Magic 9

Willow sat on the bed, the phone still cradled in her hand. She wondered if she would ever get home. She thought of Giles and just the thought of him kindled a longing inside of her for him. She let herself fall back on the bed. She began to draw pictures in her mind by connecting the textured dots on the ceiling.

Spike had the television on but wasn't really watching it. He was thinking about dying. He didn't know what Jensen had told Giles but Spike had seen the truth of it in Giles' words. He knew that Jensen would have him killed. He sat there letting the noise from the television wash over him, realizing how much he didn't want to die.

Giles had taken his long hot shower. He was thinking about how Willow had pushed him. He thought about the magic and wondered how it decided what was a risk and what wasn't. He wondered if the magic relied on Giles' feelings to decide. It worried him that if that was the case then anyone Giles cared about, or trusted could easily kill him. He lay on the bed, lying crosswise on it, pondering the magic.

Willow had almost drifted off to sleep when the phone rang. She shrieked and the phone flew across the room. It lay on the floor still ringing. She grinned sheepishly and went to answer it. "Hello?"

"Miss Rosenberg? I need to speak with Rupert Giles."

She knew it was Jensen. Her heart started pounding and she could barely stand to even hold the phone. She held it in front of her as if it might bite her and walked out of her room and, after knocking, into Giles'.

She just handed the phone to him and he took it, eyebrows raised. She sat down on the bed next to him. Spike poked his head in the door and then leaned against the doorjamb.

"This is Giles."

"You're being moved tonight. Please be ready in an hour." When Giles realized it was Jensen he swung up into a sitting position.

"Tonight? Why?"

"Do you have plans for the evening that we are interrupting?"

Willow could feel Giles' muscles tensing. "Jesus, you are a smug bastard." Willow could feel the magic stir. She put her hand on Giles' arm and gently rubbed up and down.

"I don't believe in wasting time."

Giles closed his eyes and just felt Willow trying to calm him. He took a deep breath. "Fine, we'll be ready."



Jensen hung up, smiling. He could have had a dozen people make that phone call for him but he thought it was important for Giles to clearly understand who was pulling his strings. He sat back in his chair and swiveled it around until he was looking out over the city.


Giles turned to Spike and Willow. "We leave in an hour." He handed the phone back to Willow. "Where did that come from?"

She pointed out to the front door. "One of the guards. I wanted to call Xander."

"And did you?"

She nodded and smiled. "No babies yet. Anya was doing a lot of yelling."

Giles winced. He could only imagine Anya pregnant, her hormones loosed on the world. He grinned. Willow furrowed her brow. "What's so funny?"

Giles shook his head and Willow nudged him with her hand. "I was just wishing I could sic her on Jensen." Willow burst out laughing and Giles softly laughed along with her.

Spike reached into his pocket and pulled out his cigarettes. Giles glared at him. "If you even think about lighting up that cigarette here in my bedroom I will personally shove it down your throat."

Spike's eyebrows rose and he put his hand up in self-defense. "Don't get your knickers in a twist. I was just getting one out."

Willow looked at Giles. "Do we need to pack anything, or do anything?"

Giles ran his hand over his face. "Only if you want to take something with you. Otherwise I imagine they'll provide us with everything we need." He looked at Spike. "I take it that you'll be going with us."

Spike snorted. "I don't have much of a bloody choice, do I?"

Willow just smiled wistfully at him. "I know you wanted to leave, but I'm glad you're staying." Spike looked at her and sent her a small smile.

It turned more sardonic as he glanced at Giles. Giles held his gaze and laughed, a short rueful laugh. "I hope I don't regret saying this, but I'm glad you're staying too."

Spike pursed his lips letting Giles' words sink in. He nodded. "Right then. I'm taking the beer. Anybody else want anything?" As both Willow and Giles shook their heads Spike left the bedroom. They could hear him clinking glass bottles in the kitchen.

Giles let out a breath and lay back down. He rolled over so he was resting on his stomach. He crossed his arms and lay his head down on them his face turned to Willow. He watched her as she sat on the bed, a couple feet away. "Penny for your thoughts?"

Willow looked up and saw him gazing at her. She gave him a small grin. "I can't keep one in my head long enough to even think about selling it to you. My brain just keeps whizzing around." She sighed. She hated that she was feeling the confusion of this attraction to him. Just yesterday she would have lain down next to him and sought his nearness for comfort. Today it was all too complicated.

Giles could feel her distance. He kept gazing at her. "Willow, are you all right? Have I done something to distress you?" He let out a short laugh at that. "I mean, besides the obvious."

She shook her head. She was aching to touch him and she was afraid that she would if she stayed any longer. She stood and under the guise of wanting to pack a few things she left. Giles watched her leave, his eyes puzzled.

They were taken by limousine. Spike was impressed, although he tried to hide it. Willow sat across the seat from Giles and she could feel his gaze on her from time to time. She just looked out the window. The windows were darkly tinted and could not be operated from the back. Giles tried to determine where they might be heading but he lost track after a while.

The building they were taken to looked like barracks, or some austere retreat center. There was one long corridor with multiple rooms coming off of it. A room had been prepared for each of the three of them, and for the six guards who would be staying there as well. There was a communal living area and kitchen. Each bedroom had its own bathroom. Giles, Willow and Spike were directed to their rooms. Willow and Spike entered their rooms and shut their doors behind them. Giles entered more slowly first saying good night to the guards. A couple of them were polite enough to say good night in return.

Giles lay in his bed, still clothed. He felt restless. He was concerned about Willow. He knew something was bothering her, something new. He got up and went to stand by the window. There wasn't much to see. The building was on a huge tract of land, with little vegetation. He tried to open the window but it was sealed shut. He wanted to be out. Giles left his room barely noticing a guard following him as he walked down the corridor and out the front door. He walked to the back of the building and stood a few yards away from it. The guard watched, standing at the corner of the building.

Spike heard the footsteps and he looked out the window seeing Giles standing there. He was curious and he too walked outside. He passed the guard and walked along the building until he was level with Giles. Then he leaned back against the wall and lit a cigarette. Giles could tell Spike was there but he ignored him.

Giles crouched down and touched a small plant at his foot. He could see scraggly plants all over the yard. He ran his hand down its stem. He could feel its potential. Without even thinking about it he reached for his magic, still touching the plant. Under his hand the plant grew, shooting off tendrils of new growth, unfurling new leaves. Giles smiled. He touched another plant near him and he watched as it did the same.

Giles had never used his magic this way and he sensed something coming to life in it. He could feel its love, its compassion. He stood and surrendered himself to it. He held out his hands and the field started transforming itself. Every plant, every seed with the capacity for growth responded to his call. Giles spread his feet wider apart, grounding himself as he let the magic flow. He felt it shoot through him, cleansing him, and he laughed for the joy of it.

Spike and the guard stood up straight in surprise as the field let forth its bounty. The wave of magic hit them both. It brought the guard to his knees, tears streaming down his face, his heart full of a joy so rich he thought his body might shake apart with it. The growth continued. The plants grew taller and lusher.

Spike had never felt power like this. Spike felt the magic flow through him. He felt it call him. He started walking towards Giles. The magic grew stronger the closer he got. It almost knocked him down, and it might have except that at the same time it supported him. It surrounded him, loving him. It also stripped him of his pretensions, and his anger.

He reached Giles and Giles turned around and smiled at him. Spike had never seen such a look, ever. Giles face was full of joy and full of love, for everything, and also just for him. Giles watched Spike and as he watched he came to know him. He saw his heart and he saw his demon. He watched as Spike struggled to figure out what was happening to him, watched as Spike's bloodlust grew, the demon within him instinctively responding to being exposed to something it craved.

Giles reached out a hand to Spike and brought him closer. He pulled his hair away from his neck and turned his head to the side, inviting Spike to feed. Spike looked at Giles. Enough of him was aware that if he fed, if he fed on Giles that nothing would ever be the same again. The magic called to him. He groaned and closed his eyes. He answered the invitation and sunk his fangs into Giles' neck.

Everyone in the building was affected. They all dreamed of people they loved, of joyful times, of prayers being answered. Willow dreamed of being with Buffy. They were walking down a beach, hand in hand, rejoicing in being alive and being friends. Then Willow turned her head and saw Giles. He beckoned to her and laughing she ran up a dune to be with him. He reached out his hand to her and she woke up.

She could feel the magic. It didn't scare her. It caressed her; it made her brave, and joyous. She got out of bed and walked to the window. She saw the field and gasped. She knew that field had been empty and barren when she fell asleep. Now it was full and rich with life. She saw Giles and Spike. At first she thought they were kissing and her heart seized in her chest. This feeling she had for Giles was so young but a part of her grieved at the thought of losing it all before it had ever even begun. Then she realized that Spike was feeding.

This time, despite the beauty of the magic, she was consumed by fear. She tried to open the window but was unable to. She pounded her fists against the glass. Then she stopped as she watched Giles raise his hand and slowly run it through Spike's hair. He did it again, softly like a lover might, or as a mother runs her hand through her infant's hair as it feeds at her breast. Willow stopped, hands flat upon the glass, captivated by the love in the gesture.

Spike groaned at the touch. It was undoing him, he knew it, he could feel it. He could taste the magic in Giles' blood; he could feel it all around his body. He had never been loved as he fed. He'd never been so accepted. Something broke inside of him, breaking free his humanity. Feelings flooded him, feelings that he had thought gone forever, love and loyalty, longing and compassion. It washed through him in a rhythm that echoed Giles' hand slowly stroking his head.

Spike kept feeding until he thought he might die from the pleasure of it. Finally, he licked Giles' neck, releasing coagulants. He pulled away, swaying. He looked at Giles' face. Giles smiled at him. Holding onto Spike, to keep him from falling, Giles listened to the new growth. He could feel its need for moisture. He steadied Spike and then he lifted both his hands up and called again. Spike watched the clouds appear, as if by trick photography. He felt the air change and then felt the first drops of rain on his face. He looked at Giles, saw Giles smile as he turned his face up and let the raindrops fall on him. The rain started to fall in earnest and Giles laughed. He looked again at Spike and the look of love and caring there broke through the last reserve.

Spike fell to his knees at Giles' feet and started to sob. The only time he had ever cried like this was when he had drawn Buffy's lifeless body to his chest. Now, the crying swept him clean. Giles squatted down and he reached out, pulled Spike into his arms, and just held him.

In time the rain stopped and Spike sat back, rubbing his eyes with the heels of his hands. He pulled up his knees and rested his head on them. Giles just watched him. He strained to hear when Spike finally spoke. "Watcher, what did you do to me?"

Giles softly smiled. "I didn't mean to do anything. It was the magic. It changed everything." There was a wonder in his voice. He reached out and touched a leaf near him. He could feel it trying to grow for him. He soothed it with his fingers. There had been enough growing tonight. More rapid growth would only do it harm. Nature could take care of the rest.

Spike was exhausted. He could still feel the magic in the air but it was fading. He didn't think it would ever completely go away, not from this field, and not from Giles' presence. Spike heard footsteps and looked up to see Willow approaching them. He ran his hand quickly over his face to eradicate any trace of tears. Giles turned to her and smiled.

She was gawking at the field. She reached out and touched some of the plants. She crouched down and looked at Giles. "What happened? The magic woke me up. Did it go all goofy again?"

Giles shook his head. "No, I wanted to do this. And this." He lifted his head up and felt the still occasional drop of rain.

"You did this?" Willow was stunned.

Spike turned to Giles and sent him a rueful grin. "You may have wanted this to happen." He indicated the new growth. "But I still think there were a few unexpected side effects."

Willow looked at Spike. She frowned, thinking. "Like all the good things I was feeling, all happy and peaceful and stuff?" She looked at Giles, her eyes wide. "You did that?"

Giles shook his head. "The magic did that."

Spike looked at him. "You are the magic, Giles. You're one and the same. You need to stop treating it like it's an alien inhabiting your body."

Willow moved closer to Giles. She turned his neck and gasped. There were no marks there. She stared at him. "I saw Spike feeding." She turned worried eyes to Spike. "Why were you feeding?"

Giles lightly touched her arm. "I told him to. Don't worry Willow, he won't hurt me." He looked at Spike and Spike looked back. Giles knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that the words he spoke were true on every level. Willow saw that look and was ashamed that she felt a flicker of jealousy shoot through her. She sighed, annoyed at herself. Giles tilted his head to the side and looked at her. Her skin looked like porcelain in the moonlight. She just sent him a small smile.

Giles stood and reached out both of his hands, one to Willow and one to Spike. They both reached up taking his hands and he helped pull them up. He looked down at his soaked clothing. He laughed as he took in all of their soaked clothing. "I think showers all around might be just the thing."

Willow hesitated. "I just want to talk to Spike for a moment." Giles looked at her and then nodded. He turned and headed back into the house. He passed the guard as he swung around the corner. The guard was looking at him with adoration in his eyes. Giles briefly touched his shoulder and then walked past him into the building.

Willow looked at the field. She turned amazed eyes to Spike. "I can't believe he did this. How did he do this?" Spike shook his head. He had seen it and felt it and he could still hardly believe it. Willow spoke again. "I can't even...I can't..." She paused. "He is so strong, stronger than anything I can imagine. He says he can only control a small part of his magic." She looked at Spike. "What is he? What will he be when he can control it all?" She wasn't frightened of it; she just wanted to know.

Spike just shook his head. Willow looked at his face. She saw something there. "Spike?" Spike lifted his face to hers and waited. "If Mr. Jensen were here and he said you could go and he meant it, would you leave?"

Spike looked at her, his eyes dark and glittering in the moonlight. He shook his head. "No."

She nodded and looked up at the moon. "I dreamt about Buffy." She looked at Spike. "She was so happy." Willow started to cry and Spike moved closer to her to hold her to his chest. He wrapped his arms tightly around her, his head resting on hers, his eyes open watching the new living growth all around him.

End of Part 9



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