A New Start
by Bwriter
Chapter fifteen: Making her believe
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Chapter fifteen: Making her believe
(Dreams in italics)
Eventually Giles won and Buffy was locked in the bookcase in the Library. He went to retrieve the Codex while Willow sat on a chair right next to the cage so she could stroke Buffy's hair. Xander sat at the table looking into space and Karen was pacing.
Willow noticed first because she was actually touching Buffy but the others caught on soon enough. A low growl filled the room followed by Whimpering. Buffy stared jerking in her sleep and crying out.
She watched as Angelus stalked closer to her with the chopping knife. He began by drawing symbols onto her arms and legs before moving the blade to her naked torso.
"So Buffy, are you having fun yet because I could do this for an eternity — oh wait I can!"
His voice was erringly gleeful. In her head Buffy compared him to Jim Carey on Happy Pills.
Suddenly the image changed and it wasn't her Angelus was hurting. It was Willow.
The gang jumped when Buffy starting sobbing Willow's name. Willow stopped stroking her hair and cupped her face wiping away the tears, which she saw were blood red.
"Giles is this normal? She's crying blood here." Willow was getting hysterical herself.
Giles emerged from his office with the book and looked shocked as Willow started talking.
"There are stories of Vampires crying blood tears, but none have ever been seen by either a Slayer or a Watcher so I had no idea it was true until just now."
"Nice history lesson but what's it mean?" Willow was mad at him for stalling.
"It means that not only is Buffy's soul crying but her demon is too. That's why its never been seen. The Vampire must have a soul for it to happen. It would appear that I nearly killed our Buffy. Oh God"
The Englishman collapsed onto the nearest chair and held his head in his hands.
"It's okay Giles. You thought I was going to kill you all. Don't quilt yourself over this. Please." Buffy's voice had brought all the attention back to her.
Willow simply stood looking at her lover before a smile crept over her face. "Hey you."
Buffy wouldn't raise her head or acknowledge her in anyway and that hurt, but she knew why and what she had to do to make Buffy realise that she loved her now just as much as when she had a pulse.
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Buffy awoke from her forced unconsciousness to hear Giles inform the others that she had her soul. Looking at her Watcher she knew he felt guilty and she didn't want that.
"It's okay Giles. You thought I was going to kill you all. Don't quilt yourself over this. Please." It took a lot to force the words out but she did it. She felt Willow's eyes on her but she couldn't look at her. She didn't want to see distrust or disgust in her eyes, not when she had let herself believe that if even for a second that Willow could accept her as she is.
She did raise her head when the sound of a lock being opened caught her attention. Thinking that they were going to stake her anyway soul or not she didn't move a mussel. Willow was unlocking the cage door, Giles was frowning, Xander had taken over from Karen and began pacing and Karen was edging closer to the cage.
Willow stepped into the cage and closed the door behind her and relocked it. Seeing Buffy's questioning stare she answered her unasked question.
"I need you to believe that I trust you." This part was whispered just for Buffy and not even Karen's sensitive hearing could pick it up. Louder to Giles and the others she demanded,
"Guys you want to clear out for a while? I need to talk to Buffy." To her surprise and Buffy's they complied, well Giles and Xander did and they dragged out a protesting Karen.
When they were gone you could have heard a pin drop it was that quiet. Buffy was the first to find her voice.
"What do you want to talk to me about?" The question was asked in the most unemotional voice she could muster but they both heard the waver in it. She was convinced that this was were Willow explained to her in the nicest way she could that they were over — even though technically they hadn't been together for six months.
She was shocked when Willow came so close to her that she could feel her breath on the face.
"Change." The quiet command had Buffy complying. Yellow eyes looked on reflecting their pain to the green eyes studying them.
Willow came even closer and whispered, "Even with the fangs and the bumpies you're still my Buffy, my Lover, My Mate."
At the whispered declaration Buffy dropped to her knees and buried her face in her Mates stomach and cried for everything she had lost or thought she'd lost.