FIC: Legend: chpt7

["sam shadowmage_draco@xxxxxxxxx" <shadowmage_draco@xxxxxxxxx>]

Legend: chpt7

By Sam

E-mail: Shadowmage_draco@xxxxxxxxx
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters commonly associated
with Buffy the Vampire Slayer; they are used without permission. I
am only bringing them out to play with for a short time and no
copyright infringement is intended.
Archive: Just ask
Pairing: B/W
Note: This chapter is a little bit different than the others, it is
somewhat emotional in nature, met to be a interlude before Vlad
takes the battle to the next level. Hope you enjoy. As always any
feedback is greatly appreciated


Chpt7: Tears in the night

Willow stood there gazing at the Slayer as she limped over to the
couch and took a seat, her body was covered with cuts and bruises,
her cloths were torn in several places and stained with blood from
the cuts that lay beneath them. Willow rushed to her lovers side as
tears freely flowed down her cheeks, <what had the night done to the
girl who was her entire world.> Willow gently wrapped Buffy in her
arms as she slid onto the couch next her. The redhead looked into
her loves eyes and she could see the toll that this whole ordeal was
taking on the chosen one. Buffy looked broken, her eyes were filled
with the emotions that were tearing at her soul. The fear of
something happening to Willow, The uncertainty of if she was capable
of defeating Vlad and his minions, these emotions along with the pain
that coursed through her body from tonight's struggle, had left her
feeling alone and Empty. Willow saw all of this when she looked into
Buffy's eyes, and it made her heart want to break. She softly
kissed her love on the cheek and helped her off the couch announcing
that they were going up stairs so she could tend to Buffy's
injuries.

"Giles, Wesley. What happened?" Quentin inquired his face
clearly showing his concern.

It was Giles who responded, "We were attacked by several groups
of vampires throughout the entire patrol. Each time they
concentrated on the slayer practically ignoring us. As soon as we
would start to win they would flee."

Quentin studied the look on Giles face, "There's more, isn't
there"

"They were trying to weaken her, but at the same time test her,
looking for any weakness that they could report to Vlad Tepes."

Quentin got up from his chair and made his way over to Giles phone,
<it was two in the morning here so that made it eight in the morning
in England.> He knew what he had to do, "Giles I'm calling
back to the council and have them gather every watcher and slayer in
training they can get together in the next few hour and get them on a
plane here as soon as possible, hopefully they will arrive before
night fall, it would appear that Vlad Tepes is a bigger threat than
we thought," With that said he picked up the phone and began to
dial.

Buffy was lying on the bed wearing the clean cloths Willow had gotten
for her, the redhead witch had already cleaned and bandaged her
wounds and was now casting a series of healing spells to aid the
slayers healing ability. In-between each of the incantations Willow
would softly kiss Buffy on the lips and tell her how much she loved
her and how important she was to all of them. As Willow did this the
slayer softly wept tears of happiness, in the presence of her true
love she could feel her doubts, and fears slowly fade away, giving
way to the love she had for Willow.

Wesley and Megan sat at the table talking as Quentin was on the phone
with England making the final arrangements to get help for the
slayer, the council could have ten watchers and six slayers in
training here, they just hoped they would arrive before another night
once again came to Sunnydale.

Giles walked over to the chair that Cordelia was sitting in, he could
tell that she had been crying, and the emotional turmoil she was
going through showed on her face. The watcher kneeled next to the
chair and put his hand on her shoulder, "Care to talk about
it"

Cordelia's voice filled with sorrow as she spoke, "He's
being tortured, Megan saw it in her vision. Angel doesn`t deserve
that, He`s done so much for me. He showed me that I can stand on
my
own, that I can be more than I ever hoped to be."

Cordelia had to stop and regain her composer and let out a fresh
series of tears. Giles knew that their was nothing he really could
say to ease what she was going through, all he could do was be there
for her and listen, so that is what he did. After a few minuets
passed she was able to continue, "At first he was my boss, but he
has become much more than that to me, He is the best friend I ever
had. He saw past the mask I wore throughout high school and helped
me to remove it for good. I don't know were I would be without
him,
and I don't know what will happen to me if we can't save
him"

Tears once again filled Cordelia's eyes as she began to weep, Giles
softly patted her on the shoulder , "Cordelia, we will save
Angel," Giles said in a comforting voice trying to ease her pain,
but
deep down in his heart he wondered if that was a promise he would be
able to keep.

Angel hung from the chains that held him prisoner, his head hung down
as he softly wept. He was in constant agony from the damage Vlad
Tepes had brought upon his Vampiric body, though he never before
considered himself religious he now prayed to the Gods to end his
suffering and allow him to die, he had given up, in his mind their
was no hope for escape from the Master Vampyre.

Vlad Tepes and Spike had been listening to the various reports from
the vampires He had sent out. The slayer was even stronger than he
had first suspected, for the first time in centuries he was one again
was becoming excited at the thought of battle. She was going to be
a challenge to turn, but he had every confidence that once he had the
witch within his grasp, the slayer would follow. After all
humanities down fall was that they got so wrapped up in their love
that they lost sight of there surroundings, and when that happened to
the slayer he would strike.

Cordelia tossed and turned in her sleep, visions of Angel's
suffering filled her mind and tore at her heart. Then the images of
her friend began to fade, she found herself standing in a unfamiliar
place. She was somewhere and nowhere at the same time, darkness
surrounded her and it appeared that she was completely alone, up
ahead was a bright light so she began to walk towards it as a voice
softly beckoned to her, "Come."

It seemed that she had been walking towards the light forever and
just when she thought she would never reach it, she was there.
Slowly she stepped into the light and found herself standing before
the Oracles of The Powers That Be. They looked at her and
spoke, "That which makes Vlad strong is also his weakness, for
the slayer to defeat him she must use it against him."

Before she could ask them what they met everything began to fade,
then she awoke. Cordelia jumped up and rushed to Giles bedroom and
began pounding on the door. When a groggy Giles opened it she yelled
at him, "We need to talk now."

Willow and Buffy laid side by side snuggled up against one another
sound asleep. They had talked for over an hour after Willow had
treated the slayers injuries. Willow had held Buffy in her arms
easing her anguish, and with unconditional love taken away the
negative emotions that were dragging Buffy down. The magic and the
slayer abilities would heal her wounds, but it was Willow who had sat
there by her side and healed her soul. In her lovers embrace Buffy
had found the confidence that Vlad had been slowly taking away, and
she realized that the feeling of emptiness and of being alone was
only an illusion her mind had created, as long as Willow was there
she would never be alone. As Buffy drifted off to sleep she felt
that she could win against Vlad if but for one reason, she had Willow.

As the two girls slept and the predawn sky began to cover Sunnydale,
the Goddess looked down from the forever at the two girls and spoke
to Willow in her dreams, "Fear not faithful Wicca, We have heard
your pleas and are with you and the Chosen One"