Disclaimer: Joss & Co. owns all these people, demons, creatures, etc. You know the drill.

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Chapter Five - Going to Ground

"Spike?"

The voice in the dim light startled the vampire out of his reverie. Normally the bot didn't speak unless they were running a program. He supposed it was time to recharge it, and it felt he needed reminding. He rolled over and looked into the all-too-familiar eyes.

"Yeah."

"Is my performance not satisfactory?" the Buffybot asked. The troubled expression on its face was almost as stunning as the question.

"What d'ya mean?" Spike asked, honestly confused. The bot frowned, trying to express something it was struggling to understand.

"My programming tells me I am to make you happy, but I have not. You're sad. And sometimes I think you're mad at me. I think I must have a malfunction."

"I'm not mad at you," Spike said, looking at the bot with sad near-affection. "And your performance is fine. You're doing the best you can."

"Then I do not understand. Please explain why you are sad," the bot said innocently. Spike was going to yell that it was none of its business, but the guileless concern in its eyes made him reach out and stroke its cheek gently instead.

"Because Buffy's gone," he said, his voice harsh with pain. The Buffybot looked puzzled.

"But I am Buffy."

"No, you're not," Spike said with a humorless laugh. "You're just not, luv. No matter how much you look like her, sound like her, fight like her...everything else like her, or so I imagine...you'll never be Buffy. S'not your fault."

"Maybe if you had Warren change my programming..."

"No!" Spike exclaimed angrily, then softened his tone again. "No, luv. It wouldn't help. You can't be her." He turned his back on her. "She's gone."

The Buffybot had been programmed not to cry, but as it turned its back on the vampire it loved, for the first time it wished it could. It never occurred to it that wishing was outside of its programming too.

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"Willow, wait!"

Willow turned jerkily, plastering a fake smile on her face.

"Xander, hi! Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, everything's just fine. How are you?" he asked, his brown eyes concerned. The phony smile slid off of her face at once. He was alarmed at how pale she was, at the shadows he saw under her eyes. His best friend appeared about to collapse from exhaustion.

"Tara called you," she said flatly. "She told you about tomorrow."

"Yeah. Will, why didn't you call me?"

"I just...I'm sorry, Xander. It's hard for me to talk about it."

"She's really worried about you, and so am I," he said.

"I'm okay. I'm dealing. I have to go."

"Promise me you'll come by the Magic Box later. Anya wants me to meet her new boyfriend, I could use the moral support."

"Are you okay with that?" she asked, quick to set her own worries aside as always when he was in crisis.

"It's weird," Xander admitted. "But I'm okay. Giles likes the guy, and if he makes her happy then I'm happy for them both. That sounded mature, right?"

"Definitely," Willow said with the ghost of a real smile on her face. "Don't worry. I'll go by the shop after school. I've really got to get going, I'm gonna be late for class as it is."

"Sure. Go. Giddy-up. Off with you!" Xander said, making shooing motions with his arms. Willow giggled at his silliness, but the second her back was turned her smile was gone and the gray fatigue again clung to her features. She was actually going to see a powerful warlock that she had heard might be able to help Tara. And if not, she was hoping he could give her some clue of how to end the spell that was dragging her down into madness.

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Sana watched as her husband left the medical tent. He looked wearier than she had ever seen him, but his eyes were alight with purpose in a way she had not seen for some time. Helping a Warrior of the Light cross over from the Deathlands was definitely the most dangerous thing he had ever attempted. But it was also probably the most important ritual he had performed, and mercifully it had been successful. Sana was a mage of some skill herself, and she had already read the portents. Something dark and foreboding was coming.

"How are they?" she asked as he reached her and they touched foreheads in greeting. He grimaced, but his eyes were hopeful.

"Unwell, but it is to be expected. To go through such a thing untouched would not be possible."

"But you believe they will recover," Sana asked. Her husband nodded confidently.

"The Light is strong in them. It will see them through this, make them well. But the Warrior is changed. Only time will bring her back to wholeness. Time and love."

"She is needed. The balance is tipping towards the Darkness," Sana observed. The shaman nodded gravely.

"I too have seen the signs. I only hope she will be ready to help in time to restore the balance. Soon it will be too late."

Wrapping his arms around his wife, the shaman walked wearily away. Inside the tent, Buffy slept and she dreamed. In the dream she saw people, people she knew but couldn't quite remember. People she knew were her friends. She saw a red-haired girl, the one she knew was her very best friend, fall into a huge dark spider web, getting more and more entangled until she was completely wrapped in the strange threads. A dark haired young man [*Xander*, her mind whispered] tried to cut her loose but the silk strands were too strong. Then the redhead...*Willow*... burst forth from her silk cocoon, transformed into a monster. She set upon Xander at once and devoured him...to the side a blonde girl...*Tara*...watched and wept. Then a silver figure appeared and everything grew incredibly cold, and she heard a girl scream. The girl was Anya, her mind told her...and then she saw all of them, Anya and Tara and all her friends turn blue and then silver and then black and disappear, and the figure grew nearer and nearer and Buffy was ice, her whole body was ice and she couldn't bear it...and the figure spoke a word, one single word that made Buffy awake with a scream.

The word was death.

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"Hello Cas."

Cas almost dropped the jar of marnox root he was holding. He had almost forgotten the reason he had come to Sunnydale in the first place, the benefactor that had made it possible. He quickly kneeled before her.

"I am honored, Mistress," he said, trembling with nervousness.

"Rise, my child. It is you that honors me," Ostara said smoothly. Cas got to his feet and met her gaze. He couldn't repress an involuntary shiver.

"I...I do?" Cas stammered. Ostara smiled coolly.

"Yes, of course. You have done everything I've asked. You have found Anyanka, worked your way into her life." Ostara's mention of his girlfriend made Cas forget his fear; he bounced enthusiastically, his eyes twinkling with delight.

"Yes, yes, mistress. I must thank you. Anya is...she's just so wonderful. And being human is just amazing. I've never been so happy."

"I'm delighted," Ostara answered, her tone neutral. She regarded him for a moment before she continued, "I must ask, Cas. You haven't forgotten your first loyalty is to me?" Cas' blue eyes widened in shock.

"Mistress, do you doubt me? You rescued me, you...if it wasn't for you none of this would be happening. I am your servant, now and always," he answered fervently. She nodded in satisfaction.

"Excellent, Cas. Soon I will ask you to do one final favor. Once you have completed that task, you will be free to go wherever you wish."

"Thank you, mistress. But I think I'll be staying here in Sunnydale. Anya's here, and I want to be wherever she is." Ostara smiled thinly, fading out of Cas’ sight but watching him speculatively for a few moments more. Things could not be going more according to plan.

"We shall see, my child. We shall see."

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