FIC: Dispelling the Darkness (6a/6)

["Red Willow" <reddwillow@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Title: Dispelling the Darkness
Author: Red Willow
Email: reddwillow@xxxxxxxxxxx
Disclaimers, summary, and other info, please see part 1.
first half of the last chapter.

***
Buffy entered the hospital, nodding a quick greeting to the night watchman 
as she made her way to the elevator.

Deciding she needed to let off some steam, and knowing it was a good bet 
that Willow wouldn?t wake again before she got back, Buffy had left to do a 
few quick sweeps of the surrounding cemeteries. Dusting two newbies and 
getting into a scuffle with one nasty wench, who had almost gotten the upper 
hand, had did little for her anxiety and anger, but at least she could be 
secure in the fact that there were 3 less vampires in Sunnydale.

Demon activity was still slow and any other time, the Slayer would have been 
itching for the demon world to decide they wanted to open the hellmouth, 
attack her and her friends, or just cause the usual chaos they always did. 
But now, however, with her best friend barely hanging on to her life, Buffy 
had no time for plots to end the world, especially since that same best 
friend had tried to do that very thing not a month before. All she needed 
was a brisk work out with a few vamps and she could breathe again.

The elevator dinged and the doors opened, allowing her to step into the 
empty box that would lead her back to the deathbed of her friend.

<She?s going to live. She?s going to make it. She?s going to be fine.> Buffy 
silently chanted.

These words had become her mantra and she would not give a second thought to 
anything otherwise. Giles was right, they all had to believe.


***

Willow walked through dense fog, feeling the slime under her bare feet, and 
barely able to make out the outlines of trees everywhere she turned. She 
was in a forest of some kind, she thought. Darkness had spread its wings 
and made seeing anything hard. She moved mostly by touch alone, feeling her 
fingers along the rough, mossy bark of tall redwoods as things she didn?t 
want to think about moved around her in the darkened fog.

Squinting, she thought she could make out a figure not too far in front of 
her. She was terrified, but her guilt moved her on, and without really 
wanting to, she kept walking towards the mysterious figure that waited 
patiently for her.

The eerie sounds of hisses, growls, and mad, childlike laughter grew louder 
as she closed in on the hooded figure that seemed to float in front of her. 
The fog was so thick, that even at only a few feet away, Willow could not 
clearly see who or what it was.

Without warning, the figure lunged at her, laughing madly as the redhead 
finally got a good look at what it was that swam in the fog, drawing her 
near.

What she thought had been a hood was actually its skin, peeled back and 
folded across the top of its skull. Teeth, many razor sharp points 
protruding from where its mouth should have been, opened and closed rapidly. 
Liquid pools of black filled its eyes. The thing?s face, or what made up 
its face since its skin wasn?t there, was a hideous assortment of twitching 
red cords that moved back and forth, the ends of which, seemed to be looking 
for a place to go. Holes dotted the creature?s head oozing a deep yellow 
puss.

The rest of the creature was draped in black. Willow thought it was a robe 
of some kind at first, but upon closer inspection, realized that the black 
that surrounded it was moving, breathing and sighing as the monster attacked 
her with a deep whining laughter from behind its chattering teeth.

?No!? Willow screamed as the thing brought its claws around her and pulled 
her toward it.

She struggled with all her might and shut her eyes to the hideous site in 
front of her. She tried to punch and kick the thing that had gotten its grip 
on her, but to no avail. Her fists and feet simply sunk into the thick 
black of its body and briefly she thought of chocolate pudding.

?NO!? She screamed again, twisting and turning in the creature?s arms as its 
teeth got closer to her face.

She could smell the familiar stench that surrounded them. Disease, rotting 
corpses, and old molding leaves. Ancient smells, death smells.

Getting one arm free through her struggle, she scratched with all her might 
at the monster?s face, pulling away throbbing red cords and sticky, rotten 
flesh.

The creature growled loudly and let it?s grip on Willow ease just enough for 
the redhead to break away. She started to run then. Run in any direction 
away from the horrible thing that had tried to make her, his. She ran on 
bare feet, slipping and sliding through the muck on the forest floor, even 
as she knew there were other things moving about in the fog, watching and 
waiting behind the trees.

She ran as branches whipped out and tasted her, leaving deep dark wounds on 
her pale skin. She heard the howling of dogs and felt their lust for her 
blood.

She was weak, her lungs felt too small, unable to hold and process the air 
she was desperately gulping down, unable to oxygenate her muscles to keep 
her legs moving. Tears streamed down her cheeks and her hair flew out behind 
her as she blindly kept running through the thick fog, kept running as she 
heard the sounds behind her grow louder. Kept running as the fog moved 
around her and the trees swayed in her presence.

Then the voices came, confusing the redhead, making her run in opposite 
directions, turning her around. Branches and roots reached for her body, 
cutting and tangling. The voices were soft at first, almost childlike. They 
were like whispers in her ear, making the tiny hairs of her neck stand up 
even as she continued to run blindly through the forest of her despair.

??this way?? One taunted.
??over here?? Spoke another.
??don?t run? there?s nowhere to go??
??nowhere??
??nothing??
??nothing but the black?? Agreed another.
??your soul??
??blacken you soul?? One whispered in her ear.

?Shut? up!? Willow screamed, as she weaved in and out of the trees, running 
slower now, her breathing becoming ragged.

??you belong here??
??don?t want you??
??they don?t want you??
??not your friends??
??not after what YOU did??
??you did??
??YOU did??

Willow slowed, not sure, but thinking she was seeing a clearing in the 
trees. The fog was thick and blackness reigned, but what she had become 
used to in the landscape was changing in front of her.

??she wants you?? One whispered.
??she needs you?? Agreed another, laughing.

Willow put her hands to her head, covering her ears in an attempt to block 
out the taunting voices that were growing louder and fiercer.

?Help me, Buffy.? Willow whispered, tears freely flowing as she ran dazed, 
into a small clearing where the fog had dispersed and left only a heavy mist 
on the ground.

?No!? Shouted one of the voices angrily.
?Don?t think of her??
??Never her??
??She hates you!?
??hates you!?
??all do??

Willow shook her head, and continued to cover her ears. But it was no use. 
She realized the voices were inside her head and it made her ill.

?No? they?? She tried, but the voices continued, growing louder and angrier.

Willow fell to her knees, hands outstretched, and allowed the bile to ride 
up her throat and out of her mouth. Her body convulsed with the sweaty 
reaction to throwing up. Tears mixed with her vomit in the heavy mist 
swirling around her.

??all hate you?? The voices continued.
??after what you did??
??remember what you did??
??kill them?
??tried to kill them??
??you wanted??
??want to??
??kill??
?Stop! No! I never wanted to? I? It was the magicks!? She tried to scream, 
but only a hoarse whisper made it pass her lips.

??your time?
??yours??
??your time to die??

Willow fell to her side and curled into a fetal position.

***


The elevator doors opened and Buffy stepped into the familiar waiting area 
with it?s gray and blue furniture, rifled through, but unread magazines, and 
the quiet sounds of the TV bolted to the wall.

?Code Blue! CCU Code Blue! Dr. Myler to CCU, we have a Code Blue!?

Buffy stopped dead in her tracks, the fear like a thick blanket wrapping 
itself around her.

?No.? She whispered hoarsely before breaking into a run.


***

?Willow??

Willow blinked, realizing that the maddening voices in her head had stopped 
some time ago as she lay on the forest floor, the thick mist coating her in 
death and decay.

The voices had stopped, but there was one voice now calling her name. A 
familiar voice that was soothing and sweet. It was a voice that spoke of 
comfort and ease, of forgiveness and guidance.

?Willow?? Came the familiar voice again.

The redhead got to her knees and looked around. She couldn?t see anything 
and the thick mist was still swirling around her. She slowly stood, the 
muscles in her legs screaming from the abuse they had endured during her 
earlier run.

?Come to me Willow.?

Willow turned in the direction of the voice and squinted. Barely visible 
several yards away was another figure, billowing in white.

Willow didn?t want to go to the figure, just as she hadn?t wanted to go to 
the monster with the teeth and pulsing face. But again, she felt her feet 
move under her and she was powerless to stop them.

?That?s right baby, come to me.?

Willow knew that voice. She recognized it as home. Her fear dwindled and 
she let her feet take her without struggle of mind, without doubt.

?Tara?? She whispered as she neared the figure in front of her.

There was a soft glow around the figure that sounded like Tara and Willow 
found herself wanting to become lost there.

?Yes, baby.?
?Tara, I? I?m so lost.?
?Then let me show you the way.? The Tara figure said soothingly.
?Show me the way?? Asked Willow, finally recognizing the figure in front of 
her.

Tara?s Ash blonde hair hung down against her shoulder in soft curls, framing 
her face. Her blues eyes sparkled with the life that Willow remembered so 
well and had grown to love within the first few times of meeting with the 
other witch. Full lips curled into a soft smile.

?Of course, darling.?
?W-where??
?Where you belong. Here, with me.?

Willow looked around, uncertainty and fear creeping back into her mind and 
body as she searched for answers in the smiling face of her fallen lover.

She wanted to hug Tara, to hold on and let her lead her wherever it was she 
wanted her. Willow smelt the familiar vanilla and patchouli in the air, saw 
the familiar sparkle in round blue eyes, heard Tara?s soothing voice, and 
wanted nothing more to succumb to whatever fate lay in store for her.

?Come Willow.? Tara said, holding out her hand.

As much as Willow wanted to be with Tara, to feel the comfort of her arms, 
and the warmth of her body, she could not shake the doubt and fear that 
stole its way across her heart.

?Tell me about it, Tara. Are you happy? here??

Tara?s smile faltered, but did not disappear.

?I?ll be much happier when you?re with me.? She said with her hand still 
outstretched to the young redhead.
?But?? Willow began, but found herself taking a step in Tara?s direction.

With all the will she could muster, she stopped her advancement. She didn?t 
know what, but something felt wrong.

?Tara? I? I did things??
?I know baby. Everything?s okay now.?
?No, I??
?You?re where you belong now.? Tara added, the soothing tone in her voice 
dropping a notch.
?I? um? maybe I should?? Willow started, looking behind her for answers she 
knew weren?t there. ?Buffy??
?Buffy!? Shouted Tara.

Willow shrinked back from the ferocity in Tara?s voice. She wasn?t sure, but 
she thought she had seen the blonde?s eyes switch between blue and black 
briefly.

?Buffy has nothing to do with this now. You belong here, with me.?
?T-tara??
?Buffy doesn?t love you. I do.?
?Yes? I know? I know you love me, but I??
?You killed for ME? remember.?

Willow nodded, scanning the area around her for a place to run. She was 
becoming extremely scared again. Tara stepped toward her, the first move she 
had made since Willow had come to her.

?T-tara? she?s my friend? she cares about me??
?NO!? Tara shouted. ?She hates you just like the rest of them! You tried to 
kill them. I?m the only one you need now. Stay with me. This is where you 
belong.?

Willow couldn?t believe she hadn?t seen it before.

?No? I?? Willow took another step back tentatively, aware that there were 
things moving around her feet, brushing against them sometimes.

Tara?s hair wasn?t the shiny soft curls Willow had mistaken it for. 
Instead, it was slick with slime, falling out and clumping together.

?Where you deserve to be.? Continued Tara, her voice empty of the comfort 
that Willow had recognized earlier.

Tara?s skin wasn?t fresh with life, it was caking and cracking, and yellow 
like old newspapers.

?No.? Willow stated firmly. ?I won?t go with you. You?re not Tara.?

Tara, or the thing pretending to be her, tilted her head and stared at 
Willow curiously before bursting into a fit of mad laugher.

Willow cringed at the sound, having a flashback to watching The Exorcist one 
night with Xander. The young possessed girl, Regan, had sounded like that, 
covering her mouth and laughing like a wicked child. The memory chilled 
Willow to the bones.

Willow took another few steps back, almost tripping.

?Who are you?!!? She screamed in rage. ?What do you want with me?!!?

The thing that had worn Tara?s body began to shake and twitch. The eyes 
became complete black pools and the soft white light around her body bled 
into red, then purple, before turning black. Its skin cracked and pieces of 
the Tara figure broke off, crumbling into the mist.

As Willow watched, the thing that she was so convinced was Tara, broke apart 
and disappeared into the mist before the voices started again.

This time though, they were not taunting voices in her head. These were 
coming from the mist that was steadily rising around her, swirling and 
moving along with whatever it was that occasionally brushed against her bare 
feet.

?We are many.? It spoke.

Willow looked in the direction of the voice, only to hear another behind 
her.

?We go by many names.?

?Oh? really?? Asked Willow, not sure what she should do. Converse with the 
voices that wanted her dead, wanted her soul? Or run like hell?

?We are the Harbinger of Sorrow.? Said one voice.
?The Bringer of Death.? Said another.
?The Demise of Time.?
?Disease and War, Chaos and Anarchy.?
?Lonliness and Despair.?

Willow rolled her eyes. At this point, she didn?t see where she could run 
and wondered if this was what her hell would be like.

?Malach Hamavet.? Said another voice.

That got Willow?s attention.

?The angel of death?? She asked, remembering her Hebrew.

?Yours.? It stated simply before cold and slimy roots wrapped around her 
ankles and swept her off her feet.

The pain was unbearable as the roots penetrated skin, twisting their way 
into her flesh. She writhed and screamed in fear and agony, choking on the 
stench of her own guilt and grief as her blood poured out onto the forest 
floor.

?Oh God!? She screamed, pulling at the roots, only to have her hands slip 
and slide along the bumpy surface.

?Fight it.?

Her eyes shot open and she tried to look around. The mist had thickened into 
the dark fog she had encountered when running through the thick trees.

She could barely hear that particular voice, but she knew exactly whom it 
belonged to.

?Fight it Willow.? Came the voice again.

?B-bufhhhh! Willow tried screaming, but the roots wrapped themselves around 
her head, gagging her, dripping black slime into her mouth.

She felt the thick black bile run down her throat and squeezed her eyes shut 
against the pain that burned like fire all over her body.

***

Willow sat on the familiar bench in the middle of the quad, digging through 
her book bag for her homemade lunch.

Buffy saw her and smiled.

<Okay, so that dress has to go, but she?s so cute.> She thought, making her 
way over to the redhead.

?Uh, Hi! Willow, right?? Buffy asked with a broad smile on her face.

Willow looked up, shocked that someone beside Xander and Jesse would want to 
talk to her.

?Why?? I-I mean hi!? Willow glanced at the bench she was sitting on. ?Uh, 
did you want me to move??

Buffy looked confused for a moment and then remembered the way Cordelia had 
treated the redhead at the water fountain earlier.

?Why don?t we start with, ?hi, I?m Buffy.? And? uh? then let?s segue 
directly into me asking you for a favor.?

Buffy took a seat beside Willow on the bench

?It doesn?t involve moving? but it does involve hanging out with me for a 
while.?

?Aren?t you hanging out with? Cordelia??

A look of confusion crossed Buffy?s face.

?I can?t do both?? She asked.
?Not legally.?

<Damn, she?s serious.> Thought the blonde.

?Look, I really wanna get by here? new school? and? Cordelia?s been really 
nice? uh, to me? anyway? but, um? I kinda have this burning desire not to 
flunk all my classes and I heard a rumor that you were the person to talk to 
if I wanted to get caught up.?

Willow brightened.

?Oh! I could totally help you out! Uh? if you have sixth period free we 
could meet in the library??

?Or not. Or we could meet someplace? quieter. Uh, louder. Uh? that place 
just kind of gives me the wiggins.? Buffy sputtered, scrambling for an 
explanation on why she really didn?t want to go back to the library.

?Oh? it has that effect on most kids. I-I love it though? it?s a great 
collection? a-and the new librarian is really cool.?

?He?s new?? Buffy asked, anxiety filling her.
?Yeah? he just started. He was a curator at some British museum? o-or? or 
the British Museum? I?m not sure. But he knows everything? and he brought 
all these historical volumes and biographies? and am I the single dullest 
person alive??

<Smart and cute.> Buffy thought.

?Not at all.? Buffy said smiling.

Willow rolled her eyes.

?Yeah, right.?

?What?? Asked Buffy. ?I think it?s good to be interested in um? stuff like 
that.?
?Are you??
?Um? well not so much? um? the whole, reading thing is kind of? um? but you? 
you?re like? totally brainy? and um??
?Yeah?? Willow said, looking down.
?Oh, well it?s good to be? ya know, smart. Better than being an idiot.?
?That?s true.? Willow smiled weakly and took a bite of her apple.
?Listen.? Started Buffy. ?I don?t think you?re boring? of course I just met 
you? but after we hang out and stuff I?m sure I won?t find you boring.?
?H-hang? out?? Willow stared at Buffy as if the blonde had grown another 
head.
?Well yeah??
?A-are you sure you want to do that??
?Why wouldn?t I??
?W-well? Cordelia??
?Oh please? I?ve talked to both of you for about 5 minutes today? and guess 
who I?d already rather be with.?

Willow was scared to answer. She thought maybe Buffy was toying with her.

Buffy saw the troubled look crawl across the redhead?s face and frowned. She 
would make it her job to give the cute redhead in front of her friendship 
and confidence.

<God, what?s up with me and the cute thing today?? Buffy asked herself.

?You. Silly.? Buffy stated firmly.
<Wow, she?s really? nice? and?> Willow thought.

?Me?? Willow glanced down at the dress her mother had picked out for her. 
?Really??
?Oh yeah.?

Willow smiled, and took another bite of her apple.

?O-okay.?
?So? friends?? Asked Buffy, holding her hand out.

Willow smiled again and nodded. She shook Buffy?s hand.

?Friends.? She agreed.







"What is a poet? An unhappy person who conceals profound
anguish in his heart but whose lips are so formed that
as sighs and cries pass over them they sound like
beautiful music"
-Soren Kierkegaard


Willow: Oh Buffy, you really need to have every square inch of your ass 
kicked.
Buffy: Then show me what you got, and I'll show you what a Slayer really is.

Who the hell am *i* to capitalize myself?


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