell her ever! I look towards the roof of the cave and sob.
"Oh, please Buffy, come and get me!"
Buffy's POV
Am I dreaming? It's so dark... wait, is that a light over there? Yeah, it's... a candle? I move closer. That's when I see it. A splash of color in the dim light. Oh God, it's her! Even in the pitiful light of the flickering candle, face smudged and dirty, in clothes she's worn for over a week, she's just so beautiful it makes my heart ache. I try to tell her that it's going to be okay. That I'm going to rescue her. But she can't hear me. Then she looks up, almost straight at me, Tears start to roll down her cheeks. I can't hear what she's saying, but I know she's begging me to save her. Oh God.....
"Willow!!!"
I'm awake. In the Bronze, lying on the stage. What the Hell am I doing lying on the stage? Then it comes back to me. What Giles said about the Demon and why he wants Willow. Giles is next to me, saying something but all I can hear is the blood rushing in my ears. All I can see is.... Will's tear streaked face!
"Giles, I saw her, I saw Willow. In my dream!"
"Could you tell her location Buffy?"
"No, but she's alive Giles, she's scared but she's alive."
Giles looks back at the guy we came here to meet. There's something in his face that I can't quite make out.
"What, Giles."
"The fact that Willow is apparently unharmed only confirms our suspicions as to A'racmos' intentions. She has to be physically intact for the ritual to work."
The ritual, where he's going to.... No! I can't think about it now! I can't afford to break down. I can't fail her. Can't lose my Willow.
"Giles, this ritual, can he do it where he is now?"
"Umm.... Mr. uh.... Shadow and I have been discussing exactly that. We believe that it can only be performed in close proximity to the Hellmouth."
'Mr. Shadow', what kind of name is that? "How close?" I ask.
"There are two possibilities," Giles says, "the library and the Master's lair."
"My moneys on the lair." Says the mystery man in the leather jacket.
"Why there, why not the library? It's closer to the Hellmouth than the lair is." I know I'm being a bitch now but prying answers out of this guy is starting to piss me off.
"A'racmos has been going about this whole business in such a way as to avoid the one thing that is sure to get him killed. A direct confrontation with you, the Slayer."
I give him 'the look'. He doesn't flinch. That bothers me more than I want to admit.
"So why snatch Willow so early? If he can't perform the ritual till," I glance at my watch, it's almost 4:00 A.M. "well, tomorrow night now. It doesn't make sense."
Shadow, (I'm still having trouble with that name.) just shakes his head and asks Gilles.
"Is she always this slow on the uptake?"
I stiffen, and Giles, sensing I'm about to blow a gasket, steps in with, "She's under a great deal of stress."
"And that's why he did it. To rattle you, stress you out, and wear you down. And it's working. He took the one thing from you that he knew would make you do exactly what you're doing now."
"Which is what, exactly?" I so want to pummel this guy, the only reason I've held off this long is the promise I made earlier to Giles.
Again with the head shaking! "Hey! Bobble head guy! Answer my question!" I demand.
"You really don't know, do you?"
I take a shaky breath and let it out slowly. "I've had about all the cryptic I can stand for one night. Either you start giving me straight answers or I am so going to kick your ass!"
"Think Slayer, when was the last time you were so afraid for another person. When was the last time you busted Willie's bar multiple times. And more importantly, why?"
I start to come back with a smart-ass remark when it hits me, Angel. When Spike kidnapped him for Drusilla's cure. I was seriously crazed. I hit Willie's twice in less than twelve hours. The second time I knew Willie had lied to me and I beat the Hell out of him to force him to lead me to the desanctified church where they were holding Angel. As bad as I was then, it was nothing compared to this. Over the past eight days, no nine days now, I've turned Sunnydale upside down and inside out. I've killed more Demons and dusted more Vamps than I usually do in a month! All for the love of my Willow. Oh crap! I'm in love with Willow? When did this happen!?
Part 4
Shadow's POV
I think she's finally figured it out. I also think that a herd of vamps could waltz through here whistling the Star Spangled Banner and she wouldn't notice.
"Slayer?" She looks up with a blank expression on her face.
"Huh?" she says.
"You still in there?"
"Uh huh."
Great, I think her brain's slipped into neutral. Time for the hard press. "Giles?"
"I believe she may be in shock Mr. Shadow." He states.
"Maybe you should take her and get out of town." I growl.
Giles looks at me, confused, "I'm sorry?"
"That way after Willow's dead and Buffy isn't the Slayer anymore she won't be a sitting duck for any blood rat with a grudge."
Her head snaps up at that and I'm suddenly happy that reducing Demons to ash with a glance isn't one of her powers.
"Willow. Is. Not. Going. To. Die." She forces out through clenched teeth.
"She's not going to die because we are going to save her. If I have to kill every Demon and dust every Vampire on the face of the Earth to do it!"
With that she spun on her heel and strode towards the door of the Bronze.
Buffy's POV
"Let's go, Giles." I stop and turn at the door, looking back at Shadow. "I could use an extra pair of hands, you any good at this sort of thing or do you just like to watch?"
"I'm tougher than I look."
Cryptic, again! Perfect. Giles looks at Shadow and gives him one of his patented 'I'm-angry-with-you-but-too-British-to-yell-at-you' glares. I don't know what's going on between those two and I so don't care but it better not get in the way of getting my Willow back.
The Master's lair. Never thought I'd be back in this dump again. Shadow and I are hiding in an alcove facing the altar of the ruined chapel. Giles, Xander and Oz are topside monitoring the three entrances to this part of the tunnels. That was a feat of superhuman proportions all by itself, Getting Xander to stay up top. I thought I was going to lose the argument at first then I got some help from an unexpected quarter, Cordelia.
"Xander," she said quietly, "you're not going."
"Cordy, I have to! It's Willow!"
"That's why you're not going. If you get killed down there it will hurt Willow more than anything I can imagine. Except maybe for Buffy getting killed." My head snaps up at that comment.
"Don't you think she'll have enough to deal with when this is over?" She asks, putting her hand on his cheek.
"But it's Willow."
"I know, and Buffy and the scary guy will get her back. And we'll help," she said, silencing him with her finger, "But you're not going down there."
Behind his back, she made a 'thumbs up' sign at me and mouthed my name and Willow's with a big grin. I just shook my head; did everyone know except me? The next argument came when Giles and Shadow told me we couldn't hit them until after A'rar...A'ran... Shit! The head demon started the incantation for the ritual.
"That puts Will actually on the altar ready to be sacrificed Giles!"
"I am aware of that Buffy, but the texts provided by Mr. Shadow are very specific on this point. The timing of this ritual is crucial; once A'racmos begins the incantation he must continue on to the point of sacrifice. Otherwise the Dark Forces he has marshaled for the ritual will destroy him." I start to say something but he continues,
"More importantly, once he has begun he cannot harm Willow before the appointed time or the same thing will happen to him. But if you attack prematurely, he may kill Willow just to spite you."
I run my hands through my hair and say, "Okay, we'll do it your way."
Willow's POV
They're moving me somewhere. I don't know where, they put a blindfold on me before they took me out of the cell. I know they put me in a van. But I don't know if it's the same one they kidnapped me in.... stop! No more babble mode. I have to keep focused, concentrate; something else besides Vampires is in here with me. Whatever it is, it's BIG 'cause when it climbed in the back I thought the front wheels were going to come off the ground! It smells bad too. Kind of wet and moldy. I decide to take a chance.
"Uh, excuse me."
"Yes, child?" My breathing gets ragged as I recognize the croaky voice from the caves.
"W-where are we going?"
"To the place of the sacrifice."
Okay, oxygen is starting to become an issue now. I struggle to control my breathing as I ask, "S-s-sacrifice?"
"At the appointed time I will sacrifice the Slayer's Heart-mate and she will be the Slayer no more."
Huh? "But Angel's gone. How are you..."?
"Foolish child, you are her Heart-mate."
But Buffy doesn't feel that way about me, does she? Then it sinks in, what he said.
"Oh Goddess, you're gonna try to use me to hurt Buffy!"
"Yesssss." He rumbles.
Shadow's POV
I must be out of my immortal mind! Never, have I revealed myself to a Slayer, much less stood beside her in battle! But she asked, and I knew how much it cost her to admit that she needed help to save Willow. I look at the tiny blond next to me and wonder, not for the first time, how such narrow shoulders manage to carry the weight of the world.
Buffy's POV
My cell vibrates and I answer, "Yes?"
"It's Giles. They've just entered the eastern tunnel."
"Could you".... I can't quite get the rest of the sentence out past that lump in my throat, Giles answers anyway.
"Yes, Buffy she appears to be all right," I let out the breath that I didn't realize I was holding, and Giles continues. "I also saw A'racmos and his entourage. He has at least twelve Vampires and two robed individuals. I couldn't make out if they were Vampires or not."
"Call the others, get back to the library and barricade yourselves in. Then start your mojo Giles. We don't have much time." I turn off the phone and look at Shadow.
"They're coming. Positions."
We move to opposite sides of the chamber. Giles is going to cast a spell that's supposed to hide our presence from Vamps and Demons, to lessen the chance of discovery. After a couple of minutes a blur moves across my vision and I can't see Shadow anymore. But I can see the two Vamps move out of the tunnel across from me and sweep the lair. One passes close enough to me I could have staked him and he didn't even blink when he looked at my corner. He goes back to the main chapel area and sends the other one back down the tunnel.
Willow's POV
I'm really getting tired of being blindfolded now. We've been just standing here for a while. From the smell we must be in the Sunnydale sewer system and from the way the van moved when he got in it would have to be one of the bigger ones because there's no way Mr. Croaky-voice could fit in the smaller ones. That helps narrow down our location some because even though Sunnydale has like fourteen million square miles of sewers not very many of them are that big. In fact from what I remember of the research I've done for Buffy there's only about three or four and they all lead to pretty much the same place. The Master's lair, right near the Hellmouth. I hear someone coming.
"Is all secure?" asks Mr. Croaky.
"Yes, Master. All is ready."
"Then let us hurry, the time draws near."
Buffy's POV
I watch as they move through the tunnel entrance to the main chapel area, one part of my mind confirms Giles' head count while another has eyes only for Willow. Even with the blindfold over her eyes I can see how scared she is. I can also see the head Demon (I've given up trying to pronounce his name,) and I'm glad Wills is blindfolded; her frog phobia would be in high gear! He looks like an overly scaly eight-foot tall frog with teeth and claws! Wait, he's saying something.
"Prepare her, and secure her to the altar." Even his voice sounds froggy.
It takes every ounce of self-control I can muster to just stand there as they cut Willow's clothes off and chain her to the altar. Hang on Willow, just a little while longer and nothing is going to stop me from saving you.
Part 5
Willow's POV
"Hey! Stop that! Not my clothes!" Not enough they want to kill me, they have to embarrass me too! Hey, they took the blindfold off. My eyes are all blurry so it didn't help much. What's that? I take a step back. Then another. When I can finally see the entire big green thing in front of me I forget all about being naked. Goddess! He does look like a frog! Buffy, help!
Shadow's POV
Damn! The Slayers on the move. It's too soon; he hasn't started the ritual yet. Then I get a look at her face. Damn, I don't even think she knows she's left the obscuring spell! I'm gonna have to take a chance and stop her. I move forward and put my hand on her shoulder. I just hope she doesn't attack me.
Buffy's POV
I feel a hand on my shoulder. I look up to see Shadow shaking his head. Damn! I'm almost out of the alcove! I step back into the shadows and watch as they finish securing Will. I think she must've fainted when she saw the Demon. She looks limp as they move her. The Vamps move back from the altar and the two robed guys take positions at the head and foot. The Demon moves behind the altar and draws a huge knife from somewhere in it's robes. Setting the blade down he takes a clay pot from one of the robed goons and dips a forefinger (fore claw?) into it and starts drawing symbols in what looks like blood on Willow's body. He's touching my Willow! I strain forward and Shadow tightens his grip on my shoulder. Just start the damn chant already!
Shadow's POV
I feel a fine trembling in the Slayer. I hope A'racmos is almost done with his prep work because she's about ready to snap. And if she does, we all die.
Buffy's POV
I feel Shadow move beside me and I struggle to tear my eyes from Will. He's holding some sort of canister in his right hand and gesturing with his left to cover my eyes after he throws it. I'm not sure why, but... oh, the Demon's starting to chant, finally! Shadow pulls the pin on the canister and bounces it down the aisle then covers my eyes because I forgot to, then BANG! And a flash so bright I can almost see the bones in Shadow's fingers and he's wearing gloves!
We separate, he goes right and I go left. The Vamps are mostly disoriented and half-blind from the flash. I take out two before the third, flailing blindly, manages to knock my stake away. His bad luck, I have a backup. I draw the sword slung at my back and decapitate him. The backstroke takes an arm off and goes halfway through the chest of the fourth before destroying the heart and he dissolves into a pile of dust. Number five goes the same way as number three. And number six gets trisected! I glance towards Shadow in time to see him finish his last two by dismemberment with a double-bladed axe that must weigh thirty pounds!
"Are you done?" I ask.
"Right behind you."
"Then let's finish this!"
I'm seconds from getting my Willow back as we advance on the altar. That, of course is when it all goes to Hell. The last two minions shed their robes to reveal themselves as heavily muscled seven foot snake-headed Demons!
"We do not have time for this!"
"Guess we'll have to make time." Says Shadow.
"Whoever gets done first kills the Damn frog-Demon!" I growl.
"Deal!"
We move almost as one as we attack the demons, I start with an underhand stroke that was supposed to disembowel mine but my blade just scraped off the thick scales on his belly, dammit! We fight for what seems like forever. In the background I can hear the chant building to a crescendo. I'm running out of time! Willow is running out of time! Then I see it. Underneath it's jaw; there are no scales! With strength and speed born of desperation I thrust upward and the blade goes straight through to its brain! It falls twitching as I scream.
"Shadow!" He sees the weakness and brings the axe up, splitting the things head almost in two. My heart grows cold as I hear the chanting stop. I whirl and scream Willow's name as I lunge across the altar I can't fail her! I won't!
Shadow's POV
I hear the Slayer scream as my Demon falls to the floor. I look up in time to see her take the blade meant for Willow. I howl in anger and leap to kill A'racmos but before I can get to him Willow screams. A wordless sound of pain and rage. Then all Hell breaks loose!
Willow's POV
I wake up to the sound of chanting. And a fight? My eyes widen in fear as I see the frog-Demon holding a big knife over my chest as he chants. I look to my right and I see someone I don't know and Buffy fighting a pair of Demons. I draw breath to scream her name when the Demon falls with Buffy's sword in its throat. At almost the same time the chanting stops. I look back towards the frog-Demon in time to see the knife coming down! Then a blonde blur comes between the blade and me and I feel an impact and see Buffy's pain wracked face inches from my own!
"Willow?" She whispers. "I love you."
Then her eyes close and I scream!
Shadow's POV
I'm blasted back by near hurricane force winds that spring up inside the chamber. A nearly blinding light comes from a suddenly standing Willow, her chains destroyed by her rage fueled power; She turns to face A'racmos, her eyes black as onyx.
"YOU HURT BUFFY!" She screams.
"NOW I'M GONNA HURT YOU!"
With that the light coming from the witch flared brighter and when it faded A'racmos was gone. Willow drops to her knees on the altar clutching the limp form of the Slayer to her and sobbing like her heart would break.
"Oh, Buffy please don't leave me. Please, don't go! Not now!"
I move to stand before them, noticing a blackened spot on the floor. All that's left of A'racmos.
"Willow?" She looks up at me with a blank expression. Tears streaming down her face.
"Willow, you can still save her."
She cries in anguish. "How?! She's dying! Because of ME!"
"You can save her, heal her."
"I don't know HOW!"
"Willow, do you love her?"
"More, than anything." She's starting to settle down. This is good.
"Then use that, let it guide your power. To repair the damage done by the knife."
I move the Slayer to a more upright position and Willow whimpers when she sees the knife hilt.
"No, she's going to be all right Willow. You have to believe that. Now when I pull this knife out there's going to be a lot of blood but I need you to cover the wound with your hand and pour all that love into her and heal her. Can you do that Willow?"
"Yes." With that one word answer the expression on her face changed to what the Slayerettes call her 'Resolve Face'. When she looked up her eyes had gone black and the power was building inside her again. She was ready.
I drew out the blade and her hand slapped over the wound. The wind sprang up again and the light flared but this time just around Willow's hand, feeding power into her love. Through the link I share with the Slayer I can feel her healing ability kick into overdrive knitting muscle and lung tissue. Repairing blood vessels and skin cells, even replenishing the blood she lost from the wound.
"Enough Willow, you're done. She's healed."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, I'm sure."
"Good."
With that she passed out and almost fell off the altar before I could catch her. I arranged them so they were lying next to each other the red head resting on the smaller blonde's shoulder. As the Slayer's unconsciousness transitioned to a normal sleep she pulled the witch in closer to her. I picked up one of the Demons' robes off the floor and covered them with it. Willow was going to be embarrassed enough when she woke up, no need to make it worse. I settled back against the altar to wait for the young lovers to wake up.
Part 6
Shadow's POV
I hear them stirring, finally. About time, it's almost noon. They've been asleep since 4:00 a.m. I called the library on Buffy's phone and told the others to go home after sunrise. I told Giles that it was all over, Willow was safe and she and the Slayer were sleeping. Not sure he believed me about that last part. What, does he think they're going to be making wild monkey love with me just ten feet away?
Buffy's POV
Mmmm....What a strange dream, got to remember to tell...Willow! That's when it all comes rushing back to me. Willow, the ritual, the fight. Getting stabbed! So how come I'm not dead or in the hospital? Then I notice the warmth next to me. I open my eyes and there she is, my Willow, her beautiful sweet face just inches from mine. For that one moment, I am content. It doesn't matter that we're lying on a hard stone altar, it doesn't matter that I should probably be dead now. All that matters is that Willow is in my arms, My Willow, my.... uh oh. My smile of a second ago is replaced with a frown as something occurs to me. I glance down at the sleeping red head, she's covered with one of the robes the Demons wore. I pick up the edge and peek underneath.... oh boy. Yep, she's naked. I reach for my cell phone to call for someone to bring Will some clothes, but of course, it's gone. Damn! Now what. Of course, Willow with no clothes... oh bad Buffy!
"Looking for this?" Shadow whispers as he hands me the phone.
"Shhh. Don't wake her."
He hands me a bundle of cloth. "What's this?"
"Clothes for her."
"Do I want to know where they came from?"
"Cordelia brought them."
"Cordelia! Oh crap!" I can just imagine how the Queen of tact is going to relate this little scene to the others. Well I'll deal with that later.
"Go somewhere that's else."
"Excuse me?"
"I want to get Will up and dressed and I don't think she's gonna want an audience."
He headed for the tunnel. "Shadow, thanks for killing the frog-Demon."
"Better thank Red, she killed A'racmos." He said without turning around.
"Willow killed it?" My little Will?
"Yup. Then she healed you. If you don't believe me, wake her up and ask."
Maybe I should, among other things. God, I hope she's not freaked over what I thought was my dying declaration of love!
"Willow, time to get up." I gently shake her.
"Nooo, don' wanna."
I chuckle at the cute expression on her face. "Will, we have to get moving so come on sweetie, wake up. Giles and the others will be worried about us."
"Buffy? You're all right! I did save you!"
"Uh huh, and took out the bad guy too. I'm impressed Will."
I hand her the bundle and she looks at it, confused. I can't help it, I grin.
"Look down Willow."
She does, and with a gasp ducks behind the altar, "Buffy, why didn't you say something!"
"I was enjoying the view too much." I say, grinning.
"Buffy!" She sounds shocked. I so hope that's not a bad sign.
"Buffy?" She says softly.
"Uh huh."
"Do you remember what you said, after you got stabbed?" She walks around the altar wearing jeans and one of her silly fuzzy sweaters and still managing to look so beautiful I think my heart will burst.
"Yes." I manage to squeeze out past the lump in my throat.
"Did you mean it?" She asks so quietly I have to strain to hear her.
"With all my heart Will, but if you don't I'll....oof!" Suddenly I'm almost toppled over by a wildly crying and babbling Willow launching herself into my arms.
"Oh Buffy, I've loved you so much for so long and I've been so afraid to tell you cause I thought you would hate me cause I'm bi and your straight only I guess you're not since you love me too....."
If I let her, she'll go like this forever so I shut her up with a kiss. A long, deep, wet, tongue-tangling kiss. When I finally pull back I ask her, "How long, Will?"
"Huh?"
"How long have you been in love with me?"
"Oh! Well, remember when you sat next to me in the school courtyard and said 'Hi, I'm Buffy!'?"
"Oh, Willow, I had no idea!"
"Well, how could you? It's not like I had 'Hi, I'm bi-sexual!' tattooed on my forehead after all. I had only started figuring it out myself a few months before. I didn't even know there was a word for it, I just knew that I liked both boys and girls. 'Like', liked you know?" She hesitated and then continued shyly, "And could we do that again?"
"Oh, yeah we are definitely going to do that again, but right now I want to get both of us out of here. Haven't you spent enough time in this dump? I know I have."
"If I never see this thing again," she said, patting the altar. "it will be too soon."
I take her hand in mine and we start towards the exit. When we get outside, Shadow is already gone. I kinda thought he might be. Someday I'm going to have to find out what his deal is. But right now, it's just not important. I got my Willow back and she loves me and all is right with my world. At least for now.
The End?