Killed By Imagination-Part III

*****

The school was closed for the night. Shadows on the walls. Three people were
down in the "Batcave." Rai, Gavin, and Rogers sat around a table. Rogers had
asked them all there for after school.

"Okay, Rogers why are we here? I should be e-mailing E.Z. right now." Gavin
complained from his chair.

Rai nodded in agreement. "And Dale wanted me to call him," She looked at her
watch. "Ten minutes ago. He's going to think I don't like him anymore!"

Rogers sighed in annoyance. Why he put up with these teenagers, even though
he was no longer a Watcher, he would never know. " Will you two stop
whining?! You're both worst then my first girlfriend. Now pay attention, I
know that may be hard, but I'm sure you can both do it. I have some horrible
news. " He took a deep breath. "Clover has gone insane. I'm so sorry. Now the
right and proper thing to do is to inform the Watchers Council, and then her
parents. Afterward we should try and think of how we can get her to..um..see
the Council."

Gavin throw himself out of his chair. "Dustin you can't be serious. This is a
joke right? You and Clov planned this.." He looked at the older man's face
and knew it was a lie. Clover had gone insane. He sank back down into the
chair. "Oh God." He whispered.

Rai put her face in her hands. She looked up at the two men after a minute.
They could see the tears in her eyes. "What will they do to her? The Council
I mean."

Rogers turned away and said in a voice barley above a whisper. "They'll have
to kill her."

"No." Rai whispered.

Gavin stood again. "How do you know she's insane? And even if she is,why
would they kill her?"

Rogers looked away. "She told be about a friend whom she talks to, who isn't
real. They have to kill her so a new Slayer would be brought. I'm sorry. I
know you both care for her, I do as well."

Rai looked into Rogers's eyes. "Does Will know?"

He shook his head. "I haven't told him. He's meeting Clover at the Bronze
tonight, he'll find out there."

"He won't let them kill her," Rai and Rogers turned to Gavin. "he won't. See,
I had a crush on Clov, and she's one of my best friends;but Will, he loves
her. Maybe he'll  take her somewhere. But there's no way in Hell Will is
going to let them kill her. And I won't either."

Rai jumped out of her chair. "Me either. I'll kill them before they kill her.
And Dale will help to. Oh, Rogers we can't let them hurt her."

Rogers nodded, even though his face looked shocked and his eyes worried.
"Yes, maybe we can hide it from them. And if not we maybe able to get them
not to harm her. After all there is Erza."

"Yeah, E.Z. she's a Slayer. See the world will be safe and they don't have to
kill Clover. I mean they can't kill her. They just can't! It's not right,
she's just a kid;so what if she's go nuts?"


"I'm afraid, it's not up to us. They'll find out even if we don't tell them."
Rogers noted sadly.

"Oh, man..." Gavin's words were cut short when the phone rang. He answered
it. And then put it slowly down. Gavin looked at his cousin and Rogers for a
minute before saying anything.  "We have to go. Clover's in the hospital."

They all grabbed their jackets and left.
********
Clover staked the last of two vampires in the park. She sat on a bench out of
breath. *Two vampires and I can't breath. That's so not like me.* She thought
as she tried to get her breath back.
Clover looked at her watch. *Oh, man I'm late meeting Will. He's going to
kill me.*

She felt sleepily and tried. Two things she never felt after slaying just two
vampires. And then there was the whole Doyle thing. He had, had a vision and
she hadn't. Now that she thought of it, she hadn't had any visits from the
dead Scobby Gang or any prophecy dreams in the last few weeks. And that was
too long.


*I should talk to someone about it. And if Doyle had that vision, then I
should really worry.*

Clover cursed to herself as she tried to keep her head up. The Chosen One
tried to stand, but fell back onto the bench;she passed out.



 Spike was walking through the park looking for a midnight snack when he saw
a body passed out on a bench. Spike grinned as his face turned vampire.  He
went over to the bench and let out a sigh.

" Great, my first meal an it's the Slayer." He shrugged. " I'm hungry, so why
wait?" He leaned in for the kill. But was stopped by a stick hitting him in
the head. Spike turned to see that Doyle guy standing a few feet away. "Hey,
mate what's the big idea?"

"Well, mate you were about to feed off my friend and I can't have that."
Doyle told him. "So, get going before I have to make you."

"Is that a threat? Are you threatening me? "

" No, it's a promise. I saw her pass out, so I know something isn't right.
Now I'm taking her to a doctor. And if you try to stop me; I will kill you."

Spike backed away from Clover. " Fine. Be my guest. Save the little girl, get
all the hero crap that comes along with it. I don't give a damn. But think
about this; she's pure human, you're not. Her mother and you almost had a 
thang. Everyone thinks your dead. So you got to ask yourself something."

" What? "

Spike chuckled. " You really want to be her knight in shinning demon skin?
Why in the world would she want you? You were in love with her mum. You are
nothing but a drunk half-breed who came back from the dead with no reason. 
You just came back. What I'm saying is this. Why would she want to be with
you? Why would she want to be with someone like you? Really? You and I both
know you like her way more then a friend and that's why you save her and
that's why your still here. You can't fool me. I do the same thing. What is
it about her that makes guys like us fall in love? I use to think I was nuts,
but now I know I'm not." With that the vampire walked away.

Doyle stood there for  a minute before shrugging it off and taking her to a
hospital.

*********
Rogers, Rai, and Gavin got to the local E.R.  in about less then five
minutes.  All three spotted Xander, Cordelia and Will at the same time. They
ran over  to them.

"Where is she?"

"Is she okay?"

"What happened?"

Cordelia smiled sadly at them. "She passed out. Doctors say she was over
doing it."

Xander put an arm around her. He lowered his voice so only they could hear.
"She must have fought a huge demon or a lot of vampires to past out. Can't
you past off from working out to hard? I always said slaying was a work out.
Or maybe that was Buffy."

"She'll be okay. They  brought her to a room upstairs and are keeping  her
the night. She can go home tomorrow."

"Wonderful. I'm just glad Clover is all right. It gave us all a scare to know
she was here." Rogers told them.

Gavin nodded. "So, who found her?"

Xander,Cordy, and Will shrugged in unison.

"Funny thing G-man. We don't know. They told us that a guy brought Jitterbug
in here and just left after giving them her home number. My guess is Spike
found her."

Gavin shook his head and sighed. "Never thought I'd say this, but I'm glad he
was around."

"Same here." Rai spoke up. "He's an okay vampire." Everyone turned and gave
her looks. "Well, I'm not saying Clover should marry him or anything. Just
that he's okay."

"Well, he was nice to do it. But I don't want to be his mother-in-law are
anything." Cordelia thought a loud.

Everyone laughed a little.


From across the room and behind some bushes Doyle watched them.  
********
The room was dark; too dark for Clover. The only sound was that of the oxygen
machine next to her bed. She lay there looking out the window on her right
side. Angel stood at the foot of the bed.

" I don't like this. It's to dark and there's not enough noise. Where am I?"
She asked him in a small voice.

Angel chuckled at her. " You're in the E. R. and in your head. The doctors
are trying to wake you up."

She didn't take her eyes from the window. "They lied," she said simply. "They
told everyone that I'm okay. I'm not okay. There're out there fighting for my
life. And I'm in here. My energy is gone. I can hardly move and I can barley
breathe or talk or walk without getting tried. Angel, what's wrong with me?"

The dead vampire looked away from her. He turned back and tried to sound
happy. "Nothing, okay your hair is a little curly, but that's just this darn
whether. You'll be up in no time. Back to cheerleading and slaying."

Clover shook her head slightly. "No, you and I both know that's not true. I'm
going to die. I've got only a little time before eleven-three-one."

Angel only looked at her. There was a flash and he was gone. Leaving Clover
alone.

*******
The door to the room slowly opened. Doyle walked in and looked over to the
bed were Clover lay.He walked in and slowly closed the door behind him.

"Can I come in?"

Clover's voice answered softly from the bed. "Why not?"

Doyle came and sat in a chair next to her bed. "I don't have long, Cor and
Xander will be up in a few minutes. I just wanted to make sure you where all
right. And to tell you I found a great place in Ireland. I'm leaving tomorrow
night, but I don't plan on seeing you before then or then. So, I came to say
good-bye."

Clover turned to look at him sadly. "Why does everyone leave me." Doyle gave
her a confused look. "First my own Father leaves me. I don't mind;he was
kindof like a guy who's just my Father.  Then Holder died on me. Then Mrs. A
goes insane. And then Glenn leaves me; telling me that wolves mate for life
so he'll be back." She shook her head. "He hasn't come back. Now you. You're
going to leave me. Your my friend Doyle. I don't want you to go. I want you
to stay. We're friends. We get visions at the same time. We play poker
together. You can't play poker alone."

Doyle stood and walked to the door. "I'm sorry." He said softly. The
half-breed opened it and was gone. Clover lay there, till she fell asleep.
*********

The Slayer woke up to the sound of humming. Someone was humming an old folk
song. She turned her head to see Quinn standing by the door. He was humming
and playing a violin. He gave her a charming smile. She was back at home
finally after the hospital had realized her the night before.

"My fair lady. You have awoken and look just like Sleeping Beauty."

"Only without the bad 'I've been asleep 100 years' thing. "

Quinn nodded as the door behind him opened and Cordelia and Xander walked in
followed by Rogers. Quinn gave them all looks and stopped humming. Cordelia
and Xander took a side of the bed and Rogers took  the other. Quinn stood off
to the side and glared at them.

"Are you feeling better, Clover?" Cordelia asked her daughter.

Clover nodded slowly. "Yeah, I'm fine Mom."

Xander tried to smile. " That's great Clover. We were a little worried."

"I'm okay really,Xander. Quinn was just humming to me."

Rogers gave Cordy and Xander a worried look. They both returned it. Rogers
had told them that he thought Clover had gone insane and now they both knew
it was true. "Is Quinn here now?" Rogers questioned  with raised eyebrows.

"Yeah, he's here. He's right behind you making funny faces and pretending to
row boats," she answered puzzled. "What are you doing?"

Quinn smiled his charming grin. "Nothing," he answered as he continued with
his actions and stuck his tongue out at the adults in the room.

The three turned around to where Clover had said she saw the figure and
stared at the empty air in front of them. "Umm Clover, what's he doing now?"
questioned Xander.

"Uh, nothing...," she stalled motioning for him to stop, " and that you're
all looking great and that Mom's looking quite well this far a long."

While she was talking, Quinn was making obsence gestures behind the adults
where he stood a few feet away.

Cordelia replied, " Isn't that nice of him. Would you mind if we just stepped
outside for a minute dearest love. We'll be just outside the door in the hall
if you or...Quinn is it? Needs us." Cordelia grabbed Xander's arm and pulled
him off the bed with Rogers following behind casting worried  looks to Clover
as he shut the door behind them.

Outside Clover's room, the three gathered in a small circle and whispered to
each other in hushed voices. "All right, " Xander said, " she's gone over the
deep end."

Cordelia slapped him on the arm. "Don't talk about her like that!" she
warned. "It's my daughter in there."

"Right, sorry, but it's true. But how? "

"Do we have to even answer that question Xander?" Rogers questioned. "She
hasn't exactly had things easier around here."

"Here? As in SunnyDale? She didn't have things easy in Rome either you know.
She lost people there too. She dated something that wasn't quite human, and
he was older than her too. A lot older!" Cordelia said."But this is getting
us nowhere. What proof do we have she's insane?"

"Cordy, she's talking to an imaginary person," Xander said slowly.

"Maybe he's not imaginary, maybe we just can't see him. We've dealt with
invisible things before remember Xander.  That invisible chick who tried to
kill me? Anyway, maybe it's something like that or some demon thing.Dustin,"
Cordelia told him, " go to the library, take Gavin and Rai with you and you
guys look for demons that might fit this."

"Right," Xander put in, " look for demons that hum out dated folk songs."

"Well," Rogers sighed, " maybe I could do a sweep through the books. I seem
to remember something about demons who prey on humans who are feeling
unwanted or insecure. Or even young children. "

"Wait a minute,  maybe this will help it just came to me. When Clover was
young she did have an imaginary friend and I'm almost positive that his name
was Quinn," Cordelia interjected.

"Could be your man. I'll take the kids and see about it. You two stay here
and if you hear anything in the room, you must rush in immediately. I have a
bad feeling about this, a very bad feeling," Rogers called rushing down the
stairs.
*******************

The large oak table was filled with books of every size, shape, and color.
Rai sat at the computer searching on the web for anything that could even
help them.

Gavin, who was at the bookshelf to her far right, called to them. "I still
can't believe that Clover's imaginary friend was a demon."

"Yeah," Rai echoed, " and if it's a demon, why is it back now. Unless he's
been around just waiting." She shivered. "It's all too creepy."

Gavin shook his head. "I'm glad I never had an imaginary friend."

Rai held back a smile. "Don't you remember Pete the Pirate?"

"Pete wasn't real?!" Gavin cried throwing down his book. "He told me that he
had to ship out."

"Will you two shut up!" Rogers called angrily.

***********************

Will knocked on Clover's door as he watched Cordelia and Xander walk up and
down the hall casting nervous looks at the door. "Come in, " Clover called
from inside.

Will opened the door to find Clover laying still in bed. He took a sit next
to her on the comforter. "How are you feeling?"

"Good. Quinn and I were just talking."

"Quinn? The imaginary friend?"

"Yeah." Clover glanced to where Quinn was sitting by the window pouting. He
had made it quite obvious that for some reason, he really didn't like Will.
In fact, he had told her that before she told Will to come in, though in not
as polite words.

Will leaned in after casting a glance to where Clover had look. " Don't you
find it a bit strange that only you can see this guy? I mean, if he's not
real, then why are you seeing him? Seventeen year olds don't have imaginary
friends Jitterbug."

"Will, I see him because he's real," she answered.

"And when did you buy an all expense pass to Fairyland? Jitter, he isn't
real, you can make him go away. So why don't you do that . You could turn him
into a woman if you wanted to or a two headed dog. "

Clover sat up straighter in the bed an angry look gathering. "Will, I would
really appreciate it if you'd stay out of my business. This is between me and
Quinn and I really wish peoplewould stop always thinking that there's
something wrong with me. I'm perfectly fine and normal in every way!"

Will got off the bed. "Fine! You can live in your little bubble with
imaginary Quinn for all I care , and I hope you two are happy together." He
stormed out of the room and slammed the door causing a few things to fall of
her dresser in the process.

*******************

Rogers sat in a desk reading a large heavy volume that looked like it had
seen better days; well better centuries. He scanned a page, scanned it again
and shouted, "Eureka!"

"Bless you," said Rai automatically.

"No,no I found something," he said bringing the book over to her and Gavin
and laying it on the table. "I think I found Clover's imaginary friend Mr.
Quinn, or should I say Prijur."

"Privax? Don't they make scanners? " Gavin asked, trying to make a joke.

Rogers pantingly ignored him. " This demon finds children, and sucks the life
out of them."

"But, he didn't finish Clover, and now he's back to finish." Rai added,
looking at the page in the book.

Rogers nodded. "Right. So, we must get to her and stop him, before he sucks
her life." He turned to Gavin. "Call Cordelia and Xander, tell them. Rai come
with me to my office, I need to get something. We have to phone someone, I
don't know how to make the Prijur go back to Hell."

Rai and Gavin nodded. They all went to their tasks.

********
Cordelia was tried of pacing. Xander had told her to get some sleep, but she
hadn't listened. Her feet ached, and she had to use the restroom, but she
didn't dare leave the hall. Something could happen. Something did. Cordy was
in mid-pace when there was a boom from downstairs. She and Xander exchanged
looks. They didn't get a catch to do anything. Dust rose up the stairs and
they both fell to the ground.

********
Rogers and Rai were in the office. Rogers was looking through his desk for a
book, when there was a knock at the door. He looked up and groaned. " Yes?
What is it? " He wanted to curse. It was ten at night. No one knew they were
there. Who was knocking?

The door opened and Ricci Daniels walked gracefully in. " Dustin, I thought
that was you." She saw Rai trying to hide by the window. " Hey Rai."

Rai waved a little. " Hey. "

" Um. This isn't what it looks like. We're just. You see one of Rai's friends
is going through something. And I can help."

Miss. Daniels nodded. "Clover Chase, right? She was way too happy the other
day. I saw her last night, she looked sick. And I heard she had been put in
the E.R. the other day. My guess is that something is going on here."

Rogers tried to sound like nothing was wrong. " No. No,no everything's fine.
Just fine. "

Ricci nodded and crossed over to stand by a chair. "Ah. I should believe
that,why? Listen, I know SunnyDale isn't like other towns. I've been on the
web a lot lately and there are reports on this place. Something about
vampires and demons. A Hellmouth."

Rogers and Rai looked at her shocked. Ricci smiled a little. " Clover has a
demon sucking the life out of her. Much like my last boyfriend, but that's
not the point. That ponit is you two are going to need some things. I've got
candles and mothdust in my car. We should go."

Rogers was about to say  something, when Gavin came running up the stairs. "
There's no answer! We have to.." He noticed Miss. Daniels. " Hi. Um, I was
just."

"She knows about the demon, Gav." Rai filled in.

They all  went out the door and out of the school. Gavin's voice could be
heard saying "Oh."
*********
Clover looked up from her book. She turned to Quinn who was sitting
cross-legged on her windowsill. " You hear something?"

Quinn shook his head. "No. Why don't you just go to sleep?"

" I'm not tried." Quinn glared at her. Clover really didn't like that, but
something in her, made her obey. " Okay." She clapped her lights off and went
to sleep.

Quinn smiled an evil smile and slowly turned into his true demon form. He
went over to Clover's bed and began to suck her life out, just as he had been
for the last couple of weeks. Tonight was the last night. She would die
before morning.

Clover's eyes snapped open. She saw Quinn and screamed. All her Slayerness
told her to fight and kill the demon in front of her, but she couldn't move.
Instead she started to cry and scream. " Please, please don't hurt me. HELP!"

Quinn laughed. " No one will help you. Be a good girl and lay down. You have
nothing to life for. No one loves you. You were a mistake. You're selfish and
the world will be better without you."

Clover shoked her head slowly. "No. That's not true. People care about me."
She protested through tears.

Quinn smiled. " I'm right. You're wrong. You're nothing but a useless,
unwanted, uncared for, selfish girl. You're a waste of skin." Clover made a
move to get up and Quinn slapped her across the face, causing Clover to gasp
in pain. " No one loves you, no one wants you. You're nothing but a mistake.
Not even your own mom wants you. Your father even made sure he died, so he
won't have to know you!" Quinn held her down and started to suck her life.

*******
Gavin, Rai, Ricci, and Rogers all raced into Clover's house. They found the
place full of dust. They quickly raced upstairs. Cordelia and Xander lay on
the ground;asleep. They could all hear cries for help coming from Clover's
room. Gavin ran to it and started pounding on it.

Ricci and Rai went into a corner. They put the candles in a circle and Ricci
stepped into it. She put the mothdust around her and started to read from a
book in Latin. Rogers joined Gavin.

******
Clover could hear something happening outside. She tried to move only to have
Quinn hold her down, tighter.

Clover looked up at him. Gavin's voice came from outside her door. "Clover??!
Come on, Clover, don't let him get the better of you. You can defeat him!
Send him to Hell!!! WE NEED YOU!!! WE LOVE YOU!!!!!!!"

" You're nothing! Nothing do you hear?! Nothing but a little BITCH!!!!"

Clover stopped crying. " What did you call me?" She asked him in a low tone.

" You heard me."

Clover pushed him off her. Quinn went back, a shoked look on his demon face.
"Lay down." He ordered.

Clover flipped out of her bed. " You're right, I am a bitch. I've always been
one and always will be,"

" Lay down." Quinn ordered again.

"No. You think you can kill me? Pick on me? Poor little Clover? Just because
I was feeling down? Well, think again you demon-Alan the Dale-wanna be,
because baby the bitch is back." Clover didn't even wait for him to reply,
instead she kicked Quinn in the chest, hurling him into her dresser. She then
grabbed a pair of scissors from her desk, and quickly ran to where Quinn was.
Without another thought she stabbed him in the heart.

A scream came from him, then a purple light that went into Clover. Her door
swung open and Gavin ran in. He wrapped her in a hug.

" You okay?" He asked.

Clover looked past his shoulder at her mom, Rogers, Rai, Xander, and Miss.
Daniels. " I'm cool." He told them.

Rai, Rogers, Cordy, and Xander all hugged her.

Then they all went downstairs and Rogers explained that Miss. Daniels knew
about the Hell mouth. He also tried to explain to Ricci why Clover had held
her own, till she had been able to seen Quinn back to Hell.

As all the people that loved her sat around her living room, Clover looked
over at the calendar. A smile came to her face. "Hey, guys, it's Valentine's
Day.  I never thought I'd say this, but I'm glad I don't have a boyfriend.
You never know when my significant other might try to kill me."

"Amen!" everyone crossed laughing away the tension.

THE END

Oak's Diary