Reminding the Fallen
by zenithar
Chapter 25
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Author's Note: Once again thanks to Rebelrsr for help on the fic, couldn't do it with out you.
Getting out of Dawn's car, the gang moved around to the back of Jeep. Opening the back door Buffy, Giles, and Willow looked in on the scythe. "So, how are we moving this thing?" Buffy asked.
"Well, I was able to find out one more detail on it," Giles said. "The wielder's conscience is taken only when the blade has, well, tasted blood."
"So who ever takes it will just have to fight against the dark magic," Willow assumed.
"Quite right. The question then becomes who will carry the weapon and be able to resist its power," the old Briton said as he removed his glasses and began cleaning them. "All of us have had experience with darkness within ourselves."
"Yeah, and none of us have dealt with it too well," the witch said as she gazed at the scythe.
'I don't even see why we need to dilute the Harvester's power," Buffy's demon complained.
(Well the problem with me using it right now - it would make me like you; something I'd want to avoid,) Buffy thought somewhat snidely.
'Look,' the demon thought in an exasperated tone, 'we already know what you're like evil. You kill things that are a challenge and me — I'll just promise not to eat any of your family.' Buffy could just see her demon winking at her.
The undead Slayer shook her head and took a few steps away from the other two. (I'm not sure how I'd act under the influence of the scythe this time. Remember, I didn't have you inside my head last time.)
'And that's why you don't need to worry,' the demon thought.
Buffy just looked forward in confusion. (Yeah, not following.)
The demon shook her head and chided the Slayer. 'I'm already evil so you know what I'll do. Which is using everything in my power to protect our mate.'
The Slayer turned to look at Willow thoughtfully. (You're really willing to do anything to keep her safe?) she asked.
'Yes,' as the demon answered Buffy's eyes tuned golden. 'You might not believe it but vampires can love, and there is nothing in this world that I love more than her.'
Nodding her head, Buffy went back over to Giles and Willow. She might not have believed her demon's words, but the emotions she felt from the demon were real. "I'll carry it," the Vampire Slayer stated.
"Um, Buffy, is that such a wise decision?" Giles asked.
"Yes, it is. We already know what I'm like when I have the scythe." The old librarian was about to interrupt but Buffy held up a finger. "I know I murdered humans, but most of them were power hungry bastards that I thought would be a good challenge. And if my demon takes control, you don't need to worry about her. She'll do all she can to protect Will."
Willow looked at Buffy with more than a small amount of surprise, and asked, "You just asked her that right now didn't you?"
The Slayer nodded her head, and said, "She's willing to do anything to protect her mate." Seeing Giles still wasn't assured, Buffy made one more point. "I'm going to have to use the Harvester against Serenity eventually with or without the purification being done, so I might as well get use to it in case I do need to fight my sire with the dark mojo."
The old man let out a deep breath. "Very well. You've made some rather good points, but I still believe it would be wise to caution you on using the scythe in its current condition. At the very least promise me that you will only use it as a last option." The vampire could see Giles was begging her with his eyes.
"I will, Giles." Turning to face the Harvester of the Dead, Buffy took in the sight of the familiar object. Its haft still looked as though the fires of hell had burnt and charred it, leaving it blackened and twisted. The blade itself was as dark as deepest midnight, trying to swallow the light around it. Its curved edge easily reminding Buffy of times when it had been bathed in blood demanding more and offering her greater power. The Slayer shivered, both out of fear and anticipation, as she reached out for the grip. As soon as her hand touched the charred wood, Buffy could feel the strength the dark weapon offered, just a small taste of its true power.
'Why would we want to make this weapon weaker?' Buffy's demon thought in surprise. 'If this is just the starting amount of power the Harvester can give us, we could destroy Serenity with just a drop of blood.'
(You're... you're right...) the Slayer thought hesitantly. (There hardly even seems like there's a limit on how strong this thing could make me.) Buffy's gaze was lost in the dark blade that seemed to absorb all light, all life.
'All it would take is just a little blood right?' the demon asked, as she too gazed hungrily at the blade.
"Yeah, just a little blood," Buffy mumbled out loud.
Willow looked at Buffy worriedly and put a hand on her shoulder, turning her so they were facing one another across the scythe. "Buffy? Baby, you all right?"
The Slayer turned robotically away from Willow to face her old Watcher and drew the scythe back to swing. Giles called out, "Buffy!" and ducked under the scythe's blade. Back peddling as quickly as he could, the old man tripped and fell on his back. The vampire slowly, casually walked up beside Giles and raised the scythe. Just as it was about to fall, Faith came out of nowhere and tackled the undead to the ground. "What the fuck is wrong with her, Red?" the younger Slayer asked, as she worked to keep the unnaturally powerful Buffy on the ground.
Spike and Xander moved to pick up Giles and draw him away while the other girls looked at the two Slayers helplessly. "It-it's the scythe. She picked it up and-and just poof - evil," Willow said in a near hysterical tone.
"I thought you just said the Harvester needed blood before the person lost their conscience," Dawn pointed out.
"It does," Giles stated, standing on his own after Spike and Xander helped him up. "She's currently under the," pausing for a moment to think of the right word, "I'd say control, but the scythe has no distinct mind or will. Buffy is simply under the sway of the dark magics that dwell within the weapon."
Faith grunted as a knee impacted her stomach and sent her flying into the side of the Jeep, leaving a sizable dent. Dawn immediately rushed to the Slayer's side and helped her to her feet. "Thanks for the long winded explanation, G, but how the hell do we fix her?" Faith asked and took a step forward to stand between the scythe wielding Buffy and Dawn.
"Um, well either dispel the magic, or try and reach her conscience," the ex-Watcher supplied.
"Well, that's just great," the dark Slayer said sarcastically, "we can't do the mojo crap here and reachin' B is not going to be fun." Buffy meanwhile had been stalking slowly towards the Gang with a clouded look in her eyes. "Well, I guess here's round two," Faith said.
Taking a few steps towards the vampire she found a hand on her shoulder. Turning to look at who was holding her back, Faith discovered Willow standing next to her. The witch was focused on Buffy when she said, "Let me handle her."
"But-"
"She's my lover," she stated, looking Faith in the face, "She's my responsibility. I pulled her back from the dead; I think I can handle bringing her mind back from some dark mojo."
Seeing the 'resolve face' on, Faith wisely back down with a nod of her head. "Just be careful, Red," Faith pleaded.
Without looking back the red witch stepped out to meet Buffy half way. The two just looked at each other; Willow with her searching eyes, Buffy looking back with her blank sight. "Come on, damn it! I've brought you back from the dead and you're going to let some stupid STICK stop us!" the witch yelled.
The Slayer remained unresponsive and continued her silent march towards the defenseless witch. Willow only looked more pained at the lack of emotion displayed on her lover's face. "Buffy, you have to fight it. You have to come back to me," the redhead begged. "Please, I can't do this without you." Willow's view of the blonde coming toward her became blurred by the tears building up in her eyes.
The Slayer robotically took the last few remaining steps that separated her and Willow. She drew the scythe back to slash her lover, and Willow didn't move a muscle. All she did was send out all her longing and love for the blonde Slayer through the link she knew existed between them. "Buffy," the soft word came from the redhead, somehow having it encompass all her feelings for the beautiful vampire.
The only thing that moved was the wet droplets of tears from Willow's face. Buffy had been able to pierce through the enrapturing magic and see the redhead before her, her own eyes wide with fear.
(Oh, God! What am I doing?) Buffy thought with panic coursing through her. She half staggered, half stepped away from the witch, clutching the scythe to her chest.
'No, no, no! We did not just attack our mate!' the demon vehemently denied.
"I-I almost attacked you, Will," the Slayer stuttered out, "I almost killed you."
Rushing forward to wrap her love in a hug, Willow buried her wet face in the Slayer Vampire's neck. "I knew you'd break through it, I knew you'd come back," the redhead cried out, continuing to repeat the few words.
Getting one arm free from between them, Buffy hugged her lover. "Shhh, it's alright now. I'm back, I'm here," the Slayer tried to comfort the redhead.
'Back from where, though?' the demon asked.
(I'm not sure, but it freaked the hell outta Will,) Buffy replied. Almost as soon as she thought that, the dark presence of the scythe came back. Instead of letting it take control like last time, Buffy forced it off, much in the same way she dealt with her demon. Buffy noticed the scythe's hunger was similar to her demon's, just more incessant. (That's where we were,) Buffy thought.
'Look's like it, but please, I'm not like a scythe,' the Slayer's demon complained, 'I have my own agenda.'
(Yeah, and that's so much better.) The blonde mentally rolled her eyes.
Sensing Willow had gotten hold of her tears, the two released their embrace. "This," holding up the weapon, "is a lot harder to fight against than the biting everyone thing," Buffy said.