Chapter Six
Disclaimer: I won’t legally own anything until I turn 18.
A/N: Thax so much for the feedback guys. I could use some more. (Big puppy dog eyes) Enter Willow!!!
Dawn awoke to find Faith and Conner hovering over her. " Are you alright?" Worry was etched into his face.
" Yeah," Dawn answered slowly. " I’ve felt better though."
Faith laughed, " I’m sure of that! You scared the hell outa me!"
Dawn smiled, " Sorry."
" It’s alright."
" Just don’t let it happen again." Conner encouraged her.
" Okay," turning to Faith, Dawn asked, "Did you see her?"
" Who?"
"…Willow," was Dawn’s response. Faith and Conner looked at each other.
" Dawn," The older slayer began, "You were on the verge of death."
" I know I saw her." Faith’s mind flashed back to one night years ago.
" I believe you," she paused, " I think we’ve all seen her at one time or another.
Conner stood up. " I’ll ask our coven about it." He gave Dawn a quick kiss and was out the door.
Two days later, Conner, Faith, Dawn, and two of the coven’s witches’ were seated in the infirmary. The older slayer started. " Did any of you find anything?"
One of the witches began to speak. " We found something. It may or may not be of any use, but it is something."
Conner growled. " What is it?"
The second witch spoke up. " A spell."
" What does it do?" Dawn readjusted her position on the cot.
The first witch spoke again. "It lets the eye see what cannot be seen. The second part of it gives the subject form.
The three of them looked at each other. " Let’s give it a try." Faith grinned.
Conner jumped back into the conversation. " What will we need?"
The coven was preparing itself for the spell. Dawn, Conner, Faith, and Hope were there as well, waiting impatiently to see the spell’s outcome. It began
" Darkness, we beseech thee,
Come our way and reveal,
Show our eyes that which cannot be seen.
Give form to she that has none…"
Something’s happening.
What?
I don’t know.
You never do.
WE never do. " Show us what
Is forbidden to our eyes…"
I hear something.
That’s funny.
What’s funny?
I don’t know. " Touch her senses,
Give her sight, smell,
Touch, and sound…
My mind…
What?
It feels…
Feels what?
It just feels.
Oh.
Hey.
What?
I just remembered.
What?
How to scream… Dawn squinted as a shape began to take form inside the summoning circle. Dull at first, the images seen behind slowly faded from sight, and it began to take on a more solid shape. Willow. It was Willow.
Hope was the first one to react. She ran right up to the poor girl and jumped onto her. Willow looked from face to face, with a look of absolute terror, and screamed.
Conner ran forward and caught the girl the moment before she hit the ground. He turned to face the witches. " What’s happening?"
One spoke. " She was dead, was she not?" He nodded. " Then she’s probably just reacting to being back on a plain with the living."
Faith spoke up. " Let’s get her out of here."
Voices. Such loud voices. Hurts to think. Hurts to hear, to open eyes. Hurts to be.
The three of them had sent Hope to go off and train. They, a member of the coven, and Willow, were the only ones left. They were discussing what had happened when the dead girl’s eyes opened.
Faith and Dawn ran up to her. She stared at them. There was no recognition in her eyes.
"Willow? Dawn asked. She got no response.
Faith turned toward Marissa, a witch from the coven. " Is she alright?"
" I’m not sure." Was the reply.
" Is she…alive? Because-I mean-she looks alive."
Marissa looked Faith in the eyes. " What makes you think she is alive? You saw her die." A pause. " We just gave her form shape."
" Even so," Conner began, " Why doesn’t she respond to anything?"
" I don’t know."
Something’s…different. I can…feel. I can…think. Is this real…or not? I don’t know. I think…I think it might be. There’s something warm near. I can feel it. It’s nice. " I think she’s getting better." Dawn told Conner and Faith.
" She is?!" All three adults turned to see Hope.
" I though we told you to go and train." Faith scolded the child.
" You did, but I wanted to see ‘Low."
‘Low?" Faith turned to look at the redhead. It all made sense. The imaginary friend! That was Willow!
" Hope," Conner started, " Can you go and tell the Potentials what’s going on?"
" Alright." The young slayer gave in. " But I’m coming back!"
" Alright." Conner agreed. Hope ran out, eager to get her job done so that she could come back.
Cold. So cold. It was warm not long ago. Not now. Now it cold. Too cold. Loud too. Think I have eyes. Can’t open them though. Too bright. Hurts. Don’t know how to use them anyway… " Willow!" Faith was trying to get… whatever Willow was to wake up. " Red!" a pause. " God! Why won’t she react to anything. Why’d she suddenly decide to go to sleep?" Her voice was filled with frustration.
" I’m back!" in ran the little slayer. " ‘Low wake up!" she shouted. She slowed down and looked at Dawn. " Does she know how to wake up?"
" I’d think so."
" ‘Low! Open your eyes! C’mon, wake up! Open your eyes!" a pause. "I’ll help you!" The child jumped onto the table that the witch was on and grabbed her eyelids. The reaction was not pleasant.
Willow snapped up instantly and started screaming, hitting the child away as she went to cover her eyes. Hope ducked behind one of the adults as the witch continued to thrash about. A moment later the movement stopped, and she sat…and stared.