Thirteen Steps -8- The Package
by Valyssia
The Mystery
[reviews]
Buffy woke early that afternoon feeling a bit more or less, like hell. She moved and her head throbbed. She looked up to see Willow walking up the stairs carrying a tray.
"You need to eat," the witch said, placing the tray on the bed. She took her pillow and gently helped the Slayer to prop herself up. Sitting down, she passed Buffy her breakfast.
Gratefully Buffy took a drink of coffee, beginning to work at the fruit salad and hot cereal.
"Hope you don't mind that I made something quick. I could feel you waking up and I knew you'd be in bad shape." Willow furrowed her brow as she sat down and swept the hair out of Buffy's eyes with a gentle caress.
Buffy looked up and responded, "No, this is great."
"Giles is still here. He stayed to make sure we were both okay. The workmen will be here before 5pm to replace the door and recheck the security system. I'm sure they were all sorts of interested in how it happened but...well...that's where the story ends for them. Some of the girls came down earlier and helped with damage control. So there's no mess. You wouldn't believe how much blood was on the couch. It was frightening." Willow delivered her report in a soft even tone.
"How long you been up?" Buffy queried looking a bit perplexed.
Willow smiled cheerfully and spoke in a supple voice, "A few hours. I didn't have the heart to wake you. I knew from how I felt, that you'd be feeling pretty yucky. Thank you sweetheart... Last night's pretty patchy for me, but I do recall thinking how amazing you were once or twice. From there...pretty much a blank."
Buffy smirked, finishing a bite of the cereal. "Well...as first nights in new places go... It was about par for the course, for us. Nothing really unusual happened." Her face stretched into a broad grin as she mused over the lie.
"I'm sure that's exactly the case. Of course, good nights for us, often rate horror show for the average person," Willow replied, giggling.
"And that's what it was...a totally good night. We're awake today and we can still wiggle our toes. I'm all kinda up for the writin' it off." Buffy took a healthy gulp of her coffee and gave the witch a soft grin.
"Okay so...mind filling in a detail or two?" Willow asked with a perplexed look on her face.
Buffy continued to greedily work at her breakfast saying, "Not at all," between bites.
"Know I was poisoned...looked it up. How'd that work? Stuffs totally fatal and really quick." Willow looked down at the Slayer with a questioning look on her face.
"Satsu sat in for me. She kept you alive while I parted out our visitor and figured out the antidote," Buffy replied with a sigh. "I told her you wouldn't hurt her and to just relax. She was pretty amazing all things considered."
"Wow well... I'm not sure what to... As you say...I can wiggle my toes...so it's all good," Willow responded looking a bit bemused.
Shrugging, Buffy smiled as she concluded, "You owe her food. I offered to have the team down for dinner. Anyway...bath time for me and we need to wash these sheets. We brought our friend to bed with us last night or bits of him." The Slayer moved the tray aside and got up, with some difficulty, as Willow slid out of the way.
"Just get your bath, love. I'll bring you something comfy to wear and get the bedding started," Willow offered, as she watched Buffy nod and walk lamely off into the bathroom.
Willow wandered in a bit later with a underwear and a soft cotton dress for Buffy. "I expect you're not much in the clothing mood today so... If you want something else, just say so."
"No, that's fine... I'm definitely not picky. Lying around the house is about all I plan to do today. Last night pretty much fulfilled my stress quota for the week." As Buffy spoke she watched the trees in the valley below move in the wind.
"Mind some company?" Willow asked looking down at her Slayer.
Buffy glanced up with a concerned look in her eyes. "What about your arm?"
Willow shrugged and smiled a soft, guilty smile. "It's healed...part of the reason you feel so horrible I suppose... I cut the stitches out when I got up. They itched like hell so... Weird seeing all the blood and then...well... I should've been more attentive...guess I just took what I needed while I slept." The witch raised her sleeve and showed the Slayer the fine pink scar on her right forearm.
"S'okay hon...I told you to... I'll be fine in a bit...seems pretty worth it to me." She motioned Willow to join her.
The witch slipped out of the dress she was wearing and climbed into the tub, pulling Buffy up close. Gently she started to feed the Slayer the energy she could spare.
Buffy relaxed, watching the trees move outside, enjoying the comfort and the warmth. She finally managed to ask, "What'd you mean last night when you said I should think less of you? Not gonna happen, so you may as well just tell me."
"Well, I dunno Buffy," Willow avoided, growing obviously more nervous.
Buffy reached up, cupping the witch's cheek in her hand, turning Willow to face her. "Look Will, whatever you've done...it's prolly for the best... So, get over the nerves and just tell me. I won't be upset."
"Well it's just like I said last night, but not quite that simple." Willow replied with a shrug.
Buffy smirked. "Yeah well, when is it ever, that simple? Just start at the beginning and tell me."
"The beginning...? Oh my, well... The night you brought the scythe home Giles and I sat trying to figure out what the hell it actually was. I was surfing the Internet for clues and we were talking. I picked it up and he asked me if I could feel anything. I told him no and it occurred to me. Something so simple...the magicks were totally different...the energy was keyed differently than what I practice. It resonated differently...that's when I actually felt it. So I started to work on the premise that I could manipulate that to change the slayer line. From that idea evolved into what we did for you. It was like starting a bunch of dominos tumbling. One thing tipped onto the next..." Willow sighed and settled into the tub, looking more calm and thoughtful.
"We all split up...the scythe and you went one way, and I went the other with the idea. I knew if things got really bad, that one day, I might be needed to...well you know... I also realized what the meant. The gravity of the act...one person should only be so powerful. I'm a walking poster child for that concept, now aren't I?"
Buffy snickered again, holding her hand up out of the bath, with her index finger and thumb slightly parted. "Little bit...we both are..." she concluded with a slight giggle.
"You know that the slayer line pushes that envelope all by itself. One evil slayer is an incredibly destructive force. You start playing with that balance and you can come up with...much badness," Willow offered, giving the Slayer a pensive glance.
Sighing deeply, the witch continued, "I knew you though...knew your heart... So...I told myself it'd be okay."
Her features darkened a little as she considered, "I also know that I can force people to be pliant to my will...make them do things they'd never want to... Of course, I don't, but you know I can."
"So you were worried that something could control me and you..." Buffy turned to give the witch a look of comprehension.
"I installed a switch...well not so much installed, as used what was already there. Yes, Buffy... With a single thought, I can make you go completely catatonic." Willow's face grew dark as she admitted this.
"But it's just you? You're the only one that can do that to me?" the Slayer asked, looking concerned.
"Oh yeah...no one else would be able to. It's not possible. Unless they're just a very gifted witch to start with, and know the magicks involved, but you'd have all sorts of trouble facing that anyway... They'd have to be really, really powerful," Willow confirmed.
"I can live with that... It's a bit weird but...I'll deal. Why is it not possible?" Buffy queried giving the witch a perplexed gaze.
Willow sighed again, continuing her story, "That's the next part... Think back to the night we first really worked together. What was the first thing we did?"
"The pencil...?"
"The pencil was a test of compatibility. I was then I knew I could bring my plan into being. That's the moment the last domino fell." Willow gave the Slayer a meaningful gaze, as she continued the thought, "You see...until then I knew that you and I were similar people, but that when I became clear to me just how far it went. Think of it this way. You have two tuning forks that resonate at exactly the same frequency. They're identical. You strike one and it sings out. What happens when you strike the other?"
"Nothing...you just end up with the same note." Buffy replied looking a bit more confused for the metaphor.
"Not nothing, Buffy...everything... Using the two instruments you can carry the same note on forever. It provides you with a perpetual ability to loop the tone." Willow raised an eyebrow and gave her Slayer another significant glance.
"But Will, I'm still not sure I understand... I mean...I get the idea, but...well...we're such different people, how could it be? Well you know..." As Buffy spoke she flipped the lever to drain the tub and turned on the hot water tap, to reheat the bath.
"This is about magick, Buffy...not window dressing... Of course we're different. Wouldn't it be totally mind numbing if we were exactly the same? The point is...if you'll allow me to get all metaphory again... You can build an entirely different house on the same foundation."
"I still don't get it...well I do sorta...but continue, please." Buffy offered as she closed the drain and let the tub refill.
"All magick has a frequency...any object acted on by magick keeps that trace signature. If I were to affect an object using a spell and someone else came in behind me to look at my work. They'd feel it was me...if they knew me... Anyway, it could be linked to me. If you were to do the same...it'd confuse the heck outta them, because you and I share the same frequency. That's why you're such a perfect natural partner to me in the magicks. Now you're not as good at the focusy bits...you lack the control I have...but together...the whole is always greater than the sum of its parts."
"I get it now... You were a total uber-witch alone, but with me...well things got lots more interesting. Still don't see what this has to do with the shutting me down thing." As she spoke Buffy turned off the tap and started the Jacuzzi.
Willow smirked and giggled softly before she spoke again. "Yeah...that's pretty much the idea, but it's a two-way street with me. I'm different. Anything I have the capacity to do, I can pass back off to you seamlessly. If you have the ability to control it...you can use it. Like the empathy thing... It's a matter of control though. You lack the raw power I have. Your note is softer, if you will... More of that metaphor... That's what I meant when I said I could do that with a compatible partner. That frequency has to be the same or very close. Really, really rare actually..."
"Still not an answer, Will..." Buffy said looking a bit amused.
The witch rolled her eyes. "You said you wanted to understand... You have to understand it all. Patience...the next bit is simple. If we'd not been compatible, I'd have never considered making the changes to your abilities I did. I mean I knew we would be on some level, but if I'd I been wrong? Never woulda happened... I wouldn't build a bomb without being able to defuse it...so this whole super slayer thing? It would have hit the scrap pile, and well...back to the planning..."
"So it wasn't the scythe that placed the limit? That's the only thing you said." Buffy stared back out the window, watching the trees again.
"Oh no... It was me...well sorta... I was telling the truth about the scythe. Because the energy's different from what I practice, I can't exactly reproduce it. I can recharge it and make it just as powerful, but there's a balance there. Once I tip past that balance, the scythe would go from being a Slayer weapon, to being a witch's weapon. Pretty useless...considering...so..."
"But yeah, it was mostly me; I won't do that again for anyone. Faith's the next candidate and she and I are...well we're totally unmixy... It was you or no one... As it turns out you and I are very mixy. Think about it... When you're nervous I can calm you with an absent though. The trigger is the same thing. Nothing special...but very special... I could do it to Faith with a lot of effort, but with you...I could be laying half dead in a ditch and do it. Not that shutting you down would be the first thing on my mind if I were. In fact if I were in that kinda trouble, I'd call out to you, with almost no effort, and you'd come. Same sorta thing..."
"So why were you so upset about telling me this? I mean I understood most of it...didn't know how deep it ran exactly...but I wasn't clueless..." Buffy trailed off, lost in her thoughts. Staring out the window, she absently added, in a soft voice, "It's actually sorta beautiful."
"It is...isn't it?" Willow replied in a voice just above a whisper. "I suppose it's because I had to admit exactly how calculating I am... I sit and my mind runs rabbit over an idea. I stack other stuff on top of the root idea and soon I have this intricate plan that no one else knows about. Then I start to test to prove the concept. It's that busy head thing." She sighed softly and picked up a washcloth.
"The idea that I would take something so amazing from you without a second thought... Without you even knowing it existed. It's pretty harsh when you consider it that way." Willow shrugged as she finished, wetting the cloth, she poured some soap into it, and inattentively began to work the lather.
Buffy stood up and reaching down, pulled the witch up to face her. She drew her into a gentle embrace and said, "I kinda like the surprises. It's nice to be surprised and completely comfortable at the same time. I know you've thought it through and nothin' bad's gonna happen. And that you'll drop it...if there's a chance it'll go bad..."
Willow started to wash the Slayer's back as she spoke. "Yeah... I'm glad... You know the fun's really gonna begin, when I start to teach you to do that. You're almost ready. Much more the focusy, Buffy..." She moved out of the embrace and began to gently bathe the rest of her partner's body.
"I'd like to see Giles before he leaves," the Slayer reflected, casting her attention back out the window as she simply enjoyed the sensation of being touched.
Willow passed off the cloth and said, "Yup...he wants to see you. He's waiting for our call."
Buffy sat down the tub to rinse her self and the washcloth. Pouring more soap onto the cloth she stood back up and took Willow into her arms. She began to work lather onto her witch's back as she spoke, "How you feel about wolves, Will?"
"Like 'em... They're very pretty animals...sorta have that dangerous and mysterious thing going on. Why?" Willow asked in a relaxed tone.
Buffy pulled back to wash the rest of her witch's body as she spoke, "Yeah... I've been reading about them. I want one. In fact I think we should get two. Not pure wolf...they're impossible to deal with, but mixed...they're amazing pets. Very loyal...they bond to their owners. That'd be why...the two. They require a lot of land to run on...got that...and we'd have to be very careful with them as pups. Sorta have to keep them with you for the bonding thing to happen. Whatcha think?"
"Sounds like an interesting choice. I'm in." Willow replied, sitting down to rinse. She pulled Buffy down with her and drew her back into a gentle hug, giving her a soft, tender kiss.
"I'll see if I can't locate someone reputable that breeds them. I don't want to do the pet store, puppy mill routine. I've got a real problem with that. Not that wolves are standard pet store stuff anyway..." the Slayer said as she cuddled up to Willow.
"I do too... We should get outta here and see Giles soon. That and we have those men coming over to hang a new door and all."
Buffy stood up and grabbed a towel. "You're right... Time to face the world...I need something else to eat too. Gettin' hungry again..."
"I'm not surprised..." Willow replied as she turned the tub off and lifted the lever to drain it. She stood up and took a towel.
They both dressed and Willow went out to get a bit more to wear, returning to the bathroom to get properly clothed as Buffy called the castle.
Finished dressing, Willow walked up to the Slayer as she sat on the couch.
Buffy looked up and met the witch's gaze. "I need to go down into the woods. Would you come with me?"
"Sure... What's up?" Willow asked in a cheery voice.
"Need to go get the sheath for your athames, if I can find it. I sorta tossed it last night in a rush to defend us. Is the blade okay? Did I hurt it?" Buffy offered heading for the door and keying in her code.
Willow nodded and followed, trailing behind a bit as she spoke, "Its fine...I washed it up this morning. It would take a seriously violent, evil act, to corrupt something like that. It was pretty gross, but...with the cleaning...it still feels the same."
"Oh...Kay... Useful to know these things," the Slayer replied passing out into the sunshine and fresh air.
"What a beautiful day. This clearing is still an amazing place," Willow reflected, following Buffy around the side of the house and down the hill.
Buffy breathed in and followed the smell of decay to the spot where she killed Witiko. "This is where it happened. You were lying right here," she motioned, "and I straddled you to keep him away..." She looked around and just down the hill she saw something glisten in the light that broke through the tops of the huge trees. The Slayer walked down the hill and picked the sheath up. Moving back to Willow she handed the item off.
Willow was looking around, obviously a bit shaken. "I can feel it."
Buffy slipped her arm around her witch and said in a soft voice, "The fight took four swings, to take him down. For all his talk he was totally lame."
"Buffy, there's nothing lame about Witiko. He's one of the worst natural predators on the planet. That's a big part of why I thought he was a myth. They're really, really old like the Turok'Han, which of course means, really powerful. Only you can't see them and they can charm. We're the only two people I've found that have survived a direct attack. Period... You're the only person that's ever seen one from the front. I could find no other accounts of that anywhere. There are a few accounts, I read about people that supposedly hunted them, but from what I could tell, they were just serial killers covering for their crimes. The whole subject's very disturbing." Willow started to walk back to the house.
The Slayer considered this for a moment as she walked with her arm around her witch, "Without the dream it wouldn't have gone that way. I guess I should thank the PTB's for the head's up...send 'em a card or somethin'... I knew exactly how he fought going in, so it was cake...gooey filling and all. Well that and the necklace. He actually managed to hit me once."
"Something's watching out for us. That much is plain," Willow offered in a soft thoughtful voice as they emerged into the clearing at the top of the hill.
"Hi Giles!" Buffy chimed as she rounded the corner of the house and saw his smiling face. "What's that?" she asked eyeing the box in her watcher's hand.
"It's a housewarming gift from the Westbury coven." Giles handed the package to Buffy.
"Willow should understand," Giles offered, winking at the young witch.
Buffy opened the box and found the largest piece of black onyx she'd ever seen. A craftsman had worked it into a pyramid shape. "Wow! That's beautiful."
Willow eyed it with interest. "It's a barrier, Buffy...stops portals from being formed anywhere within a sphere of effect. And you're right it's quite beautiful."
"It seemed a useful gift," Giles concluded in a matter-of-fact voice.
"Extremely," Buffy agreed.
"So, how are you two getting on?" Giles queried genially, as he pulled the two women up into a hug.
"Much better..." Willow said enjoying the warm hug.
"Wanna come in for a bit?" Buffy offered, motioning to the house.
Giles entered the exterior door as the Slayer opened it saying, "Certainly, I can stay for a short while. I do need to be getting back, though. I'm just happy to see you both looking so well today."
Buffy opened the inner door with her code and held it for Willow and Giles. She pulled the onyx pyramid out, placing it on the coffee table, and set off for the kitchen to discard the box.
"How's your arm today, Willow?" Giles questioned, looking concerned again. "May I see? Things were a bit hectic last night. I want to make certain the wound will knit well."
Willow pulled her sleeve up as she watched Buffy walk away.
Giles took her wrist in his hand and looked at the fine pink scar. "That's remarkable," he said frankly, looking at Willow awaiting an explanation.
"Want something to eat you two?" Buffy called from the kitchen.
"I'd love something," Willow replied.
"Certainly, don't go to any trouble though," Giles answered as he followed Willow up to the breakfast bar and took a seat along side her looking expectantly.
Buffy washed her hands and set up to make three sandwiches. Pulling out a bag of chips, she placed them on the counter in front of Giles and Willow. She got out the fruit salad Willow made and said, "Drinks?" in a questioning voice.
"Water for me," Willow replied.
"Would you happen to have any tea?" Giles asked.
"Tea and water, coming up... Earl Grey?" Buffy questioned.
"That would be fine," Giles returned.
"There's your answer." Willow gestured at Buffy. "I guess I should've been upfront with you...sooner and all. Well...you know about the empathy thing. That much was totally obvious, what with the coven and all, but...well..." A nervous air came over the witch again. She started to fidget until Giles took her hand.
"Just say it, Will. It's not like he's gonna be mad." Buffy offered, busy with preparing sandwiches she didn't bother to look up.
"Well...it's just... really not a good thing. Remember the power broker, Rack?" Willow asked, looking even guiltier for mentioning the name.
"By reputation, yes," Giles confirmed.
"Well he was one of the things I used that night and I kinda kept a little piece of him. I guess the coven couldn't strip it all without killing me. Took me a long time to find it. The person has to have a magickal signature very close to mine. Buffy does...so we can sorta share stuff," Willow concluded by showing Giles the scar again.
Giles looked astounded as he took the plate that Buffy offered him. She put his cup of tea down and delivered Willow's water and food next. Then she walked over with her meal and sat down next to Willow, taking her hand. "It's no big Giles. Actually it's pretty cool."
"No big?" Giles replied in an amused voice. "It's unprecedented which I suppose for you two is, as you say, no big." He pulled his glasses off, scrubbing his eyes.
"That would be about the, it," Buffy confirmed matter-of-factly digging in to her food.
"You did very nice work on the stitches, Giles. There shouldn't be a scar once it's completely finished healing," Willow offered as she started to eat.
"So if I'm understanding you properly, Buffy hasn't just been grounding you...she's actually working with you?" Giles looked a bit flummoxed as he spoke. He took a handkerchief from his inner coat pocket and began to clean his glasses.
Willow nodded, continuing to eat her sandwich.
Giles squinted and perceived the movement. "Remarkable... Have you retained any abilities?" he queried, his expression turned to curiosity as he returned his glasses and pocketed the handkerchief.
"One or two," Buffy confirmed, concentrating, she slid the bag of chips to Giles and turned them to face him. "Have some chips...eat something... You're clucking again."
Giles raised an eyebrow and took a handful of chips. "I see...well..." He absently began to eat the chips.
"Think we broke him, Wills." Buffy whispered, with a soft grin, glancing at the witch.
"He'll catch up. The human element of a slayer is normally magickally very mundane, Buffy. It's more of that balance thing. A witch slayer would be scary," Willow said in a pensive tone.
He turned to consider the two younger women as he took a drink of his tea. "Right. Well do you mind if I share this?"
"Actually, yes... Right now it's really...well it's not so much...and it's pretty personal. I only use it around Will. No one else knows...well Miss H. might, but... It'll never be much more than pencil floaty stuff or so I'm told. So, why the big?" Buffy replied, pulling the bag back to herself and grabbing a handful of chips.
"As you wish," Giles responded more sharply than he'd intended. Attempting to recover he changed tracts, "So how are you finding things here? Is everything to your liking?" He appeared pensive and distant despite himself.
"Oh... It's wonderful, Giles. Though well...the security's a bit much," Buffy admitted. "
Giles tucked into his food finally. Between bites he musingly replied, "Yes well...it seemed prudent. In fact the entire design was handled by an acquaintance of mine in London. It was constructed with security and longevity in mind. I knew from watching you two in Sunnydale that no ordinary home would suit."
"Yeah my guess is that a Turok'Han would find it pretty tough to come crashing in here. Though it sorta...well...I managed..." Buffy offered with a smirk.
"I was happy for it last night," Willow confirmed.
"I suppose I was too. Though when I was trying to help you it did make the whole thing lots harder," Buffy replied in a thoughtful voice.
"There's no really a way to compromise that. The only measure would be to deactivate the inner panels. Though, I felt them prudent." Giles took another sip of tea and continued to work at his sandwich.
Buffy nodded, glancing thoughtfully at Giles. "May do that. It'd simple things up enough."
Willow smiled softly at Buffy. "If I hadn't managed to pull a Houdini...we'd've been fine. Giles is right."
"Totally fair...Oh...Kay... I'm convinced...security is of the good," Buffy replied, taking her last bite of sandwich. "Think I need another," she said getting up. "You two need anything?"
"Thank you, Giles." Willow smiled softly at the Watcher.
"No, thank you both." Giles sat silently for several minutes, finishing his lunch. "In fact I need to be going. I'm sorry I couldn't stay longer. It was wonderful to see you two." He stood up to leave and was almost knocked off his feet by the Slayer. He returned the hug, looking amused.
Releasing Giles, Buffy said in a soft voice, "Thank you for everything, Giles."
Willow gave Giles a warm hug and withdrew putting her arm around Buffy.
"You're most welcomed. Take care of each other." Giles waved to the couple as he set off for the door.
"We will," witch and slayer both replied as they watched Giles leave.
When Giles was gone Buffy asked in a soft thoughtful voice, "So who was the other?"
"What do you mean, Buffy?" Willow inquired looking a bit confused.
Buffy thought she knew the answer, but needed to hear it anyway. "Who's this other person you can share powers with? You said there was one before me."
Willow took the Slayer's hands, looking into her eyes she admitted, "Angel."
Buffy nodded and pulled the witch into an embrace. "I figured," she whispered. Returning to the kitchen she continued to make her sandwich. Once done she sat next to Willow and asked, "So how's that work?"
"It's pretty simple Buffy. You've put together a puzzle, right?" The witch gave Buffy a pensive glance.
Finishing her bite Buffy said, "Sure...hasn't everyone?"
"Of course...that's what makes this a neat metaphor. You know how all the pieces pretty much have sides? Well...think of you as a central piece...along comes Angel. You guys figure that well...you fit. That's one side. A larger fragment of the picture comes into view." Willow got up and began to clear the dishes.
"So...you fit somewhere else on the piece?" Buffy queried, taking another mouthful.
"That would be the idea. We're all linked. Together, we all make one big picture. All connected... Interesting concept isn't it?" Willow stooped to put the dishes in the dishwasher. Looking up she took in the warm, amused expression on the Slayer's face.
"That would be why...with the four, thing I saw?" Buffy inquired taking the last bite of her sandwich.
"That would be the it. That's sorta overly simplified...nothing's that structured. Like any good metaphor...this simples it up so you can make just about anyone understand. Point is once again...it's all connected... We're all... Remember, Buffy?" Willow winked, taking the Slayer's plate.
Buffy smiled warmly. "Yup."
"We're talking about what you believe though...not what you know. There's a huge difference. Realistically, we don't get to know so much. We get to feel lots...see lots...experience lots... Ultimately, there are things we come to believe that are just about comfort." Willow walked over to the counter, reaching across it; she took Buffy's hand.
For reasons of continuity and flow I stripped the sex scene out of this story. It is referred to directly by the characters. In this build I will offer it as an additional chapter. Be aware if you move to the next chapter you will be deeply in the heart of NC-17 territory. I urge you stop here if you're easily offended or happen to be a minor.