Chapter 8 – Discoveries
Buffy chewed
nervously on her thumbnail and watched her mother disappear into the doctor’s
office. She couldn’t help but wish that she had taken Spike up on his offer to
accompany her. She had refused because she didn’t want to appear weak and
needy. She leaned back in her chair; she could do this. She was the Slayer
after all. A little doctor visit was easy and her mother would come out and
everything would be fine. Well, at least she hoped so.
A gurney
turned the corner and Buffy pulled her feet back to get out of the way of the
three men pushing the patient down the hall. As they passed her the patient
suddenly convulsed and the orderlies jumped into action to try and restrain him.
Without thinking Buffy jumped up to hold him down when one of them was roughly
pushed to the floor.
“Restrain
him now,” one of the men said. After the patient was tied down he turned to
Buffy. “Thanks for the help. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a girl with such
muscles. Radioactive spider bite?”
“You’re
welcome.” Buffy said stepping back as the men finished strapping him down. Then
with a grin, “How’d you know?”
“I’m a
doctor or almost,” Ben said. “By the way, I’m Ben.”
“Hi, I’m
Buffy,” she said, shaking his proffered hand.
His
handshake was firm and Buffy smiled as she returned it with only a fraction of
her own strength. Let him think that maybe her help was only an adrenaline rush
or something. She stepped back to let them go past her when the patient
suddenly grasped her arm.
“Hey,”
Buffy yelped, starting to pull her hand away but for the first time she really
looked at the man lying on the gurney. Her eyes widened when she recognized
him. It was the guard who had handed her the orb. “I know him. He’s not crazy.”
“If you say
so,” Ben said, his expression letting her know how crazy he thought she was.
“No, I saw
him a couple of nights ago,” Buffy explained. “He was fine then.”
“They’re
coming at you,” the guard said, tightening his grip to pull her closer to him.
“Don’t think you’re above it, Missy. They come through your family. They get to
your…family.”
He released
her hand and slumped back while Buffy tried to comprehend his words. She felt
Ben’s hand on her back and she turned to him hoping he would give her some
answers.
“Buffy,
he’s crazy,” Ben said. “Don’t listen to him. Come on guys let’s get him out of
here.”
She grabbed
the railing to stop them from leaving and leaned over the guard.
“What do
you mean? Tell me, please?”
The guard
collapsed into hysterical laughter and Buffy stared as they pushed him away. She
tried to assimilate what had happened but it only drifted in disjointed
fragments.
“Are you
going to be okay?” Ben asked.
Buffy
nodded and returned to her seat as Ben hurried after the others. She
contemplated calling Spike but he had been sleeping when she left the house and
she hated to bother him with what could be nothing. Before she could figure
anything out, the doctor leaned out and invited her into the exam room. She rushed into the room. Her mother was
sitting on the table and her hands clutched some papers.
“I’m going
to go and check when we can schedule you in,” the doctor said. “I’ll be right
back.”
The doctor
left them alone and Buffy hugged Joyce in an effort to make them both feel
better.
“So, what’s
the diagnosis?”
Joyce
shrugged and patted the table next to her.
“Sit,
sweetie,” Joyce said. “They don’t know. Another prescription for now.” She
waved the papers in her hand.
“What is he
scheduling?”
“A cat
scan. They are going to take a look inside my head.”
“Oh, what
are they looking for?” Buffy asked, sitting next to her mother and slid an arm
around her.
“I don’t
know. The doctor said it could be a lot of different things. So, they are going
to check it out and see if they can find a way to stop these headaches of
mine.” Joyce said, offering a smile to her daughter. “How are things with you?
You told me about your birthday but you haven’t talked about how you and Angel
are doing after the spell.” She held a hand up. “And please limit the details.”
“It’s okay,
it wasn’t, I mean,” Buffy got up and wandered around the room. “We’ve been planning
and wanting it for so long and then it wasn’t, well, the first time wasn’t
romantic at all.”
“It was a
bit of a let down from the fantasy?”
“Yeah,”
Buffy said, smiling at her mother. “Not that I’m saying it wasn’t good or
anything. It was just not the,” She sighed. “Yeah, it was a let down.”
“Have you
told him how you’re feeling?”
“No, no,
no,” Buffy said, shaking her head. “There is too much going on. Last night was
better and I’m sure that it’s just the circumstances haven’t lent itself to the
romance I was expecting.” She laughed while she played with a tongue depressor.
“It’s kind of funny because in the beginning, with Spike it wasn’t going to be
romantic and everything and now it’s reversed.”
“Come here,
honey,” Joyce said, holding her arms out to her daughter. She waited until she
was hugging Buffy before finishing. “You and Spike have had months to build a
relationship and get used to each other. Give Angel a chance. He’s probably
feeling the pressure that you are and don’t forget that he loves you.”
“Thank you,
Mom,” Buffy whispered. “I don’t know what I’d do if I couldn’t talk to you
about this stuff.”
The door
opened and the doctor stepped back into the room. His almost arrogant air made
Buffy uncomfortable. Didn’t he realize how nervous her mother was and a few
warm words or a kind gesture would make her feel better?
“Is day
after tomorrow at
“You can’t
do it any sooner?” Buffy interrupted, not caring that she was being pushy. “I
mean, she’s worried and we’d like to know what’s going on.”
“I’m
sorry,” the doctor said. “That’s the earliest appointment I could book for a
non-emergency patient.”
“It may not
be an emergency to you but…”
“Buffy,
it’ll be fine,” Joyce interrupted. “Thank you, Dr. Klein, I’ll be here.”
Joyce took
the appointment card from the doctor and led Buffy from the room. Buffy still
wasn’t happy about how things had been handled but it seemed she didn’t have a
choice in the matter. On the ride back to her mother’s house the security
guard’s words came back to her. She started to connect things together and
wondered if the orb had anything to do with her mother’s illness. After making
sure her mother was going to take a nap and reassuring her that she would pick
Dawn up from school Buffy hurried to the Magic Box.
There was a
strong feeling of familiarity when Buffy walked into Giles’ new shop. She had
been right when she compared it to being back in high school. Her watcher was
there along with her friends and she savored the feeling of being safe and
accepted. Giles and Xander were busy constructing shelves. Anya was setting up
the customer service counter while
“Hi everybody,”
Buffy said.
“I am now
an employee,” Anya said, grinning while she pushed a button on the cash
register so a bell went off. “Giles decided that I could be a big help. He’s my
boss.”
“Congratulations,
how is everything else going?”
“They’re
doing great on the shop end,”
She closed
the book she was reading and let out a frustrated sigh that imitated just how
Buffy felt. Still not having anything to go on was not what Buffy wanted to
hear.
“Buffy, I’m
sure we’re going to figure something out,” Giles said.
“Everybody
keeps saying that,” Buffy said. “It’s going to be fine. Give it time. We’ll
work it out and you know what, not working anymore. I am not being reassured.”
“Did
something bad happen at the appointment?” Spike’s voice asked and surprised that
he was there Buffy turned to find him looking down at her from the loft.
“No, not
really,” Buffy answered, embarrassed at her outburst. “She has to have a cat
scan on Thursday.”
Spike leapt
over the railing to land in front of her and she went willingly into his arms.
It was safe here too and she let it flow over her.
“I’m
sorry,” Giles said. “I should have asked right away.”
Buffy waved
her hand to dismiss his apology.
“No, it’s
me,” Buffy said. “Everybody is going through stuff.” She turned to Spike, “Remember
the security guard from the factory. He was at the hospital this morning as a
mental patient.”
“He wasn’t
crazy when we saw him,” Spike said, his brows furrowing together.
“That’s the
thing. It may be the orb that is making her sick.”
Her watcher
and mate looked at each other over her head.
“Excuse
me,” Buffy said. “I have not gone around the bend from stress, people. He was
fine and then he had the orb and now he’s sick. It’s got to be from
supernatural causes.”
“Let’s not
taunt the Happy Fun Ball,”
“I don’t
know if it’s the orb itself,” Buffy said. “But this guy said things.”
“Like what,
pet?” Spike asked.
“That they
were going to come at me through my family.”
“Who will?”
Giles asked.
“I don’t
know yet,” Buffy explained. “But whatever touched this guy made him see through
what the rest of us are seeing. He knew. Someone is hurting my Mom and they’re
using her to hurt me.”
Giles
sighed and took Buffy’s hand. “It’s possible, Buffy, but the ramblings of a
madman are not much to go on. It is also possible that her condition is purely
physical.”
“I know but
I have to try and find out.”
Spike
rested his hand on her lower back and she appreciated the silent support. She
looked at her friends as they contemplated what she had said. It was her mother and she would do anything,
follow any lead to help her. To accept the continual pat answers from the
doctor was unbearable to her.
“You know,
Buffy,” Anya said. “There used to be this French sorcerer, back in the
sixteen-I-don’t-know-what’s named…”
“Coultier,”
Giles completed. “He had this spell called…”
“Hey,” Anya
interrupted. “This is my helpful suggestion that you are trying to take away.
The demons hated this spell, called ‘Tirer la Couture’.”
“Which
means?” Buffy asked.
“Pull the
curtain back,”
“All spells
leave some trace signature,” Giles explained. “They’re just not perceptible to
the human eye. In this case, it could be the image of a hand choking your
mother.”
“Or a cloud
of mist around her,” Anya said, leaning on the glass case.
“Or maybe
the shape of the demon performing the spell,”
“Possibly
but you’ll have to remember the image because there is no other way to capture
it,” Giles said.
“Okay,”
Buffy said. “What do I have to do? Give me the supplies and point me in the
right direction.”
“Are you
sure you’re ready for this?” Giles asked. “Coultier was legendary and his
concentration skills were quite developed.”
“We’ve been
practicing,” Buffy said. “I have to do this. I don’t have a choice and Spike
can help me.” She turned her head to look at him. “You will won’t you? And by
the way what are you doing here?”
“Sketching
out plans for the office,” Spike said, and dropped a kiss on her lips. “But
yes, I’ll make time for you. What do need?”
“You,”
Buffy whispered, wrapping her arms around him. “My mom is home napping and I
told her I’d get Dawn from school.” She looked up at him. “I was thinking we
could go over and cook dinner and you could keep them occupied so I could do
the spell.”
“How about
we pick up dinner?” Spike said. “And rent some movies to help with the
occupying. Your Mum is getting more comfortable around me but she’d be
suspicious if I was having a running monologue with her.”
“Works for
me,” Buffy smiled.
She felt
better now that there was a plan and she could fight back in some way. Being
helpless and out of control was intolerable to her. It was the Slayer part of
her. She needed to fight. She just hoped that the spell would give her some
answers.
~~~~~~~~
Spike
settled back into the chair. Joyce was lying on the couch while Dawn was curled
up at her feet. They had just finished a take out dinner of roasted chicken,
mashed potatoes, and salad. His of course had been washed down with blood. He
was surprised at how relaxed he felt being with all of them. It was family, he
reminded himself, because Buffy was his mate now. Somewhere along the line
Joyce had accepted that he and Angel were a permanent part of her daughter’s
life and that they would defend her until the death. And now that they had been
accepted Joyce was willing to extend the arm of, if not friendship, then
tolerability.
“Spike,”
Joyce said. “Buffy told me that you are setting up an office above the Magic
Box.”
“Yeah,”
Spike answered. “Going to be a branch office of Angel Investigations. Help them
with things in LA or work on cases here.”
“That’s
good,” Joyce said. “It will give you something to occupy your time.”
Spike nodded
figuring that it gave him an edge of respectability other than evil undead.
“Mom, Spike
said I could help with filing and answering phones when I’m there,” Dawn said.
“Isn’t that cool? He even said he’d pay me.”
His eyes
met Joyce’s and he hoped that she understood that he had only said it as a way
of appeasing the girl. Dawn had been bugging him about it and he had promised
the little tidbit to tide her over. Joyce smiled at him and he relaxed.
“That will
be good,” Joyce said. “Why don’t you put a movie in? Where’s Buffy?”
“She had to
do a quick homework assignment and said she’d be down when she was done,” Spike
lied.
“Okay.”
Grateful
that his slight untruth had been accepted, he relaxed and settled in to watch
the movie. Dawn turned the lights off and snuggled under a blanket with her
mother. Spike was surprised when he felt a tug of tenderness for the two women
that were so important to Buffy. He made a silent request that the spell would
reveal what they needed to make Joyce better.
The scent
of incense burning wafted down the stairs followed by the sound of a door
opening upstairs. Buffy came down the stairs looking a little stoned and Spike
stood to check on her. She walked past him and picked up a family photo. She
frowned before putting it down and picking up another. It was put down and she
glanced at him, dismissed him and moved to the couch.
“Honey, are
you all right?” Joyce asked, sitting up.
Buffy
didn’t say anything. She ran her fingers over the planes of her mother’s face,
turned to Dawn and repeated the gesture. She frowned and hurried back upstairs.
Spike followed her into her sister’s room. Buffy turned around and shook her
head. Dread lined her face and Spike got a sick feeling that what she had seen
was not good.
“Buffy, who
said you could come in my room?” Dawn asked her arms
crossed in front of her. “And bring your boyfriend in here?”
“You’re not
my sister,” Buffy said. “What are you?”
Her words
stunned them both and Spike could see Dawn’s face fall but the teenager quickly
covered it with an insolent sneer.
“Like I
wanted to be related to a freak like you,” Dawn shouted.
Spike
stepped in between them. His hand reached for Buffy’s trying to establish a
contact that would bring her back to them before she caused further damage with
her words. He was still confused by what she had said and wasn’t sure if they
were a result of the spell or if she was just pushing Dawn’s buttons.
“Buffy,
come on snap out of it.”
“Was she
doing magic?” Dawn asked. “I am so telling Mom.”
Buffy shook
her head and looked around the room. The veil seemed to lift from her eyes and
for a moment they were a vast well of pain and uncertainty. It was if
everything she had believed in was taken from her and she was looking out over
hell itself. She met his eyes briefly before turning to her sister. Her arms
crossed over her stomach and she covered up whatever she was feeling by turning
it into nothing more than a spat with Dawn.
“I think
Mom has more important things to deal with than my using magic,” Buffy
retorted.
“Yeah, but
you were in my room without permission, using magic and you were mean,” Dawn
said.
Spike
rolled his eyes even though he knew it was nothing more than an act on Buffy’s
part. Still here he was, a master vampire, dealing with squabbling sisters.
Where had his life gone to?
He put a
hand on each of their shoulders to keep them apart.
“Look,
Buffy is all grown up now,” Spike said. “And I think Joyce has got more
important things to deal with then one of your little insult exchanges.”
“He told
you,” Dawn taunted. “Back off and get out of here.”
“I am so
going to kill you,” Buffy said, reaching for Dawn.”
“Stop it
now,” Spike commanded, “Before I bite both of you. Niblet, let me talk to big
sis for a minute, then we’ll be down.”
Giving a
look that clearly indicated that she was only doing it for him Dawn turned on
her heel and huffed out of the room. Buffy rolled her eyes and Spike couldn’t
hold back a chuckle.
“Come on,”
Spike said. “She’s not so bad.”
“Please,”
Buffy said. Her face grew serious and tears filled her eyes. “What I said was
true, Spike.”
“Buffy,
phone,” Joyce’s voice called. “It’s Giles.”
“Give me
just a minute,” Buffy said, heading down stairs.
~~~~~~~~
“Thanks,
Mom,” Buffy said, taking the phone from her. “Hello.”
“It seems
we have more of a problem than we thought,” Giles said without preamble. The
worry in his voice was evident and Buffy felt her stomach knot. “This orb, it’s
called The Dagon’s Sphere. It has a history that goes back centuries.”
“What’s it
do?” Buffy asked.
She looked
around and found that her mother and Dawn had returned to watching the movie.
Spike was hovering in the doorway between the living room and the hall. He was
making sure that she could speak freely and she moved a little further out of
earshot of her family.
“It’s a
protective device. Used to ward off ancient, primordial evil.”
“And this
evil is?” Buffy asked, wondering if it could be the girl she was calling
sister. “And what does it look?”
“This is
where accounts gets vague,” Giles said. “All we’ve pinned down is that The
Dagon’s Sphere was created to repel that which cannot be named.”
“I’m going
to go down to the factory. Whoever planted this doohickey’s got answers.”
“Buffy, be
careful. Anything that goes unnamed is usually an object of deep worship, or
great fear. Maybe both. You could be facing a level of raw power you’ve never
known before. Have you completed the trance?”
Her fear
was getting more intense with each moment. Buffy looked up and met Spike’s
eyes. He knew it and he was worried about her. About them. She closed her eyes
and reminded herself that she wasn’t alone. They would find the answers
together, including who or what Dawn really was. She
just needed to take it a step at a time.
“We’ll talk
after I go to the factory,” Buffy said. “And don’t worry I’m taking my blond vampire
with me for back up.”
“Good,”
Giles said. “I’ll feel better. Call me when you’re done.”
As soon as
the phone was put down, Spike was there, his arms encasing her in a protective
shield and for a moment she let herself take strength from them.
“It seems
all I’m doing anymore is letting you hold me,” Buffy whispered. “Thank you.”
“That’s why
I’m here, Luv,” Spike said, kissing her cheek. “To help you anyway I can. So,
we’re taking a trip to the factory.”
“Yep, and
then we’ll talk,” Buffy said.
They both
started when someone cleared their throat behind Spike. It was Dawn. She looked
angry and hurt.
“I thought
you guys were going to stay and watch movies. Are you all just going to run out
on us?”
Buffy
didn’t understand what was going on but when she looked at Dawn all she saw was
her sister. How could she be evil? Not with the hurt and uncertainty in her
eyes. She was feeling as scared about her Mom’s illness as she was. Smiling,
she moved to hug the girl.
“No, we’ll
stay a little longer,” Buffy said. “Come on. I hope you saved me some popcorn.”
Whatever it
was could wait a few more hours. Spike took his place in the chair again while
Buffy snuggled down between her mother and sister to watch the end of the
movie. It felt safe here and she let herself be lulled into a sense of security
that she only hoped would last even after the visit to the factory.
To be continued in Chapter 9 –
Strength
