Chapter 17

The Scoobies were gathered at the mausoleum entrance ready to return to Sunnydale.  They had decided to do a mini patrol on their way back to Revello drive.  Anya was accompanying them in case they needed to contact Midian urgently, otherwise they would return the following evening and spend a few Midian days training as they had just done.

Buffy kept casting Giles worried glances; he had been acting strangely all afternoon.  As they stepped through the door into the mausoleum Buffy could feel the drop in temperature immediately, although she had known that time was working differently while they were in Midian she had still been unprepared for the reality of it. 

 They stepped out into the Sunnydale night and headed for Revello Drive , Buffy hung back from the group drawing Giles back with her “Is everything ok?  You seem kinda…off.”

Giles seemed deep in thought “Just family concerns.”

“Family concerns?  Ok what does that mean?” Buffy gripped his arm “Giles tell me what’s wrong” she implored.

Giles pulled his borrowed glasses from his face and stared at them for a moment “You know that I come from a long line of watchers?”

Buffy nodded

“Well my great grandmother Katherine had three children that all became watchers” Giles waited a moment before continuing “We were always told that Samuel and Richard were twins.”

Buffy waited patiently for him to continue wondering where the conversation was headed.

Giles sighed and rested against a headstone “It seems that Samuel was in fact Rupert and Sarah Hoston’s son.  Katherine took him in when the war began and told everyone that he was Richard’s twin brother.”

“So what does that mean Giles?”

“Buffy Samuel is…” Giles was cut short when they heard a scream in the distance.

Buffy began to run in the direction of the noise, as did Spike and Rebecca, as the trio rounded a corner they came across a dozen vampires trying to break into a car parked on the side of the road, a man lay nearby.  The vamps were so intent on gaining entry to the car that they didn’t notice the trio approaching.

“You know you really shouldn’t play with your food” quipped Buffy pulling out the stake she always seemed to have tucked away someplace.  She slid a glance across at Spike and Rebecca and noted that they both were now wielding stakes as well.

“Slayer” hissed one of the vamps as he stepped forward “prepare to die”

Buffy rolled her eyes “How original.”

Rebecca gave a small laugh “Are they still using that line?”

The vamp growled in annoyance before leaping forward to attack, Buffy casually stepped to one side staking him in the back as he flew past.

She watched the dust fall to the ground “Wow that was easy” she turned back to the others “So who’s next?” she motioned towards Spike and Rebecca “You can even take your pick of opponent.”

The vamps stood still watching the trio carefully, none of them moving to attack or flee.

Spike began to fidget as he waited for the fight to begin, eventually frustration got the better of him “Oh come on!” He flew forward into the middle of the vamps and began to throw punches. He quickly staked two more vamps before they realized that they were supposed to fight back. 

“Hey no fair” Buffy pouted as she and Rebecca joined the fray.

“Wha?”

Buffy flung Spike a grin “No starting without us.”

The Scoobies stood back watching as the three warriors gradually moved the fight away from the road and back into the cemetery.  Willow and Tara rushed forwards to tend to the man.

“He’s still alive” Willow grabbed a piece of the man’s torn shirt and pressed it against his neck as Tara began to chant a healing spell. 

Dawn rushed towards the car and saw two terrified children huddled in the back “It’s ok now, helps coming” she turned back in time to see Xander finishing a call to 911. “Not long now, everything is going to be ok.”

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Spike had just dusted his third vamp when he felt it; a small tug in the pit of his stomach and a tingling sensation where Rebecca’s claim mark was.  It wasn’t the first time he had felt a sensation like this, it happened whenever Buffy and Rebecca were close to each other.  This time, however the feeling was much more intense, he took a moment to check on the girls before heading off to find Giles.

Giles started in surprise when Spike charged out of the darkness “Oi watcher, there’s something wrong.”

Giles didn’t question, merely started after Spike who was once again sprinting back to the two slayers.  He stopped by Spike’s side drawing in ragged breathes as they watched the girls fight the remaining two vamps. “What’s wrong Spike?”

“I don’t know!” Spike began to pace “I just know something’s happening.” Spike’s agitation seemed to increase with every passing moment.  He started back towards the slayers, his eyes frantically switching from one to the other.

Buffy sent her vamp reeling with a well placed kick to his chest at the exact same time as Rebecca neatly flipped the second vamp over her shoulder.  The girls passed a few inches from each other flashing each other a smile as they did, neither noticed Spike drop to his knees clutching his stomach.

The adrenaline was pumping hard as Buffy plunged her stake down through the vamp’s chest; she glanced up and saw Rebecca’s vamp turn to dust as well. “Damn we’re good”

Rebecca walked towards her twirling her stake in her fingers “I must say that was quite invigorating.” As she reached Buffy’s side they both noticed that Spike was being helped to his feet by Giles. “William!”

“Spike!” Buffy grabbed for Rebecca’s hand as they both started to rush forward; she fell to her knees as what felt like a bolt of electricity shot through her body.  Buffy heard someone start to scream and looked around for the source ‘Oh it’s me.’  She turned her head to see Rebecca writhing in agony on the ground. 

Buffy felt like her arm was burning so she looked down to her hand that was still clutching Rebecca’s tightly. Tendrils of orange light were twisting around their hands and coursing up her arm, Buffy abruptly dropped Rebecca’s hand falling back to lay on the ground beside her.

Spike felt like his whole body was on fire, the claim mark on his neck was now red raw and blood was slowly starting to bead on its surface.  Ignoring the pain he stumbled forward towards the women on the ground, the glowing orange light still arcing between the two.  He fell to his knees as he reached them “NO!” his own screams began to merge with Buffy and Rebecca’s.  The orange light seemed to reach out for him encompassing him in its path; Spike’s eyes began to glow as the light filled him. 

Giles was watching the scene in shocked silence, he jerked back in surprise when someone grabbed his arm.

“Giles what’s wrong?” Dawn looked up him tearfully.

“I don’t know”

 

Blood was now pouring freely from the mark on Spike’s neck; a stream of red light started pulsing from his chest and mingling with the orange.

“Are their essences becoming unstable Giles?” Willow was clutching for Tara anxiously “Do we need to do the anchoring spell?”

“That’s it, that’s what’s wrong.” Dawn grabbed the Wiccan’s hands and began to drag them forward “You need to fix it.  Please” In her haste Dawn stumbled and fell, pulling Willow and Tara down with her, the girls tumbled along the ground stopping near Spike and the two Slayers.

Suddenly the now orange and red light shot forward hitting each of the girls in the chest, it seemed to be drawing different colored light from each of them.  Pink from Tara , indigo from Willow and green from Dawn, a mass of light began to form above the six on the ground pulsing with the colors that it had drawn from each of them.

“It’s drawing on all their essences” Giles realized in horror.

“What do we do” Xander stared at his friends feeling helpless “We have to do something!”

“Let me think for a minute will you.” Giles tried to rack his brain to find a solution.

Anya patted him lightly on the back “its ok Rupert, we’ll think of something.”

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The three remaining Scoobies were so intent on trying to help their friends, and Spike, that they didn’t notice two ghostly figures hovering slightly behind them.

“It isn’t enough” one of them whispered “We need all of them.”

The other nodded in agreement “Let’s give them a helping hand”

The two forms seemed to solidify slightly before they rushed forward, slamming through the three and propelling them into the midst of the group on the ground.  They then rushed upwards and hovered high above them.

As soon as Giles, Anya and Xander had been inexplicably shoved into the middle of the group, light began to pour out of them.  Grey, amber and blue began to join the other colors, pulsing and swirling above and around them.  With the addition of the extra three essences the drain on the others seemed to dissipate, the intense burning sensation they felt was now only a slight warmth.

With the pain now receding the others were able to take in their surroundings, Spike was the first to notice the figures hovering high above. “And just what do you think a couple of ghosties have to do with all this?”

 

The others looked up and tried to make out the figures high above.

“You think this is their doing?” Dawn squinted through the growing cloud of light “Why?”

“Because they like to meddle” they all turned to stare at Rebecca as she whispered this statement.

“Do you know what is happening?” Giles questioned

Rebecca shook her head slightly “No, but I do know them.”  She gasped as a wave of heat passed through her body and then radiated out towards the others.  “Guardians, they’re supposed to be guardians.”

“Ok so if they’re good guys” Xander interrupted “Why are our essences still pouring out of us?”

They all looked down and realized that color was still poring forth from them; Spike waved his hand through his “Huh doesn’t hurt anymore.”

“Your bleedings slowed as well” Tara pointed out.

High above them the two ghostly figures watched anxiously.

“Is it enough yet?”

“Almost, are you ready for the next part?”

“Yes.  Do you think she will forgive us for meddling?”

“She’ll forgive us…eventually.  They all will”

The figures began to float down towards the group in preparation for the next step in their plan.

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“Umm guys something’s happening” Dawn pointed to the ghostly figures above.

The group watched as the figures moved closer and closer, before seemingly transforming into a bright white mist.  The mist floated down and surrounded the light, as soon as it did the flow of color abruptly stopped.

“Ok, that felt weird” Xander rubbed his chest lightly

“Does anyone else feel hung-over?” asked Willow

“I think perhaps we should be more interested in what those ghosts want with our essences” interjected Anya

They looked back up and noticed that the mist now held the swirling mass of color within itself.  The mist slowly began to contract forming into a ball shape as it did, eventually stopping when it was about the size of a tennis ball. 

Slowly the ball of light began to move to hover above Rebecca; Spike moved forward protectively trying to gather Rebecca out of its reach.  The ball followed his every move; a small wisp of the mist moved forward and touched his face.  Spike immediately relaxed as he felt that it meant no harm.

 Suddenly the mass propelled itself downwards and into Rebecca’s stomach, both Spike and Rebecca gasped as it struck, no one noticed that Buffy had gasped at the sensation as well.  As soon as the mist had touched Rebecca’s skin it had spread out to surround her as the ball of essences burrowed inside of her.

Spike leant forward as he heard softly whispered words emanating from the mist.  There was a familiarity about them that he couldn’t quite put his finger on, he didn’t have time to think about it though, because the mist suddenly shot back upwards, disappearing into the night sky.

The Scoobies sat in silence as they pondered what they had just witnessed.  “I think we better head back” Giles got to his feet shakily “We’re vulnerable sitting out here in this state.”

The others nodded mutely and began to stand, Spike helped Rebecca then Buffy to their feet.  “You ok?” he asked each in turn, before pulling each of them to his side and heading towards Revello Drive .

Ten minutes later the group stumbled through the door and made their way into the living room.  Spike moved over to Tara and whispered to her quietly “Glinda, I know you’re knackered...but something’s changed…could you maybe…in a bit…could you…?”

“Check her aura?”

Spike nodded silently

“I wanted to check everyone anyway.”

Spike smiled his thanks before returning to sit between Rebecca and Buffy on the sofa.

About half an hour passed before Tara felt ready “I’m going to do a spell so that we can all see each other’s auras.  We need to look for miss patches or places in the aura that are either a different color or duller.  Things like that.”

She settled down in the middle of the room, legs crossed and took a bracing breathe.

*Aperio penitus lumen*

The room began to glow with the colors emanating from each of them “Oh pretty” gasped Dawn.

Each of them began to scan the other searching for signs of changes.  Buffy was fussing over Dawn, laughing as she looked in her ears “Nope all clear in here” she leant forward and swept up Dawns hair “all clear back there as well.” She pulled back when she heard Dawn gasp “what’s wrong?”

“Your neck” Dawn reached up to touch Buffy’s neck tentatively.

Buffy frowned as she tried to look at her neck “What about it?”

Dawn swept her fingers lightly over Buffy’s skin “Your scars are gone.”

You’re looking on the wrong side Dawnie” Xander moved over and began to inspect Buffy’s neck “Hang on…Huh”

“Your scars are gone Buffy.” Dawn gave her a wide smile

“O…k… but other then that?” Buffy didn’t know what to make of her disappearing scars.

“Other then that you’re good Buff” reassured Xander.

“How’s Rebecca?” Tara moved forward “Spike?” she gasped as she reached his side.

“Glinda what is that?” Spike was pointing to the swirling mass of color that was held within Rebecca’s stomach.

The others crowded around and stared at Rebecca in amazement.

“So that’s what the ghosts were up to” Tara placed an arm across his shoulder “Spike, I think your going to be a daddy.”

“What?” Spike looked into the tearful face of his wife before gathering to him “They resurrected our baby.”

 “And it seems that they used all of our essences to do it” Giles added.