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Becca (cowritten by Allison)
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Date Posted: 21:17:01 01/13/02 Sun
In reply to:
Becca (cowritten by Allison)
's message, "TCO Episode 3: Truths Revealed Chapter 2 A" on 21:13:21 01/13/02 Sun
PART B, As Promised
"Where have you been?" Carly snapped as she at the end of the long table in Wyndymerre, glaring at Stefan as he floated into the dining room.
"What?" he grumbled, not wanting to deal with the mutt of the Spencer litter.
"Late night Count? Bite anyone good lately?"
Stefan's head snapped up at Carly's words. He was at her side instantly, his cold eyes boring into hers. "What do you know?"
"Just that you decided to make a human buffet of my little cousin. I should really lead those slayers to you and Hannah, just for spite," Carly spat, clearly not in a good mood.
"How did you find out about Lucky? Did he turn?" Stefan asked, not looking to make small talk or exchange in pointless Spencer banter.
"I ran into Luke, who somehow knows about me," she note exasperatedly. "Anyway, he was on his way to the hospital. So Lucky isn't a vampire, he's just fighting for his life. Anybody ever tell you that you do things completely half-assed. Either turn him or kill him or leave him alone. Now you are going to have two pissed off slayers, one who's in love with the boy, the Spencers, and probably the rest of those annoying people who came with Buffy gunning for you and us. Good work Stuffy, trying to get us killed?"
"Damn, this is unacceptable, he should have died," Stefan slammed his hand down on the table.
"Well, accept it pal, because you failed at this . . .Luke really is going to have a reason to get you now," Carly chuckled. "I just hope he spares me so I can watch."
"Will you shut up already? How can I possibly think with you vocalizing every single insipid thought in your tired little useless brain?"
"It's a wonder you stayed single for so long," Carly noted sarcastically. "It's too bad you are such a dullard, you're kind of cute."
Stefan rolled his eyes as Carly left the room, sinking down into the chair she had vacated.
"Bravo, you Greco Russian freak," Spike's voice sang as he entered the room. "I couldn't have picked a more useless group to work with me could I? I've got the psycho blonde and the crazy brunette bitching at each other all the time, and I have you instigating the slayers. It's bad enough they want us turned to dust, but now they'll stop at nothing to make an example out of us. Of all the kids you could have grabbed, why this one?"
"You wouldn't understand."
"Try me," Spike challenged, pulling himself up to sit on the table.
Stefan glared at the action, annoyed at the squatter who had taken over his home. "It's a long story, but the Spencers and Cassadines have never gotten along. They are responsible for years of torment for my family. It was called retribution Spike, learn it, live it."
"Hell Cassadine, when you are a vampire all those former feuds go out the window...it's us against the living, not family against family."
"I knew you wouldn't understand," Stefan stated coldly.
"I hope the new slayer dusts you and Buffy is decent enough to let me watch, because it'll be fun."
"What is it with watching me die at the hands of the slayers? You people are twisted," Stefan muttered.
"I can only hope you'd understand, but I guess you don't so I'll say it slowly for you Stefan. We are evil, we aren't the good guys, we have very little loyalty. I couldn't care less if you or anyone else was dusted. As long as I'm around to walk another night, I'm happy," Spike paused as he began to leave. "Don't go around feeding on the friends of slayers anymore, or your son, it'll only hurt the mission in the end."
Stefan watched him leave, sighing deeply once he was alone. "And I thought being a Cassadine was confusing!"
~*~
Liz stood outside of the penthouse and took a deep breath, trying to tell herself that leaving Lucky wasn't a bad thing, that he would be fine without her. Still, she was afraid he'd wake up in the few hours she was here, and she would never forgive herself for not being there, for not being the first face he would see.
She was about to turn around and leave when the door swung open suddenly. Alexis smiled at her and held it open. "You coming in?"
"Um... yeah, I guess," she sighed, walking past her into the penthouse. "How did you know I was out there?"
"I didn't. I was just checking. Good timing, huh?" She smiled, and Liz managed a smile in return, feeling a little more at ease. Everyone else was there, except Buffy. Willow was already setting up her wicca supplies on a cleared-out spot on the floor, and everyone else was lounging in the living room, talking casually as though this was just the beginning of some dinner party, and not the preparations for performing witchcraft.
Alexis led her over to some chairs and they sat down, quickly falling into conversation with Xander, who had them both laughing in no time. It was just what Liz needed to get her mind off of Lucky, and for that she was grateful.
A few minutes later, there was a knock on the door. Jax was closer this time, so he opened it, surprised to see Angel standing next to Buffy. She smiled and walked inside, waving hello to everyone. Angel hovered in the doorway, looking pained.
"Sorry, Angel. Come in," Alexis called out from her seat. Jax shot her an irritated look, but kept quiet, shutting the door behind him. She frowned at him, not sure why he was in such a bad mood, but wrote it off to all the metaphysical stuff going on. He was still a little uncomfortable with her calling, and understandably so.
"Okay, everyone's here," Xander said loudly, clapping his hands together. "Let's get this over with. I'd like to get home before Friends is on."
"Xander, that show is on Thursdays," Buffy said with a laugh. "Did you get your days mixed up again?"
"No, I know what day it is, thank you," he asserted. "I'm talking about syndication. Tonight's The One With The Free Porno. I love that one. Chandler just cracks me up."
"Wait," Liz said suddenly, looking around. "Where's Oz?"
"He's in his cage. Tonight's the night before the full moon. He gets kind of grumpy," Willow answered with a small smile. "Tries to eat people."
"Oh. I can see where a cage would be good, then."
"Yeah. Come on, I'm ready, everyone sit in a circle." She waited as everyone settled down around her, motioning for them to stay on the outside of the candles. "Um, there is one thing I don't have I need something of Spike's. Alexis, you said you had something that might work?"
"Oh, right, that." She looked over at Jax, who was standing in the kitchen doorway, unsure where to go. "Honey, can you get that book that's by the bed? It's the one on vampire lore."
"Sure," he sighed, leaving the room. A minute later, he emerged with a large, leather-bound book. "This one?"
She took it and smiled. "Yeah, that's it." He started to move away, and she grabbed his hand. "Aren't you going to stay?"
"No thanks. This stuff is a little too weird for me. I'm just going to go in the bedroom and do some work."
"All right," she said, reluctantly letting go of his hand. "We won't be long." He nodded and kissed her quickly before disappearing into the back of the penthouse. She sighed and looked down at the book in her lap.
"What is that for, anyway?" Xander asked, pointing to it. "Did Spike own it once?"
"No, but there's a picture of him in here. I figured it was better than nothing."
"Really? Let me see!" He reached for it eagerly. She handed it to Liz, who was sitting next to her, and she passed it over to him. He started flipping through it, frowning.
"Where is it? This book is huge, it could take forever to find!"
Cordelia groaned and grabbed it from him. "Give me that!" She flipped to the back and looked up at him triumphantly. "Try the index, Einstein."
"Oh, right. I, uh, didn't think they had those back then."
She rolled her eyes at him, then looked down at the age-worn pages. "Sure, you keep telling yourself that, and maybe you'll actually start to believe it."
"Look, can you two stop bickering long enough so we can do this?" Angel asked suddenly. Everyone looked at him in surprise and he shrugged. "Sorry, I just want to get this over with. Magic makes me a little nervous."
"Well, seeing as how magic is what got you all tortured and soulful in the first place, I guess I can see why," Xander joked. "Just as much as it could take away your soul and make you evil again. Of course, so would a good roll in the hay..."
"Hey!" Buffy shouted, glaring at him.
He grinned back. "Just the hay I was referring to."
She groaned and tossed a book of matches at him. He caught them and stuck out his tongue.
"Okay, please don't throw the ritual supplies!" Willow shouted, holding out her hand to Xander to get them back. He passed them to her and pouted, looking over at Buffy.
"She threw them, not me."
"Enough, guys!" Alexis shouted, quieting them down. "This isn't Romper Room, can we please be a little more civilized?"
"Romper Room?" Angel asked, looking at her quizzically She sighed and shook her head.
"Never mind."
Cordelia let out a heavy sigh and stuffed the book into Nikolas's hands. "I can't find the stupid thing!"
He frowned down at it like it was poison and passed it over to Emily. "I don't know anything about this stuff."
"Neither do I!" she gasped, quickly passing it to Angel. He opened it to the index again and searched through the list. Buffy leaned over his shoulder to read, then pointed at a name.
"There, page 233."
"How did you find it so fast?" Cordelia asked, crossing her arms in front of her and pouting. "I looked up Spike but there wasn't anything."
"That's because he was known as William the Bloody back then," Angel explained quietly, flipping to the correct page.
"I know, and I tried that too. I'm not as dumb as you all think!"
"Sorry, Cordy, but it's right there in black and, um, sort of light-yellowish-brown?"
"Antique white," Liz offered distractedly. Buffy looked at her blankly and she shrugged. "I'm an artist, remember? That's what color that paper is."
"Right. Anyway, it's here. You can see for yourself." She took the book from Angel and held it up so Cordelia could see, flipping back to the index and pointing out the entry in question. She squinted at it, then blushed a little.
"Oh, it was under W...." she muttered, looking down at her lap. Xander laughed and slapped her on the back.
"What did you think William started with?"
"I was looking under B, okay?"
"For what? Bill? Or, wait, let me guess.... Bloody, comma William the?" He laughed even harder when she glanced away, knowing he had hit the nail on the head. "Oh, that one's priceless. Even I would have known to look under W!"
"Enough, people!" Alexis shouted again, her exasperation evident. "I'd like to get this over with too!"
Angel took the book back from Cordelia again and flipped to the page with Spike's picture. "Yeah, that's him all right."
Buffy reached for it and rolled her eyes. "God, he looks just as smug in this old sketch as he does in real life...death... whatever."
"Here, let me have it," Willow sighed, holding out her hand. Buffy handed the book to her, then folded her hands in her lap, waiting for further instruction. She may have been the Slayer, but this sort of thing was Willow's turf, she had no inclination to try to take over.
Willow placed the book in the middle of her makeshift altar and sat behind it, Spike's picture face-up, then turned to Alexis. "Can you dim the lights, please?"
She got up and did so, then returned to her spot between Liz and Buffy. The room had fallen quiet, waiting for the next step, everyone watching Willow, who now sat in the middle of their circle.
Willow got out the matches and lit the incense. A soft, musky smell filled the room as smoke curled up from the glowing cone. Once that was done, she lit a small taper candle, blew out the match, then used that candle to light the two white candles behind her. Once they were lit, she moved to the large white candle directly behind her, closing her eyes, and began to speak slowly and softly.
"This candle I light to represent Spike. It burns as does his spirit. It is as him in all things."
She then turned around, the book in front of her, and lit the smaller candle to her right, then the one to her left, while speaking again. As she spoke, she sprinkled dried sunflower petals over Spike's picture.
"These are the symbols of truth. They are enjoined about Spike, and through him, show all truth. This is my will, so mote it be."
She blew out the small candle in her hands, her eyes still closed. Everyone watched her quietly, not sure if they should move or not. She seemed almost as though she was meditating. A few minutes passed before she finally opened her eyes. She let out a slow breath, then blew out the candles, reversing the order in which she lit them. She then closed the book, leaving the petals inside, and looked at her friends.
"That's it?" Xander asked.
She nodded. "Yeah. It'll last for two weeks. We should be able to find out what we need from Spike by then, right?"
"I hope so," Buffy sighed, stretching her arms. "I'd hate do have to do it again. I almost fell asleep the first time. What's up with all that weird language anyway? Mote? Fortnight? Who talks like that anymore?"
"You know, people in this century are so uneducated," Angel sighed, shaking his head. "It's a wonder the human race has survived this long."
Cordelia stood up to work out a kink in her legs and surveyed the room. "Well, no one seems demony or anything. Hey, Willow, it looks like one of your silly spells finally worked! Or, at least it didn't backfire."
Just then, Jax walked out of the bedroom and frowned at them. "Alexis, how much longer are you going to be?"
"We just finished, honey. Why?"
He smirked at her and backed towards their bedroom. "I'm lonely in there. You promised I could be Crocodile Dundee tonight."
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