Witness by The Rainbow Writers

Rating: NC-17
Disclaimer: Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Willow, Tara, Xander, Anya, Giles, Dawn, Spike and all other characters who have appeared in the syndicated series Buffy The Vampire Slayer, together with the names, titles and back story are the sole copyright property of Joss Whedon, Fox and Mutant Enemy. No copyright infringement was intended in the writing of this fan fiction. All other characters, the story idea and the story itself are the sole property of the authors. This story cannot be sold or used for profit in any way. Please contact the authors for permission to reproduce this story on any other fan fiction site.
Distribution: The Rainbow Writer's Homepage: http://www.therainbowwriters.com/
Mystic Muse: http://mysticmuse.net
Spoilers: Season 6.
Feedback: All feedback is welcome.
Pairing: Willow/Other

Summary: Willow struggles with her rehabilitation in England.

"Mr. Giles? Mr. Rupert Giles." The Police Constable that stood outside Giles house and looked up at him from his note pad seemed a little uneasy, as did his companion that stood a few paces behind him.

"Yes, how can I help you Officer?" Giles looked at the two of them trying to figure out why exactly they were on his doorstep this early in the morning.

"We're sorry for the early call." The first PC apologized. "We were rather hoping you could help us with something, do you know a Mr. Fred Waltham?"

"Could we perhaps trouble you for a moment of your time." The office looked over Giles' shoulder into the interior of the house. "Perhaps if we could step inside?"

"Of course, please come into the lounge." Giles stepped back out of the way to let them enter and then escorted them into the front room.

"Hey G-man I know it's your house but you could knock…" Xander stopped mid sentence as the Watcher and the two policemen entered. With a smile he folded up his sleeping bag and tossed it conspicuously over the back of the recently folded up pull out.

"Officer this is my nephew Alexander Harris from America, he recently dropped in on holiday." Giles looked at the officer who had been doing all of the talking to offer the apology for the state of the lounge.

"Yeah." Xander gave what could only be described as a goofy grin. "Here with my gorgeous wife." He added as Anya walked through the door. He scurried over to the demon and put his arm around her grinning. "Anya, these are two of Britain's finest, is Cousin Dawn up yet?" He added poking her lightly.

"I am not your…" Anya had been looking at him about to comment on his inaccurate statement when the part about Britain's finest sunk in and she turned to look at him. "Gorgeous wife, I'm your gorgeous intelligent witty wife." She grinned. "And yes, she just got out of the shower."

"As we were saying." The officer glanced and smiled briefly at Anya and Xander. "We were hoping you could help us with a few details about Mr. Waltham." He came back to his point.

"I would be happy to assist you any way I can officer. Has Mr. Waltham fallen into some kind of trouble, it seems very out of character for him." Giles sat down looking up at the officer. The officers glanced at one another and then looked at the Watcher.

"I'm sorry to have to tell you this Mr. Giles, but I'm afraid Mr. Waltham was involved in a fatal car accident yesterday evening." The second officer explained softly.

"Oh good Lord." Giles' eyes went wider as he looked at them. "Are you positive it was Fred?"

"He had a wallet and various personal items with him, and he was driving a car registered to his name." The details were given sympathetically. "The reason we have contacted you was that your telephone number was written on the notepad on the dashboard. Could you confirm for us that this is indeed your phone number?" The officer held out his notepad.

"Yes, that is my number." Giles read it and confirmed it rather unnecessarily. "I had a rather odd voicemail from him late last night stating that he needed to talk to me urgently. I had assumed at the time it was due to the recent fire at his hospital."

"Yes we are aware of the recent fire, and that a patient there was found in the grounds of the building during the police search." The first officer took up the details. "Mr. Giles, could I trouble you to give us your impressions of Mr. Waltham, was he for example a reliable and rational sort?"

"Oh quite both I would say, in fact I can't particularly name you a time when he wasn't either." Giles admitted honestly.

"We understand that you are personally linked to a patient at the hospital, a Miss…" He glanced down at his notes again. "Rosenberg?"

"Yes, my niece Willow Rosenberg. That is how I came into acquaintance with Mr. Waltham, he was Willow's caseworker." Giles gave them the known information freely. "Part of the reason Alexander has come on holiday is to visit his sister. She was making remarkable progress up until the time of the fire."

"I'm pleased to hear that." The first office tried a genuine smile. "Would it be possible to speak with Miss. Rosenberg?"

"Oh actually Willow has taken a short trip north with some friends. I'm sure that with the information on the fire you noted that Elizabeth Mann was another patient at the manor, she's accompanied Willow on her trip along with my other niece Buffy Summers." Giles started to wonder how exactly he was going to explain his huge family line and the interweaving of what was beginning to seem like a good dozen surnames.

"I see." The officer nodded. "Mr. Giles," He began again. "Did perhaps your niece ever speak of Mr. Waltham perhaps acting somewhat inappropriately towards her?" He asked uncomfortably.

"No, I can assure you that Willow always spoke highly of his rehabilitative assistance." Giles watched the officer's change in demeanor.

"Did he or your niece ever directly mention a Miss. Morgana Smithson?" The questions became a little more direct.

"Why yes, she was another patient at the Manor. As I've been led to believe it was she who set the fire and tragically was found dead on the property." He looked up puzzled by the questions.

"I can't comment on that I'm afraid sir." The second officer smiled tightly. "So as far as you are aware Mr. Waltham was a hard working, reliable individual who treated his patients with nothing but respect always in an appropriate manner. He never acted in anyway that might have suggested him being involved in anything, should we say, of questionable dealings?"

"No Officer, not that I was every aware of. I can assure you that if my niece had found any of his actions questionable she would have immediately informed me." Giles assured them.

"Of course." He nodded. "For the record Mr. Giles, your niece, Miss. Rosenberg, she was a patient at the hospital in rehabilitation after the loss of her husband, is that correct?"

"Actually Officer I'm afraid a portion of that information is incorrect. Willow lost her partner, Tara Maclay in a horrific tragedy. She was murdered and died in Willow's arms." The Watcher felt a lump form in his throat at the words. "I'm sure you can see why her attendance at the Manor could be necessary after such an event."

"Believe me Sir, there is no suggestion that your niece is in anyway involved or under any kind of suspicion in this. In fact we believe that Mr. Waltham took his own life last night, we are just trying to pin point a possible reason for him to have done this." The officer clarified.

"Anya." Xander pulled the arm he had around her closer. "Maybe we should go into the kitchen and make coffee while Uncle Rupert finishes talking to the cops." He guided her forcibly towards the kitchen trying not to laugh when he used the Watcher's first name.

"I apologize, she suffers from Tourettes' syndrome." Giles watched them leave and then turned back to the officers.

"Giles your towels are stiff and smell like mothballs." The sitting room door swung open and Dawn bounded in wearing her Christmas pajamas, her hair wrapped up in a moss green towel. "And the colors are all watchery… Oh, hello." She squeaked coming to a stop as she saw the police.

"I pray you gentlemen never have to deal with the slang of an American teenager." Giles glanced at them before settling his gaze on Dawn. "Perhaps poppet you could go into the kitchen with Alexander for me while I speak to the nice officers?"

"Sure thing Uncle Watchery Giles." Dawn gave him a cheesy grin and put two thumbs up, a move that made the second taller officer clear his throat to cover a laugh. His move earned him a look of reprimand from his partner.

"I have two teenagers of my own and I swear they both speak a different language and they were born and bred in London." He offered when Dawn had bounded out, they both stood up signaling they were going to leave.

"I'm afraid regrettably that I couldn't begin to direct you to any next of kin for Mr. Waltham." Giles added sadly as he led them to the front door.

"We have that covered thank you for your concern. Do you mind if we contact you again if we have any further questions?" The officer queried hanging in the entrance hall.

"Thank you for your time Mr. Giles, good day." The officer tipped his cap as he headed down the walk with his partner.

Thankful that he had appeased the two officers and escorted them out of his home with sufficient answers he let out a sigh of relief after closing the door. Slowly he backtracked his way to where the others were in the kitchen.

"Hey it's Uncle Watchery Giles." Dawn imitated herself as she cupping her hands around a hot chocolate.

"I must say it's rather easier to explain odd behavior here in England as I can simply point out that you are all American." Giles shook his head removing his glasses.

"Not really, just as we all now know Fred Waltham is dead and they believe he killed himself. Given the recent circumstances I fail to believe that suicide would have been high on Mr. Waltham's list of things to do last night." Giles pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Means our lead is gone." Dawn put forward sadly. "Which points to one nasty Mr. X that Fred was corresponding with."

"Err sorry to have to break up the party but I have to go." Anya suddenly announced.

"An, tell your vengeance pager you are busy and it has to wait." Xander scowled at her words.

"You, you can just stop treating me and talking to me like your wife." Anya scowled right back at him. "And this isn't vengeance." She pointed out.

"Then what is it?" Xander questioned immediately. "We have big important things going on right here."

"Well it's somewhat garbled but it sounds a lot like, 'Oh God I Anya I hope you can hear this, help.'" Anya relayed. "That was my best Buffy impression by the way."

"Buffy? Is something wrong? Is something wrong with Willow? Is Ruth okay?" Dawn stood up immediately concerned.

"Well if I could go find out I could answer you." Anya pointed out and with a snap of her fingers disappeared.

"Okay, I hear you stop screaming." Anya blinked back into existence a few feet away from where Buffy was trying to hold Willow from advancing.

"What is going on? Oh great she's all dark eyed girl again." Anya's eyes widened when she saw the redhead. "Where's Ruth? I bet she could calm her down."

"Oh now why didn't I think of that?" Buffy said sarcastically. "Anya, something, someone's got Ruth, we don't know how, we don't know where, in fact we know nothing, apart from the fact that Willow is about to tear this town apart until she finds her. We have to do something."

"Willow, you can't do that right now. That's not going to help." Anya moved over closer. "You and Buffy really need to come back to Giles' so that we can fill you in. Besides you can do a tracer to find her whenever you like."

"I know I can do a tracer, but I don't want to leave her with these bastards for even one minute longer than is necessary." The redhead glared at the demon.

"Helping Anya, what part of helping didn't you understand?" Buffy growled as the demon's irritation caused Willow's anger to spike a little.

"Willow, if you do this now you'll lose her." Anya glared at the Slayer and moved over standing right up beside the redhead. "Meet us at Giles'." She put her hand up to Willow's shoulder and made them both blink out of existence.

"What the…" Buffy squeaked as her captive suddenly vanished. "Oh great." She shook her head. "THANK YOU!" She shouted to the air. "I still don't have gas." She grumbled slamming the car door hard.

"You are such a baby." Anya reappeared and grabbed her by the shoulder as they two disappeared and reappeared in Giles' kitchen.

Buffy staggered a little as she struggled to get a grasp of exactly where she was and how she had got there.

"Okay that wasn't pleasant." She glanced at Anya. "But it was effective, thank you."

"I didn't want to have to keep listening to you bitching." Anya shrugged and looked at them all. "Xander do you have any other kindergarten stories."

"Kindergarten stories? Why would I…WHOA." He looked around the new arrivals catching Willow's dark eyes. "Will." He added. "What's with the gonna rip the world apart look?"

"Kidnapped Ruth?" Dawn looked around horrified. "Why did you let them take Ruth?" She stared at her sister.

"Dawn, I didn't. I was down getting breakfast, Willow just nipped out to get her a drink. It was a really slick job." Buffy defended herself.

"When did this happen?" Giles spoke solemnly, his eyes clouded a little, obviously in deep thought.

"Not more than a few minutes ago, I left her in the room while I got her a Lilt. I wasn't gone more than three or four minutes. I have to get her back." Willow stared at them all. "Now if none of you will help me I'll just do this on my own." She began to wave her arm to start her teleportation.

"I have to save her Dawn, I promised I wouldn't let anyone hurt her." Willow stilled the movement when she saw the teenager's sad face and heard her pleas.

"No but I think that's exactly whatever or whoever is doing this wants you to do." The teenager explained before darting out of the room.

"Does anyone want to explain to me what my little sister is rambling about?" Buffy frowned.

"I would if I knew Buffy." Giles like everyone else watched the teenager leave. "But Willow we do have to have a proper plan here, one that keeps both you and Ruth safe."

"This." Dawn scurried back into the room in a flurry of activity. "I knew I should have pushed harder to be the one to read this." She held up the file headed 'symbiosis'. "They want both of them." She pointed out, passing the file to her elder sister.

"What the hell is Symbiosis?" Buffy tried and managed to badly pronunciation the title.

"Dawn, symbiosis in Ruth's case would mean that whoever Fred was working for wanted to use her abilities to enhance their own senses or abilities." Giles corrected her. "It's a magical phenomena whereby a person of Ruth's empathic nature can in fact act as a conduit to imbue someone with magical power."

"But what if that's not what it means, what if to them it means using the two of them to enhance each other." Dawn offered with a soft frown. "I've been thinking you see." She went on. "Ruth was the only real witch in the manor before Willow came along right?" She glanced around to get either a nod or a correction.

"Dawn." Buffy smiled a little tensely. "I know that you are trying to help." She went on. "But I'm not sure that wild flights of fancy are the way to go right now."

"Dawn's right." Willow felt her anger and headstrong desire to destroy whatever had taken Ru fall out of the front position in her mind as shock came forward. She staggered back a bit and sat down in a chair. "I can't believe we didn't realize it was that."

"I know we were all worried about black eyed Willow." Anya stated glancing at the redhead and then the group of her friends. "But I'm not sure stunned babbling witch is any better." She pointed out.

"In the fire… when I got to Ruth's room…" Willow hands were shaking where she had managed to fold them up into her lap. "It was an inferno Buffy, everything was on fire. It was so hard to breathe, nearly impossible. We were in the hallway; there was nowhere for us to go. Ruth joked that if she was in charge of the world then we'd sprout wings and fly out to safety and I said something about being fire proof." She shook a little more and swallowed hard. "Then we were and I carried her out."

"I'm remembering the big shiny water bubble." Buffy nodded. "Are you saying the fire was a set-up, a test to see if you and Ruth could work magically together?" She added frowning up at Giles while addressing the redhead.

"Symbiosis is a highly improbable and incredibly difficult spell to master, the likelihood that they could spontaneously…" Giles' logical mind started to object before he pulled off his glasses. "Well yes, if they were able to do as they did then it would be definitive proof that they were compatible to join their magicks."

"We need to talk to Fred." Buffy snapped angrily. "He so has some answers to give us."

"Actually Buffy…" Giles glared at her momentarily. "That was something I was going to contact you about. I'm afraid…" He looked at Willow who thankfully for the most part seemed momentarily lost in her own shocked and scared thoughts. "Mr. Waltham is dead."

"Dead?" Buffy frowned. "As in no longer living?" She said stupidly. "That is…" She glanced at Anya. "Is she trying to tell us he committed suicide?" She pieced together the puzzle.

"Motor vehicle accident, the police were by just before Anya brought you to question me. It appears that they are making some connection between his apparent suicide and Morgana's murder." Giles frowned.

"We have to get her back." Willow snapped back to herself and pushed up to stand.

"No Willow, we need to work out what's going on." Buffy threw a glance in the witch's direction but continued to focus on Giles. "Head honcho found out we knew about Fred and got rid of him right?" She assessed.

"That is my conclusion, unless you agree with the London officers that Fred was the suicidal type." Giles nodded to agree with her assumption. "I also believe that it must have precipitated kidnapping Ruth, though if the purpose is to ensure that Willow and Ruth can perform the symbiosis then we can assume that they have no reason to injure her."

"So Will can calm right down right?" Dawn pushed, as no one seemed to be doing anything about the stood redhead.

"How can I calm down?" Willow didn't direct the jab back at Dawn so much as she did at the others who were talking around her. "They might not hurt her, well that is not a might I am willing to bet on. I'm going to get her back now."

"Hey Will, come on." It was Xander's turn to speak out. "Remember that time when we were little, and there was that little baby bird that had fallen out of its nest…" He began.

"Oh shut up." Willow snapped at him angrily. "I don't need any more inane stories that have nothing to do with what is going on." She pushed towards the back door. "You can all figure out whatever you want about who is doing this, all I want is Ru safe."

"Willow please." Giles spoke calmly and quietly. "We can focus our efforts on getting Ruth back when we have a clearer picture of exactly what is going on. If Dawn is right and the plan somehow involves the two of you specifically, then we would be foolish to let you dash off into adversity." He glanced at Anya and Xander. "Was there nothing in the files that seemed odd or unusual?" He asked quickly.

"Fred kept underlining over and over in Ruth's file that her magic wasn't nasty unless she was able to have direct contact with a person and give them fear nightmares." Xander filled in hopeful that he was being of assistance.

"Wait, in Willow's he had this passage underlined about all the martial arts training she was doing. Explaining how her magic is strongest in its reflex form and how he was hoping that by learning to focus she'd be able to harness that innate ability." Anya added putting the two pieces together somewhat. "He also mentioned a lot how Willow was much more the aggressor and homicidal maniac of the two."

"So if you want to get your two symbo witches under your thumb you're not going to kidnap the powerful one who can rip your head off right?" Buffy jumped in with her own tactical perspective. "You'd kidnap the one who can only hurt you if she actually touches you and let the other one come to you." She looked over at Willow hoping she saw the point. "Standard bait and trap Will."

"I'm just supposed to let them keep her?" Willow looked at them all in disbelief.

"Until we know more Willow." Giles stressed. "When whoever this is sees that their initial plan failed, that you didn't rampage after them, then they will have to reassess their next move, and maybe make an unforced error in judgment." He replied sympathetically.

"Or I could just find out where she is and deal with everyone who is hurting her so that they will leave us alone." The redhead replied in an icy tone. "And no this is not me on a rampage, this is me calculated and in control. They want a fight, well I can give them one and I would put bets on my side to win."

"I think they want more than a fight Will." Buffy shook her head. "I…." She stopped when the phone began to ring.

"Yes, may I ask whose calling?" Giles' knitted his brow as he tried to place the voice.

"Of course, I'm sorry it's Anne Tanner, Elizabeth's Aunt, I was just wondering if I could speak to her for a moment." The polite reply came swiftly.

"Oh… Miss. Tanner of course." Giles scowled more but tried to keep his voice even and pleasant. "I'm sorry but Elizabeth went upstairs not more than a half hour ago, she had a bit of a headache and Willow tucked her up with some pills and a cup of hot cocoa. I saw Willow in the lounge so I'm assuming she's well asleep by now. I could go and check if you liked?"

"Would you? That would be most kind of you, I just wanted to talk to her before I head home." The middle-aged woman replied.

"Of course, just hold on." Giles hit the small hold button on his phone and looked around at everyone.

"Has she heard anything? Did they call her and talk about ransom or anything?" Dawn added in immediately.

"No Dawn, from all appearances she believes that Ruth is here with us safe and sound." Giles scowled more. "I believe its in our interest to keep up that appearance, do you agree Willow?" He purposely turned the question over to the redhead.

"We can't tell her, she doesn't know or believe in the magic." Willow sat down defeated as she tried to control the urge to just stalk out the door and do what she wanted to do which was find and save Ruth.

"Miss. Tanner, she is very much asleep I'm afraid. The poor dear didn't even budge when I poked my head in to see if she wanted to speak with you. Can I have her phone you back when she wakes up?" Giles hit the button again and tried to sound sympathetic.

"That would be most kind thank you." Anne replied. "I don't plan to leave until later." She admitted. "I still have a lot of her things here at the hotel. If she wanted she could always come and pick them up, maybe her friends, Willow and Buffy is it? Could come with her?"

"Yes, that would be lovely. I'll let her know that as well when she wakes up and hopefully they'll be able to meet you before you'd like to start your journey." Giles was as hospitable as he could be but felt the lies grating against his conscience.

"Yes, because I so enjoy lying to people who have no hopes of knowing better." He scowled and went over to put on the kettle. "I think perhaps we need to do some quick research on symbiosis. Most likely that is where we are going to get our most prominent leads."

"I could look in the Rolodex under 's'." Dawn offered helpfully darting out again.

Buffy watched her go and then frowned catching Giles eye she motioned to the Watcher to join her out in the hall. Giles followed her out silently waiting to see what she had to say.

"We've got nothing have we?" Buffy assessed as soon as they were alone. "Nothing apart from a close to losing it Willow and a lost Empath." She clarified. "Oh and a dead jerk."

"We have no idea who his contact was no, Mr. Waltham may have been a jerk but he was sensible enough not to leave anything with the other parties name on it." Giles admitted the defeating fact. "Our only clue will be when we discover who in England could possibly know enough about symbiosis and who in fact could have the twisted vision to want to use the girls for that device."

"I'm still not clear on this whole thing Giles, this person wants Will and Ruth working together right?" She made sure she had that point clear. "But why? What would that give them?" She asked confused.

"Buffy imagine you had control of two devices. All that you had to do was instruct one device to envision what you wanted, say the royal jewels. Now the power of the other device could in fact create them for you, making them real tangible and very much yours. Imagine the ramifications of that scenario if you were to substitute in control, mayhem and violence?" Giles' voice dropped lower.

"You mean use Ruth and Willow as some kind of magical weapon?" Buffy screwed up her nose. "Ruth envisions mass destruction, Willow makes it happen?" She expanded on her statement. "Ruth wouldn't do that." She shook her head. "You've met her Giles, she'd hurt herself rather than let anyone else get hurt. Perfect example the hotel, she was smacking her head against brick walls rather than wiping people out, or at least making them disappear, she's like nice Giles."

"Exactly, what I didn't want to mention in front of Willow is that without their co-operation they could indeed be forced into using their abilities." Giles' voice dropped to a whisper.

"I don't like the sound of this Giles." Buffy's voice dropped to. "You mean forced as in power harnessed type thing?"

"That or they could be persuaded that the only way to keep the other alive or without pain would be to behave." Giles' face was a mask of disgust. "Buffy if this person was willing to kill Fred and Morgana in order to protect his identity and his goal then I'm sure they would not be above violent persuasion."

"We have to find out who's doing this." She vowed seriously as she shivered hard in response to the scenario. "I won't let them hurt Willow. We must have something to go on." She frowned hard.

"Keeping Willow and the very world safe is imperative Buffy." The Watcher nodded. "Perhaps you could do something productive. You and Willow could do some reconnaissance at the Manor, see if her senses or your wits can pick up something to assist us?"

"Good idea, we need to keep her busy." Buffy nodded. "Though we're not going to keep her occupied for long Giles, I don't want to draw parallels here but Will's serious about Ruth, she 'needs' to keep her safe."

"Buffy, I know that it always seems I am stressing this to you, but if we do not take this personally for a moment I think you will easily see that it is in all of our best interests if we keep Willow in control and keep Ruth safe." Giles straightened out his waistcoat. "Ruth is a fantastic power, I've done some checking and there is no record of an empath with anything close to her powers and I know I don't have to stress to you how powerful Willow is especially now that she is in fact more formally trained."

"This is personal." Buffy didn't need to hear Giles' little speech. "I'll go see if I can rouse Willow."

The journey had taken a very clinical thirty-five minutes. There had been no conversation and after an initial burst of speed the vehicle that Ruth was kept in didn't seem to go above the speed limit. Rather gradually they came to a stop and almost immediately Ruth heard the doors open outwards.

"Miss. Mann exit the vehicle and enter the open door ahead of you." A strong man's voice instructed her. "There are warmer clothes inside."

Ruth shifted to the edge of the van dropping her feet over the side before pushing up and out leaving the blanket behind her. Casting her eyes left and right she was alarmed to see that no more than a meter of space existed between the van and the walls, in front of her was a plain gray door. Taking a side step Ruth tried to assess whether or not she could slip down the side of the van and out, but the sight of two thick set men dressed from head to foot in black made her assess that this was not a good idea.

Stumbling a little Ruth hit the door with the flat of her hand, surprised when it more or less swung open to reveal a stark white interior, with a small pile of clothes about two meters inside. She moved silently in and knelt down near the clothes. Sorting briefly through the offerings finding a pair of jogging pants and a gray sweater.

"Where is my Aunt? And do you promise me that Lo is okay?" She called out to anyone.

Her first answer was the door swinging closed behind her followed by a large sharp click as a lock slipped into place.

"Your Aunt is at her hotel Miss. Mann, and Miss. Rosenberg has not been harmed in any way." Another softer click announced that a two-way microphone was being clicked on so that the same strong male voice could speak with her. "I think you will find your accommodations acceptable."

Ruth for the first time got to have a look around noticing that there was a slim metal-framed bed bolted to the floor and wall at the far end and in the right side by the door a toilet and sink. There was a small curtain that she could pull around for privacy.

"No." Ruth looked around trying to pin point where the voice was coming from. She caught sight of a small speaker high up in the west wall. "What do you want from me?" She asked walking to the bed and giving it a slight rock, finding it completely immovable."

"At the moment all we want is for you to be comfortable." The voice was punctuated by another click as the link was closed.

Ruth closed her eyes for a moment desperately trying to feel something, anything, but frighteningly she couldn't. It was like when Willow had completely enclosed her with a dampening field, she felt closed in and claustrophobic.

"Please…" She called out. "I can't stay like this." She dropped down on the slim bed.

"What do you require to feel more comfortable Miss. Mann?" The voice clicked back on.

"That's the one request we can't give you, there is a television if you'd like." As the voice seemed to instruct a panel opened up in the wall to reveal the object in question.

Shaking her head sadly Ruth didn't even bother to look how to switch it on, she hung her head and drew her feet up to her chin begin a slow but nervous rock.

"Will, I wouldn't try and go up there." Buffy watched as the redhead moved towards the burned out stairs.

"I don't think it will be a problem." Willow leapt into the air and did a very tight twirl as she landed on the first complete stair.

"I wish I hadn't of been now since apparently Fred was just doing all this for his own purpose." She scowled.

"What his goal isn't the point Will." Buffy shook her head. "The skills you have learned are yours to use how you deem appropriately." She pointed out. "Steer clear of Ruth's room," She added quickly. "Focus on Morgana's."

"I don't think they'll be anything left of Ruth's room." Willow nodded and began moving down the burnt and water logged hallway.

"If you need me just call okay?" Buffy checked before heading off towards the study. "And Will…" She stopped and turned again. "Don't do anything even slightly silly, please."

"I promise if I'm going to be 'silly' I'll give you a heads up before I do it." Willow managed a slight smile as she moved out of view.

Almost covering her eyes she pushed down the hallway past the burnt out chaos that was Ru's room and made her way to the doorway that breached into Morgana's domain. Almost harshly she flung open the door, not sure what to expect but finding only a quiet simple room. The air within was cold, as the fireman who had been trying to control the back draft had broken out the window.

Trying to stay focused and ignore the smoke damage that clung to everything in the room she started at the bedside table turning out drawers and opening boxes and containers looking for anything. Her search showed her some tacky cheap jewelry, a variety of gothic nail polish.

The clothes in the dresser were everything she was used to glimpsing the other witch in during their time at the manor. A few pictures scattered through the room showed what she guessed where some school friends and a browning picture showed a man's back who was bent over an infant's cradle though his face was indistinguishable.

"Come on, I know there is something in here." She took a few deep breaths centering herself before she let her power float out into the room. Two 'hot' spots showed up immediately. Moving to the bed she lifted the corner of the mattress and found a small baggie of what Willow guessed after one sniff was something not so witchy, as it was illegal. Moving away to the picture up over the bed she pulled it off the wall and was rewarded when a small stack of creased envelopes popped out of its hiding place.

The half dozen letters were wound together with a couple of elastics that Willow quickly pulled off so that she could see the addresses.

"Jennifer Rayne." Willow whispered the name almost shocked when she saw the writing on the front. "Oh my Goddess." She clutched them in her fist and went to find Buffy.

Buffy shook her head sadly, and could stop herself from bending down and picking up one of the brightly colored baubles that lay on the thick pile rub on the floor, the ruined Christmas tree standing as a silent sentinel in the corner. She ran her finger over the shiny surface and frowned as a thin layer of black smoke brushed from the ornament onto her finger. Sadly she laid it on the nearest chair and pulled open the desk drawer, it was empty as everywhere else she had tried. Everything had either been emptied or had never held anything in the first place. Her slayer senses picking up on a shift in the sounds upstairs sent Buffy running back to the main hall just as her best friend appeared on the ruined stairs.

"Jennifer Rayne." Willow snarled as she jumped down landing on the main floor marble with a loud clap.

"Is that a British tornado or something?" Buffy frowned not understand in the slightest. "A really nasty weather front headed this way?"

"Jennifer Rayne." Willow repeated waving the letters at her. "Buffy who else do we know with the name Rayne?"

"Ethan?" She hissed. "But who is Jen…" She stopped again. "Morgana, Morgana was Jennifer Rayne? Ethan's Daughter?" Her voice held the disbelief she felt.

"Ethan's something, but I think the coincidence is a bit overwhelming." Willow tore open one of them finding nothing but mindless drivel. "He would do something like this, this is him all over." She waved her hands at the damage.

"You think Ethan's behind this?" Buffy frowned more. "Not even he would be involved in something that would endanger one of his own, would he?" She heard the hesitation in her own voice.

"We should phone Giles, he'd be a better judge of Ethan's capabilities." Willow tried not to overreact.

"There's nothing here." Anya huffed and pushed back into the chair. "It's a waste of time, we should just wait until we get an ultimatum, you know give us the red head or someone else bites it."

"Giles… what is would R. E. be?" Dawn looked up holding up a little card from the Rolodex.

"R.E?" The watcher glanced at the teenager. "Usually Religious Education in the educational system, I suppose there could be any number of other abbreviations it could stand for, why?" He asked putting down the file he was reading.

"Freddy has his cards last name, first name and title then the phone number. But this is the only card in the whole thing that has R. E. –Advisor and a number. No name." Dawn held it up for him to see.

"Doubtful." Xander shook his head. "First rule of business get the bosses name and number, makes you sound in the know."

"It's the only one in the whole thing without a name. He even has his cleaners down as Wong, Charlie, Quick and Clean Dry cleaning." Dawn pointed out Xander's theory.

"People if you want to know what a number is for you call it." Anya walked over taking the card from Dawn and moving towards the phone. "Simple." She punched in the numbers and waited.

"Hold on he's right here." Anya's face went pitch white as she held it out. "Ripper he wants you."

"Ethan Rayne?" Giles growled snatching the phone. "What have you got to do with all this?" Giles' shock was completely over ridden by his anger.

"We could play this game Ethan but I'm much more sure you'd rather just gloat about your master plan as you always do. You are playing a dangerous game." He warned.

"Maybe, only this time, I'm the one on the winning side." The Englishman replied. "Though like I said to you friend, I'm disappointed that it took you this long to find my name and tie me into this as you called it, 'master plan', nice title by the way, thank you for it."

"You won't be on the winning side, the witch you've crossed won't stop until she's put you on the dead side." Giles hissed.

"Oh Ripper, Ripper, Ripper, haven't you tried that one once too often." Ethan mocked slightly. "The thing is that I have something that your witch wants, and only I know where she is." He gloated. "So your big mighty witch is actually just a little tiny puppy."

"A puppy who will bite your head off and suck the information out of your dying brain." Giles growled. "And if you've hurt Elizabeth I promise you Willow will hurt you in ways you could never even imagine."

"Oh I don't have to imagine anything anymore, I have someone who does that for me." He chuckled again. "So have you worked out my whole devious plan for world domination?" The magic user queried.

"I believe I have and I know that it is suicidal." Giles tried to find a more even tone. "And the empath you have is no good to you Ethan."

"No good to me, hmmm." He seemed to contemplate for a moment. "Tell me old boy what is it you think she lacks?"

"If I remember your way I guess you have her somewhere void of human contact, where you can contain her without having to worry about her using her gifts on any of your minions." Giles pointed out what he did know.

"Of course, I know what she is capable of Ripper, she has all the essentials and the security of the knowledge that her obedience is keeping her friends safe."

"The essentials?" Giles let out a long laugh. "Perhaps I will be nice to you for a while and keep the witch in check until you end up phoning me back to find out how to deal with Ruth."

"You think you know something I don't, just like old times eh Ripper with you playing the straight man, the foreboding chimer of doom. She's a little girl Rupert, there is no 'way of dealing' with her." Ethan chided.

"She is indeed a little girl Ethan, a fragile one as well. I suggest you are careful with her, the amount she is hurt will come out of your hide tenfold." Giles slammed down the phone.

"You slammed down the phone on our only lead?" Anya squeaked staring at him angrily.

Ruth had tried really hard to control the tremors rocking up and down her spine as she spasmed on the bed, but they were becoming unbearable. The silence was literally killing her; it made her feel sick, empty and cold all the way inside her to her very core. She hadn't actually managed to put the clothes she had been given on, not willing to risk an interruption to her whispered mantra or controlled rocking.

"Miss. Mann, we urge you to change into the clothes provided." The deep voice encouraged.

Ruth whimpered a little, her navy eyes flicking over to the small heap of clothes, but she didn't move, only focusing more on her rocking as it became stronger and less controlled.

"Miss. Mann, the temperature control is as high as we can comfortably put it, we urge you to put on the clothes we provided." Again the voice instructed her.

"C-C-Can't." Ruth whimpered back, her hand rubbing hard on her arm as she flicked her eyes up shaking her head.

"Can't?" The voice seemed momentarily surprised. "Miss. Mann is there a problem? Do you have a problem? Are you injured or unwell."

"Cold." Ruth whimpered her hand shifting a little so that her short nails drew over and over her skin. "Empty, void. Cold! Empty. Void." She breathed rocking more violently each push now pressing her back against the wall of the small room, slim streaks of blood escaping from her arm beneath her hand.

Out of Ruth's view in a secured booth a tall man flicked open a small hand held radio.

"Seems you are not into complete control are you." Giles' voice was condescending.

"Control? God what I would give to be in control, Giles it's me." Buffy stated her breathing tight.

"Oh Buffy… I thought you were…" He stopped himself. "Are you all right? You have to get back here with Willow immediately."

"No time, I just need details." Buffy replied. "I can't explain now Giles but Morgana wasn't Morgana, she was Jennifer Rayne, as in Ethan Rayne as in scum extraordinary."

"That does complicate things but it may give me another advantage." Giles' voice was more reassuring than Buffy could have expected it to be. "We need you back here, I've made contact with Ethan. He has Ruth but is gloating about having her for good till Willow surrenders. But I don't think he's taken all of her special needs into account."

"Ethan has Ruth." Buffy blurted out before she could stop to think that maybe she shouldn't have shared that particular piece of information.

"I'm going to kill him!" Willow's high-pitched remark was audible even through the phone line.

"Got to go Giles, will be home as soon as we can." Buffy clicked the phone dead.

"Buffy and Willow are on the way." Giles pointed out needlessly as he looked around the small group. He'd only hung up the phone when it began ringing again. "Hello." He stated blandly hoping that he was right this time.

"What Ethan is there something the great and powerful minion of chaos doesn't know?" Giles teased him lightly. "The easiest solution is to let her go."

"I can't do that." Ethan replied. "Though nice try Ripper." He congratulated him. "Now how about telling me something helpful to both me and the young lady I have as a guest."

"She is in a secure room, with a high level dampening shield around it. I am no fool Rupert, I know what she could do if she were to get her hands on my men." Ethan spelled out. "She may not have the destructive power of your witch, but she can still do damage."

"Yes, very much so I can see why you took such precautions the only problem is Ethan as you might have already witnessed she may be a dream walker but she is also an empath. You have placed her inside a dampening shield and effectively have cut her off from all human contact. Thus effectively driving her…" Giles prompted.

"Insane." Ethan hissed. "There must be something we can do, some change we can make without dropping the shield."

"Well let me tell you one thing, if you have the shield in place simply thinking it will keep Willow from finding her. You're wrong so you might as well drop it immediately, if not your empath will be mush by the morning." Giles purposely kept his voice cold.

"You're bluffing." Ethan spat at him. "If you were seriously worried about the damage it could do to her you wouldn't be trying this approach. You forget I have know you for a long time Rupert."

"No Ethan I am seriously worried about Ruth, I have no desire when this is over to spend the rest of my life visiting her in a sanatorium. But if you are unwilling to perform the changes you must to help her survive it is your ignorance and not mine that hurts her. I am telling you what needs to be done, drop the shield. As you said as long as she doesn't come into direct contact with your men you'll still be in control." Giles met his words. "The shield is of no real use to you Ethan, other than it is crushing her slowly and for that Willow will surely crush your soul right out of your flesh."

"I lower the shield and your witch walks right to my door and pulls this place apart, I don't think so Ripper." Ethan tut-tutted. "Ruth has been an empath all her life she can control it."

"Didn't Fred let you in on a few secrets Ethan?" Giles kept his voice even and in control. "Ruth has spent most of her life in care, most of her life in and out of mental institutions much like the Manor. She is no more in control of her empathy then you are in control of your lust for destruction. And the shield won't hide her, Willow is much stronger than that Ethan. You have no idea how powerful she is."

"No but he's about to find out." The voice was Buffy's as the door flew open and the Slayer ran in. "I couldn't stop her Giles." She apologized her hazel eyes wide.

"Ethan I have bad news." Giles gulped hard when he saw the look on the Slayer's face and the fact that she looked like she'd been dropped in a pond or something equally not pleasant in an attempt to deter her from stopping Willow. "Willow knows it is you and she's on her way. Now if you're lucky she's going after the boys who are holding Ruth first and won't come after you till second. If you're unlucky she's coming after you personally."

"Contact her." Ethan demanded. "Tell her that if she so much as tries to reach us, Ruth dies."

"You bloody idiot, do you think that will stop her? Do you think any of us can stop her?" Giles snarled at him. "You started this hell ride, it's your doing. I can no more control her than you can control this right now. If she reaches Ruth and finds that you have killed her then I would remind you that death can be a slow and arduous process and with Willow's extensive biological knowledge she can make agony seems like an eternity."

The rain wiped a torrent of bone chilling moisture off the Thames, driving it through the alleys and crevices of the Docklands. Everything was drenched and those who were unfortunate to work in the local factories scurried from place to place whenever they did need to sadly venture outside.

It was for this reason that no one was there to notice as the dark clouds of the storm parted for a moment and a flash of even darker doom came bounding to the ground only to have the thin form of a redhead step from within it.

At hearing Giles confirm that Ethan had taken Ruth, Willow had felt something inside her snap. But it was much different then the moment she had lived in Sunnydale when her call to Osiris had gone unheeded and indeed she had held Tara's limp body in her arms.

Then she had known the rage of loss, the emptiness of instant loneliness and the crush of her own inadequacy. Now was a very different time though she realized as she caught a glimpse of her still flaming red hair but dark lifeless eyes in the large mirror of a parked truck. This wasn't rage, because unlike in Sunnydale she was not running along a path not knowing where she was taking herself. She knew exactly where she was and what she was doing.

"I'm coming Ru." She whispered moving across a puddle filled gravel lot and with a wave of her hand peeled back the large metal cargo doors as if she was opening a container of pudding. The metal screaming as it buckled under her power.

The group of five black clad soldiers that were suddenly exposed to the elements seemed for a moment to be stunned into inactivity, until one pushed up from the small round table where he was seated and stared at the small figure stood out in the rain.

"Holy shit!" He glanced at his colleagues. "Move it move it!" He pushed back and began a sprint towards a large black van.

The other seemed still for a moment before splitting off individually, some heading for smaller vehicles, one heading towards a small gray door, and another running off towards a larger black set of double doors.

Glancing at all of the sudden movement Willow easily assessed who was going to get to their target first. As two of the men reached the nearby car they were left dumbfounded as it pitched forward driving itself headlong into the concrete wall to buckle the front end completely. Almost instantly heavy chains from the moorings above dropped knocking both of them out and leaving them unconscious on the floor.

Flicking her gaze back just in time, the first man to move had reached the truck and was scampering around it to get to the driver's seat. Another careful moment of concentration sent it a few feet sideways effectively pinning him between the large vehicle and the wall.

Breaking into a run Willow for the first time headed into the warehouse, even as she ran her concentration didn't waiver as she started her hunt for the man who was heading towards the smaller gray door at the end of the warehouse. Needing still to dispose of the other man she flicked her wrist at a large station of empty wooden cargo crates that toppled down over him stopping him in his tracks under the crushing weight.

"What is going on?" A harsh voice demanded as the smaller door swung outwards revealing a tall thickset man who scowled out at the destruction. The last fleeing man who at the last moment dived down and through the open door narrowly missed him. Dark eyes slowly rose up to catch sight of Willow who was running straight towards him. "How did you… we were told you couldn't find us." He began backing up taking himself perilously close to a descending set of stairs, which the other individual had already scampered down.

"Where is my Ru?" Willow snarled at him as she kept running easily tracking the distance between them just in time to get her hands around the side of the door as he tried to pull it closed.

She almost laughed at his look of shock when he expected his obviously impressive bulk strength to wrench it from her grasp but instead of fighting him for it she poured a shot of heat into the metal. It burnt his palms instantly and caused him to pull them back letting her slam it back open.

"Liar." Willow reached back and with a stinging blow hit him in the side of the neck, the move making him drop down limply in a heap. Turning she headed down the stairs fearlessly. "RUTH?" She called out feeling the heightened magical energy down in this area.

"S-S-Stop right there." Came a stuttered bark as she reached the bottom. "I know how to use this." As Willow rounded a corner, the last fleeing man faced her, this time with a shotgun leveled at her chest. His stance was a little too wide and his arms shook slightly as he ineffectively tried to position himself in front of a large metal door, held closed by a single bolt.

"I don't like guns and I especially don't like them when people point them at me." Willow chastised him as she walked slowly closer. "I've already won, just put it down and run away. I don't want to have to hurt you."

"I... I know all about you." He replied backing up a little. He used one hand to work on the bolt behind him, sliding it open. "You're a killer." He backed up more pushing the door in on itself, revealing what looked a little like an operation room, filled with monitors, radio's and other computer rigged equipment.

"If you know all about me then you know it's going to be a lot less painful if you put the gun down and stop trying my patience you maggot." Willow's mouth curled into a snarl as she put her hands out and magic sparked between her fingers.

"If you hurt me, I can hurt her." The scared soldier flicked the barrel of his shotgun over his shoulder and pointed to a small black and white monitor on the wall.

Willow felt a wave of agony pass through her as her eyes focused on the small grainy image knowing instantly that it was Ruth. The small witch was lying sideways partially under a metal frame bed, her head rhythmically banging against the hard floor as she clawed at her arms.

"Wrong answer." Willow made a clutching motion with her hand and the shotgun flew out of his grip and back past her shoulder scattering useless on the floor. Another clutching motion brought the defiant man into her hand and she pushed him down by the throat to his knees. "Where is my Ru?"

"Perhaps you're not understanding the situation here." Willow dug her hands in a bit harder, not so much crushing his windpipe as she mercilessly burrowed into the nerve trigger points in his neck knowing that it would send shockwaves of pain through his body. "You do not have the ability to stand up to, what some would say, is the world's most powerful Wiccan. So tell me where she is before I make just enough of your brains seep out your ears that you spend the rest of your life alive but drinking your dinner through a straw and finding Barney the best thing on television."

"She's…" He gasped. "Down there." He motioned with his eyes down to the far end of the room where there was a small wheel locked hatch. "But you cant get in there, it's fixed up by some kind of hocus pocus."

"Again not understanding, I can get in anywhere, I am the hocus pocus." Willow grinned at him and with another motion flung him back knocking him unconscious against the wall.

Instantly she turned, heading down the corridor and only a few steps down she was met by a wall of sickening magic. The stench of it made her stop for a moment as she let it seep into her slowly so that she could better understand what it was and how she could dispose of it.

She knew that this was only the illumination from the actual barrier that existed she guessed in a three feet thickness from the door outwards. Stepping back out of the corridor she tried to think, it wasn't the type of barrier that was just going to be swept away with a flick of her wrist or fall with a few words of undoing.

Moving back to the shotgun she cracked open the breech and pulled out one of the red cased bullets. Moving over to the wall she dug it into the groove in the cinderblock just enough to make the crimped top gouge open and carefully she poured the round metal shot into her hand. Moving back to the hallway, she held her upturned palm and began chanting.

Within only a few repetitions the small metal spheres rose up and began to glow with a purple hue as they spun around her hand, their motion growing faster and faster.

"Shatter." Willow screamed the word as she flung her hand back then forward casting the thousand magic bullets into the barrier.

Down the hall as they sunk into the invisible spell it began to glow the same color as the spheres before white lines crawled out from the impact points weakening the barrier until it shattered and fell away.

"RUTH, I'M COMING!" Willow screamed as she reached the door feeling only a trace of the barrier's residue. She clamped her hands around the metal wheel and with a groan of metal forced the heavy lock back. "Ru?" She ran into the room and threw herself down by the other witch. "Ru baby?"

"Lo help me." Ruth whimpered as she blinked pained navy eyes up at Willow, her bloodied hands falling limply against the floor as with an exhausted slump she dropped her head once more against the cold concrete floor, this time not pushing it up again as she let the darkness envelope her.

"It's okay, I have you now." Willow carefully hoisted the frail form up into her arms and headed back out of the room towards the warehouse.

A hard loud almost kicking sounded at the small front door to Giles townhouse filling all the rooms. The watcher was at the door in moments, pulling it open without a thought.

"I need help." Willow felt her body shaking all over as she clutched onto Ruth who was still unconscious. The travel back had taken a toll on her magically and physically as she found it so much harder to stay focused in the face of Ru's suffering.

"Willow?" Giles gasped pushing the door open wider. "Buffy!" He called over his shoulder, but the call had been unnecessary as the Slayer was already in the hall behind the Watcher.

"I got Ruth, Will." She soothed slipping her hands under Willow's to guide the unconscious witch to her.

"She's bleeding." Willow pointed out as her hands hung still in the air for a moment before she reached out limply to collapse against the doorframe.

"Xander, some help please!" Giles called as he stepped forward and eased Willow to lean against him. The dark haired young man was there in an instant easing past Buffy who was carrying Ruth towards the stairs. Xander went straight to support Willow between him and Giles.

"Dawn, get the first aid kit, it's in one of the kitchen cupboards." Giles called as they moved Willow towards the sitting room.

"No!" Willow saw that they were directing her in a different direction and she pushed against everyone's support as she tried to turn back. "Too much after the void." She warned not making complete sense as she tried to make it towards the stairs.

"Buffy will take care of her." Giles tightened his grip a little motioning to Xander that they should pick her up to make moving her easier.

"I said no." Willow pushed more at them and when they tried together to lift her she was forced to kick Xander in the shin. "I have to be with her, I have to dampen everyone." She managed to piece the words together well enough in her taxed brain to communicate to them.

"MTV volume twenty." Dawn clarified further as she pressed the first aid box into Willow's now free hand.

"Christ Giles, just let Willow come upstairs." Buffy swore at him as she rounded the bend in the staircase with Ruth up to the upper hallway. "I don't suggest pissing her off or she might drop you into that pond in your neighbors garden too!" She added in a huff.

Giles threw a glance after the Slayer as he helped Willow move towards the stairs.

"Speed Giles, we're talking blood here, and I'm pretty sure it shouldn't come from ears." Buffy stressed.

Pathetically Willow almost was reduced to crawling up the stairs until Dawn came up and helped pull her to the bedroom where Buffy had placed Ruth on the bed.

"She's going to need stitches." Buffy assessed throwing open the case and pulling out wads of bandages.

"I'll get some water." Dawn called up from the bottom of the stairs, just as the doorbell sounded out again.

"Don't get that!" Buffy screamed in warning and grabbed Anya making her press down on the bandages as she backtracked towards the door. "Who is it?"

"Miss. Summers? It's Mrs. Lauder dear, I felt… a disturbance." She explained through the still closed door.

"Oh yeah we've had one of those." Buffy flung the door open. "Everyone's upstairs, we can use all the help we can get."

"She rescued Ruth, we don't know what went on yet but I think big magic." Buffy pointed towards the stairs. "Ruth is pretty beat up."

"I have brew." She passed the small package to Xander who had hobbled up the stairs after her. "Do you have another room?" She asked of Giles who was supporting Willow who was running her hand over Ruth's short hair.

"Yes, mine is just down the hall. What do you need?" The Watcher was quick to let her take control.

"I need you to take Willow there, the back flare will hit her soon." Rose spoke to him directly. "Make sure she is comfortable and I suggest hot brew and possibly a bucket." She paused and looked at Willow. "I have Ruthie child." She said softly. "You need to go with your friend." She encouraged.

"Void, too much after the void." Willow whispered as a hard shock of shivers broke through her.

"I understand." Rose comforted her gently, she glanced up and around the room. "Mr. Harris, Miss. Emerson, Dawn." She looked at them in turn. "Would you be so kind as to prepare the brew, and collect together blankets for Willow. Buffy and I can deal with this." She clarified. "Willow child please." She turned back to the redhead. "The pain you will suffer will just make it harder for Ruthie."

"Okay." Willow finally gave in and in one last-ditch effort to keep control pushed herself up on shaky legs and started to head down towards Giles' room hoping she could get there before she lost control to the pain and nausea.

"Miss. Summers, Buffy." Rose softened her tone slightly. "Can you control your emotional auras?" She asked as she dipped a wad of gauze in the water bowl and thoroughly wetted Ruth's hair back off her forehead.

"Control my what-what?" Buffy scrunched up her nose and looked at the older woman.

"I'm taking it that your Watcher hasn't taught you that particular skill yet, never to worry." She shook her head. "I can do it for you, though I suggest that it is something you learn." She smiled again.

"Oh wait to you mean going all stealth bomber so that the vamps can't get the jump on me?" Buffy put on her own game face of sorts pushing down her internal emotions.

"Very succinct." Rose smiled more and whispered a spell briefly. "We should still work on your skills more in that department." She added as she lifted one of the wads of dressing up from Ruth's arm. "Oh Ruthie, what did they do to you?" She said sadly, replacing it again. "Are you good with stitches?" She asked of Buffy.

"That I am good with." Buffy nodded and drew the leather case out of the first aid kit. "From what Giles said they put her in a room with a high level dampening so she didn't have any empathic stuff to read."

"My poor Ruthie." Rose frowned more and then winced hard as the distinct sound of Willow throwing up violently in the room down the hall broke the background silence. "Do you want to go to Willow?" She saw Buffy's eyes flash to the door.

"Giles will take care of her and Willow would want me to take care of Ruth first." Buffy admitted as she lit a candle on the side and measured out some surgical thread.

"Just concentrate on those that are gaping," Rose instructed softly. "We will just dress her arms completely when the main wounds are stitched." She slowly sunk to her knees beside the bed and wiped the dark haired witch's neck, ear and forehead. Wincing at the dark red stripe that ran across the pale forehead. "I wish I had known more."

"Don't we need to give her some painkillers or something?" Buffy was poised with the needle but hesitated from actually breaking the skin just yet. "I've had live stitching done, it hurts like hell and I'm the Slayer."

"What do you mean she's not here? What did they do to her? Do we need to get her soul back?" Buffy's eyes went wide.

"She has her soul." Rose shook her head and smiled at the young woman's instant worry and desire to help. "She will have retracted into herself, withdrawn to a place where there is no pain and no fear." Mrs. Lauder explained.

"But she'll come back right?" Buffy set to work on a large long gash up the outside of Ruth's right forearm.

"Giles she can't breathe." Xander's voice was high and agitated as he watched Willow's slim frame wrenching from head to toe with each churn of her stomach.

"What do you suggest I do?" The Watcher scowled at the young man, his eyes narrow with concern as he moved to open the window a sliver to get some airflow in the room.

"I don't know, you're supposed to be the Watcher. The one with all the witchy slayer knowledge." Xander moved closer when he saw her struggling to get the jacket she had on off and narrowly missed getting a flailing right arm to the face. "If she does that thing she did after the whole blow up the world thing… do you have the tubes and stuff?"

"Things have changed since then Xander, Willow has changed since then." Giles pointed out. "After Tara, Willows magic reaction was a flare one, based on nothing but anger and grief, this time she was more planned and more contemplative in her approach, the flareback will not be the same." He pointed out as he picked up a small handful of the left over cleansing brew, he carried over and placed it in a shallow saucer and then rested it over a lit candle.

"I need a focus." Willow managed to gasp out the words as she pushed back on her knees clenching her muscles against the hard spasms in her body.

"A candle?" Giles offered, lighting another and carrying it closer as the brew boiled and began to send soft strands of scent up into the air.

"Yes." Willow pushed her head up when he placed it on a low table a few feet in front of her. "I can… control." She locked dark eyes on the flickering flame and slowly over a few arduous minutes managed to get her breathing to a more even pace though it was still long hard breaths.

"Some… thing… rhythmic… no words." Willow's voice was deep and even. "More brew."

"Xander more brew." Giles instructed as he flicked through his collection of CD's. He inserted one entitled 'whale music' into the player and then pressing play. "Do you need pain killers?"

"Not yet." Willow slowly shifted off her knees forcing her body into a cross-legged position even as her muscles cramped and spasms.

"Do you need anything?" Xander checked as he poured more brew out of the teapot.

"Just quiet." Willow closed her dark eyes and held her arms out fully focusing on the music and her own heartbeat trying to steady it.

Buffy tied off a neat row of stitches and appraised her handiwork. She'd kept them neat and even, just as she would like them so that they had a hope of healing and fading away to unnoticeable.

"That depends." Mrs. Lauder replied glancing up from where she had wrapped Ruth's other arm in a neat dressing that stretched from her wrist to just above her elbow.

"Willow really." Rose admitted as she moved round to Buffy's side of Ruth's body and began to wrap her other arm.

"Depends on Willow how?" Buffy pushed again. "Willow would do anything to help her."

"When Willow is stable enough it would be best if they were together." Rose explained. "Willow's magical signature is like a base for her, it might help her return." She added the details Buffy may need to understand.

"Yeah I get that. I'll go check on Willow tell her to get her act together." Buffy nodded and moved to the doorway.

"Don't rush her Buffy, she needs to recover herself efficiently, one debilitated witch is enough for us to deal with." She smiled, as she gently finished up wrapping Ruth's other arm.

Buffy nodded and made her way down the hall entering Giles' room to find it the picture of tranquility and the air smelled of a strange musky scent.

"How is she doing?" She looked to where Willow was sitting perfectly still staring at a flickering candle flame.

"She's better." Giles whispered. "The vomiting has stopped as have the major body tremors. In a few hours she will be ready to break the trance."

"Is there anyway we can speed that up?" Buffy shuffled her weight from foot to foot anxiously. "We need to get her in with Ruth as soon as we can."

"She needs time Buffy." Giles lowered his voice more and drew closer to her, "Willow practically overdosed and her system is in shock."

"We don't have that much time, apparently Ruth has retreated or something and Mrs. Lauder thinks the only one who can bring her back is Wills." Buffy whispered to him. "I know she's been through hell but we won't even know hell Giles if Willow wakes up and finds that Ruth is no longer with us?"

"I understand your concern Buffy." Giles replied. "But I can't do anything to speed up the process."

"You said she was in a trance? Like as in with us but not with us?" Buffy checked as she looked at her best friend.

"Oh no, she is completely with us, she has just tuned us out, almost like a radio, she has tuned herself to a different frequency to recuperate quicker." Giles explained.

"So now that she's mostly in control and say we were like to move her over into the other room to keep in her trance?" Buffy stared at him seriously.

"Moving her isn't a good idea Buffy, perhaps moving Ruth would be more appropriate." He suggested.

"Let me confer with Mrs. Lauder." The Slayer nodded and backtracked. "Willow's in a trance, she's pretty under control but Giles says we can't move her. Can I carry Ruth in there?" She checked from the doorway.

Rose looked up from her place near Ruth's head, the angry red streak on the young woman's forehead was turning a darker shade of purple.

"Yes, no more vomiting and no shaking. She's just sitting there staring at a candle still as a statue." Buffy filled her in with new details.

"Her control techniques are second to none." Rose praised the redhead gently. "You can move her." She added glancing at Ruth.

"I'll be super gentle. I don't want to risk the wrath of pissed off Willow again." Buffy tried to be upbeat as she carefully lifted Ruth up and carried her down to Giles' room. She realized now as she passed that Dawn and Anya were hanging worried in the hallway. "We're doing great, you guys want to order some pizza or something?" She tried to encourage them as she disappeared into Giles room and immediately went to put Ruth on the bed.

"Are they okay?" Dawn whispered at Mrs. Lauder as the older woman walked out of the room moments after Buffy.

"They're both doing their best." She replied gently with a nod. "Now did I hear your sister mention pizza? I'm sure something home made would go down better wouldn't it." She reached out and rubbed Dawn's arm gently.

"I know how to make anything deary." Rose encouraged the teenager down the stairs.

It had been a long few hours. Everyone had taken a turn keeping vigil with the Slayer in Willow's room, but unlike the others Buffy could not be moved. Not even the promise of fantastic homemade pizza could move her from her position sitting against the wall so that she could see both Willow and Ruth.

She had watched the two of them sitting or laying absolutely motionless long after her own attempt at the statue sentry had left her with spasms and knots that made her shuffle around.

"Okay Willow, six and a half hours of meditation… if you don't give me something soon I'm going to kiss you just to get a rise out of you." Buffy whispered desperate for some sort of reaction.

Strangely at that moment Willow's hard position softened and the Slayer was left scrambling to catch her as she slumped back towards the floor.

"No kisses, so tired." The redhead whispered as her eyes slid closed and she fell into an exhausted sleep.

"I bet." Buffy couldn't help but smile as she eased Willow up onto the bed beside Ruth. "I'm gonna check on the crew and be back." She added when she was happy that both girls looked as comfortable as they could be, and then slipped out and down stairs.

The sound of soft conversation echoed from the sitting room Buffy couldn't help but smile more as she walked in to find Rose Lauder sat on the couch, with Dawn curled up beside her. The teenager had her head on the older woman's lap softly sleeping. Giles sat on the armchair close beside them, and Anya and Xander could be heard clearing up things in the kitchen. Giles and Mrs. Lauder were in the middle of a soft but deep conversation.

"Oh Buffy, is everything okay?" Giles looked up immediately a glint of worry in his eyes.

"I was just discussing with Mrs. Lauder that as soon as the girls are well enough that we should all return to Sunnydale." Giles watched Buffy carefully for her reaction.

"Buffy though I know this feels like an attack just on Ruth and Willow, which of course fundamentally it is… Ethan has infiltrated the Council and I promise you they will be none too happy to hear that and anxious to repair the damage. Part of that repair will be keeping both of them safe, which I think with Mrs. Lauder's assistance I can convince them would be best done in Sunnydale." He nodded.

"But…" Buffy paused. "Is Sunnydale the best place for Willow?" She winced at the thoughts filling her head.

"She's done a lot of work here Buffy, I think especially with Ruth's support she can do anything she puts her mind too." Giles' voice was softer.

"We all have to face our demons Buffy." Mrs. Lauder said softly. "Isn't it better that Willow gets to face her demons with the support she needs."

"Have you spoken to the Council?" Buffy asked glancing at the clock; it was ten o'clock in the evening.

"Quentin is supposed to be calling me back when he's made arrangements." Giles gave a tight smile.

"I don't want to be the one to say this, but this is all if Ruth comes around right?" Buffy checked.

"Is there anything we can do for them, either of them?" Buffy pushed feeling a little helpless.

"Just wait and stay calm so that the aura in the house is supportive and loving." Mrs. Lauder offered. "I kept some pizza warming for you in the oven."

"Thanks Mrs. Lauder, you've been great." Buffy admitted. "Dawn loves you." She motioned to her sleeping sister.

"She's a lovely girl." The older woman rubbed her hand over Dawn's head. "Now go get yerself something to eat, all skin and bones ye wee American's are. Going to have to go to the Sunnydale just to get you all to eat properly."

"We'd love to have you." Buffy smiled genuinely. "I'll go get pizza and then go back to watch them."

Main What's New Fiction by Author Fiction by Pairing eBooks

Subject Index Submissions Gallery Forums Links Awards Contact Us

If you find problems on these pages please email your host.

Witness

By The Rainbow Writers

Copyright © 2003

rainbowwriters@hotmail.com