Fruition

Author: Penmom <penmommy[at]yahoo.com>

(1) As you well know, the usual things apply.

(2) This is a sequel to my other D/X fic ? Dawn's Hero. It is post-BtVS; so it is obviously AU.

(3) Premise ? Dawn and Xander find out more than they wanted to know about the Key and its implications about their future. Along the way, we visit the ol' gang including B/S ? lite ? I promise.

(4) Feedback! You must know how I love it. My personal goal is to reach over one hundred responses ? I've come in just under that with Dawn's Hero so far. So, let me know what you're thinking and if it's meeting your summer reading needs. I do read feedback and take it seriously.

(5) Posting ? I am going to try to post at least once a week throughout the summer ? probably on Mondays.

(6) Posting – As I can!

Latest addition


Chapter 1

Seattle
Early fall 2008

She is desperately trying to finish this last chapter but the colorful umbrellas outside in the gray drizzle continue to capture her attention. There is something so soothing about the rain. Especially when you're curled up all cozy and warm.

The window seat is probably her favorite spot in the whole house with its overstuffed chintz cushions and its view of the street below. With a good cup of tea and her mom's old afghan, she could stay here all afternoon.

Without thought, she weaves her fingers through the holes in the afghan just like she did when she was a little girl. When Willow gave her the blanket last Christmas, she couldn't believe it. She had long ago resigned herself to the fact that they had all lost so much that day ? that the material objects just couldn't factor into the grief she felt ? still feels. Mourning childhood toys and yearbooks seemed a little trite when people were dead.

But when she opened the package, the rush of home was bittersweet and instantaneous. She keenly remembered holding the black and purple knit up to her face and actually inhaling her mother's scent. Willow explained that she had checked out all the reasons not to ? before deciding to pull something out of the past for everybody. What had she said ? 'something to hold on to"? Giles had thought it would be OK but he probably just didn't give a damn at this point.

It seemed like - careful or not - bad things would invariably happen. So, you might as well walk under all the ladders that you please and if you feel like it, break mirrors every day of the week. Good and bad rained down at random ? or perhaps not? Anyhow, the grand plan is a lot bigger than she could ever hope to see from her little perch. She learned a long time ago to grab the good with both hands and fight like hell to keep it.

Back to The Fountainhead - why on earth did she decide to take Mid- Twentieth Century Classics 305? It seemed like a good idea way back in April when she registered. Oh well, she's been through worse things! What an understatement, she thinks.

She jumps at the sound of the jigsaw coming from upstairs. No matter how many times she hears it, it still grates on her nerves. Again, there are worse things ? and the good things that come from the things that Xander makes with his hands provide them with this nice, cozy life where she really doesn't have to worry about money or demons or anything like that. OK, sometimes, she kind of misses that living on the edge feeling but not often.

After that incredible day, they had all stuck together for a time. Ultimately ending up at Kennedy's parents' house in the Hamptons. It was huge and empty since her parents were in Italy for the entire summer. For a couple weeks, it seemed like they all just slept and then, slowly, real life called. Faith and Wood left together ? to only God knows where. Many of the girls went back to their homes. A few stayed, sticking close to Giles and Buffy.

Giles spent hours and hours on the phone before finally flying back to London. Pretty soon, Willow, Kennedy, Buffy and the remaining Slayers joined Giles. The Watchers Guild had practically unlimited resources and in the end, Giles was the Headman. He quickly begin to reshape the Guild into something more useful to the multiple of slayers on the horizon. Buffy and Willow fell into his plan comfortably ? Willow more so than Buffy but Buffy too.

By the time that Buffy left, her relationship with Xander was a given. It was kind of like losing the house ? the age thing ? was nothing. She imagined that secretly both Willow and Buffy were happy about the two of them getting together. They both could pursue their own interests without having to worry about any tagalongs that might slow them down.

Yes, it all seemed to fall into place. Once they were alone, they realized that they could do whatever they pleased. Eventually that meant, buying this loft in Seattle with space to live and to work. Xander had started making furniture just to stay busy but it had fast turned into an art form. He had a wait list of several years for some of his pieces. Even Hollywood types were waiting for hutches and coffee tables! Xander would often joke about how the whole coffee table thing started.

After being a bum for a good while, she had finally taken her GED and her SAT's and started college. It was nice to not take any one thing. Xander could care less if she even finished but now, she was a semester away from her BA in Comparative Literature.

Giving up on the book, she rises, their cat Jinx, jumps to the floor from her lap. It's about time for dinner anyway. Time to pull Xander away from his work and see about getting some Chinese. There were only of few side effects of the whole 'Keyness' that they had identified and one was definitely an increased appetite and an increased metabolism. She guessed it took a lot of calories to generate so much energy.

And generate energy they did. As she matured, it seemed like the energy they created grew and grew until finally hitting a plateau about a year ago. It wasn't unusual for every light and appliance in the house to come on in the middle of ---well, Xander doesn't leave the saws plugged up anymore.

It did seem that along with the increased metabolism came an increased libido. But sometimes she wondered if the desire had more to do with facilitating the joining of the two parts of the Key than satisfying any physical need. Whatever the reason, she welcomed it ? the joining, the closeness, the pleasure.

There was only one thing about the whole 'Keyness'. It felt kind of like a nagging thought in the back of your head. Like when you need to remember something and can't. If she had to describe the feeling adequately, she would fail miserably. Lucky for her, she doesn't have to ?he feels it too. For awhile they both didn't talk about the feeling, kind-of writing it off but lately, the feeling was stronger.

Something was about to happen, no doubt about it. Already, she could feel herself reminiscing about this respite in time ? these last five years ? like it's already gone.

Deliberately, she shakes off the feeling and calls out to her husband.

Chapter 2

Seattle
Early fall 2008

Joy Garden (2)

Sitting at the window in their favorite little Chinese restaurant, The Joy Garden, Xander stares out as the evening begins to darken. The rain has stopped but in its place there is a dense fog. He's thankful he doesn't have to drive in this mess. Two streets over and they're home.

He hears the door swing in the back of the restaurant and turns to watch as Dawn comes out of the bathroom. She lights up a room. Figuratively and literally, he thinks with a smile. Even in old jeans and one of his tee shirts, she's beautiful.

As she takes her seat across from him, her eyes sparkle. "You didn't eat all the shrimp, did you?"

Grinning back he answers, "Guilty as charged. Shouldn't have been gone so long. Serves you right".

"You just wait - next time I eat all your Ben & Jerry's ? I'm not going to replace it!"

"My Ben & Jerry's ? since when is it my Ben & Jerry's, Mrs. Harris? I seem to remember some Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough with your name on it!" he teases.

They both laugh enjoying the moment. Food and their on-going need to eat lots of it was a running joke between the two of them; culminating with Xander presenting her with a free standing freezer last Christmas filled to the brim with Ben & Jerry's Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream.

Standing as he holds out a hand to her, "Ready?"

"For anything" she teases as she brushes up against him as she stands.

Hand in hand they pay their bill and walk out into the blanket of fog. The scent of the sea is thick tonight. It almost feels like you are swimming through the fog. The feel of it makes Xander uneasy for some reason and without a word; he picks up the pace to cover the 2 blocks to home. Dawn senses the same feeling and keeps up easily. The fog is even muting the streetlights that light their way.

Rounding the last corner to home, the feeling of general unease suddenly flares up. Dawn can feel the hair standing up on the back of her neck. Xander stops as he squeezes her hand. Communicating to her with a simple touch.

She continues to hold his hand but slides her body a bit behind his. It's been years since they've faced anything otherworldly other than themselves. Whatever this is, it doesn't feel good. She feels the energy between them starting to hum. She is used to it humming through her veins especially when they touch and even more so, when any emotional is involved. But this is the first time that fear has sparked it.

Suddenly, a figure of some kind is running toward them. In the fog, it is hard to make out. She feels Xander's body start to tense readying itself to fight but the figure runs on past them almost knocking them to the ground.

Both stand completely still for a second breathing heavily. Standing on tiptoe, she whispers in his ear, "What was that? Was it human?"

"I don't know but I'll feel a lot better once we're home." Xander says as he begins to walk quickly, keys in hand.

Chapter 3
The Visitor and the Box

The trek to their door had never seemed so long to Xander. He felt as if every one of his senses was tuned razor sharp. The dense fog seems thick against his skin and Dawn's breath echoes in his ear.

Finally the door. The lights muted, it is difficult to see the brightly colored door through the fog. Putting the key into the lock, his feet hit something solid on the ground in front of the doorstep. He pushes the door open to provide more light. Through the beam of light, he immediately recognizes the shape of a man.

"What? What is it?" Dawn cries out behind him.

Turning he addresses her tersely, "Dawn get in the house, NOW."

Recognizing the warning in his voice, she skips over the rumpled figure and into the relative safety of the hallway. Xander quickly enters behind her and bends to pull whomever it is into the house with them before slamming the door shut.

Only once the lock slides into place, does he turn his attention to their guest. Turning the body, he checks for a pulse while Dawn peers over his shoulder.

The man has a very faint pulse. He is a slightly built man wearing some kind of brown robe, with the hood drawn up over his head. Xander pulls the hood back to get a better look at the man.

God, but this guy's got an awful haircut! Before Xander can try to rouse him, the man's eyes open abruptly. For a moment it seems that he sees nothing but finally focuses on Xander and then finally on Dawn kneeling behind him.

At the sight of Dawn, the man smiles and murmurs something in Latin. While neither understand the phrase, it is clear that it is some sort of thanksgiving.

The man seems to realize the neither of the young people looking down at him understand him, he gathers what little energy that he has and tries again.

"I am --- I am --- no, no time for introductions. I have brought something --- something for the key's consort." With this, he lets out a raspy cough as he pulls something out from a hidden pocket and thrusts it towards Xander. It is a small, crudely made wooden box. Xander takes the box but hesitates to open it.

The man recognizes his hesitation and speaks again, "It is good --- this thing." He says gesturing toward the box. "Will protect the key --- inside of you --- inside of her ----" His eyes closes and Xander must fights not to shake the guy.

Opening his rumy eyes again, the man continues, looking toward Dawn. "You have done well. Lived well. You are a good person, a good --- heart --- but --- you are --- you are --- much more ---" and with that cryptic statement, he closes his eyes for the last time.

In that moment while Dawn and Xander kneel in silence, trying to assimilate the mysterious message that the strange man has brought them, his body seems to dissolve in front of their eyes, leaving only the roughly cut, course brown robe.

Dawn's voice - a little shaky - breaks the silence, "He was --- a monk, I think".

Xander answers, his voice more resolute, "He was --- I remember Buffy telling about the one she met. He seems --- seemed like the real deal."

Dawn is suddenly overwhelmed by the whole encounter. She lies down on flat her back right there in the hallway. The ceiling seems to spin, it continues to spin even after she closes her eyes. She senses Xander lying beside her in the same fashion.

While they are not touching in any concrete sense, as they will themselves to relax the aura of energy that they share begins to merge. It merges until the two are encased in a shell of light and energy. The aura seems to hold their true selves within it and these selves slide and weave over and through each other again and again until it is like one metaphysical blanket enfolding them both.

In this state, they both willingly slide into unconsciousness as their subconscious minds rebound from the shocks of the last hour.

*****

They wake abruptly, neither having any idea how much time has elapsed. Their states of consciousness seem to be synchronized as their hearts find matching rhythms. Xander keenly feels Dawn's worry, her dread of the unknown.

Before he can help himself, he quips, "Hey, you knew it couldn't last forever". Implying that this respite in time was obviously over and whatever they had felt approaching had arrived - literally, at their doorstep.

Dawn rolls her eyes in response as she stands and stretches her cramped muscles. "Remind me not to take a nap on the floor again any time soon." She looks down to check her watch, only to find that it is broken.

"Not another one?" Xander asks, quite aware of his wife's habit of burning out the batteries in her watches with stunning regularity.

She shakes her head, "Yeah, and I really liked this one!" she says with a pout, holding out the Goofy watch with backwards hands on Xander.

Xander takes the watch as he stands, "Hey, maybe this one hasn't gone all melty like the last one".

The conversation lags as they stand facing each other in the hallway only feet from the little box and the remainder of their earlier visitor.

Xander looks at her sheepishly, "Well, what do you want to ignore the pink elephant a while longer or rush head long into danger?"

This wry acknowledgment of their sinking circumstances brings a grin to her lovely face. "My better judgement tells me to run like hell but I'm guessing that's not the right answer."

"Is there one?"

"No, probably not." She admits. Taking a deep breath, she volunteers for the inevitable, "I'll call Giles, it's gotta be morning over there by now."

Picking up the robe and the box, Xander holds up the box. "What about this? Should we open it? The Monk Guy said it was good didn't he? For the Key's Consort and all that - hey, I kind of like the sound of that - kind of like a concubine, huh?"

Dawn's shakes her head. And she was supposed to be the younger one? "Why don't we call Giles first. We can always take a digital picture of the box and email it to him. Just in case, you know." She suddenly sounds a lot like Joyce.

"Yes, Mom." He says with a bow. Laughing, he heads down the hall to find out what time it really is.

*****

Several hours later, after showers in the middle of the night and a massive amount of bagels with cream cheese and strawberry jam slathered on top, Xander and Dawn are on the speaker phone with Giles as he looks at the picture of the box.

"Umm, I can't see any distinguishing markings from the photograph. How about from the other angles, anything?"

"Nope". Dawn answers as she continues to lick strawberry jam off her fingers.

"And the monk said it was for the Key's Consort?"

"Yes indeedy, that's me the Key's Consort ". Xander response while grabbing the flipper for the TV. They have been going around in circles for more than an hour and haven't accomplished a thing.

It is now 9:30 am in London and they have been talking to Giles since a little past midnight their time and despite their impromptu nap, they are both getting tired.

Stifling a yawn, Dawn chimes in "Giles, I not feeling any kind a wiggy, spider sense thingy about it. I think it's OK."

"Yeah, me too. Not even a hum and most things kind of hum now especially organic things like wood."

Giles coughs on the other end of the line. Dawn can see him cleaning his glasses all the way from Seattle. Since they had first talked to the Scoobies about their growing connection, all have been accepting but dubious. Given that the group has encountered quite its share of the otherworldly, you would think that this link would be no biggie. But something you can't feel, you can't touch or experience yourself, it is less than quantifiable even for this group.

They had held back with sharing the more recent manifestations of their link figuring until it pertained to something or another, it was best to keep things quiet. Plus, there was a special intimacy in the secret between just the two of them.

"Yes, well --- I would heartily recommend waiting until you can arrive here before opening the ----" While Giles is speaking, Xander has picked up the little box and has gestured to Dawn for either a thumbs up or a thumbs down.

Dawn gives an enthusiastic thumbs' up, ready to get on with it. She hops over to where Xander is sitting on the couch so that she can have a good look at whatever it is. As soon as she's over to his side, Xander opens the unassuming little box, as Giles drones on about Gatwick verses Heathrow.

The box holds a ring, a ring almost as unassuming as the box. Looking to Dawn for permission, he carefully picks up the ring to examine it further. On closer inspection, the ring is platinum and while it's outside has no remarkable features to note, a single word is engraved the inside.

Chapter 4
The Ring

Seattle
Early fall 2008

The ring looks unassuming enough – the only distinguishing feature is the word engraved in the interior of the ring. Xander tilts the ring up to the light, squinting his eye to read the small print inside. Over his shoulder, Dawn does the same.

The script is small and even but it still takes some effort to decipher it. Giving an aspirated sigh, Xander passes it to Dawn – who has two good eyes to put to the task.

They are momentarily drawn out of their study as Giles' lecture on the Airports of Britain winds down. "So, I say, if you leave now, you should be here by this time tomorrow."

"Ahhh, Giles, we're OK, really. I don't know if we need to go all that way---"

Giles interrupts before Xander can continue. "On the contrary, I think it would be quite prudent to come as soon as you can and to not tamper with the box until we can look into it further."

This time Dawn interrupts, "Too late, Giles, we opened the box while you were talking about the baggage claim at Gatwick. And it's fine; it's just a ring. We're looking at it right now and it seems plain enough. No spookiness of any kind".

"Good Heavens Dawn, are you touching the thing? Put it down this instant! I beg of you, you have no idea --- "

Giles begins to drone on again, to the extent that his audience goes back to the task at hand. Xander smiles and hops up. He comes back with a tiny flashlight from his key chain. He tosses it to Dawn, who merrily shines it on the word inside the ring. She spells aloud – one letter at a time as she goes.

Xander and Dawn are both too engrossed to notice that Giles has stopped talking. He is now listening to Dawn as she spells out the word.

"I or L, no it's definitely, an I because next are two L's." She continues to turn the ring as Xander hastily grabs a pen and begins to record Dawn's work.

"U --- M --- another I --- then, umm, an N, I think. ---- Then an, a T and another A. That's all." Looking to Xander, she inquires, "What's it spell? Is it a word? I wasn't paying attention when I was reading."

Before Xander can speak, Giles has chimed in again. "Illuminata – its Latin for light. Does it hold any significance for you, either of you?"

They catch each other's eyes; of course, light means something to them. It's the very manifestation of the Key as they have experienced it. Still, Giles has been remarkably dubious about their connection. Dubious enough, that they both hesitate to go too far down this road with him without good reason.

Keeping eye contact with Dawn, Xander answers cautiously, "Ahh, you know what we've told you before. Sometimes, we seem to be generating some sort of energy. Light is energy, right?"

Immediately, Giles is off on another tirade, this time about the possible connotations of the word. Both Dawn and Xander feel their ADHD kicking in big time. Rolling her eyes, Dawn gestures to Xander as if sliding the ring on the ring finger of his right hand, opposite the plain gold wedding band on his left.

She doesn't reflect on her actions too much, it just feels right. It feels like she should slide the ring on Xander's finger. For a second, her memory lights on the day that she slid the other ring on his finger, in Vegas of all places with Willow and Buffy in tow. It was spur of the moment before the girls flew back to London but it felt right. She hadn't regretted it since, and she doesn't think she'll regret this. Plus, she isn't much for talk. Talking doesn't really help that much in most Big Bad instances.

Looking at Dawn, her eyes bright, her smile wide, Xander holds his hand out to her without a second thought. With a flirtatious wink, she gallantly kisses the back of his hand, before gazing up at his face and sliding the ring on his finger.

*****

Giles is talking to Xander and Dawn via speaker phone as he rambles about his desk for a book on Magical Objects from the Nineteenth Century. He hates these damn inventions that allow you to converse without seeing the persons with whom you are speaking. For the past half an hour, he has had the distinct impression that the young couple has been making light of the gravity of the situation before them and of his caution in the matter.

Taking a breath as he locates the book he has been describing to them, he hears a strange popping sound on the other end and then silence. He immediately dials up again and is not able to get an answer. He briefly wonders about calling the police but thinks better of it. Uninformed people, no matter how well meaning, can often make a bad situation worse. Quickly calculating the time it will take to get to Seattle, he decides he must contact someone closer to pair until help can arrive.

*****

Andrew yawns. He has been up all night working on his new video game prototype – Vampire Hunter's Revenge – he can't quite get the vamps to do what he wants them to do but on the other hand, the Vampire Hunter is definitely one hot chick.

The first line from the Theme from Star Wars rings out and he reaches for his commemorative Spiderman phone. "Hello?"

"Andrew? I say, this is Rupert Giles, here. Not much time, I just wanted to ask a favor, if I may."

It is unusual but not unheard of for Mr. Giles to call him. It always means that something is going down on this side of the Atlantic. Sure, he is a tangential Scooby at best but still --- he liked to think of himself of a special operative of sorts.

"Shoot, I mean, sure, you name it, 007."

Quickly, Giles reaccounts the situation and soon Andrew is off on the Early Bird flight from LA to Seattle.

*****

As soon as Dawn slides the ring onto Xander's finger, their familiar energy begins to pulse. Starting where their hands are joined, the aura of energy increases in size with each pulse until the golden glow encompasses them both. The physical sensations are familiar so neither panic as the slip under for the second time in so many hours. Neither are awake to appreciate the sight and sound of every light bulb in the house exploding.

Chapter 5

Seattle
Early fall 2008

Andrew has been knocking on the door for twenty minutes now with no response.

"This is so not good' he thinks to himself, as he rummages through his bag for a walkie-talkie looking thing that will short out the Alarm. He then shoots liquid nitrogen into the keyhole to pretty much burn through the inner workings of the lock.

In less than a minute the door swings open. He pushes it open a bit more and calls out.

No response. Sometimes, being a tangential Scooby sucks.

As he enters the hallway, he sees the monk's crumpled cloak. There is glass everywhere. Looking up, he sees that the chandelier is intact but all of the light bulbs have popped. His feet make a disquieting brittle crunching sound as he walks into the big main room.

"Hello, Come out, come out wherever you are!"

He realizes how lame he sounds but hey, it's too quiet in here. The last time he was here, you could hear Dawn playing an old Squeeze CD and Xander's circular saw buzzing upstairs. The mixer was going as Dawn mixed a cake for Buffy's birthday. The smells, the sounds – it was a happy place, a safe place. Now it smelled like something had burned or like lighting had struck.

When he sees them, it takes a couple seconds for the sight to make sense. They are on the floor. Something is covering them. Whatever it is, it's like it's moving or alive or something. Trying to again make sense of it, he decides to go outside to call Giles.

*****

"I say, Andrew, slow down this time."

Andrew tries to heed the man's words before he starts again. "They're in this – I don't know what it is. It's like a translucent bubble, cocoon thingy. I mean, it is see-through. You can see them inside. I can't tell if they're alive or --- well, you know."

"Is it solid?" Willow asks over the phone she is sharing with Giles.

"I --- I --- I think so. I didn't get too close. Have you ever seen The Blob – the orginal one with Steve McQueen? I mean, I think you couldn't put your hand through it. It's kind-of glowy, did I tell you that? Oh Man, should I try to get them out of it or what?"

Giles responses this time with a reasonableness that he doesn't feel at the moment, "No, stay put, continue to observe it – them and call us immediately if you see any change, any change at all. Willow and I will be there as soon as we can. We are just getting ready to board."

Anyone boarding American Airlines Flight 364 to Seattle would see an attractive couple sharing a cell phone. Given the disparity in their ages, one might easily assume that the stunning young women was most likely the gentleman's second wife. The man was handsome, distinguished; one of those man who might actually look more attractive as he ages. The two seem to be intensively involved in whatever they are discussing, the man leaning in to put an arm around the women as they take their seats.

The fact that the man is actually the last remaining icon of an ancient guild of Watchers and the woman is the most powerful witch in the Western Hemisphere is lost on everyone on the plane including themselves.

*****

Andrew rejoices that he brought his Gamboy with him. He is perched in the loft above the living room. He can clearly see Xander and Dawn inside of whatever it is but he feels a little better being a bit further away from it. He puts down the half a carton of Ben and Jerry's that he found in the freezer. Hey, it didn't look like they wanted any. From his vantage point, he can see that the capsule or whatever it is that holds the bodies of Xander and Dawn, is pulsing less frequently. In fact, it is actually getting hard to see through whatever it is, like it is getting thicker or something.

After recovering from his initial shock, eating a lot of ice cream and covering two new levels on Tony Hawk III, Andrew finds fatigue hitting him pretty hard. Checking his Franklin Mint Star Trek watch, he sees that it will be still be a couple hours before Willow and Giles arrive. Feeling a little like Goldenlocks, he peeks in a series of rooms before he finds one to his liking and falls asleep – just for a little while.

*****

After traveling for the better part of a day and a night, Giles and Willow's cab pulls up to 34 Waterfront Rd. The house is completely dark. Finding the door ajar, they enter tentatively. Once inside they see a dull, silver light coming from the room ahead of them.

Ever prepared, Willow pulls a flashlight from her pack. Lighting the way, with Giles at her back, she enters the room. Seeing the object emitting the faint light poses no immediate danger, she goes closer.

"What is it? It looks like it's made of some kind of glass." She reaches out toward it, only to feel Giles pull her back, their feet crunching over the broken glass in the floor.

"Be careful, for heaven's sake. They shouldn't have touched the ring to begin with. Andrew had described the 'pod' as translucent. That was approximately five hours ago. At this point, it is opaque. I can't seem to make out any definite figures within. Can you?"

Kneeling with her flashlight, Willow peers carefully through what looks like frosted glass. "Nope, me either." Turning to her mentor, she asks, "Are they? Do you think, they are OK? I mean, should we call Buffy?"

They have been holding off on calling Buffy until they arrived. No need worrying her for nothing plus it was murder trying to get her on that damned satellite phone. Just over a month ago, Buffy announced that she was going on a vacation of sorts - a novel concept for Buffy. Both realized that something else must be involved for her to plan an extended vacation without either of them unless she was coming here to Seattle to see Dawn and Xander .

When she announced her destination, more unasked questions arose. Africa – she was planning to go to Africa – 'to see what she could see.' No further explanation provided. Neither could imagine what she intended to do exactly but both assumed that it had something to do with Spike. What other connection could Buffy possibly have with Africa?

Something in her demeanor seemed to clearly ask for some distance on this one and they gave her that along with some questioning stares. Still, they have only heard from her once in the past month, a call to reassure them and to say she was OK.

Giles stands over this thing – that holds two of the Slayer's dearest – his as well – deliberating whether to call her. He has made the mistake of keeping things from her in the past.

Willow is ruminating on the same theme, some of the biggest mistakes in her life have been committed to spare someone else some knowledge, some disappointment. Meeting Giles' eyes, she reaches for the phone before recalling that it is dead. She turns to her bag and has soon pulled out her cell phone.

Sitting less than a couple feet away from the glass-like pod in the middle of the darkened floor, they attempt to reach Buffy. After thirty minutes of trying, they give up and leave her a message at the Kenya Hilton.

Both are now at a loss for what to do next. Ultimately, they vote on finding some light bulbs and trying to get the electricity back on.

*****

The sudden lights wake Andrew. Much to his consternation, he screams like a girl for a second or two. Well, actually long enough to have Willow and Giles running in the door.

It is good to see them. It's been awhile. He can't help but feel a little gleeful that an adventure is brewing even though Xander and his favorite Scooby, Dawn are in some kind of Invasion of the Body Snatchers' Pod downstairs.

After mumbled hellos and a few very awkward hugs, they are soon in the kitchen. Willow has somehow managed to bake Chocolate Chip Cookies for breakfast and some good, strong coffee. If Rupert is drinking coffee, you know it's bad. Still a bit freaked, Andrew figures anything he says will be wrong so might as well jump right in ---

"Ahhh, so what's up with the giant pulsating pod?" he asks while doing a poor job suppressing a nervous giggle.

Giles takes the bait. "I gather that the --- the ---manifestation -- - in the --- other room, was triggered when one of the two put on the ring that the Monk gave Xander. I believe they said his exact words were 'for the Key's consort, for protection'. I strenuously advised them to take caution when dealing with the object until we could examine it further. Unfortunately, it seems, they chose to charge ahead."

Looking up from her coffee, Willow chimes in, "And the word, it was Illuminata. Right?" As if they haven't talked about it over and again throughout their whole journey.

With a sigh, Giles continues. "Yes --- ahh, Andrew, you said that when you arrived the --- the pod --- as you call it --- was translucent and generating a good deal more light. Is that correct?"

"Yeah, I mean, you could see them in there – clothes on and all. Umm, not that I was looking for no clothes, it's just I did, well, they just had on clothes, OK?"

Giles and Willow share a smirk over Andrew's display. Somethings don't charge.

"So, whatever they are in --- it seems like it has gotten thicker, harder --- or something." Willow surmises.

Seamlessly, Giles picks up her train of thought. "Yes, I presume that the --- ahhh --- chrysalis. Yes, chrysalis, is continuing to develop in some way. Thus, the progression of physical features that Andrew has described up until what we have now."

Picking up a cookie distractedly, he continues speaking directly to Willow. "If it is some kind of chrysalis and we follow it through to its logical conclusion ---"

"---- then we better get a big Butterfly net!" Andrew exclaims, only to be met with matching scowls.

With an exasperated sigh, Giles continues, "One would assume that some sort of --- metamorphorsis is occurring within."

Willow shivers a bit. "Is it just me or do you not like the sound of that?"

Giles stands and does the 'clean my glasses' thing, "Indeed. --- I suggest that we research anything --- anything at all with any sort of transformative progress. We must be ready to contend with whatever --- emerges."

Chapter 6
Familiar Faces

St. Vincent's Mission
Kenya
Early fall 2008

Buffy sits on a straw mat in a bare tent somewhere in southeast Kenya. Eyes closed, the smell of spicy native incense in her nose, the only sound she hears is the buzzing of a few insects now and again. She has been mediating for the better part of an hour. She feels good. She feels focused. She feels like she is really doing something.

Since she and Willow have been in London, it seems like she has mostly been helping other people do their 'somethings' – more or less. Giles and Willow have been so involved in re-establishing the Watcher's Guild. Giles finding appropriate candidates and bringing them to London to train. Willow, re-establishing the library that was lost in the explosion. And Buffy?

What was Buffy doing? For a while she was helping to locate the Slayers that had come to the fore since the First. But after the first year or so, that kind of calmed down. And the new Watchers began to take over from there. In some ways, she had been put out to pasture. When any Slayers would visit the compound, they would look at Buffy for a good bit of awe – 'You mean you were the only one ---?' She was quite the relic at the ripe ol' age of twenty- eight.

Truth be told, she kind of envied Dawn. A home, a husband – one day, little ones. She was definitely gearing up to be Crazy Ol' Aunt Buffy.

When she got the letter from Faith a few months back she didn't have to think very long before deciding to come here to the mission. She was ready for a change, ready for a risk after all this time.

She was the only one Faith kept in touch with, Faith liked it that way. Since there were enough Slayers in the world to take care of things, Faith had been more than happy to slip into oblivion. Everybody knew Buffy was going on a vacation, they just didn't know exactly where.

And so, here she sits in a tent in the heart of Africa pleasantly exhausted from a hard day's work. Since Faith dropped out of sight – with Robin – she had somehow found her way to Africa and more specifically to pretty much being surrogate mommy, teacher, nurse maid and sometimes, soldier for about forty-odd displaced children.

While Faith and Robin weren't married in a traditional sense – at least she didn't think so – they seemed happy and very much together. They both had experienced enough loss and general darkness, to understand each other. They had found a place they could run away to and still make a difference. OK, so she evied them too! The harshness of the existence, the long days, and the hard work – it somehow seemed to quiet the immense anger and drive they both still felt from time to time.

When Faith wrote and invited her to come down and lend a hand, she also said something vague. Something about Robin had coming across a cave that might be of interest to Buffy. That it was regarding an old friend of hers. Despite herself, Buffy couldn't help but think of Spike. In fact, she spent a lot of time - not thinking about Spike.

*****

Seattle

Xander is having one of those dreams that you know is a dream on some level but you still can't wake up from it. He has been dreaming about all kinds of things that have happened to him in the course of his life except they are all rumbled up together – jumping from one thing to another.

Since being with Dawn, she is in the great majority of his dreams. He realizes that she isn't in this dream, everything he is dreaming of happened before Dawn. This thought triggers a feeling that is more nightmare than dream. He struggles to control the dream to experience her presence in some way. This should be about the time, that he starts to wake up and turns to reach for her. As soon as they touch – even in sleep – everything will be OK. But he can't, he can't seem to wake up and then he is pulled back under.

Dawn is having one of those dreams that you know is a dream on some level but you still can't wake up from it. In her dream there is chanting. There are monks. She sees something of Buffy's – a necklace, something of Joyce's – an old silver hairbrush. She hear more chanting. She feels sad, she feels like she can't move. She feels like there is something that she needs to remember but the harder she tries, she can't and then she is pulled back under.

*****

Kenya

Robin and Faith have a pretty incrediable reputation with the people of the area. Between coming between the innocent and certain death on several ocassions and their on-going good deeds, they are already legend. Being a legend can come in handy from time to time it seems.

It was actually Robin who heard about the cave. And about an especially fierce pilgrim a few years back. The rumors from the natives did not surprise Buffy but that Robin had told her did. Hell, he even gave her directions to the cave. Just goes to show you that people can change.

You could tell that telling her didn't thrill him by any means, but he told her and that's what counted. Faith had a funny little smile on her face when Robin told her. You could tell Faith had a hand in it.

As soon as she entered the cave, her spider sense went big-time wiggy. The temperature must have dropped at least 15 degrees. After a few turns and twists, her inner radar pretty much singled 'you are here.' Using her flashlight to scope the walls of the place, her frustration gets the better of her.

"Hello, Mr. Demon Guy? Hell ---loooo!!! Got a customer here! Hello!!!?"

Suddenly, there is a chill in the room that made her think twice about taunting this entity. Her flashlight goes out at the same moment the voice speaks. As she squints into the darkness, she makes out a pair of glowing red eyes. She quickly decides she is close enough. She also realizes that she has suddenly forgotten exactly what she was going to ask the demon. The trek was more seeing this, experiencing this – as he must have for her --- but now what?"

"I know what you desire." The disembodied voice states calmly.

Buffy reverts to her favorite stance – sarcasm – "Oh yeh? You saw those Joan and David pumps at Harrod's too?"

"Silence" the voice demands, the very walls shaking in response. "I want none of your disrespect. You want the vampire."

"And what if I do? He's --- he's --- he died."

"There are more things possible than not, you of all motals should know this."

He's right. Against her better judgement, she enters into a conversation with the voice (sans sarcasm). "So, lets' just say you can help me somehow, what would you demand of me."

The voice laughs, its laughter is perhaps even more horrible than its anger. "You must face the trial, than we will talk - the trial your vampire faced for you. Decide now or trouble me no more."

Without conscious thought, she finds herself saying "Yes" and meaning it.

Chapter 7
Pain and Other Strange Beasts

Seattle
Early fall 2008

From their respective seats across from the 'pod' , they can hear Andrew watching the Cartoon Network upstairs. At least it drowns out the silence.

It is really Giles' watch but Willow can't sleep. She prefers to have some company. Since Kennedy, there really hasn't been anyone. It hasn't really mattered until now – when things are all spooky again. She's channeled all of her energy into her magic, into her work. For a long time it was enough but now ---. Now - with everything upside down again – it isn't enough by far.

Somehow, Giles has become her closest ally, her mentor – her surrogate parent. But lately, she has started to feel a bit differently towards him. At first thought – and at second – she was quick to attribute her feelings to about one hundred other things but tonight, she really just wants someone to hold her. Magic, power – all the rest – is worthless – without someone who knows you, loves you. She guesses that's it. Giles really knows her.

Sitting on the opposite end of the big sofa from Giles, curled up like a little girl, Willow sighs loudly enough to have him look up from whatever he is reading and look her way.

Perhaps it is something in her face or some magic that comes from truly knowing someone else, but he opens his arms to her and she crawls across the sofa without a moment's hesitation.

And so they sit, staring at the pod – as if it were a television show. He holds her until her head falls into his lap and she finally sleeps. He muses to himself that this embrace should feel a bit more strained than it does. It actually feels quite natural, providing him with comfort as well. Too old and too wise to dismiss such a precious emotion even from such an unlikely source, he closes his own eyes as well.

*****

Kenya

Just when the pain is too much to bear, it lets up only to intensify again. The gaps of time between waves simply give her a moment to compare one impossible pain to the next. These seem less like trials and more like general physical agony. There is no way to say how much time has passed – pain has a way of screwing with your internal clock.

Finally, as suddenly as it began, it is over.

"You are very strong for a mortal." The voice says with amusement. "Perhaps the vampire did not choose as impetuously as first thought."

If she could move from her fetal position, she would have provided Mr. Red Eyes with a sassy comeback for sure.

"We talk now. You seek the vampire, the one that sought his soul for you and ultimately paid the price for your quest. Restoration is possible but there must be balance. Powers greater than I have already chosen how to strike this balance. It will be as it is ordained. One pair will pass out of the realm of power and magic and one will enter to find their own way --- or not." With that cryptic statement, the demon's eyes seem to light the whole interior of the cave. In her state, Buffy can only lie powerless as sleep or something darker claims her.

*****

Seattle

Andrew pads down the stairs about 2:00 am to begin his watch. OK, so he was supposed to start at midnight. It's not his fault that no one woke him up. He stops cold at the sight in front him. The saucy witch is curled up like a cat in the Watcher's lap. 'Well, well, well' he thinks. He starts to wake the two with a taunt but quickly remembers the witch's temper. Umm, being turned into a rat or being skinned alive – he'll pass thank you.

With a discreet cough, he rouses them from a distance and politely ignores the two as they untangle themselves. Giles looks to be thinking of some explanation when he is distracted by something out of the corner of his eye. The pod is starting to glow again with something like a light from within.

With some trepidation, they approach it. Upon closer inspection the skin – if you can call it that – seems almost brittle. You can again make out the two figures curled inside together like two twin fetuses. No words are spoken, as the pulsing light seems to increase in tempo.

Between one pulse and the next, the hardened membrane is gone and the two figures are bathed only in a dense, bright light that obscures detail. In another brief mesmerizing instant, the almost tangible light begins to evaporate until only the two figures are left – still entwined in the floor.

In the course of less than a minute's time the object of their recent speculation and dread has disappeared, leaving two bodies – clearly male and female in its place.

In that odd, surreal place that comes with shock, all at once things move both quickly and slowly. Seconds stretch out and revelations and questions bring eternities of their own that must quickly fade in the haste of the moment.

On her knees in front of the pair, Willow mechanically checks for signs of life. Both bodies feel warm to touch but not alarmingly so. Both of their faces are turned into the other and it is not until she and Giles draw the pair apart that they realize that they are not looking down at Xander and Dawn but rather Buffy and what looks like a very human Spike.

Chapter 8
Surprise

Seattle
Early fall 2008

Once the general condition of the pair is found to be stable. A closer but still shocked inspection takes place. The fact that Spike has a strong pulse is not lost on either Willow or Giles.

Reverting to her old role as student, as subordinate - Willow looks to Giles and awaits his guidance.

"Wow, I didn't know Spike was uncircumcised. Must be an English thing…" As Andrew's words fall out of his mouth, he catches a look of pure exasperation from Giles.

The comment does serve one purpose, as it springs Giles to action as he reaches for the quilt on the sofa and drapes it over the two figures in the floor.

"Um, do ya' think we should try to wake 'em?" Willow asks in a tiny voice that Giles hasn't heard from her in years.

"Yes, well --- I dare say, they'll be awake soon enough. They seem healthy enough. I hesitate to say that these are not the two that I am primarily concerned with."

Leaving the recently arrived couple in the floor, he turns back to the kitchen where his research books are housed in the cozy home that Dawn and Xander have built.

*****

Shumageara - (shu -MON -gara) - The metaphysical exchange of energies AND physical life forces. Mentioned in cases of cosmic balance. The Egyptian Book of the Dead, as well as, several ancient East African works (circa 300 BC) make mention of such a process. Unlike Possession where a spirit possess a living being, this is described as an exchange of spiritual gifts and powers on both metaphysical and physical levels.

It seems that a successful exchange can only occur when the exchange is consensual on some level.

*****

Giles turns the text over anchoring it with a teacup, and takes up a little known Slayer Journal that turned up in a safe after the destruction of the London house. It was such a nondescript little book. It was cataloged as a Slayer Journal, said to have been written by a Slayer from the mid-1780's. Giles had read it quickly several months ago but now, but now ---

April 18th, 1784

There is a slayer and there is a girl made up of slayer parts but is not one. My dream makes no sense here.

Two men come behind the women. One man is frightful but somehow not - as the second girl is slayer and not. The other man is bigger, taller. He is simply a man as I see.

The tall man comes behind the second girl and the frightful faced man comes behind the first girl. As I watch, each pair fades into each other until I see two columns of smoke. The two columns flow and cross until finally coming apart. The smoke clears and I again can see the men and the women. They are greatly changed.

The slayer is a slayer no more. How I know this, I cannot say but it is true. The man, her man is different - of the same shape but now he has a most pleasing countenance.

I then draw my eyes to the other pair. As I gaze at this pair, I see beings, as I have never seen. They are frightful and powerful beautiful - both. White fire burns from their eyes so that I must draw away. Are they angels?

With that I wake.

*****

September 3rd, 1786

The dream of the pairs has returned. First, the slayer who is no longer is rocking a babe. She looks up at smiles at me as she coos at the babe. She whispers a word - it makes no sense - it seems to have been something about shoes.

The scene fades and it is dark night. The other pair - male and female - are fighting demons. Many demons. Some men. Suddenly, the white fire engulfs the pair - they are burning, the burning spreads to the other figures - all burn. The girl walks out of the fire untouched. She whispers the same word, about shoes? I do not know.

*****

Giles looks up at the clock. Dear God, is it almost morning again? He realizes that he has not been out to check on Buffy since the terrific events of the previous evening. He had just assumed that Andrew and Willow would have come and gotten him when they awoke.

Cautious, he opens the door. He finds the scene much as he left it – the two on the floor – Willow on the couch asleep. Andrew hunched over his Gameboy. He kneels beside Willow and gently shakes her shoulder to wake her. She rouses quickly.

"Huh? … Oh… Can we wake them up now…? PLEASSSE, can we?"

For some reason, he has been avoiding this. Hoping that the tableau would work itself out without him. Unfortunately, he has had no such luck. He gives Willow a nod and she rushes to the floor like a child at Christmas.

"Buffy, Buffy – wake up. Look where you are! Look who you're with!" She exclaims as she shakes Buffy, yanking her into a hug.

With a yawn, Buffy responds. Opening her month to speak but declaring "EEEEwww, morning mouth!" first.

Willow pulls back. "Look, Buffy, look. It's Spike. I mean we think it's Spike, but he's breathing! All alive and rosy!"

Buffy's eyes catch and hold on the figure on the floor beside her. There is a slight flush to his cheek and she can see tiny laugh lines around his mouth as if someone had started the clock running for him again. She looks to Willow, her eyes like saucers, she whispers "It worked, he's back."

Suddenly Giles' voice breaks the moment. Incredulously, his voice raises, "It worked? What the hell are you talking about – 'it worked'. You did this, you traded your own sister for --- for this!!!!?"

*****

Chapter 9
Unforeseen Events

Seattle
Early fall 2008

Much still unsaid; Willow manages to circumnavigate Giles' exclamation by declaring that Spike – good, bad or otherwise – needs waking; that breakfast should be had and that clothes should be found. Only once these concerns were seen to, would the greater questions be addressed.

A part of Giles relishes the way Willow relied on him last night. But now, he thanks the powers that be that she has had the presence of mind to take charge of the situation. He follows her lead and her practical, feminine guidance that possesses a magic all its own. This reciprocal sharing of responsibility, of hard and sticky issues, draws him to her. This Ping-Pong of balance that they have found is both a revelation and a relief to him. When he steps back, she steps forward – like a dance. Her intervention has calmed him – probably saving his relationship with Buffy from irreconcilable harm.

And so, now he sits across the table from a man who has asked to be called William. Wearing one of Xander's flannel shirts, this man sits and eats blueberry pancakes as fast as Willow can make them. So many in fact that Andrew has been sent back out to the store. If circumstances were different, he might find humor in seeing Spike wearing plaid flannel and eating blueberry pancakes.

Finally, Buffy enters the kitchen, her eyes lighting on the domestic scene before her. She smiles at the man that she has obviously traded her sister for – not seeming to be overly worried at her bargain.

Willow, basking in the light of denial, asks, "Pancakes?"

"Yummy, yes, if Spi – if William – hasn't eaten them all." She says with a wink his way.

"Pancakes comin' up. I think you could both use some fatten' up!" Willow proclaims in her 'awkward-situation' cheerful voice.

With pancakes and coffee are distributed again, Willow finally slows her manic pace. The space she leaves gives Giles the cue to forge ahead. He won't wait any longer to get to the bottom of what the hell has happened.

"I say, Buffy, we need to talk about these events of yours. Exactly, how did you and 'William' here come to be here in Seattle. Moreover, do you have any idea where Dawn and Xander are or how they fit into this equation of yours?" He can't help it; he thinks as he hears the accusatory tone slipping into his voice.

Buffy's fork stills – Spike's as well – "Giles, what do you mean where are Dawn and Xander? I figured they were around here somewhere. No one mentioned that they weren't. Where are they???" she says a little frantically.

Giles lapses back to his facts, relating all that has happened in the proceeding days – the ring, the egg, their arrival, the disappearance of Dawn and Xander, Buffy's comment about 'it' working.

Both Spike and Buffy sit in their borrowed clothes quietly taking in the story. In response, Buffy recounts her trek, her trials – the vagueness of her reward, the vagueness of the demon's words.

And Spike, he knows nothing. He has just awaked – human and famished – just hours ago. What he recalls – the last thing – is simply – the hellmouth swallowing him whole. The intervening five years are a blank.

Buffy looks at Giles with that same hollow look she gave him all those years ago when he conspired with Wood to kill Spike. There is a part of him that rebels at the thought of his slayer choosing this creature over her calling, her watcher – even now.

With a deep breath, Buffy finally speaks, her voice cracking with emotion. "You thought that I somehow traded up Dawn and Xander for my own happiness, for Spike's humanity? Is that it? Is that what you think of me? After everything, this is what you think of me? Because from where I'm sitting both of us – Spike and me – have given our lives to save this world a couple times over. And you think that suddenly after all this, I somehow decided to trade my family for Spike?"

Hearing it put this way. Seeing the stricken look in her eyes, in Willow's eyes, he feels he has failed her again. Too quick to judge, too quick to find fault. It is hard to find the words. "Buffy ---"

Before he can continue, she is up and turning to Spike. "Come on, we're going to find my sister. " With that, Spike follows her without a look back.

*****

Equatorial Africa
Early fall 2008

The man wakes up. A powerful thirst is driving him. He would like to sleep more but his thirst is driving him, pushing him to the surface. Eyes open, he sees although it is dark. His thoughts are concrete. His physical need is his only awareness. There is no other. There are no words.

Squatting low, he quiets like a hunter surveying his surroundings, scenting the wind. He catches a scent. The scent is familiar and immediately becomes his target. His eyes glow faintly in the darkness, providing a light all their own. Crawling across the ground of this place, he stops when he reaches what he seeks.

TBC