Fic: Witch Slayer [story 2 of 4] (BTVS)
Title: Witch Slayer [story 2 of 4]
Rating: Teen
Pairings: Giles/Willow
Summary: An unexpected person asks Willow to bring Buffy back from the dead.
Timeline: Between seasons 5 & 6
Word Count: 3,975
Disclaimer: These are not my characters. They belong to Joss, Twentieth Century Fox, UPN, WB & Mutant Enemy. This is purely for fun.
You can also read the complete series on AO3: Witch Slayer Series
Thanks to: oreadno1 for being my beta and for not being afraid to tell me when things didn't make sense. I wouldn't have finished this without your input.
**********
Word spread quickly that Sunnydale once again had two Slayers. Even more quickly, the demons and vampires learned that the newest Slayer was also a powerful witch. Willow was thankful the news hadn't spread to the Council. The last thing they wanted was the Council poking around asking too many questions. As far as the Council knew, the future of the Slayer line rested with Faith. They had no reason to know that Willow had become the most recent Slayer.
Willow worried when Giles wanted to ask the Council for information on Glory. When Quentin Travers arrived Willow and Tara stayed out of the way and let Buffy and Giles handle them. Buffy did take care of them, but not before they threatened to take Giles back to England.
When she’d heard that the Council would be able to have Giles deported, she had almost given them away. It took everything she had to restrain herself, and she wouldn't have been able to control herself if Giles hadn't reached out to her through their bond and helped. It was surprising to both of them that the Council members couldn't sense anything from them. After they left to go back to England, Giles reminded her that the bond they had invoked hid the nature of their relationship from the Council. They would never be able to know she was a Slayer and he her Watcher unless something powerful broke that bond.
The Council had briefly questioned Tara about her relationship with Buffy. That had worried Giles, but they had concluded that the two were merely good friends.
In the following weeks, Willow and Giles worked closely with Buffy and Tara to find a Way to defeat Glory. They all thought Glory was the reason Willow had been called as a Slayer. They were wrong. Only Buffy was able to close the portal Glory had opened.
Willow began wondering if the only reason she was called was to keep Giles from leaving town. After all, he was the one who actually killed Glory.
**********
We need another Slayer. Maybe more than one. I haven't told Giles yet, and I don't know how he will react, but I've been having dreams since Buffy died. I’m afraid to tell Giles. What if he thinks it's just me being sad over losing Buffy. I know he's having nightmares. He won't talk about it, but I think he's afraid I will die. If I bring up the idea of faking my death to create a new Slayer. . . I don't know how he'll react.
**********
I know Willow is grieving. Buffy was her best friend for five years. She needs guidance through this time, but she is blocking my attempt to reach her through our bond. If I can't help her soon, she won't be prepared to handle what I fear is coming.
**********
Willow shivered and rolled over to snuggle with Giles. He wasn't there. “Well, that explains why I'm cold.” She wrapped the blanket around her shoulders and walked down the stairs. She saw Giles sitting in the dark with just a enough moonlight shining in the window to show the bottle of whiskey in his hand. “Nightmare?” she asked. He only nodded before taking a swig from the bottle. “Me too.” She took the bottle from him and set it out of his reach. “About Buffy?”
“No.” His voice sounded like gravel.
Willow sat on the floor by his feet and grabbed his hands. “Are you sharing my dreams?” She shivered again as she thought about the dream that woke her.
“Possibly.” He leaned forward in the chair. “I see something coming for us, for Watchers and Potentials, and eventually for you. None of us will be safe.”
“I know. We need to do something now.” She reached up and touched his cheek. “I think something happened while the portal was open. We could use more Slayers, but I don't know if I trust doing that after the trouble we had last time.”
“It would be best if we avoided calling more Slayers. If the portal caused trouble, there could be dire consequences. We must be cautious. I wish I knew how much time we have. It could be today or next year.” Giles grabbed Willow's hand and kissed her palm. “I can't lose you too.”
Willow leaned up and kissed him. After a moment, they heard a knock on the door. “It's late. Who could that be?” she asked. Giles helped her to her feet, they walked to the door. The knocking was growing more insistent. They each had a stake in hand as Giles opened the door. “Tara? Dawn?”
Dawn and Tara came inside. “Sorry to bother you so late,” Tara said as Giles closed the door behind them.
“Has something happened?” Giles asked.
Tara reached into her pocket and pulled out a crystal. It pulsed with a green light. “It's Buffy.”
**********
Willow stared at the glowing crystal, trying to make some sense of what Tara said. She heard Giles ask, “How long has it been glowing?”
“Not long,” Tara said. “A few hours. I think. I lost track of time.”
“It wasn't glowing when I went to bed,” Dawn said as she sat on the couch.
“Is this the same crystal I used when we saved her from the crazy Slayer possession?” Willow asked.
“It is.” Tara gently set the crystal on the table before sitting next to Dawn. “You can go sleep in Giles’ guest room,” she whispered. “I'm sure he wouldn't mind.”
Dawn yawned. “I don't want to be alone.” She took a pillow Giles offered and laid down on the couch with her head near Tara.
Willow stared at the crystal. “I wondered what happened to that. “Did you have that all this time?”
Tara shook her head. “Buffy had it. She said it saved her life. So she always kept it with her. She had it in her pocket when -”
None of them could finish that thought.
Giles sat and reached for the whiskey bottle, but a look from Willow stopped him. “I don't understand why you're here,” he said.
Tara looked at Willow, tears streaming down her face. “You have to do it again. You have to save her. Bring her back. She's trapped in the crystal.” She choked back a sob. “I looked for some way to do it. As soon as I saw the crystal glow, I started researching. I can only find dark magic spells.” She grabbed Willow's hands. “Please, Willow. I know you can do it again.”
**********
It's unlike Tara to ask for such magic. She is usually the voice of reason when Willow attempts dangerous magic. Willow was only able to calm her by agreeing to do her own research. At my insistence, Tara and Dawn are sleeping in the guest room. Perhaps in the morning we can all discuss this with clearer heads.
**********
I've never seen Tara like that before. I really thought she might try to bring Buffy back herself. Bringing her back after a few minutes was easy, but it's been over a week. I don't know if I can do it. She did say she found some spells. I could try to modify them. What's the worst that could happen?
**********
Willow woke before Giles and slipped downstairs to check on Dawn and Tara. Dawn was sitting on the floor in front of the couch, staring at the crystal. “Do you think she's really in the crystal? Tara thinks her spirit got trapped in there.”
“I don't know,” Willow said as she sat on the floor next to her. “I guess it's possible.”
“She loved her. I don't know if you knew that.” When Willow only shook her head, she continued. “After Riley left and Mom died, Tara moved in. She said it was a Watcher thing. She needed to look after her Slayer. I could tell, though. The way Tara looked at her was the way she used to look at you. And Buffy was happy for the first time in a long time. They didn't think I knew, but I'm pretty sure they did that bonding thing that you and Giles did.”
Willow was momentarily speechless. She’d been so wrapped up in becoming a Slayer and fighting Glory that she’d completely missed seeing the signs. “If they were bonded, maybe she's right. Maybe she can feel Buffy in there.” She pointed to the crystal.
“So, you'll do it?” Dawn asked.
“I'll do whatever it takes,” Willow promised.
**********
“And exactly how do you plan to do this?” Giles asked between sips of tea.
“I don't know yet how to bring her back, but I think I know how to see where she is.” Willow rummaged through the books and papers Tara brought with her. “Back when Buffy and Faith switched bodies, Tara was my guide while I searched for Buffy. We didn't know yet that she was in Faith's body. I went looking when Tara told me Buffy wasn't herself.” She pulled a book from the bottom of the stack and opened it to the bookmarked page. “This is it.” She handed the book to Giles.
“This is a dangerous spell, Willow.” He set the book down. “You could lose yourself.” He took her hand and led her to the couch. As they sat, he tucked a stray lock of her hair behind her ear.
“Last time, Tara was my anchor. I thought she could help again, but she thinks the bond will interfere. We need to modify it or find a different way.” She sighed.
“You could do that quest thing that Buffy did.”
They turned at the sound of Dawn’s voice. She was looking through the books and papers with Tara.
“That might break the bond when Giles transfers his guardianship,” Tara said. “But we might be able to make Giles your guide. I don't know if it could be done, but we could try.”
Giles raked his fingers back through his hair. “We need something we know will work.”
“Too bad you don't have another Potential Slayer,” Dawn said. “Then she could go on the quest and find Buffy.”
Willow stood and almost ran to the table. She pushed around the books and papers. “That could work. I know I saw a spell here to identify a Potential Slayer.” She pulled out a paper and held it up. “This is it!”
Giles walked over and took the paper from her. “This will work,” he said as he read. “But we should do it outside. I don't want this place smelling like rotten eggs.”
**********
Giles, Tara, and Dawn helped Willow start a fire in the backyard of Buffy's house before stepping back to give her space to work.
Willow checked to make sure she had all the spell ingredients within reach before she recited the spell. “To light the aura of the new, skin of snake and chrysalis too. To indicate the fresh reborn, tumbleweed and rosebush thorn. An egg that means the life to come. Take this, oh spirit, and my spell is done.” She tossed the ingredients into the fire one at a time as they were needed. When she spoke the last word, orange smoke billowed up and hovered in the air.
They all held their breath as it started to move. Suddenly, Willow had a thought, “I didn't consider what we’ll do if the Potential doesn't live close.”
“Guys, I don't think that's a problem we need to worry about,” Dawn said. They all turned and saw her glowing orange. “Guess it's me.”
Tara put a hand on her shoulder. “You okay, Dawn?”
“Yeah,” she answered. “I guess it makes sense. After all, the monks made me out of Buffy.”
“ All right then,” Giles said. “It's still early. We have time to do the quest tonight. I will take Dawn. You two. . .”
“We’ll prepare for what's next,” Willow said. She gave Giles a quick kiss. “Hurry back.” He nodded.
Dawn gave Tara a hug. “I'll find her. Then you and Willow can bring her back. It won't be long.” Tara could only nod.
As Giles and Dawn left, Tara asked, “Where do we start?”
“First, we need to dig up Buffy.”
**********
Digging up Buffy's body was easy. Getting her back to her house - not so much. We didn't really think it through If Xander and Anya hadn't driven by, I would have had to carry her. The last thing we need is someone calling the cops on us. How would I explain?
**********
The amount of information Dawn obtained on her quest is quite remarkable. Whether she knew the right questions to ask or if the Powers That Be were more forthcoming than usual, I don't know. Either way, we know that Buffy Is still connected to this world through Willow via the crystal. Only Willow can bring her back to us, but she doesn't have much time. If it doesn't happen soon her soul will be lost forever.
**********
Willow paced around the yard. Occasionally she would get close to the prepared circle on the ground. When she did, the air would crackle until she moved away. She didn’t even notice.
“Maybe you should sit and conserve your energy,” Tara suggested.
“Yeah,” Xander said. “You’re kind of making us all nervous.”
“Are you absolutely sure about this?” Anya asked.
Willow kept pacing, so Tara answered. “It all depends on what information Dawn and Giles bring back.”
“They should be back by now,” Willow said
“Have you tried reaching for Giles? Can you sense where he is?” Tara asked. She had to take a step backward as Willow’s pacing brought her closer.
Willow lifted her arm and pointed in a seemingly random direction. “He’s that way, but I can’t tell how far away.”
Xander shook a little and pointed at Willow. “That still gives me the creeps.”
“Not as creepy as when they speak as one person,” Anya said under her breath.
“So how can we help?” Xander asked, rubbing his hands together.
“We need tears,” Tara said. “I think we can do this with just Willow, but I think there will be a better chance if we have more.” She handed Xander and Anya each a crystal.
“So, we have to cry?” Anya asked. Before Tara could respond, Anya said, “It’s just that I finally stopped crying. If I cry again, I don’t know if I can stop.”
“If this works, we’ll have happy tears instead of sad tears,” Xander said.
Abruptly, Willow stopped in front of them. “It’ll work. I won’t allow it to fail.” She turned to face the house. “Giles and Dawn are back. I have to get Buffy from inside.” She disappeared into the house as Giles and Dawn came out.
Tara handed crystals to Dawn and Giles. “Everyone, stand at one of the points on the circle. Willow and Buffy will be inside the circle.”
As Tara directed them to their places around the circle, Willow carried Buffy out of the house and placed her in the center of the circle. She held the glowing crystal in her hands as she turned to Dawn. It was larger than the others. “Dawn, I need some of your blood.”
Dawn looked around at everyone. “What? No!”
“It’s okay, Dawn,” Tara said. “She only needs a few small drops. It will help guide Buffy back to us.”
Dawn looked at Willow and held out her hand. “Okay.” She squinted her eyes shut as Willow pricked the tip of her finger and squeezed a few drops of blood onto the crystal.
Willow walked to the center of the circle to stand next to Buffy. “Now, I need tears from everyone. I need at least one tear from each of you, but more would be better.”
Dawn was already crying, as was Tara. It didn’t take long for the others. Seeing Buffy’s lifeless body once again lying on the ground was enough to bring a flood of tears to each of them.
“I need you to let the tears fall on the crystals,” Willow said.
They all leaned over the crystals in their hands and let the tears fall from their eyes onto the crystals. The crystals glowed when the tears touched them. When the five small crystals started pulsing, Willow let her own tears fall onto the large crystal. She was careful to make sure the tears mixed with the drops of Dawn’s blood - blood that was the same as Buffy’s blood.
Light shot from the large crystal and connected with Buffy’s chest. A second stream of light then connected through Giles’ crystal to his chest. The light continued to make a path to Xander, then Anya before connecting with Dawn, and ending with Tara. Tara and Willow both let another tear fall onto their crystals. The light shot from Tara to Willow, completing the pentagram.
Buffy’s body rose from the ground as it began to glow. The glow became brighter, and the light in the small crystals faded. The large crystal still glowed brightly. Willow pushed it against an unseen force, trying to get it closer to Buffy’s chest, closer to her heart. She shook with the effort but only managed to move it an inch.
With a cry of rage, she threw her head back. Her eyes turned dark, and she spoke in another language. Angry words that needed no translation came forth unbidden. She was channeling something powerful. They all understood the need. They all felt the anger. All the crystals glowed again. As one, they all spoke the angry words. They poured their emotions into the chant.
Suddenly, Willow yelled in English, “You can’t have her! We are taking her back!” All the crystals flared like lightening strikes and broke, Buffy dropped to ground with a loud thud, and Willow collapsed in a heap at Buffy’s side.
**********
Willow woke to find herself on the floor in Buffy's living room. She tried to sit up, but Giles’ hands on her shoulders prevented it. He smiled down at her. “Don't try to move yet,” he said. “You don't have the strength yet.”
She glanced around and saw Tara holding her feet. Dawn was holding her right hand, and Buffy was holding her left hand. “We did it. You're back.”
Buffy smiled. “I'm back. Thank you.”
“What happened?” Willow asked.
“You died,” Anya blurted out from her seat on the couch. “But Giles brought you back right away.”
Willow felt strength pouring into her, and realized she was receiving strength from everyone touching her. “I feel okay. I don't want to take all your energy and strength,” she said. “Especially you, Dawn.”
“Don't worry about me,” Dawn said. “I have more strength than I know what to do with now.”
Willow frowned and looked up at Giles to see if he had an explanation.
“She's a Slayer now,” he said.
Willow was speechless.
“And guess who's going to be my Watcher,” Dawn said.
Willow couldn't even begin to imagine. She had an awful thought that the Council was going to arrive any moment and discover they had been hiding things from them.
“Don't worry, Will,” Xander said. “I’m going to be her Watcher. Can you believe that?”
“Did I wake up in the wrong universe?” Willow asked.
Giles leaned down and kissed her. “No. You are right where you're supposed to be. Despite Xander’s current family, he actually comes from a long line of Watchers.”
“I have always thought I was adopted,” Xander said. “Dawn confirmed it. She found out on her quest. I gotta tell you it's a relief to know those crazy people aren't related to me by blood.”
“Will the Council know?” Willow asked. “About Dawn I mean.” She tried to sit up, and this time Giles allowed it. She leaned back against him. “How long has it been?”
“It's only been a couple hours,” Giles said.
“They won't know yet,” Tara said.
“We can hide her,” Buffy said.
“We need to reestablish the bond for Tara and Buffy and for us as well.” Giles stroked her arms as he spoke.
“It won't make them fall in love will it?” Anya asked. “I don't want to lose Xander.”
“It magnifies feelings that are already there,” Willow said. “I'm sure they don't feel that way about each other.”
Xander reached out and ruffled Dawn hair. “Of course not. I'm like the annoying big brother you never had.”
With Giles’ help, Willow stood. “We need to do this now.”
**********
Willow, Buffy, and Dawn waited while Giles, Tara, and Xander performed their part of the spell. “Don't be nervous, Dawn.” Willow squeezed her hand. “It only takes a touch. Holding hands is enough. Then you just need to prove yourselves to the magic. It will test you. You need to show that you are committed to protecting the world and each other. If it happens the way it did for me the first time, the words will pop into your head, but it's not necessary to say them out loud.”
“Just listen to your Slayer instincts,” Buffy said. “But don't actually hurt Xander.”
“I'll be fine, guys,” Dawn said.
A soft sound made them turn to the doorway. Giles, Tara, and Xander stood in the doorway. The air around them crackled with magic. Giles walked to Willow and took her hands in his. Light swirled around them. Tara met Buffy in the middle of the room and grabbed both her hands. The light surrounding Willow and Giles moved to envelop them as well. Slowly, Xander and Dawn walked toward each other. He gave her a crooked smile before taking her by the hand. They were soon enveloped by the same swirling light.
Everything was different this time. The magic didn't push, didn't offer resistance. It was like it knew they had already been tested and proven themselves. They felt safe as the magical light caressed them.
As one, Giles, Tara, and Xander said, “I pledge my life to the training and defense of the Slayer.”
As one, Willow, Buffy, and Dawn said, “I pledge to do everything within my power to keep my Watcher alive and to protect the world from demons and vampires.”
The six of them turned to face the middle of the room and raised their hands. The light flared a moment and went out.
“Did we do it right?” Dawn asked. “I don't feel like I was tested.”
“It worked,” Tara whispered. “I can see it.”
“I can feel it,” Giles and Willow said together. Willow wrapped her arms around his waist as they shared a kiss.
Willow pulled back from him. “How long was I dead?”
“Only a minute.” He cupped her cheek in his hand. “Why?”
She ignored his question. “How long was I asleep after that?”
“Almost an hour. Did something happen?” he asked.
Tara, Buffy, Xander, and Dawn all started talking at once. Willow couldn't make out anything they said. She looked into Giles’s eyes. “I think the Powers That Be took my life to break our bond. They knew you would revive me.”
Giles ignored the talking all around them and stared into her eyes. “Why would you think -?”
“I went on my quest before I woke up. I didn't remember right away, but now I'm starting to remember. People are coming for us. Humans, not demons.”
“The Council?” Giles asked.
“I don't think so. These guys are here in Sunnydale already.”
“Guys?” Dawn asked.
“How many?”Buffy asked.
“Three guys,” Willow said. “I don't know who they are, but I know they're going to be trouble.”
**********
>
The End
Continue to Story 3