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Title: The Light In Her Eyes (a sequel to "Purgatory") Chapter: Two/Two Rating: PG-16 Pairing: Willow/Buffy Spoilers: Yep, anything is up for grabs Timeline: Before Adam Beta Reader: Scotty ' Hot Lips ' Welles Disclaimer: Not mine....yet <><><><><><><> The hollowed-out halls of the compound were burnt, scorched beyond recognition. With silent steps, she entered what was left of the main office. The computers lay scattered across what was left of the tiled floor, smashed into thousands of pieces. The carved wooden desk was splintered and cracked. The filing cabinets were bent and ash-stained. Making her way to the cabinet that the torn cards read Hostiles 60-70, she braced her foot against the wall and yanked hard. Her muscles strained impossibly, the veins in her neck appearing against her pale skin. The drawer let out a long, metallic groan as it gave way. She nervously shifted through the torn files, until she found the file for Hostile 63. She flinched at the idea of being reduced to a number. A tired sigh left her lips as she opened the dreaded thing, her eyes scanning the neat computer printouts. Results of tests, findings of her DNA compared to that of a normal human's. Tucking the file into her backpack, she began to walk around the compound. Just looking, remembering, and dealing with the ghosts that she felt in every room that she entered. 'Goddess, would they have gone after Buffy next?' She sighed at the thought of her blonde friend. When she got back she was going to be in for it, using a sleeping spell on a Slayer was not a good idea, but then again nothing seemed like a good idea to her anymore. <><><><><><><> Right, left, right, left, turn. Where the hell was she? She glared for the hundredth time at the door, expecting it to open anytime now. She was furious...no, she was beyond furious. She was on the verge of white-hot, boiling rage. Her muscles, tensed to the point of pain, were wound up so tight she was ready to spring. That...that...errrr. Willow, her Willow, her best friend and confidant. The one person in this entire world that she depended on and trusted without any doubt had used some sort of sleeping spell on her. She'd woken up, half off her bed at 1:02 A.M. to find her gone. So what if she swore she'd stop following her around like an over-anxious puppy dog? So what if she had no intention to keep her promise? So what if she had bribed Spike into talking to her? Or that she hadn't left her friend alone for long since they'd rescued her? Left, right, left, right, left...turn. She had absolutely, positively, no right to do that. Damn her anyway. What the hell did she think she was doing running off alone in the middle of the night? In Sunnydale, no less. There were all kinds of bad, fanged evil things out there, just waiting for someone to snack on. Just because she was a witch didn't mean she was invincible. Did she honestly believe that her abilities would get her out of any situation? It didn't stop that bastard Riley, did it? No. In fact it was her stupid powers' fault that she got caught in the first place. After all, if she hadn't been playing around with magic then the Initiative wouldn't have wanted her, now would they? Then again, if she didn't dabble in magic, Angel would be soulless, and they would've ended up dead -- or worse -- on a number of occasions. Damn. Right, left, right, left, right, turn. Hostile 63. How could anybody believe that sweet innocent Willow was hostile? Okay, so the redhead wasn't all that innocent, but she was sweet, and self-sacrificing. Hostile 63. Did they really believe that someone like Willow could be a demon? How could they even think that? If they weren't already dead she would... No, let's not go there. Left, right, left, right, left, and turn. She growled angrily and scowled at the door. Where the hell could she have gone? She'd spent the last two hours searching every cemetery in Sunnydale. Finally, coming back here thinking that she'd come back already. But was she? No. Why did she have to be so damned stubborn? Couldn't she see what her pain was doing to her? The silence that met her everyday, the cold, measured eyes that used to hold so much life and love. Why couldn't she understand what it was like for her? She spun around, mid-pace, and stared at the redhead trying to slip softly into the dorm room. Her anger and worry evaporated into relief. Immediately, she grabbed the young wiccan and searched her thoroughly for any signs of injury, pain, bruises, bumps, poison oak, rheumatism. "Stop that." She pushed her friend onto her bed, sitting next to her, still searching her for...something. "Where have you been? Do you have any idea how worried I've been? What the hell were you thinking using a spell on me? What if I was needed and hadn't woken up? Are you okay...?" "The compound, yes, I had no choice, you would have, and yes. Does that cover everything or do you want to take my vital signs too?" For a brief instant, she was tempted to do just that, maybe throw in a complete physical to be safe. But from the look of Willow's face she didn't think she'd appreciate the gesture too much. Still... The redhead got up and grabbed her pajamas, heading for the door and most likely to the dorm floor's shower. Her mind wrapped around the girl's answers, coming back to one thing. "Just what were you doing at the compound?" A frustrated sigh left the witch as she turned sharp, cold eyes on her. "I was necking with Dru." She held back the instinct that was telling...that was demanding she check Willow's neck again. Instead she focused on her anger. "That isn't funny. You could've been..." "What? Hurt, maybe tortured or experimented on?" Willow's raw emotions hit her hard. "Been there, done that, bored now." She winced as the dorm room door slammed shut behind the retreating witch. "Oh god, it must be bad, for her to be channeling evil Willow." <><><><><><><> The scalding hot water poured down her red skin. She shuddered slightly, feeling an onset of goose bumps sending waves of chills throughout her body. Numbly, she turned the water even hotter, pressing her hands hard against the horrid colored tile wall. Her head was bowed so the water would run over her, engulfing her in waterfall. The chills gradually left, warming her cold body, but leaving the deep chill in her bones untouched. She closed her eyes so she wouldn't have to see her own body, yet behind her lids she could still see it. Raw pain tore at her as her tears mingled with the water flowing around her. The nightmares never seemed to stop for her, day or night, awake or sleeping, they were there haunting her, reminding her, demanding her attention. Blame was there, every time she saw her friends, especially Buffy. She brought that bastard into their circle, she insisted that he could be trusted, and the others had accepted that. No background checks, no doubts, no questions. Just accept and move on. "Willow? I'm sorry I was angry before." The voice came from just outside the shower, trying to be soft and tender and yet still be heard above the spraying water. Rage grabbed her heart, telling her not to trust this woman she once called her friend. The reluctant hand that touched her shoulder caused something to snap inside herself. The voice came closer as Buffy ventured inside. "I just want to make sure you're all ri--" Spinning to the concerned Slayer she grabbed her and slammed her into the wall. "No, I'm NOT ALL RIGHT! Because of YOU!!" The blonde's thin workout clothes were quickly soaked through as her eyes widened, but she made no move to break free. "You brought him to us!" Willow screamed at her, "You led him right to me! I trusted you, I loved you, and you fed me to them!!" She wanted to jerk the Slayer away from the wall and smash her back into it, or through it, but her strength failed her as the trembling began. "I know, and I'm so sorry," came the quiet reply, Buffy's voice also trembling. "I'd do anything to make it better, I'd rip my own heart out if it could undo what's happened to you, I swear." Her body language declared that she'd accept any abuse Willow could heap on her in penitence. Looking into those eyes that seemed to mirror her own soul, Willow felt the barriers within herself crack, like the mirror she'd punched her way through to freedom, then crumble and shatter. She let out a moan of deep-seated pain and horror and collapsed, sobbing against her friend. Buffy held the naked young woman close against herself, trying to shield her, shelter and comfort her. Wanting to hold the torn and ravaged body and spirit together, erasing the scars and wounds no matter how deep they ran. They sank to the shower floor together, coiled together like twins in the womb. The sobs and wails seemed to go on forever, long after the hot water ran out, but neither one moved. When they finally subsided, Buffy could feel the guarded tension finally abate in her friend's body. "I'm here, Wills," she whispered. "You're my best friend and I love you. Please, please let me in, let me help you..." Willow's eyes rose, met hers. Like a break in the storm clouds, she could see through the rage and hurt to the beautiful spirit she knew and loved. Like the sun's rays, there was a first glimmer of the light returning. The light in her eyes. "I need you," the young witch whispered, pulling her closer. Buffy tightened her grip, ready to give whatever Willow needed, be whatever she needed. Her demanding lips covered her friend's willing body, blending together in a desperate attempt to exorcise her demons. <><><><><><><> She pulled the unhealthily thin redhead tighter against her, burying her face into the back of her neck. It hadn't been a lot, but the simple smile Willow had given her had made her heart soar. It was more of a start than she could've asked for. She suddenly knew that everything would be okay. It would just take time and patience. Something she was willing to find for her friend and lover. " I signed the release waiver, so feel free to put things in my slot anytime." - Charles Angels. Odo: Madam Ambassodor, I'm not like you. Every sixteen hours I revert to a liqiud. Lwaxana Troi: I can swim. - DS9: The Forsaken. Aeris Jade Orion list mommy: erslash@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx erslash-adult@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx AIM: Aeris Jade ICQ: 51496263 AT&T/Pow-Wow: Jade Pow-Wow Community: Orion Web Site: http://members.fortunecity.com/aerissword/Index.html |