FF: Stuck In Overdrive (6/9)

["Jamie" <jamie@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

TITLE: Stuck In Overdrive (6/9)
AUTHOR: Jamie (jamie@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx)
DISCLAIMER: All characters belong to Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy. I don't
own anything. The idea of the 'feeders' is from Terry Brooks' Word & Void series, adapted.
SUMMARY: A few months on from the events of 'Stuck In The Feedback Loop', Willow grieves Buffy's death. Xander has turned to other methods to cope, and Giles is at a loss as to what to do. The arrival of Billy, a boy who's comatose state allows for nightmares to become reality complicates matters further.
SPOILERS: Unless you haven't seen season one...
DISTRIBUTION: E-mail me.
AUTHOR'S NOTES: Hey, sorry for this taking so long...too many heavy weekends and birthdays to dedicate much time to it. Anyway, this chapter deals with the development of the plots for Buffy and Willow, who have rediscoveredeach other, and have to face some unpleasant truths, and for Xander and Giles, who have lost their friend, and now have some difficult decisions to make. Fairly graphic-ish descriptions of battle, although I suppose you could class it as murder in some way. Character death (I'm developing a nasty little trend with that, actually...). Don't read if you're hung about that sort of thing..yadayadaya...the short part 7 will follow this, so look out for that. Later.





CHAPTER 6

>From Autumn To Ashes.




Jenny led Billy out through the winding maze of corridors, through the doors and out to the front of school. A dark blue Citröen waited for them, the engine running and the windows blacked out. The boy was bundled in quickly, and the vehicle sped silently away from the school.

The journey passed in relative silence, any attempts by Billy to discover where they were going were met with grunts, or single word answers. Eventually he just gave up and went along with the ride. After an hour or so of driving through the roads and highways outside Sunnydale, they came to a pull-in by the forest treeline. The car swerved over and stopped, and the driverdisembarked immediately. A heavy fog hung over the area, and the canopy oftrees obscured any sunlight from entering the forest. Jenny dragged him out of the car now and pulled him along. Billy began to panic, and struggled against her surprisingly firm grip, which caused it only to tighten around his wrist. He whimpered in pain as he felt the blood being cut off from hiswrist, and from fear at what was happening. After a few minutes the reached their destination.

The wood opened up into a circular, grassy area ringed by hundreds of burning candles. Around the clearing stood nine people, all wearing black robes with their cowls over their heads, which obscured their features, just liketheir mysterious driver. In the centre of the clearing a stone altar stood, about the length and width of a grown man. Shackles hung loosely from itssides, and on the top were inscribed arcane runes and symbols. Billy struggled against Jenny's hand but she held on tight and stood still as they cross over into the circle. She looked down at him, emptiness and an absence of emotion in her eyes that he found terrifying.

"Sorry, Billy."

He screamed as two of the robed figures grabbed him by the arms and lifted him towards the altar.

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Willow scrambled up the fire escape to her left with Buffy, the strange creatures leaping and gnashing at her heels, missing them by a hair's breadth.Despite her weariness and sudden fatigue in her muscles, she pulled herself up rung by rung until she was on the roof. Looking over the edge, she sawthe creatures retreating back into the shadows, their glowing eyes lookingup at her, filled with dark promise. She spat over the edge and turned around.

She felt like pinching herself, because she must be dreaming.

Standing there, exactly how Willow remembered, was Buffy.

"Buffy..." The redhead began, unable to make the words come out. "Is it...is it you?"

Buffy smiled, tiny dimples showing themselves on her cheeks. She shyly brushed a few errant strands of hair from her eyes.

"Hey Willow." She said softly. A moment's silence passed between the two, before Willow darted forward and embraced her tightly. Buffy wrapped her arms around her friend as well, and they hugged for long seconds, each not wanting to let go. However, eventually it broke off and they stood back from one another.

"Sit down, I'll get a fire going." Buffy said, already moving off to collect smashed pieces of wooden pallet lying around on the roof, and dead leavesfor kindling. Willow glanced back over the edge, then back at Buffy, stillreeling from her appearance.

"It's okay, they can't come near the light. It hurts them." Buffy said, catching Willow's glance over the roof. "And, Willow." She said, not missing the doubt and confusion in the redhead's eyes. "It is me. I mean, as much ofme as there is. Not that there isn't much of me missing, but now that I'm all..." Willow cut her off in mid-babble with a finger softly pressed against her lips. Slowly and hesitantly, as if for the first time, she leaned forward in brief movements, until their lips met. It was a single touch, but it lasted for a long time. When the kiss finally ended, Willow put her armsaround Buffy's shoulders.

"I know it's you."

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Xander and Giles walked in silence from the auditorium, carrying the brokenbody of their friend on a makeshift stretcher they had constructed from a table they had snapped the legs off on the stage where she was murdered. The walked for what seemed like forever, but in reality was only three or four minutes until they reached the front of school, where Giles knew his Father would be waiting.

Sure enough, he was standing there, pristine and smart in his suit and tie.They set down Willow's body slowly and with respect, then waited for the phantom to approach them. Giles' father approached within ten feet, and stopped, waiting for them to say something. The ghost was playing a dangerous game, any wrong move could spell disaster. For although they did not trust him, he did genuinely want to help them. He was created from Giles' doubts and uncertainties, but that still took a measure of his personality, and as a result, his kindness and compassion.

"Why." Giles began, breaking the silence. "Why her? She was innocent. Had she not suffered enough, that she had to finally die in sorrow and shame. She did not deserve that, and you know it."

"No one deserves that Rupert." The ghost said quietly. "I did not cause herdeath, and your blame is senseless. You ask why, when the real question iswhy not. Does it not make sense that she would be the one to fall? That she would suffer the most, as she already has. History, after all, repeats itself." The pair's faces fell with grief and a new wave of sorrow.

"But you can change all that."

They looked up, Xander with something resembling hope sparking behind his eyes, Giles with suspicion and cynicism.

"How?" Xander asked quietly, his voice hoarse.

"Xander, we cannot." Giles began, but the boy cut him off.

"Willow was all I had, she was my family and my best friend. If there's a possibility.no matter how remote.I'll take it." He said in clipped tones, speaking from his heart to the older man. Giles' father smiled sadly at Xander, then spoke to them both.

"Billy is the key. As we speak, he is in grave danger. Should they take himthen all is lost."

"Who?" Giles asked, still suspicious.

"A cult, ancient and powerful. They believe that Billy is their messiah, that he is their apocalyptic harbinger. He is the dream walker, the child whocan transist between the astral plane and this. In short, they will try touse his ability to bring about the destruction of the world. Imagine everyone being trapped within their own head, within their own nightmare." Xander looked down at the face of his dead friend and closed his eyes. Some of us have been for a long time now.

"The end of the world, how original." Giles muttered wryly. "How do we stopthem?"

"They are human, no matter how misguided, how twisted or depraved." His father replied. "There is no trick to it." He looked directly into each of their eyes as he said this. "Should you succeed and interrupt the ritual afterits commencement, the resulting excess power in the area will tear realitymomentarily. It will rip a hole in the fabric of space and time. You can take this to the beginning, stop this where it started. With the creature Kharkov and Buffy on that fateful night those long months ago. In the north forest they wait, just off Highway 183 outside Sunnydale interchange. Followyour instinct, you will find them."

The form of the apparition shimmered once again, as if he was losing purchase on reality momentarily. He looked at the sky, and began to fade.

"I do not envy you in this. You have very difficult choices to make. Both of you. If the time comes and you hesitate even a little, then all will be lost. Remember that."

His form completely disappeared, leaving nothing behind but wind, two broken sprits, and the body of a fallen angel.

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Buffy and Willow sat around the small fire, the heat keeping away the chillthat pervaded the area.

"What were those things?" Willow asked, holding her hands over the flames, letting them lick the air close to her skin.

"They are called Feeders." Buffy replied, looking over Willow's shoulder. "They sense strong emotion and are drawn to it, like sharks are to blood. They feed on feelings."

"And this place." The red head began, then trailed off, leaving an opening for a response..

"This place is what you make of it. How you feel, what.what is inside you at the moment is reflected by your surroundings. There is no single place called Heaven and no single place called Hell. Sure there are various dimensions that call themselves Hell, but really, it is here." Buffy pointed to her chest. "You have a torn soul, Wil. You've suffered so much and seen so many things that no person should have to. Until you can learn to leave that behind and move on, to stop blaming yourself for what has happened, then you will always be here." 

Willow looked around at the landscape. It was Sunnydale, but it was darker,it was twisted. More than ever she wanted to get out of this place.

"And with them." Buffy finished. Willow's head shot around, her senses buzzing frantically. All around her, at the periphery of the fire's reach, there were hundreds upon hundreds of glowing golden eyes.

"Buffy." Willow began. "I want to go home." The blonde smiled.almost sadly.and nodded her head.

"Then we'll begin."

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The Gilesmobile sped down Highway 183 at breakneck velocity, each of them looking out for the pull-in. Sure enough, they eventually came to it, recognisable by the dark blue Citröen parked outside. The clanky old car pulledin behind it, Giles making sure to turn off the light straight away. He climbed out of the car, Xander close behind him, and they made their way to the trunk. Flipping it open, they turned on their torches.

Inside the trunk was literally an arsenal. Swords, axes, daggers, stakes, crossbows. You name it. Xander picked up a long twenty-one inch sword, and aone handed axe. Giles chose a crossbow and another twenty-one inch blade. They closed the trunk and locked it, before setting off into the woods, following their senses and their instincts. They reverted to their most primalfunctions, their most predatory biological processes to guide them, to seek out Death in the forest.

It didn't take them long. No less than two minutes away from where they hadentered the forest, the pair stopped before a clearing that suddenly opened up. Nine hooded and robed figures stood in a circle, surrounding something. Candles illuminated the whole of the clearing. Xander began to move off to the side, but Giles put a hand on his shoulder, stopping him. The boy followed his gaze to the edge of the clearing. Jenny Calendar stood at the edge, watching the ritual with an intense gaze. Giles' face visibly darkened,and he motioned for them to enter the ritual ground. They straightened themselves to their full height and strode in confidently.

"Knock knock." Xander shouted, all of the figures stopped chanting and turned around. "Oh I'm sorry, this isn't Starbucks!"

The cultists parted, and the two saw what they were crowding around. A stone altar, with etched runes glowing green inside it. On top, shackled and bound to the granite top, was Billy. A ring of fire surrounded the altar, itsflickering allowing them to see through.

Giles released an arrow as the cultists started towards them. One was hit in the stomach and flew backwards. Xander flung the axe and it struck one inthe chest, crimson blood flowed out as the person fell to the floor. Somewhere inside himself, Xander thought it should be bothering him that he was killing humans, but to be honest he just didn't feel anything. He was numb,numb from loss, numb from pain, and numb from horror. He knew that he was crossing a line he couldn't return over. That he was irrevocably changed was unquestionable.

By now Giles had nocked another arrow and fired, then another. Four cultists were down, but that left the other five. The watcher threw the crossbow to the side and drew his sword from where he had planted it in the ground. Xander did the same and they ran towards the small line, swinging their swords. Two people were instantly eviscerated and they fell to the ground, clutching their intestines. Xander ran another through with his sword, then, asthe cultist fell to his knees, he pulled the sword out and swung it in an arc, decapitating him. Heh, the boy thought, go me. Giles did battle with the last, and the largest cultist who wore black robes with golden runes glowing along the hem. Their swords clashed and sparks flew, yet neither gave up. It was hard to distinguish luck and prowess as they battled, but eventually a gap opened in his opponent's defences and Giles swung with all his might.

The sword hit the cultist, and shattered on impact. Giles stared at the broken hilt of his weapon for a second before his opponent backhanded him and sent him flying to the floor. The air was knocked out of his lungs and he struggled to move backwards as the tall, robed man approached him, hands clasping the hilt of sword which was outstretched before him, blade pointed down. The cultist raised it above his head. Giles closed his eyes.

Suddenly Xander was there, jumping in between the two and swinging at the man's sword. It was knocked from his hands and fell about a metre to Giles' left. The older man scrambled to the side and picked it up. He didn't know if it was his imagination, but he could have sworn the blade began to glow a dull blue. He looked up suddenly, tearing his gaze from the metal, and towards Xander's battle. He was losing now; falling backwards as Giles had a second ago. The Watcher strode forward confidently once more, then brought the sword up to his hip, blade pointing forwards. The robed cultist looked at him just as Giles thrust the sword outwards. This time it went through, and a sickening sound of parting flesh could be heard as black ichor dripped from the wound. The man.demon.whatever the hell he was.roared in pain andfell to the ground. Rupert stood over him in the way that the cultist had mere seconds ago, and slammed the sword down into his chest. He spasmed fora few seconds, like a fish caught on a hook, then fell still.

Giles and Xander panted as they looked around. The flame around the altar was still burning strong, and they hurried over to it. Billy was fully awakenow, seemingly recovered from his previously groggy state, and shouted outat them. Giles removed his jacket and wrapped it around his arm, then jumped through the flame, falling and rolling on the other side. He stood up and swung his sword at the chains attaching the manacles to the altar. They broke straight away, and Giles gathered Billy into his arms, putting his jacket around him. He turned around to find Xander, and stopped. 

The boy stood rigidly still, his eyes wide open, and his feet about ten inches off the floor. Five wicked looking claws protruded from his chest, and blood seeped from his mouth out of one corner. He was unceremoniously thrown away, like a straw doll a child could throw across the room, and landed about three feet to the right, blood pooling underneath. In his place stood Jenny Calendar, or what was once Jenny Calendar. Her face was twisted almost beyond recognition, her eyes red and piercing. Each finger on her hand ended in a very sharp, very long nail. Her skin was a bizarre colour, almost as if she'd rubbed too much fake tan lotion on.

"Hey Rupert," Jenny chuckled, her voice deep and baritone. "Miss me?"



End Chapter 6



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Okay, so it wasn't the best chapter in the world, but at least I got it outin the end.



Jamie
jamie@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"So go ahead and label me an asshole cuz I can accept responsibility for what I've done, but not for who I am." - NOFX, 'Don't Call Me White'
http://www.buffywillow.com

Glory: Funny. 'Cause I look around at this world you're so eager to be a part of ... and all I see is six billion lunatics looking for the fastest ride out. Who's not crazy? Look around. Everyone's drinking, smoking, shootingup ... shooting each other, or just plain screwing their brains out 'causethey don't want 'em anymore. *I'm* crazy? Honey, I'm the original one-eyedchicklet in the kingdom of the blind. 'Cause at least I admit the world makes me nuts. 

Xander: Yeah, I'm gonna have to go with deadboy on this one. 
Angel: Could you not call me that?