I AM YOURS 
By: PetiteMiel 
 

Chapter Twenty-Nine
 

"Are you saying that this book -- this empty book -- is the book of the Maker Witch?" Wesley asked, laying his hand on the heavy tome.

"Yes. If I've read this passage correctly, this empty book is in fact just that." Giles answered.

"So that means that this book was filled with the memories of an ancient being and now those memories are inside of Dawn. Ah... that is, if your theory is correct." Fed offered, looking at Willow.

"I guess so." The witch replied, sounding uncertain. 

"Why would this book -- or the power in it, or whatever -- want to fill up Dawn's head with all these memories, though?" The brunette asked as she made her way around the desk to stand beside Wesley.

"Wait... wait, there was something in one of the prophecies... hold on." The ex-watcher said as he reached for Fred's notes. "Ah... here it is... 'The book shall hold all that it is, keeping safe that which must not be lost. The empty vessel shall be filled and the wounds shall be healed. The Maker has wrought a tool that shall be as a key to a lock opening all the hallowed halls so they may enter and the fabric may not be undone.'" 

"So does that mean that Dawn's the empty vessel?" Willow asked, a look of confusion on her face.

Before anyone could answer the door to the room burst open, making both Willow and Fred jump. Xander stood in the doorway, his hair a mess and his clothes looking as though he had slept in them.

"Goddess, don't do that. You scared the..." 

"Something's happening up top. Come on!" He said, cutting Willow off as he turned and ran back through the corridor, the others following after him.

Buffy and Angel leapt up, kicking the Bringers off them as they fought their way free of the throng. Each attack was countered as they worked back to back, struggling to stay alive. 

Lashing out, Buffy grabbed a Bringer by the arm, swinging him around and knocking several others off their feet. She struck his wrist, taking the knife he wielded, and used it on him instead then turning, she threw the knife, catching another in the chest as he aimed a stake at Angel's back. 

The dark haired vampire turned, kicking one of the robed figures in the stomach then stabbed a second, sending it to its knees. A third ran toward him but he grabbed it by the throat and twisted its neck, tossing the body to the ground beside the others. 

"We have to get out of here NOW!" Buffy yelled as the last Bringer fell. 

Angel turned, heading for Spike where he lay motionless on the ground. He knelt down to pick him up but what he saw stopped him. He looked up staring at the tree line as a wall of Bringers started toward them.

"Fuck!" Buffy shouted but her words were drowned out by the screams from behind her and she turned, seeing dozens of slayers as they swarmed into the glade.

Their weapons held fast they struck the oncoming Bringers, sending them scattering to all sides. Kennedy aimed her crossbow and a round of arrows from a dozen more flew into the horde, striking them down where they stood, but the Bringers did not retreat. Leading the charge, Vi held her sword high, mowing the Bringers down as she and the other slayers attacked, refusing to give up ground. 

"Get him out of here." 

Angel didn't waste another second. Lifting Spike over his shoulder he headed into the woods, several slayers clearing the path ahead of him and guarding the rear. 

"There's too many of them. We have to go now!" Buffy yelled to Kennedy as the Bringers reformed ranks and prepared another assault. 

"We'll never make it. If we run now they'll be on us in a second. Some of us will have to stay behind and... " 

"No one stays behind!" Willow shouted as she appeared at the edge of the trees.

"Avatoo Ismarei! Now go!" 

The air crackled as power shot from her hands, tearing into the Bringers and knocking them to their knees. The rest of the girls scrambled into the woods, retrieving their wounded as they went, and Buffy turned to the witch.

"Willow, come on!" 

"No. I only bought us some time. I need to build a barrier."

"Go. I'll stay with her." Kennedy said.

The blonde slayer stood staring at Kennedy then nodded and turned toward the trees, looking back as Willow started to chant. 

The ground beneath them rumbled as the Bringers rose to their feet, shaking off the effects of the blast. Kennedy stood poised to fight, knowing she would never survive if they came at her all at once, but she was determined to defend her lover with her life.

Willow closed her eyes as she reached out, trying to call the power to her. She could feel it all around her in the trees, the earth, the air, and she struggled to gain control. It slipped away, eluding her grasp, and she could feel her panic start to rise. 

Then, as if in answer to her call, the wind stirred to life. It washed over her, taking away her fear as the tension melted away. Reaching out once more her mind touched the power she had tried to capture and instead let it flow through her, merging with her own. She could feel it growing as each moment passed, filling her in a way she had not felt before, and suddenly everything that Giles had said about it all being connected made perfect sense to her. 

The ground shifted underneath them, the trees bending before her as if bowing in recognition of something greater than themselves. Then they snapped in two, their roots pulling free of the earth as they fell one on top of the other, sending dirt and rock into the air all around them. 

Kennedy grabbed hold of Willow's sleeve, pulling her away. They turned, running into the woods the way they had come, dodging trees and debris as they went, their path barred behind them. 

Giles stood glowering in the corner of the Main hall as the wounded slayers were tended to. He watched as the witches set broken bones and bandaged wounds, chanting healing spells as they did. He removed his glasses, wiping them with his hanky, then replaced them and headed out of the hall.

Merissa stood with Willow, talking quietly, and they both turned at his approach.

"Are you all right?" 

"Fine. I'm good." The red haired witch answered smiling then flinched slightly as the sound of breaking timber reached her ears. "I think I might have overdone it just a bit though." 

"Yes... well, let's hope the entire forest doesn't sacrifice itself for our protection." He answered dryly.

"Oh pish posh. You worry too much, Rupert. The trees will stop falling when there is no more need." Merissa replied curtly.

"Well, there shouldn't have been a need to begin with. I thought your protection spells...."

"The protection spells were meant to keep the Bringers out, not keep us in. I can not help it if your people feel the need to stroll about in the woods at night. Willow's solution allowed them to get back here alive and it will keep the First's minions from coming too close -- at least temporarily." The white haired witch answered back, cutting off his words.

"Yes, well..." 

She smiled at his lack of response before she spoke again.

"Well, these old bones can take no more of this tonight. I suggest you retire as well. We have much work yet to do and I am sure we will need our full strength for it." She said, looking at them both.

They nodded and turned away, crossing the courtyard as they headed for their rooms. Entering the building they climbed the stairs in silence, then separated as Willow headed down the hall and Giles continued on in search of Buffy. He found her moments later in the hall outside Angel and Spike's room, hovering there with Fred, Wesley, Dawn and Xander. 

"How is he?" 

Wesley closed the door behind him and quietly answered. 

"He should be fine. This is the same thing that happened in Los Angeles, and he recovered very quickly."

"Are you sure?" Dawn asked, her voice full of concern.

"Yes. I'm sure he'll be fine. Not to worry." He replied, smiling at the girl as he tried his best to reassure her.

"I think the best thing now is just to let him rest." Fred added.

"I could do with a bit of that myself. Perhaps we could meet first thing tomorrow and continue with the work in the library?" Wesley commented.

"Yes, an excellent idea. Xander, perhaps you could show Fred and Wesley to their rooms?" Giles asked. 

"Sure." He replied, pushing away from the wall where he had been leaning. Fred and Wesley said their goodnights and followed after him.

Buffy paced back and forth, her arms crossed tightly against her chest. Giles watched her for a moment then turned to Dawn.

"I think you should head to bed as well, Dawn. There's nothing else to do here tonight."

"Yeah...just, if anything else happens..."

"We'll tell you at once." He answered patiently. She frowned slightly then turned away, stopping in front of her sister. 

"Are you coming?"

"What? Oh ...uh...I'll be there in a minute. Go ahead." Buffy answered distractedly.

Dawn disappeared down the hall a minute later and Giles watched her go, then turned to the elder Summers.

"Now would you like to tell me what the Hell is going on?" He asked. Buffy looked up silently, staring back at her watcher. She didn't want to discuss this at all, but she had to tell him something.

"Spike went into the woods, Angel and I went after him. The Bringers attacked us. That's pretty much it." She replied, not looking him in the face.

"Really, and what could have possessed Spike to go off into the woods in the middle of the night?" 

"He's a vampire -- they do things like that."

"Buffy." He said sternly, not in the mood to play games.

"Does it really matter why? We're alright, everyone's safe and sound." She said, the anger she'd felt earlier coming to the fore.

"But everyone is not safe and sound. There are a dozen girls in the Main hall with broken bones and lacerations. It's a miracle none of them were killed!" He said, trying his best to keep from shouting.

The slayer sighed loudly, covering her face with her hands. She lowered them a moment later, looking at the Watcher.

"He got angry." She offered simply.

"About what?"

"He saw me kissing Angel and..."

"Oh good grief...Buffy, do you really think this is the proper time to be rekindling old flames? Especially with your latest old flame lurking about?" He asked, his irritation showing.

"I wasn't rekindling anything, besides it wasn't me that went running off into the woods."

"Buffy, you know how Spike is and..."

"Look, I'm sorry. I'm sorry that I kissed Angel. I'm sorry that Spike ran off, and I'm sorry the girls were hurt, but I really don't want to talk about this anymore tonight. I just want to go to bed and forget this day ever happened." She interrupted him, her voice filled with anger and a bit of sadness.

Giles stared at her through narrowed eyes, sure there was something more she wasn't saying, but he decided that it wasn't important now and let the subject drop.

"Very well, but I would advise you to put your romantic notions with regards to both Spike and Angel on hold. At least until this business with the First is over." He said as he started to walk away. 

"I don't think that will be a problem." She said quietly as she turned in the other direction and headed toward her room.

Angel stood at the window, staring at the still form of his lover as he watched for the slightest sign of movement. The younger vampire had been unconscious for over a half hour, and Angel was becoming worried. He couldn't bear the thought of losing him. 

Moving across the room he sat down on the edge of the other bed, reaching out to take his childe's hand. He laid it against his palm, his other hand caressing the soft skin on the back. Then pulling it to his lips, he kissed Spike's fingers gently as he lowered his head, praying that Spike would be alright.

A moment later his prayer seemed to be answered. Spike started to stir, a low groan escaping his lips, and Angel looked up, smiling as the other vampire's eyes fluttered open. His own eyes filled with tears and his voice shook as he leaned toward him.

"Spike...Are you alright?" 

"Yeah...but I feel like I've been run over by a bloody truck." He said, wincing slightly as he began to feel a slow ache moving throughout his body. 

Angel let out a sigh of relief then laughed softly as he kissed the hand in his once more.

"I was starting to think you weren't going to wake up this time." 

Spike stared up at him, seeing the fear in his eyes, and he squeezed the hand holding his, then smiled.

"Are you ok?"

"Yeah, I'm alright...everyone's fine." 

"Everyone?" Spike repeated, confused.

"Yeah...uh...I'll explain later. It doesn't matter now. You're all that matters now." 

"Buffy..."

"Shhhh...I told you...you're all that matters now." He said as he leaned forward, kissing Spike gently. 

Spike moaned into the kiss and pulled his hand out of Angel's grasp, sneaking it around his sire's neck and up into the dark brown locks. His fingers tugged lightly at them, pulling Angel closer as his other hand slipped under the older vampire's shirt and around his waist. 

"Spike, maybe we shouldn't -- you're hurt."

"I'm not that hurt -- 'sides, I don't know anything better for working out the kinks than a good shag." He said, smiling as he pulled him down on top of him. 

The older vampire kicked off his shoes and climbed on to the bed, his mouth covering Spike's once more. He kissed him harder, his tongue demanding entry as he ground himself against Spike's growing erection. He needed to feel him, to taste him, to know he was still his. 

In a flurry of motion they were soon free of their clothing as hands caressed soft, porcelain skin. Spike spread his legs as Angel crawled between them, their erections rubbing together, leaking and aching for release.

Spike gasped as each new movement pushed and pulled at his foreskin. A delicious torture he could not long endure. Arching upward he thrust against his sire and was rewarded as Angel took hold of both their cocks, stroking them slowly as he knelt between the younger vampire's legs. 

Angel moved closer, his thighs pressed firmly against the back of Spike's as the blond pulled his legs up toward his chest. 

"Now...Angel...Please." Spike panted the sound of his voice heavy with his desire. 

His sire looked down at him, his own need reflected in his childe's eyes, then he pulled back, running his cock down the underside of Spike's engorged length. He slid it slowly over his childe's balls then moved forward, sliding it lower still as he entered Spike, filling him completely.

They both groaned at the sensation, the tightness, the burn and the feeling of being lost in each other. The rest of the world slipped away as they melted together, one mind, one body, one soul.

Wrapping his legs around Angel's waist he waited for his sire to move. When Angel finally did Spike couldn't help but whimper. The older vampire took his time, dragging out their pleasure as he pulled out almost completely, then thrust slowly in again and again, hitting Spike's prostate with each thrust of his hips. 

The blond writhed on the bed, each movement sending shock waves throughout his body, and Angel leaned down, taking his mouth once more. Spike grabbed at his arms, pulling him closer still. He could feel his sac tighten as Angel started to stroke him again, matching the rhythm of his hips, and he couldn't hold back. His body arched upward, his cock fucking the tight fist that held it as he came in a rush. Angel thrust harder and his pace quickened as a spasm ran through Spike's muscles tightening around him. He came hard, his hips jerking forward as he emptied himself into his lover.