Chapter 5
Buffy remained still as she listened to people moving around the room. No one was talking, and that frustrated her. I can't learn anything if you don't talk , she thought. She wished she could just see the clock. Knowing the day and time helped her feel a little better.
Suddenly, someone grabbed her arm, and her breath caught in her throat. Thinking she'd been caught, she waited for the prick of the needle in her arm that would send her to sleep again. It didn't come. Instead, she felt something being tied around her upper arm. Then she felt the needle slide into her arm. She had to fight to remain still as she suddenly realized that they were drawing blood. What are they doing? she wondered. She knew that whatever it was, it couldn't be good.
"Get three vials from that one," someone said. "He thinks she's the key to all the cures."
Buffy silently cried, wishing she could do something to stop them. Giles, where are you? I need your help , she thought. I don't know what they're doing, but I know you could stop them.
As soon as the people left and she heard the door close, Buffy opened her eyes. She didn't care anymore if she was caught. She needed to see where she was. First, she glanced at the clock on the wall. It showed 7:18 pm, Thursday. Then she looked around the room. The room was filled with hospital beds. When she looked closer, she could tell the Slayers were on the bed, and they were all strapped down like she was.
Giles, please. We need you , she cried as she felt another needle in her arm. She cried as her world went black once again.
~~~~~~~~~~
Giles gasped as he sat bolt upright in bed, sweat dripping from his face. "Bloody Hell!"
Willow rushed to his side. "Giles, what happened?" she asked as she sat next to him and took his hand in hers.
He took a deep breath to calm himself. "I think Buffy was reaching out to me in my dream," he said. "She's in trouble. Someone is experimenting on her and the other Slayers. I saw them." He took another deep breath and looked at Willow. "It was probably just a dream and my wishful thinking."
Willow reached up and touched his cheek. "Maybe not," she said. "I found something while you were sleeping. Do you remember the reports about someone stealing magical powers?"
"Yes. What about it?" he asked. "Well, I found out that it was a scientist. Well, actually he's a doctor that specializes in research." She got up and grabbed her notebook and brought it back to Giles. "Both his wife and daughter have some serious and rare diseases. When he couldn't find a medical cure for any of them, he turned to magic."
"He stole magic from others in an attempt to cure them," Giles guessed.
"Yes," Willow confirmed. "Now there are rumors that he may have cures, but needs volunteers to test them. I'm seeing ads all over the internet wanting terminally ill patients for a research study."
"Of course, he wouldn't want to test it on his wife and daughter," Giles sneered. "But what does any of that have to do with Buffy and the Slayers?"
"I think he's somehow using the Slayers to create this new cure," Willow said. "Giles we have to rescue them soon. Who knows what he's doing to them?"
"Can't we just answer his ad and get to him that way?" he asked.
Willow sighed. "It's not that easy. I looked into it. The candidates don't go to him to apply. Someone is sent to them. If they pass the screening process, they are transported to the medical facility where the trials will take place."
Giles silently seethed. If he could, he would rip apart the fabric of the universe to bring the Slayers home.
Chapter 6
Giles paced as he waited for Willow to finish speaking. Several times, he'd wanted to stop her and ask questions, but he waited. Willow had been researching non-stop all night. This new lead sounded promising.
When she was finished, he stopped and turned to her. "Let me get this straight," he said, running a hand through his hair. "He cured his wife and daughter, and now he's opened his 'health resort' to anyone that needs cured of any ailment."
"That's the word on the 'net," Willow said.
"It doesn't make sense." Giles started pacing again. "He must have a bigger agenda. There must be something we're missing. He invites them to his resort for free, promises to heal them completely, and doesn't ask for anything in return."
"And there's still no phone number or address, just the contact form on the website," Willow punched some keys on the laptop. "I'll search again. If we don't get Buffy and the Slayers back soon ..."
"I know," Giles said. The world was in trouble without the Slayers. Los Angeles was overrun with demons and vampires, even with Angel and his team out every day fighting them. He knew the rest of the world was worse. There were a few havens around the world where various covens had set up safe zones for people, but they would soon run out of room for new residents. It was only a matter of time before the vampires and demons outnumbered the humans. Then along comes this man with the keys to heaven, or so it seemed.
Giles stopped suddenly. "That's it!" he proclaimed, startling Willow. He sat down next to her and stared at the computer screen. "Does he say how long people need to stay?"
"No," Willow answered. "What ...?"
"He's got them all in another dimension. Right?" Giles asked.
"That's the current theory," she said looking at him. "Giles, what do you think he's doing?"
He waved away her question and asked one of his own. "What ages is he targeting for this? What type of people?"
Willow looked back at the computer and typed in a few things before answering. "People in their twenties and thirties and single, divorced or widowed."
"He's creating a new world." When he saw Willow's puzzled look, he explained more. "He's so angry with this world that he doesn't care what happens to it, but he needs people to populate his new world. Once he has enough people, he'll close the portal."
"And we'll never get them back."
~~~~~~~~~~
Buffy wondered why she seemed to wake when the other Slayers didn't. Of course, maybe they did, and she just didn't know it. She really doubted it though. Something deep inside her told her that if they were ever going to escape this place, she was going to have to find the way. She couldn't count on the other Slayers or outside help.
This time when she woke, she risked a super quick glance at the clock before closing her eyes again. It was 9:52 am, Saturday. Why does it feel like I've been here longer than a week? she asked herself. Have I lost more time than I thought?
She was startled out of her thoughts by a sound that sent a chill up her spine. She hadn't realized that she'd become accustomed to the sound of all the heart monitors. The constant beeps that showed that they Slayers were still alive had become a comfort to her. Now that comfort was shattered as one of them blared the shrill noise of a constant flat note. One of the Slayers was dead.
Buffy lost all sense of time as she listened to them try to revive her again and again. The didn't stop until the sharp sound of boots hitting the floor drowned out the noise. The boot strikes echoed around the room.
Suddenly all the noise stopped except the constant beeping for the Slayers that were still alive. The silence was unbearable for her, and she knew it must be terrible for whoever had let this happen.
Finally, someone spoke in a weak voice. "It was the dreams, sir. They've been working to keep the Slayers asleep."
"So, what went wrong?"
"We think she had a nightmare. We can't control what they dream, only that they dream at all. She must have had a heart attack from the nightmare."
"Fix it! I don't want this happening with any of the others. Do you understand?"
"Yes, sir," a chorus of voices answered.
Buffy listened as the doctor turned and left the room. Once the door closed behind him, she opened her eyes. The others weren't paying any attention to her, but she didn't care if they did. She needed to know which Slayer was gone. It was important that she know. She caught only a glimpse before they pulled a sheet over her face, but it was enough.
Her resolve strengthened, she set her mind to finding a way to escape.
~~~~~~~~~~
Giles couldn't sleep. He really wasn't sure why except that he had a restless feeling. So, he sat watching Willow sleep. He thought about what had happened since that fateful day when the bus had crashed.
Dawn and Xander had grown closer. Dawn had lost a sister, and Xander had lost a best friend. It was natural that they would comfort one another. At some point, they had decided to share a room. This didn't surprise Giles at all as he had chosen to share a room with Willow. Though with Willow, he had told himself it was because they researched together. It was more convenient. He kept trying to convince himself of that.
The truth was that they also found comfort in each other. They both felt responsible in a way. He had encouraged Buffy's plan to turn the potentials into Slayers, and Willow had performed the spell. It didn't matter that they couldn't have predicted this outcome.
He stood and walked around, trying to shake his sudden melancholy mood and the restless feeling. Moments later, he felt the loss of one of the Slayers. An instant later, Willow cried out and sat upright in bed. "No!" she cried.
Giles was at her side instantly. She fell into his arms, crying. He feared he knew what happened, but he had to ask. "What's wrong?"
"Kennedy died. I felt it," she said between sobs. "Didn't you feel it?"
"I felt one of them die. I didn't know which one." He held her tighter, trying to give her his strength. "I'm sorry, Willow." He pulled her with him as he lay back against the pillows. He held her until her crying slowed.
Willow looked up at Giles with wet, red eyes. "I'm sorry," she mumbled. "I just ... It shouldn't get to me like that. She been gone for a long time."
"Yes, but she was still alive," Giles said as he wiped a tear from her cheek. "There was still the hope that she would come back."
"I don't know why I hurt so much. I didn't even know her that long." She leaned back and looked into his eyes.
"Willow, you were with her when she became a Slayer," he said. "That's the bond you shared. That's why you could feel her. You were her Watcher." He brushed hair off her cheek. "I'm sorry you lost her, but it will get better. It won't always hurt."
Willow reached out and touched his cheek. "Thanks for being here when I needed you."
"I'll always be here for you," he said with a smile.
"I know. That's why I love you."
~~~~~~~~~~
Chapter 7
Something different woke Buffy. Something had changed. After listening for a while, she opened her eyes and looked around. She didn't look at the clock. The need to count the passing days had vanished, replaced by an urgent need to find what woke her.
As her eyes caught on the red and silver object, she saw movement from the door. They would never make it in time to stop her.
Buffy smiled as she reached out, summoning all her power.
~~~~~~~~~~
It had been days since they learned of Kennedy's death. Willow was coping better than Giles had expected. She had confided that she really wasn't sure that she loved Kennedy, not the way she had loved Tara anyway. She had just latched onto the first person that had shown interest.
Giles had felt the urge to kiss Willow the night Kennedy died. He wanted to kiss away all the hurt and tears, but he hadn't. It would have been taking advantage, and on that night he wasn't entirely certain where it would have led them. Instead, he had kissed the top of her head and held her in his arms as she fell back asleep.
Not long after that night, Willow had woken Giles from a sound sleep. He knew she hadn't meant to wake him, but she was excited about something. Even if he hadn't heard her brief squeal, he was certain he would have woken from feeling the excitement in the air.
As he opened his eyes, she jumped on the bed waving some papers in front of him. "I found it! I don't know how to open it yet but I found it!"
He dragged himself to a sitting position and grabbed his glasses from the nightstand. "What?" he asked, still not sure what all the excitement was about.
After he put on his glasses, she held the papers up for him to see. "I found the portal." She pointed to a spot on map she'd printed out. "It's been right here all along. We just didn't know it."
"Is that ...?" Giles started to ask.
"It's the alley behind the hotel," Willow confirmed. "I don't know why I didn't realize it before. This is why I had trouble with the locator spells before. I was too close to the portal. I thought it was pointing back to me, but it really wasn't. I really can't believe it. Wesley and Fred are trying to find a way to open it because I don't know much about portals. They couldn't believe it either. I found it. I actually found it."
Giles smiled as he listened to Willow babble. She did it when she was excited, and that hadn't happened in a very long time. When she started to go into details about how she discovered the portal, he decided that details weren't all that important to him. Without a word, he reached up and took her face in his hands. She continued to babble until his lips met hers. He kissed her slowly but firmly. When he pulled back moments later, she looked up at him with a dazed look in her eyes. "Willow?"
"Yeah?" she responded slowly.
"Are you alright?" he asked as he rubbed the back of his hand over her cheek.
"Uh ... I think so," she stammered. "I wasn't expecting that."
He pulled his hand back. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have -"
"Do it again," she whispered.
~~~~~~~~~~
Buffy saw the scythe move. At first she thought she had imagined it. Then it moved again, and she knew she'd done it. Taking a deep breath, she concentrated only on the scythe and how much she needed it. It flew into her open hand. As soon as it hit her palm, she felt the power surge through her.
People burst through the door as she broke out of her restraints and stood. One of them raised a hand towards an alarm button. "I really wouldn't do that," Buffy said. "I can stop you before you can blink." In a flash she was standing in front of them. "You see. This weapon here was made for me." She glanced at the other Slayers as she twirled the weapon in her hand. "Well, for all of the Slayers, but since I'm the only one who's awake ..." She looked back at them and smiled at the terrified looks on their faces. "Why do you think that is?"
"I d-don't know," one of them stammered.
"Are you going to kill us?" another asked.
"That all depends on whether or not you help me."
~~~~~~~~~~
Giles forgot about everything except the feel of Willow's lips against his and the warmth of her body. She leaned into him and tossed the papers aside as he kissed her again. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close as he opened his mouth to her. She took the invitation and slipped her tongue past his lips. At the same time he felt her slide one of her legs between his.
He hadn't realized how much he needed this. It was obvious that Willow needed it too. He rolled her onto her back and trailed kisses along her chin and neck. She rewarded him with a moan and rubbed her thigh against his growing erection.
"Giles, I want you so much," she whispered in his ear. "I need you."
He groaned and kissed her hard. At that moment all he could think of was ripping off her clothes and taking her hard and fast. "Do you want -"
His question was cut off abruptly, and he suddenly felt like someone had dumped a bucket of ice water over him. He felt Willow shiver and knew she'd felt it too.
"Buffy," they both said together.
"She found the scythe," Willow said.
Giles jumped up and pulled on his shoes. "We need to find a way to open the portal." He grabbed Willow's hand and pulled her to her feet. "Right now."
They hurried out of their room and downstairs to find Wesley and Fred. Downstairs Fred and Wesley were running out of the office. "We got it!" Fred shouted. "We can open the portal."
Gunn and Angel came in from another room. "It's about time," Gunn said. "I've been wanting to shut this guy down for a long time."
"We need to go now, guys," Willow said. "Buffy is awake and has the scythe. She'll be looking for a way out."
"How do you know ...?" Fred asked.
"There's no time to explain now," Giles said. He turned to Wesley. "Get everyone who can fight or do magic. We're opening the portal in five minutes." He turned back to Fred. "What do we need to open it?"
Willow took notes as Fred detailed how they would open the portal. Giles recognized the spells needed. It would takes four of them to open it, but it wouldn't take long.
As Willow and Fred gathered the supplies needed, Giles began to plan his attack.
Chapter 8
Buffy stood beside Faith. The other Slayers stood behind them. They all stood facing the terrified group of doctors and scientists.
"Now," Buffy said. "I've never killed a human before."
"I have," Faith added offhandedly.
"But that doesn't mean I won't start," Buffy said. "I have a whole bunch of reasons to want each and every one of you dead." She twirled the scythe in her hand. "Pretty, isn't it? Deadly too. This can cut a person in two." She held it up. "The long way." She paused to let it sink in, and smiled as they seemed even paler than before.
"We really don't want to kill you guys," Faith said. "But if you don't tell us where your boss is ..." Faith cracked her knuckles. "Let's just say we've been too long without a fight." She look at Buffy. "I don't know about you, B., but I'm just itching to kill something ... or someone."
Buffy just smiled.
~~~~~~~~~~
It was just after dawn when they opened the portal. Giles was thankful for that. With the sunrise, the vampires and most of the demons had slunk back to their homes. It would be hours until they ventured outside again. That gave Giles plenty of time to find Buffy and the other Slayers and bring them back.
Wesley and Fred stayed at the portal, one on each side of the door, to keep it open until Giles and Willow returned. Xander, Robin, Angel, and Gunn stayed behind to fight off any demons that might wander into the alley. Andrew and Dawn were keeping watch over the pertinent websites from inside the hotel.
Knowing they were as prepared as they could be for anything that might happen, Giles and Willow entered the portal and began their search.
It really didn't take as long as he feared it would. No one they encountered seemed to know anything was amiss. Giles hoped it was because Buffy had prevented an alarm from being raised.
~~~~~~~~~~
Buffy tapped her foot as she waited. She'd known they would give in. She just hadn't expected them to cave in so quickly.
When the door finally opened, it wasn't the doctor that walked through.
Buffy handed the scythe to Faith before she threw herself at Giles and Willow. "Oh my god, I am so glad to see you guys."
"I'm sorry it took so long for us to find you," Willow said. "I can't imagine being held prisoner that long."
"It's only been a week or two, Will," Buffy said. "I'm fine."
Giles and Willow pulled back and glanced at each other, then looked at Buffy. "Uh, Buffy ..."
"What?" Buffy asked. Clearly, there was something they weren't telling her.
"It's been almost two years," Giles told her.
"No way," Faith said. "You mean we've been locked in here and used as lab rats for two years."
"Yes," Giles said.
"He's really going to pay now," Buffy said. She turned to the group of doctors and scientists. "Where is he?" she demanded.
One of them spoke up while the others shrank away from her. "He said he was on his way. His office is a long way from here."
"Who?" Willow asked.
"The main doctor guy that brought us here. I don't know his name."
"Why should you? You're supposed to be asleep." The voice rang out behind Willow and Giles.
Buffy turned slightly toward Faith and tilted her head a bit. Faith tossed her the scythe.
"Nap time is over," Buffy said as she raised the scythe.
~~~~~~~~~~
Giles knew Buffy could handle most any threat, especially with the scythe, but she didn't know what she was up against with this guy. He couldn't warn her without giving away what he knew. He just hoped Buffy and the others would follow his lead.
"Dr. Hope," Giles said as he turned to face the man. "That is certainly an ironic name for a man who left all these girls without any."
"You're not seeing the big picture, Mr. ..." Dr. Hope said.
"Don't pretend you don't know me," Giles said. "We both know you did enough research to know all about me and the Slayers."
Dr. Hope chuckled. "Yes, Mr. Giles. I know who you are. I'm really surprised you didn't attempt a rescue before now. Though it won't do any good. In a few moments, you and your witch will be dead, and the Slayers will be asleep again. Did you know their blood can cure most any disease and illness? Not the blood of one of them alone, but different ones combined together with hers an do wonders." He pointed at Buffy.
"All this because science and medicine couldn't cure your wife and family?" Giles asked. "It seems a bit extreme."
"I'm saving people," he answered. "Giving them hope."
"You're taking away the lives of these young women to save others," Giles insisted. He hoped he could keep the doctor talking and distracted long enough for Willow to quietly work her magic, and he hoped Buffy would wait quietly for a signal.
"Sacrifices must be made for the greater good," the doctor stated without emotion.
"Oh wait," Buffy interrupted. "I've heard that line before. It wasn't true then, and it's not true now."
Giles smiled. "She right." He took a step forward. "There's one thing I still don't understand. Why bring everyone here? Why create this world for them?"
Dr. Hope's expression darkened. "Your world poisoned my family. It was because of the imbeciles there and their negligence. I want no part of your world. It has done nothing to help me. Why should I help it?"
"But you are," Giles said. "You are saving the people you bring here."
"They're my family. The rest of your world can go to hell," Dr. Hope spat.
Giles finally understood it all. The screening the doctor was doing was genetic screening. He was testing to see if the people were in his family tree. He only wanted to save his family.
"Enough of this!" the doctor shouted. "Say goodbye to your Slayer." He opened his arm wide and spoke a few words under his breath. A bright light appeared for a moment, but then it fizzled. "What?" he asked as he realized he couldn't move.
"Just a little binding spell," Willow said, smiling. "Well, not too little. You have a lot of power, but not as much as me right now." She raised her hand. She was holding the scythe with Buffy. Each of the slayers raised their hands. They were all linked in one long chain. "I got a little power boost."
"Now, we are going to leave," Giles said. "All of us. After we are gone and the portal is closed, the binding spell will release you. I hope you are happy in this world you created. It's the last one you'll see."
Without glancing back and without a word, they all filed out of the room.
One scientist block there way at the end of the hall. He held a gold urn. Before they could question him, he handed it to Willow. "I'm sorry about what happened. If I had known, I never would have helped him." As Willow took the urn, he said, "It's Kennedy's ashes. I saved them. Dr. Hope never bothered with the names of the Slayers, but I knew them all. I tried to keep them comfortable because I knew you would come for them some day."
Willow reached out and hugged the man. "Thank you."
"Go," he said. "I will make sure that no one follows or raises an alarm."
"We need to go now, Willow," Giles said.
Willow whispered another thanks before she ran off with the others.
~~~~~~~~~~
Epilogue
Giles was lost in thought as he stood at the window watching the sunrise. They had come a long way since the day they had closed the portal. The Slayers had immediately been scattered around the world to battle the demons and vampires. It had taken several months, but the world was beginning to get back to some sense of normalcy. He chuckled at that term. There was no such thing as normal in a Watcher's life. He wasn't even sure what normal felt like.
In an effort to keep the world safe and as normal as possible, Willow had used the scythe to once again activate new Slayers. This time, veteran Slayers were sent to be their Watchers. It had been Dawn's idea, and Giles wasn't sure about it at first. It did make sense though. Keep the 'regular Watchers', as Dawn called them, away from the front lines. They would be needed to do research and could be sent to the Slayers if and when they were needed. It was better to have experienced Slayers training the new Slayers.
Giles turned at the sound of the bed creaking. "Good morning, Love."
Willow stretched and yawned as she swung her legs over the side of the bed. "Good morning."
He walked over to stand in front of her. "Did you sleep well?" He gave her his hand and helped her stand.
"Better than the last few nights," she said.
"Do you know what today is?" Giles asked.
"Of course I know what today is, Silly," she said with a laugh. "It's five years today since we closed the portal and rescued the Slayers."
Giles laughed at the serious look on her face. "It's was also five years ago today that we first made love. I thought I should make this a special day."
"Oh really?" she asked, not sounding at all surprised.
"Really," he said as he bent down and kissed her very pregnant belly.
"And what are you going to do to make it more special than the last four anniversaries?" she teased.
In one fluid movement, Giles dropped to one knee in front of her and took her hand in his. Slipping a ring on her finger, he asked, "Willow, will you marry me?"
"Yes," she answered and tugged his hand up.
He stood and kissed her. This is what normal feels like , he thought.
~~~~~~~~
The End
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