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Strip Snap by Lilachigh
 
Chp 29 Need
 
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Strip Snap -

Chp 29 Need



The basement fell silent as Anya’s footsteps faded away and the door at the top of the stairs slammed shut. Buffy sank to the floor holding the dividing rod tightly against her chest. Why had the ex-demon girl given it to her? She wouldn’t be popular with Willow or Xander if they ever found out, and Buffy knew Anya liked being popular.

‘But they both treat her as if she’s a kid,’ she thought wearily. ‘And she isn’t. She’s older than old and has seen more, done more, knows more than any of us, including Willow. They just don’t accept that or don’t want to! Whatever!’

So she had the dividing rod, but what could she do with it? Buffy stared in despair at the three bodies lying on the ground next to her. This was her family! Her beloveds. How could Willow and Xander think that the claiming was a dangerous thing? She had never felt so complete, so loved, desired and needed in all her life.

Spike, William and Demon lay completely still, there was no flicker of life that she could see. But inside her, their voices were still there, urging her to talk to them, petting her, comforting, loving.

“Spike, I don’t know what to do,” she whispered in despair. Should she aim the dividing rod at his body or William’s or Demon’s? What if they weren’t strong enough to survive another blast of magic? She rocked backwards and forwards, cradling his head against her chest, running her fingers across the pale cheeks, circling his lips with her nails.

“Yes, you do, pet.” His voice, or the memory of his voice echoed inside her head. “You’re the Slayer. Incredible, magnificent, marvellous. And my girl. You’ll do the right thing.”

“I trust you, Miss Buffy.” William’s voice, slighter softer, just a touch more English echoed after Spike’s. “But you mustn’t worry. If we go, we go together, the three of us, and that is good.”

“Not going! Staying! Help us! Will live! Survive!”

Buffy could have wept. Demon had no second thoughts; he knew exactly what he wanted – was that imperious, animal tone of voice what she heard so often in Spike’s words?

‘Spike – William!’ she called silently.

‘We‘re here, pet. Both of us.’ Spike’s voice came with a huge rush of warmth, a wave of love and heat and passion that threatened to push her over the edge. She wanted nothing more than to let go and join him and the other two. What if they went on without her? Buffy shuddered and swayed, one fist gripping Spike’s shoulder, the other tangling in William’s cold hand.

‘Don’t leave me!’

‘We won’t, Slayer. But you need to hurry. We don’t know how much longer we can stay with you.’

‘Demon?’

‘Demon’s stronger than me.’ That was William – his voice soothing and soft. ‘I fear I shall be the first to go, Miss Buffy. I’m very it extremely vexing to hold on, as much as I want to. Spike is holding me here, but it’s very difficult - I don’t understand what’s happening…”

‘I’ve got the dividing rod. Should I use it on Demon? Will he go back inside you, Spike if I do.”

‘Bloody hell, Slayer.” Even as a spirit voice, Spike sounded pissed off. ‘You know I’m no good with the magicals.’

‘But there’s no one left to help!’

‘Yes, there is.’ William stirred again, but sounding even further away.

‘Who?’ Buffy asked desperately. “Tell me who?’

* * * * * *

In Spike’s crypt, Dawn was sitting curled up in his armchair, hugging her knees. She felt so useless, so helpless. She hated being young. Always the one who had to be protected, looked after. OK, so Buffy didn’t want to worry about her when she was fighting, that was cool, but no one seemed to realise that it was harder just sitting, waiting, not knowing what was going on, never being needed to do anything, always in the way.

Dawn gazed round the dark room. It was weird how at home she felt here. She knew every inch as well as she knew her own house. Spike – she felt a tremor run through her nerves. He’d looked so very dead, lying on the floor back there. But he wasn’t, of course. Jeez, of course he was! But not dead in the not-there-any-more sense. Somehow his spirit and William’s and the gunky Demon’s were inside Buffy.

She jumped out of the chair and paced around the crypt. So not wanting to think that through anymore! How could they be inside her sister? Did it hurt? And what would happen if Buffy couldn’t get them back into their own bodies?

A chill ran over her body and she realised it was fright. She lit a couple of candles, watching the match burn slowly down towards her fingers. Having William here had been fun, but he wasn’t Spike and as for the demon creature, not so cool. But what if Buffy could only choose one to live? Which would it be?

Just then, as the flame touched her fingers and she winced and shook out the match, Dawn jumped. Inside her head, deep in the deepest part of her brain – a pressure, a demand. She’d been told to stay here until Buffy told her otherwise, but now – she knew she had to go to her sister. How, she had no idea – but something was pulling her, calling to her and she had no choice but to obey. Hurry! Come quickly! Come home now!

Dawn ran all the way back to Revello from the cemetery. There was no sign of vampires or The Master. Sunnydale looked its normal self – cars driving by, people jogging, dogs being taken for walks, everything looked ordinary. Even as she ran, she thought how weird that was. All this chaos, death and demons had been happening within a few yards of these people and they knew nothing about it.

She passed Janice’s house, a stitch beginning to catch in her side. But she couldn’t slow down, couldn’t make her feet stop running. She had a fleeting thought that perhaps she could run up the drive and knock on the door. Janice’s mom would open it and ask her in and she could pretend that this scary, overwhelming feeling inside her wasn’t really happening. She and Janice would go upstairs and giggle and phone their friends and hang out and –

But she was fifty yards past now, still running and there was home – still standing, no Master, no demons, no vamps, just – and the relief was so great she could taste it, Willow, Xander and Anya standing on the sidewalk outside, chatting.

She skidded to a halt next to them, gasping for breath, her dark hair tangled, flying free and they looked round, startled.

“Dawnie! What are you doing here?”

“You were told to stay at Spike’s crypt. I heard Buffy tell you.”

“Hey, Dawn. Are you up for pizza?”

She frowned. They all sounded – she couldn’t find the right word – weird, stilted – then she found it – they sounded guilty. “Hey, where’s Buffy? What happened? Has The Master gone? Are the boys back?”

“Oh you don’t have to worry about The Master anymore,” Xander said hurriedly. “He won’t be bothering us any more. We kicked his sorry – ”

“Xander!”

“Sorry, Ahn! He’s gone, Dawnie.”

“Buffy?”

“Er, she’s still inside, but she’s busy, Dawnie. We don’t want to interrupt her at the moment.”

“Busy doing what? Are Spike and William back? What happened to the demon?”

“Look, let’s go and get something to eat and we’ll explain it to you.” Willow was reaching out for her hand; Xander was moving to her other side. They were cutting her off from the house.

Dawn swayed as the pull inside her brain came again. Hurry! Come! Quickly! And now her own emotions were boiling to the surface – a swirling joy of knowledge – at last Buffy needed her, Spike, William, Demon - they all needed her.

To be continued








 
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