Dark and Bright: Fading
by Seralis
Chapter Six - Fading
His skin hummed, mimicking the machines around him. He was so tired, to the point he could barely feel it anymore. He felt like he was cast in stone, trapped, until her eyes would open, the light would shine again, the ice would melt, he would be fine. If she would just wake. "Come on luv. Open them. For me." She lay still.

Brushing back her hair from her face, his face showed no emotion other than worry, no flicker of usual cynical amusement. They worried about both of them. It wasn't good to sit there for days on end, staring at the face of another ill one. At least with him, they knew it was worry, sadness that afflicted him. Perhaps fear. Dawn often came to sit with him, but the upset teen couldn't stare at her unmoving sister for so long. She couldn't bear for this to be like her mother. How could she be expected to give up her sister as well? It wasn't fair, as most things are, but the only thought in the young girl's mind was that her sister must get well. She downright refused, as only a teenager can, to lose her again.

********

There was only Dawn and Spike with her when the news came. Willow, tired but smiling for Dawn, sat down with them. They would be the first to know.

"We, uh, we found what's wrong with her."

"And?" Dawn's voice sounded choked with expectant tears, fearful for the impending diagnosis.

"It's what we thought. It's because she's a Slayer."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?! That's all I've been hearing, because she's a slayer, because of the Potentials. I'm sick of it. I just want to know how to make her better. I just want her back." She was close to sobbing now.

"Let Red explain Nibblet." Even Spike's voice sounded dead, his gaze leaving only briefly to reassure the upset girl.

"It's the spell. The one we did back in Sunnydale. When I gave the Potentials the power of the Slayer, I messed up the balance, the prophesy, the whole Slayer deal." Willow became more and more distraught at relaying this information, painfully aware of her hand in Buffy's illness. "The power, the gift, whatever you want to call it, is given to a single girl. One girl in all the world. Well, as it turns out, there's a reason for that. A reason why a Slayer is only called after the previous one dies. The Slayer power is meant to be given to one girl, two at best, in Buffy and Faith's case. Not potentially thousands around the world. When I spread that power to all the Potentials, I, sorta, tapped that power from what I thought was the First Slayer. What I didn't realize was that the only link to the power First Slayer was through the existing Slayers."

"Buffy and Faith."

"Yes Dawnie. I-I took their power and spread it too thinly, like too little butter on toast. I pulled the power from them."

Seeing the miserable look on Willow's face, Dawn came beside her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders, despite her own inner pain. "Why?'

"I had to Dawn."

"No. Why does it hurt her?"

Spike spoke up again, his voice hoarse. "The Slayer isn't who your sister is Dawn. It's what she is. The Slayer. You take that from her, and you take a part of Buffy too. The more Potentials sharing that power, the more they take from her. They make her weak."

"Spike's right Dawnie. I took Buffy's power, her strength from her and shared it with all those Potentials out there. It's not supposed to work like that."

"Can you fix it?"

"Maybe. It's harder to take that power away than to give it. If we do take it."

"What do you mean? That you won't take the power from them? That's you'll leave her like this?"

"I don't know. I can't do it by myself. And some people think it would be better that we...lost two Slayers than lose the thousands we have now."

"Two?"

"Faith's sick too. Wood called about it."

"What are you going to do Red? It's Buffy or the giggling bints that drove us all insane. There's no question. It's not like we're going to kill them. Just take what doesn't belong to them."

"That's just it. These girls, we've given them power, a purpose. And you want to take that away? Buffy's my best friend, but the Slayers, Kennedy thinks-"

"WHO GIVES A DAMN WHAT KENNEDY THINKS?! WHO?! The girl's a bitch, all right, and I know the two of you are all cozy and all, but since when does little Miss. Rich call the shots? Since when does Buffy's life fall into her hands? NEVER, DAMN IT! And if she thinks she can order us all about, GOD KNOWS WHY, she can just bugger off!"

Spike's eyes were glowing a violent amber, frightening even the powerful witch he was yelling at.

"I know all that Spike. I know what you want. But what does Buffy want? Does she want to be here? We-we already know where she wants to be. Where she should be."

"Don't go boo hooing to me about your mistakes Red," his voice was dangerously harsh, taking on a tone she had forgotten he had, "You're going to fix her. You're going to give her strength back to her, damn the sodding Potentials to hell, yes, even your precious Kennedy." His disregard for anyone else hurt, and yet she should have expected it. *What could anyone expect?*

"Dawnie, you understand, don't you?" Willow looked desperately for sympathy. Kennedy, she'd waited so long, wanted the power. How could she take that? And Buffy? She didn't want this. Didn't want life. Heaven, heaven is where she should be.

"No. I don't Willow. I don't know if you're trying to do this for the world, for the Potentials, or for Kennedy. But I do know that Buffy doesn't want to die. She doesn't want to leave us again. Those girls, they don't need this. They don't need the power. Slayers have been fighting alone for a thousand years. Why do you think that is Willow? It's 'cause the world couldn't hold anymore. The world can't hold a thousand Slayers. And you? You can take it away, take what belongs to her. Buffy and Faith." Her tone was so calm, composed. *When did little Dawnie grow up so much?*

"Do what you have to with the magicks to save her. Don't argue. And don't tell me what Buffy wants. If Buffy dies-" His cold dead gaze made her shiver; even her own powers couldn't steady her. "There will be hell to pay Red. And I'll start with your little girlfriend." Again she was reminded of the killer in him, and the fact that the reason it was still in hiding sat beside her, lay in the sickbed. It wouldn't take much to bring him back out to play, something she should keep in mind.

********

The Watcher was flying in from England. To discourage Red from saving Buffy, he figured. The thought of her 'friends' wanting to let her die disgusted him. They were her friends, for crying out loud, the ones she risked her life for, no, died to protect. And now they wanted to leave her. Oh, she wants to be in heaven. She's not happy here. Bullshit. Damn them all for believing that. Didn't they see? Didn't they know she was happy...with him. She was finally happy, and now they wanted to cut her loose. It wasn't even that he wanted them to kill the Potentials for her. They wouldn't die, they'd just become regular people again. Like they should be. And Buffy would be fine again, like she should be. The Slayer. Not a Slayer, but the only one...with the exception of Faith.

Nibblet understood; there were no two ways about it, the Potentials would go back to being the Potentials, and Buffy would go back to living as the Slayer. No one would stand in his way. Except, perhaps, the annoying Slayer that had come to Wolfram and Hart to 'help' Red. He hated that girl. Buffy just had to give the word, though he didn't think she'd like him ripping throats out again. Still...the bint did ask for it, Red's girl or not.

His fingers strayed to her wrist, his cool fingers resting over her pulse, the slow beat drumming into his skin. It was slowing, he knew, could feel the marked difference as the days passed. She was growing weaker, her strength, her essence being pulled from her, bit by bit to power those little Slayer wanna-bes. Her breaths came slowly and shakily; he hated this. Hated to see her like this, so weak and helpless. She was supposed to be strong, for everyone. His thumb stroked the inside of her wrist, following the lines of her veins.

It was in mid-stroke when her eyes opened. Slowly, the lids lifted, revealing the hazel depths he had missed for too long. They flickered over the room, coming to rest on the man by her side. "Spike?"

"I'm here luv."

"Where am I?"

"Medical ward. L.A. With me."

She smiled, though the effort seemed to drain her. "What happened?"

He struggled for the calm, reassuring expression she needed, "Nothing. You just got a little sick is all pet. Red'll have you up and slaying again in no time, especially with Fred's help."

She smiled again, her eyes cloudy; he knew she didn't believe him. She opened her arms to him, taking comfort in his embrace. She whispered, so quietly he almost didn't hear, "Am I dying?"

He pulled back sharply, "Of course not. You're not dying Buffy. I wouldn't let that happen." His chest tightened at the look she gave him, eyes shining out from dark hollows.

"Don't lie to me Spike."

"I-"

"I know I am. I can feel it. The Slayer-"

"The Slayer is fine. My Slayer is fine. Didn't I tell you you'd be yourself again in no time? You're getting better. Really."

"Listen to me Spike. The Slayer is fading. I could never feel her before, but I can now. She kinda stings." He couldn't help but chuckle at her mockery of his words to her in the cavern back in Sunnyhell. "But she's slipping away Spike. Fading away from me. I-I need her. I didn't want her at all, wished she'd never come to me, but now? I need her with me, part of me." Both of their eyes shone with tears, running down their faces to mingle together, as her next words came as a wave, washing over both of them with a terrible certainty. "She's dying Spike. And I'm dying with her."


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