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From: owner-buffyfic@lists.xmission.com (buffyfic-digest)
To: buffyfic-digest@lists.xmission.com
Subject: buffyfic-digest V2 #234
Reply-To: $SENDER
Sender: owner-buffyfic@lists.xmission.com
Errors-To: owner-buffyfic@lists.xmission.com
Precedence: bulk
buffyfic-digest Tuesday, June 16 1998 Volume 02 : Number 234
In this issue:
BUFFYFIC: Charlotte Sometimes (Part 31)
BUFFYFIC: Charlotte Sometimes (Part 32)
BUFFYFIC: Charlotte Sometimes (Part 33)
BUFFYFIC: Monsters (1/1)
BUFFYFIC: Charlotte Sometimes (part 34)
BUFFYFIC: Repercussion, (11/16) by Andrea
See the end of the digest for information on (un)subscribing to the buffyfic
or buffyfic-digest mailing lists and on how to retrieve back issues.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Mon, 15 Jun 1998 17:38:24 -0700
From: _-Sun-_ <KBleyle@earthlink.net>
Subject: BUFFYFIC: Charlotte Sometimes (Part 31)
Charlotte Sometimes (Part 31)
She grasped his hand as tight as she could to keep from falling, "Tell
them" She pleaded, out of her control, and began sobbing yet again.
"P-please you, you have to!" She cried.
Desiree began to stand, listening to her frantic cell mate. She barely
got to her feet when she heard the noise. She arched her broken body to
see what was happening, trying to see through the tiny hole of a window
that was atop the door.
"Drusilla?" She whispered, still staring at the doorway
~
"Shhh... I'll tell them Drusilla" Angelus smiled, looking down at her
tear streaked face.
In all fairness towards himself - he hadn't thought the towns local
idiots would claim her a witch. He merely thought to hurt her, from the
inside. Never had he meant for her to be beaten.
Still, the smell of her blood was something he would not soon forget
~
"Drusilla!" Desiree hissed, trying to get her meaning across.
She wanted to scream. She wanted to grab Drusilla and throw her back
towards the ground, and force her mouth to still.
But fear quickly froze her, staring at the door, listening to the men
walk down the hallway.
They may not come in. They may be coming for another girl. There was an
endless amount of witches here it seemed, what were the chances of them
coming in this particular cell?
~
Drusilla nodded franticly, her feet stumbling as she quickened to get a
grip on the rocks below.
"Tell them" She cried, screaming, yelling at him to plead with the
jury. To tell the men she was a god loving catholic.
To tell them not to hurt her...
~
Desiree listened intently, blocking out the sound of Drusilla and her
visitor, listening to the sound of the key as the men stopped outside
their room.
Directly outside, she watched the tops of their hats sway outside the
window.
In her mind she grabbed Drusilla to the ground. In her mind she willed
Drusilla to fall fast asleep with her, so the men would never know.
They'd come in, look at the sleeping girls, and leave.
But in reality nothing happened. In reality she never moved. She never
uttered a word. Though she turned.
~
Shock flooded Drusilla's system as the door slammed open hitting the
opposite wall.
She turned her head around to view the dark men standing in the
doorway, just standing, silently beckoning her.
Her hands were the first to let go, as her mind screamed at her to get
away from the window. To not let them see him. To see she'd been with
people from the outside, people sent to help her.
But in her confusion her feet kicked the rocks which held her balance,
and she flew tumbling down to the ground, though not more than two to
three feet from the ground, she feel with a hard thud, her head hitting
the pole in the middle of the room.
Successfully knocking her out within the seconds it took her to look
back up to see Angelus's growling features.
- --
_-SuN-_
SD - Http://home.earthlink.net/~kbleyle/SD/index.html
Daylight licked me into shape, I must have been asleep for
days. And moving lips to breathe her name, I opened up my eyes
And found myself alone alone, Alone above a raging sea
That stole the only girl I loved, And drowned her deep inside
of me (The Cure)
_ - _Spikette _ Dru's Dolly - Mercenary_ - _
_ - _ Head Dominatrix in the Evil _ - _
_ - _ Plan For World Domination, _ - _
_ - _ With Chains and Stuff _ - _
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 15 Jun 1998 17:38:58 -0700
From: _-Sun-_ <KBleyle@earthlink.net>
Subject: BUFFYFIC: Charlotte Sometimes (Part 32)
Charlotte Sometimes (part 32)
It took him a blink of an eye to break the bars in to pieces and jump
through the opening.
The men came at him with their large wooden crosses. Chanting some
stupid words of riddance.
Angelus flinched, and rolled his eyes. But what did he expect? He _was_
breaking into a witch pit.
The first man to come at him was murmuring some stupid hymn that
Angelus couldn't quite catch because he was to busy trying to ignore his
instincts as they screamed for him to flee.
But there was no way he was leaving Drusilla here to die, or be hurt by
these morons. He'd claimed first dibs after all.
The man finally came within arms reach and Angelus took full vantage.
Grabbing his wrist, he gazed into mans eyes coldly before ripping the
bone backwards breaking the wrist in more than a couple places.
He screamed, a girlish annoying-some sound and Angelus quickly slipped
his hand around to snap the mans neck.
~
"Help!" The other man called out the window "Guards!" he was shouting
as he stood in the door way, holding his large wooden cross in front of
him. "REBEL!" He shouted loudly.
His hand began to shake as the intruder came after him. He was scared,
and as good as the idea of running away appealed to him, he continued to
maintain his stature, as the murder continued after him. He began to
scream louder for more guards.
~
Angelus flinched for the second time this night. But not from the cross
the man was holding. It came from the girl behind him. She was screaming
endlessly.
He turned back at her sharply only exciting the scared girl more so as
her high pitch scream continued, yelling piercingly random insults.
'Demon' 'Satan' 'God save me' and such.
But he had one important matter to take care of before the annoying
witch.
Angelus darted at the man, slamming the door shut, and successfully
jamming it into the wall, enslaving the catholic in the room.
He took one look at the screaming girl, out of pure whimsy to frighten
her more, before his features changed yet again, and he bared the mans
neck.
Glaring at poor Desiree his fangs snapped around the mans neck.
~
Drusilla's mind came awake to the sound of harsh screams.
Her first instinct was to shut up the noise. That if someone came into
the room to stop her from screaming out, they'd notice herself awake,
and come to take her back into their tortures.
But as her eyes fluttered awake she noticed the body of the guard next
to her. There was a sickening peace at knowing a man who'd caused her
and so many others terrible pain was gone. The next image her mind saw
told her that she was cruelly wrong.
~
Angelus advanced on the scared girl slowly at first, enjoying the
thrill of her cries and pleas, then in a split second captured her head
with his hands, straddling her hips around him, easily pinning her down.
It never even occurred to him that the poor thing wasn't able to run.
That the men had done so much damage to her body she could barely stand.
He locked her eyes to his, starring into them, wondering what her last
thoughts were.
Being the nice guy that he was he gave her a precious moment to make
her peace with whomever she needed to be at rest with before he took
from her the one thing she needed to survive....
- --
_-SuN-_
SD - Http://home.earthlink.net/~kbleyle/SD/index.html
Daylight licked me into shape, I must have been asleep for
days. And moving lips to breathe her name, I opened up my eyes
And found myself alone alone, Alone above a raging sea
That stole the only girl I loved, And drowned her deep inside
of me (The Cure)
_ - _Spikette _ Dru's Dolly - Mercenary_ - _
_ - _ Head Dominatrix in the Evil _ - _
_ - _ Plan For World Domination, _ - _
_ - _ With Chains and Stuff _ - _
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 15 Jun 1998 17:57:47 -0700
From: _-Sun-_ <KBleyle@earthlink.net>
Subject: BUFFYFIC: Charlotte Sometimes (Part 33)
Charlotte Sometimes (Part 33)
Drusilla stared up in horror at the picture her mind was showing her.
Another vision she told herself. Another deceitful image!
Angelus isn't a demon! He isn't the devil! It's a vision! It's false!
She watched with sickening fascination as he let go of her friend and
turned to face her.
A vision she cried. Her own mind was betraying her! Angelus was good!
Pure!
His face remained that of Satan himself as he glided gallantly towards
her body.
The moment his cool hands touched her face she screamed.
Her hands flew up at his face.
Vision's can't touch. They can't harm you!
He was real! This was real and he was evil....
She hit him away, her hand barely grazing his lips but the chains
connected solidly with his cheek.
Drusilla scrambled to her feet, her wounded foot hit the ground as she
leaped to get away. The shocking pain coursed through her body, and her
knees hit the ground...
~
Angelus didn't move towards her, even though he heard the extra guards
running down the hall. He let Drusilla delude herself into thinking she
could run from him.
He laughed as her body snapped backwards from her efforts. The chains
doing their job to keep her in place.
Angelus willed his face to take on his human guise and he walked
towards her. "They're coming" He said simply, cocking his head in
curiosity as she screamed for them to hurry. She deceived herself into
thinking that they'd believe her story. That'd they'd believe a demon
had come and killed everyone in the room, yet aloud her to live
She screamed again, a high pitched squealing noise.
He snapped at her then, grabbing her chin to face him, squeezing on the
sides of her jaws just tight enough so that it pained her to move.
It silenced her "Shut up!" he screamed at her, successfully getting her
attention.
"They will come in here, and they will see you! You're surrounded by
three dead bodies Drusilla! You think they'll believe the witch when she
say's another demon did it?"
Tears fell from her eyes as she closed her lashes in pain.
Angelus looked back towards the door he listened for a moment as the
men began to slam up against the jammed door in an attempt to open it.
~
"Come with me Drusilla" His tone had changed, it was softer now, and
she painfully opened her eyes. "I'll take you out of here, where they'll
not hurt you" He promised.
His face sickened her. How dare he look like that? How dare he use the
eyes of her love! How dare he talk to her as though he ever cared for
her.
But his words sang to her.
He could take her away. Get her out of this pit. They'd never believe
her... They might... But what if they didn't?
Ever so gradually she felt his grip on her jaw diminish, until there
was hardly any pain coming from him.
She looked into his pleaded eyes. As they begged for her to trust him.
Begged for Drusilla to let him take her away from this place.
Drusilla willed her body to relax, as she fell flat against the damp
ground.
He took this as a yes of course, that she would go with him. Absently
she felt Angelus's hands moving down her body, as he grasped the chains
that held her. There was a sharp pain that made her flinch, and then
there was no pressure, and she knew he'd ripped the chains right off her
wrist.
Drusilla's head bobbed up towards the door as the men pounded on the
door. It was breaking. It would be open soon.
But it didn't matter now. She was dead either way. Angelus could save
her from the horrors of this place, but who would save her from him? Not
Papa, or Mother, and certainly not --
Drusilla's memory snapped awake as she remembered something he'd left
for her. This thing that told her to go on, and to help her. The one
person she'd forgotten during this whole ordeal...
Lydia!
- --
_-SuN-_
SD - Http://home.earthlink.net/~kbleyle/SD/index.html
Daylight licked me into shape, I must have been asleep for
days. And moving lips to breathe her name, I opened up my eyes
And found myself alone alone, Alone above a raging sea
That stole the only girl I loved, And drowned her deep inside
of me (The Cure)
_ - _Spikette _ Dru's Dolly - Mercenary_ - _
_ - _ Head Dominatrix in the Evil _ - _
_ - _ Plan For World Domination, _ - _
_ - _ With Chains and Stuff _ - _
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 15 Jun 1998 23:10:53 -0400
From: uzenet@videotron.ca
Subject: BUFFYFIC: Monsters (1/1)
Title: Monsters
Author: Northlight
email: uzenet@videotron.ca
Summary: Willow thinks about life in Sunnydale.
Disclaimer: They aren't mine.
~Another day survived~ Willow thought with a small smile, offering up a
quick prayer of thanks as she efficiently battled her way through the
pile of dirty dishes stacked next to the sink.
There had been something of a close call, with that demon possessed
postal worker, but Buffy had gotten things under control before the body
count made it into double digits. Of course, she hadn't managed to
quite get things all wrapped up until Willow had received the shock of
having her mail man try to eat her -- but all considered, it was a good
day.
And Willow was thankful for any hint of normalcy that she got in her
day, no matter how long that it lasted. She adored those moments not
only because of the lack of terror and threat to the lives of those she
cared for, but also because it gave her a chance to breath normally. ~I
think I'm getting too old for this business~ Willow thought wryly.
She had spent all of her life in Sunnydale save for the occasional trip
beyond the borders of their small town. And almost half of that life
had passed fighting vampires and miscellaneous monsters at the side of
the Slayer.
Sometimes, thinking back over the terrors that their small band had
encountered over the years, Willow was amazed that she was still sane.
~Or alive~ But she had prevailed.
She had grown up, gotten the best education she could, found a job,
gotten married, all while staying on the lookout for any of the dangers
that sprang from the Hellmouth. ~And it's all turned out pretty well...
After everything we've been through, everything is all right.~
Despite her fear, Willow had never abandoned Buffy. The Slayer needed
her friends, and knowing how alone Buffy was already, Willow had never
even thought of leaving the dangerous and oftentimes deadly town.
Willow had recognized the monsters that walked their world, and she
couldn't close her eyes to that. Even had she been willing to leave
Sunnydale and Buffy behind, that knowledge would never have left her.
She would never have felt truly safe, but here, at the side of her
friends, at least she was doing something to fight back those monsters.
"Mommy?" a small voice called from the doorway.
Willow turned to see her daughter looking at her with wide, frightened
eyes, her favorite teddy bear clutched to her small body. "What is it,
honey?" Willow asked gently, scooping the girl into her arms.
"There's a monster under my bed!" the child whimpered.
"Mommy will take care of everything," Willow smiled reassuringly and
settled her daughter back on the ground. "Now why don't you go talk to
daddy and I'll go take care of the monster so that you can get back to
bed, ok?"
Willow shooed her daughter towards the living room. ~Bed monster...~
Willow thought, considering her options.
Willow reached towards a drawer and quickly riffled through it.
~Stakes-- no. Holy water -- no. Where is it anyway? Peanut butter?
No, that was for the closet monster... Ah! Here we go!~
For a moment, Willow let herself smile at the seeming absurdity of the
situation. ~I'll bet we're the only parents who take exorcising bed
monsters seriously...~
Then, Willow drew herself back to the matter at hand and went to chase
away the monsters.
End
http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Lair/7493/index.html
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 16 Jun 1998 03:01:46 -0700
From: _-Sun-_ <KBleyle@earthlink.net>
Subject: BUFFYFIC: Charlotte Sometimes (part 34)
Charlotte Sometimes (part 34)
He gathered Drusilla's wounded body into his arms, and she didn't miss
the amount of care he took when placing her securely in his arms. Pain
shot through her body causing her flinched under his grasp, but she was
sure it could have been worse.
He jumped with her out that tiny window. How he managed to get the both
of them out that small opening didn't matter anymore. Because she could
feel him running, and could feel the clean air hitting her senses. The
free air.
Drusilla looked around from her vantage point of his arms to see where
they were. It was dark to tell, and the road soon became a dizzy blur.
She could however see Angelus. His eyes blazing as she felt the mist of
tree's coming around them.
His eyes moved to look down at her, and immediately she panicked.
He had already killed 3 people. In cold blood. He was a demon! A
monster inside her love!
Fumbling she managed to grab the cross around her neck thankful she
still had it, and with few regrets she shoved it at the demon's
forehead.
~
Pain shot through his body.
Pain like fire, coursing though his nerves, smoking his skin and knowing
instantly who's fault it was he threw Drusilla to the ground. Ready to
kill the stupid bitch as she fell under his feet - stunned for a moment
then began scrambling away, crawling on her hands and knee's and still
managing to fall onto her stomach.
Angelus lashed out at her, anger and fury building inside of him.
Raging at the defenseless and scared Drusilla.
He caught up to her easily - she hadn't gotten far, and moved to tower
over her. Whether she was aware of his presence or not he couldn't tell,
but he was sure she'd notice soon.
He lend over her small body and caught her waist on either side of his
hands, easily flipping her tiny body over, and pinned her underneath him
to the ground.
He looked down into her frightened eyes, giving him a sense of
adrenaline to know without a doubt he was the cause of this fear. He was
curious at first from her shocked and scared expression - and remembered
that his game face was now on. He was about to hit her again when she
began to cry. Timidly she threw her head to the side, unable to gaze a
moment longer at this new hideous thing.
He stared for a moment. The picture of her skin her perfect lips and
slender neck was too inviting. But the timid ring that radiated her told
him other wise.
Angelus looked away, feeling remorse at hurting his love. Feeling
apologetic at *wanting* to frighten her.
Quickly he ripped the cross off her neck, without a glance to her
reddened eyes.
Perhaps she was a witch. She was sending sparks through him. Sending
unwanted feelings through his head. Unbidden desires, and he found he
couldn't hurt her now. Not here at least. Picking her back up he quickly
ran the rest of the way, not wanting another such encounter.
~
She could see the small cottage in her thoughts, See the small fire,
and the white linen blankets and wondered what he had planed.
In her head he was her Angel, holding her, rescuing her. It was easier
to believe this way, easier to see his face. True face.
His perfect skin, yes - it almost shown with it's brilliance. His hair
was amazing as he looked at her, tossing it to the side with a snap of
his neck. It looked... alive such as an entity of it's own. So full, so
brilliant, and his voice again. Saying that they were safe. That she was
safe with him.
The door was unlocked as he carried her to the bedroom, though she
stilled, half dead on the edge of unconsciousness laying her down on the
soft white cushions. She wanted to remember to hate him. To see him and
be disgusted, but it was impossible to think such evil things.
~
Keeping his thoughts full of pure intent was not the easiest thing to
do. her silent body withering in pain in his bed, fluttering her eyes to
stay awake.
At least she wasn't screaming. If he had to listen to on more screaming
voice he just might kill her himself.
She forced herself to stay awake. How odd, after all that's happened,
she should be sound asleep knowing she's safe. No. She wasn't safe and
she was very afraid. He could hardly blame her.
"Drusilla?" he asked, wondering if in her hysteria she could hear him.
~
The blood stopped flowing as he called her name. All went cold.
She looked up at him slowly. Terribly afraid of what she was going to
see when her eyes met his face, what was going to happen...
"Calm down," He said simply, she shook her head, and began to cry again
soaking the pillows she lay apon.
He came to sit next to her on the large bed, reaching out to her,
avoiding her hands as they flew at him trying to pry his hands away from
her face, her neck, her body!
She eventually gave up. Weak and exhausted her body fell limp against
the large bed looking up at him. "I'm not going to hurt you Dru."
Every thought in her head began to bubble up in laughter. This demon
towering over her, promising her peace of mind and no more pain.
"Rest." He was smiling, in an all out performance to get her to sleep
and heal. She was in still shock but she looked as though she'd be okay.
"And don't try to go away" He said grasping her lightly to get the
meaning in his voice through. "Alright?"
He smiled as she fluttered her eyelashes to keep awake.
But maybe he was wrong, she was in deep sleep within moments. Even her
heartbeat slowed...
- --
_-SuN-_
SD - Http://home.earthlink.net/~kbleyle/SD/index.html
Daylight licked me into shape, I must have been asleep for
days. And moving lips to breathe her name, I opened up my eyes
And found myself alone alone, Alone above a raging sea
That stole the only girl I loved, And drowned her deep inside
of me (The Cure)
_ - _Spikette _ Dru's Dolly - Mercenary_ - _
_ - _ Head Dominatrix in the Evil _ - _
_ - _ Plan For World Domination, _ - _
_ - _ With Chains and Stuff _ - _
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 16 Jun 1998 12:24:02 PDT
From: "Andrea Newbery" <anewbery@hotmail.com>
Subject: BUFFYFIC: Repercussion, (11/16) by Andrea
Title: Repercussions (11/16)
Author: Andrea
e-mail: anewbery@hotmail.com
distribution: Sure, just tell me where.
disclaimers: Everybody in this story is the property of Joss Whedon,
Mutant Enemy, etc...
feedback: Please.
Thanks: to Rachel and Christine. And to Jenn for helping me figure out
what Hell was. :)
Angel's Apartment
August 21, 1998
6:00 p.m.
Cordelia gripped Xander's hand tightly as they walked down the short
flight of stairs to Angel's apartment. Her mind was swimming, half of
her unbelieving that he was actually going to go through with it, the
other half of her wanting to go run after Buffy, to force her to come
back and do this herself. She held onto Xander's hand tighter, feeling
the sweat between their palms, both of them terrified about what was
going to happen. She opened her mouth as they reached Angel's door,
wanting to tell him once more that Buffy was just crazed in her grief,
that she would feel bad about her words later. She looked over to
Xander, his face was closed, his mouth tight, she could practically see
him beating himself with Buffy's words.
Her mouth closed again without saying anything. Xander was too busy
hating himself to be able to see the truth in her words. She squeezed
his hand once more then let it go, reaching out to knock on the door,
hoping Whistler had lied to them and there would be no answer. Xander
shifted his weight from one foot to the other, his face pale and
slightly green. They could hear movement on the other side of the door,
and Cordelia was suddenly dizzy, realizing that this was really going to
happen. Xander was really going to Hell, she thought, her eyes filling
with tears as the door swung open.
Whistler stood there, smiling knowingly at them; "You made it. I wasn't
sure you'd show." Backing away from the door he gestured for them to
come in.
"I'm ready." Xander spoke loudly, his voice betraying both his fear and
his pain, "Let's do this."
"Whoa." Whistler held his hand up, walking further into the room, to
where a circle had been drawn on the floor, "This is Hell you're going
to. You gotta be ready."
"I am. Whatever it takes, I'll do it." Xander walked over to the circle
and stood in the center of it. Cordelia watched him from the doorway,
stunned by how fast he was trying to go she needed more time, she wasn't
ready to let him go. The tears spilled out onto her cheeks and she
turned to Whistler, her eyes begging him to slow things down. Taking
slow steps she walked into the room, moving close to the circle Xander
stood in, her eyes searching the room, taking in the candles that lit
the place, the paintings Angel had on his wall. She shuddered, trying
and failing to imagine Xander and Angel safely back in this room. She
reached out her hand to Xander, all plans for bravery forgotten. She
wanted to take him home. He smiled sadly at her, taking her hand shortly
and then releasing it.
Whistler was silent for a moment, going over to a desk in the corner of
the room. Then coming back he handed them both a sheet of paper, with
words written in both Latin and English. "You had the translation almost
totally right," He looked down at the paper he still held, then at them
again, his face serious, "'cept for the fact you would have brought
other demons back with Angel."
Cordelia caught her breath at his words, "Is it safe now? I mean
will..." She stared, her heart in her throat until Whistler replied.
"Yes, Angel'll be comin' back, nothing else. But it's
still not gonna be easy." Whistler said, not looking at her, just
watching Xander carefully as he spoke.
"Whatever is?" Xander's voice was low, his face masked, Cordelia
couldn't stop shaking, knowing the pain he was feeling. Looking
defiantly at Whistler he motioned towards the circle, "I'm here. I'm
willing. What are we waiting for?" She grasped her hands together,
trying to calm their trembling. She was on the outside, unable to do
anything, she wasn't even sure if either of them remembered she was
there.
Whistler sighed, moving into the circle he slowly sat down on the floor.
"First some advice on hell."
Cordelia watched Whistler sitting so calmly on the floor, watched as
Xander sat down in front of him, her sniffles the only sound in the
room. She just stood there, not willing to participate any more in this
insanity, until Xander pleaded to her with his eyes. She glared at him,
but let herself sink to the floor also. Whistler smiled softly at her
then turned back to Xander.
"Hell is probably not gonna be what you were expecting." Whistler spoke
quickly picking up on Xander's rush, "It's a tricky place, things aren't
what they seem." He paused for a moment, then continued. "Anything you
feel bad about?"
Xander smirked at him, "Does betraying my best friends count?"
Whistler's face turned serious, "Nothing you'll see there is real.
Anything you feel bad about will be twisted, made into something worse.
Your gonna think everything is your fault. You gotta fight it, remember
that it's not real."
Cordelia sat there listening to his words, trying to remain quiet, but
her mind was picturing a repeat of Buffy's words made even worse. She
glanced at Xander, wanting to see his reaction, but other than a slight
twitch above his eye his face was blank. She turned back to Whistler,
wanting him to explain it more. "So, it's going to be Buffy and Willow
yelling at him in there? But, it's not really going to be them, just a
messed up version of what Xander feels?"
Cordelia narrowed her eyes at Whistler's look of surprise. Glancing at
her, he responded, "Pretty much." He returned his gaze to Xander. "It's
all taken from your mind. So you can stop it as soon as you realize it
isn't real. It's not easy. The guilt can get pretty bad in there, every
failing magnified, no points for good intentions."
Xander was nodding as Whistler spoke, his face closed in. When Whistler
stopped Xander turned to Cordelia, holding his hand out to her. She
crawled over to him, holding him tightly, he whispered in her ear as he
held her. "I can do this. Don't worry." Releasing her, he kissed her
lips softly and smiled at her. Setting his shoulders squarely he spoke
to Whistler, "Got it. Nothing's real. How will I know if Angel's real?"
"Cause he'll be torturing himself and not you." Whistler spoke quietly,
his hands busy lighting the candles that surrounded the circle. Xander
sat still, his eyes closed while Cordelia watched Whistler for a moment
then turned back to Xander. Her eyes darting back and forth between
them, her heart racing. When he was finished lighting the candles he
held his hand out to Xander. After staring at it like it would bite him,
Xander took it. Whistler nodded, and asked one last time, "Are you
sure?"
Cordelia waited for Xander's answer, knowing it would be yes, praying he
would say no. At Xander's terse yes, a sob escaped her, she caught it,
refusing to cry, needing to be strong for him. Whistler began chanting
softly in Latin, and glancing down at her page she slowly repeated the
English version, her voice in unison with Xanders. As Whistler finished
the last line of Latin she watched as they both jumped. Xander's eyes
flying open, his hand pulling free. Whistler smiled at his shock, "What?
You've never been bound before?"
Cordelia glared at him, her fear for Xander making her voice angry,
"Sorry Mister 'I'm-so-experienced-in-binding-cause-I'm-a-demon', but
we're not quite as into it as you obviously are." Her eyes were locked
onto Whistlers, waiting for his smile to disappear.
He looked at her and for a second she almost thought she saw respect in
his eyes, but it was quickly hidden. He turned back to Xander,
who was still sitting mutely, his face was full of fear. Speaking slowly
to him as if to a child, "We are bound now, twinned. That means if you
need help in there, you can call on my strength, my spirit. And when
you've got Angel and are coming back, you will feel me. That's how you
get out, you follow the feeling back to me. O.K.?"
Xander relaxed slowly, his features returning to their frozen state.
Silently he held his hand out to Whistler and when it was taken he
closed his eyes again. Cordelia just sat, unable to help, terrified
these would be the last moments she would ever spend with him. Whistler
sat with his head facing the floor, and then suddenly he stood, pulling
Xander to his feet. Standing there Whistler began chanting once again,
this time without any words for them to follow. The chant seemed to last
forever, and suddenly Cordelia noticed a shimmering beginning inside the
circle. It looked like the air was extremely hot, the shimmering
thickened, the air was like thick, she could see waves running through
it.
Xander was staring at the shimmering also, waiting for Whistler to
finish his chant, his face etched in fear. Cordelia held her breath,
waiting for something to happen. Whistler finished his chant, and
looking at Xander he motioned towards the shimmering, letting go of
Xander's hand. "You have to go through of your own free will."
Xander swallowed, looking to Cordelia for a quick moment, his eyes
telling her he loved her. She nodded, holding back her tears,
whispering. "I love you." He stepped towards the shimmering air, looking
to Whistler for reassurance.
"Just remember what I told ya kid. Nothing's real in there. You can't
let it get to you or you'll never get out." Whistler's face betrayed
only the slightest trepidation. He stepped away from Xander, standing on
the edge of the circle, "I've got ya. I'll know if you're in trouble.
And if you need it, you can use my strength."
Xander stood in front of the shimmering, his shoulders tense. Suddenly
he shook himself, and without glancing back he disappeared into the wavy
air. Cordelia stood stunned as the air returned to normal behind him, as
if he has just vanished into nothing. She sunk to the floor, sobbing
uncontrollably. Whistler appeared above her, his hand on her shoulder.
After a few minutes she regained control of her fear, speaking quietly
she questioned Whistler, "What do we do now?"
"We wait." Whistler spoke casually as he walked over to Angel's desk
once again. She stared disbelieving at his back, but then realizing that
he was right, everything was up to Xander now. Crossing her legs she sat
staring at the place he had disappeared.
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