Part 2
Author: Jeanny
(J.A.I.T.)
Summary:
The PTB are sending the Scoobies on mysterious and dangerous quests;
Buffy's future hangs in the balance.
Disclaimer:
Joss, Fox, and Mutant Enemy rule the world - or at least these
characters. I'm just doing my part
in the universal Dance of Joy surrounding them.
**************************************
A few minutes went by in
complete silence, everyone lost in his or her own thoughts.
Probably thinking about Buffy and what she meant to them, and what they
might be able to do tonight, Willow thought.
She was thinking about that too, but she was also having a silent
freak-out. She felt Tara's hand on
her shoulder and knew her girlfriend had figured her out, not that she was known
for her poker face.
"Willow, are you
okay?" she asked softly.
Willow nodded with fake enthusiasm.
"I'm good.
I'm great. We're gonna help
Buffy, so, yay, it's just that...I wish we knew what kind of test it's gonna be.
Cause, you know, I do pretty good on tests, but that's when I study, and
I feel like I should be studying or something, only I can't because I don't know
what I'm supposed to know, you know, for the test that I'd be studying
for." Giles smiled at her
indulgently.
"I don't expect we're
facing that manner of test, Willow. Although
the entire matter is distinct from any situation documented by the Watchers'
Council to my knowledge, it appears somewhat closely related to some rite of
passage rituals I've read about from a few Native American tribal cultures.
Warriors are sent to prove their worthiness by retrieving some object of
ritual value and along the way attain visions from the gods."
"I seek the
Grail," Xander threw in, and Willow heard Dawn giggle, but she was still
scared beyond the capacity for humor. She
looked at Dawn and saw that she was a bundle of nerves as well and tried to give
the girl a reassuring smile. She
was pretty sure it hadn't come off very well.
"The interesting and
alarming part," Giles continued, ignoring the interruption, "is what
Cordelia said about the risk. We
risk losing what we seek to gain."
"To gain for
Buffy," Dawn corrected quietly.
"Where is Angel?"
Cordy muttered to no one in particular. Willow
looked at her watch, saw that it was almost midnight and felt Tara's grip on her
shoulder tighten. She gave her a
quick smile and struggled to listen as Giles continued his summation.
She was hoping against hope that there would be some knowledge in there,
some tidbit that she could use. She
had to pass the test, she had to. Deep
in her heart, she was already afraid that her recent delving into dark magick
would be used against her, that she would be found unworthy.
"Yes, of course,"
Giles replied to Dawn, then continued to the room at large.
"No matter what is going to happen, we really must be on our guard
at all times. I believe that the
mystic forces we are dealing with may be forces of good, but they can still be
quite dangerous. It is also unclear
if the failure of one of us will affect the group as a whole.
There could be dire consequences, perhaps for all of us."
Dire consequences. Willow
felt like she was going to hyperventilate.
She wished that the ground would swallow her then and there, until she
realized in a moment of panicked clarity that it just might happen.
She had no way of knowing what she was about to face, but she was
terrified. What if she failed
Buffy? What if she failed everyone?
She saw Anya move in closer to try to take Xander's hand, her face every
bit as afraid as Willow's. For some
strange reason she found that comforting. Xander
didn't seem to notice her movement. He
was too busy berating Giles.
"That's it, Giles, from
now on you don't get to make the big pre-battle speech, because you're"
Willow blinked.
She had been sitting at the table, now she was standing in a familiar yet
shocking corridor. Sunnydale High, not the exploded shell she remembered, but
just as she'd known it in high school. Moonlight
shining through the windows and emergency lighting was the only illumination.
There was enough light for her to tell she was alone.
She could still feel the warmth on her shoulder from where Tara’s hand
had been moments before. Willow
shivered.
“Oh.
Kay,” she said.
“Of course, this is the test, and I’m back in high school, land of
many tests taken...although I am in college now, I take tests there, too, but
I’m not complaining, I can do the test here.”
“Willow,” a warm voice
interrupted, and Willow jumped. She
whirled around and gasped in astonishment.
“Miss Calendar?
Is it you?” The petite
dark haired woman smiled at her, and Willow grinned.
She ran to give her a hug, stopping only at the last possible moment.
“Oh, am I allowed? To hug
you?”
“I’d be pretty upset if
you didn’t,” Jenny smirked.
“And Willow, you’re not a teenager and I’m not your teacher
anymore, please call me Jenny, okay?” Willow
put her arms around her teacher and mentor carefully, as if she might break or
disappear, and was relieved to feel her solid warmth.
She was real, and she was...
“Alive.
You’re alive!” Willow whispered, almost reverently. Tears were shimmering in her eyes as she pulled away, and
Jenny shook her head sadly.
“No, Willow.
I’m simply here by the will of the Powers.
I’ll have a role in the trial that‘s coming.”
“T-trial?
Miss Ca--Jenny, I d-don’t understand about the trial,”
Willow stammered. Just being
in the presence of her teacher again made her feel indescribably young.
“I need to pass some kind of test or we can’t get Buffy back,
right?”
“I’m afraid that the
stakes are a bit higher than that, Willow.
First of all, the task that you’ll be asked to do is not without danger
to you. If you fail to
succeed...well, it could be bad. But
more importantly, you need to understand that the Powers see something of the
Slayer in you, in all of those chosen, and they want you to offer it to Buffy to
bring her back. The test is more
than just the challenge before you, it’s about figuring out what you have to
give. If you don’t figure it out
by the end, it will be lost to you, and Buffy will be unable to return.”
“So if I give it, I can
keep it, but if I don’t give it, I lose it?”
Jenny’s nod and wide smile made Willow sigh. “I’ve been on the Hellmouth too long, because that
actually made sense in a terribly cryptic and nonsensical way. So, there’s a mission, big hairy danger, and you’re
here...why are you, Jenny? Not that
I’m not really happy to see you!” Willow
added hastily.
“Think of me as a guide, a
kind of link to the Powers. But
I’m not going to be much help to you, I’m afraid.
They’ve made it quite clear that there isn’t much I can do.”
Jenny seemed annoyed at that, and Willow had to smile at her.
“You and I were close, closer than most teachers and students.
I think, and please correct me if I’m wrong, but I’m at least part of
the reason you’ve gotten so heavily involved in magick.”
“Well, yes, I
mean...m-magick? The trial is about
the magick I’ve been doing? I
mean, I know some of that stuff is kind of dark and out of boundsy, but I did it
to try to stop Glory and to help save the world, I mean, they do understand
that, right? I was trying to
help!”
“Calm down, Willow.
That has nothing to do with what this is about, although I don’t think
you’re really being honest with yourself there, and that’s not good.
You need to be clear in your own mind about who you are in order to find
your gift.” Willow frowned, but
before she could protest, Jenny began walking down the corridor. Willow had to walk briskly to keep up as the gypsy continued.
“I’m curious, what do you think makes magick possible?
Where does it come from?” Willow
smiled, she knew the answer to this one.
“There’re magickal
energies all around us. If you know
how, you can tap into them and use them, and that’s how the magick works.
The spells that you use, those are like the ways you manipulate them.
Really, it’s just like chemistry with different components.” Willow had caught up enough to see that Jenny was frowning,
and she faltered a bit. “I mean,
that’s the way I’ve always...but maybe I’m missing something. You invoke the goddess, so the Powers have a hand in it too.
I just messed up, didn’t I?” Jenny
put her hand on her arm to halt her progress and stop her panicked babbling.
“No, you didn’t mess up.
But you need to know that those energies you spoke of don’t exist here,
and you will not be able to invoke the Powers while you’re here.
Do you understand me?” Jenny
looked deep into Willow’s eyes, and the young Wiccan could tell there was
something she wasn’t saying, something important.
But she had no idea what, so she simply nodded.
“You mean I can’t do
spells here; they won’t work.” Willow
suddenly looked around and grinned in delight.
“Hey, this is your classroom! Oh,
is it a computer test? I could...no
of course it’s not a computer test, because that would be stupid, and Buffy
doesn’t really have any computer skills, I mean she can use a computer, and
she has...I mean she had...” Jenny mercifully cut off this latest bout of
babble.
“This is where the trial
will begin. It’s a very simple
task actually. Well, simple to
explain, at least.” Willow looked
at her apprehensively.
“Okay, simple is good.
What is it?”
“You have to save me.
Actually, you have to save both of us.”
Willow’s brow furrowed in confusion.
“Save you from what?”
A soundless shadow passed in front of them, and Willow choked back a
scream as she looked up into the mocking smile she still occasionally saw in her
nightmares.
“Hello, girls,”
Angelus purred. “Miss me?” Before
Willow could react he had grabbed Jenny by the hair and thrown her against the
wall, her head making a sickening thudding sound as it connected.
She slumped against the wall, struggling to keep her feet and
consciousness. Angelus backed
Willow up against the desk. Willow’s hands flailed, feeling the surface of the
desk frantically for something wooden, a pencil, ruler, anything.
There was nothing. Angelus’
hands caressed her arms almost gently as he moved his head in to her neck and
sniffed. “Will, you smell so
good. I’d forgotten. Not so innocent anymore, but that fear...”
He pulled back slightly, and she watched him morph into his vampire
features. Desperately she brought
up a knee and hit him in the groin as hard as she could.
He cursed and released her, falling, and she ran at top speed towards the
exit, pausing only to grab Jenny’s hand and drag her out with her.
The two went hurtling down the corridor, feet fueled by adrenaline.
“You wound me, Willow!
Oh well, you know how I love to play with my food...”
Angelus bellowed, his voice echoing eerily through the hall.
“How...long...?”
Willow panted as they headed towards the stairs.
She had suddenly noticed that this Sunnydale High didn’t seem to have
any emergency exits. She turned and
headed back towards where the library should have been, it was at least familiar
ground. And with any luck, there
would be weapons.
“How...long...what?”
Jenny answered wheezily, blood from a cut over her eye streaming down her
face. She was shakily managing to
keep up with Willow’s pace.
“Do...I...have...to...keep...us
alive?”
“Until...he’s...dead...and...the
others...too,” Jenny responded.
Willow tripped over her own feet and almost took them both sprawling.
“What...others?” she
asked, already fearing she knew the answer.
A lithe dark-haired figure appeared at the end of the corridor, swaying
slightly.
“Look, Spikey, there are
mice in the house...they’re going to have their tails cut off by Daddy’s
kitchen knife, no cheese for them...” Drusilla
called out in a singsong voice.
“I see them, Dru.
Yes, luv, they do look trapped now, don’t they...” Spike’s familiar
voice reverberated, and Willow whipped her head around.
She couldn’t see him, he was hidden in the shadows, but she could see
the burning end of his cigarette. She
knew that this Spike was unchipped and not of the good, and she stared at Jenny
in disbelief.
“I’m supposed to take on
three Master vampires and win? Without
magick? Umm, hate to bring this up,
but NOT a Slayer!” Knowing they
couldn’t stay where they were, Willow continued moving them towards the
library, even though their progress was taking them into Drusilla’s vicinity.
She had the nasty suspicion that they were being herded there anyway.
She could now hear Angelus laughing somewhere behind them.
“Oh, Willow, you are so
right. I have to wonder why Buffy
had so much faith in you; after all, you did let her down in the end.
Couldn’t stop the ritual from starting, so little sis’ blood started
a flowing. That never should have
happened.” Angelus taunted her.
He had caught up with Spike, and the two of them were slowly making their
way towards the two women. Not
knowing what else to do, Willow ran past a humming Drusilla and into the
library...where she was relieved to see the weapons cabinet fully stocked with
the usual items. She grabbed a
cross and threw it to Jenny, who caught it and held it at the ready, then she
grabbed the crossbow. She’d seen
Buffy work the crossbow plenty of times, and she’d done target shooting with
it. She was sure she could manage
it. If she got in close to them,
she knew she would die, so distance weapons were their only hope.
If only she could use her magick. She
could teleport three stakes and kill them all easily, but Jenny had told her
that magick wouldn’t work.
Willow shakily loaded the
crossbow and aimed it at the doors as they flung open and the three vampires
sauntered in. All three of them actually laughed at her tough girl stance, and
Willow knew they were right. Even
if she got a shot off and her aim was true, the other two would be able to move
in on them. Willow stole a sideways
glance at Jenny. She was holding
the cross down at her side, her eyes pleading for Willow to do...to do what?
Willow again was struck by the idea that she had missed some vitally
important clue. She racked her
brains, running it back over everything that Giles had said, everything that
Jenny had told her.
“Little mouse is trapped.
Little mouse is blind,” Drusilla sang, spinning around.
Spike and Angelus both grinned at each other.
“Don’t come any
closer,” Willow warned, wishing her voice sounded stronger.
“Well, pet, that’s right
terrifying. I am impressed,
aren’t you impressed, Peaches?” Spike said, mock serious.
Angelus nodded, but his eyes were amused.
“Terrified.
I’m going to love killing you again, Jenny.
And Will, I think I’m going to take my time with you. Might even turn
you.”
“I said stop!”
Willow said more fiercely, and to her surprise all three vampires
actually froze. She aimed the
crossbow at Dru’s heart. “If
you come any closer, she’s the one that will die, Spike.”
Spike actually looked alarmed, and Dru started to whimper.
Angelus just laughed.
“Will, that might work for
the lovesick pup, but you know it won’t stop me. Get ready for me, Jenny.
The game’s over again,” Willow
fired the crossbow, and the arrow hit Dru in the shoulder.
She screamed as Spike ran to her side.
Willow mentally cursed herself. They
were done for now.
“Willow!” Jenny
screamed, and Willow saw that Angelus now had her in his arms. He grabbed her head, looking at Willow the entire time.
She knew what he was going to do. She
knew she couldn’t let it happen. Determination
filled her, and the entire room suddenly began to tremble.
Three stakes rose from behind the main counter and flew through the air
like heat seeking missiles. Two
found Dru and Spike, and they exploded to dust before they had a chance to make
a sound. The one that found Angelus
was a half-second later, and Willow had a moment to relish his shocked
expression. He managed to make an
enraged cry, and the sound of it lingered as Jenny was showered in his dust.
The three stakes hung in the air for a moment longer, then dropped.
Willow ran to her friend and hugged her.
“You did it, I knew you
could do it,” Jenny murmured. Willow
released her and smiled broadly.
“I figured it out, what
you tried to get me to see. I had
forgotten; it’s the belief in magick that’s the most important part.
I couldn’t let them kill you.
I knew I had to do something, and I just believed that I could.”
“Your gift, Willow.
You know what it is.” It wasn’t a question, but Willow nodded.
“My gift is hope.
My gift is belief.”
“Yes.”
“My gift is spirit.”
“The reason that she’s
here,” Jenny added softly, smiling proudly.
Willow knew it was time to say goodbye. She had so many things she wanted to say, but she vanished before she could.