Thank you to Enigmaticblues and Brooke for beta-ing for me.
This is written for the Welcome Back to the Hellmouth Kinkathon. Written for Peroxide_dreams.



Willow pulled the box from under the bed, sighing to herself. She was happy that things had turned out this way. Giles had decided to go back to England, and though it had saddened her, she couldn’t help but feel relieved. Sure, Giles had been her friend, her mentor even, but he would never have condoned what she was planning. He just doesn’t understand, she thought.

He wouldn’t have faith in her ability to pull such a spell off. Willow smiled; pretty soon Buffy would be back, and everyone would be amazed and awestruck at the power she possessed. She was no longer geeky little Willow, the butt of everyone’s jokes. She had power, real power that only a few possessed. She shivered with excitement, thinking of the spell she was preparing for.

None of the others, not even Tara, truly understood how dangerous and difficult the power she was invoking could be. They would only worry, she assured herself. Once it was all over and her friend was safe, she would reveal just what she had accomplished.

Gathering her things she made her way out the door. It was time to start the preparations.

*********************

After carefully scanning the area, Willow knelt on the blanket. She poured the herbs from the small pot onto the ground.

“Adonai, Helomi, Pine .The gods do command thee from thy majesty. O Mappa Laman, Adonai, Helomi. Come forward, blessed one. Know your calling.” She said, closing her eyes.

A young deer walked around a tree and directly over to her. Willow stroked the fawn gently, as she placed her arm around its back. The witch grabbed a large knife lying beside her on the blanket, and thrust it in the fawn’s throat. The animals struggled for a moment, and then eventually stopped.

The redhead gasped, as tears filled her eyes. Blood flowed freely down her hands from the wound on the young fawn neck.

“Accept our humble gratitude for your offering. In death ... you give life. May you find wings to the kingdom,” Willow drew a shaky breath, unable to look at the fawn’s body, lying discarded on the ground beside her.



*********************


Spike paced the lower level of his crypt impatiently. The hour just before sunset was always the worst. Slumping down on the bed, he patted his pocket, searching for his cigarettes. He was worried about his Nibblet. He couldn’t believe the watcher had gone back to the mother country. Bloody wanker, Spike grumbled. Giles was the one person in the group he could count on. Giles kept the witches and the whelp in line. Not that Spike could blame him; he ached to leave this town too, but he knew he never would, not as long as Dawn needed him.

When the sun had finally set, he grabbed the bundles from the dresser and headed for the door. Making his away across the cemetery, he stopped, dropping to his knees. Looking up at the tombstone in front of him, he carefully removed the dying flowers and replaced them with the fresh ones.

“’Lo Joyce,” he sighed. “I’m doin’ my best to watch over her, like I promised.” Spike let out an unneeded breath, “I let you down once…won’t do it again.”

It was always the same speech. Spike hoped if he told her enough, she would somehow forgive him for letting her eldest die. He used to visit her grave long before the new one was dug beside her. Ever since her death, he had promised to watch over her girls. He had failed.

For a long time after the slayer’s death, he hadn’t been able to approach Joyce’s grave. Until one night while fighting a vamp, when he was shoved face first into it. The flowers had all withered and vines had begun to cover the stone. He was ashamed to think he had allowed that to happen.


Turning toward the headstone beside Joyce’s, Spike felt his chest tighten. He lowered his eyes, unable to bring himself to read her name. He needed no reminder of who lay beneath the ground. Her name was always on his lips, her scent seemed to be everywhere, as if mocking him, and her face haunted his dreams. Placing the fresh flowers gently on the grass, he sighed.

“The Watcher left. I guess you being gone has been pretty hard on him, on all of us. I…I’m on my way over to sit with Ni…Dawn. I’ve been helping her with her studies. Making sure she keeps up. I know you probably never figure me for much of a thinker but…” Spike let out a dry, shuddering chuckle. “I just wish I knew what to say to her. I try so hard, but I always feel like I’m sayin’ or doin the wrong thing. I guess I just need you here to set me straight…punch me in the nose…God, what I wouldn’t give for even that right now,” Spike whispered as tears fell from his eyes.

Spike cleared his throat, “I’m keeping my promise. No matter how hard it gets, I won’t let you down…I’ll keep her safe,” his voice was thick with emotion as he spoke

He sobbed softly, running his fingers over the smooth, cool surface of the carved granite. He finally raised his head, tracing her name. Spike caressed the inscription, praying to a God he didn’t believe in that somehow she knew…

He pleaded that somehow she could see that he was keeping his vow. Spike wanted desperately to be the man she inspired him to be, not the monster who had come to Sunnydale to kill her. In life, she had compelled him to go against his nature, but it was her death that had forever changed him.

His calloused fingers rubbed the moisture from his swollen eyes as he stood and faced the tomb. Can’t be sitting here all night crying like a bloody wanker, I got a girl to protect, he reminded himself, lighting a smoke. With a quick bow of his head, he turned and started towards Revello Drive.




********************




Kneeling before their fallen friend’s grave, Anya, Xander, and Tara all lit their candles. Willow could feel their fear, but paid it no mind. She had come too far, done too much for anyone to stop the ritual from happening. She carefully poured the fawn’s blood in the Urn of Osiris and began her chant.

“Osiris, keeper of the gate, master of all fate, hear us,” Willow said, marking herself with the animal’s blood.

Tara and Xander looked startled at her actions. Unlike Anya, they were unaware of the sacrifice needed for the ritual.

“Before time, and after. Before knowing and nothing,” she continued, pouring the contents of the urn onto the earth.

Willow’s arms suddenly darted out to her sides. Deep cuts began to appear up and down her extended limbs, causing her to cry out.

“What’s happening? Will…” Xander cried, moving toward his friend.

“No!” Tara yelled halting him, “She t - she told me ... she'd be tested. This is supposed to happen.”

Willow continued, unfazed by the blood now dripping down her arms, “Accept our offering. Know our prayer. Osiris! Here lies the warrior of the people. Let her cross over.”

Willow hissed in pain as something began moving under her skin. Her friends watched in horror as her eyes rolled, turning black.

“Planto is sic is eram nunquam mortuus,” Willow commanded.

“We have to do something,” Xander pleaded, his voice trembling with fear.

“Xander, she's strong! She said not to stop, no matter what. If we break the cycle now, it's over,” Tara reassured him, trying desperately to swallow her own fear.

Willow suddenly jerked forward putting her hands on the ground, gagging. A snake head suddenly appeared in her open mouth. Crying out in pain, her fingers desperately clutched at the ground. The snake slowly slithered out her mouth and across the graveyard.

“That…what…no, that’s wrong,” Willow gasped, looking around wildly, before collapsing.

“Willow! Oh no! Not now!” Xander screamed, as he noticed three vampires approaching the group.

“Oh look…dinner,” one of the vampires hissed.

“I don’t think it is dinnertime,” a voice said from behind them

Xanders eyes widen “Buffy…” he whispered.

“No Xander…it’s just the bot,” Tara replied sadly.

The bot started to fight the vampires, as Tara and Anya moved the unconscious Willow out of the way. Xander grabbed the stakes from his bag and started to help in the fight.



*****************



Not far away, down in the dank, dark cave, the girl’s eyes fluttered open. Coughing and spitting the dirt from her mouth, she slowly attempted to stand. Her legs felt wobbly and weak. She looked around, furrowing her brow where am I? Everything looks different, but the same.

Her eyes suddenly widened The Master. She had to find him before he could hurt her friends. She discarded her broken heels, and hurried towards the cave’s entrance.