Title: Unexpected Guests - 4 of 5
Author: Michelle with the help of Jadedragon
Email: mrsdrake@sff.net
Date: January 2004
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: Buffy/Giles
Summary: Buffy and Giles are getting married, and some unexpected guests show up.
Feedback: I love it, want it, and need it.
Distribution: If you want it, take it. Just tell me where to find it.
Spoilers: This story takes place between seasons three and four, but uses some elements from season five. If you know about the Magic Box, you'll be okay.
Disclaimer: These are not my characters. They belong to Joss, Twentieth Century Fox, UPN, WB & Mutant Enemy. "And I Love Her" was written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney. This is purely for fun.
Author's note 1: This is a sequel to Band Cookies, but it can be read as a stand alone. This starts a week after graduation day.
Author's note 2: Giles was put on probation after the events in Helpless, not fired. Wesley was brought in to be Faith's Watcher, not as a replacement for Giles. Wesley is supposed to report to the Council if Giles disobeys the Council again. Faith is not bad. I use these < > to denote thoughts.
Special thanks to Jadedragon for helping so much with the spells and magick scenes. Also, thanks go out to my betas, Jade and Mer.
Outside, Rupert and Edward had arrived in the forest to the north of the house. While waiting for Willow and Wesley to arrive, they began to prepare the area for the spell casting. Edward turned to his son. "Can you feel her? Is she still in the house?"
"She's there. I can feel her."
"Can you sense anything?"
Rupert concentrated for a moment. "She's frightened. She--" Suddenly, a chill overcame him, and he could feel her panic. The sensation left abruptly. "I can't feel her." When he realized what he did feel, he fell to his knees. "I can feel Nicholas. He's trying to use the bond against me."
* * * * *
Buffy had to try to stop Nicholas. <I have to try something. I can't just let him kill Rupert.> She reached out with her mind, trying to feel Rupert. After some effort she felt him. She also felt Nicholas. Feeling that Rupert was getting weaker, she pushed herself between them, trying to force them apart. At first she didn't think it would work, then she felt Rupert get stronger, felt him fighting back. Before she knew it, they were both gone, and she realized she was lying on her back. She sat up and saw that Nicholas was already standing. If he realized she'd had anything to with stopping him, he would be irate. He would take it as a betrayal.
"Are you all right?" Nicholas asked. "I can't believe he pulled you in and used you against me like that."
<So, that's how he's going to play it. He's trying to blame it all on Rupert.> She knew he was trying to sew seeds of doubt, but he couldn't know that it would never work. He could never understand the kind of love that she shared with Rupert. He just wasn't capable of loving someone that way. "I'm fine."
* * * * *
Edward laid a hand on his son's shoulder. "You have to fight it. Push him out of your mind." He watched as Rupert struggled. For a short time, he thought all was lost. He tried to think of how he could help.
"Buffy." Rupert whispered.
Edward caught Rupert as he fell forward. "What happened?"
"Buffy saved me. She forced herself between us and broke his hold on me." He stood. "We have to get her out of there."
"We will."
They both turned when they heard footsteps behind them. Willow and Wesley had arrived.
* * * * *
Rupert looked over at his father before beginning the spell that they hoped would break through the veil of protection that surrounded the house where Buffy was being held. He understood his father better and their relationship had improved over the last twenty-four hours, but he still wasn't sure that he fully trusted him. Willow he trusted with his life, and he was beginning to trust Wesley almost as much. Rupert had to trust him, Buffy's life and the life of their child depended on the four of them being successful in casting this spell.
It had taken the better part of the previous afternoon to find the components of and write the spell that they would be casting at noon, when Nicholas' power would be at it's weakest. At dawn, Willow had placed charged quartz crystals around the house forming a pentagram with the house in the center of the symbol. This had been the first step. The crystals would increase in power as the sun rose and charged them even more with its rays of white light. They would be drawing on this power to create a second barrier on top of Nicholas' which would dissolve the first barrier enabling Wesley and Willow to rescue Buffy while Rupert and Edward confronted the rogue Watcher.
Rupert looked again to be sure that everything was ready. Since they couldn't stand in the open around the house, they formed their circle to the north 100 yards from the door, where they would enter once the barrier had been broken. Here, they would be hidden by the trees and underbrush of the forest that surrounded the house. If they were lucky, they would not be observed by those in the house. He nodded to each and them all in turn nodded back indicating that they were indeed readies to cast the complicated spell. Everything was ready, including the large table in the center which held the censor, a rather large quartz crystal with a sharp natural terminal point, a bottle holding dragons blood ink, a piece of parchment paper, a quill and each of the ingredients that would be needed by the four that would be casting the spell. It was at the center where the censor stood where they would be focusing their energies. They had set up the circle with Rupert in the north facing his father in the south and Willow was in the east, facing Wesley in the west.
Willow took a deep breath and began. She took a dagger, which she pointed toward the ground, walking slowly in a clockwise circle.
"Goddess of Air, I call on thee to consecrate this circle," she started as she walked toward Edward, walking a foot behind him, she spoke again. "Goddess of Fire, I call on thee to empower this circle." She then continued toward Wesley and said, "Goddess of Water, I call on thee to protect this circle. As she walked behind Rupert she spoke a fourth time, "Goddess of Earth, I call on thee to bless this circle." When she completed the circle and returned to her place, the air where she had made her passage glowed. The sacred circle had been cast.
Willow laid down the dagger and reached for the red candle at her feet, holding it before her she began. "Goddess of Air, I summon thee to bless our efforts this day and ask that you help us to free those held against their will." She then lit the red candle and placed the taper in the holder a foot in front of her.
Edward then took his white candle and began. "Goddess of Fire, I summon thee to bless our efforts this day and ask that you help us to free those held against their will." Once he finished he lit his taper and placed it in the holder in front of him.
Wesley followed, "Goddess of Water, I summon thee to bless our efforts this day and ask that you help us to free those held against their will." He then lit his gray candle, also placing it in the holder before him.
"Goddess of the Earth, I summon thee to bless our efforts this day and ask for your help in freeing the woman I love and the child that she carries," Rupert added before he lit his black candle.
* * * * *
Buffy could feel Rupert again. It wasn't a strong connection, but she knew he was there. He was trying to help her. She had stopped Nicholas in time. He hadn't been able to use the bond against them. She could only hope that Nicholas wouldn't try again. She watched him as he paced around the room, mumbling things to himself. He occasionally stopped and looked at her. She saw the anger and hatred in his eyes. Once, he had raised his hand, causing her to flinch. He lowered his hand when he saw the scared look in her eyes. "I'm sorry. I've scared you. I wasn't going to hit you. I wouldn't do that to you." He walked away from her again. "I would never hurt my slayer. I have to protect you from them. They've hurt you. I have to stop them from hurting you. They want to take you away. If they would just leave, things would be better and I wouldn't have to hurt them." He turned back to her again. "They were supposed to leave. They were supposed to take him back to England. They didn't do that. They have to go away. They can't find us."
Buffy knew she had to stall. She could feel that Rupert was doing something to help her. She could feel others trying to help her, and the bond with Rupert was getting stronger. She needed to distract Nicholas. "I could talk to them and explain things for you."
It didn't have the effect she had expected. Nicholas had been pacing on the other side of the room once again. Suddenly he was right in front of her. He grabbed her arms. "I told you before. You're not allowed to leave this house. I won't let you leave while they are still a threat."
"That's not what I meant. If you have a telephone, I could talk to them that way. I could tell them that I'm safe, that you haven't hurt me. I could convince them to leave." His grip on her arms relaxed a little. "Please. You don't need to hurt them."
"I don't have a telephone."
"Okay. I didn't know." He let go of her arms and started pacing again. She watched him for a while. <Come on, Rupert. I don't know what you're doing, but you'd better hurry. I can't do this alone. I can't fight him by myself.>
* * * * *
Willow, Wesley, Edward and Rupert waited as the power in the circle increased with the calling of the four corners. Each felt the wind from their direction empowering the circle that Willow had cast. Willow waited for the wind to die down before she continued.
Slowly, Willow walked to the table in the center. Once there she took the incense charcoal and lit it before placing it in the censor. As she waited for the charcoal to finish igniting, she focused her thoughts on freeing Buffy. While waiting for the charcoal, she took a piece of sandalwood and the quill, which she dipped into the dragons blood ink. On the sandalwood chip she wrote free on one side and Buffy on the other, the entire time concentrating on freeing Buffy from Nicholas. Once the charcoal was glowing, she placed the chip of sandalwood on it and it began to smolder, emitting a wonderful earthy smell and charging the air with protection and releasing her wish. As she made her way back to her point, she continued to concentrate on freeing Buffy, thereby adding her power to the spell. In her hand she held an emerald into which she focused her will.
Once Willow was back on her eastern point, Edward cautiously made his way to the table. Once there he stopped and concentrated on breaking through the barrier of evil that surrounded the house where Buffy was being held. When his thoughts were totally on exorcing the evil aura surrounding the house, he placed frankincense on the charcoal and the fragrance of it is added to the scent of the sandalwood, releasing powerful vibrations to help drive out the evil in the clearing. Edward envisioned the evil barrier weakening, destroyed by the light and love that they were bringing into the darkness Nicholas had brought. Once his vision was firmly in his mind, he slowly walked back to his place, in his hand a garnet into which he focused his will.
Wesley then carefully walked to table, concentrating on protection for the group not only while they cast the spell but also for rescuing Buffy from Nicholas. Breaking through the barrier he had cast was only half of the problem. Wesley stood at the table before the censor, holding his vision of protection for all of them in his mind as he added myrrh to the censor, strengthening the spell's protection and exorcism powers. As the smoke rose, he continued to concentrate on protection for the small group. Before he left the table, he picked up a white beryl to focus his will into.
* * * * *
Buffy knew they were trying to free her. She felt Rupert's presence as well as three others. Two of them were familiar. She watched Nicholas, hoping he couldn't tell what they were doing. With each passing moment she felt stronger, felt more protected. She felt the bond to Rupert more strongly than she ever had before.
She looked at Nicholas. He was standing still with his back to her. Feeling more confident and knowing this could be her only chance, she crept toward him. When she reached him, he turned to face her. She felt the bond to the others disappear and started to fall. Nicholas caught her before her head hit the floor.
* * * * *
Rupert slowly walked to the table after Wesley had returned to his place. He concentrated on breaking through the barrier and rescuing Buffy. As he formed this vision his mind, his love for Buffy entered and helped to strengthen his vision. He was just picking up a large thistle head when Quentin Travers and three other Watchers entered the clearing, crossing the circle and breaking the spell.
Everyone in the circle was stunned for a moment, the energy that they had been building dissipating quickly, taking their energy with it. Once they had recovered they all looked at Travers.
"What the hell do you think you are doing?" Rupert glared at Quentin. "You broke the circle. We were almost finished with the spell, you pillock!"
"I thought Buffy might need medical attention. I brought some medical supplies. You may also need help with Nicholas. We don't know what he'll be like when he comes out of there. We brought weapons with us. We want to help." Travers started explaining his actions.
"We will start again, but you and your men stay away from the circle. Take your weapons and guard the clearing," Rupert told Travers, holding his anger in check. "Do not enter the circle for any reason. I won't be responsible for my actions if you break the spell again." Rupert waited to make sure his orders were followed. Willow, Wesley, and Edward had reset the items for the spell and had gone back to their places in the circle. Rupert took a few deep breaths to calm himself and then nodded to Willow to again begin the spell.