Riley looked at them both. He gulped as Buffy made a non-verbal gesture to Angel. He nodded and grabbed the knife off the table. Buffy ripped the gag off his mouth. The not didn't rip easily and Riley was pretty sure he was bleeding.
"Hi, honey. Look, I won't kill you. Unless you're going to be difficult. Now normally I don't like killing humans. But I've been known to make exceptions – especially with the evil class of humans. You do not speak unless I tell you you can speak. You won't do anything but answer my questions. You even think of apologizing, you're deader than my associate over here,
" Buffy said.
"T hanks for that,
" Angel said, bitterly.
"Fine. What do you want to know?
" Riley asked weakly and bitterly.
"Did I ask you to talk? Now, how is Catherine Madison hiding the ritual spot?
" Buffy asked. Riley looked around for a second, gulped hard. If Catherine was watching now, she'd kill him. But right now, a slayer and a two-hundred-year old vampire looked light slightly more of a threat.
"It's like a… cloak,
" Riley stammered. Buffy rolled her eyes and sighed. She talked slowly.
"What. Does. It. Do?
"
"It… makes the area… kind of… invisible,
" he said.
"God you're pathetic. Can't I eat him?
" Angel asked, his face morphing. It was only to scare Riley, something that was really getting to be fun right now, but he returned his face back to human. The thought of fresh blood suddenly disgusted him.
"Patience, patience. It helps. Now: you take us to your leader after we find a way to break the warp shields or something. Understand? Or do I need to go over the rules again?
" Buffy asked. Riley shook his head.
"Good. Oh darn, Angel. That was the only gag we had,
" Buffy pouted. She went in the kitchen for about twenty seconds, fished around a bit and came back. She held up duct tape, and smiled.
* * *
"That is of no consequence. I am nothing but a soul of what was once a person,
" the voice whispered through the wind.
"I can help you,
" the person continued. Why do you want to help us? Giles asked her through his thoughts.
"Because I… it is of no consequence. Now, I can help you, but you must cooperate,
" the voice whispered.
* * *
"The spell can de-activate the invisible cloak. All we need is… oh, we're missing some toad's stone. Just a couple. Take my car down to the Magic Shop,
" Angel was saying.
"Okay,
" Buffy said. She reached for his keys and he held them out of her reach. She gave him a look.
"Very mature,
" Buffy said. She kissed him, and then grabbed the keys. She raised an eyebrow.
"You know, despite the obvious, you don't really have O-Positive breath,
" Buffy said. She got up off the floor where they'd been surveying the plan.
"Buffy, you know…
" Angel started.
"I don't care. We have friends to rescue. I don't need the sense talked into me,
" Buffy said, slamming the door.
* * *
She took the sword from inside the fire. Her hand came out like she hadn't even touched the fire. The fire had only been to protect the most important part of the spell. She looked at the bowl on the edge of the bonfire that held the ritualistic blood. It was to draw on the bottom half of the chests on the children around the fire. If it actually pierced one of them, the poison in the blood could be lethal. The other swords wrote a smaller, yet similar symbol on their foreheads. She figured at the end, Tara could take the sword and run it through one of these pathetic do-gooders that sent her to an eternity of polishing wax and engravings. Tara approached the circle, and took the sword out of her Mother's hands. Catherine smiled warmly and her.
"Who?
" Catherine asked, amused.
"I haven't decided yet. It will be a lovely victory. With them all mourning from the loss. My only regret is that I can't kill them all,
" Tara said. Everyone in the circle had heard them. The thought wasn't comforting.
"Do not make their death quick. Do not pierce them in the lung or the heart. And you certainly must not behead them. You want to see them die slowly – the poison silently taking effect,
" Catherine said. Burst into flames! Burst into flames, Xander thought silently. Willow felt a lump rise in her throat. She tried to fight it down, but then there came a sob. She cried so bitterly she thought she would never stop. The salty, warm liquid flooded down her usually happy, rosey cheeks. She tried to bite her lip, but the tears still came. She covered her mouth, though it offered only the feeling of pure solice. She felt all alone. No one to run to, and no friends to turn to that either weren't trapped or hated her. After what happened between her and Buffy, she was afraid they would never be friends again. She knew it probably wasn't true, but it felt that way. The hurt cut into her. And she cried for another reason now. The feeling of solice returned and she covered her face and hung it, sitting down, indian style, her heart breaking into so many pieces they would be impossible to count. She felt the cold, evil stare of the two witches borring into her. She heard what they were saying, but only slightly.
"She's a fool. Forget her, and I will show you every part of magic ever created. You and I will be more powerful than anything ever known to this pitiful existance. They do not matter. White magic is nothing compared to the black arts. You sign your soul to the black arts and you will always be protected. You please the superiors, they occasionally grant immortality,
" Catherine said.
"I do,
" Tara said.
"What, a family meeting and I wasn't invited?
" Amy approached, looking smug. She was joined by Buffy and Angel. The battle began. Buffy had a crossbow in hand, and was joined by Angel with a battle ax.
"Slayer. Amy. You may have won the war all those years ago…
" Catherine was cut off by Buffy.
"Cut the dramatics, we've heard that line enough times to know that the evil person who usually says it? Loses,
" Buffy said. Willow got up and ran over next to Buffy. Before she got there, she tripped, but it was no accident. Buffy ran and helped her up. Willow began to open her mouth. Buffy smiled.
"Talk later. Evil ass kickin' now,
" she said. Willow nodded, having the thrill of the hunt light up her eyes. The spirit whispered to them. Telling them what to do. Ten minutes into the battle, the voice said,
"I know you will succeed, so now I leave you.
" Buffy passed Willow and Amy weapons from her bag, and instructed them to cut the five down. Willow quickly slashed Xander' ropes and Amy slashed Wesley and Cordelia's. Then, Giles'. The four of them went to Buffy for weapons. Willow cut Oz's ropes down. He fell quickly. He staggered, but he basically landed on his feet. They faced each other, everyone else was in the heat of battle. She looked in his eyes, and they hugged. They pulled away and he pationately kissed her. They held each other for a moment, then, she said,
"We have to…
" she said. She gave Oz her dagger and grabbed something from the bag. Because Buffy didn't want any of Team Evil getting their hands on her weapons, she'd set it outside the circle. Tara, with anger flashing in her eyes, grabbed the sword and walked slowly towards him. He ruffled through the bag, but he smelled her coming. Ax in hand, he spun around.
"You don't want to do this,
" he said, eyes flashing, ready to fight, eyes flashing with fear and desperation.
"Uh, yeah – I do,
" Tara said, smiling. She held the bowl of blood, figuring the ritual was basically over. She covered the whole blade in the blood, making sure there was enough on it so there was no way the blood could escape the blood stream. She threw the bowl aside. The vile liquid sunk into the Earth. The sword was heavy, but she couldn't feel it when she was as driven as she obviously was. She heald it up, and he matched her pose. She stopped, and twirled the blade through her hands.
"You know, it amazes me how fast this thing would kill you if I were to slice off your head, or slit your rists, and yet a slow and painful death would be so much more entertaining,
" Tara said. Noticing Oz didn't really give a damn, she returned back to her stance. Out of the corner of her eye, Buffy saw Oz and Tara. She and Angel were up against a couple of Catherine's goons. They had one nearly finished and Angel was about to deliver the last blow. Buffy touched his shoulder and shouted,
"I have to handle something. Can you hold your own?
" she asked. He nodded. He sliced off the boy's head and the other ran as fast as she could. He spun the battle ax and went for Catherine.
"Oz!
" Buffy yelled. Tara spun the sword in her left hand and held it above her head. He was lying on the ground. He held up the ax and blocked it, giving him enough time to get up. Buffy aimed the crossbow at Tara. But then she lowered it. She couldn't kill a human, but she could subdue her. If her aim was off at all, she could kill her or Oz. She wasn't as skilled with the crossbow as she was with her trusty Mr. Pointy. It always felt like Kendra, as annoyingly perfect as she was, was there fighting with her. She pulled Mr. Pointy out and ran over to where they were fighting.
"Buffy, I can hold my own – go!
" Oz yelled. As he looked over at her, his cover was gone. He was able to block the swing so it didn't pierce through him, but it got under a layer of skin, and the poison had been activated. He got up, looking at his bleeding chest, his face contorted, teeth jutted out, hair that couldn't even be facial hair grew, and he howled in pain, he was able to put the wolf back in for long enough to finish the fight. He picked up the ax, and swung it about a milimeter from her. She raised the sword again.
"Screw a slow and painful death – I'm killing you here,
" Tara said. This time, he swung the ax and, since he was a little weak, he hit her leg, she fell, face in the dirt, blood beginning to spill and Oz dropped the ax, in disbelief. The blood made him sick. There was so much of it. No one seemed to notice the other three, and continued fighting. There were only two lackeys left and Catherine. Xander had one cornered, and Angel and Catherine were havin a magic and weapon fight, which was growing old, since they matched each other's power. Which was a little ashaming for Angel. Seeing she wasn't even a fraction of his age and hadn't possibly been able to grow it as well as he could. Wesley was hiding, and Giles was doing really well. I bet it helps when you're wearing sweaters and slacks instead of pure tweed. Is he, like, in rehab with Tweed Annonomous? Cordelia thought, who wasn't really doing much to help but hold a stake and yelling at Xander. Willow, looked over, and saw what was going on. She walked slowly, jaw down past the floor, when, while Buffy and Oz had been destracted, Tara cast a temporary spell and rose to her feet. Oz looked over, just in time to watch her bring the blade down through his chest.
"Like Mother instructed: Not through the heart, not through the lung. You can die as painful as possible,
" she said. He fell to the floor. It all happened so fast, no one could register anything.
"Tara!
" Catherine called.
"Go, my dear. We have lost the spell, but we have, as the Slayer miscalculated, won the war.
"
"She began to walk to her Mother, when she pulled Willow with her.
"Your soul is mine, sweetheart,
" she said.
"Have fun dreaming that,
" Willow said, raising her stake. She brought it down into Tara's neck. Then, her leg burst as the temporary spell gave way. She lay, dead on the soft earth.
"Good job, Mom. See you in hell,
" Amy said. She focused her mind on her mother, who was stunned, and Catherine Madison fell in the fire, which no longer yeilded its power to her. The warped mist that had engulfed the minions the second Tara had died, took both Madisons. Willow ran to Oz, who was still concious, but had the jewled knife in his stomach, and blood that was growing around him. She broke into tears again and Buffy held her as they were all circled around Oz.
"Get it out!
" Oz said, some liquid in his mouth that gurgled, muffling the message. Buffy was about to pull it out, when Giles said,
"No, it will increase the blood. We have to get him to…
" Buffy cut him off.
"The hospital. Good idea.
"
"Yes, indeed. How would you like to explain to the good doctor how poisened, ritual blood on a jeweled fourteenth century sword is sticking out of the chest of a local college boy without revealing our identities and how our prime suspects are dead and evaporated into smoke?
" Wesley asked.
"We need to get him to Giles'. I can take four in mine, and I'm guessing four can go in the van. Amy, you drive the van. Cordelia, you drive my car. Do you remember the way to Giles' house?
" Angel asked.
"I think so,
" she said.
"Fine. Xander, Buffy, Cordelia and Wesley go in Angel's car. The biggest spell casters have to go in the van. I don't know how long we have to find the cure and get him fixed up,
" Buffy said.
"Uh, dying here,
" Oz said weakly. Willow cried fresh tears as she helped Angel, Amy and Giles carry him to the van. Willow sat in the back with Giles and Oz. His open chest meant that this thing would infect and spread quickly. Even if he had been wearing a shirt, not all the poison might've escaped into his blood stream. Willow's eyes looked like veinny, red cherries. You could barely see her iris in either eye. Her clothes were slightly torn from battle and there were blood spots from when she'd slayn Tara and where she'd held Oz, taking him to the van. He lifted his eyes with some effort.
"We won. Don't look so forlorn,
" he said weakly.
"We hardly won,
" Willow said.
"Death doesn't mean victory, Oz.
" He nodded.
"Yeah. I know.
"
"How do you feel?
" she asked. He managed a small laugh.
"I've definitely felt better.
"
"Just a question: Can't we take the sword out?
" Willow asked Giles. He looked up.
"Not yet. The bloodflow will be too great. After we find a cure for the poison, you need to get a blood transfer,
" Giles, said, halfway through turning his attention to Oz.
"Does it hurt too much?
" Giles asked.
"I'll deal. I don't know why I'm not wolfing out, though,
" Oz said.
"Neither do I, Oz. But I believe that since you've lost so much blood already, you're too stunned. I don't think I can make a guess right now,
" Giles said.
"From what I know, since that kind of poison typically is used in small amounts, you'll be fine,
" Giles said. Oz's jaw set angrilly.
"What happens if there was a lot used?
"
"The poison is more potent. In that case you'd have about a day,
" Giles said.
"Why? I thought it was only put on the tip.
"
"She soaked the entire thing in the poison,
" he said, stunned. He made no move. It was gradual, but with his hightened animal senses, he felt his heart slowing. It skipped a beat now and then. A day was something he would have to pray for. He closed his eyes and rested his head on the van's floor which they had softened with an extra blanket he had bought in Tibet. It was green and blue with Japanese writing all over it like poetry crossing over the two colors. Giles lifted another bigger, heavier blanket off a box in the van so he could try and stop the blood with it so the sword could come out. The green, blue and black blanket had only been used as a pillow so the crude gray interior of the bottom of the back of the van had his blood running through the sunken parts. There wasn't much that had spilled in the van. As he lifted the blanket under Oz, he slowly lifted the sword out. He made sure it would come out with as little pain as possible. Oz's face looked like he was pained, but he didn't move a muscle. Willow figured he learned how to control his pain the way he controlled the wolf, but this was too much. She looked away. The sword had been stuck in there really well, and Giles was careful not to pierce anything else. After two careful minutes, it finally came out. Giles grabbed a small glass bottle off one of the boxes in the van. He collected a pretty good amount of the infected blood. He could make an analysis if h! e had it. He could run a test on it – probably with magic, since medically he could do nothing. Willow was very tired. When they got to Giles, she was shooken awake to help Oz. She helped for about an hour, Oz whispered that he could barely feel his heart. He knew it would stop soon.
"Rest. Giles and Amy can handle themselves. You've been through enough tonight.
" She smiled and curled up in Giles' old armchair, first she had scooted it over next to the couch Oz was on so she could make sure he'd be okay. Angel hadn't come back from the parking lot where he was talking with Buffy yet. Oz gave himself another twenty minutes, so he wasn't exactly sure if it was an exaduration when his heart skipped a beat as Giles proclaimed he'd found something.
* * *
"Angel, what is it? Maybe you are sick. Do you need to sit down?
" Buffy asked.
"No. Buffy, look up – at the sky,
" he said, in amazement.
"Okay, you are really sick. Okay? Now let's get you inside…
" she started. She put her hand on his chest to usher him to Giles' door. She quickly yanked it off.
"Was that my heartbeat?
" Buffy asked.
"Can you feel your heartbeat through your palm when you touch someone?
" Buffy asked.
"Oh. Sorry. I guess it's been a while.
"
"Shorter than you think,
" Angel mumbled quietly. He had been reffuring to when the Oricals had turned back the clock on his humanity in order to save Buffy since he was no help to her without his vampire strength. Buffy finally did look up at the sky. A very little part, but enough to fry any vampire without protective headgear of the sun was up. She lowered her head slowly – stunned.
"What did you…
" she started.
"In a prophecy. It said if I reached… redemption, I would turn human. But without my strength… I'm useless,
" Angel said.
"No. I don't think so. I mean, why would they take away your strength, right? I mean, humanity's supposed to be a good thing, right? So… you were pretty buff back in the olden days, right? Maybe you… just can't fight the more powerful demons. Why aren't you happy? This is what you wanted more than anything,
" Buffy said. Angel lowered his gazed. Very softly, he took her hand. Then he looked into her eyes.
"Not quite.
" She smiled.
"Me?
" she asked. Without giving him time to respond, she said.
"I-It is me, right? ‘Cuz it would be massively embarrassing if you were to say no,
" Buffy said
* * *
