Visitors
Dawn sat near the Master's seat with her hands tied behind her back. Her feet were also tied together and grounded to The Master's large chair. She had spent the last few hours listening to a familiar story, then another, and then one that made no sense. First the aged demon retold the tale Spike had shared with her of the First Slayer, and then the story of the making of the new line. The last of his tales made no sense whatsoever.
"We have visitors." The Master looked down the tunnel. Dawn found herself following his gaze.
The young brunette continued staring down the tunnel, but saw no movement. Obviously The Master could sense Buffy, and most likely Spike. Dawn also knew that if Buffy was there, Willow and Xander weren't far behind. And, regardless of the botched marriage ceremony, if Xander was there, Anya was as well.
"Well," Dawn thought to herself, "At least my odds aren't as bad as they were five minutes ago." She looked around the room full of minions. "They aren't exactly good…"
Buffy looked behind her to see Willow and Anya both holding crossbows. Xander took Willow's ax and stood between the women. "What's the plan?" he asked the two blondes.
Spike looked back into The Master's new chamber, then back at the young man. "Get Dawn out, and don't get yourself killed."
"Good plan," Xander whispered sarcastically to Spike.
"Willow and Anya, you shoot at the minions. Get them on the defensive. Xander, you'll need to help them. Spike, you get Dawn." Buffy rambled off her orders easily.
"What will you do?" Spike asked.
Buffy looked back towards the towering Vampire. "I'm going to distract The Master."
Spike looked at her fearfully.
"Don't worry. I'm not going to try for a kill, unless I get a good shot. We get Dawn; we get out."
She looked at her friends one final time for confirmation. All heads nodded.
Buffy turned around and took a final breath before running full speed towards The Master.
Willow, Xander and Anya came flying out next, shooting and swinging at the minions lining the room.
Jon spotted Spike following the humans, and headed to his Master's side to protect The Key.
Buffy stopped short in front of The Master. "So, I hear you want to kill yourself some Slayers?" She teased.
"I heard you like to talk a lot." The Master swung his fist at her, connecting with her nose. She flew up into the air and landed hard on her back.
Buffy sat back up. "I take it you don't." She leapt up, and the two began to fight wholeheartedly.
Spike ran to Dawn's side and started to cut the knots with a small, but sharp, pocket knife. He was interrupted by a kick to his face, sending him rolling backwards. Jon walked up to the fallen blonde ready to continue his assault.
"Spike!!" Dawn screamed and tried to turn herself. When she did so, her hand touched the blunt end of the knife Spike had been using. Twisting her hands, she grasped the blade and began to cut through the ropes binding her.
Willow, Anya and Xander found themselves completely outnumbered, and were slowly backing into the tunnel they had come from. Anya couldn't seem to hit any of the demon's hearts, but Willow was doing better. Xander had beheaded one Vampire, but was barely holding back the attacks.
"I hope they hurry up," Anya called over the sounds of a losing battle.
Willow pulled 3 vials of holy water from her bag, and hurled them at the vampires. "They better!"
Dawn cut through the last restraint just as Jon flew over her head. Spike ran behind her and crouched down to make sure she was freed. "See you got yourself loose."
Dawn surveyed the battles. "Yup. I'm going to help Xander, Willow and Anya. You help Buffy."
"What is it with you Summers girls? Always giving orders." Spike didn't get an answer as Dawn ran to her friends' aid.
Spike got up and sprinted to Buffy's side. She was circling The Master, her nose bloody and a slight limp caused by an injured right leg. She watched as her younger sister ran to help fight off the minions.
"You look a bit damaged," Spike said as he avoided a punch from The Master.
Buffy kicked the old vampire behind the knees causing him to lose his balance. "I think we need a new plan. The guys can't hold off his minions forever, and they're blocking the exit."
The Master caught himself before falling backwards and reached for Buffy just as Spike grabbed him from behind. The Master tried to throw the newly chosen slayer off his back but found himself with a stake over his heart as well.
Buffy smiled innocently at him while grasping the deadly wood tight. "Tell your guys to back off, or your new home will be an urn on my mantle."
He looked at the worn woman, smelling the life in her blood. "Let them go!" he bellowed.
As if under a spell, the vampires turned and walked back into the Master's chamber. They each sat back in front of the ancient Vampire.
Buffy and Spike walked towards the entrance, never letting their grips loosen on their captive.
The Master was dragged toward the small band of humans, and an out-of-place demon.
He smiled, knowing that the time they had was short, and had passed. The knowledge they could have gained if The Key had been present would have destroyed his chances of killing the Slayers. As far as he was concerned, things were going according to his plan.
Buffy backed out slowly as Spike kept his hold. "Don't get any ideas," she said to The Master, then turned to her friends, signaling them to go. Dawn hung back until she saw Spike let go. Then all six of them took off for dear life out of the tunnel.
The Slayers slowed their pace so that no one was separated from the group. They ran through town to Willow's new home, and burst through the doors.
Xander fell onto the couch. Willow and Anya slumped into chairs at the table while Dawn fell into a chair across from Xander.
"Thanks, guys." The teen looked around the room. "One more story and I would have died from boredom."
"Just be glad you aren't dead," Buffy retorted.
"You're damn lucky." Spike found himself shaking his finger at the girl. "Buffy told you if you had problems to run back, not get yourself kidnapped!"
Dawn stared at the man doing a rather good impersonation of a pissed off father.
Buffy leaned down in front of her sister checking her neck, then the rest of her for damage. She looked curiously into her sister's eyes. "He didn't bite you?"
"Nope. Didn't even try. Actually, he made a big deal about making sure I didn't get hurt," Dawn explained.
Buffy looked up at Spike. Spike looked over to Dawn. "That makes no sense. Why kidnap you just to let you go? And why not drink? I mean from a Vamp's point of view, you'd be a rare treat," he explained matter-of-factly.
"That's why I am having trouble here!" Xander sat himself up to look directly at the only other male in the room. "Can't you not talk about being a vampire for at least one day? Huh?"
Anya interrupted Xander's tirade. "I don't think he was talking about himself. I think he was talking about Vampires in general, The Master in particular."
Xander looked over the back of the couch and gave Anya a mildly annoyed look. "Thanks, An."
She smiled happily.
"Ok, guys." Buffy stood back up. "Why would The Master take Dawn, but not want her hurt?"
Willow raised her hand meekly.
"I would guess 'bait', but he never would have given up so easily," Spike answered.
Willow raised her hand higher. Anya looked at her strangely.
"Maybe he's pulling off some master scheme, and this was part of his evil plan," Dawn chimed in.
Willow raised her hand as high as she could. Anya still stared at her.
Dawn fell back into her chair. "As long as I'm not a key, I‘m good."
Anya shook her head at Willow, then turned towards the arguing people in the living room. "I think Willow knows."
Willow immediately lowered her hand as all eyes turned toward her. Xander sat up fully on the couch to see his best friend. Spike and Buffy stood still and waited for Willow to begin the explanation. Unfortunately, Willow wasn't really sure about much, just one thing.
She eyed the silver charms that still sat atop a bed pillow in the center of the sandy circle. The pieces were still split, but the case of the pillow was no longer white. Its surface was now covered with what resembled scorch marks. Willow stood up, and the eyes in the room followed her. She bent to pick up the pillow, but stopped. "Anya, could you get this for me?"
Anya was perturbed. "You're right there."
"It's magic, Anya."
"Oh." Anya stood and retrieved the pillow and the split pendant, bringing them to the table. The group one by one gathered around.
Willow, careful not to touch the fabric, looked over the markings, and recognized them. "It's from the book."
"What does it mean?" Buffy asked.
"It's a spell," Anya offered.
Willow looked up at the demon. "How do you know?"
Anya pulled out the notebook that was still sitting on the table, from under the spellbook and deciphering key in the shape of a cross. "It's right here." Anya pointed to the perfectly translated copy of the spell.
Buffy took the notebook from Anya. "You're this far, and you didn't say anything?" Buffy turned to Willow and Xander. "You guys are almost finished, and you didn't say anything?"
Xander threw his hands up defensively. "Don't yell at me. I was just translating symbols."
"We both were," Willow added, taking the attention away from Xander. "Anya was putting the words in order. She understood the dialect better."
Buffy looked back at the demon. Anya pointed at the book on the table and, like she did with Xander, tried to explain. "I thought you were looking for a name, which, by the way, we still don't have."
"Luv," Spike got Buffy's attention, "Still doesn't explain why Dawn’s all un- bitten."
"That you know, right?" Buffy asked the redhead.
"Well, no," Willow said.
Anya tried to cut in, but Buffy was apparently on a roll.
Buffy tossed the notebook onto the table, and looked to her friend "What is it then?"
"It's the spell you preformed to find Dawn. It should have worked with just you, but Spike had to join in."
"I wondered about that," Spike said.
Buffy shrugged. "I thought it was 'cause you and Dawn were close or something."
Willow shook her head. "It doesn't work that way. Only blood ties are able to call on Corlon."
"B-blood ties?" Dawn asked.
Willow took a deep breath. "Only people who share the same blood can use it. We know the monks used Buffy's blood, but they must have needed a mixed gene pool. The only way Spike could have called would be if-"
"… If he's related to Dawn?" Buffy finished. She looked around the room, then at her love. "Oh God."
Dawn wasn't confused, so much as completely lost.
Spike was pretty darn sure he followed Willow's implications, but he still didn't understand it. He knew he'd always liked Dawn, even before he'd met her. He could have killed her numerous times in the past six years. But in his memory, he had always been rather fond of the Slayer's little sister.
Xander was taking it all in. Then with no other recourse, he blurted out laughing.
"I think that may be inappropriate," Anya said to Xander. "I believe we are supposed to give them a baby shower, or something to that effect."
"Baby shower?" Dawn looked at the demon. "Do you mean Spike's my...?" Dawn looked at the two blonde Slayers. "And Buffy's my...?"
"Ok, wait." Buffy picked up the pillow. "That might not be it. Maybe this spell has something to do with it." Buffy looked at Anya. "What is the spell?"
"It's your basic calling spell. Nothing fancy really, just that a complete unit has to perform it."
"Unit?" Buffy scrunched her nose.
"Yes, for instance: you, Dawn and Spike."
"What are you thinking?" Spike leaned forward and asked Buffy.
"I'm thinking someone wants us to make a call. I mean it's in the book, and it's right here." She gripped the pillow. "I'm thinking this might explain what the hell is going on." Buffy put the pillow back on the table, and looked at Willow. "What will we need?"
~~`~~
Buffy and Spike rifled through the items in the Magic Box. The list was short, but the tension was thick. Neither seemed to have anything to say; but in truth, neither knew where to begin. "I just don't get it," Spike finally blurted out. "I mean, she's been here for more than two years, you and I didn't even get along then."
Buffy placed a candle into the paper bag holding her loot. "Maybe whatever power the monks used knew we would end up together."
Spike looked back at her. The word "together" was nice to hear, especially when she was referring to them. "Maybe." He thought about it. "I always liked her."
Buffy smiled at him. "Yeah. You always did."
"Seems a bloody shame, though." Spike put the final item from his list into the bag, and walked towards Buffy.
"What?" Buffy closed her full bag.
Spike wrapped his arms around her from behind. "We got the Niblet, but we didn't get any of the fun that comes along with, not until later."
She spun in his arms and hit him playfully on the shoulder. "Dirty minded little-?"
"Little?" Spike cocked an eyebrow at her.
Buffy looked up at him. His eyes glowed with the lust they had both contained since his return a week ago. Her eyes studied his tanned skin, his smooth lips, his high cheekbones. The loving gaze he returned made her knees weak, and soon his lips were telling her with passion-filled kisses how much he loved her.
She moaned slightly as his tongue explored her mouth. She returned the kiss fervently until she remembered what they were supposed to be doing.
Slowly, she pulled back. "Spell" She opened her eyes to see him grinning down at her.
"What?" she asked.
"You look beautiful when you're content."
She smiled a little, before separating herself from him.
The two made their way through the town once again, noting that it was nearly morning.
When they arrived, Willow quickly went to work directing the others how the room should be prepared. It took little time as a new circle was made out of white sand, split into 3 parts with the red sand. Cream-colored candles were lit at every entrance to the living area, including the windows and stairs.
With the lights off, and a new day approaching, Buffy, Spike and Dawn sat in a triangle outside the circle. All three held a slip of paper with the translated spell. The two pieces of the silver charm rested on the floor in the circle's center.
They began chanting as the others sat at the kitchen table waiting.
"We call on thee, to reveal the way. We call on thee for the path to take. We call on thee for truth in life. We call on thee to come to sight. We call on the goddess. We call our guides."
The mantra was repeated by the threesome, each deathly still, as the trance took effect. One at a time their words stopped, and their heads fell forward.
Xander was about to jump out of his seat to see if they were all right, but Anya held his arm tightly. "It's working."
The silver pieces began to glow with the now familiar white light, but they did not rise. They lit the circle brightly, forming two cylinders of light above the casting circle.
As the three sitting on the floor raised their heads, they had to turn away because of the brightness. The others at the table closed their eyes, and held up their hands to block the blinding effect of the magics being used.
It lasted for a minute at most, but the six warriors against evil, had to let their eyes readjust after the light faded to a soft glow.
Spike looked up first, and was speechless.
Anya and Xander were the next to see the two figures standing in the circle. "Oh my god," the brunette managed to mumble.
Willow looked up next. "Goddess."
Buffy and Dawn's eyes followed the white flowing gowns up to the faces of their guides. Buffy's mouth was agape. Dawn looked into the familiar eyes of her mom. "Mommy?"
Willow couldn't pull her eyes away from the figure next to Joyce. "Tara?"
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Author's Chapter Notes:
I love a good fight scene, i'm not sure if i'm harboring violent tendancies or if I just like the bad guy to get beat down on occasion. Either way this chapter was a kick to write.
Chapter End Notes:
Thanks again for the reviews guys. With my schedule pretty set i'm thinking there will be updates on my stories on Tuesday and or Fridays during the upcomming months. Hope that helps.