Amateur Magic: Part 6
by Virtual Void
TITLE: Amateur Magic [Part 6/9]
AUTHOR: Virtual Void
GENRE: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
RATING: PG-13 for non-graphic violence, mild language, and adult situations.
SUMMARY: Buffy needs Spike’s and Dawn’s help to save the world--she just doesn’t know it.
SETTING: Season Seven-ish
PAIRINGS: Spike/Dawn
DISCLAIMER: Some of the characters and ideas in this story were taken directly from the television series “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” (BTVS), which is owned, copyrighted and trademarked by Twentieth Century Fox, Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, the WB Television Network, and/or their related entities. No profit is being made from this story, and no copyright infringement is intended. The copyright owners of BTVS have not endorsed or authorized this story, and the author of this story is not affiliated with the copyright owners of BTVS. This story itself is copyright 2003 by Virtual Void. All rights reserved. Enjoy.
ARCHIVE: Please ask first.
FEEDBACK: Feedback, criticism, and MiSTing are welcome. “Was mich nicht umbringt, macht mich staerker.“
* * * * *
Buffy actually did fall asleep for an instant, but she woke up just in time to keep her head from striking the book. She snuck a glance at Spike and Dawn-- they didn't seem to have noticed. That fight with the Marmus, plus all the miscellaneous vamps this evening, had taken a lot out of her.
She really did hate the research part of being the Slayer. Thank God for Willow-- and having Giles back was a boost as well. Surely, if there was something useful in these books, one of them would find it. She was just so tired, and all these words kept melting into meaningless gray lines, then the gray lines melted into meaningless gray blobs with little white worm holes running through them. It would be so wonderful to go back home, fill the tub with steamy hot water, maybe pour in a little lavender oil, and....
Thump.
"What was that?" Dawn said.
"Nothing," Buffy said, rubbing her forehead. "Probably a rat."
"A rat that needs its nap time," Spike said.
Buffy glared at him. "You shut up or I'll stuff a tennis ball in your mouth."
Willow and Giles returned from upstairs. "Good news, Buffy," Willow said, looking a little squeamish.
"Let me guess," Buffy said. "Hooray, hooray, you just wrecked my car?"
"I can't do this," Willow said. Giles stepped in front of her.
"The fact is, Willow has discovered a spell to use against the Marmus."
Giles began to explain the spell, and then Willow finished.
"Cool," Buffy said. "You got your cell phone, Willow? Just give me a buzz when it's time, and I'll go play Whack-a-Mole."
They decided that Buffy's phone should be set to vibrate rather than ring. No sense giving the keen-eared toadies any advance warning. If the caller-ID showed Willow's number, Buffy would attack.
"You'll have to work fast," Willow said. "The spell will only last for a few minutes. Oh, and be patient, because it could take me a while to work the spell. Gosh, I need to go back to the Magic Box to pick up some supplies, too."
"I'll volunteer for that chore," Giles told her. "You're a bit hobbled with only the one shoe. Make me a list?"
Buffy decided to take a proper nap while Giles was gone. It seemed like she'd just closed her eyes when he was back already, loaded down with shopping bags, additional weapons, and a pair of white bunny slippers.
"I recall that Xander bought these for Anya as a joke," he said. "Needless to say, she never wore them." He handed them to Willow.
"You're so sweet!" she said. "My feet thank you from the bottom of... my feet."
Buffy selected her weapons and stayed Giles’ hand as he reached for one himself. "I've got to do this alone. If anything goes wrong, I don't want you to be anywhere within slaying range." With that, she set out for the Marmus' cave.
* * * * *
"You need my help?" Dawn said, obviously intrigued.
Willow sat her down in front of Spike's crypt. She told her the part about the spell that she'd kept secret from Buffy, and then she began to relate the detailed execution of the spell. As she spoke, she could see Dawn becoming more and more subdued. When she explained that the spell was concluded with a kiss, Dawn seemed positively depressed.
Taking Dawn's hand, Willow said, "I hate to put you in this position. And asking you to lie to Buffy about it, too. I feel awful."
Dawn shook her head. "I'll never remember all that. I'll mess something up and everyone will think I'm a complete dork."
"No, Honey, I've written it all out with bullet points. See? You won't have any trouble. Besides, Giles and I will be with you the whole time."
Dawn gave her a kind of "yeah, right" look that amplified Willow's guilt at not being able to do the spell herself.
"But, you'll do it?" Willow said. "For Buffy?"
Rolling her eyes, Dawn said, "I'll do it, already."
* * * * *
"No bloody way," Spike said, feeling more than a little put-out.
Willow sat down on the floor beside his chair and put her hands on his arm. "Why not? Spike, this is your chance to help us big time. How can you say 'no'?"
"Let's see.... Could it be because you've treated me like dung up to now? Or maybe because it's your own bloody problem and you can bloody well fix it yourself? No, I think it's because Buffy would chop me up and feed me to the squirrels if I ever laid a finger on Dawn. Yeah... that's it."
What cheeky bastards! Here he was, tied up in his own crypt, forced to listen to their half-baked plans to off some demon, and they have the nerve to ask him to help.
"Not so loud," Willow said, glancing at the steps leading to the upper level. "Dawn might hear you."
"Well, good," Spike said, raising his voice a notch. "That way she can report back to Buffy that I wanted no part of your little scheme."
"Nobody's going to report anything. I give you my word Buffy will never find out."
Spike had to admire the way Willow could make that puppy dog face when she wanted something from you. He looked at her askance. "What's in it for me."
"Well, you get to save mankind... or at least Sunnydale."
"Never been that high on my wish list, Red."
"You get to help Xander get over Anyanka's curse."
"Lower still. Keep going."
"I'll tell Buffy you helped me with the spell and that I couldn't have done it without you."
Now, that idea had some appeal. He'd love to see Buffy's face when Willow told her it was old Spike who'd done the magic and saved the world. She'd pout a little bit, and then say something like, "I guess I been wrong about you all this time." And then she'd close her eyes and lean toward him and--.
"Well," Spike said. "That might get me out of a knee to the gut sometime. So, what's the Little Bit got to say about all this?"
Willow chewed on her lip. "Well, I think she was kind of grossed out by the idea, but she's a real trooper. She'll make it through okay."
"Oh, lovely," Spike said, shifting in his seat. "Sounds like Big Sister's been giving her lessons. Yeah, I guess I'll go along. Untie me so I can work me magic."
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