Reveal
by DawnBTVS
Chapter 17
[reviews]
Disclaimer: All characters belong to Mutant Enemy, Fox, Joss, etc.
Rating: PG-13 (think Buffy show for violence/subject matter/language)
Time Frame: Two weeks after Halloween.
Pairings: G/J, B/W
A/N: Yeah, my schedule's been wonky in regards to when these get up. Sorry.
Joyce peered at her daughter, casting a concerned look. "You've barely touched your toast, Buffy."
"I'm just... not up to breakfast. I've been thinking myself out of an appetite," Buffy answered, and in truth, she had. Ever since the Halloween dance, Buffy had been pondering what overcame her upon catching Willow in the mirror. As much as Buffy didn't want to admit it, she still felt something stir when Angel was around but... nothing so primal. With Willow, it had been need. A physical ache deep in the pit of her stomach that had to be satiated.
Joyce nodded her head. "I'll meet you in the car, Buffy. I just need to make sure a couple of the inventory pieces have arrived in a condition that is void of any damages like last time."
"Crossed fingers."
Buffy lifted her backpack up and strolled out the front door, heading towards the Jeep parked in the driveway. Depositing her backpack in the backseat, Buffy sighed. It's not like anything had actually changed. They weren't kissing or even petting. Willow had been probably more confused and both girls were back to square one. Each unsure whether to be closer or distance themselves and as a result they were becoming bumbling fools whenever in the presence of the other. The thought of doing anything with Willow's parents terrified her at the possibility of outing themselves and Willow wasn't any keener to see a setup come to fruition.
The opening of the driver's side door shook Buffy from her reverie. She flashed a small smile at her mother, index finger already poised over the radio to change the station as Joyce ignited the engine.
~~~BTVS~~~
Willow took the spell book from her locker, holding it against her chest. She had attempted exactly three spells with each being an even worse disaster than the one after it. Willow was pretty sure her parents were still talking to each other about the fact that the redhead had incinerated the throw rug in the bathroom.
Willow turned at the tap on the shoulder, expecting Buffy, but was surprised to see a grinning Amy standing before her instead. "Amy. Hi!"
"Enjoy the bedtime stories?"
"I had a couple mishaps but some of it was... interesting." Willow glanced at the book and then extended it to the blonde. Amy smiled but shook her head. "I didn't try the dead salamander's tail transmogrifying spell though," Willow remarked, nose wrinkling at the thought. Her expression changed to one of slight confusion as she stared down at the book, then back at Amy. "Don't you want it back?"
Amy smiled softly, resting her shoulder against the locker next to Willow's. Willow swallowed as Amy took a step forward. "I know that I said we could be study buddies if you wanted and I meant it. It can get boring studying spells and Michael isn't half the witch you are."
"Amy," Willow whispered, trying to step back. Amy stepped forward, softly pushing Willow against the lockers. Willow hissed through her nose as Amy leaned in.
A tongue ran over Willow's lips, the shudder shaking through Willow. Willow tried to push Amy away but Amy gripped her shoulders harder. "Don't you want a taste? We have so much in common, Will. Just think of how far we could go... the spells alone."
Amy grinned, pushing her face forward but stopped, blinking her eyes in surprise. "Transform of feel into fur," Willow mumbled under her breath.
"You did read everything. Now you wanna impress me? I like a girl who surges ahead," Amy growled, pressing her lips to Willow's. Willow shoved Amy away, sending the surprised blonde stumbling back towards the middle of the hallway.
"Transform of feel into fur and hate into grace. Diana," Willow whispered as Amy frowned.
Amy glared then. "Your eyes are black," Amy accused. "They only get black when... " Amy stated but was cut off with a cry of pain as she doubled over.
"Bestow upon thee her true shadow." Willow finished, the tips of her fingers tingling more than usual. The redhead gazed down, watching faint blue sparks flash off before seeing Amy, starting to shift before her eyes. A guttural groan rose from the blonde, huddled onto the floor as fellow students either stared in shock or were rapidly dashing away to any place of safety. Willow pressed back against the lockers, glancing up as a light bulb shattered overhead, raining down sparks upon screaming students.
"Willow," Amy rasped. The sounds of bones breaking echoed through the hallway, the fellow teenagers dispersing more with each shift in Amy's transformation. Willow closed her eyes, feeling a taste of metal on her tongue. She turned her head, gagging briefly before a raucous growl emitted from inside the clothes. A head poked its way out, before the body slinked after. The reddish brown fur shook as the bobcat bared its teeth, hissing at Willow, whom was shaking her head in terror at what she had just done. The bobcat hissed again, before dashing off down the hallway as Willow pressed a hand against the locker, stumbling towards the library. She had to talk to Giles. Glancing at a classroom mirror, she blanched at the two black iris less orbs staring back at her.
~~~BTVS~~~
Buffy walked into the library to see Willow wrapped up in a fire blanket, looking for all the world like somebody had murdered a pack of puppies. Although there were no tears, the redhead was still trembling as Buffy tossed her backpack aside. Giles and Jenny were conversing inside the office, something about a spell. Buffy paled as she sat next to Willow on the steps. "Will?" Buffy asked tentatively. The redhead spun haunted eyes to Buffy and Buffy caught the subtle cringe. "Did Amy do this to you?"
Amy seemed to just add to Willow's pain as her breathing became sharp. She rasped out, "No. So natural."
"You look like somebody killed a puppy."
"A bobcat," Willow replied, staring at Buffy with a plaintive expression.
Buffy quirked an eyebrow in question. "Somebody killed a bobcat? Are bobcats even native to California?"
Willow shifted. Buffy lifted an arm, wanting to comfort Willow but rested it down into her lap, unsure if physical contact was okay given the situation. "She tried to kiss me. I didn't even think, Buffy. It just happened, like somebody whispering into my ear and me repeating the phrase. Buffy, I never read or heard the phrase in my life."
"What phrase, Will?"
Willow shook her head, eyes flickering to the office door. "I wrote it down for them. I didn't want to say it and risk... the sounds, Buffy. What she was going through was so vicious."
Buffy stifled the ice coursing through her veins and the thoughts going through her head of just what Willow had done. "Amy?"
"Amy. I gave the book to Jenny."
"Do you even have the skill to change Amy into a bobcat?"
Willow shuddered beneath her blanket as Buffy glanced at the office door. "I had skimmed the book a little but I couldn't even change ice into fire. I did manage to set a throw rug in the bathroom on fire," Willow muttered with a bitter laugh. Willow bit her lip and glanced at Buffy. "Are my eyes still black?" she whispered.
Buffy caught the desperate plea in Willow's voice and stared, confused. "Your eyes are green. When did..." Buffy stopped from finishing the question, knowing her answer. Willow turned downcast eyes to the floor as Buffy paled, lifting her eyes to the office door as it opened with Jenny and Giles emerging.
Giles pulled his glasses off, rubbing them briefly on his shirt. "I called animal control and requested that they return any retrieved bobcats to Sunnydale High. I must admit that I'm... flummoxed over what happened."
Giles cautiously crossed his arms as Jenny stepped forward, clasping her hands together in an attempt to show no judgment. "You said you didn't read it and you've never heard it before?"
"No," Willow answered, adamantly shaking her head. "It was like a whisper in my ear. A-a suggestion, you know? Like when a hypnotist puts you in a trance. The voice was breathy though, almost how a fairy would be. Or how I guess a fairy might sound."
"Willow asked me if her eyes were black. I thought you two said these spells weren't going to be this dangerous," Buffy accused, jaw clenching as she stared at Giles. Giles only stared back, unwavering.
"References to dark magic report the invocators may establish dark irises. However, even in my history I've never experienced such a phenomenon."
Jenny ran a hand through her hair, offering Willow a look of regret. "The darker the spell along with the intention behind it can alter eye color. Willow, how long was it from the time you cast your spell to when you came in?"
"A couple minutes?" Willow said tentatively, eyebrow wrinkled in thought. "I was kinda wigged by what just happened after all."
"Can this be... recurring?" Buffy piped up, earning a look of fear from the redhead.
"Wait, recurring? I don't want recurring."
Giles stared at Buffy and steeled himself as he suggested, "The Watcher's Council has some forms of treatment. If Willow-"
"No," Buffy interjected. "You're not sending her to England and subjecting Will to who knows what kind of treatments."
"We don't know how this could affect our training with Willow. If she's this natural..."
Willow widened her eyes and gently shook the fire blanket loose from her shoulders. "That was like, demony. Center of Hell demony and I'm not a demon! I'm, me, Willow. If that's natural then I don't want anymore organic spelling."
"We clearly need to probe this further. A natural witch, especially one with Willow's ability to invocate without other resources is extremely dangerous not just to herself but to the entire world," Giles stated. Buffy and Willow shared a look as Jenny knelt down before the redhead.
"How much of the... book did you read?"
"I skimmed all of it but didn't really bother to write any down. Any important ones, but a blemish spell isn't... well, probably could be catastrophic now, huh? I could try it and find out I zapped some kid's nose off," Willow remarked, the hurt clear in her voice.
"You wouldn't. Will, maybe you're not as successful but I know you. You wouldn't be harmful by choice, no matter what Amy did or what anybody else does. Giles, could it have been a temporary possession? You said you heard a voice, right, Will?"
"Well, not a voice clearly but it felt like I was being ordered."
Buffy stood up, glancing at the office door, hands on her hips as she turned to face Giles, Jenny, and Willow. "The Caderyn... Could they be telepathic? Okay, they're mostly large, clubbing demons but Angel said the two he fought communicated with only looks. We know they can write, or we assume they can, but could they implant suggestions?"
Giles stiffened, then turned and briskly walked over to a lower shelf by the table. Willow stood up, leaving the fire blanket on the stairs as she followed, still wrapping her arms around herself for warmth. Buffy and Jenny followed as Giles placed the book on the table, opening it up to an earmarked page. "Ah, ah. There have been demons that are known to communicate solely through telepathy. While a select few are devoid of any vocal capabilities, including a physical mouth, history has written of quite a few that were able to both confer through speech patterns and through the mind." Giles flipped a few more pages, "Unfortunately, there's nothing here about the Caderyn or the ability for such a creature to influence another," he announced, closing the book and glancing up at Willow.
"So, no news on the necklace pendants either?"
Jenny shook her head as Willow sat down, resting her chin on the back of her hands. Buffy took a seat next to the redhead, itching to give the redhead some form of contact but refusing to do so. "Well, I've been dispatching e-mails back and forth but nobody has been able to help with any translation. Many seem to have heard of them and have offered the beneficial advice of run away instead."
Buffy wrinkled an eyebrow and tapped Willow on the shoulder. "Where's Xander?"
Willow grimaced as she turned her head to face Buffy, letting her cheek take the place of her chin. "A phone conversation went so well with Wendy that she offered a date. So he's been busy grooming himself in the boys' locker room," Willow finished, wrinkling her nose. Buffy smirked and then wrinkled her nose too.
"Bad image," they chorused at the confused expressions on Gile's and Jenny's faces. Both adults shuddered in response.
"Um, Buffy did you or Angel by any chance manage to dispatch of the two other Caderyn members after the dance?"
Buffy nodded her head and gave a quick thumbs up. "Two members dead although I'm getting worried, Giles. With each Ellis Island trip, they're growing stronger physically, and in number. We need something, now."
"I saw a locator spell," Willow offered, blushing as three pairs of concerned eyes swiveled at her.
"Willow," Jenny stated but Willow shook her head.
"No doing. Or observing. It's just... if they're coming in spades than it would be helpful to maybe keep a tally on them? Could also give us a chance to better strategize how to attack them if they're getting stronger."
Buffy chuckled wryly. "I have the bruises. They are getting stronger."
Giles inclined his head at the redhead. "Thank you for the tip. Jenny, is there a way to use your erm, daft machine to setup a global ring? If we can isolate them to Sunnydale, perhaps we can track their migrations."
"Rupert, the computer isn't the end of the world."
"No but after Moloch, I can safely assume that those machines will be an eventual factor."
Willow turned her head to Giles, frowning. "A book started all that, Giles."
"Yes, but-but it was scanned into a computer and e-eventually, Moloch found himself able to alter important materials."
"School bell," Buffy whispered into Willow's ear, earning a groan from the redhead.
Willow turned to face the blonde and pouted. "Snyder's probably looking for me."
"I can try to interject myself," Jenny volunteered, smiling softly. "I've managed to get some of my computers on the fritz and Snyder, the gnat he is, is a penny pincher with the money. I'll keep him engaged for the day if I can."
"Yes. I-I should, erm, see if I can get in touch with a few of my contacts up in Vancouver and Jenny, we'll get started on the location spell that Willow offered."
"Absolutely." Jenny turned but paused, swinging back to face Willow and Buffy. "Willow... Could you try to refrain from practicing given the scare?"
"Try? I don't need to try. Scared straight right now."
"We can pick up the training in a bit, okay?"
Willow nodded her head slowly. Jenny turned and walked out. Buffy leaned forward, trying to get Gile's attention. "Giles, can we stay here?" Buffy glanced at Willow, catching the redhead's quick rubbing of her arm. Giles nodded his head, walking over to the stairs to retrieve the fire blanket, and wrapping it over Willow's shoulders. Both girls flashed a brief smile of gratitude. "Your phone's ringing," Buffy pointed out. Giles turned and sighed, walking to his office.
~~~BTVS~~~
"Willow, sweetie?" Sheila asked, pushing the bedroom door open. Willow glanced up, blinking her eyes at the invading light from the hallway. Willow reached over, fumbling to turn her bedside lamp on.
"Mom?"
"Sorry. I just wanted to let you know that Joyce and I talked over the phone. We both thought it'd be a good idea to go to the Sunnydale Spa this weekend. They also have that pool in the neighboring building if you and Bunny want to go for a swim instead," Sheila commented.
Willow blinked her eyes again, wondering if she had heard right before it clicked and her eyes widened. "Pool? Like... bikinis?"
"You should be proud of your body. Any who, Joyce did say that she could use a massage and given that we have a club membership but never seem to be around to enjoy the benefits I thought it'd be a nice girls' day out."
"Sounds great," Willow stammered, suddenly flashing to images that would horrify her parents. "Dad will be away in Toronto, right?"
Sheila nodded with a small smile on her face. "Sometimes I wonder how he manages to stay as busy as me." Willow gave a half hearted smile. "Well, go to sleep and we can talk about it more in the morning."
"Night, Mom."
TBC